My (Monster?) Hero Life

Chapter 175: Looking To The Future

As time passed, fewer numbers of the vampire were making their way into the safety of the next circle. None of them held the delusion that they would get any respite though. They had all witnessed how the enemy was trading out its tired troops for well-rested ones. It could be compared to a short distance sprinter trying to compete for solo against an entire relay team. It was obvious who would win in the long run.

The saving grace of the whole situation was that they would make the heroes bleed to eradicate them. The cost would certainly not be cheap! Amongst one of the last batches to limply cross the threshold was the smiling yet the sad face of Dao. Kace could not help but wonder what had happened to him for his usual cheery demeanour to take such a turn.

He never got the chance to find out as Dao headed off to find somebody to send a report to the queen. By this point, most of the vampires who had been here a while already knew to keep away from Kace. He was emanating a thick bloodlust that could possibly stop the beating heart of any weak humans if they came too close.

Most of them could tell that he fully intended to decorate their city in new and interesting ways using the heroes as his paint and ornaments.' Should I risk exposing Grugda? Or save him for a time when he's really needed?' kace felt a little lost without the steady guiding hand of his friend at his side. Kace shook his head and decided against summoning Grugda to the battlefield.

The Eljein was more than capable, that was to be sure. However, Shadow had reported that he was in a deeply weakened state when they found him. This was just another grievance that Kace would have to settle at some point. It was clear that he still lacked the ability to take command of any troops.

Perhaps it would be an avenue worth exploring. Instead of just relying on the pillars, would their chances not be better if he formed an army? He could take the fight to the heroes and liberate as many monster tribes as possible. Though it would be not easy to find somewhere that they all could live in peace.

At least until the day came that he could drive the heroes from the main world for good. That would probably still be years down the line. He still had to find the remaining pillars and close all the gates. This was the only way to seal the enemy's method of causing another incursion into this land. Come to think of it, it had been some time since he last got the chance to speak to Eve.

He wondered if she would be able to share some information with him. At the very least, he hoped that she would be able to point him in the right direction. First, though, he had to survive this war. Sophia stood beside him atop the second ring's walls. Her face was red from all the grief she was suffering from after witnessing how many of her people were no longer with them.

"As long as some of you survive, you can always rebuild," Kace said quietly, trying to reassure her. So why did it sound so hollow?

"Thanks," Sophia replied, it was a horrible effort to try and cheer her up. However, it was a start. "Do you think we can win?"

Kace was surprised by this question. He was sure that Sophia was no fool. So she should be able to tell the war situation on her own. It took a few moments for things to click into place for Kace though. He was a bit slow on the uptake when it came to the feelings of women. 'She wants me to reassure her. Even if she knows it's a lie!'

"Of course. It will be a hard fight, but there's no doubt that we'll emerge victoriously." Kace lied through his teeth, trying to sound as convincing as possible.

Sophia bit her lower lip like a nervous schoolgirl. It was actually kind of cute now that she had cleaned flesh and blood off of her face and hair. Although she knew it was a lie, she was almost willing to believe it when it came from his mouth. He had managed to make the impossible possible before. So why would he not be able to do it again?

In all honesty, Kace was not sure that he could secure Sophia's life alongside his own. He would do everything in his power to make it happen, though. Even if he had to burn away more of his potential life span to succeed. When he had been left alone by her earlier, he had secretly tasked Shadow with removing her from the city if it looked like it would fall.

As such, the aforementioned goblin was now nesting inside of Sophia's shadow to keep an eye on her at all times. This was another case of a mistaken interpretation. Shadow firmly believed that Kace only asked this because he was in love with this woman. This meant that she was likely to become the so-called Lady of the House in the future.

Shadow got lost in his own daydream as he considered the possibility of children that looked like Kace and this beauty running around the tribe's caves. The heirs to the Lord's throne. Which meant that they would have someone to pledge themselves to after Kace was gone from this world. A wide smile broke out across his face as he thought about being called Uncle by his Lord's children.

Snapping out of his idle thoughts, he eyed the beauty yet again. It's a shame that she does not have a natural beauty that our goblin women have. The children will surely be ugly and have a hard time for it. Shadow sighed as he considered the difficulties that the entirely hypothetical, non-existent children would have to go through.

At the same time that Shadow had this thought, a female goblin riding on an 'Airship' somewhere in another world felt her ears begin to burn