The procession stretched out long, a cacophony of complaints, coughs, and clanging metal echoing through the narrow tunnel.
At the head of the line, Lord Bone glanced back at the rift exit, now a receding sliver of light. When he saw no strange Slimes in pursuit, his body relaxed slightly.
A goblin Shaman in a grimy, feathered cloak sidled up to him, a fawning smile plastered on his face. "It's all thanks to Lord Bone's brilliant leadership that we managed to escape early and avoid those terrifying Slimes," he snickered.
Lord Bone was in a good mood and even hummed a little tune, horribly off-key. He didn't impatiently shoo the Shaman away as he usually would.
That damned Filth Demon had just molted into a High-tier Demon. Everyone had expected a big move from him, but then he heard the Slimes had broken through the human fortress. He was so scared he pissed himself, abandoned them all, and scurried back to Golden Glow Valley.
