Chapter 165: Pantheons

The battlefield had finally fallen silent, leaving behind countless corpses, shattered fortresses, and ruined villages that stretched across the goblin territory. The undead armies that had once trampled everything in their path were now scattered across the land, their movements gradually ceasing as the forces of the constellations completed their assault.

From a distant perspective, the invasion had been a disaster for the goblins. Their emperors had fought desperately to defend their territory, yet the combined forces of the evil constellations had overwhelmed their defenses with an almost unreasonable advantage.

However, for those who had participated in the invasion, the outcome was somewhat different from what they had anticipated.

"This was easier than I expected."

The Onyx Elf stood atop a broken fortress wall, his dark hair swaying gently in the wind as he surveyed the battlefield.

Several shadow pillars remained standing behind him, their dark surfaces reflecting the faint glow of the setting sun, while the remnants of the goblin army lay scattered across the surrounding plains.

He had expected the goblins to possess more hidden tricks, especially considering the unusual circumstances surrounding their creator and the strange power that had allowed them to establish a kingdom in such a short period.

Instead, most of their forces had crumbled under the combined assault.

"Perhaps we overestimated them," the Magic Swordswoman remarked, standing nearby with her sword resting against her shoulder. Her expression remained composed, although the faint traces of mana surrounding her blade suggested that she had only recently finished fighting.

"Or perhaps we simply brought too many people."

The Thousand Petal looked toward the distant horizon, where several enormous undead creatures were being dismantled by the remaining soldiers. Petals drifted around her body, carrying traces of magical energy that gradually disappeared into the air.

Their invasion had included powerful warriors, summoned creatures, undead armies, and the combined influence of multiple constellations. Against such a force, even a considerably stronger kingdom might have struggled to survive.

The goblins had been unfortunate enough to face them all at once.

"Don’t become complacent just because the battle went smoothly," the Magic Swordswoman said. "We still haven’t discovered everything about their creator, and the goblins might not have shown us their full strength."

"You’re still thinking about that?"

Lapace the Overproud approached them with an irritated expression, his armor bearing several scratches from the battle.

"That little creature’s victory against me doesn’t count. I was caught off guard, and I wasn’t even using my powers properly."

The Onyx Elf glanced at him.

"Nobody asked."

Lapace’s expression darkened. "What did you say?"

"Nothing worth repeating."

The Thousand Petal covered his mouth, hiding a small smile, while the Magic Swordswoman simply turned away. They had grown accustomed to Lapace’s temperament, and arguing with him over something so trivial would only waste their time.

Still, despite their apparent victory, there was something about the battlefield that continued to bother them.

The goblins had been weak compared to their combined forces, but their unusual loyalty toward their creator, their strange religious beliefs, and the existence of a winged creature that possessed powers beyond ordinary monsters suggested that there was more to this planet than they understood.

Unfortunately, their investigation had yielded more questions than answers.

---

Far beyond the battlefield, within a place inaccessible to ordinary beings, the pantheons gathered to observe the events unfolding on the goblin planet.

Some watched the battlefield with interest, others appeared indifferent, and a few were visibly displeased by how easily the invasion had progressed.

"Is that really all they could do?"

A deity belonging to one of the pantheons leaned forward, observing the remaining goblin forces as they retreated from their ruined settlements. He had expected a far more complicated battle, particularly after hearing reports about the strange developments taking place on the planet.

Instead, the invasion had progressed almost exactly as their side had intended.

In fact, it had gone so smoothly that several pantheons had begun questioning whether their forces had been excessive.

"We sent multiple constellations, their followers, and an army of undead creatures," another deity remarked. "Even if those goblins possessed some hidden strength, how could they possibly resist such a force?"

"That is precisely the problem."

The pantheon who spoke had a more serious expression than the others.

"If we had underestimated them, we might have suffered unnecessary losses. But now, after witnessing the battle, I find myself wondering whether we have gained anything meaningful from this invasion."

The surrounding gods fell silent for a moment.

They had expected resistance, perhaps even a few unexpected developments that would force their constellations to reveal more of their abilities. Instead, their forces had crushed the goblin defenses before the enemy could properly organize a response.

Their victory was unquestionable, but the information they had obtained remained disappointingly limited.

"Regardless, we should be grateful that our constellations managed to handle the situation without suffering any significant losses," another deity said. "There is no need to overcomplicate things."

"That depends on what happens next."

A different voice interrupted the discussion.

Several pantheons turned toward the speaker, recognizing the deity whose attention had remained fixed on a particular section of the battlefield.

There, among the shattered remnants of a fortress, one of the goblin emperors had continued fighting despite the collapse of his forces. Surrounded by enemies and wounded from the prolonged battle, the goblin emperor had refused to surrender, forcing his opponents to expend more effort than they had initially anticipated.

Yet what caught the pantheons’ attention was not his stubborn resistance.

It was the constellation standing against him.

"Look at my constellation."

The pantheon spoke with a hint of pride, pointing toward the battlefield where his chosen representative had finally defeated the goblin emperor.

"Even without my authority, he still managed to defeat that goblin emperor. Isn’t that impressive?"

Several gods shifted their attention toward the scene.

The constellation in question had fought without receiving the assistance of his patron’s authority, relying instead on his own strength, experience, and abilities. Although the battle had been difficult, he had eventually emerged victorious, proving that he could overcome a formidable opponent without depending on divine intervention.

"Indeed, his performance was commendable," another pantheon admitted. "Perhaps we should reconsider how much assistance we provide our constellations in the future."

"Do not get ahead of yourself," a third pantheon responded. "One victory does not mean they can handle every situation alone."

The first pantheon chuckled.

"I never said that. I’m simply pointing out that my constellation has performed exceptionally well."

His pride was understandable, especially considering the circumstances. Among the many constellations participating in the invasion, not all had managed to achieve their objectives without encountering difficulties, and some had even been forced to retreat temporarily before returning with reinforcements.

Compared to them, the goblin emperor’s defeat was a respectable achievement.

However, the conversation soon shifted toward a far more troublesome matter.

"Have any of you managed to establish contact with your constellations?"

The question immediately changed the atmosphere.

One of the deities frowned before shaking his head.

"No. I’ve already tried several times, but the communication refuses to connect."

"Same here."

The gods exchanged uneasy glances.

Divine communication was not something that could be casually disrupted. Although certain circumstances could interfere with its effectiveness, the complete inability to establish contact with their constellations was unusual, especially when their representatives were still actively participating in the war.

They could observe the battlefield through the means available to them, but communicating with those below was an entirely different matter.