Three goblins stood in the entrance, each holding a different item, while I counted six more outside the archway barrier. One was holding a small fur blanket, another had a cool looking skull that was maybe a helmet, and the last held a pretty rock. The was open and outside the barrier three nasty, bigger goblins with orange skin were making a move.

One of them picked up a smaller green goblin and tossed it through the barrier. When it passed through the chest's lid snapped shut on its own. It sluggishly got back to its feet, went over and opened the chest.

Chion and I were peeking out of the entrance door watching this scene while all the other kobolds were behind us in the hallway. "Why does it work that way? It said once per delve so why does it reset every time a new goblin comes in?"

"Maybe dungeon way of helping us?" asked Chion.

I hissed and watched the goblin take out a large sack made of woven grass. It clapped its dirty thieving hands and lined up with the other goblins. "Help us?"

How would the chest resetting like this help us? I glanced from the bigger goblins to the chest and then back at the kobolds. Oh, if it reset like that then wouldn't my traps also reset? Wait wait, what about monsters reviving? I held in a laugh since I realized what it meant. Sure, it was annoying but them looting the chest like this didn't exactly hurt me. In fact, they were now trapped in here for a whole day! It looked like they were too dumb to realize they could toss the treasure out to the bigger goblins.

No matter how much I wanted to slaughter all these goblins and get back to upgrading my dungeon I kept my patience. Remember, I was the picture of a calm kobold. Let the bloodlust flow and get rid of everything that—wait no that's calm at all.

A fifth goblin was tossed through and looted the newly reset chest to pull out a bone sword. Every goblin, inside or outside, cheered as the small goblin held it up in the air and wiggled about in glee. Kekeke, be happy for now you dumb goblins. It will make your crying faces all the better.

Chion gave me a look, one I no doubt gave him back as we shared a slight nod. I knew he was my chief minion for a reason. We each grabbed one of our minions and tossed them out into the entrance room. They scrambled to come back but we held the door shut.

All the goblins went silent and their eyes fell upon the two kobolds who froze under the attention.

Jeers and yells came as the smaller goblins tried to rush to kill the sudden enemy, although the big orange goblins watched in a way that reminded me of myself. Oddly enough no other goblin from outside could get in. The five inside the room dropped what they had taken and pulled out their weapons except the one who had gotten the sword.

I said weapons but sharp sticks and pointy rocks didn't really scare me. Seeing as they had no way out the two kobolds, both were ones I had tried to teach to use their claws, stayed close to each other and waited for the goblin's charge.

They did charge, but as they got close they split up and all screamed, "[[[[[Pierce!]]]]]"

Sticks, rocks and a sword slaughtered my two kobolds with ease although they did get a good swipe at a goblin each. In fact, with his dying strength one of the kobolds brought a second claw around and embedded his claws in a goblin's ear. By the sick squelch the goblin was died just before both my kobolds did.

A single goblin that was banging on the barrier fell through. The chest snapped shut and the two kobold's bodies vanished instantly.

I kicked the door open as me and Chion tossed the three remaining kobolds out at the goblins. Three? Kekeke, I noticed that sneaky female retreating to the lair. Our eyes met and I laughed as I caught her and threw her into the entrance room! Classless kobolds against goblins that all had a class, most likely [Poker]. Mudthorn wasn't kidding when she said it was a common but strong class. That one skill alone made goblins dangerous.

"Kill them, my minions!" I yelled and then held the door closed before they could come back. With me and Chion holding it closed, yet still cracked open enough that we could watch the battle, they had no choice but to fight.

Four of the goblins seized the initiative and attacked the kobolds quickly. Ah, it was a slaughter as the rocks and that sword skewered my minions and only then, while dying but in range, could they attack. Pathetic, but such was the way of dungeon creatures. Wait, the sneaky female had ducked out of the melee and used her own wooden dagger to stab the throat of a goblin!

I clacked my fangs as Chion hissed in approval.

"Open the chest!" bellowed the tallest of the orange goblins. A goblin nearest it threw it open, grabbed out a big ball of bone, and then kicked another green goblin through the barrier. So only a few could be in the dungeon at a time? The tingling in my scales calmed down considerably. It was a constant fear that a horde, sort of just like this one, would invade and overwhelm my dungeon. Thank the dungeon and all its weird and sometimes dumb rules.

The kobold bodies vanished just as the two from earlier came from the lair ready for their revenge. It looked like I wasn't running out of kobolds anytime soon as long as they kept sending in the weak goblins. They ran past us without needing an order, after I politely opened the door for them, and leapt into the group of goblins with yells of rage.

Well then.

"Want to go?" I asked Chion. He was a lazy minion but he knew better to shirk out of defending the dungeon.

"Waiting," he grumbled as he touched his daggers at his side. "Big orange ones come soon. Want treasure but we now defend it. They seeing if us weak or strong."

Kekeke, so they were doing the same thing we were! Chion, aren't you being a little too smart? When did you notice what they were doing. Ah, my chief minion must be learning from me. I knew I was a great leader. Wait, the sneaky female took out another goblin!

...Why was she so strong? That couldn't be right. As if to prove my suspicions correct the two dumb kobolds that ran out each managed to injure a goblin before dying. Not even a kill whereas she had two and only four injuries! I would have to watch out for the ones Chion trained if they were all going to be better than the ones I trained. Nevermind, since I trained Chion clearly all the credit goes to me anyway.

One of the injured goblins grabbed up all the treasure and ran for the barrier. Hah, no way I was going to let that happen. I grabbed my bone knife and threw it as hard as I could at the fleeing goblin. I wanted the blade to sink into its back or something really amazing, but it pegging the dumb goblin in the head and knocking it out was still good. Maybe I should practice throwing stuff besides my minions?

The tallest orange goblin growled and tried to step through but was quickly stopped by his two other orange goblins. So he was probably the leader or chieftain, huh? I couldn't tell other than how tall he was because they were all equally hideous. One of his orange goblin minions grunted and spoke quietly to the chieftain who agreed, and it stepped through the archway.

Chion stood up as the chest's lid snapped loudly as it reset and drew both his daggers. My three previously dead minions showed up and charged with their own yells of rage at the four injured goblins. I didn't really care about the minion battle that went on, eventually mine would win anyway.

A bundle of treasure landed at my feet after Chion walked out and motioned at the orange goblin. Both me and that the chieftain had missed the sneaky female gathering up the treasure and then tossing it to me. She was on my 'to check what class she obviously had' and also my 'to reward for being not so dumb' lists.

The orange goblin took a massive wood club off his back and with one hand swung to his side to turn the sneaky female into meat and bone paste. Ow, definitely as strong or stronger than an adult fox. Good luck, Chion.

"Boatbreaker, son of Antlereater." grunted the orange goblin as he smashed his club on the floor.

Chion responded to the introduction by tossing his wooden dagger with far more skill than I did at his eye. The orange goblin moved a step, caught the dagger in its toothy mouth, and then bit it into pieces. Chion watched it and swallowed in fear.

With the pleasantries apparently done the orange goblin rushed Chion and swung his club. It was powerful, just hearing the air rush out of the club's way made my scales tingle, but it was slow. Chion had the skill [Light Step] and was born with the perk [Expert Reflexes]. I didn't bother to see what other kobolds were born with because they were all appropriately weak , but the sneaky female intrigued me. I'd check it out later.

Chion dodged into the goblin so that his wide swing wouldn't hit instead of dodging away, and stabbed his bone dagger into the goblin's thigh. Seeing Chion and the orange goblin so close showed me just how much bigger the orange goblin was. He stood just under twice a kobold's height!

The goblin couldn't catch Chion with its hand before Chion pulled out his dagger and dashed between the goblin's legs. Still, Chion wasn't fast enough to dodge a back-kick to the side, but stopped himself from being flung across the room back stabbing his dagger into the thick leg and holding on tight.

A shimmer rose from the ground just as the goblin was going to turn and kick Chion off, a tripwire standing just above the goblin's feet. His foot snagged on it and with his massive club unbalancing him the orange goblin fell. I could almost feel the impact as he hit the ground and Chion pulled out his dagger and leapt for the goblin's exposed head.

His dagger stabbed deep into the goblin's chest, missing his face only because a large hand had grabbed Chion by the throat. Chion glanced at me and shrugged before the goblin crushed his throat and twisted. Kekeke, good work my chief minion! Such a role-model to the, oh, all my other minions were dead yet again. At least they managed to kill two goblins.

"Boatbreaker!" roared the leader.

The injured orange goblin, either our of stupidity or pride, kept one hand holding his wooden club at all times. He tried to sit up to see what his leader wanted but my foot pinned him on his back. Oh yes, I loved that look in his eyes as they quickly turned to me. All the green goblins had nice red eyes, but these orange goblins instead had a bright green.

"Chi-ta-glrgl," he tried to say. Hmm, it seemed that the orange goblin came down with a sudden case of my-claws-in-his-throat.

"You sneaky whelp, I'll skin you for that!" yelled the Chieftain.

"Sneaky, me? Kekeke, you all are the sneaky ones. Sneaky whelp, Snealp? Snep. That's a good name for that sneaky female," I said with a glance at the pile of kobold mush off my side.

"I-It speaks?"

A huge hand came up to try and crush me, the orange goblin I was standing on trying to end my life even as he laid there choking on his torn out throat and blood. I admired his dedication as a minion and shredded his hand with both of my claws. A shiver went down my spine as I watched his eyes dull over and hand fall limp.

"Boat!" The chieftain lunged and was barely held back by his last orange minion.

"Chieftain, calm yourself!”

"Yes, Chieftain, be calm like me! I am a perfect example of calm." I puffed out my chest in pride.

"[[Pierce]]!" The two injured goblins went around behind me and tried to stab me with their sticks. Even if they were weak I wasn't risking being hit. I'd seen how easily that skill went through normal kobold scales. Instead I grabbed the orange goblin's arm and used it as a shield. Seeing the sticks sink into flesh easier than Chion's dagger proved my wariness correct.

With their weapons stuck I easily tore open those dumb goblin's bellies. All my kobold minions were dead since no more had shown up, but now every goblin invader was dead as well. It was my win. "Thank you for opening my chests, dumb chieftain."

"Treesplitter," he growled and his orange minion grunted in acknowledgement. "Bugeater, Foxchaser, Mucksplash."

Three goblins that had crude but actual weapons like a stone axe and dagger stepped up. Oh, that was bad then. I dashed to the bundle of treasure and gathered it up before running back to the kobold lair. When I glanced over my shoulder both orange goblins and those three green ones had entered the dungeon.

I closed the door and locked it with the bar of wood. All my minions sat up from their nests as I laughed. My scales were itching like mad! This wasn't a dumb fox or a single goblin, it was two creatures that were as strong or stronger than me with three minions higher than level one.

There was a minute as they looted the chest and tried to pass through the trapped hallway. "Chion, the Chieftain, other orange one and three strong minions are coming."

"Master, I leveled. I'll take orange minion," he said while pulling out his daggers. I noted that his equipment looked fine and he even got the wooden dagger he threw back on reviving. Did that work for only stuff like that or would it also work if I gave them runes?

I snapped at the sneaky female who startled and leaned back. "Very good, your name is Snep! What class are you?"

"M-Master! Uh, I [Sneak]," she quickly replied. How obvious! Low classes were truly basic in name. "No attack skill, just hiding."

"Hiding is good, very strong in dungeon. Try to kill one of the goblins," I ordered. The dungeon rooms upset me as I thought that there was no good way to force invaders to fight the foxes right now. We kobolds were the first line of defense, something I would have to consider for future floors.

I put the treasure in my nest and tossed the bone sword to only thin male kobold. The others at least had claws worth something but I didn't put any hope in any of the classless ones. I thought that maybe I should give them the weapons in the training room, but it wasn't upgraded yet and I didn't want to risk messing up the requirement for it.

A yell of pain as the thump of the wood block trap came from the corridor. If only I hadn't reached the trap limit for the floor. "You and you, when they open the door run and tackle someone."

They nodded and stood in front of the door. Said door cracked as something slammed into it. Again and again the wood bulged and splintered before the bar of wood that locked it gave and the door swung open. The two kobolds did their duty and charged, their claws and weight thrown into their enemy.

It was the orange minion sadly, and his extra weight and height made him unmoved by two small kobolds. Its fist caved in one kobold's head as the other tore into the goblin's thigh before also being crunched. It was encouraging to see that even if they were strong even the weakest of us could rend their flesh. It roared so loud my ears rang as its eyes turned entirely black and it charged at me.

A tripwire sent it sprawling into our firepit, burning its hands and knees but not keeping it down long. Of course, it was long enough that I managed to tear into its face and dodge backward out of the wild punch. Kekeke, Chion's trap skill was proving useful versus these taller creatures. When did he learn how to use it in battle?

The three goblins stormed into the lair and began hacking at the kobolds. It was three against four, bad odds in our favor but Snep was a new factor. Chion leapt onto the orange one's back, I recalled the Chieftain saying its name was Treesplitter, and began stabbing with his daggers. I definitely needed to get him a metal one now.

"Whelp!" roared the Chieftain as he entered last. His eyes fell on me with such anger that I was terrified and gleeful at how mad I made him. He pointed a finger at me and said, "[Minor Ignite]."

An arrow of fire as long as my arm shot at my head! It was so unexpected I didn't have time to dodge and could only swat it out of the air with a claw. I felt my scales warp and scream in pain so much that I froze for him to shoot another one. I barely had time to scramble out of the way.

I flexed my burned left claw and flinched at the the pain. My actual claws were still sharp but using it was probably out of the question. I didn't revive like my minions. In fact, the only reason I was fighting right here was that I could see the core in the from here. Past me, why didn't you at least put a door?

Trying to keep track of Snep was rather hard, my eyes sliding off of her, until she sprang back up behind a goblin while using one of her allies as bait. Her dagger went in and out of an axe-wielding goblin's back several times and it still had the strength to spin around to strike her.

Treesplitter got out of the firepit with burns three times as bad as me not even including the stabs and my swipe. Chion split off to the goblins, him planting his wood dagger into the throat of the goblin Snep was attacking. The two double-teamed a second goblin that had used a spear to skewer two of my kobolds with ease, no doubt using a skill.

"[Minor Heal]. Better?" asked the Chieftain as he clapped a white, glowing hand on Treesplitter's face. Flesh sewn itself back together as the black and bleeding burned flesh turned light orange and wholesome. I clacked my fangs; he even had healing magic? That was my next top priority.

"Thanks, Chieftain. [Lesser Strength]." Treespliter got to his feet and snorted with a flex. His muscles tightened and grew slightly. That must have been what he tore my door down with. This was extremely bad, Snep and Chion were finishing off the last goblin, and when I checked everyone else was dead.

"Kekeke, what's wrong Chieftain? Minions dead, so sad?" I edged around the firepit across from the two orange goblins that wanted my life.

"Whelp, you die here. I break dungeon and become supreme as payment for Boatbreaker," he said with such finality I almost believed him.

"Dumb goblin, you can't beat me! This is a dungeon, my minions revive," I shot back and grinned. "All it takes is one of you dumb creatures to step through and then you lose."

"I am not mere goblin, I am hobgoblin, Chieftain Rocktooth! Weak thing, die knowing my greatness. [Minor Ignite]." He fired off two arrows of fire at me, both grazing my ribs and sending waves of pain so hot it felt weirdly cold. Treesplitter rushed at me, but stopped when another tripwire appeared right at his feet.

"Master?" Chion asked. All three small goblins were dead and he looked fine, but Snep was missing an entire arm!

"Get the ugly one," I told my minions. They both glanced between the two hobgoblins and sent me a look. Why couldn't they understand? "The big one! No, that one right there."

"Treesplitter, you handle weak whelps?" asked the Chieftain.

"No problem, Chieftain. It is my honor."

Good luck, you two. The minions began their battle with Treesplitter charging at the two and trying to squish them with his huge fists. I couldn't focus on their fight because the Chieftain had finally decided to try and do the same to me. Was he out of mana? I hoped so as I ducked under his fist and used my good claw to leave four bloody lines across his stomach. Dang, his skin is tougher than a normal goblins.

He kicked and stomped as I ran around him and rolled across the ground as he brought both hands clasped together down at me. He struck the ground so hard the dirt floor spread in a cloud of dust. Eh, wouldn't that have killed me? This wasn't working.

"Scary goblin, stay away!" I yelled and ran to the fox room. Of course I was just saying that so that he would follow me, but it didn't mean I was lying. Just like I thought, the dumb chieftain smiled so wide he showed his pointy teeth and ran after me. Yes, follow me and don't go to the !

I dove into the , the sunlight streaming down on the high grass with the Chieftain right on my tail, almost literally. He paused as he gazed around but didn't see any enemies. Of course he wouldn't, the cubs were short enough you could barely see them unless they were jumping along the grass!

“Coward, you die here. No running, no minions. I pay you back for my kin," he growled.

I climbed atop the large twig nest and kicked on it. "Kekeke! Dumb, ugly, smelly orange goblin chieftain! You die here, no more running, and I pay you back for my minions."

He appeared confused before the twig nest shifted and the Rosefur Matriarch climbed out along with the cubs poking their heads up from the grass. "Attack, my foxes!"

"Tricks don't work, whelp!" he yelled and smashed one of my cubs each with his fists when they lunged at him. Eh, yeah, these worthless cubs only mattered as distractions. The Matriarch, a fox as tall as the hobgoblin was, lumbered forward before taking off in a charge.

The Chieftain's punch met the Matriarch's bite and even though it didn't have a class it still had stats. Its teeth shredded the hobgoblin's arm at the same time his fist shattered all of the Matriarch's teeth. The other two cubs latched onto his leg and tore it up with their teeth and claws.

I was sneaking in the tall grass as I watched. Go in and help? No, that was for less burned kobolds that had a second lives. The Matriarch backed off and pawed at its maw in pain which gave the Chieftain enough time to grab one cub with a hand and squeeze it dead. These hobgoblins sure were strong. He kicked his leg the last cub was on and sent it soaring across the den and into the wall with a loud thud.

"Burn, [Minor Ignite]."

Wasn't he out of mana!? The arrow of fire struck the grass and immediately, magically, set the room ablaze. It spread so fast that I barely had time to tumble out of the wildfire into the corridor before it consumed me. The Chieftain was staring right as me with such stern hatred. Ah, I really did it, kekeke.

A flaming Matriarch leapt out of the fire and landed on the Chieftain's back, its huge body nearly sending the hobgoblin to the ground as it raked its claws on his back and shredded him bloody. I could see why he was Chieftain, he was far above my level right now, and I didn't mean in class.

He turned his head while he grabbed the Matriarch's head, opened wide, and bit. His pointy teeth tore out the Matriarch's neck and he tossed the lifeless fox into the fire. Chieftain stepped toward me, his blood pouring out of his back and the flames had blackened parts of his legs. Still his eyes never wavered.

I crawled backward and laughed all the while. Was this it? A nearly dead hobgoblin's final attack? "Kekekekeke, was it worth it? That little treasure chest, mighty Chieftain?"

He stepped on my tail and pinned me to place, pain lancing up my spine. "Pathetic whelp, why come out if you put chest there?"

I tried to answer but didn’t have one even if the pain of him crushing my tail didn't make me breathless. The Chieftain’s breaths were ragged from being savaged and burned, something I found hilarious because it was his own fault. He struggled to raise his arms over his head, clasping together his hands to form a giant fist, preparing to slam them down on my skull.

Or so he thought.

Despite the agony of tearing the scales on my pinned tail, I stretched as far as I could and kicked him in his crotch. Chieftain howled and stumbled back off of my tail, barely catching himself. Before he could recover I swiped out his knees, my claws ripping through his tougher—but still not as good as scales—skin, and therefore kneecaps.

Still, his spirit wasn’t going to give out before his body did! He roared, a blood-chilling sound that made me flinch in fear even with my resistance skill, and took a step forward. Yet, even spirit only went so far. He collapsed forward onto the ground, his big hand reaching for me.

I watched him warily, making sure to stay just out of his reach, and ran a claw over my broken tail. "Good, stay down and die, goblin. Shouldn't have touched my treasure."

"Why create in front then? Stupid whel—"

I lunged and sunk my claws through his eyes, then pulled them out to wipe the blood on his head. "I'm not stupid."

When I trudged back to the lair both Snep and Chion were laying torn apart near the fire pit with Treesplitter kneeling nearby and bleeding from so many small wounds that his orange skin was practically red. "Where Chieftain? No, no, he fall to weakling like you?"

I clacked my fangs. "Dumb minions couldn't even finish it."

"Chieftain! Chieftain Rocktooth!" he screamed as if it would bring his leader forward.

The bone sword the goblin's had looted was near my foot, thrown there from all the fighting I guessed. It was sharp enough for the job. I picked it up, it feeling unworthy to be in my claw, and advanced on Treesplitter. He tried to get up but was too exhausted, had lost too much blood, and could only wait for me to approach.

Like a dumb kobold he thought I was. He threw a punch when I got close and pretended to slash the sword, but when I stepped back it threw him off and he fell forward. I stabbed it into his arm, left it there, and plunged my claws into his throat before ripping it out. Unlike the Chieftain he still had soft goblin skin.

I sat on my nest, my nice fur nest covered in both kobold and goblin blood and picked up one of the treasures that came from the chest. It was a skull helmet with holes that allowed horns, or goblin ears, through. I put it on and relaxed despite the horrible pain.