Chapter 368 Forgiveness

The goblins started to squeal in fear as the ground began to tremble violently beneath them, a deep rumble that sent some goblins toppling over in panic. Suddenly, with an ear-splitting crack, massive spikes of rock burst from the ground just beyond the camp’s perimeter. One after another, they erupted into the forest, each colossal spike soaring high above the treetops. 

Gasps of terror rippled through the goblin crowd as their eyes darted from spike to spike. Atop each jagged spire of stone was a predator—a Pig Wolf, a Bloody Wolf, and even larger, more grotesque monsters—that had been skewered clean through, their lifeless forms now reduced to grotesque displays of Jacob's raw power. Blood dripped from the jagged rocks, staining the forest floor below and turning the once-proud predators into nothing more than slabs of meat on pikes.

The goblins stood frozen in place, their faces a mask of sheer horror. Jacob had always been a figure of awe to them, his powers far beyond their comprehension, but this... this was something else. They had seen him use his magic before to build walls, clear trees, or even mend the ground beneath their feet—but now, they had witnessed its full, brutal potential.

One by one, the goblins began to collapse to the ground, their legs giving out as their minds struggled to process the magnitude of what they had just witnessed. Some fell to their knees, shaking uncontrollably, while others clutched at the dirt, their faces pale with fear.

They couldn’t stop staring at the forest, now lined with over a hundred rock spikes, each one impaling what had once been the predators that had haunted their nights and stolen their lives. The very monsters that had terrorized them were now grotesque trophies, displayed as a grim warning to any who dared challenge Jacob’s power.

As the last tremor subsided, the camp was silent once again, save for the soft weeping and quivering of goblins who had collapsed in terror. Jacob stood amidst them, his presence towering and untouchable. The goblins had always known he was powerful, but now they understood the true, devastating extent of his might—and it terrified them.

Behind him, Suzuka leaned casually against the barn, a smug grin on her face as she surveyed the quivering masses. 

"Now that, is what happens when you mess with us. You see this? This is why you follow orders, why you don’t run away like headless chickens. Jacob’s not just your protector—he’s your enemy's goddamn nightmare.”

The goblins didn’t respond, too paralyzed by the display of raw destruction to even think of forming words. Jacob, dusting off his hands, turned back toward Suzuka with a smirk, though his eyes carried a trace of guilt. 

"Show’s over,” he said quietly, then began walking back toward the barn.

The goblins, still trembling, stared after him in stunned silence. If there had been any doubts about Jacob’s power before, they were obliterated now.

As Jacob turned and began walking back to the barn, the rock spikes that had pierced the sky started to crumble one by one, disintegrating into dust as he released his spell. The forest floor was littered with the mangled remains of Pig Wolves and other monsters, their grotesque forms still and lifeless.

Suzuka clapped her hands loudly, breaking the goblins out of their petrified stupor. Her sharp voice cut through the eerie silence, laced with her signature wit.

“Well, don’t just stand there gawking like idiots!” she barked, throwing her arms up in mock annoyance.

 “The dinner bell’s rung, and guess what? Tonight’s menu is all-you-can-eat Pig Wolf! Freshly hunted and pre-skewered by your very own Master Jacob!”

She gestured dramatically toward the forest, a grin spreading across her face. 

“Go on, fetch the bodies before they start to rot! We’re having a feast tonight! And if you’re squeamish, well, too bad—eat or starve!”

Behind her, Jacob chuckled softly, his back still turned. Suzuka shot him a look, her grin widening.

 “See? You’re not just terrifying—you’re also useful in the kitchen. Talk about multi-talented.”

But before the goblins began to shuffle toward the forest to collect the gruesome bounty, Hermit shuffled up to Suzuka, bowing so low his forehead touched the dirt. His voice was a high-pitched whine, trembling with a mix of dread and sycophantic eagerness to please.

“Master Helen,” Hermit squealed, wringing his hands as though trying to strangle his own nerves, “do you... do you wish to deliver your punishment now that the enemy has been dealt with?”

Suzuka turned to him with a sharp, questioning gaze. 

“Punishment? What now?”

Before Suzuka could utter another word, Hermit took a step forward, trembling as he gestured toward his fellow goblins. A cluster of them exchanged nervous glances before collectively pointing at a single goblin, one that Suzuka had already noticed earlier, slumped in the far corner of the barn.

Hermit’s voice was shaky, barely above a whisper, but filled with urgency.

 “Master... it’s him. He’s the one who... who dropped the brick on Master Jacob’s head. Please, show us mercy in your judgment. He didn’t mean it, truly! We beg of you, please, show us mercy!”

Suzuka’s piercing red eyes flicked toward the accused goblin, who was so pitifully hunched that he looked more like a sack of rags than a living being. His trembling form pressed tightly against the wall as though he hoped it might swallow him whole. He barely dared to lift his head, but when he did, his eyes were wide with terror, shining like two droplets of oil in the dim light.

The goblins around the accused scrambled to their feet and awkwardly dragged him forward. The poor creature was barely able to move, his body collapsing into their arms as they struggled to support his weight. Once they managed to place him before Suzuka and Jacob, he crumpled onto the ground like a sack of bones, barely upright.

Suzuka’s sharp eyes narrowed as she got a better look at him. The goblin was young—no older than the hatchlings—but he looked anything but. His once-healthy green skin was now a grotesque, sickly grey, with deep wrinkles etched across his frail body, as though he had aged decades in mere days. His sunken eyes, red and raw, wept streaks of blood that dripped onto his tattered tunic. His trembling hands clutched at the dirt beneath him, too weak even to raise his head in defense.

The sheer weight of his guilt and remorse seemed to have crushed his spirit entirely. The other goblins looked at him with pity and fear, as though his miserable state was a horror tale come to life.

Hermit clasped his hands together desperately, bowing low.

 “Master Jacob, Mistress Helen, he’s been like this ever since the accident. He hasn’t eaten, hasn’t slept. He just sits there, withering away. He’s too weak to even beg for his life. Please, whatever you decide—be merciful. He’s already punishing himself!”

Suzuka’s lip curled in disgust, her eyes blazing as she stepped closer to the wretched creature. She tilted her head, watching him for a moment, her expression teetering between disdain and indifference. Then, with a dismissive wave of her hand, she scoffed.

“What even is this? He’s a walking corpse already. Pathetic.”

 Her voice dripped with derision as she turned to Jacob. 

“Honestly, I don’t care. He’s the one who split your head open—so you decide what happens to him. Punish him, pardon him, feed him to the wolves... whatever. It’s your call.”

Jacob stepped forward, his towering frame casting a shadow over the broken goblin lying before him. His sharp eyes scanned the pitiful creature, taking in every detail of the misery etched into his frail body. For a moment, silence reigned, the tension so thick that the goblins around held their breath, waiting for his verdict.

Then, Jacob sighed, the sound heavy with weariness and reflection. He crouched down, leveling himself with the trembling goblin. His voice, when it came, was surprisingly soft—gentle even.

“Look at you. You’re already half-dead. No punishment I could give would be worse than what you’ve done to yourself.”

The goblin’s bloodshot eyes flickered upward, barely able to meet Jacob’s gaze. Tears mixed with the streaks of blood on his face as his lips quivered, but no words came out.

“You made a mistake—a costly one. And your fellow goblins paid the price for it. I’m not going to pretend it’s okay, because it’s not. But I know what guilt like this feels like. I know how it eats away at you, how it makes you wish you could trade your life for the ones you lost.”

 “But sitting here, rotting away in your misery, doesn’t fix anything. It doesn’t bring anyone back, and it sure as hell doesn’t make you useful to the rest of us. If you really want to make things right, you’ll get up. You’ll pull yourself together, and you’ll work harder than anyone else here to make sure nothing like this ever happens again. That’s the only way forward.”

The goblin’s lip trembled as he tried to form a response, but Jacob held up a hand to stop him.

 “No. Don’t waste your breath apologizing to me. Actions speak louder than words. You want forgiveness? Earn it. Prove to me—and to your kin—that you’re worth keeping around.”

He looked back down at the wretched goblin, his expression softening just slightly.

 “I’m giving you a second chance. Don’t waste it.”

With that, Jacob stepped back, nodding to the goblins holding the accused. They hesitated before carefully setting him down, the broken creature crumpling onto the ground once more. But this time, there was a faint spark in his eyes—a glimmer of hope that hadn’t been there before.