The Goblin Legion's Ascension

As my Domination Power rose, the vampire goblins multiplied rapidly.

I was growing tired of the constant pop-ups when a new notification appeared.

"Fine, just do them all!"

The system seemed just as exhausted and stopped asking, automatically turning every goblin into a familiar.

The flood of achievement rewards continued as the number of goblin familiars grew.

Because I had raised my Domination Power with Ether, it was like other Awakeners receiving an instant level-up. All my abilities were breaking through their previous limits.

In a single day I had become the master of a 550-strong vampire goblin army. But I had no intention of leading them personally. How could I possibly control so many one by one?

The best way to run workers is to let them operate automatically. For that, I needed someone to give the orders in my place.

"Gob."

"Kerruk."

"Get ready. You're taking down the first-floor boss."

"...Kerrk!"

At least one commander to stand in for me was necessary.

"...Is this the right place?"

The delivery driver from Nongjin Foods stared at the address, tilting his head in confusion. Today's delivery was an entire truckload of jjajang ramen. He had assumed it was going to some large supermarket, but the location was completely unexpected.

"No matter how I look at it... there's no store here. And the third floor?"

He double-checked the delivery slip. The address was correct: Officetel 3rd floor, Room 302. One truck of jjajang ramen, weekly scheduled delivery.

"...??? Scheduled delivery, even?"

While he stood there dumbfounded, a young man wearing a cap pulled low over his eyes walked out.

"Thanks for coming, sir. Do I need to carry all of this down myself?"

"No, I'll bring it up for you. But... is this right? Third floor of an officetel?"

"Yes, that's correct. We can use that handcart over there."

"Huh? Ah... alright. I'll handle it."

"Let's do it together. Since I'm already down here."

The young man calmly loaded boxes of ramen onto the cart he had taken from the truck. Then, as if remembering something, he fished a canned drink from his pocket and handed it over.

"Will you be the regular driver from now on? I'll be counting on you."

Despite the heat, the young man was dressed in long sleeves, long pants, a cap, and gloves. The driver accepted the drink without commenting on it.

"Yes, I've been assigned to this route. But... this isn't a business, right? What's all this ramen for?"

The young man pulled down his mask and gave an awkward smile. His slightly pointed fangs were striking.

"Oh, I'm just someone who regularly donates ramen."

"Ah! You're doing a good deed! But couldn't you just have it delivered straight to the charity?"

"Haha. It's a bit complicated."

The young man took a sip of the drink and let out a sigh that was hard to interpret.

"I'm doing it secretly, you see."

"Hey, everyone! Ramen's here!!!"

"Kerrrrk!"

"Kyaaaak!"

"Kieeeek!"

When I opened the base door and shouted, the goblins came running in perfect order. I had moved the entire ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠truckload of ramen into my room. After the driver left, I had the goblins carry everything inside.

The facilities unlocked by the base level-up had all finished construction as well. In the base cafeteria, goblins assigned as cooks were already boiling ramen nonstop. The base lodging gave the goblins a place to sleep; even though it was just a giant barracks, resting there granted them a "Vitality" buff that reduced fatigue and let them maintain peak condition longer while exploring the Labyrinth.

Two new facilities had been unlocked with the base reaching Level 3.

Both facilities required miscellaneous items from the "Black Forest" and "Underground Ruins." Those areas were on the second floor of the Labyrinth, not the first. To open the workshop and training ground, I would need to reach the second floor.

I looked around. Five hundred and fifty goblins were constantly bringing items in from outside. Over the past two weeks I had obtained two more pieces of Ether, and the goblins' average level was approaching 10. As for Gob:

"Gob."

"Kerrk...! You called, boss!"

With growth far surpassing the other goblins, he had already reached Level 15. Level 15 was more than enough to handle the second floor. It was finally time to graduate from the first floor.

"Gather the kids and arm them."

"Got it! Preparing!"

"Good. Let's go claim the first floor of the Labyrinth."

"Krrrrrrk! Let's go!!"

Today, Gob would defeat the first-floor boss.

The first floor of the Labyrinth was as large as Seoul, minus the river running through the center. Collapsed high-rise buildings. Villas and houses covered in thick moss. Roads that had sunk from lack of maintenance. It looked exactly like what Seoul would become twenty years after an apocalypse.

And the owners of this place were goblins. On the outskirts, ordinary goblins appeared in groups of two or three. The deeper you went, the more their numbers increased. Eventually, warrior goblins began to show up—larger goblins wielding longswords or clubs, around Level 5-6.

"Kyaaaaak!"

Two warrior goblins spotted us and charged, but they quickly began backing away in panic.

"Kerrrrk."

"Krrrrrrk."

"Kill... kill former kin!"

Five hundred and forty goblins marched behind me with imposing presence. The warrior goblins tried to flee, but two thief goblins appeared out of nowhere and drove daggers into their throats. Then came the wet sucking sounds as the wild warrior goblins became today's meal.

"...Maybe I shouldn't have come along after all?"

We had already been walking toward the center for over two hours. It was ridiculously far. I had only tagged along to cheer Gob on, but this might truly be the last time I personally entered the Labyrinth. Since it was a historic day, a little walking was fine. Thanks to the rise in Domination Power, my physical abilities had improved enough that my feet didn't even hurt after walking for more than two hours. I could understand why Awakeners got Labyrinth fever. Inside here I was superhuman, but outside I was just an ordinary person again. The contrast was really something.

After another hour or so, we reached a vast open clearing with no buildings. In the center stood ten warrior goblins and one hobgoblin—much larger, with darker green skin. Estimated Level 12. Treated as a boss monster. That was the final boss of the first floor and the gatekeeper to the second floor.

Normally, an Awakener reaching this point would be well over Level 15. Killing ten warrior goblins and one hobgoblin required thorough preparation. But me?

"Kr... krung?"

The hobgoblin looked confused at the sight of us.

"Hey. Feeling dizzy now that you're the one getting ganged up on instead of doing the ganging?"

While a normal Awakener would arrive here alone, I had come with a legion of 540 goblins. And I planned to do nothing but snap my fingers.

"Kids, set the stage!"

"Kieeeek!"

"Kyaaaak!"

The goblins charged forward. The warrior goblins and hobgoblin panicked at the overwhelming numbers. What was a boss monster supposed to do? The hobgoblin swung its war hammer wildly in confusion, but none of my vampire goblins were hit. Our average level was 12. We weren't about to get caught by blind attacks. In an instant the ten warrior goblins turned into drinks, leaving only the hobgoblin.

"Gob, you ready?"

"Kerrk... ready, boss!"

The stage was set. Go, Gob. Time for the first-floor owner change ceremony.

Gob gripped daggers in both hands and walked forward with a stern expression.

"Kraaaaaaaaah!!"

The hobgoblin roared while looking around in bewilderment, then lowered its war hammer toward the approaching Gob. Gob dropped low and dashed in, closing the distance instantly. It was an incredible speed, but the hobgoblin was no pushover either. It was still the strongest boss on the first floor. The war hammer slammed into the ground, shattering the asphalt. Gob dodged lightly and carved wounds into the hobgoblin's body. Annoyed, the hobgoblin began swinging the massive hammer faster. Five hundred goblins cheered and waved their arms like spectators at a medieval knight's duel.

"Kerrrrk!"

"Kerrk!"

"Kerrrrk!!"

The low-level goblins could only make kerrk noises, while the higher-level ones had started speaking properly.

"Kill it!!"

"Bite it, Gob!"

"Krrk!! Break its neck!"

Amid the cheers and shouts, Gob's speed gradually increased. The goblins watched nervously, but I wasn't worried.

"There's no way he can lose."

Thanks to my title, the hobgoblin's attack power was currently -40% while Gob's was +40%. Gob was also higher level and fully equipped with Magic-grade shoes, armor, weapons, and accessories. As expected, the gap widened quickly. Gob's daggers severed the tendons in both of the hobgoblin's legs. With a thud, the hobgoblin collapsed.

"Krrk... I won...!"

Breathing heavily, Gob approached the hobgoblin that was glaring up at him. Then, without hesitation, he sank his teeth into the hobgoblin's neck.

"...Hmm. I'll leave it at that this time."

I had considered turning the hobgoblin into a vampire as well, but decided to let it be. It would respawn after a reset anyway, so this could be Gob's trophy.

Slurp slurp.

Gob greedily drank the hobgoblin's blood. As the hobgoblin shriveled like a crushed milk carton, a notification appeared.

"Huh?"

Absorbing power?

Crack crack. Pop. Crack!

Gob's body began to change as he drank. His form twisted, his size grew, and his skin color deepened.

"Kraaaaaah!!!!"

After finishing the blood, Gob roared at the sky.

Gob wiped his mouth with satisfaction and tossed the mummified hobgoblin aside. The corpse crumbled into dust.

"This is perfect for Gob. Gob."

"Krrrk."

When I called, Gob picked up the fallen war hammer and approached. He used to reach my waist; now he came up to my chest. Seeing him dragging that hammer made him look slightly intimidating. But vampires couldn't harm me.

"Trophy, boss!"

"Yeah, good job. But I don't need that."

I held out my hand. Understanding, Gob offered his dagger. I pricked my fingertip with it and let a drop of blood fall into his outstretched hands as he knelt. A system window appeared.

"Designate Noble."

"Yes."

His body didn't change like an evolution, but I could feel something shifting inside Gob.

"From now on, you're the leader of the goblins."

"Kerrk. I will follow the boss for life!"

"Good."

With this, the complete conquest of the first floor was finished. The first floor was now nothing more than an item mine with no threats left.

"Now then..."

I looked at the three gates that had appeared in the center of the first floor after the hobgoblin's death: green, gray, and red. Many things changed starting from the second floor. The field and monsters changed with every reset. Most importantly, I would now encounter other Awakeners inside the Labyrinth.

"...I need to visit the Association."

I had saved two Ether points for today. I had enough bullets. All that remained was negotiation.

"Gob. Go back and arm the kids. Lightly, so they can stay hidden as much as possible."

"Kerrk. Understood!!"

Preparations inside the Labyrinth were complete. Now I just needed to finish preparations in reality.

End