Chapter Volume 1, 31

Volume 1, Chapter 31

[Race] Goblin [Level] 60

[Class] Duke; Horde Chief

[Possessed Skills] > > > > > > > > > > > > >

[Divine Protection] Goddess of the Underworld (Altesia) [Attributes] Darkness; Death

[Subordinate Beasts] Kobold (Lv9) Gray Wolf (Lv1) x2 [Abnormal Status] >

With the [Skill] >, I found out that there were over 10 goblins that have surpassed level 60, excluding the rare and the noble classes.

Finally, I’m about to reap the fruit of putting in all that time of training the goblins. This is what you call a sense of high, I suppose, after doing a job well done.

On top of that, there are also 20 goblins that have reached adulthood since the time I took control of the horde.

The larvae this time around also didn’t suffer from starvation because of all our food, so the goblins from this batch are bigger than the previous goblins.

Their heights could be compared to that of a goblin rare. At the same time, their faces are also softer than the others. It’s proof that they were raised in a good environment.

“Gi Za, Gi Gu, Gi Go.”

I called the three who were close to evolving to go near the lake, and hunt around its vicinity.

The vicinity around the lake is a good place to hunt because it’s safe. Moreover, the enemies in the area are also just strong enough, neither too strong nor too weak.

“Gi Ga, protect the village.”

I left the protection of the village to the only goblin noble we had.

It’s a precaution in case the orcs attack when I’m not there in the village.

“Gi Gi, come with us.”

I took Gi Gi, the beast warrior, along with us as well. And left to hunt along with five other goblins.

We’re headed for the east.

The region where the kobold and the humans live.

I want to have a system in place that will monitor one of the more crucial areas.

In order to reach the Fortress of the Abyss, which is the home of the goblins, we need to first get rid of the orcs in the west.

But while scouting the west is important, that doesn’t mean we can just ignore the threat behind us either.

The recent spars with Lili reminded me again of the fearsomeness of the human race. The humans are currently peerless under the heavens. There isn’t a single race today that can hold a candle to them.

And while the humans are currently amidst troubled times, there are people known as adventurers who still try to invade the forest.

Even if that weren’t the case, for the humans, monsters are preys, targets to be subjugated. So even if the monsters within the forest, don’t slip out into the land of the humans, there’re still those who will try to go in and subjugate monsters. There’s also no telling when an accomplished feudal lord who will try to invade the forest will appear. Adventurers could also be hired to go into the forest.

Regardless, there are plenty of reasons why I can’t ignore the humans at the east. They are a threat, and it is imperative that I either suppress them or monitor them. But as much as possible, I don’t want to wage war with them until I have enough power to win against them.

“There are two enemies in front,” warned Gi Gi.

My eyes narrowed.

“Chief’s… kobold,” said one of the goblins as it let the dogs sniff my kobold to have it remember its smell. After that we let it run off to look for the kobold ahead. Pushing our way through the bushes, and through the dense forest, we came across a small den by a tree.

“Uu~u,” cried my kobold as it wagged its tail.

“Can you call your friends?” I asked, giving it food as I did. “Uu~” it answered.

As the kobold howled toward the cave, I had the goblins scatter themselves, and had the stand guard to watch our surroundings.

Suddenly 10 kobolds came out of the den.

The 10 kobolds could be said to be quite adorable as they wagged their tails. Not that that’s something that I should be making a fuss out of though.

After I gave each one of those kobolds meat, I ordered them, saying,

“Gather your friends. Do that and I’ll give you more food.” “Friends, bring. Lots, foods,” nodded the kobold, to which the other kobolds nodded as well, showing their approval.

“Go.”

At my signal, the kobolds went deep into the forest, looking for their friends.

“Looks like you’re going to be quite busy now, Gi Gi.”

After that, I called my subordinates, and left that area to go hunt.

◇◆◆

After hunting armored rabbits, triple bears, snakes, and all sorts, we went back to the den of the kobolds. When we got back there, over 30 kobolds were waiting for us.

As I fed them, I quietly thought to myself, it’s like taking care of a plague of rats.

“Eat,” I said.

But the kobolds only quietly watched over the food with their drools dripping down their mouth. It wasn’t until a moment after I told them to eat, and my tamed kobold gave the signal that they began to wolf down the food before them.

“Uu~” signaled my kobold.

Then in an instant, all the food we had brought, suddenly disappeared into the stomachs of the kobolds.

Then having had their meals, the kobolds suddenly started rubbing their head on my feet.

At that, I gave them some simple commands,

“Go find the orcs. Do that, and I’ll give you more food.”

And the kobold replied,

“Orc, find.”

The kobolds all simultaneously barked as they ran off to look for the orcs.

“Is that alright?” asked Gi Gi, titling his head confused.

“It’s fine,” I curtly replied, sweeping away whatever questions Gi Gi had.

This is a good opportunity to see how far we can tame the kobolds, and how vast the scope of their observation skills are.

“Alright, this time let’s go get food for ourselves.”

The goblins bowed at my command, and I led them to hunt a second time.

◆◇◇

“Chief,” called Gi Gi, looking at me with prompting eyes. “The kobolds are here.”

Apparently, the beast warriors can talk with the kobolds.

After sending out the kobolds to search, and hunting our own food, we took a nap somewhere near the den of the kobolds. There, the tamed beasts of the beast warriors woke us up.

“Orcs!” yelled the kobolds.

Seeing the kobolds bouncing excitedly, I gripped Iron Second tightly.

“Gi Gi, are you ready?”

“Yes,” replied Gi Gi as he rode on the back of his double head.

With his long axe, and his tamed beast as his mount, he was truly like a knight from a warring country, or a knight from the west.

“Let’s go.”

At my words, we moved out. And the kobolds followed us from behind.

Our destination… the area where the kobolds spotted the orcs.

There, 2 orcs that were unaware of us loitered.

Leading the horde, I was the first to crush one of the orcs with Iron Second.

The crushed orc fell to the ground as blood spurted into the air, and I ordered my subordinates,

“Don’t hold back! Kill the orc!”

Following my orders, Gi Gi pounced with his double head, and swung his long axe against the orc.

“Pyugu!?” cried the orc, shocked, as Gi Gi’s long axe came swinging at its head.

A blunt sound echoed as the axe made contact with the orcs club. Then Gi Gi turned around, and ran while the orc tried to chase after him. But that created an opening, and the other beast warriors spurred their tamed dogs to bite the orc, inflicting several wounds on its limbs.

But as expected, the dogs alone proved incapable of defeating the orc.

The wounds were shallow, having only peeled off the skin, and gouged out the meat at most. The dog’s fangs weren’t strong enough to reach the bones.

Then in that case…

“Go for the open wounds!”

As I ordered them that, I received the blow of the orc’s club with Iron Second.

Then as I kept the orc suppressed, I let Gi Gi’s subordinate beast warriors widen the already open wounds on the orc.

“PyuGUuuUu!”

---This stupid muscle brute!

I stopped the orc’s movements with all of my strength, but the attacks aimed at its wound couldn’t inflict any fatal damage.

Then suddenly, the kobolds barked, “Uu~!”, and they suddenly joined the fray.

Unexpected, I thought.

The kobolds used their dagger, and went for the orc’s legs.

“Hah… Don’t fall behind the kobolds!” I yelled.

The kobolds cut the orc’s toenails and toes. Then afterwards, the kobolds jumped back to take some distance, and then they repeated the same attacks again, piling up small damages against the orc. I couldn’t help but wryly smile at the sight of the kobolds jumping around the orc.

“GURUuuu!” bellowed the orc.

The orc bellowed, but it only added oil to the fire as the kobolds were roused even more. And they lacerated the orc even fiercer than before. Even the goblins themselves joined the kobolds, and started cutting at the orc.

Gi Gi then brandished his long axe, and struck it against the orc’s back. The rest of the kobolds and goblins aimed at the open wound made by Gi Gi, and they pierced their blades into it.

“PyuGIii!”

The orc cried at the pain, but its arm was unable to budge under the lock of my sword.

---You’re not going anywhere!

My great sword and its club was at a stalemate, keeping the orc from moving. But in order to make sure it didn’t run, I pushed my sword even further until his club was hitting his chest. I’m not going to let this orc attack the goblins directly!

Time passed with the orc showered in lacerations, and eventually, the goblins and the kobolds managed to successfully defeat the orc.

“I’ll distribute the orcs’ meat to all of you. Eat yourselves full,” I said.

The meat of the orc was then fed to the kobolds that were wagging their tails in excitement and the tamed beasts of Gi Gi and his men as prize.

At that moment, I suddenly heard a groan, causing me to look down to my feet.

There, I saw the kobold subordinated to me, shaking, biting its neck as if trying to pull it. And then---

“UuuOOON!”

The kobold howled in pain, and its body shone brightly.

---This is…

In the next moment, the kobold had grown a size bigger, and its fur had gotten longer.

Both its fangs and its claws were also sharper than before.

Its face had also changed, and was now closer to a wolf than a stray dog.

Still doubting my eyes, I used the [Skill] >

[Race] Kobold [Level] 1

[Class] High; Pack Chief

[Possessed Skills] > > > > > > [Divine Protection] None

[Attributes] None [Master] Goblin Duke

I tilted my head.

It evolved into a high kobold, but it seems this evolution or class promotion stuff differs depending on the race of the monster.

Goblins become rare class, while kobolds become high class. What’s the difference?

I tilted my head, pondering that question, but in the end it’s something I didn’t understand, so I just decided to leave it.

>

Strike an opponent with a speed faster than the eye can see. Only effective for the first strike.

>

Call for help. Not limited only to your own pack. Also works on other packs or friends.

I don’t think there’s any need to see what fast eater means.

“Are you the leader of your pack?” I asked the kobold as I sat beside it.

“Woof!”

I should give this one a name too… hmm… a dog, dog…

“How about, Hasu?” I asked the kobold, rubbing its head as I did.

“Woof!”

I threw it a slab of orc meat at its reply, and in a short amount of time, it reached the bones.

Fast eating… huh? What a waste of a skill.

“Hasu, from now on I’m going to be leaving the west area to you. Let me know whenever orcs or humans come, alright?”

“Humans, orc, let you know. You give meat?” asked the kobold. “Yeah, as much as you want,” I replied.

Hasu became playful at that bold response.

“Gi Gi, I’ll leave him to you when I’m not around.” “Yes. I won’t put the chief’s guidance to waste.”

Hmm… Gi Gi’s definitely smarter than the other goblins. He also seems to have understood my method of teaching the goblins how to beat the orcs, by not killing the orc outright.

“Hasu, rely on Gi Gi when I’m not around, ok?”

Then slowly, Hasu neared Gi Gi, and Gi Gi silently gave him meat.

Hasu quickly ate that meat, and then it played by Gi Gi’s feet.

So much for fidelity.

In any case, with this I’ve seen how good the kobolds are at surveillance.

What’s next is to train the goblins, and muster enough of a force to fight against the orcs.

There’s still a lot to do.

◆◆◇◇◆◆◇◇

[Subordinate Beast] Kobold has evolved.

Kobold will become High Kobold. The effect the kobold has on his pack will increase.

◆◆◇◇◆◆◇◇

Author’s Note:

I haven’t properly explained it before, so let me give some extra rules regarding the differences between the high kobold and the goblin rare.

The > that the protagonist uses shows the status of his target. But what it shows is actually the social ranking of his target. Meaning, what it shows is the achieved social rank of the target within its race, as well as its role.

In terms of importance for their respective races, it goes like this: rare > > > > > > > > > > > > >

[Divine Protection] Goddess of the Underworld (Altesia) [Attributes] Darkness; Death

[Subordinate Beasts] High Kobold (Lv1) Gray Wolf (Lv1) x2 [Abnormal Status] >

I rested at the village after dealing with the surveillance issue of the east.

And now, I’m watching the different factions fight desperately with Lili.

“Whose faction is fighting today?” I asked. “Ours, my chief,” answered Gi Go as he bowed.

I don’t know if it’s because of all his scars, but Gi Go always reminds me of the ancient warriors.

“Have you found a way to defeat the humans yet?” “…Not yet,” he replied.

“Gi Go, I have a plan I’d like you to teach to the three goblins’ that are coming out today.”

My face twisted into a grin in my mischievousness as I uttered that sentence. To anyone else, my face must’ve looked vicious.

“Lili, are you ready?”

“Yes, there’re no problems.”

Lili stood there as always, swinging her wooden sword, and cutting the air.

“Then, let’s begin.”

And so, the battle between Lili and the three goblins began.

◇◇◆

Lili approached the three goblins slowly, but the three goblins approached her as a group.

The basics of the three-man cell hasn’t changed.

One goblin will block, another will break the foe’s stance, and another will kill the prey.

Only this time, the three goblins grouped up, and they blocked Lili’s attack.

Lili wasn’t called an adventurer just for show though, and she threw a flurry of attacks, leaving no gap for the goblins to take advantage of. Any attempt to move away would quickly be met with a flash of her sword, forcing the goblins to be restrained in one place.

But those light and flexible attacks were by no means capable of killing in one swing, so the goblins gradually grasped the movement of the swings until finally, they caught it!

“Got it!” I remarked.

Lili swinging her sword to her heart’s content was the very thing that gave the goblins the keys to victory.

Reflexively, I yelled, “Go!” But to my surprise, a goblin was blown away instead. And the other two goblins scattered to opposite directions.

“Tch!”

A goblin went down on all fours, and tried to take Lili from below. The sword was originally a weapon meant to grasp victory while standing. It doesn’t have much techniques for fighting opponents grazing by the ground. All the more so with a surprise attack like this one. Having been perfectly executed, Lili shouldn’t be able to counterattack.

Lili struck with her sword, and it hit against the ground.

At the same time, the goblins from her left and right went for her legs.

“Something like this! ---- Tch!?”

Lili tried to jump back, but the goblin that was on all fours got to her legs first.

“Wh!?”

Before Lili knew it, a goblin was by her legs, keeping her legs from moving with a wooden sword. The match was over.

“That’s enough.”

“I… Can still fight!” fiercely argued Lili.

Hmm…

“Then how about another round?” I suggested. “Of course!” she promptly replied.

“Then in that case, next one up is…” “My faction.”

The one who stepped up was Gi Gu, a goblin who was born in this village.

“Alright, bring the goblins over then. I’ll tell them the plan.”

I gathered the goblins who were to fight Lili, and quietly, I whispered to them the strategy.

When I finished discussing, the goblins went to face Lili.

“I won’t lose again,” declared Lili.

Lili grit her teeth, and she swung her sword.

“Begin.”

At my signal, Lili plunged forward toward the goblins. But the goblins all went down on fours, and went for Lili’s legs.

“No matter how many times you do that!”

Lili jumped back and fixed her stance. But the goblins continued to crawl.

“Tch!”

The three continued to attack from below, leaving Lili unable to do anything but defend. Her legs were also injured from before. Were she to move her body forcefully, her injuries would only get worse.

Taxed with the burden of having to fight as she endured the pain on her legs, her fatigue piled on top of one another several times faster than normal.

The attacks grew fiercer, and when her body finally reached its limits, her sword was knocked away.

Heaving, and with her sword gone… the match was over.

“That’s enough.” “Tch…”

I shook Lili’s shoulders, then I left her in Reshia’s care. Afterwards, I called Gi Gu and Gi Go.

“Why do you think they won against Lili?”

The two goblins remained silent, so I answered the question.

“The reason is simple. It’s because there was a clear plan to follow on how to engage the enemy.”

“Clear?”

“Plan?”

Is it too hard?

“In other words, I told them where to attack.”

“I see,” nodded the two as they answered at the same time. “Moreover, I also told them the opponent’s weakness.”

Pressure the opponent’s weakness, and with the weak point identified, the three goblins will be able to attack in coordination.

And naturally… victory will come.

In other words, it essentially comes down to:

Make the most out of the three goblins’ number advantage. And attack the opponent’s weakness.

“From here on out, I’ll be expecting you and the others to put this into practice.”

We can’t win with power alone against the orcs. That’s why… I have to train their ability to see through their enemies’ weaknesses.

With enough experience, even without the skill >, they should be able to do it.

“Understood.” “As you will.”

I nodded back to the two goblins, and then I went to check Lili’s condition who has already been brought back to the jail.

◆◇◇

“How are your wounds?” I asked as I entered the jail. “…It’s fine. There’re no problems,” replied Lili.

It must be because of Reshia’s healing that she’s already able to stand.

“We’ll end here today. Are you still planning to continue tomorrow?” “O-Of course!”

As Lili stared daggers at me, the corners of my mouth twisted.

“Since you’re that lively, I guess you’ll be fine.”

“Obviously. I’m not going to let those goblins get ahead of me anymore than this!”

“I’ll be looking forward to it then.”

I left the jail with a mischievous smile plastered on my face.

◇◆◆

Hmm… I think I really need to do the hunts with Gi Za’s faction as the center. The fact that they were the first to overcome Lili is really something. So I’ll form the groups like this: one druid at the center and two melee goblins.

Right, I’ll have them hunt with this formation.

But just in case, I’ll have to make sure to order Gi Za not to kill the two goblins that will be in front.

“I don’t really mind,” he said.

But then right after, Gi Za gave a rather delicate response toward my orders.

“Why do you want to keep those goblins alive so much?” he asked.

Why?

“Let me ask you in return, Gi Za. How much of this world do you think we can conquer?”

“Another abrupt question.”

That wry smile, and that shrugging shoulder of his really stinks of human.

“You know… I plan to conquer everything of this world.”

Emotion like fire welled up from within the deepest pits of my body as I uttered those words.

“…Everything, huh?”

“That’s right. This Forest of Darkness. The land that the humans dwell on. Or the mountains that the dragons rule over. Or even the labyrinths that are under the giants’ dominion. Everything.”

Gi Za, speechless. I faced toward him, and I declared,

“Which is exactly why I can’t have these goblins dying here. If they are to welcome me as king, and if I am to be the king you wished for, then I must guide them. The place where they shall die, the place where they shall fight, I will dictate.”

And that place is not here.

“For them to lose their lives in something as meaningless as these hunts… I absolutely forbid it.”

“…ku ku ku.”

Gi Za held his tummy as if it were the strangest thing he’s heard. Then stopping himself, he looked at me seriously, and said.

“I’m looking forward to it, my king. You’ve made me want to follow you.”

In response to his resolve, I puffed out my chest.

“Of course, look forward to it.”

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆

The [Skill] > will be added to Gi Za.

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆