[Name: Orange Crystal of Potential]

[Level: 3]

[Status: Not Ready

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No hope for this yet, after all, Yuusha sighed and put the crystal away.

It was two hours past sunrise, Yuusha, four hobgoblins taller than he was, and a couple of small green goblins were standing on a hill, looking south. There they saw their objective - the town Foric was already in sight. The town was split in half by a river and surrounded by a palisade, which was nothing more than a three-meter-high fence made from tree trunks, sharpened at the top and with no spacing in between. The palisade had two gates, opposite each other on either side of the river. Each gate had two towers, which were hardly anything more than glorified platforms above the palisade, with additional wooden spikes on the front to act as a parapet.

At a glance Yuusha assumed there to be about fifty or so buildings in the enclosure, most of them couldn’t be more than two stories high. The highest building was a gray church with a bell tower on the other side of the river. It stood on an elevated position, close to the palisade, with an additional wooden fence of its own.

No more than an hour at a brisk pace to reach the gates, Yuusha estimated looking at the leveled field between them and the town with only a few gigantic trees in between. Probably too troublesome for them to cut down. The field was orange, covered in wheat. They will spot the hobgoblins easily, but the goblins could run through the wheat almost all the way to the gates, Yuusha analyzed. Is this okay? Even if the goblins prioritize securing the food, they will still probably cut down anyone in their path. It’s how any typical raid worked in our world, so why should the goblins be any different?

How am I supposed to stop the goblins? And why should I? If the goblins think I’m on the side of the Demon Lord, won’t the humans think the same if I show up on their doorstep? And the only language I can talk so far is Goblin language so that wouldn’t help my cause unless it’s to get shot on sight. Am I really supposed to alienate everyone for the sake of some vague understanding of what a hero is supposed to be? I risked everything to save those farmers and at the end of it all they still probably curse me every time they remember my face!

“They not have many fighters,” Sizarbob said .”Scouts say those we kill before come from this town.”

“We can just storm the town directly and they won’t be able to stop us,” Sorzak said.

“No, none must escape,” Garsaul, the yellowish, slouching hobgoblin spoke in a soft voice that sent chills down Yuusha’s spine.

“I agree,” said Laksnemak, a hobgoblin with a greenish tint, third tallest of the ones present. “Sidzarboz, you remember our shaman’s words do you not? Collect as many human skulls as we can! Perhaps not all of us get as much enjoyment out of it as your uncle Rograg, nonetheless, the ancient ways must be preserved!”

“Yes! Ancient ways! Ancient ways!” a small goblin with prominent rabbit teeth jumped up in agreement.

“You are right, friends!” Sizarbob nodded in agreement. “At times I waver, but behold what Shaman’s Blessing bring upon this journey a minion of Gorgonth, bearing his mark! He not only approve but join Goblin campaign! Let carry our marked banners ever high! And indeed, Goblin campaign most fortuitous with him. And this only beginning! Soon we bring war to Human Realm and take back lands they steal from goblins!”

All the goblins and hobgoblins cheered, except for Garsaul and Yuusha.

Yuusha was too busy checking his skills. What is going on? Yuusha wondered as he double-checked his language skill.

[Skill: Evil Language

Passive

Overall level: 13 (84%)

Evil Speech: level 13 (66%)

Evil Writing: level 0 (15%)

Evil Reading: level 0 (3%)]

My language skill improved so much over yesterday! And I understand the other goblins so much better now! Way better than Sizarbob! So why is it- Oh, don’t tell me that’s just the way he always talks?

The party headed back down to the goblin force waiting below the hill, hidden from view of the town.

“Garsaul, how is human girl?” Sizarbob asked as they walked down.

“… Alive”

“Leave human girl with Blutsap, he guard supplies. Need you in attack. Take forty goblins go south of town, cross river. Sorzak, take forty other goblins, cross river from north. Surround small town, take second gate. None escape.”

“Yes,” Garsaul hissed.

And what Mark? “His” mark? That Demon Lord? So, the goblins’ banners are also marked the same way? Yuusha wondered as they walked down. I knew they thought of me as their ally for some reason - my face or my clothes. So, then I’ve been marked? Where? How? Is it my aura? Yuusha looked at his hands turning them around to look at both sides – nothing. I would’ve noticed something if there was something to notice.

Once the party of hobgoblins was down, Sizarbob wasted no time.

“Garsaul, Sorzak, take goblins! Move!” The leader of goblins commanded “Cross river a distance away. Avoid notice!

“Blutsap stay with thirty goblins, guard supplies! Laksnemak also stay behind with another thirty – guard flank, be reserve!

“The rest - follow me!”

Showtime, Yuusha sighed and stayed close behind Sizarbob as they moved around the hill with some sixty small but well-armed goblins – shields, spears, swords, bows, banners and axes. Some equipment bigger than the goblins were, which made them look like kids playing at war, but Yuusha gave them more credit than that.

Either way, at least for now, it’s best for me to stay out of the fight as much as possible-

But they’re going to kill everyone-

Yeah? And what am I supposed to do about it?

You’re the hero! Figure it out!

Easier said than done! Right now my top priority is to stay alive!

Agreed!

Good!

Sizarbob stopped and crouched at the edge of the wheat field. It was still not quite enough for the hobgoblin to be completely covered by wheat and move unnoticed, so he had to get on all fours, pressing close to the ground to proceed. Yuusha simply crouched walked staying close to Sizarbob to avoid getting lost. Goblins had it easier – they simply walked forward and were easily covered with room to spare, not a care in the world.

Yuusha looked back and almost burst out laughing. It must be an interesting sight for whoever is watching from the platforms, he thought and smiled.

About five minutes passed since they entered the wheat when the Yuusha heard a bell sounding from the direction of the town. Took you long enough, he thought.

Somebody must’ve finally looked at the fields and seen spears and banners bearing the mark of a Demon Lord moving through the wheat, towards the gates.