The residents of Blackstone Town looked curiously at the soldiers marching in formation. They all wore leather armor, their spears disassembled in two parts so they were easy to carry during the march. Following the soldiers were five carts filled with wood and hemp ropes, with the last cart carrying a day’s worth of rations.

“Hey, did you hear? They’re entering the eastern part of the Endless Forest to fight some monsters!”

“Yeah, I heard from my brother! The young master said they’ll be facing goblins!”

“Are you an idiot? We’ve been living here for decades. There’re no goblins in the Endless Forest!”

Murmurs, muttering and speculation filled the air as the soldiers marched. With the training drilled into them, the soldiers did not break formation. They continued past with steady, uniform gaits. The soldiers had their doubts about this mission as well, but this was an order from the young master. They had no choice but to obey.

Lark was riding in the first carriage, watching the soldiers marching in front. He was sure they were nervous about the upcoming battle. After all, they knew nothing but the basic movements of the spear. All this time, aside from the stamina and discipline training, all they did was thrust and pull the spear.

Objectively speaking, it was still too early for the soldiers to face the goblins living in the kalrane mine. But right now, the treasury was being bled dry by all the developments being made left and right throughout Blackstone Town. Lark needed to secure the kalrane mine soon and obtain a steady source of income.

The small army entered the Endless Forest. Back when Lark was making a map of the town and its immediate regions, this was the only section he could not fully map. The name ‘Endless Forest’ truly befitted this place—even from the sky, the limit of the forest was not within sight.

Lark was surprised that with such a massive forest adjacent to the town, the town itself was so peaceful. Based on what he’d heard from Gaston, Blackstone Town was a lot more peaceful than the major cities near the capital. In those places, monster attacks were so frequent that soldiers fought them on a daily basis.

The trees inside the Endless Forest were far larger than elsewhere. Their leaves and branches created a canopy that blocked the sunlight. Rays would seep through the occasional gaps, providing enough light for the army to traverse the root-blanketed ground.

We’ll be near the kalrane mine soon.

“Halt.” Upon Lark’s order, the army stopped in its tracks. “Captain Qarat.”

A man with dark-brown skin stepped forward. “Sir?”

“Send two of your most nimble men to scout the area. The goblin’s den is nearby. Tell them to report straight away if they spot any goblins in the forest.” Lark leisurely sat inside his carriage. He had used Magic Perception to scan the immediate surroundings. He knew the area was safe. There were some wild boars around, but they would not pose a threat to this small army.

“Understood.” Qarat saluted.

“You’ve briefed the soldiers on what they’re going to fight against, right?”

Qarat’s expression was agitated. Lark realized his men still had a long way to go to be called proper soldiers.

“Yes… about that,” said Qarat slowly. “There was some concern about it. All of the soldiers are locals and they’ve never once seen a goblin. They’re having doubts about this plan. Monsters have never come out of the Endless Forest.”

This was one of the greatest mysteries for Lark. There was no way that a forest large enough to be called ‘endless’ would not contain any monsters. But since his hands were tied by managing the town and his daily mana training, he had no time to spare to investigate this.

If my hunch is correct, there must be a king residing within the Endless Forest. A creature strong enough to keep all the monsters at bay. That’s probably why no monsters are attacking the town.

“This will also be part of the training,” said Lark, looking around. Although the soldiers were standing straight at attention, they failed to hide the uneasiness on their faces. “There’s nothing more perfect to train an army than facing goblins.”

An hour passed. The scouts returned with news. Their faces were pale.

“Captain! Just like the young master said, there’s a hidden cavern north of here. Around twenty minutes march away.”

“And we… we saw them! Goblins! We saw two of them when we peeked inside the cavern!”

Since the voices of the scouts were loud and frantic, amid the silent forest, the surrounding soldiers heard all that was reported. Gasps escaped the soldiers’ lips, some nervously looked around, afraid of goblins attacking them from the shadows.

Captain Qarat creased his brow. “Good work. Await further orders.”

The scouts saluted. “Yes, sir!”

After the scouts left, Qarat approached the young master. Contrary to his expectations, the noble was calm. From the start, the young master had known there were monsters in this part of the forest.

Qarat was ashamed he had doubted his lord’s words.

“Young sir, the scouts spotted goblins in a cavern nearby,” said Qarat.

Lark grinned. “Tell the soldiers to assemble their spears. March until we’re five hundred steps away from the target. From there, start unloading those things from the carts and assemble them. That should be easy enough, yes?”

“Understood,” said Qarat. As he was bowing his head, he peered at the young master for a moment. “Sir, if this soldier may ask…”

Lark stared back. “What is it?”

There was a moment of hesitation before Qarat spoke up. “Are you sure about using spears? Each of the soldiers is also equipped with a short sword. I believe that when fighting inside the cavern, those long spears will hinder us instead. I suggest we use short swords.”

Lark was pleased that at least this soldier had common sense. He was also pleased that his captain was courageous enough to speak his thoughts and suggestions. Lark nodded.

“You’re correct,” said Lark. “Fighting with spears inside the cavern would be foolish. But, Captain Qarat, we won’t be fighting inside the cavern.” Seeing the captain was confused, Lark continued. “We’ll be smoking the goblins out. That’s why we’ve brought wooden stakes and hemp ropes with us. We’ll make a defensive line with those tools. We’ll fight the monsters outside. Circulate the orders to the soldiers. I want the preparations to be completed within two hours.”

Qarat left and began issuing his orders. The small army began to march once again. Reaching their destination, they set up wooden fences using the wooden stakes and hemp ropes. There were small gaps between the stakes, which would, according to the young master, become a convenient place to thrust their spears through. Small trenches were dug in front of the fence and covered with leaves.

Now, all that was left was to force the goblins outside the cavern. Once outside, they would have no choice but to clash against the soldiers behind the barricade.

If only I had more gold in the treasury, I wouldn’t be rushing the battle like this. I don’t know when I’ll find another monster’s den. A waste of experience, really, since these guys will be fighting behind already-made defenses. But if they fight the goblins head-on, there will surely be casualties. They aren’t proper soldiers yet.

Lark sighed. He jumped down from the carriage. Under the command of Captain Qarat, the soldiers gathered before the young master. Their spears were already assembled, spanning almost two meters in length. On their waists, short swords dangled.

Lark had decided to make them fight without using the magic weapons he had made. For now, it would be better if they had a hard time fighting against the goblins. Several wounds or maybe a severed finger or two would be good, too. It would drill into them what a real battlefield was like.

“Listen, from here on, we’ll be fighting against monsters—goblins. A small army of them.”

Some of the soldiers swallowed, while some quivered hearing the name of the monsters come out of the young master’s mouth. Although goblins were at the bottom of the hierarchy of monsters, they were still stronger than these hastily made soldiers. In a one-on-one battle, the goblins would be victorious over these men.

Lark was getting a headache thinking about this. Giving them the magic armor and spears would give these guys an overwhelming advantage, but that would be putting the cart ahead of the horse.

“Your job is simple.” Lark pointed at the small entrance in the fence. “Kill all the goblins that will come out of that pathway. At most, only two or three of them will come at a time. There are more than fifty of you. Use those damn weapons to kill them.”

The soldiers were still tense and nervous. Lark sighed. But he understood. These guys, after all, were mere residents a month and a half ago. They’d never held spears before that.

I guess they’re not so bad, since they’re decent now with the basic thrust and pull of the spear. Qarat had done a good job training them with the basics.

There was still a lot more they could do with the spear. Even close combat was possible if they used those poles correctly. But for now, Lark had to drill into them only the most basic things.

“Are there any questions?” said Lark.

A soldier timidly raised a hand. “Um, Young Master? How sure are we that those goblins are going to come out of that cavern?”

“There’s a simple trick for that. Although goblins are monsters, they’re just like other animals. They’re afraid of smoke and fire. We’ll force them out of the cavern with that.” Lark turned to Qarat. “The castrel oil?”

“We’ve put it in the barrels, just like you asked.” Qarat pointed at the three small barrels near the carts. “We also placed some dried leaves inside. All it needs now is fire.”

Castrel oil was expensive, but it was a necessary expense. It did not burn fiercely like other oils, but the smoke it produced was far more voluminous than others. After adding some dried leaves, the smoke would turn black and irritate the eyes, making it hard to see.

“Place those barrels near the entrance of the cavern. Make sure the goblins don’t notice you.”

Qarat saluted. Several soldiers moved stealthily toward the cavern’s entrance, carrying the wooden barrels. After placing them near the entrance, they retreated back to the camp.

“Qarat,” said Lark.

“Yes?”

“I will not interfere after this. Once those goblins come out of the cavern, all of the soldiers will be under your command. Direct them as you see fit,” said Lark. He would save the soldiers if they came into grave danger, but he had no plans to help them battle these goblins. If he helped, his soldiers would lose this valuable experience.

“I understand,” said Qarat.

Lark walked to the front. He had used Magic Perception; he was sure the goblins had not noticed they were surrounded. Moving during daylight was the best choice when dealing with these nocturnal creatures.

Lark pointed. Three orbs of fire formed at the tip of his finger. The soldiers stared curiously at this phenomenon. Most of them did not know that the young master was capable of military-grade magic.

“Now, let’s start.”

The orbs of fire shot toward the barrels at the entrance of the cavern. Upon impact, there was a deafening blast. The barrels exploded and black smoke swirled up into the air, some of it entering the cavern. Even from this distance, the soldiers heard squeaking sounds inside the cavern, quickly followed by footsteps.

Lark nodded at Qarat. It was now his responsibility to command the small army.

From the cavern’s entrance, the oil burned into thick smoke. Through the gap, many small green creatures came running out.

They were screaming in rage, their eyes teary from the thick smoke. Qarat squared his shoulders.

“Soldiers! Spears up!” he commanded.

Immediately, the soldiers pointed their spears at the charging horde. There were around the same number of goblins as soldiers.

These guys are lucky. There’s no hobgoblin or shaman in the group. Even in the Magic Empire, that’s a rare find, thought Lark.

Seeing the barricade around their den, the goblins shrieked in fury. The goblins carried weapons as they ran. Their eyes were still teary, but the rage within those yellow pupils was apparent.

The soldiers gripped their spears tightly, their bodies trembling, as dozens of goblins came charging toward them. Most of the goblins came rushing at the only open path, while others collided with the barricade.

“Attack those stuck on the fence!” shouted Qarat. He stabbed a goblin through the gap between the fences. “Those that are guarding the entrance! Spears ahead! Prepare for impact!”

The goblins charged toward the soldiers without thought, trying to escape the smoke. Spears impaled those that charged through the open entrance. Several goblins managed to breach the soldiers guarding the entrance. The goblins and soldiers quickly engaged into a melee.

Several goblins were still pouring out of the cavern. Some of them fell into the traps and were impaled by spears, some collided with the barricade, and others charged toward the open entrance.

Lark sat on the front of the carriage. He was a good distance away from the chaos, but he could see everything clearly.

One of the soldiers dropped his spear. He crawled along the ground. A goblin struck his calf with a dagger. The soldier screamed in agony as blood came flowing out of the wound. The goblin shrieked in delight.

Lark opened the small pouch beside him. Inside were several pebbles. He took one, added some mana into his fingers, and flicked it. The pebble whizzed toward the goblin and hit its forehead, killing it instantly.

The soldier stared dumbfounded at the goblin that had suddenly fallen to the ground. He looked around and saw nothing but his fellow soldiers engaged in a melee.

Over there. Another reckless one.

Lark saw another soldier about to succumb to his bane. His spear was stuck on the ground and he could not pull it out. The goblin on his left jumped and tried stabbing him with a pointed stone. The soldier rolled on the ground in panic and successfully evaded the attack. He pulled out his short sword and engaged the goblin in a fight.

Just as Lark expected, the soldiers were weaker than the goblins in a one-on-one fight. The soldier’s short sword flew into the air, and the goblin’s weapon cut deeply into his arm. The soldier took several steps back until he fell on the ground.

“Help!” shouted the soldier.

But those around him were too busy fending for themselves.

Lark took another pebble and flicked it at the goblin. It pierced the goblin’s chest, making it shriek in agony. As the goblin wobbled toward the ground, the fallen soldier stood up, grabbed the pointed stone from the goblin’s hands, and stabbed it into its neck. The goblin croaked as the light in its eyes vanished. The soldier fell on the ground, huffing.

Good job.

Lark was glad that the soldier followed through after that pebble strike. At the very least, they had a great sense of survival.

Secretly babysitting these soldiers was tiring, but he could not afford to let them die here. Training his army had taken a lot of time.

Lark hoped that in a year or two, these soldiers would be worthy to wield the magic spears.

The fighting continued, and Lark secretly helped his soldiers every now and then. By the time the battle ended, more than half of the soldiers were injured and unable to move. Thankfully, because of Lark interfering during crucial moments, there were no deaths.

The soldiers that had been injured were treated with herbs and bandages.

Looking around, dozens of green corpses were scattered about the forest floor. The oil near the cavern’s entrance had dried out and the smoke subsided.

Captain Qarat, his leather armor tattered, saluted the young master. “Young Lord, we’ve finished subjugating the goblins. Thirty-seven soldiers are heavily wounded, but none of them are in grave danger.”

Lark gazed at the captain. He was a former resident, too, but it seemed that he had more talent in the spear. Although he had some injuries, his body was in a far better state than most of the soldiers.

“Good work,” said Lark. He jumped down from the cart. “Continue tending to the wounded. Choose five soldiers. We’ll be going inside the cavern.”

After gathering the soldiers, Lark led them inside the cavern. The smell of castrel oil was still strong and it assaulted their noses. As they went deeper inside, the smell of oil was replaced by the putrid stench of decay.

The torches the soldiers carried illuminated the cave. Judging by the size of the space, if they had fought the goblins here instead of outside, the soldiers would have been annihilated.

There were hidden pathways here and there, likely for surprise attacks from the goblins.

The soldiers accompanying Lark realized that just by simply taking the fight outside, they had eliminated the goblins’ advantage.

Lark noticed his soldiers’ unease. “Relax. There are no more goblins here. We’re not here to fight.”

As he said that, he signaled everyone to stop. He smiled and pointed at the glimmering stones at the end of the cavern.

“We’re here to inspect the spoils of war,” said Lark. He ignored the weapons and items left behind by the goblins.

“Kalrane stones,” said Lark. “From now on, they’ll be the town’s special product.”