A green-skinned face with a pointed chin and dark, unkempt hair; lips curled up, revealing a set of yellow teeth and emitting a foul stench—a nightmare greeted Ethan as soon as he opened his eyes.

Oh fuck, a goblin!

Ethan reached out to the bag, only to find nothing. The goblin's grin grew wider as it swung his bag.

"Gigigigi," the creature snarled. "Looking for this boy?"

Ethan scanned the cave and grimaced. A whole pack of goblins surrounded him and he hadn't felt a thing.

"What do you want?"

The goblin hurled the bag to its shoulder and crossed its arms on its bare chest.

"Capture you for our Lord."

The goblins jumped at him at once. Ethan swung his fist and knocked out one. Kicked another one and smashed one to the floor. His blow sent the little goblins crashing into the walls.

"Just take him down," the leader ordered.

Ethan dashed for the leader but the rest of the goblins swarmed over him and subdued him on the ground.

Ethan glared at their presumed leader since he could speak, unlike the rest who only yelled.

What shitty luck to get spawn-camped in another world. Why am I in a goblin cave... How do I get out of this situation?

The leader squatted and touched Ethan's hands with its mucky hands. "I have never seen delicate tools like these. The Lord will be pleased to interrogate you on this."

Fucking hell.

He cursed as the goblins dragged him out and threw him into a different cave. The leader laughed and pressed his palm on the ground. An earth wall rose up and imprisoned him.

He used some sort of magic for this.

Ethan dropped his back on the crude floor. "Now what?"

Even if he breaks the door, a goblin army will welcome him outside. This time they won't be this gentle.

The silver moss on the ceiling left some room to see. The cave was empty except for some small tunnels smaller than his head leading outside.

"I am fucked."

First of all, he didn't sleep at all. Mio and Celia stuffed him with coffee all night but he kept the bag with stuff around, just in case.

"So much for preparing like hell."

Phoenix is a bitch.

—x—x—x—

"Kiii!"

A familiar squeal woke Ethan from his nap. Mini crawled on top of his chest and rubbed her face against his.

Her horn is healed.

He scratched her head with one finger and gave a glance at the tunnels.

"Why are you here?"

Mini stood, pointed at his face, and crossed her arms on her chest.

"For me?"

Mini bobbed her head up and down.

Ethan gestured at the wall with a wry smile. "I am trapped here."

Mini leaked a low squeak and patted her chest. Ethan somehow managed to interpret her gesture.

"You can help me?"

Mini nodded repeatedly and pointed at the ground.

"You want me to… wait here?"

Mini confirmed his intention with a nod.

"Fine. I have nothing else to do anyway."

Mini snuck out of the tunnel. Ethan sighed and laid back on the floor.

How will she help me? Attacking the goblins alone? Mini isn't that dumb though… I will hide a weapon in my clothes next time.

He placed a hand over his chest. Unlike his last time here, his heart remained calm as if the goblins didn't seem much of a threat. Maybe the letter from Phoenix did the trick. Still, making calm decisions fared better than panicking.

—x—x—x—

Meanwhile, outside the cave, Gryven, the Goblin Chieftain kneeled alongside dozens of goblins to welcome his Lord. A pale-skinned female with flowing black hair. Her crimson eyes carried an indifference, paying little to no attention to Gryven or anyone for that matter; they also proved her noble lineage.

Gryven tightened his grip on the bag he obtained from that strange human. It was his only opportunity to promote his tribe rank from E to D or even C and save his skin.

"The Goblin Village greets Lord Eclipse."

Lord Eclipse ignored his greeting and entered a massive tent laid beside the cave.

"Gryven, follow me."

Her monotonous voice arrived.

"Yes, my Lord."

Gryven scrambled to the tent.

Inside, Gryven stood as his Lord sat on a wooden chair or the throne he crafted with the best materials he scavenged from the Vanishing Forest.

Her frown almost froze his core.

"You better have a reason to call me a week before the Blooming, or I will deliver your village to the Second Monster Lair."

Gryven shuddered. The Second Monster Lair was a cruel place where he would be killed again and again as a source of resource and amusement for others. He didn't pour hundreds of hours into honing his 'Tongue' Aspect to suffer a fate worse than death.

Gryven held his trembling body and bowed. "I am extremely sorry to request your presence like this. However, I have found an interesting thing."

Lord Eclipse crossed her legs, revealing a delicate smile on her enchanting face. Unlike the foolish goblins, who lusted after human females, Gryven was never turned on by them. Yet, this gesture took his breath away.

"Oh, is that related to the strange sack on your back?"

Gryven shifted his eyes from her and handed her the bag.

"Yes, my Lord. Please inspect these peculiar artifacts."

With an amused smile, Lord Eclipse fished out an axe. She scraped her thumb on its blade.

"Quite polished but the dwarfs can make stronger toys."

Gryven gulped. Lord Eclipse threw the axe aside and took out daggers, which suffered a similar fate. Then, she held the weirdest weapon of the bunch. Gryven had never seen any weapon of this peculiar shape.

"Hmm… Is this a magic gun? It doesn't have the stylish looks of a dwarven firearm and lacks an energy core as well."

So it is called a magic gun?

Lord Eclipse pointed the weapon his way and smiled. "Let's test something, shall we?"

A flash erupted in its narrow opening accompanied by a strange sound.

"Argh!" Gryven raised an involuntary scream and covered his bleeding stomach.

Disregarding his severe injuries, Lord Eclipse nodded her head. "Gryven, what's your current level?"

Gryven stifled his groans. "Eleven, my Lord."

"Interesting."

She took the last weapon inside. It appeared as though someone mixed the magic gun with a bow, or so Gryven thought with his shallow wisdom.

"A gun bow? How peculiar."

Gryven dodged the line of fire and prostrated before her. "My Lord, I can call another goblin."

Lord Eclipse squinted her eyes in disgust. "Coward… go on."

Gryven dashed out and grabbed the closest goblin. He threw it before Lord Eclipse and she quietly pulled the trigger at its head. The dart flew out and blew up the goblin's head. It slithered on the ground then a calmness settled in the tent.

Gryven felt his heart in his throat. He just narrowly dodged the hands of death.

"M-My Lord, what do you think of this?"

"It has potential if we recreate it with better materials. The berserk Spirit Beasts will be less of a threat then."

Her words gave Gryven hope. She placed a finger on her cheeks and sighed.

"The problem lies in materials. The War of Abyss killed off the majority of the skilled miners. My two hands can do only so much since the snobbish nobles refuse to get their hands dirty."

The War of Abyss occurred twenty-one years ago, seven years before Gryven even arrived in this world. He only knew its horror from his father's words. The war started with the demise of the strongest race and ended with killing over ninety percent of the world's population. That was all Gryven could find in a forest like this.

"My Lord, d-do you not like it?"

Lord Eclipse tilted her head. "Bring me the source and I might promote your Village."

Gryven bowed his head. "Certainly, my Lord."

If that boy entertains Lord Eclipse enough, Gryven will be next in line to receive a Sacred Oath with a Black Knight like all other C-Rank tribe leaders.

"This might be a worthy contribution to the Great Exodus."

Great Exodus, Gryven tilted his head in ignorance.

"Now the official talks are over." Lord Eclipse yawned. "Do you have any place for sleeping? I forgot to bring my coffin."

"It would be my honor to make one for my Lord."

Gryven placed his hand on the ground and focused on the yellow square marking on the back of his hand.

The earth split and a casket emerged before Gryven.

Lord Eclipse removed the lid and smiled, kindness brimming inside her eyes. "Fine work. You are making good use of the Rune I carved on you."

Gryven almost took a step back. The woman who eradicated the Silverwolves, the only S-Rank tribe for a minor rebellion, was revealing her dimples with a wide smile.

Gryven regained his composure and lowered his head once again.

"My Lord, it is nothing before you, the one hailed as Crimson Knight of Trista."

Lord Eclipse shook her head. "I am still a little girl in comparison to Lord Faust… now go, I will call you after some sleep."