After distributing our loot, I sat there absentmindedly as I looked at the other Kobolds in the settlement who looked happy despite feeling a little uncomfortable with the leather armor they had put on.

In an attempt to develop the cultural life of the pack, we had ventured into the northeast along the Steele River once, but… now that I had looked at the map Muriel carried with her, I understood that it was difficult to advance in that direction. Since in the northeast was both “Balberra Forest”, the skull-marked, dangerous territory, and to the north was Warren City, the core city of the Ferias Territory in the Kingdom of Riastize. Both were very risky to approach.

“Garuu, wafan…” (We should go to the south after all…)

Easteria Forest, where we live, is part of the continent’s largest forested area that stretches across the national borders of nations, and to the south of it lies the Ancient Forest where the Elves live.

I did not want to go that far, but I would like to explore the south at least once…who knows, we might find something unexpected.

And since our settlement is very close to Viel village and the town of Zelgra, we cannot ignore the fact that we risk being found by the humans, so just to be safe, it would also be wise to find another location for the pack to relocate to in case of emergency.

Also, Lancer was the only one out of the six of us who had not evolved yet, so I thought it would be a good idea to make it one of the goals for our next journey…

“Wau, kuruaaoon, vaaugaruo uuooruon.” (Well, that’s just my reason, but I just really want some stimulation and change.)

Maybe it was the nature of all living things to travel in search of something new.

(It more or less served a real purpose, though.)

As I was making up my mind to venture into the southern part of the forest, I called my tall, skinny childhood friend over. 

“Waoan, guaru gauruwooonh.” (Blazer, I’m entrusting you with protecting the pack for now.)

“N, voaaon?.” (Sure. You’re going out again?)

“Wafu, woarufauon…” (Yes, we’re going to the southern part of the woods.)

After that brief talk, I called over Ax too.

“Gurua, garuon?” (Boss, what’s up?)

“Wauuh, guruuuooon.” (Axe, I’m leaving the pack in your care too.)

As I asked the two of them to take care of the pack in my absence, I looked at my beloved brethren who happily held their weapons in their arms. 

“Wauan voruaoon.” (Go train them, okay?)

“Waoon, gurua.” (Yes, Boss!)

“Guonh.” (Of course.)

If I only left the training to Blazer, then his habits would heavily influence the others, but Ax’s pensive nature should balance it out to some extent…

After spending several days in the settlement to prepare for the journey, the four of us— Dagger, Buster, Lancer, and I set off for the southern part of Easteria forest.

But our main problem along the way was primarily our supply of water.

It wasn’t as accurate as the map that the red-haired mage had, but according to the map we found among the bandits’ possessions, it would take a two day’s walk from the south of the settlement to reach a tributary of a river different from the Steele River.

Just in case, each of us had prepared 4 day’s worth of water in several leather flasks. We intended to turn back once we could not find a water source and had used about half of the total amount of water we brought, but…

“Kyuu, kuuao~n.” (Big brother, it’s the river!)

Despite our secret fears, we found a water source in the form of a tributary on the afternoon of the second day just as we expected.

Moreover, there was also spring water in the vicinity. I had also seen some beech trees here and there that store a lot of water…The south part of the forest might be blessed with plenty of water.

As I was speculating for a bit, the sound of splashing water brought back my attention. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see that Buster had stepped into the shallows, drew some water into his flask, and thirstily gulped it down.

Gulp, gulp…

“Gafah!” (Puhaa!)  

“…Guoruwoaruu kuruaounh.” (Don’t drink too much or your stomach will become upset.)

As I sat down on a rock by the riverbank, I watched Lancer, who had always been good at taking care of people, admonishing our large childhood friend, and my sister, who had been playing in the water, move her large fox ears with a twitch.

“Wafa, kuoarun?” (Can you hear that?)

When I listened carefully, I could hear it too.

Is this… the sound of someone screaming?

……………

………

…

By nature, all living creatures live along rivers or other potable water sources. The same is true for both humans and demi-humans and a small distance away from the river where the strange dog kin arrived at, lay the Lucua village where the Werecats and their families lived.

Rather than magical beasts, they looked more like humans, with the only difference being their cat ears and tails. They have a high level of knowledge and culture, and since they have interacted with humans over the course of their long history, they could also speak the western common language used throughout the continent.

And so the village of Lucua, which is home to about 160 cat people and is a quiet rural area that trades with the town of Wyald in the south and the village of Viel in the west, was currently partly engulfed in flames.

“Giu, gireusu.” (Burn, raging flame.)

A small figure in a robe and decorated hood held out their wand and fired several fireballs that burned the houses. In the glare from the flames, the distinctively large nose and pointy-eared face of a Goblin could be seen from underneath the robes.

Name: Rock ()

Race: Goblin

Rank: Goblin Warlock

Skill: Elementary Magic (Fire, Wind)

Title: Sage of the Goblin Tribe

Weapon: Wand

Armament: Goblin Mage’s Clothes

Auxiliary: Mage’s Robe

out back

This was the subspecies called the Goblin Warlock, who excelled in magic within the Goblin tribe. The Goblin Warlock laughed lightly as he used wind magic to direct winds toward the blazing fire, strengthening the force of the flames.

“Dammit! Eat this!!”

A warrior from the Werecat tribe angrily threw the spear in his hand with all his might as he approached the goblin sorcerer who burned their houses, but…

“Gyaoau.” (That was dangerous.)

Before the speeding hand spear could take down its target, a huge Goblin Heavy Fighter clad in Brigandine Armor blocked it by holding up their Shield. 

Name: Heavy ()

Race: Goblin

Rank: Goblin Heavy Fighter

Skill: Strengthen Arm(Small/Instantaneous), Physical Strength Enhancement (Medium/Instantaneous)

Title: Heavily Armed Soldier of the Goblin Tribe

Weapon: Battle Axe

Armament: Brigandine, Large Shield, Iron Helmet

Immediately while the other Goblins’ attention was occupied by the spear-throwing Werecat Warrior, another Werecat Warrior quickly made his way to the Goblin Sorcerer from the right flank!

“Move, you’re in the way!”

“G-gyaah”

He cut down the Goblins standing in his way mercilessly with brute force and used his momentum to close in on the troublesome Goblin Sorcerer. 

“Gih, gyaouh.” (Haah, I thought I was gonna be killed.)

However, the Goblin Sorcerer quickly jumped out of the way just as the Werecat warrior was closing in on him and a tall and lanky variant of the Goblin Swordsman holding a Short Sword in both hands cut-in between them.

“Uooooooohhh!!!”

The Werecat warrior used centrifugal force to take down the Goblin Double Swordsman with a rotating attack, but the swordsman crossed his swords to block the attack and after deflecting the force of the attack, he pulled his blades back and stabbed the enemy in the chest.

“… Nnnghkk”

Targeting the neck of the Werecat warrior who had spat out blood after being stabbed in the chest, it pulled free the other blade and swung it towards its enemy.

Name: Sword ()

Race: Goblin

Rank: Goblin Swordsman

Skill: Ambidextrous Arm Strengthening (Medium/Instantaneous)

Title: Double Swordsman of the Goblin Tribe

Weapon: Twin Swords (Main), Throwing Knife (Auxiliary 1), Dagger (Auxiliary 2)

Armament: Leather Armor

Auxiliary: Cloak

With a quick flash of his blade, the Double Swordsman of the Goblin Tribe had sheathed the two swords equipped on each side of his hip, and flashes from numerous Throwing Knives could be seen inside his cloak, giving a strange impression to those who confronted him. 

“What the heck are you!?”

The cries from the Werecat warriors could be heard throughout the battlefield; although they had been fighting hard, they were outnumbered, and they fell wounded one after another.

As the situation on the Werecat’s side gradually worsened, a large, muscular, High Goblin variant wielding a Greatsword with one hand slowly walked out from within the Goblin’s ranks.

Name: Brave ()

Race: Goblin

Rank: Goblin Brave

Skill: Battle Cry (Goblin Strengthening), Shining Sword?????

Title: Hero of the Goblin Tribe

Weapon: Zweihänder

Armament: Leather Armor

Immediately after, as if to put an end to those resisting them, the Goblin Brave leading the horde of Goblins let out a loud, magic-laden battle cry that echoed throughout the area.

“Gyaugyaoaaah, giigueh!!” (Goblin warriors, let your spirits soar!)

【Activated: Battle Cry】

【Effect: The magic-laden roar increases the Goblin’s morale, enhancing their base abilities.】

“GYAOOOOOOOOOOH!!” (UOOOOOOOOOOOOH!!)

Responding to the roar of encouragement, an immense fighting spirit surged up one-by-one from within the Goblins, and with the growing intensity of the onslaught, the warriors of the Werecat tribe protecting Lucua village were forced to flee miserably in defeat.