The night breeze gently rustled the newly harvested radish fields. Lee Jun sat on a large stone at the edge of the farmland while the goblins lay sprawled out, sleeping soundly under the dim glow of a handmade lantern. Beside him, Kang Minho was finishing off the last of the radish soup they had cooked earlier that day.
"I still can't believe it... it actually feels like a real village," Kang Minho muttered as he took another spoonful.
Lee Jun gave a small smile. "Yeah. I didn't expect this much either, not in such a short time."
"You realize it, right?" Minho turned to him. "If you keep this up, this place might become the world's first goblin village."
Lee Jun turned his gaze to his friend's serious face, despite his usually playful tone. "A goblin village, huh… sounds weird, but it makes sense."
Kang Minho nodded. "You've got shelter, food, and residents. If that's not a village, I don't know what is."
Lee Jun let out a slow breath. "But we're still short on manpower. I only have ten goblins, and their stamina runs out fast. If I want to expand the farmland, I'll need more help."
"Evolution," Minho replied without missing a beat. "You need stronger goblins. Find mana crystals or evolution stones in dungeons. Bring back a Goblin Fighter or a Goblin Worker—then things will move faster."
Lee Jun nodded thoughtfully. He had already been considering that. But just as he was about to stand up, a cold voice echoed in his mind—a system notification.
[Goblin's Grove] has reached status: "Early Settlement."New feature unlocked: Goblin Village – Level 1.
His eyes widened. A new interface opened before him, showing icons for each goblin, along with their basic stats—strength, stamina, current task. He could now assign jobs mentally, though it was still a limited system.
"Jun, you okay?" Minho asked, noticing the shift in his expression.
"I just got a system message… it recognizes this place as an official village now."
Kang Minho chuckled. "Damn, this really is turning into a game."
Across the camp, Godon was giving hand signals to two younger goblins, guiding them to sleep under a leafy shelter. With short commands and sharp gestures, he kept the others in line. Lee Jun watched carefully.
"Godon… he's learning how to lead," he muttered.
"Then give him a title," Kang Minho joked. "Mayor Godon, maybe?"
Lee Jun chuckled softly, but deep down, he knew it wasn't a joke. Godon was showing a unique quality that set him apart from the others.
Not long after, Minho received a message from his guild—he had to leave for a Class-C raid that would take a few days.
"I gotta go back. But don't worry, I'll visit again. Just make sure Godon doesn't turn into a dictator while I'm gone."
Lee Jun laughed and walked with his friend to the exit portal. That night, he sat again at the edge of the field, gripping a handful of moist soil in his calloused hands.
"Maybe… this isn't just a survival shelter. Maybe… this can become a real home."