Chapter 95
Chapter 95
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 95
Chapter Title: The Goblin Empire's Surrender
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At the same time.
B-Rank Dungeon - Goblin Empire Capital.
"Population estimated at 400,000, right? But why are there so damn many of themmmm?! I can't see the end! No, not every one of those 400,000 goblins is a combatant, right? There have to be young ones! Females! Old folks! That's how society works! So why are there so freaking many?! Damn it!"
[Kieeeeeek!]
Crunch!
I turned the goblin charging right at me into mush with Titan's pile driver, but even so, I let out a wail as I stared at the waves of goblins that showed no sign of thinning, just kept surging forward.
During the assault on those three spires, I'd killed over 100,000 of them—no exaggeration.
Logically, their forces should have been depleted ages ago, but the goblins kept popping up from who-knows-where.
"Your Majesty, as I told you before, it turns out there's an underground city as well. Sir Akaron scanned it, and putting it all together, the estimated population exceeds a million."
"...I'd temporarily blocked that out from reality. Now I get why no one comes here. I thought it was pure honey for B-Rank EXP farming with goblins, but most must've chickened out over the fear of biting off more than they could chew."
"Honestly, Your Majesty, without you, this place is on a full 'war' scale with supply and food issues—too much for any guild to handle. Hmm!"
"At least we have the Heavenly Sword Army troops, and we can use the captured spires as bases. But no matter how I look at it, calling this place B-Rank is straight-up ridiculous!"
It was some kind of balance patch: once you seized the spires protecting the central castle with magic, you could redirect their shielding to the spires themselves, erecting a barrier that blocked enemy attacks for a set time. We could use those spots for sleep, meals, and rest.
The mana capacity limited how long we could stay, but after battles with tens of thousands, being able to rest and regroup was a godsend.
"'Those above' decreed it so, Your Majesty. There's no helping it."
"Those above" probably meant the constellations up in the sky.
With awakeners' miracles presumed to be their legacy, those bastards treated countless stars and worlds like their playground. Absolute beings like them labeled this un-B-Rank dungeon as B-Rank, so it was B-Rank.
As we kept fighting, the goblins from the inner castle weren't just more heavily armed than the outer ones—they were rolling out metal golems and crude chariot-like contraptions.
[Kieeek! Kiek-kiek!]
"Hmm... We've been here a while now. Hoo~ Maybe it's time to stop grinding EXP and head for the capital?"
Yoo Seongwon's current level was 61.
Over the past month of butchering goblin waves, he'd long surpassed the C-Rank dungeon cutoff.
He could grind more here, but goblins gave meager EXP, so leveling was starting to stall.
Plus, the mental fatigue from nonstop combat and the stress of not bathing were wearing him down.
"Hitting level 61 tanks the efficiency. Feels like I've killed about a thousand, but not even 1% gain. Just endless fighting, and look at me—haven't bathed in a month, basically a beast now."
"That's war for you, Your Majesty."
[Hem-hee-hee, or how about becoming an abyssal being like me? No baths needed.]
"Pass."
The pitch-black Gaulf sidled up, shaking blood and gore off his sword, but Yoo Seongwon just shook his head.
No matter how convenient it seemed, he feared abandoning his humanity.
"Leaving aside Sir Gaulf's suggestion, shall we seal off the underground without touching it and strike the capital?"
"No, level up while we can. Sigh~ These grueling fights are helping in their own way... With another million underground... well, that's decent EXP. And luckily, we can open the shop, sell mana stones for supplies~ Anyway, let's push to the limit."
Two steps today meant one less tomorrow, and who knew what hell other dungeons held.
Even with dropping EXP yields, Yoo Seongwon resolved to squeeze every drop here, smashing through more goblins.
Then, as Akaron guided them to coordinates for the underground city entry, a bizarre sound echoed out.
[Bwoooooooo!]
[Kigagak! Kia-gak! Kia-gak!]
At the same moment, the goblins they'd been fighting suddenly pulled back from the front lines.
The knights couldn't understand goblin speech, but they naturally gathered around Yoo Seongwon, reported the situation, and stayed vigilant.
"They're retreating? What's that about? Pulling some new tactic? Magic? Or... yeah, mid-boss incoming? Anyway, there's a reason for the retreat, so stay sharp..."
"Captain! Enemy forces are emerging from the imperial palace."
"As expected—final weapon deploying? Hoo~ Fine, better to face it here than storm the castle. Call Eldraen and one-shot..."
"No... it's a white flag! Captain! The enemies are discarding weapons and following a goblin emperor holding a white flag."
"What... what did you say?"
He'd braced for the final showdown, but the report was utterly unexpected.
Dumbfounded, Yoo Seongwon climbed a nearby building to see for himself... and sure enough, as Seom-myeol said, the goblin units weren't resisting—they'd dropped weapons and trailed behind their goblin emperor.
"What the hell is going on?"
"Probably surrender."
"Monsters in a dungeon surrendering?"
"Could be a ploy, so I'll have everyone prepare. Your Majesty, don't remove your armor."
After repeated weird phenomena in dungeons, Yoo Seongwon felt puzzled but waited in place for the goblin emperor per Yucheong's advice.
If the white flag meant surrender to them too, the goblins approached unarmed, heads bowed, toward Yoo Seongwon.
"...But how do we even talk? Akaron, can you translate goblin?"
[That function is not provided.]
"So, no dice. What now? Learn Goblin Language skill?"
"Tall... ones from... other... stars... We convey... our thoughts. We... surrender... refuse more fighting."
"What? They're speaking Korean?"
As he puzzled over it, one goblin stepped forward from their ranks, unrolled a scroll-like thing, and began reading.
Shockingly, from mouths that had only squeaked "Kiiik" or "Kek," came awkward, halting Korean.
"Our... king... Big-Wald XIII... can no longer... bear his subjects and soldiers... suffering pointlessly. His decision... to the tall golden king... surrender. Empire's... fate... to the tall golden king... we entrust."
"How are they speaking Korean?"
"Probably studied our speech during battles. I thought those back-and-forth casters were mages, but scholars instead. And researching to this level in so short a time. This empire's civilization is impressive for goblins. Likely has academies or colleges—higher education facilities."
Hearing Yucheong's analysis, Yoo Seongwon fell deep into thought.
This unexpected declaration of surrender—even with fight left in their capital—was truly unforeseen.
Normally, you'd have to storm inside against diehards... It threw him into confusion.
"What do we do? Any ideas? What's best?"
"That's for Your Majesty to decide."
"All fates to Your Majesty!"
'...No, you guys. What am I supposed to do?'
Yoo Seongwon, who'd never imagined this scenario, was at a total loss.
Tens of thousands of goblins kneeling before him, knights awaiting his word around him.
Even Yucheong watching from behind with testing eyes—it all weighed heavy.
'Just reject it? Nah, that'd screw everything.'
Yoo Seongwon agonized in the burdensome situation.
Rejecting meant war resuming; these guys would resist to the death.
After a month of fighting, exhaustion and stress maxed—he wanted to accept if possible.
But unknowns loomed if he did.
'What happens if I accept? New event? Or get trapped here if unlucky? Damn, at a time like this, that Path of the Great Knight won't show for advice! Shit! Oh... right.'
"...Kiek?"
'...Anyway, I'm beat too. Entrusting fate probably means they'll do as I say, so I can just tell 'em to stay put.'
He didn't even consider future betrayal by this goblin empire.
If they did, he could always return and wreck the dungeon later.
Hyped for a final boss only to hear surrender—it sapped his energy further. He just wanted out.
"Fine. I accept. You've surrendered weapons—no more fighting makes sense! I, Yoo Seongwon, accept the Goblin Empire's surrender."
"Kiek?"
"Not speaking your language, so I'll make it clear. I accept the surrender. No more fighting."
He kindly accommodated the goblins in announcing acceptance.
Then, a new status window appeared.
At the same time, he watched the goblin mage turn and relay his words to the goblins—and the shocking content left him aghast.
[You have splendidly accepted the surrender proposal from your foes and shown consideration for them, fitting knighthood. The Goblin Empire now becomes your vassal state under your rule, allowing you to demand various things.]
"What?"
"Thanks! Long live the tall golden king! Our empire! With new leader! Tall golden king! We revere. We praise. We obey. Kikerak kekekok! Kikeok! Kaak! Goool-den! Kol! Da kan! Kantakas!"
The goblin mage's fluent goblin speech spread, and Yoo Seongwon's face paled at the unforeseen turn.
He wasn't clueless about "vassal state," but he'd figured on grabbing loot and leaving—not this.
Under the mage's lead, he awkwardly eyed the kneeling goblin emperor before him while glancing at his knights for backup.
"Hey, you lot, don't just stand there..."
"We congratulate Your Majesty on your first conquest."
[Congratulations on your victory, contractor. Hem-haha-hat!]
[Master... victory......]
His damned knights and Heavenly Sword Army soldiers knelt around him in salute—far from helping, they piled on.
With no escape or alternatives left, Yoo Seongwon became an unwilling ruler, receiving the goblin emperor's obeisance—and claimed the B-Rank Goblin Empire dungeon as a vassal state.
A reward of sorts, if you could call it that.