That Time I Got Reincarnated as a King (Old Version)

Morning broke with a low mist weaving between the huts of Emberleaf. The rising sun cast pale light over the village as goblins began gathering in the central clearing. Crates had been pulled into makeshift rows. Vines and bark strips had been strung between wooden posts. There were even banners—crudely painted, but proudly displayed.

Kael stood atop a thick stump near the center, arms folded. Rimuru wobbled on his shoulder, softly glowing with anticipation. Nanari was off to one side, flipping through a thick, rune-marked ledger. Zelganna stood just behind Kael with her arms crossed and her club at her side, the picture of calm readiness.

Bokku stepped forward. "Goblins of Emberleaf," he boomed, his voice carrying across the crowd. "Today, we begin shaping the next step in our future."

Kael raised a hand. "We're not just surviving anymore—we're growing. And growth means protecting what we've built. Which is why I'm officially announcing the creation of our first defense force."

He took a breath. "We're calling it... the Emberguard."

Murmurs swept through the crowd. Some goblins whooped in excitement. Others squinted suspiciously.

"It's not a handout," Kael said. "You don't get in because you're strong. You get in because you prove you belong. Over the next three days, anyone who wants to join will face trials. Strength, strategy, leadership, and heart. The only way to earn the flame is to face it."

Gobrinus raised a hand. "Do we get cool gear?"

Kael cracked a grin. "Not if you burn the village down during training."

Rimuru glowed in what Kael guessed was agreement. She projected a sparkly red exclamation mark above her head.

Day One: Ember Born, Ember Tested

Zelganna had turned the south field into a rough training zone. Tree trunks had been cut into hurdles. Ropes and vines formed crawling nets. A pit of thick mud waited at the center like a trap. Crude dummies with glowing rune targets stood in the sparring ring nearby.

Goblins lined up in uneven rows. Some looked eager. Some looked terrified.

"Obstacles test your body," Zelganna said, voice flat and even. "But how you respond to pain, frustration, and failure? That's where your worth is shown."

She turned to Kael. "Begin."

The first horn blew, and goblins charged.

The course was chaos. Goblins tripped over vines, faceplanted into mud, slammed into each other on narrow ledges. Kael winced more than once. Rimuru kept a mental tally.

Gobrinus wiped out almost immediately. Then again. Then a third time. But he laughed through it, covered head to toe in swamp goo.

Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

Zelganna nodded approvingly at a small goblin who lifted a training boulder with shaking arms—only after helping another finish first.

Kael muttered, "Strength is easy to spot. It's character we need to look for."

Rimuru responded with a soft chime, like a bell in agreement.

By the end of the day, twenty-three goblins remained. Exhausted. Sore. But standing.

Rimuru floated above them and dropped tiny puffs of cool mist onto their heads. Gobrinus lay face-down in a puddle. "Worth it."

Day Two: Mind Over Mana

The next morning brought quiet tension. Nanari led the trials now. She had carved puzzle circles into the dirt, enchanted bridges to be unstable unless balanced properly, and prepared rune traps disguised as challenges.

"Your mana flows through you. Your mind shapes it. Think fast, think smart, or get wet," she warned.

The goblins split into teams.

Kael chose to act as an observer... until he accidentally walked straight into a false path and dropped into an illusionary swamp.

"Great. Dignity: zero. Swamp: one."

Rimuru floated overhead and projected a glowing word in the air: "FAIL."

Nanari stifled a giggle.

A pair of twin goblins—quiet but coordinated—solved a rune maze by tracking the shadow patterns cast by the morning sun.

Kael whispered to Great Sage, "Not just strong. They're sharp."

Great Sage:
"Confirmed. Observational logic advanced for local standard."

Later, Gobrinus got caught trying to sneak food to a limping goblin who hadn't quit yet. Rimuru saw it and, after a long pause, gave a quiet approval chime.

Nightfall Twist: Emberleaf Alarm

That night, Kael and Bokku met at the hidden torch pit.

"We called this Ash Bell training," Bokku said. "You trigger it, watch the response."

Kael triggered the alarm spell.

Torches flared red. Illusion beasts—crafted by Kael and Nanari—rushed from the shadows. Smoke bloomed in coils.

Screams echoed.

Zelganna shouted, "Form up! Defend the young!"

Some goblins bolted. Others froze. A few—those still standing from the trials—rushed into action.

Gobrinus ran through smoke, tackled one of the illusion beasts... and flattened Kael.

"Gotcha!" he shouted triumphantly.

Kael wheezed. "It's me, you nut."

"Oh."

After the illusions faded, Kael stood again. "No one knew it was a test. That's what made it real. Panic reveals you. Leadership shows when no one knows what's real and you act anyway."

Zelganna nodded, solemn.

The Emberguard Ceremony

The central clearing was glowing with firelight. Crystal lanterns lined the edges, casting soft blues and ambers.

Nanari played a soft tune on her reed flute. Goblins stood in quiet rows.

Zelganna stood beside Kael with a carved crest of bone and bark.

Kael stepped forward. "Tonight, we name those who stood tall."

Zelganna

– Commander

Gobrinus

– Field Officer

Goborr

– The boulder lifter

Gobhex & Gobrix

– The twin strategists

Gobsina

– A young healer with woven mana thread cuffs

Rimuru floated forward, glowing bright, and bathed them in light.

"You are the first flame," she said through projection. "Guard it well."

The goblins cheered. A feast erupted. Music played. The fire danced.

Kael stood back and watched.

"They're not just defending Emberleaf," he whispered. "They are Emberleaf."

The Second Sigil

Late into the night, Kael stood at the leyline edge again. The woods were quiet. The moon hung low.

There, on the bark of a tree, was a second sigil—burned into the grain. Angular. Precise.

Great Sage:
"Not the same as the first. Source unknown. Not native."

Kael stared.

"They're watching the Emberguard now," he murmured.

He turned toward the village.

"Good. Let them watch."