The goblin village was smaller up close than Haku expected. Maybe twenty wooden buildings with thatched roofs scattered around a central clearing. Smoke rose from cooking fires and he could hear voices chattering in a language he didn't understand.
He stopped at the tree line. He was covered in dirt, wearing a mysterious mask, and dragging three dead direwolves behind him by their tails. This was either going to work or go very badly.
"Multiple life signatures detected. Approximately thirty-seven individuals. Announce your presence before entering."
"Right."
Haku took a breath and stepped into the open.
The nearest goblin spotted him immediately and dropped the basket he was carrying. Vegetables scattered across the ground. The goblin shouted something and every head in the village turned.
Within seconds a dozen goblins appeared with spears and bows, forming a line between him and the village. They were small, barely reaching his chest, with green skin and pointed ears. Their equipment looked crude but they held their weapons with confidence.
Haku raised his free hand slowly. "I come in peace?"
The goblins started talking rapidly to each other in their own language. Some pointed at the wolves he was dragging, others at his mask. None of them lowered their weapons.
The crowd parted and an older goblin stepped forward. He was taller than the others and built solid, with a scar running down one side of his face. He wore simple leather armor and carried a short sword at his hip. His eyes moved from Haku's mask to the dead wolves and back.
Then he spoke in words Haku could actually understand.
"Human. Why do you come to our village?"
Haku blinked. "You speak human?"
"Some words. Enough." The goblin's hand rested on his sword. "Answer question."
Haku gestured to the dead wolves. "I was passing through the forest and these attacked me. I killed them but got turned around and saw your village. I thought maybe we could trade? The wolves for some food and directions?"
The goblin leader looked at the three direwolves, then back at Haku.
"You kill three wolves. Alone."
"Yeah. Once I figured out their pattern it wasn't too bad."
The other goblins started murmuring. The leader held up a hand and they went quiet.
He took a step closer and his whole posture changed. Less defensive and more cautious, like he was reassessing the situation.
"You have strong magicules," the leader said.
"Magicules?" Haku repeated. He knew the word from the anime but had no idea about his actual level.
The leader nodded. "We feel it. Strong. Dangerous." He glanced at the wolves. "Direwolves sense magicules too. That is why they attack you. They hunt strong prey."
That made sense. In Tensura, monsters were attracted to beings with high magicule counts. Haku had assumed the wolves found him by chance, but they'd probably tracked him deliberately.
Which meant he had enough magicules to be worth hunting.
"Right," Haku said. "That's why I brought these as a gesture of good faith. Proof I can handle myself and that I'm not here to cause trouble."
The goblin leader studied him for a long moment, then said something in goblin language to the others. They relaxed and lowered their weapons, though they didn't put them away.
"I am Grik. Village chief. You bring good meat, show strength. We accept trade." He paused. "But you keep mask on. Makes others nervous."
"The mask doesn't come off," Haku said, tapping it. "It's stuck."
Grik grunted. "Cursed item maybe. Or binding. Some humans use such things." He turned and barked an order. Two younger goblins hurried forward and started dragging the direwolf corpses toward what looked like a butchering area.
"Come," Grik said. "We talk terms. You want food and directions?"
"And maybe somewhere to rest. It's been a long day."
Grik made a sound that might have been a laugh. "Long day. Yes, I see."
Haku followed the chief deeper into the village. Every goblin watched him pass, keeping their distance but clearly curious. Small ones peeked out from behind buildings with wide eyes.
"Initial contact successful. The leader's mention of your magicules suggests significant magical energy. This likely influenced their receptiveness."
So I have strong magicules, Haku thought. Good to know, even if I have no idea how to use them yet.
"Magical energy manipulation can be learned. The Archive contains theoretical knowledge from the Tensura series. Practical application will require experimentation."
Something to figure out later.
Grik led him to a larger building near the center of the village. Inside was simple with a fire pit in the center, rough wooden benches, and various tools and weapons hanging on the walls.
"Sit," Grik said.
Haku sat and the goblin chief settled across from him. Neither spoke for a moment. Grik was still watching him carefully.
"Three direwolves. Good meat. Feed village for days. Worth much." He leaned forward. "What you want for this?"
Haku thought about it. He needed supplies and information, but he didn't want to seem desperate.
"Food for a few days, enough to travel with. A waterskin if you have one. And information about the area. Where's the nearest human settlement? Any dangerous territories I should avoid?"
Grik nodded. "This we can do. Food, water, maps of region." He paused. "But I ask question first. Where you come from? Why you travel alone? Most humans not come to this forest. Too dangerous."
Haku decided to stick close to the truth.
"I'm not really sure. I woke up in the forest with this mask on and no memory of how I got there. I'm trying to figure out where I am and where to go next."
Something flickered in Grik's eyes. "Lost memory. This happen sometimes with strong magic or curses. Mind gets broken, pieces missing. Mask might be part of it."
"Maybe."
The chief stood. "I get food and map. You rest here. Then you go before nightfall. Village is safe for you today, but others might not like strong human staying long."
"Understood."
Grik nodded and left, leaving Haku alone with his thoughts.
He'd made it through first contact. The goblins weren't hostile, he'd get supplies, and he'd learned he had strong magicules.
Now he just needed to figure out where he was in the timeline and what to do next.