"Are you really sure about this?" Kang Minho asked while spinning his blade in his hand. "You know... goblins may be weak, but they can still slice your kneecaps if you're careless."
I nodded, double-checking the contents of my backpack—bait, food, and a few minor healing potions.
"Exactly because they're weak, I have to tame them before they're killed by something else."
That day, we entered a low-level public dungeon. Nothing special—just damp stone, stale air, and that familiar heavy dungeon pressure. But for me, this could be one of the most important days of my life.
I needed to tame ten goblins.
—
Goblins weren't like most monsters. They were cowardly, social creatures—panicky when alone. But once separated from their group, they were much easier to control... if you knew how.
I spotted my first goblin crouching behind a rock, shivering. Probably lost from its group—or just answering nature's call. I couldn't tell.
I slowly approached, hands open, no weapons visible, and tossed a piece of dried meat toward it.
The goblin flinched. Its eyes met mine, wary and confused.
I didn't move. I waited.
After several tense seconds, it shuffled forward... and took the food.
And then, the voice echoed in my mind:
[Goblin has been successfully tamed.]
I let out a breath of relief.
Minho, standing a few meters behind as a lookout, whistled.
"Damn. You're fishing... but with smelly bait and uglier catches."
I just smiled.
One goblin down.
Nine to go.
—
With Minho covering me, everything became much smoother. Every time I approached a lone goblin, he cleared out any monsters nearby—slimes, dungeon wolves, and even other goblins who got aggressive. His movements were sharp, light, and practiced.
"I'm more tired guarding you than raiding a real dungeon," he grumbled, flicking sweat off his brow."But you're enjoying it, right?" I teased."…Maybe a little."
One by one, I tamed more goblins—through patience, food, and a non-threatening approach. Some were harder than others, but none strong enough to resist for long.
—
By the end of the day, I stood at the dungeon entrance, exhausted but proud.
Ten goblins stood behind me. Some were shaking, others curious—but all were bound to me now.
"This is... insane," I muttered. "I actually did it."
"So, what now? You gonna cage them up?" Minho asked, raising an eyebrow.
I smiled.
"Not a cage. A home."
—
When I opened the portal to Goblin's Grove, Minho froze.
"Wait—this is your personal dungeon?!"
Inside, Godon rushed to greet me. His eyes lit up, but then his gaze stiffened as he saw the new goblins behind me.
The ten goblins slowly entered the grove. They sniffed around, eyeing each other nervously, some already seeking corners to settle in.
"This place is still empty," I said. "But I want to make it their village. And I need help."
Minho gave me a skeptical look.
"What, help with farming?"
I chuckled.
"No. Help training them. I believe... with the right training, they can become more than just weak goblins."
Minho looked at the newly tamed goblins, then glanced up at the gloomy sky above the Grove.
"…Alright. But I'm not cooking for them."
We both laughed.
And that day, Goblin's Grove was no longer just an empty space.
It became the beginning of a village.