Chapter 24

Duel I

[Race] Goblin

[Level] 22

[Class] Duke; Horde Chiefs

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

[Divine Protection] Goddess of the Underworld (Altesia)

[Attributes] Darkness; Death

[Subordinate Beasts] Kobold (Lv9)

[Abnormal Status] >

Our expedition to the north proceeded smoothly .

After a day and a half, we continued to move north of the lake, hunting beasts at our leisure as we progressed . During this time, we didn’t encounter any strong beasts .

But along the way, I realized that I hadn’t taken Reshia’s pace into account .

Even with a guide, walking these parts of the forest is quite tough for a human, so her pace was quite slow .

If we were to continue like this, we would end up taking too much time, so I picked Reshia up, and carried her instead .

Immediately she complained, but I ignored her and sped up the army’s pace .

“We’ll march till noon,” I declared .

The crying wind breezed throughout the desolate lands, singing a hymn for all to hear .

These winds might have been hailed by the power of magic, I thought . It could be here to show that the druids rule these lands, but even so, we marched on .

From here on, we need to exercise great caution .

Under the guidance of the old goblin, I threw Reshia away, and led the horde to proceed cautiously .

“So this is where the druids live?” I asked to the old goblin .

“Yes . Ahead is the area where the giant tree absorbing this land’s nutrients is… The Great Heaven-Piercing Tree, the home of the druids . ”

According to the old goblin, the druids dug a cave at the roots of that giant tree, and they created their base there .

“So that’s where they are,” I muttered .

From a distance stood a great tree that reached the heavens, towering over everything around it . As we gradually neared it, the tree and its surroundings grew fuller . A green lush could be seen spread around the tree, while the roots sprouting up were hugging the nearby rocks . The new trees of the giant tree were being cultivated in that land . It was as if it was trying to create a new forest with nothing but its own kind as it caused an invasion of foliage that extended 30 meters around it .

And then out of that tiny forest within this giant forest came out a goblin .

It looked over to where we were, then it panicked, and it quickly came back in and called for its friends .

“Good . It did our job for us,” I remarked .

Then in order to make them surrender, I ordered the army to be deployed . After all, there’s no quicker way than scaring your foe .

Gi Go’s army of 10 marched to the right, Gi Gi’s army of beasts marched to the left, Gi Ga’s army of 10 took the rear of the tree, while I took the front . Like this we surrounded the giant tree of this small forest .

I stood there quietly, waiting . Wondering to myself how the opposing goblins will come out, when the old goblin suddenly came over .

“O king, please here my request,” he said .

“What?” I curtly replied, my eyes remaining fixed on the giant tree .

“Please let me be the one to demand their surrender . ”

“What?”

The old goblin assertively bowed his head toward me . A complete change from that old goblin that fervently contested going here .

“Why?” I asked .

“It’s difficult to say, but the leader of druids is most likely my son,” replied the old goblin, a hint of hesitation in his voice . ”

“You would demand their surrender? Even though it’s your own blood and kin?”

I’ve never heard of a goblin having emotion as a father .

How could goblins have any emotion of fatherhood when they make their children hunt as soon as they are born? Such a thing shouldn’t be possible .

For humans, they develop such emotions since they need to protect their own children after birth . But for goblins who need to hunt immediately even as a newborn, such emotions shouldn’t exist . So why?

“…It can’t be helped . Someone needs to go,” replied the old goblin .

The old goblin did not falter from my displeased voice, instead it tenaciously faced me .

Something tugged at me . Something that caused me to find displeasure in the old goblin’s proposal . But what that something was, I didn’t know . So I only stared at it coldly as I gave my approval .

“Fine,” I said .

I watched the old goblin’s lonely back as I saw him off into the large tree by himself .

–––Wrong! What is it that’s troubling me!?

It was as if there was a black mist within my head, suppressing my thoughts .

Is it you? Altesia!?

[Skill] > activated .

“You don’t think the goblin will betray you? How cute,” said a voice inside my head .

Shaking my head, I shrugged that voice off, and looked towards the departing old goblin .

“Follow your heart’s lead!” I yelled, sweeping away Altesia’s interference .

Then the old goblin bowed toward me, and it entered the giant tree alone .

◇◆◆

After a while, the old goblin came out with another goblin beside him .

“Oh? There’s quite a bit, aren’t there?” said the enemy goblin as it smiled defiantly .

But I know very well that contrary to that smiling façade of his, the goblin carries with him great confidence . With a robe wrapped around him, and a staff in one hand, he exuded great pressure . And this goblin… rather than a goblin, he’s appearance is much closer to that of a human’s .

With his red skin, he’s most likely a goblin rare .

But this atmosphere that I can feel on my skin…

This goblin is strong; my body is telling me that .

“Are you the chief?” I asked .

The goblin that stood before me, his bold appearance made it clear that he would not bow his head .

But that’s that .

I’ll still advise him all the same .

“That’s right . I am the chief of the druids,” replied the goblin .

There’s a distance of 20 steps between us . It’s too bad, but that’s not a distance I can close in an instant .

“Surrender, and offer yourself to me,” I declared .

“Ku ku ku ku… You know it to be meaningless, and yet you bother anyway?” Replied the druids’ chief as he laughed . “But fine… If you can defeat me, I’ll give you everything . ”

A duel between two beings that call themselves king . Just like the history books . But with this the casualties will be few, and the gains will be great .

“If I win, you shall give me everything . But then if you win?”

When I said that, it was only for a moment, but the druid’s chief stared at me blankly . Then quickly, he broke out into laughter, and then said,

“What a funny guy… You plan to die!?”

A smile like that of a beast appeared on my face . It was as if a delicious prey had just been thrust before me . Then with that vicious smile, I answered the druid’s chief . ,

“We can gamble precisely because there are two equal things sought . ”

Even I didn’t know I would feel like this . Perhaps it’s because this goblin’s visage is so close to that of a human’s .

“I see… Then in that case…”

As the druid chief was thinking, Reshia suddenly came out .

“Hello? Do you mind? I can’t see a thing!”

Without a care in the world, Reshia’s voice resounded throughout that tense atmosphere . And the goblin in front of me froze .

“… Oi, gramps, what is that thing?” asked the druid chief to the old goblin who was behind him .

“The king’s treasure, a human female,” replied the old goblin .

“A toy, in other words?”

“No, the king doesn’t engage in such activities… Rather he seems to be quite fond of talking with her . ”

“Oh?”

A sharp light shot from the druid chief’s eyes .

“I’ve decided . I want that girl!”

Reshia froze .

I gave her a sidelong glance, and clicked my tongue at the back of my head . Then I looked at her and sarcastically said,

“Congratulations, you’ve been personally requested . You must be jumping for joy . ”

“W-W-What are you talking about!?” asked Reshia, not following what’s going on as she compared me and the druid chief .

“The reward for our duel . If I win, I’ll have his horde . If I lose, I’ll hand you over . ”

“W-W-W-What are you deciding by yourself!”

This girl has absolutely zero awareness of being my prisoner . Well I’m not treating her like one after all, so it’s only expected I suppose .

“Don’t worry, I’m not planning on losing . I have no intentions of handing you to anyone either,” I said, trying to comfort her .

“Tch!?” replied Reshia, clearly still panicked .

Gripping Iron Second (Great Steel Sword), I stared at the foe before me, and calmed my burning heart .

He probably didn’t hear Reshia’s mumbling, I thought to myself .

Then steeling myself, I focused all of my strength to face the fitting opponent before me . ”

“Come!”

At the resound of my voice, the battle beneath that tense atmosphere began .

Author’s Note:

It’s a druid fight .

Who would’ve thought that the old goblin would have a family!?

The old goblin’s ability to talk so well right from the start is because of its high intelligence .

But it is after all only a normal goblin, so it can’t match up to the druids .