Chapter 24
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 24
Chapter Title: Conspiracy of the Goblin Den (1)
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Our fully prepared Reti Party boldly marched out of Oakwood.
"Ready? Let's go."
Our backs were weighed down by backpacks stuffed full of supplies, and our shoulders bore sleek Rapid Bowguns.
Though our average height was just around 120 centimeters, the heft of our gear rivaled that of any veteran.
Judging by our weapons alone, we might even outclass your average Bronze Ranker?
Our destination lay half a day's journey to the west—a small village called Pine Hill, nestled amid dense stands of trees.
"We got plenty of water, right?"
"Yeah. Filled three canteens. They're heavy as hell."
Sena patted the canteens clinking at her waist. After suffering from a water shortage in that ancient camouflage dungeon last time, we'd prepared thoroughly.
The backpack straps dug into our shoulders, packed as they were with hardtack, jerky, and lantern oil, but thanks to the framed packs, we kept our balance with ease.
Best of all, we wouldn't have to walk the whole way to the village.
"Three of us... that's 60 coppers, right?"
"Yeah, hop on quick! I've got over five stops to make today alone."
We boarded the mail coach that looped through nearby villages, waving at the urging coachman.
How many hours had passed? Beyond the thick conifer woods, sprawling fields and cozy log cabins came into view.
We hopped off the coach and headed straight for the village hall, our agreed-upon meeting spot. That's where we'd link up with the client.
A Magic Slate hung on the inner wall of the village hall, indifferently scrolling messages like [Capital Grain Prices: Wheat Down].
Soon enough, the village chief and locals burst into the hall—they'd been waiting for us. Their faces lit up with the eager hope of folks greeting a savior.
"Oh! The Bronze Rank adventurers are finally... Huh?"
The chief's beaming smile faded like it'd been doused with cold water.
The old man's gaze wandered above our heads at first, then dropped sharply to knee level.
"...Um, are you kids from the guild here on an errand?"
"No. We're the adventurers who took the request."
I flashed my Bronze Rank badge, and the chief's brow furrowed. He couldn't hide his blatant distrust—it went beyond simple disappointment.
"Two Ratkin and a dwarf..."
Were they expecting some burly, muscled warrior? I got the exasperation, but it was so overt it left a sour taste.
"Jeez. The guild's gone too far... We tell 'em monsters are stirring, and they send little kids?"
"Right? Think those tiny bows could take down a rabbit? We'd have done it ourselves if..."
Whispers stabbed at our backs.
I ignored them, adjusting the leather strap of my Rapid Bowgun. Better to let results do the talking than waste breath on words.
"Tell us what's going on first. Where are the bodies?"
"Ah, yes. In the barn over there..."
The chief led the way, unable to mask his unease.
Creeeak.
The barn door swung open, unleashing a fishy stench of blood. Lifting the straw mat revealed two goblin corpses.
"Take a look at this."
Mani prodded the corpse's arm with a stick, scowling.
These weren't your run-of-the-mill goblin bodies.
Their muscles bulged unnaturally, veins popping like they might burst. Their unfocused eyes were bloodshot, ruptured capillaries turning the whites crimson.
I'd seen this before.
"They've got weapons too."
Rusted swords and sickles clutched in their hands.
Some might be stolen, sure—but the fact they weren't just stone clubs or sticks was unsettling.
Goblins didn't have the smarts to buy or craft gear like this.
"This area's always been mild-mannered critters like chickadees or torani. Then these freaks show up in droves outta nowhere. Crawled from a dungeon, maybe..."
"Lead the way. You've scouted the nest, right?"
"I'll take you as far as I can. But the deep woods are too risky—we couldn't pinpoint it fully."
We set off into the forest, two young village men as guides.
The leaf- and needle-strewn ground was soft underfoot, but the air hung cold and damp, stabbing the lungs with an ominous chill.
About an hour in, as the packs crushed our shoulders...
"Ow, my back... Should've bought a donkey if I knew it'd be this bad."
Sena rubbed her shoulders, pouting.
"No way. Donkeys spook easy—smell a monster and they foam at the mouth, pass out. What if it bolted with our gear?"
Mani shot back firmly.
"Besides, donkeys can't squeeze into dungeons or tight burrows. We'd end up carrying everything anyway."
I chimed in after listening.
"That's true. But lugging this ballista around is a pain. And whose fault is that?"
Sadly, Mani's ballista was back at the village hall.
Our plan to disassemble and tote it had fizzled—the thing was way heavier than expected.
"Ugh... Fair enough, but what about mountain goats? They're brave! Climb mountains like champs..."
Mani's dwarf mines apparently raised goats as livestock.
"Yeah, one per person..."
She was mid-pitch for operating her custom ballista when...
The lead youth threw up his hand urgently.
"Th-there! Footprints!"
The muddy ground was stamped with a chaotic mess of tracks. A lot of them.
This was where ordinary villagers bowed out. Time for us Bronze Rank adventurers to charge bravely ahead.
"Ratlings! Squeak squeak! Come out!"
I shouted loud enough for the villagers to hear. Horned rats burst forth in a flash of light.
"Eek! Rats—with horns on their heads!"
"Those are monsters too, right?!"
The youths freaked, stumbling back. Par for the course.
Five minutes following the rats' lead...
Ratling sniffed the air, then thrashed his tail wildly toward the forest depths.
"Squeak!"
Translation: Suspicious foes approaching nearby.
We shoved the youths back and hunkered behind trees.
Moments later, shadows descended the path.
"...What the heck? Goblins?"
Sena squinted.
Goblins, alright.
Nothing new from a dungeon peek. But these were far from ordinary.
Villagers and us alike gasped at the sight leading their column.
"No way—a goblin on..."
The leader gripped a spear astride some beast.
Strutting like a knight.
"...A torani."
Wait—goblin riding a torani?
"Torani Rider Goblin!"
And the torani looked off too.
Built to carry a rider, its muscled frame sported eyes bloodshot like a rabid dog. Already foaming at the mouth, panting heavily—not a good sign.
"Monster cavalry? That's insane..."
Sena's shock twisted into disgust.
"Evil monster riding an evil monster. I won't stand for this!"
I nodded in agreement.
Crop-raiding pests plus man-eating fiends? That combo would make the Hamster Wheel weep.
"Six in total. Confirmed."
I aimed my Rapid Bowgun, murmuring low.
"Mani, Sena. Simultaneous fire. I'll take the leader; you two handle mid and rear torani. One each."
The ironwood bowgun's dark brown blended into the shadows. Behind us, villagers clutched scythe handles white-knuckled, trembling.
Our time to shine.
"Three, two, one."
Clack, thwang!
Three bolts tore through the air.
Pheew!
"Kreeeek!"
The lead torani rider took a chest shot and tumbled from his mount.
Before he hit dirt, I yanked the lever, chambering the next round.
Thwang!
"Kyaaak!"
Torani toppled screeching. No respite—next target. Lever back, pivot instinctively.
"Keeek!"
Goblins startled by their fallen boss scanned around. Rear riders turned, one pointing our way, shrieking.
"Too late, idiots!"
Thwang!
Arrows slammed into the torani riders' skulls as they swung spears.
Sena and Mani followed up, unleashing bolts.
Thwang thwang!
"Kill 'em! Don't let any escape!"
"Keeek!"
Over ten bolts rained on the column.
In five seconds flat, the patrol was goblin chowder for the forest floor.
"...Hah."
The watching youths' jaws dropped.
Scrawny rat kids they'd dismissed mowed down monsters in a blink with weird weapons. Cognitive dissonance much?
"Alright, mercy shots!"
We drew blades, slit goblin throats, then harvested ears like potatoes. Every bit counted.
Retrieving bolts, we turned to find the youths' eyes wide with awe.
"Incredible! In seconds..."
Honorifics now? Guess we weren't pushovers anymore.
My tail perked up proudly.
"We'll take it from here. Saw those torani goblins? Not normal. Dangerous—head back."
"Got it! We'll tell the chief..."
We sent the dazed youths packing and followed our horned rats deeper in. Soon, a massive cave mouth yawned at the base of a rocky cliff.
Beast bones and filth littered the goblin nest entrance, reeking to high heaven.
"Fight inside? Tight spots are hammer heaven."
Mani toyed with her hammer, itching to bathe it in monster blood. Post-battle thrill.
My tail twitched, ears flicking—I could only imagine the others.
"Yeah! Storm in and purify them all! Torani goblins? They're breeding cavalry! Plotting evil against folks, no doubt."
Sena fumed, faith fueling her rage. Dying to impale goblin necks with her shortsword.
But no reason to dive in.
"Nope. Ambush inside, and we're done."
Even goblin experts from my past-life comics said never let your guard down!
No point inviting a bowgun-unfriendly brawl in their lair.
I pulled thick rope from my pack. Goblins stood a tad taller than us.
"Let's see... this length..."
Ankle height at the entrance—perfect tripwire for blind panickers bursting out.
"Sena, Mani. Gather wet leaves and pinecones?"
They tilted heads, then burst laughing.
"Reti! You sneaky genius!"
We checked wind, built a fire.
Piled high with wet leaves and green twigs, doused in sawdust, sparked with flint.
Whoosh!
Acrid yellow smoke billowed. Wind sucked it into the cave. We fanned with blankets like bellows.
Pumping hard—response came quick.
"Cough!"
"Kek! Kieek!"
Cacophony of coughs and screams from within.
From afar, we just aimed loaded bowguns. Easy.
"Here they come!"
First goblin tripped spectacularly.
"Krek!"
Followers piled in a tangled heap.
"Now! Fire!"
Clustered like pins. Pump and shoot?
Thwip thwip! Thwang!
"Kreeeek!"
Bolts hammered the meatball mercilessly!
Bowguns spat nonstop. Over a dozen red-eyed goblins charged out, but none stood—they porcupined and dropped.
"...Weird."
Post-slaughter, Mani nudged corpses, muttering.
"No matter the smoke, they charged us straight. Didn't flee."
"Yeah."
Battle haze hid it, but odd indeed.
Goblins were cruel but cowardly.
Mass deaths usually triggered routs. These berserked like dosed warriors.
Pile matched the barn bodies.
Doping? Some drug?
We swept the area post-mop-up.
Deeper tracks caught our eye—amid goblin prints.
"Human?"
Bigger, distinct boot treads with soles.
"Victim maybe?"
"Dunno. More goblin prints than we killed."
Sena and I huddled, sleuthing the dirt.
"Let's track 'em."
Horned rats leading once more, we pushed on.
And in a deep forest clearing, we witnessed the unbelievable.
"Why are those people here?"
Four humans stood in the glade.
Crisp gray robes, white bone ornaments at waists. Pale jaws peeked from hoods veiling faces.
"Huh? Lich Clan?"
Sena whispered, eyes bulging. I cocked my head too.
Necromancers, plain as day.
Worse—the surrounding doped goblins with glowing red eyes stood guard like soldiers.
"More victims? No, why are they here?"
Not the elf crew from Glowing Cave or ancient camouflage.
Suddenly, they unpacked, planting two flags in the dirt.
Sena's face filled with horror.
"Reti! Look! That's it! Drakosius!"
One was the twisted spiral on human skin we'd seen before.
The other? New.
Black field, yellow slit-pupiled black cat emblem glaring.
"*#$!%*#-!"
Chanting unknown curses, they raised staves.
Air around the flags hummed, vibrating.
"Why do the Lich Clan have that flag?"
"So... they're the devil worshippers?"
Questions piled, but the scene screamed: Necromancers behind it all.
Then Rodentia shrieked like a banshee.
[Eeeeek?!]
A soul-deep terror wail like none before.
[Squeak! No! That's! That's NO! Kyaaaaak!]
"What's wrong, Lady Lord?"
[Th-that cat pic! That aura! See it?!]
"What's that? Another demon?"
[That's the mark of that psycho bitch who tormented me... the Black Cat Goddess!]
"Cat goddess?"
[Yes! My old nemesis who hunted and tormented me! Bane of rats! Why is THAT here?! Hiii!]
Rodentia's apparition quivered like aspen leaves. Mani, hand over mouth, whispered.
"Summoning two devils? Eek..."
Ritual barely begun, goblins' eyes blazed redder. Muscles bulged, swelling grotesquely.
"Bad news! Fall back."
[Yes! Apostle! We must flee! Black Cat! She might be coming! Now! Hurry!]
As we bolted at her urging...
Snap!
Dry twig underfoot. In the silent woods, it boomed like thunder.
"...Who's there."
Oh crap.
A gray-robed ritualist whipped his head around. Hood shadows pierced straight to our hiding tree.
"...Rat pups skulking about."
He swung his staff; dozens of doped goblins snapped toward us.
Skin-prickling killing intent, ready to tear us apart!
"Busted!"
They encircled us like beasts eyeing prey.
"Run!"
Too many!