The sky above Goblin's Grove turned a shade of orange as Jun returned.
The evening breeze carried the earthy scent of tilled soil, mixed with familiar sounds—goblins laughing as they farmed, the thud of weapons striking training dummies, and Kang Minho's loud voice echoing across the clearing.
"Don't swing like you're stirring porridge! Again, from the top!" he shouted.
Jun smiled faintly. A group of green-skinned goblins sweated under the heat, practicing attacks while others carried baskets filled with vegetables toward the storage hut.
But that peaceful moment didn't last long.
A goblin scout came sprinting in from the forest's eastern edge, gasping for breath, eyes wide with fear.
"There's… something coming! Monsters!" he shouted.
Minho turned instantly. "Where?!"
"From the west! We saw... shadow beasts! Wolves—with glowing green eyes!"
Jun's eyes narrowed toward the dense forest bordering Goblin's Grove.
They've come.
Moments later, the cracking of branches and low growls filled the air.
Five large wolf beasts emerged from the underbrush—tall as adult humans, their pitch-black fur shimmering like smoke, and their green glowing eyes gleamed with bloodlust.
The lead wolf was massive, its chest scarred with an X-shaped wound and fangs jutting like broken blades.
Duskfang. One of the natural predators of the forest—but something was different this time. Its movements were calculated. Controlled.
"I'll hold the big one!" Minho stepped forward, unsheathing his blade. "Jun, protect the goblins!"
⚔️ The Battle Begins
Three goblin fighters joined Minho, forming a defensive line. Duskfang let out a bone-chilling howl and lunged.
Clang!
Claws met steel. Minho slid to the side just in time, his blade slicing Duskfang's flank—but only grazing it.
"This thing's fast!" he muttered.
Two smaller wolves broke from the pack, rushing the goblin farmers on the left. Jun raised his voice.
"Moji! Fire!"
Moji, the small goblin shaman with a tattered robe, stepped forward, hands trembling. He lifted his crooked staff and chanted in goblin tongue.
"Firrash!"
A small fireball flew forward, striking one wolf. A small explosion sent it rolling back, fur singed but still alive.
Moji panted, sweat dripping. "I… I'm still too slow…"
"Don't think about power. Focus on timing and aim," Jun said calmly.
One wolf slipped past the front lines and lunged at the unarmed goblin farmers.
But they didn't panic—one of them, Gobbu, hurled a farming hoe straight at the wolf's snout. The beast staggered.
Moji saw his chance. He gritted his teeth, then shouted louder.
"Firrasha Ranzar!"
This time, a larger fireball formed—charging took longer, but when unleashed, it exploded on contact with the wolf's body, igniting its fur.
The wolf howled, writhed—and then fell, lifeless.
The goblins cheered.
Meanwhile, Minho was locked in a deadly dance with Duskfang.
The massive wolf lunged low, aiming for Minho's stomach—Minho blocked with his knee, spun to the side, and slashed at its hind legs.
Slash!
Duskfang stumbled. In that instant, three goblin fighters stabbed their short spears into its exposed side.
The beast thrashed one last time, then collapsed.
Within minutes, the remaining wolves scattered and fled, leaving behind smoldering earth and heavy breathing.
Jun stood amidst it all, eyes scanning the battlefield.
This attack… wasn't random.
They didn't come out of hunger.
They came because someone sent them.
Far away, hidden deep within the forest's shadows, two glowing eyes observed silently.
No sound. No movement. Just a cold, calculating gaze.
Nyxwraith smiled faintly in the dark.
🧩 Epilogue:
Tamed Goblins: 35Casualties: 0Damage: Minor (western fields)Moji: Showed clear potential—but has yet to evolve