It was midnight before Gobulo and Garret finally returned to rest. Today's hunt hadn't gone as smoothly as expected; they only found two low-level magical beasts: a venomous snake and a wild boar. Working together, they easily dispatched these creatures and collected two first-order magic crystals.
Of course, they encountered other magical beasts during their hunt, but those appeared too powerful, prompting them to retreat before engaging.
After such a long day, Gobulo felt hungry again, so he gnawed on the venomous snake like a spicy snack while Garret eagerly consumed two wild boar legs. Gobulo hid the remaining carcasses, intending to use them for breakfast. The hiding spot wasn't well concealed, but he wasn't concerned; he could always hunt more if they were stolen.
After a day's effort, his experience bar had reached 1.3%, with more magical beast meat yet to digest. Once fully processed, his experience value could surpass 2%. Honestly, this leveling speed was faster than he had anticipated.
The next day, at dawn, Gobulo woke up. He turned to Garret, shaking him vigorously until he awoke. Though Garret was initially annoyed, he held his tongue upon realizing it was Gobulo.
"Are you hungry?" Gobulo asked.
"Grumble, grumble," Garret's stomach answered for him, and he immediately perked up.
"Let's go, time to eat."
"Mm!"
The two didn't hide their movements, but none of the surrounding Goblins stirred. It wasn't until they stepped outside that Garret accidentally trod on a Goblin's head, waking it with a start.
"Ah! It hurts!"
The startled Goblin opened its eyes, ready to retaliate, but upon seeing Gobulo's massive form, quickly changed its demeanor to one of submission.
"Come with me, or I'll beat you," Gobulo said coldly.
At his words, the Goblin quickly stood and obediently followed.
Soon, the three arrived at the spot where they had hidden yesterday's corpses, only to find them gnawed down to bones. While Gobulo didn't mind, Garret was furious.
"What's your name?" Gobulo asked the new Goblin.
"My name is Gary."
"Good, Gary. Do you want to eat your fill?"
"Yes!"
"Then listen to me and follow my lead."
"Why will I eat my fill if I follow you?"
"Don't ask questions, just do as I say, or I'll beat you."
Gary fell silent.
"Why aren't you talking?"
"You said not to ask questions."
...
Gobulo was left speechless, unsure whether he was more surprised at himself or Gary.
The three set out for the hunting grounds. Despite the added number, their cooperation didn't falter, mainly because Garret and Gary were so obedient. With just a little... guidance, they executed Gobulo's commands flawlessly.
Mistakes didn't matter much, as their targets were weak creatures.
The morning hunt went unusually well, though Gobulo remained wary. Lacking the skill to gauge magical beasts' levels, he relied on instinct and appearance to judge their strength—a risky strategy in the dangerous Monster Forest.
By noon, they had captured four magical beasts: two rabbit creatures, a venomous snake, and a wild boar.
He noted the abundance of wild boars, contemplating naming the valley Wild Boar Valley.
He handed the wild boar to Garret and Gary: "You two take the boar; I'll handle the rest."
Their surprise was apparent, but Gobulo had his reasons. Despite being smaller, the rabbit and snake beasts contained concentrated magical power. Thus, eating less meat could yield more magic.
Garret and Gary didn't understand Gobulo's strategy; they simply sought to sate their appetites.
After finishing the two rabbits and the snake, Gobulo felt about eighty percent full. He refrained from taking food from Garret and Gary, focusing instead on smaller, more potent magical beasts.
Garret and Gary's appetites varied; Gary's was normal. Together, they couldn't finish the wild boar. Gobulo didn't insist they eat it all, allowing them to save the leftovers for later.
Noon was hunting time for the Goblins. They needed to catch enough food for the trolls, lest they incur their wrath.
Observing the hunting party, Gobulo pondered the fate of the magic crystals from the beasts the trolls consumed. Did the trolls discard, consume, or hoard them?
Eating them seemed unlikely; the violent energy within could do more harm than good. Even the trolls wouldn't be that foolish.
Discarding them also seemed improbable. Magic crystals were valuable, beautiful objects. The most likely scenario was that the trolls hid them away.
If true, this discovery could lead Gobulo to an extraordinary treasure trove. After years of accumulation, the number of magic crystals could be staggering.