Strongest Radioactive System

The moment the giant's colossal silhouette vanished into the swirling mist, leaving nothing but the faint tremors fading into the distance, the horde froze. For several seconds, the eerie quiet pressed down on them, heavy and suffocating. Then, like a dam breaking, the tension shattered.

A goblin suddenly leapt to his feet, his face breaking into a wide grin. "It's gone!" he yelled, his high-pitched voice ringing out. "It didn't notice us!"

The declaration spread like wildfire. Another goblin cheered, his gnarled hands clapping together with giddy excitement. One of the orcs let out a bellowing laugh, slapping his massive thigh in disbelief. Even the stoic ogres exchanged glances, their tense postures relaxing as their lips curled into faint, toothy smirks.

"We did it!" shouted another goblin, his small frame bouncing with energy. "It just walked away!"

A wave of exhilaration swept through the group. The oppressive weight of fear was gone, replaced by a dizzying sense of triumph. They had survived. Against a creature so massive, so impossibly large that the ogres had seemed like toddlers in comparison, they had stayed still, silent, and unseen. And now, it was over.

One by one, the horde erupted into celebration.

The goblins darted around, their sharp voices overlapping in excited chatter. "Did you see how it didn't even look at us?" "I thought it was going to squash me flat!" "Volk's the smartest leader ever!"

An orc roared with laughter, grabbing a goblin by the scruff of his neck and spinning him in circles. The goblin squealed in protest before dissolving into laughter, his stubby arms flailing.

One of the ogres leaned back against a jagged boulder, his enormous chest heaving as he let out a booming laugh. "Ha! That thing was big, but it's nothing compared to us!"

Another ogre joined in, pounding his fist against his chest. "We're the strongest horde alive! Nothing can stop us!"

Volk, standing at the front of the group, crossed his arms and watched the scene unfold. His piercing gaze softened slightly as he allowed himself a small smirk. The energy of the horde was infectious, their joy palpable. For a moment, even he felt a flicker of pride.

"Hey, did you see Volk?" one goblin exclaimed, pointing at their leader. "He didn't even flinch when the giant came back!"

"Of course he didn't," another goblin said, puffing out his chest. "Volk isn't scared of anything!"

"Volk!" an orc bellowed, his voice cutting through the noise. "You're a genius! That whole 'don't move' thing? Brilliant!"

The horde cheered in agreement, their voices echoing through the misty terrain.

Volk raised an eyebrow, his smirk widening. "Genius, huh?" he muttered to himself, shaking his head. "More like common sense."

The celebration continued to escalate. A goblin climbed onto an orc's shoulders, waving his dagger in the air like a banner. "We're unstoppable!" he yelled. "Even giants can't scare us!"

The orc laughed, spinning around in circles as the goblin held on for dear life. Nearby, another goblin attempted to climb onto an ogre's back, only to be swatted away with a grunt of annoyance.

"We should make a song about this!" one goblin declared, clapping his hands together. "The Ballad of the Silent Horde!"

"Ballad?" an orc snorted. "More like the Tale of the Unseen Warriors!"

The horde burst into laughter, their voices mingling with the distant hum of the mist. The oppressive atmosphere that had hung over them for so long was forgotten, replaced by an almost childlike glee.

Volk sighed, shaking his head as he watched the chaos. "You fools act like we've already won," he muttered, though his tone lacked its usual edge. Despite himself, he couldn't suppress the faint smile tugging at his lips.

A goblin ran up to him, his eyes shining with excitement. "Volk, Volk! You were amazing back there! How did you know it wouldn't attack us?"

"I didn't," Volk replied bluntly, crossing his arms. "It was a gamble."

The goblin stared at him, his mouth falling open. "A gamble?!"

"What, you think I've got all the answers?" Volk shot back, though his tone was more teasing than harsh.

The goblin scratched his head, his expression shifting from awe to confusion. "Well... it worked, so who cares?"

"Exactly," Volk said with a smirk.

As the goblin scampered off to rejoin the others, Volk turned his gaze back to the horizon. The mist still swirled around them, thick and unyielding. Despite the horde's celebrations, the unease in his gut hadn't entirely disappeared.

The laughter and chatter of the horde reached a fever pitch, their voices echoing like a triumphant chorus. But just as the noise reached its peak, a deep, low rumble cut through the air.

The horde froze.

The sound grew louder, vibrating through the ground beneath their feet.

Volk's smile vanished, his sharp eyes narrowing as he scanned the mist.

The ground beneath their feet began to quiver, a faint tremor at first, almost indistinguishable from the echoes of their laughter. One of the goblins paused mid-cheer, his ears twitching as he glanced at the ground. "Did you feel that?" he muttered, his voice barely audible over the jubilant noise of the horde.

Another tremor followed, this one stronger, making loose stones skitter across the ground. A goblin lost his footing and fell backward, his gleeful expression shifting into confusion. "What's going on?"

Before anyone could answer, the trembling grew more intense. The horde's celebratory voices began to waver, replaced by murmurs of unease. The once-lighthearted laughter faded, swallowed by a deep, resonant rumble that seemed to rise from the depths of the earth itself.

The ogres glanced at each other, their massive frames swaying slightly as the vibrations traveled upward. One of them grunted, gripping the hilt of his weapon tightly. "Something's not right."

The orcs, ever vigilant, instinctively reached for their blades, their sharp eyes darting around the misty terrain. The goblins, always more expressive, clung to each other, their chatter now filled with panic rather than excitement.

The rumble grew louder, deeper, and more ominous, as if the entire mountain range was groaning under some colossal weight. It wasn't just the sound—it was the feeling of it, a vibration that seemed to crawl up their spines and settle in their chests. Every heartbeat felt like it was in sync with the earth's trembling.

Volk stood at the front, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the horizon. His instincts screamed at him that something was coming, something far worse than the giant they had narrowly avoided earlier. "Quiet!" he barked, his voice cutting through the rising panic.

But the horde was already losing their composure. The goblins yelped, their wide eyes darting around as they backed away from the epicenter of the vibrations. The orcs, usually stoic, shifted uneasily, their fingers tightening around their weapons. Even the ogres, who rarely showed fear, exchanged worried glances.

The rumbling intensified, now accompanied by a strange, grinding noise that sounded like boulders being dragged against each other. The air grew heavy, almost suffocating, as if the very atmosphere was pressing down on them.

"Is it an earthquake?" one of the goblins squeaked, his voice trembling.

"Earthquakes don't make noises like this," an orc replied, his deep voice laced with tension.

The sound grew louder still, an all-encompassing cacophony that drowned out even their thoughts. It was as if the mountain itself was alive, groaning and roaring in fury. The ground shook violently now, cracks forming in the rocky terrain beneath their feet. Dust and debris fell from above, creating a choking haze that mingled with the ever-present mist.

"Volk!" one of the goblins cried, clutching at his leader's arm. "What's happening?!"

"Stand your ground!" Volk snapped, though his own eyes betrayed a flicker of uncertainty.

The rumble reached a deafening crescendo, so loud it felt like their eardrums might burst. The entire world seemed to vibrate with the sheer force of it. Rocks tumbled from the surrounding cliffs, and the mist swirled in chaotic patterns, as if reacting to the disturbance.

And then, as suddenly as it had started, the rumbling stopped.

The silence that followed was absolute, almost unnatural. The horde stood frozen, their breath held as they waited for whatever came next. The only sound was the faint rustling of the mist, curling and twisting around them like a living thing. Find your next read on My Virtual Library Empire

Volk's eyes darted around, his instincts screaming at him that the danger wasn't over. His gaze shifted upward, scanning the mist-shrouded peaks of the mountain.

And then they saw it.

Emerging from the swirling mist like a phantom, the giant returned. Its massive form towered over them, even more imposing than they had remembered. Its upper body loomed high above, its head turning slowly as if searching for something—or someone.

The horde's collective breath hitched as the giant's glowing eyes locked onto them. For a moment, time seemed to stand still, the oppressive silence broken only by the faint whistle of the wind.

It didn't move. It didn't roar. It simply stared.

Volk's jaw tightened as he met the creature's gaze, his hand instinctively reaching for the hilt of his blade. "No one move," he whispered, his voice low but commanding.

The giant tilted its head, its glowing eyes narrowing slightly. And then, with deliberate slowness, it changed its expression.