Chapter 163
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 164
Chapter Title: Battle for 10th Place
The day they crushed the kobolds.
Goblin village Levi burst into a festive mood.
They had completely annihilated the kobolds, who had always symbolized terror for them.
It was only natural for the celebration to erupt.
Even Havel skipped rigorous training on this particular day.
Grinding them down every single day wouldn't foster true growth.
Rest and rewards were essential ingredients for progress.
So, he let them play and feast to their hearts' content for the day.
"Aren, the world's strongest warrior!"
Among them, the one having the most fun was the red goblin, Aren.
He bounced around in place, flexing his muscles proudly.
The village goblins cheered him on.
After all, Aren was visibly the strongest among them.
To these simple goblins, he was the finest warrior.
"Mob, Aren is so noisy."
The black goblin, Bibble, shot Aren an annoyed glance.
He bristled at Aren prancing around, claiming to be the top warrior.
"Let him be today, it's fine."
Mob chuckled while chugging the beer the goblins had recently started brewing.
The white goblin, Joah, weak to alcohol, had passed out drunk before long.
It had been a full month since training under Havel began.
The four goblins had grown ridiculously strong.
Strong enough to wipe out the kobolds entirely.
Havel's training had proven its worth.
"What the heck is Havel, anyway?"
Mob muttered, and Bibble replied curtly from beside him.
"A monster."
He was spot on.
Havel was a monster.
His appearance was no different from an ordinary goblin.
But the power he wielded was like an endless abyss.
Even a dragon would bow before him.
For a goblin, calling him a monster was an understatement.
That only deepened Mob's puzzlement.
Why was Havel raising them like this?
"He said it was to raise the goblin species ranking, remember?"
At that moment, white goblin Joah's eyes snapped open.
She'd been listening the whole time, despite seeming asleep.
The only female among the four, she gazed up at the sky.
"So we just follow that, right?"
She'd recently become obsessed with magic, turning into a total magic fanatic.
She'd do anything to master new spells—even face monsters or demons.
She was ready to stake everything for more magic.
"I know he doesn't mean us harm."
Mob laughed heartily.
Havel genuinely wanted them—all the goblins—to grow.
He'd even improved Levi village's civilization level.
His desire for goblin advancement was real.
"The next generation of goblins will surpass even us."
Joah watched goblins dancing around the bonfire.
They were the dim-witted ones by nature.
But their children would be different.
Their upbringing environment was changing from birth.
They'd even learn to choose better food.
Goblins would surely grow stronger.
Maybe even enough to claim the top species spot someday.
"The next generation, huh."
Mob felt a twinge of regret.
If only he'd been born a bit later.
Growing up in this blessed environment from the start.
He might have achieved even greater heights.
But that was just wistful thinking.
Mob didn't dislike the present.
"Haha, Aren's got moves!"
Aren, living the day to the fullest, was proof.
Dancing wildly, he looked like the happiest goblin alive.
"We'll push forward for the next generation—and for ourselves."
Mob smiled with renewed resolve.
He felt ready for tomorrow's training, for the sake of goblin progress.
And then he immediately regretted those thoughts.
"Rise and shine. You're still at the basics."
After a day of joyful rest, Havel's training grew harsher by the day.
He pinpointed each of the four goblins' weaknesses with precision.
"Mob, you chase stability too much.
In desperate fights, you sometimes need gambles that force the enemy's openings.
Especially against the strong.
Your style only beats equals, nothing more."
Mob rolled across the ground, shattered countless times in spars with Havel.
Just as Havel said, his safe approach always led to bitter defeats.
"Aren, stop being purely brute—forcesmart-brute.
In any battle, craft exactly one move the enemy won't see coming.
With your instincts, you'll spot it quick."
He taught Aren cunning in combat.
Blindly relying on raw strength had clear limits.
Aren's simple mind prompted Havel to focus on just one trick.
"Bibble, your speed is great. But lacking that heavy finisher will always be your flaw.
That's why I chose the longsword for you.
Add weight to your blade's speed."
Bibble honed a single devastating blow to fell any foe.
With legs that dodged any strike.
So rather than half-measures, Havel ordered all-or-nothing attacks.
"Joah, don't rely solely on magic.
Countless warriors close gaps on mages.
You gonna claim defeat every time because you're a mage?"
Magic supremacist Joah.
Havel utterly demolished her spells.
"Don't forget your natural body, as potent as your magic.
Infusing magic directly into your flesh is another path."
Train magic, but never neglect the body, Havel advised.
Mana for spells and aura shared the same essence.
Training aura refined mana quality.
Havel made Joah train steadily alongside her magic.
Thus, pointing out flaws, the four steadily grew stronger.
Of course, they got crushed by Havel endlessly in the process.
Even as they advanced, they realized they couldn't touch him.
When one season passed...
"Good enough."
Havel eyed the four grown goblins before him.
After the kobold war, Levi's goblins and these four kept advancing.
And the result...
The goblins had surpassed the kobolds.
Other goblin villages stagnated.
But Levi's level now exceeded the average goblin village by far.
"Elasia."
The moment their rank flipped, Havel called for Elasia.
"Yes, Havel."
"Handle relocating goblins from other villages here."
Havel had steadily expanded Levi with the goblins.
To elevate the goblin village unit.
For that, goblin population needed to grow, naturally.
"Start with the nearest ones?"
"Yes, prioritize the large villages. Smaller ones will follow naturally."
To advance civilization, it needed city-scale status.
Havel entrusted Elasia, then faced the four goblins.
"Today, you're coming with me to face the 10th-ranked species."
Species rank 10.
Orcs.
Huge builds, pig heads.
Dumb, but battle prowess second to none.
Havel declared they'd seek them out.
"And do what?"
Mob raised his hand to ask.
Orcs didn't negotiate.
Dumber than kobolds, but combat kept them higher-ranked.
Havel smiled briefly at the question.
"Fight their chief."
"The orc chief?"
Even Bibble tensed up hearing it.
To goblins, orcs embodied fear.
One swing of their clubs shredded goblins.
Monsters they had to dread.
Seeing Bibble's ingrained terror, Havel said,
"No fear now. You'll face even higher species later."
One way to raise species rank:
Prove superiority through combat prowess.
The four had trained relentlessly for this.
Today, they'd show results.
"Great! I'll fight!"
Aren burned hottest for battle.
He loved fighting to death.
Wanted to try orcs too.
"Orcs."
Mob stayed cautious but felt his fighting spirit rise.
How far had he come from lowly goblin days?
He craved to feel it firsthand.
"Guess I won't get a turn."
Only Joah seemed reluctant.
Orcs were dumb, no mages.
No chance to test her magic?
"Orcs have shamans."
But Joah wouldn't sit out.
Orcs had folk-faith shamans.
They wielded magic-like powers.
"Joah, you'll clash spells with them."
"Didn't know."
Now opponents were set for each.
"Follow me."
The four trailed Havel, faces tense.
Levi was a bit far, but hellish training made marching routine.
After hard marching behind Havel, they reached the nearest orc settlement.
Dumb orcs.
They braced for instant combat upon arrival.
"Havel! Havel's here!"
"Welcome him! Prepare!"
Unexpectedly, orcs welcomed them warmly.
Orcs who swung clubs first at goblins.
Now greeting them fiercely.
"H-Havel, what's going on?"
Mob read fear in their eyes—fear of Havel.
"I roughed them up a bit to smarten them."
A bit?
For brute orcs to react like this meant something massive.
Mob broke a cold sweat, glancing at the orcs.
For the first time, orcs looked pitiful.
"Your opponents are ready."
Havel strode forward, revealing an arena.
The mud pit was crude.
But the four orcs ahead were elite.
Selected finest—from bulk to aura.
Yet all feared Havel alone.
As if offending him meant doom.
Brutes standing ramrod straight, tense.
"Well prepared."
"Yes!"
Orcs bellowed in unison at Havel's praise.
Even brutes feared the lash.
Havel turned to the four goblins.
"Remember: They fear me, but they won't slack against you."
Orcs forgot all in battle, brutish focus.
No mercy for Havel's goblins.
"So give it everything, all four of you."
Disappoint, and hell training awaits.
Fighting spirit surged on the four goblins' faces.
Orcs versus goblins.
The decisive battle for 10th place began.