NOVEL NEXT Chapter 4.1
After finding myself in another world, this is the first village of goblins I have encountered and had the pleasure of witnessing their bizarre rituals.
Two people were placed in the middle of their group like a sacrifice.
They have black hair and are wearing a grey school uniform.
If my eyes aren’t deceiving me, those are definitely my classmates.
Why are those guys out there...?
The two, visible through the goblin’s dancing, have their limbs tied with vines.
A tree branch tightly shut both of their mouths like a gag.
One is lying still on the ground as if passed out, and the other is flapping desperately like an airborne fish.
It is too embarrassing a sight.
We were attacked by light on the way home from school, so we were considering the possibility that the other people walking around us were also transferred.
However, if I remember correctly, these two would not have been near us when we were taken.
Then... If I think of it from a different perspective…
The range by which the light worked is much wider than I expected, or…
The place where the light appeared is not only on the route from school.
Let’s think about that later.
Now I have to decide what to do with those two and the goblins.
Neither the goblins nor the duo have noticed us yet.
Should I quietly run away like this, or should I kill them all and save the students?
Jihye looked into my eyes without saying anything.
We didn’t talk to each other, but her eyes implicitly gave me the right to decide.
“…”
The one who fainted was Baek Nam-gyu, and the one who fluttered like a fish was Lee Hyeon-woo.
We were not on particularly good or bad terms with them.
In the first place, our class had adopted an atmosphere of studying even during the breaks, so I, unfortunately, couldn’t get close to most of them.
More than half of the students in the class have never spoken to each other.
Of course, Minho Park, the class president, is an exception to this.
If he had been here, he would have immediately rushed out to rescue them.
He, whose character and conduct I have been able to judge for over a year, would not hesitate to care for the people around him and extend a helping hand.
But I am a realist and my safety and comfort are more important than anything else.
Lee Hyeon-woo and Baek Nam-gyu would make for some great returns on our ‘investment’ of attacking prowess, so it wouldn’t be so bad if we are reunited with them.
However, the possibility that there is an unknown entity in charge of the goblins somewhere in the forest is keeping me from coming to a decision.
Usually in this situation, orcs and hobgoblins would be the ones in charge of the village, but I cannot see them.
The goblins seemed no different from the ones we had killed earlier.
It seems that both their lives are not at stake right now, so let’s gather information and regain our stamina while watching them for now.
We waited on our stomachs for an hour like that.
The banquet is still going on.
They munched on sliced rabbit meat and danced around like mad as if their souls had been sold for a price.
It was as if they were summoning a demon.
The number did not change from eight.
For some reason, there are no sentries on guard duty at the border of the village.
Also, like the goblins we encountered on the way, they also have incomprehensible physical disabilities.
They can’t hurt us.
At this level, just me and my Jihye would be enough to take care of them.
It is now past 5 pm.
In the wintery forest, the days are short.
I have come to a decision.
***
Today is a historic day in which we have met as many as two great beings that we could possibly only capture once in our lifetimes.
Unfortunately, both of them are possessed by evil spirits and have either been terrified into hysteria or passed out, so we are conducting a ritual to wish them well.
I just want them to get out of this mess as soon as possible.
This moving memory will never be forgotten until the day my life ends.
But an unexpected disaster strikes my village of goblins who are just happy and celebrating at this moment.
It started with the two goblins who were the biggest and fought well, and who everyone in the village depended on.
It was very difficult for them to stop a sharp surprise attack from behind, with all their nerves directed towards the aforementioned spectacle.
My monster’s instinct detects an intent to kill.
The joy that filled my heart just moments ago has evaporated.
My whitened mind is clouded by anger and hatred toward the enemy.
“Keeeaek!!!”
“Kirreuk!!”
Those who are still alive rushed to the two demons for revenge and for our survival.
We will throw our bodies at the enemy.
Those whose arms are pierced will use their legs; arms for those with broken legs.
Those with broken limbs will lunge with our toothless mouths.
However, our power, exhausted by the earlier ritual dance, is useless.
Eventually, it took only eight minutes for all of us goblins to be slaughtered.
***
The battle ended much faster than I thought, probably because I was used to it through the countless experiences I have had and the exposure to goblin-kind thus far.
No, this was more like a massacre than a battle.
The goblins rushed at us like zombies in a movie.
However, there is no way that Ji-Hye and I could be defeated by the lame struggles that felt like a child throwing a tantrum.
We skewered the goblins one after another, skewering them with sticks, or pounding them with clubs, wary of possible poisonous tricks.
The space, which just a moment ago was abuzz with their screams and snorts, is now silent with corpses strewn about randomly and puddles of blood.
Fortunately, no other entity intervened during the battle.
Still, just in case, we need to leave the scene as soon as possible.
Until the fight was over, I had adopted a complete quietness, so after the fight was over I turned my head to where the two of them were.
“·······?”
“···! Eup! Eup! Eup!”
Baek Nam-gyu is still fainted on the ground, but as soon as I look at Lee Hyeon-woo, his whole body twists and wriggles desperately.
His pupils trembled wildly and tears poured out.
Huh, is he in a state of delirium?
I approached him to release the gag.
But the seizures got much worse.
Just wait a moment, I will save you soon.
*Shhh-*
A fishy smell swept through the air, and liquid flowed from his groin.
This crazy bastard just peed himself.
I should have just thrown them away...
Will they even be of any help...?
Baek Nam-gyu, who had fainted, regained consciousness and opened his eyes lethargically.
When he saw me, his white pupils rolled back and he fainted again.
The fishy smell became twice as strong.
Hey, why are they like this?!
“Jihoo! There’s so much rabbit meat here!”
The voice of Jihye could be heard from behind.
— — — — — —