Dammit, I don’t want to give up my tribe if this monster seeks our destruction, but at the same time, I feel like any glaring lies will get me killed for some reason! Ah dammit, I’ll just tell the truth for now!!

“A few more.”

Now, what the hell is it thinking about?! Planning to attack my tribe ain't you?! Well, we won’t go down without a fight you damn fox!

“Hm, did you run into a wounded silver wolf by any chance?”

Huh? Why is he not asking about the precise location of my tribe, so he can come to personally annihilate us?!

Why is he talking about that wolf that almost killed Jaba and me?! Is he the one that injured it by any chance?! If so I’m screwed beyond goblin heaven, aren’t I?!

“Yes, It died.”

“Ah so that vile pup did die, after all, I guess that’s one of my worries gone. Now, why are you here if your tribe is in the south?”

With narrowing eyes, the fox directed this question and his probing gaze at Rick. This simple act alone though caused Rick to shudder unconsciously.

Did it just refer to that giant domineering silver wolf as nothing but a...pup? That can’t mean anything good, can it?

And why the hell is it looking at me like that? I can’t help but tremble ever so slightly before its gaze dammit.

And what am I supposed to tell him now, that I’m out here leveling so I can evolve enough to fight stone monsters in a cave where my tribe lives? Velora what do you think?

[Say you were hunting.]

I guess that works too.

“I’m here to hunt.”

“So far away from your home? That’s odd. It seems you lack knowledge of just where you are young goblin.”

“I don’t follow.”

Is this where he educates me by killing me to teach me a lesson I’ll literally never forget?!

“Hm, well it is the job of the old and strong to teach the ones that are young and weak. I’ll impart you with some knowledge before we part ways.

Put your weapon down, if I wanted you dead, you’d have already been so.”

So I’m not going to die..? Instead, I’m going to get advice from an old wily fox? Why is he doing this?

There must be some scheme that I’m missing, I can’t wrap my head around the fact this strong and apparently old fox would want to teach a goblin such as myself anything. So although I’m lowering my weapon, I still stand firm and remain alert as I asked him a question.

“Why are you doing this?”

“To put it in simple terms, I’m just bored and there's not really anyone else to talk to in this damn forest, while you, on the other hand, are capable of having a conversation.”

So he is talking to me out of pure boredom? What type of coincidental chance encounter is this? Although I can’t trust this fox, I have no choice but to stand down, as long as myself and the tribe of my new goblin family is safe then that is the best I can hope for, so I just nodded at the fox hinting at it to continue.

“Listen carefully young goblin, this region of the forest is divided into four parts with the lake as the center of it all.

South of the lake is unclaimed land that is home to horned rabbits and now It seems goblins as well, and the farther south you go, you’ll eventually reach a mountain range, you came from this direction so I assume you know what I’m referring to.

To the east and west of the lake is riddled with various monsters of different strength, but with not a single one of them approaching true sentience usually signified with the ability to speak such as yourself, there isn’t any sort of ruling power, just survival of the fittest.

Where we are now is controlled by myself, and I’ve been in control for quite some time, it is not a position that is bestowed through any formal means, it just comes with being the strongest monster in any given region. And because this is supposed to be a conversation, I’ll answer some questions.”

“Was it you who injured that silver wolf and if so why?”

“Yes it was, and that little welp sought to kill me so he could try and rule the forest. He failed miserably of course.”

“Is there something wrong with the lake?”

“No, but an old acquaintance of mine spends his time sleeping at the bottom, only waking up periodically to hunt. I would advise staying away from the lake because you never knew when that monster would wake up then kill everything in its wake.”

So that’s why not a single monster except for myself dared to approach the lake and even drink from it! Dying in a lake is not how I wanna go out, so I guess I’ll have to move my little rest area.

“Any more questions? If not I’ll let you be on your way.”

“Yes, what should I refer to you as? And why don’t the monsters in the east and west areas converge on the south?”

“Ezekiel and most monsters are typically extremely comfortable in the place they came to exist in, therefore never moving or leaving the area unless forced to do so.

Now if there aren’t any more questions I’ll take my leave here, I recommend going back to the east or west area to hunt while staying away from the lake as much as possible. Also make sure to come here a few times, since it is quite boring with no one around to talk to.”

Before I could even give a reply, the fox known as Ezekiel left the scene just as quickly as he came, like a blur.

Walking away from that location towards the east, I couldn’t help but replay that entire encounter in my mind, although I was given some important knowledge, the only thing that mattered to me was the fox’s strength.

It was a blatant reminder that no matter how strong you get, there will always be someone stronger in some way, form, or fashion. So with that, let's spend the rest of today hunting, then begin my journey back home.