Chapter 0: The Battle at the Goblin Village
Author: This time, I tried a bit harder.
Translator: Don't push yourself.
The conquerors of the eastern plains.
They were the source of worry for merchants trading between the Eastern Empire and the Jura Forest.
Each one of them is a C-rank monster, and if you let your guard down, even a veteran adventurer can be killed in one hit.
However, the essence of their threat lies in their pack behavior.
When led by a capable boss, the Arang Clan truly shines.
They can act as a single entity, moving in unison like a single monster.
And as a pack, their evaluation is... B-rank.
The eastern plains are close to a vast grain-producing area.
Because of this, it is a crucial location that controls the empire's lifeline, and its security is tight.
No matter how cunning and skilled the Arang Clan is, breaking through the empire's defenses is difficult.
Even if they did manage to break through, it would anger the empire, and the future of the Arang Clan would be cut short.
The boss of the pack understood this well.
Over the years, through small conflicts with the empire, he learned and deeply felt the reality of the situation.
If they only attacked small-scale merchants, the empire wouldn't show its true colors.
But if they tried to invade the grain-producing area, the empire would bare its fangs.
He wouldn't repeat the foolish mistakes his kin had made in the past.
However, as a monster, he also understood that if things continued this way, their evolution would be cut off.
For the Arang Clan, eating is not necessary.
Attacking and eating humans is more like a snack.
Why? Because humans don't contain much mana.
For the Arang Clan, eating means absorbing mana.
To evolve into a "Catastrophe" class monster, they would need to attack a more powerful monster or kill many humans.
But in their current state, both methods were difficult.
The empire was too powerful for the Arang Clan.
However, evolving to the "Catastrophe" class by continuing to attack merchants was a dream.
To the south, there was a fertile land and a forest blessed with strong mana, a paradise for powerful monsters.
But to reach there, they would need to pass through the Jura Forest.
The monsters in the forest were not particularly strong.
Several times, he had hunted monsters in the forest, which taught him this.
So why couldn't they invade the forest?
The existence of this dragon was the reason.
Even though it was sealed, the eerie mana fluctuations it emitted frightened them.
They believed the forest's monsters were protected by Veldora.
That's why they could live within those oppressive fluctuations.
Otherwise, they would go mad.
Until now, despite the bitter experiences, they had given up on invading because of this existence... Yes, until now!
The boss turned his sharp, blood-red eyes toward the forest.
The ominous presence of the dragon was not felt.
Now, it might be possible to hunt all the forest's monsters and become the forest's conqueror! The boss thought this and licked his lips.
He then let out a cry, signaling the advance!
Well, if you're going to be a guardian, you should do something.
For me, it's like being a bodyguard, but the village chief is overdoing it.
Anyway, I gathered the goblins who could fight.
...They all looked worn out.
In terms of strength, I can't expect much from them.
But the remaining goblins, who were only children and the elderly, were watching from a distance.
There was no reinforcement from other goblins.
This situation must have been terrifying for the village chief.
Even if they fled, they would starve to death without food...
The gathered goblins were looking at me with eyes full of faith.
I had never felt such pressure and had always lived a carefree life, but this gaze was an immense weight.
"Do you all understand the situation?"
It wasn't a time for jokes, and I couldn't think of anything to say, so I asked seriously.
"Yes! We are prepared for the battle that will determine whether we live or die!" the goblin leader immediately replied.
The other gathered goblins seemed to share the same sentiment.
Some were trembling, but that couldn't be helped. The mind and body are separate.
"You don't need to try too hard. Relax. Even if you try too hard, you will lose when it's your time. Do your best and focus on that!"
I tried to say something cool.
I felt better. It might have been effective.
If we fail, it might be the end of the goblins' fate.
Still, I will follow my path.
I decided to do it arrogantly!
Good! I put in some effort and gave the goblins their first command.
This command, which I would give several times, was the first to be spoken!
The boss of the Arang Clan opened his eyes.
Tonight was a full moon, perfect for battle.
He slowly rose and looked around.
His kin, the Arang, were watching him with bated breath.
It was a good state of tension.
Tonight, they would destroy the goblin village and establish a foothold in the Jura Forest.
After that, they would slowly hunt the surrounding monsters and become the forest's ruler.
In the future, they would also consider invading the south to gather more strength.
They had the power to do it.
Their claws could tear apart any monster, and their teeth could crush any armor.
It was time to begin the slaughter.
However, there was something that worried him.
A few days ago, a scout he had sent brought back concerning information.
There was a small monster emitting a strange aura.
The aura of this monster was said to surpass even his own...
That couldn't be. The boss ignored it.
There was no such threat in the forest. The monsters he met were all weak.
Up to their current location in the middle of the forest, they hadn't faced any significant resistance.
Once, a few of his kin were killed by a dozen goblins, but that was all.
He must have been excited and mistaken.
The boss thought this and turned his gaze forward.
In front of him, he could see the village.
It was the location the scout had reported.
He had chased an injured goblin to determine the location. The village's current strength was nothing to worry about.
The boss was cunning and didn't let his guard down.
However, he didn't see what was surrounding the village.
It looked like a palisade, similar to what humans use.
The village's houses were broken, and a palisade covered the village.
At the entrance, there was a slime.
They were trying to create a gap to block the attack with their numbers!
Such a shallow strategy from a weak monster.
Such a palisade would be useless against their claws and teeth!
Let's show them our power! The boss thought and gave the order.
A dozen Arang attacked the palisade like extensions of his own limbs.
The Arang Clan became a single entity.
It was a coordinated attack, made possible by "Thought Transmission." They could cooperate faster than with words.
The first strike was supposed to break the palisade.
The boss imagined the goblins' plan being shattered and being torn apart by wolves, and he was momentarily surprised.
The attacking unit returned! Some were rolling on the ground, spewing blood.
The boss remained calm and observed the situation.
The slime at the entrance didn't move.
Then, one of his subordinates came to him and said,
"That's it! The one emitting an aura stronger than you, sir!"
Stupid! The boss thought and looked at the slime.
A small monster that sometimes appeared on the plains.
A laughable, insignificant existence.
It couldn't have an aura stronger than his... Impossible!
"Good! Stop right there. If you turn back now, nothing will happen. Leave quickly!!!"
The boss of the Arang Clan was a cunning and experienced monster.
Based on his long life, he didn't let his guard down and carefully planned.
He had the courage to execute his plans calmly.
His long experience denied the possibility that the slime could be stronger than him.
This was the first time the boss made a fatal mistake.
And that mistake determined their fate.
"Cute thing!!! I'll tear you apart!!!"
I didn't expect them to charge suddenly.
I had planned to start with a conversation, but all my lines flew out of my head.
The pre-battle practice was useless.
During a break in the plan, I practiced...
My first command was to guide the injured.
Even with 60 goblins and a dozen survivors, the plan's efficiency wouldn't change much.
But since they followed, I thought I should do what I could.
The injured were gathered in a large, dirty building and lying down.
I thought about the injured.
They seemed to be treated with herbs, but if left alone, they would die.
The wounds were deeper than I thought. Were they torn by claws or fangs? They were large and festering.
In this situation, I needed to fully commit.
I devoured one of the goblins in front and mixed it with a healing potion before spitting it out.
The village chief tried to say something, but I ignored it and swallowed the injured, spitting them out.
After healing a few, I looked back...
For some reason, the goblins were bowing deeply and looking at me.
What are they doing, these guys?
It seemed they thought I had the power of resurrection.
Annoyed, I spat out a few healing potions and treated the remaining injured.
This would take some time to heal.
After finishing the best treatment I could, I gave the goblins a new command.
The next thing I did was set up a palisade.
It would be best to cut down trees to make it, but we didn't have the time or resources.
We had to use what was available.
Without hesitation, I had the houses destroyed and used the materials to build the palisade.
I made it in a circle around the entire village.
While setting it up, I sent the clever goblins who could use bows as scouts.
If the enemy was wolves, they would have a keen sense of smell. I told them not to form a pack and sent them off.
I was concerned about their determined eyes, as if they were saying they would trade their lives for this.
When I visited the village the next evening, the palisade was complete.
Yes, I reinforced it with spider silk to increase its strength.
I also didn't forget to set traps with "Steel" at various points.
Anything that touched the palisade would be cut in half.
After the battle, I would need to recover these.
The palisade had an opening in the front.
I installed "Adhesive" at this point to complete the preparations.
I waited for the scouts to return.
By then, the injured goblins had started to recover and open their eyes.
They checked their bodies, which felt strange.
It seemed the healing potion was quite effective.
I thought I would need to give it several times for such minor injuries...
But it was more effective than I thought. A pleasant surprise.
We gathered the debris in the center of where the village used to be and set it on fire.
It was like a campfire, but it wasn't a time to be cheerful.
We needed to keep watch all night.
Since I didn't need sleep, I offered to guard, but they said,
"That's too much!!! We can't have Rimuru-sama do such a thing!"
"Yes! We will keep watch. Rimuru-sama, please rest!"
Similar reactions from the surrounding goblins.
I was happy, but they must have been quite tired...
So, I set up a rotation for them to rest when not on watch.
Before midnight, the scouts returned.
The Arang Clan had started moving.
They returned with injuries, but all were alive.
They were ugly, dirty monsters.
But over the past two days, I had grown attached to them.
I hoped they would all survive the battle.
With that thought, I installed the final "Adhesive" at the entrance.
The battle began with the Arang Clan's attack.
The palisade's strength was uncertain, but it wouldn't break from the Arang's attacks.
The traps were also working effectively.
"Good! Stop right there. If you turn back now, nothing will happen. Leave quickly!!!"
I tried to speak to them.
The Arang moved in unison, attacking the palisade from all sides.
There was no choice but to proceed with the plan.
I had anticipated this and installed a small gap in the palisade.
Through these, the goblins, who couldn't shoot well, fired arrows.
A few Arang were hit by arrows and screamed.
Some tried to force the arrow slits open,
But at that moment, their necks were cut off by goblins with stone axes waiting on both sides.
They only had two hours to practice, but they were desperate.
They tried their best to understand and execute my commands.
The results were paying off.
The Arang Clan was strong. One could take on several goblins.
In a pack, their combat power could increase significantly.
But if one was strong, many could attack.
If they were strong in a pack, they needed to be prevented from forming one.
The key was to use their minds.
The strongest creature in this world is a wise human!
Moreover... I thought this and looked at the Arang boss with a cold gaze.
To think a beast could defeat me... There are limits to arrogance.
The Arang boss was flustered by the unexpected turn of events.
His subordinates began to panic.
The Arang Clan's strength came from their pack behavior.
Doubt in the boss would lead to a catastrophic outcome.
The boss understood this. That's why he made his biggest mistake.
He was frustrated that they couldn't break the palisade but feared his subordinates' anger turning on him...
The boss thought he needed to show his strength!
He was the strongest in the pack and could handle it alone!
At that moment, everything was decided.
I didn't take my eyes off the boss's movements.
To the surrounding goblins, it probably looked like the boss disappeared!
To me, it was like slow motion.
Everything went according to plan.
I had considered several patterns, but it followed one scenario.
Just a beast. No match for a human.
The boss was caught in the "Adhesive" I had set up at the entrance.
The boss's strength might allow him to break free from the "Adhesive."
I couldn't confirm this, but it didn't matter now.
The purpose of the "Adhesive" was to stop the boss's movement for a moment.
If he didn't stop and used "Water Blade," it would be embarrassing.
Worse, if it hit his allies, it would be the worst. Depending on the battlefield, it could happen.
I had set it up for that reason, but I overthought it.
These guys didn't even reach the stage of breaking the palisade.
I had considered setting "Steel" at the entrance but decided against it, thinking it wouldn't be necessary.
In this case, I needed to act as an overwhelmingly strong being.
Without hesitation, I used "Water Blade" to cut off the boss's head.
The Arang boss died helplessly.
"Listen, Arang Clan! Your boss is dead!!! I will give you a choice. Submit or die!"
Now, how will they answer?
For the boss's mourning, I hope they come at me madly, prepared to die...
Blessing: Storm Incarnation
Abilities: Unique Skill "Great Sage"
Slime Unique Skills "Dissolve, Absorb, Regenerate"
Extra Skills "Water Manipulation"
Extra Skills "Mana Detection"
Acquired Skills: Black Snake "Heat Detection, Poison Breath," Spider "Adhesive, Steel," Bat "Ultrasound," Lizard "Body Armor"
Resistances: Heat Resistance EX, Physical Attack Resistance, Numbness Immunity, Electric Resistance, Paralysis Resistance
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