Chapter 367 A Tomb Stone for our Enemy

Jacob’s hand trembled as he dragged it across his face, trying to wipe away the memories that clawed at his mind.

"This was my chance to repent myself for my past mistakes. A chance to make up for all the people I’ve failed before. And what do I do with it? I get taken out by a clumsy accident, and now I’ve got a pile of dead goblins to add to the tally. They didn’t deserve this. I was meant to protect them. Instead, I was nothing more than a burden, a broken soldier. I will never forgive myself for this. Their deaths are a stain on my hands that I will carry with me forever.”

“Oh, boo hoo, cry me a river,” she snapped, her voice dripping with sarcasm so thick it could cut through stone.

“Look at you now, wallowing in guilt over a few goblins. Spare me. I wish you’d found even a shred of this so-called conscience when you were barking orders for your men to throw me to the damn werewolf. Where was all this sympathy when I was the one fighting for my life? When I needed someone to protect me, where were those big, heroic regrets then? Where was all this sympathy when I needed it?”

“Funny, isn’t it? How it takes a tragedy to make you feel something. Now here you are, mourning goblins like they were your brothers-in-arms. Where was all this compassion when it actually mattered, Jacob? Or do you only care about people after they’re gone? Save the tears, soldier boy. They don’t change a damn thing.”

Jacob took a deep breath, his jaw tightening as he absorbed Suzuka’s words. His fists clenched at his sides, but his voice, when it came, was calm—steady, but with pain.

“You think I don’t know I’ve made mistakes? You think I don’t remember every damn thing I’ve done? Every order I gave, every life I put on the line? I’m not proud of it. Hell, I hate the man I used to be, the choices I made.”

“I hurt you. I know that. I’ve lived with that guilt every day since. And if I could go back and change it, believe me, I would. I’ve lost enough comrades, friends, family—hell, even enemies—to know what it means to fail someone. And these goblins? They might not be soldiers or heroes, but they trusted me. I failed them just like I failed you, and that’s on me.”

She leaned closer, her gaze piercing.

“Don’t worry about the goblins. We’ll get more soon enough. There are plenty of breeding farms in these woods. Goblins are like weeds—they spring up everywhere, and there’s no shortage of them. They’re practically crawling with them. So, get a grip and stop wallowing in self-pity. I need you in full strength and mind, not as some broken crybaby. Luckily, no one important got hurt. And we’re going to need all the strength and clarity you can muster to deal with what’s coming next. So, get rest, get your shit together, and be ready to get back to work.”

Her words were a harsh reality check, slicing through Jacob’s guilt with a merciless edge. He struggled to sit up, his face a mix of disbelief and deep sorrow.

“Is this really how you see it? Are you just brushing off their deaths like they were nothing? These weren’t just 'a few goblins,’ Suzuka. They were living beings who trusted us to protect them. How can you be so indifferent to their suffering?”

“I thought you cared about them, even if they’re just goblins. They were part of our camp, part of our responsibility. How can you talk about them like they’re expendable? They’re not just numbers or resources to be replaced. They had lives, and they died because we failed them.”

“I don’t have time for this,” Suzuka snapped, her voice brooking no argument.

“The walls need to be finished, and the damn wolves are still out there. We’re facing threats on all sides, and someone has to take charge. I may seem like a villain, but it’s a role I’ll embrace if it means keeping us alive and ensuring we’re ready for whatever comes next.”

“If you want to wallow in guilt, do it later. Right now, we need every hand on deck. We need strength, clarity, and resolve - not broken spirits. Get yourself together, because we’ve got a lot of work to do and no time to waste. This camp, these walls, and our future depend on us stepping up and facing the reality of our situation head-on.”

She leaned closer, staring Jacob down as if daring him to defy her.

"Now, since you messed up big time, we need to make it right. No sitting around feeling sorry for yourself. Here’s what’s gonna happen next."

She pointed a finger at him, her eyes blazing. 

"You will drink every last one of those recovery potions I brought until you’re back on your feet. No excuses. Once you’re steady, you’re going to march out there, do an area scan with your earth magic, and locate every single threat lurking in this territory. No half-measures, Jacob—all of them."

Her lips curled into a sly, almost wicked smile. 

"Then, in one big, flashy magic spell, you’re going to eliminate them. Wipe them out so thoroughly that even the dirt will be too scared to remember them. Make it as gruesome and visible as possible."

She crossed her arms and tilted her head.

 "These goblins are fools, sure. Gullible, absolutely. But they saw you weak. They saw you bleeding. And that, Jacob, is a problem. You need to show them—show them—that you are not weak, not someone to mess with. You need to remind them exactly who the hell you are. A god damn pillar! A tomb stone for our enemy!"

Her voice softened ever so slightly, though her words retained their iron edge. 

"So go out there and put on a little display of power. Turn those threats into dust and let them see what you’re capable of. Then—then—you can crawl back to bed and rest until you’re fully recovered. Got it? And don’t make me repeat myself, Jacob."

 “You’re right. I can’t let them see me as weak. Not now, not ever. I’ve dealt with worse injuries on the battlefield and still managed to get the job done. God, I survived my chest ripped open by you. This... this is no different.”

He clenched his fists, his knuckles cracking as he took a deep breath. 

“I’ll drink the potions. I’ll drag myself out there if I have to. And when I do, I’ll make sure every single one of those bastards lurking in the forest regrets stepping foot in this territory. I’ll make sure the goblins see that I’m still the man they can rely on. That I’m still the same Jacob who’s fought armies and monsters alike. No half-measures, no excuses. I’ll get it done.”

Jacob grabbed one of the potions nearby, uncorked it, and downed it in one gulp. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. 

“Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a show to put on. Time to remind everyone—evil goblins, wolves, whoever else is out there—that we’re back in business.”

The moment Jacob stepped through the door, the transformation was like a thunderclap in a silent room. His once injured form now stood tall and proud. The goblins, who had been huddling nervously in piles, froze in place. Eyes wide with disbelief, they stared at him, as if seeing a ghost come back to life. Some of them gasped so loudly that it echoed off the barn’s walls. Others stood frozen, their jaws hanging slack, as if their brains were struggling to process the sight of their injured protector now standing before them with no sign of the previous damage.

One goblin’s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets in shock, his hands trembling as he pointed at Jacob’s unscathed body.

 "B-but... how?!" he stammered, barely able to form a coherent sentence. Another goblin just stood there, mouth agape, his gaze shifting from Jacob to Suzuka, trying to piece together what had just happened.

Then, Suzuka, with her usual sharpness, stepped in behind Jacob and unleashed a command that cut through the stunned silence.

“Everyone outside! Now! Jacob is back on his feet, and he’s going to show you all what’s what! No one messes with us, not anymore! Do you hear me? MOVE IT!”

Over two hundred goblins erupted from the barn in a chaotic frenzy, tripping over one another as they scrambled outside. Their frantic movement formed a tightly packed crowd just beyond the barn doors, parting instinctively to leave a clear path for Jacob. The murmurs of disbelief and nervous chatter swirled among them as their wide, anxious eyes fixed on the barn door, waiting for him to appear.

When Jacob stepped outside, the goblins fell silent, their collective attention locking onto him as if he were some otherworldly being descending to deliver judgment. His gait was steady and deliberate, each step exuding the kind of authority only earned through blood and battle. He moved to the center of the camp, the space eerily quiet save for the sound of his boots crunching against the dirt.

Once in position, Jacob crouched down and pressed his hand against the ground, closing his eyes in concentration. 

The goblins, packed together like sardines, leaned forward on trembling legs, their breath caught in their throats as they watched. For several minutes, the camp was silent, the only sound the soft rustle of the forest around them.

 Then, Jacob opened his eyes, sharp and fierce like a predator zeroing in on its prey. With a commanding shout, he shouted the name of his spell, "Giga-Impale!" his voice cutting through the tense air like thunder.