I urgently looked around. The woman who had survived till the end before that was called ‘ Scroll Plunderer ‘ had her forehead pierced by a dagger, becoming the meal of a goblin, while a man who had survived for five years after the tutorial called the ‘ Flame Archer ‘ was fending off against a few goblins.
However, the time it took for the body to be ravaged was an instant.
” Ahhhhhhhk ! ! ! ”
His scream rang through my ears.
” Ggireuk Ggireuk Ggireuk ! ! ”
The goblins laughed as the man’s screams were eaten aside.
It was definite. Despite having it been a few decades since the tutorial, I couldn’t forget these faces who I had depended on while living and sharing one’s company together.
‘ I had returned to the past. ‘
I’m not sure if someone had sent me to the past, but what was certain was that I had definitely returned. Looking around, the blurred memories slowly reminisced. This location. Together with these people, we had succeeded in fending off these goblins in our first battle.
Although there were definitely people that had fled, I still remembered how we had sloppily formed a defensive circle while fighting. Of course, I was crouching my body as much as possible, but anyways, I was certain that I was at this location.
Probably those daggers that I had thrown, I imagined how they could have been the determining factors in changing the future, but I soon changed my mind.
I wasn’t certain yet. There were still a few more things I needed to check. If I had really returned back to the past . . . . then we would definitely be able to meet again.
‘ Choi Seulgi ‘
Stealthily, I let out a smile. She told me that she was summoned here one year earlier than me, so she should probably be entering the continent now after completing the tutorial. And Ha Yuri . . . . Ha Yuri will probably be on this continent as well. My teeth automatically clenched.
While the surging rage was moving up to my head, it was then.
[ Quest Complete. ]
[ Quest – The First Battle: You who have been suddenly dragged to an unexpected place without reason. You may be quite perplexed, but surviving is the priority. Kill the summoned humans. ( 10 / 10 ) ]
[ You have obtained a new quest. ]
[ Quest – Go Hunting! : There are still many humans alive in the forest. Please continue to hunt these humans. ( 0 / 30 ) ]
[ Excellent. You have successfully completed your first quest. Your quest reward will be a Rank Up. Please select one of the following three evolutions. ]
[ 1. Goblin Warrior ]
[ 2. Goblin Mage ]
[ 3. Goblin Archer ]
As expected, it was exactly the same. I chuckled momentarily at a loss. Who would’ve have known that it wasn’t just the humans, but goblins as well that progressed through the Tutorial as well?
Though I glanced at the three following options, I didn’t really contemplate. My previous life, I had chosen the warrior. I’m not sure if it’ll be the same as the human’s ‘ Tech Tree ‘, but if it were similar, then I must choose the warrior as it is an easy path to grow quickly. Yet again, I’ve already heard many times that I had no talent. To choose another path would rather be fatal.
Choosing the first option, my muscles in a moment’s glance became distorted.
” Aahhk! ! ! ”
Hearing my own voice, the bones here and there were beginning to slam and crash against one another.
“Aaahhhhhhhhhhk ! ”
It seems that it wasn’t just me who was evolving as I could hear the cries of other goblins in places.
” Ggireuk . . . Ggireuk ! !”
” AAHHHK ! ! ! ! ! ”
It felt as if I was fully soaked in sweat. Although it was still lacking, I could definitely feel the flowing strength as I was transcending. It feels like my appearance has become a bit larger. No, just from looking at my biceps, I can tell that compared to earlier, I was quite different. Still crude, I was able to see the form of a sword appearing in front of me.
While looking down on the sword, I stealthily investigated my surroundings and saw the elder goblin along with other goblins stare dumbfounded at the other goblins that either evolved into either goblin warriors or goblin mages.
I felt that the daily behaviors and routines of monsters and humans were similar when we were setting up camps not long after the battle. Since dinner time had arrived, one by one, we started to gather.
In places where ordinary goblins existed, with the appearance of stronger goblins, the existing group that was centered by the elder goblin scattered. It seemed that it wasn’t a clan originally.
Instinctively, they started to gather below the ones that were much stronger. Just like the past. Then, we, too, started to move together under the ‘ strong ‘ that had changed cla.s.ses. Although a new clan is formed with the ‘ strong ‘ as the core, the difference between the humans and us were that we still moved as a whole.
And fortunately, being one of the first to change cla.s.ses, a few goblins came in search of me.
I stared absentmindedly at the standing goblins in front of me.
” I want to be. . . under your command. Ggireuk. ”
” I too wish to be under your command. Ggireuk! ”
Even the female goblin that wanted to mate with me earlier was blushing with her hands behind her back.
” I want to fight together as well. Ggireuk. You’re going to accept right? ”
” What made you come to me? There are a few other goblins that also have evolved other than myself. ”
” I saw how you fought. You . . . weren’t dauntless, but you were despicable and smart. Ggireuk. ”
” I watched you throw daggers while hiding. You don’t have a single wound on your body. That is the very thing that makes a goblin despicable . . . I want to learn that kind of mental fort.i.tude . Ggireuk. ”
” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ”
Whether I should be glad or not, it seems that I’ll have to think about it. Currently, the fact that I’m gathering strength is good. Although they won’t definitely be throwing their lives for me, they won’t naturally betray me either. No matter how much wisdom you have of the past, whether it’s humans or goblins, it’s essential to be in a group to survive.
Quickly arranging my thoughts, I extended my hand as I opened my mouth. Like a goblin should.
” I’m counting on you. Ggireuk. ”
As such, I had gained subordinates. Thus, amongst the 120 summoned goblins, I had the second highest number of goblins under me that I can order. Frankly, rather than ordering, the notion is much closer to working together, but anyhow, they were under my command.
The number was about 30, with four transcended goblins that were leading their own separate groups, which wasn’t a small number by far. The goblin warrior with the largest figure had formed a band of about 40 goblins, and I could remember that Goblin Warrior’s name was Goff.
Although I was quite certain I hadn’t seen such a warrior with that large of a frame in the last tutorial, it’s probably because he had fought too dauntlessly in the past and had either received a fatal wound, or had died somewhere else without us knowing.
Anyways, to have the second highest number of members amongst the four, it seems that the way I fought was admirable in their standpoint. Goff, although he wasn’t too pleased with me, it seemed as if there was an imaginary line between our groups to not bother each other, for he did not talk much at me.
Sneakily turning my head, I could see the goblins diligently carrying over the dead goblin corpses from the battle.
” Our captain is special. Ggireuk! ”
” Our captain doesn’t eat humans. But instead, he eats goblins. Ggireuk! ”
After ordering these guys to bring something else other than humans for dinner, watching them carry over the dead corpses of other goblins made me lost for words momentarily, but I thought it was for the best.
Although it was a truth I already knew, it seemed that there were no opinions of objection in eating your dead brethren. Rather, the rumors that spread of us not eating humans but goblins caused a few to offer in joining us.
The reason we didn’t eat humans was simple. Though a lot of things have changed after becoming a goblin, I still held the self-perception of being a human. I will never eat it. This not being the case, but if I do continue to eat humans, I thought that it would cause me to possibly abandon my humanity in the end. It was definitely a strangely dangerous condition. It was a minimal compromise to rationalize my decision.
” Gulp . . ”
Ripping off a goblin arm from dinner that those weaker goblins had brought, I threw it into my mouth. Although the taste was worse than humans, it was still quite edible. As if I was chewing on some dried squid, I continued to gnaw at the food. Though it has been a long time since I last ate, despite the food being uncooked, it was sufficient to satisfy my hunger.
The feeling that I was chewing on something made me very glad. Due to the gradual darkening night, I decided to endure with this much considering how I couldn’t just light a fire at this time.
Other than our group, the rest were all eating the humans. The female goblin that had handed over water was sitting beside me as if she was willing to become my wife as she occupied the seat next to me. Even though that smooth and tender human’s arm looked delicious on one side, it was also a bit disgusting as well.
Although I initially wanted to shoo her away since it was annoying, I decided to let it be, but it seems that she was clinging onto me even more. Letting out a breath, I opened my mouth in front of my 30 subordinates.
” Tonight, we leave for the hunt. Ggireuk. ”
” Hunt! Hunt! Ggireuk Ggireuk! ! ”
” It’s good that the night is dark. But we will be tired. Ggireuk. . ”
Although there were a few that grumbled their complaints, once they were a part of the tribe, they had to listen to orders. Perhaps they would be more pa.s.sionate if I had more achievements.
The fact that monsters had better night vision than humans was common sense. Although it would be difficult to find the humans with our undeveloped sense of smell, that would change with me around.
The extent as to where they were hiding, no matter which group, can be roughly estimated. Though it wasn’t comforting to be ambushing the unprepared humans, but it wasn’t a bad thing as well. If we remain still, then our numbers would be reduced, and if our numbers shrink, then we will eventually die to the stronger humans.
Even if we were to survive after natural selection, we would eventually die once we arrive at the continent.
Though this was a goblin’s body, if you see it otherwise, it was an opportunity given by the G.o.ds. To move quickly was the most rational thing to do. I need to maximize my benefits in the tutorial at best so that it’ll be comfortable once I leave for the continent.
” When do we leave? Captain. ”
” When it becomes a bit more dark, we will hunt then. ”
When it becomes dark, there would definitely be a group that would prepare to stop. Our job was to trail behind those kind of groups.
” We are the Blood Dagger Clan. After we leave for the hunt, we will capture all the fleeing humans and bring them here. Whoever follows me will not starve. ”
If I made a clan, then I need to have the confidence to teach that clan first. After roughly modifying the monster species clan name that appeared in some game and saying it out loud, it seems that the effects were greater than expected.
” We are the Blood Dagger Clan! Ggireuk! ”
” Blood Dagger Clan ! ! Ggireuk Ggireuk!
” Our captain is despicable. ”
” Despicable ! ! ! Ggireuk ! ! ”
” We are the p.r.o.noun of despicable, Blood Dagger Clan! ”
” No one can stop us ! ! ! ”
I didn’t want this kind of effect to this extent, but anyways it’s good enough. Determining that now to be a suitable time, I led the goblins into the forest and commenced the hunt. The other goblin tribes were staring at us dumbstruck. They had expressions as if wondering where we were going in the middle of the night as they continued to eye us.
Since I had evolved, the larger me continued to walk faster than the others. Of course, the sounds of goblins running besides me were disturbing, however, the sounds were definitely not loud enough for the humans that haven’t properly bloomed to hear from afar and flee.
Currently, rather than covertly moving, it was a situation where we had to swiftly advance. Running for quite some time, it seems that those fellas were getting tired as they started to slow down.
Briefly raising my hand, I slowly opened my mouth.
” We will rest here for a while before resuming. ”
” Ggireuk . . . Ggireuk. ”
” Ggireuk. . ”
If my memory proved me right, there’s a cave not too far from here. During the time when I was a human, it was the cave that we had arrived in after suffering and escaping the battle. In the past, we met other survivors there as well.
Though the number was quite large, it was sufficiently enough for the 30 goblins to capture since the majority of those hidden in the cave were losers that had fled from the fight.
Finishing our rest time, we quietly and covertly crept forward. As expected, I could start to feel the faint indications of humans emitting from the cave. Although they weren’t idiots that had burned a fire , I could hear their clamoring noises.
” d.a.m.n . . . ”
” What the h.e.l.l is happening. d.a.m.n . . . to suddenly be a Tutorial . . . And what are those monsters . . . ”
Hearing the voices from the cave, I slightly raised my hand, causing the goblins following from behind to stop their breathing at once. With all of them hiding their breathing, I could hear the conversations those guys were sharing that were riding the winds much better.
TL Afterword
OMG I laughed so hard. They were chanting despicable xD.
‘We are the p.r.o.noun of despicable !’
Note: I’m really considering changing the status of this from side-project to main-project [I’ll have two main projects then :O ]. Just comment below or on NU on your take and opinion. You’re making me hesitate haha. I thought this was my own personal guilty pleasure.
PR Afterword:
‘Our captain doesn’t eat humans. But instead, he eats goblins. Ggireuk!’
Translator: Calvis
Proofreader: Sai101