Chapter 4
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 4
Chapter Title: First Request (2)
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"We've arrived, Hunter."
"Oh."
Two hours had passed since I started climbing the mountain path with Mr. Park.
I peered past the dense bushes toward where Mr. Park was pointing.
"A mineral spring?"
It was a mineral spring, nestled deep in the mountains.
The moment we arrived, a sour expression crossed my face.
‘The path here was so rough, but why is this place so well-kept?’
A small, well-trodden clearing.
The spring even had a simple roof made of sheet metal.
"Yes, it's where the stream flowing along the mountain ridge collects."
Mr. Park smacked his lips. "That water is great for arthritis, it really is."
The reason for his regretful tone was plain to see.
‘Goblins.’
The monsters I was hired to deal with had taken over the spring.
There were three goblins in total.
They were all completely absorbed in drinking the water.
One had even plunged its head straight into the large stone basin where the water collected.
You’d think it was drinking the elixir of life.
"Th-that... doing that in the spring...! I ought to snap their necks myself!"
Mr. Park muttered, gesturing with a look of dismay.
His tone was furious, as if he were about to beat them to death.
But cowering behind the bushes as he was, it wasn't very convincing.
I spoke to the squatting, mumbling Mr. Park.
"I'll take it from here. You can head back now."
"Oh... Are you sure I don't need to wait, Hunter?"
Watching him talk with his legs trembling was just painful.
I understood.
Even if they were just trash mobs to a Hunter, to a civilian, they were no different from terrifying beasts.
In that sense, goblins were far more dangerous than the wild boars that roamed these mountains.
When I nodded, Mr. Park turned around, his face filled with gratitude.
"Then I'll be waiting down below. You must make it back alive!"
And with that, he scurried back the way we came.
Once his retreating figure had vanished completely,
I turned my attention back to the goblins enjoying their spring water party.
‘I don’t see a gate, so it looks like these three are all there is.’
There was no scar-like dimensional rift torn in the air.
Given that gates teleport monsters and then vanish a few days later, this one must have spat out these three goblins and disappeared.
"Alright, let's get this started."
I cracked my neck and stepped out from the bushes where I’d been hiding.
"Hello, friends."
I greeted the goblins, who were still happily splashing each other with spring water.
"Kiruk?"
The goblins’ eyes snapped toward me.
A brief silence fell between the three goblins and me.
"Kiruk!"
Suddenly, the squat monsters' gazes turned sharp.
They each drew the crude weapons hanging from their waists.
A rusty handaxe, a chipped dagger, and the like.
Despite being barely a meter tall, they looked somewhat menacing holding weapons that could take a life.
Not that it mattered.
"Ahem."
I cleared my throat and took out the purple orb in my hand.
The goblins watched the orb glint in the sunlight, their expressions puzzled.
And I.
Threw it to the ground with all my might and shouted.
"Go, Goblin Slave!"
Just dropping the orb on the ground would have been enough.
But I’d always wanted to say a line like that, just once.
Anyone who grew up watching cartoons as a kid would understand.
*Clatter!*
The orb left my hand and rolled across the packed dirt.
At the same time, a status window appeared.
[Summoning Goblin Slave.]
*Pssh!*
"Kiruk?!"
I heard the goblins’ panicked cries.
White mist billowed from the motionless orb, engulfing the area.
And after a mountain breeze swept the mist away.
"Kiruk?"
The eyes of the three goblins narrowed in unison.
One of their own had appeared, standing about three meters away.
It didn't look exactly the same, though.
The goblin from the orb was about a head shorter than the others.
Perhaps its small stature was why it was treated as a slave.
[Linked with the “Monsters Are Blocked by Monsters” save file.]
Of course, that wasn't the only difference between the Goblin Slave and the others.
[A special bonus is granted for the first monster you hire! The inventory of the longest-surviving Goblin Slave from your play history will be applied.]
I’d mentioned it before.
In ‘MonMonMak,’ I was an incredibly hardcore player.
I had even cleared 100 waves with a single goblin I was given at the start.
That's right.
The one standing before me now was that legendary Goblin Slave.
And as for how it cleared 100 waves?
Well, obviously.
[Goblin Slave Inventory]
[Wind Helm - A-Rank]
[Carrion Crow Leather Armor (Dex Enhancement) - A-Rank]
[Carrion Crow Wrist Guards - A-Rank]
[Obsidian Ring (Fire Resistance) - A-Rank]
…
It was all thanks to its gear.
‘I must have been crazy, pouring millions of won into this thing.’
I stared with a bitter expression at the Goblin Slave’s inventory window floating before my eyes.
The incredible items the Goblin Slave was decked out in.
Those items were proof of what a massive whale I’d been.
"Kiruk?!"
The three monsters, who had been looking down on my little guy, began to stir.
This slave, a head shorter than them, was decked out from head to toe in dazzling gear.
In contrast, the Goblin Slave glanced down at its own lustrous, ink-black leather armor before turning its sharp eyes to the goblins before it.
And then.
*Clink!*
“?”
A clear metallic sound echoed through the spring.
The creature flashed the gleaming ring and bracelet on its hand at the other goblins, a wide grin spreading across its face.
‘This crazy goblin?’
It was a smile so smug it made even me want to curse.
"Kiruk! Kiruguuk!"
Were they provoked by its ‘You don’t have one of these, do you?’ expression?
Or maybe they just couldn't stand its absurd flexing.
One of the goblins charged forward, club in hand.
It was a reckless charge, but there was a reason for it.
The Goblin Slave was decked out in flashy armor, a helmet, and accessories.
But the weapon in its hand was a simple wooden club.
It must have thought their weapons were on the same level.
"Hmm."
But I just folded my arms with a look of pity.
Wrong.
The club it’s holding isn't some shoddy wooden stick like yours.
"Kiruk."
The Goblin Slave’s mouth split into a wide grin.
Shaking my head, I checked the information on the weapon it was holding.
[Heracles's Club (True)]
[Imbued with the barbaric power that smashed the Hydra's heads! Grant your monster unstoppable might! All stats +30. Strength stat an additional +30!]
*Crack, splat!*
Suddenly, a piece of flesh flew through the air and splattered on my pants.
I rubbed my eyes.
I’d clearly seen the monster leap at my Goblin Slave with its club raised.
But after a quick glance at the info window, there was nothing there.
All that remained was a splash of blood, like spilled ketchup, and a few chunks of flesh.
"Kiruk."
The Goblin Slave flicked its club clean of ‘what was once a goblin’ and looked up.
"Ki, Kiruruk?!"
At the end of its gaze were the remaining goblins, staring blankly as their comrade was turned into a bloody pulp.
"Kiruk."
The Goblin Slave grinned.
That murderous smile made my stomach churn.
What kind of monster did I create?
"Kiruk, Kiruk!"
And the goblins chose the best option available to them.
The thirty-sixth stratagem: retreat!
They immediately turned and started to flee on their short legs.
"Hmm, too slow."
Once again, I shook my head with a pitiful expression.
At that sluggish pace, they’d never escape the demon's clutches.
I glanced at the leather boots Gono was wearing and asked.
"You know how to use those, right?"
"Kiruk."
Gono rolled its eyes as if to say, *obviously*.
I nodded, giving it permission.
"Then use them."
"Kiruk!"
[The Goblin Slave activates “Carrion Crow Set Effect - Carrion Crow’s Wingbeat (A).”]
Suddenly, the Goblin Slave shot forward like a bullet.
The wing-adorned leather boots on its feet blasted out a gust of wind like boosters.
*Fwhoosh!*
A sharp killing intent surged forward with the sudden gust.
The two goblins, fleeing for their lives, instinctively turned their heads.
"Kiiiik?!"
And that was the last thing they did.
*Crunch! Splat!*
Leaping high into the air, the Goblin Slave swung its club exactly twice.
The sound of not just skulls, but entire bodies being shattered.
Soon, two more splatters of ketchup decorated the peaceful spring.
“……”
After the situation was neatly resolved.
I looked at the chunks of flesh that were once goblins and quietly closed my eyes.
Sorry. You just wanted to drink your fill of water.
But then some crazy slave showed up and turned your bodies into puddles of blood.
"Kiruk."
When I opened my eyes again, the Goblin Slave was standing before me.
“?”
And then it thrust its helmeted head toward me.
I stared blankly for a moment before I finally understood and asked.
"...Are you asking for a head pat?"
"Kiruk!"
The goblin nodded.
This was absurd.
As I debated what to do, a new info window suddenly popped up.
[Goblin Slave Affinity: 20/100]
Seriously? This isn't a dating sim. Why is there an affinity score?
There was no system like this in MonMonMak.
You just slapped some items on it, threw it in a dungeon, and that was that.
Another info window appeared.
[When affinity is maxed out, a new skill will be unlocked.]
“……”
A new skill?
Well, that changes things.
For a new skill, I’d do anything for this Goblin Slave—short of a kiss.
"You did a great job, Goblin Slave."
With a benevolent expression, I patted the back of the goblin’s head, just below its Wind Helm.
After a couple of pats, the goblin seemed satisfied and stepped back.
[Goblin Slave’s affinity has increased by 10!]
I dismissed the info window with a grimace.
Then I stared at the pulped goblin corpses.
"Alright, now how do I get gold from these things..."
This was the real reason I’d come on this expedition.
To figure out how to get the gold needed for the ‘Deal with the Lord.’
I’d hoped for it, but no gold dropped from the corpses.
The info window, which always appeared at the most opportune moments, remained silent.
"Kiruk."
Instead, a response came from another source.
My Goblin Slave suddenly walked over to the bloody goblin remains.
It rummaged through the gore and picked something up.
"Kiruk!"
Then it trotted back and held it out to me.