<h4>Volume 1, Chapter 30: Fortress of the Abyss</h4>


    [Race] Goblin [Level] 60


    [ss] Duke; Horde Chief


    [Possessed Skills] > > > > > > > > > > > > >


    [Divine Protection] Goddess of the Underworld (Altesia) [Attributes] Darkness; Death


    [Subordinate Beasts] Kobold (Lv9) Gray Wolf (Lv1) x2 [Abnormal Status] >


    Having wanted to move her body, Lili became the sparring partner of the goblins. It’s been five days since then.


    As expected, the first one to defeat her was Gi Za’s faction.


    Magic was prohibited, but the druids were originally a ss that’s used to using their heads. And after continuous research through trial and error, they eventually found Lili’s weakness.


    The other factions tried to emte what Gi Za’s faction did, but in the end they couldn’t defeat Lili.


    Perhaps it might be for the best after all to form teams with the druids as the center. However, the druids aren’t without fault. Their personalities for one are far too dry, and they have a tendency to look at their fellow goblins as chess pieces even more than I do. It’s good that they’re passionate about researching and studying, but I’ve gone to great trouble to bring together this army I have today.


    Having that army weakened because of their whims would be a shame.


    In the end, thinking by myself just ends with me running around in circles like this, leaving me at a loss.


    Then with the end of the afternoon training, I called out to Lili,


    “Lili,” I said.


    Thinking it’d be interesting to hear what she thought of her sparring partners, I asked her for her thoughts. And she replied,


    “Which group was the hardest to beat… you say.”


    A questioning look appeared on her face.


    “You don’t mind trusting me?” she asked.


    “I’m just asking for your opinion,” I replied. “Come on, don’t hold back. Let me hear what you think.”


    Seeing a deep crevice appear in between her eyebrows, I quietly thought to myself, what a serious woman.


    “As you’d expect, it’s Gi Za’s group,” she answered.


    Well that’s about right.


    “And next would be Gi Gi’s group,” she continued.


    Oh? That’s slightly unexpected. It’s not Gi Ga’s faction who has a high level, but rather the beast warrior, Gi Gi’s faction, that she found second strongest.


    Gi Gi’s faction is currently serving as the vanguard in the group when moving out, responsible for detecting the enemies ahead. I’ve been having the beasts work in one big group, but it might be a good idea to start having them as a part of the three-man cells.


    Then while I was lost in my thought, I noticed Lili sneak a nce at me.


    “What?” I asked.


    Lili being quite tall, our heights were nearly the same.


    “It’s nothing,” she curtly replied, averting her eyes as she did.


    I wanted to ask her what it was, but without enough material, I couldn’t pursue the matter. Well, it doesn’t really matter. If she’s scheming something, then I’ll just have to appropriately punish her.


    Then suddenly, a voice called out to me.


    “King!” it said.


    And using that opportunity, I left Lili.


    ◇◆◆


    “Do you know of the Fortress of the Abyss?” asked Gi Za. “What is that?” I asked back as I knitted my brows.


    “It’s only natural that you don’t know about it, but it’s a stronghold with many influential goblin ns,” he answered.


    The sudden jump from fortresses to goblin ns baffled me.


    “Gordob, Gaidga, Baradua, Ganra. Starting from these four ns along with all the goblins in the world, save for the humans, the goblins are probably the most numerous,” he said.


    Gordob? Gaidga? What is he talking about?


    “But these four ns aren’t united. Of course, they don’t like the humans, but they also carry ill will for their fellow goblins,” he continued.


    As Gi Za began to prattle, I decided to keep quiet, and listen. As for why? It’s because Gi Za’s eyes carried with it the same will, the same resolve when fighting.


    “But there is one thing that they have inmon,” he said


    In other words, if I want to unify the goblins, I have to aim for that fortress… is what he’s saying.


    “The Fortress of the Abyss,” he dered.


    Why is a fortress amon point, I wondered.


    “If you go, you’ll know,” said Gi Za.


    His eyes remained unchanging, carrying with it the same resolve it did throughout his entire story.


    “You want me to put my trust in that?” I asked him.


    Then as if carrying the dignity of a prophet, Gi Za’s words brimmed with madness in his fervor as he answered me, saying,


    “King, if you are to lead us (goblins), then…”


    So this is what means to be speechless? I thought.


    “That ce is our home. It is the home to which every goblin must return to.”


    And as such, if I wish to rule over the goblins, then I need to aim for that, huh?


    ---The home of goblins. The Fortress of the Abyss.


    Those words carried with it a mysterious sound, resounding within me. It’s certainly something to stir one up. Even Gi Za who’s normally so calm has gotten this passionate over it.


    Or does that ce actually have a big impact to everyone else except for me?


    But even then…


    “Why now?” I asked.


    “As thanks for before,” he replied.


    Thanks?


    “It’s thanks for showing me something interesting,” grinned Gi Za.


    If he’s talking about the gray wolves, then he’s mistaken.


    That wasn’t something like that.


    But…


    “And? Where is that fortress?” I asked.


    I don’t know how much effect that fortress has on the goblin ns and the scattered goblins, but if I can use that to gather them, then it’s not a bad move.


    Whether I make that fortress mine, whether I use it, or crush it… I’ll do whatever it takes to build my kingdom.


    “Deep in the forest, to the west… A distance of 10 days from here,” answered Gi Za.


    West.


    The orcs should be there.


    “West, huh?” I muttered.


    Gi Za nodded at my muttering. It seems he understands what I’m thinking.


    “The orcs must be dealt with. The fortress is the first gate they need to pass,” said Gi Za.


    The orcs… There’s a debt that needs to be paid.


    “I guess I’ll have you pay up, orcs.”


    I’ll have you pay for attacking my vige before.


    But first, I need to train my goblins. They need to be strong enough to defeat the orcs as three-man cells.


    ◆◆◇


    “What are you nning?” I asked.


    And the king answered me without even so much as looking back, saying,


    “I’m saving them.”


    The children of the same gray wolves who tried to kill you?


    “Even though these might grow to be stronger than you one day?” I inquired.


    As the king embraced the gray wolves in his chest, his eyes narrowed, and he answered back, saying,


    “If so, then I shall respond in kind with all of my power. Be it vengeance, be it treason… I mind neither. If there is someone that wishes to stand before me, then I shall receive him as king.”


    Why? Why are you going so far? Going so far as to even raise the child of someone who might be your enemy.


    “The same goes for you Gi Za,” continued the king, shooting a sharp nce at me that caused my body to quiver at the coldness of those eyes.


    “If you wish to defeat me,” he dered. “Thene. I’ll dly wee you anytime.”


    When I heard those words, I couldn’t help but let out augh.


    “What is it?” asked the king.


    “Nah, it’s nothing. I’ming with you,” I replied.


    As I followed the king’s back, I recalled the time when I was banished from the vige that wouldter be the vige of the goblin druids. When the boss of the horde then found out that I was a druid, he rallied all of the goblins, and he banished me from the vige.


    The only one who protected me then was my old man. But in the end, even he could not go against the boss.


    Chased by the horde, I barely escaped with my life. But I toiled, founded a new horde, and in the end I was able to reim the ce I once lost. But then my old man appeared before me again.


    He was the one who taught me words. The benefactor responsible for my evolution into a druid. But at the same time, I also couldn’t forget the hate I bore. And I asked him,


    “Why now!?” I asked. “Why do you have to appear before me now!?”


    And he replied, “The king hase.”


    I couldn’t believe my ears. The king… that fabled figure spoken of only in the bed time tales. He’s saying that such a being has appeared?


    He who will unify the goblins. The deliverer who shall deliver us into and of peace.


    “Impossible,” I scornfullyughed.


    But the old man’s gaze was earnest.


    “…Then in that case, let me test him,” I said.


    Holding my favorite staff in my hand, Iughed, fully aware that I’m merely bluffing as I said,


    “If he is a king, a true king, then!”


    As I hid a magic gem in my chest for my trump card, a whirlpool of wind blew at the tip of my staff.


    “Defeat me!”


    But should I win, then I shall lead the horde and take the Fortress of the Abyss for myself.


    For I, who have gathered the druids, am also fitting to be king.


    Author’s Note: New information and Gi Za’s recollection in other words.


    Note: As I mentioned before the author switches to different characters to indicate when his characters are bing more “beastly”. The first italic is to show that the protagonist spoke in katakana for a moment.