Gobulo followed the Troll from a distance, who seemed oblivious to his presence. As they walked, Gobulo began to suspect that the Troll's hiding place for his treasure was far away; they had been walking for half an hour with no destination in sight. Clearly, the Troll had a secret.
Finally, they reached the deepest part of the valley, where a tranquil lake lay under the moonlight, casting a beautiful reflection. The Troll placed all the magic crystals he carried at the lakeside and said cautiously, "Master, these are this month's magic crystals."
Suddenly, the lake's surface rippled, and a black tentacle emerged. Gobulo shivered at the sight—this tentacle was covered with dense suckers, each lined with dozens of long, yellowish teeth and thick mucus. It was a ghastly sight.
The Troll, petrified, remained motionless as the tentacle scooped up all the magic crystals and disappeared back into the lake, leaving the surface calm once more. The Troll, relieved, quickly returned to the camp.
Gobulo watched the entire scene, wide-eyed but silent. He knew disturbing the Lake Monster would mean certain death.
He left the area swiftly, piecing together the mystery of the valley. It seemed the stronger magical beasts had fallen prey to the Lake Monster. The Troll survived likely by paying protection fees in the form of magic crystals, sparing him from the monster's wrath.
Gobulo wondered why this Lake Monster hadn't killed him in past simulations, even when he eliminated the Troll and didn't pay the fees. Perhaps the monster had moved on, or it was recuperating. Various theories buzzed in his mind, but he knew more simulations would eventually reveal the truth about the Lake Monster. With the Troll stating it delivered magic crystals monthly, Gobulo had thirty days—enough time for several simulations, hopefully leading to a strategy to defeat the monster.
The next day, Garret and Gary devoured the food Gobulo provided. Although he no longer took them hunting, they trained diligently according to his plan. Gobulo watched from the shadows, satisfied with their dedication even in his absence.
Over time, Gobulo understood the nature of these Goblins. Despite being born with the language of magical beasts and appearing 1.2 to 1.3 meters tall, they were less than a year old—simple-minded and easily educated.
Of course, their obedience might wane with age, but Gobulo was confident he could manage any rebellious phases swiftly.
At dusk, as the sun set, Gobulo didn't hesitate.
"System, begin simulation."
"Consuming twenty-five first-order magic crystals, initiating the third simulation."
"Detected 2 remaining evaluation points from the last simulation, gained a random low-level talent: Lush Hair. The hair on your body will be exceptionally abundant, forever exempting you from the risk of baldness."
The new talent amused Gobulo; Lush Hair seemed useless for strength, but it was a curious addition.
"Year One, you are the strongest Goblin in the tribe and know the valley's secret. You plan to deal with the Troll, but delay for a year, knowing your growth will outpace the lazy Troll's. After a year, you'll easily kill him."
"A month later, you shadow the Troll to observe the Lake Monster, confirming it's alive. You continue to train in secret."
"Year Two, your strength grows. You reach level 11, Critical Strike evolves to Lethal Strike Lv.1, and Strong reaches Lv.5. It's time for action. When the Lake Monster vanishes, you plan to kill the Troll."
"Six months later, you follow the Troll to the canyon's depths. This time, the Lake Monster doesn't appear. The Troll waits all night, then three more days. Confirming the monster's absence, the Troll excitedly returns to camp."
'So that's when it disappeared. The Troll's absence was due to the Lake Monster's vanishing.'
"As the Troll heads back, you don't rush to eliminate him. Instead, you investigate the lake, curious about the monster's sudden disappearance. Eerily quiet, the lake makes you uneasy. You spot a shadow with tentacles underwater and realize the monster is asleep. It's not dead and will awaken one day."
"Halfway to camp, you catch up to the jubilant Troll. Exhausted from sleeplessness, the Troll is unaware as you strike. Drawing a wooden stick, you deliver a Lethal Strike to the Troll's head. Overwhelmed by your strength, his head explodes like a watermelon."