Ch 74

  Once names were exchanged with Kal, she addressed the matters between Matt’s group and the remaining female goblins. This involved giving the men they had captured the choice of continuing to serve as breeding studs or returning to the forest. Ultimately, none of the men wanted to leave, as they had grown accustomed to being catered to hand and foot. Even those few who confessed they didn’t enjoy the demands of the goblin women were swayed after Matt explained the current dire situation in the forest, where survival was a constant struggle.

  This conversation spiraled into a new discussion, with the goblin women eagerly trying to persuade Matt to ally himself with them. Their fervent attempts, however, only solidified his resolve never to return to their mines unless it was to eliminate all of them. Fortunately, Kal seemed perceptive enough to understand the true nature of the situation and refrained from adding any more goblins to their group as they departed. After that, the conversation dwindled into silence, and Matt urged the group to travel farther than they usually would before setting up camp for the night.

  When morning arrived, Matt found himself staring at Kal, who was gazing back at him with a look of displeasure, her hands defiantly placed on her hips as if mid-pout. As he frowned and sat up, Matt shot her a glance meant to clearly communicate his lack of interest in whatever she was about to say. Unfortunately for Matt, Kal didn't seem to catch the hint. The moment he was fully upright, she launched into what felt like was to be an endless lecture.

  "I have never seen a group displaying more awkwardness than this one," she began, her voice tinged with frustration. "All of you—"

  Matt, eager to derail what he considered a pointless conversation, interjected before she could build momentum. "What groups outside of goblins have you ever seen?" he asked, hoping to steer the dialogue elsewhere. "Really, I expect—"

  "It is the blatant defiance that Tana and her supporters show towards you!" Kal nearly shouted,. "More than one of them would seize the opportunity to kill me if they could blame it on some monster. I thought you were the undisputed leader, given the power and cunning you demonstrated when escaping our grasp before, not to mention the command you had over them last night. Yet, it seems you only have a tenuous hold on your position at best."

  "There are two factions," Eleanor interjected as she approached from behind Kal. "Also, we don't usually hold conversations like the one we're about to have out in the open, where anyone can overhear."

  "I believe it's better when everyone knows what's being said," Kal retorted sharply. "That way, there's no suspicion of us talking behind their backs."

  "No, instead you blatantly tell them you don't care about their opinions by calling them out in front of everyone," Eleanor countered, her voice laced with frustration.

  "Then they can confront me if they don't like it. Then—" Kal began, her eyes flashing defiantly.

  "Nothing," Matt interjected firmly. "That's not how we operate in this group. If anyone doesn't want to follow my lead, they're free to leave. Otherwise, they should understand that words are their only tools for persuading me."

  "So, you're choosing to make us weaker by not forcing others to follow you. I wonder what a group of goblins using the same system would be like," Kal mused, a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

  "Your group is a perfect example of this," stated Eleanor confidently. "After all, you all fled because you knew that winning through fighting wasn't possible."

  "That's not quite right," replied Kal, shaking her head. "We plan to fight, but only after we have bred an army over the next year. Matt's attack disrupted the goblin king's plans to capture all the women, and our escape should have further isolated him. However, too many goblin women were captured alive, leaving us unsure about the exact situation he finds himself in."

  "I take it that access to women is a significant part of how he maintains loyalty among his followers," commented Eleanor thoughtfully. "Still, why would losing so many of them cause him to give up on his plans?"

  "Other groups will break away from the main faction and attempt to form their own clans,” answered Kal, making it sound like she thought it was obvious. “Many of the women who were captured are likely being held by other goblins trying to establish these new groups after escaping with them. Although we're not certain, it is probable that about half of those who survived are in my group. Around 200 are likely back with the goblin king, while 300 or more are probably dispersed across approximately 50 smaller goblin groups. These small groups pose a problem for the goblin king as they provide the weaker goblins an opportunity to breed. All they must do is pass a test—a test so perilous it could very well kill them—but it offers a better chance than they would have had otherwise."

  "That sounds similar to what happened with Jaelyn’s group when you discovered them and after they returned to the fort," remarked Zara, who, like the rest of the camp, had wandered over from their sleeping spots. "So, what will happen if we take down the goblin king and his core group then?"

  "If we manage to defeat the goblin king and his main followers, the goblins will scatter," replied Kal. "Each faction will try to build up its strength and attempt to seize control. Right now, my group should have the advantage there, but it will still take years for us to gather enough members to overpower all the others."

  "Should we really be aiding any group of goblins?" questioned Emily, her brow furrowed with concern. "I mean, they are likely to cause trouble regardless of what they promise."

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  "It will be long after all of you have departed before—"

  "Kal, there's a saying among those of us who cherish nature," interjected Matt. "Leave the place better than you found it. It means not only tidying up your own messes but also taking care of any other bits of trash you come across. In this context, I interpret it as removing the threats that your kind poses to those who come after us in this world. So, tell us, is there a way to achieve that without resorting to slaughtering you all?"

  "No," Kal replied with a resigned shrug, "even if we aren't entirely brainless, all we desire is to fight and mate. Unless you can miraculously ensure there's one goblin male for every goblin female, I see no way to restrain the males from seeking to prove their worth for breeding and targeting women of other races when possible."

  "I don't believe genetic alterations are possible," Emily stated confidently, after catching a sharp look from Matt. "However, if we consider the idea of somehow eliminating all male sperm on demand, such a balance might be achieved. But honestly, I have no idea how to accomplish that in such a primitive setting, and I'm not sure why you're looking at me for answers."

  "It's because you're the one with the most book smarts and you have an identification skill," Greg explained, leaning back in his chair. "Plus, if there were an herb capable of doing so, you might be the one to discover it."

  "Even if that were possible, it would be a terrible idea, as it would lead to a genuine population explosion given the information we have on goblin reproduction rates," emphasized Emily, her voice tinged with urgency. "It would be one thing if we were discussing an animal we were raising for livestock, but unless you want to build an actual army of goblins, increasing their numbers is an ill-conceived plan."

  "Any option you all have will be dreadful," scoffed Kal, a hint of derision in her tone. "It's the fate of those at the bottom of the power hierarchy. We can either remain weak, trying to avoid the notice of those above, or hope to catch the eye of someone who will allow us to ascend through a path of their choosing. Anything else is sure to end in death sooner rather than later. Yet, you are more fortunate than most, as the bodies you will need to climb over are the same ones that once shared your world. So, for you, there remains hope that after a mighty struggle, you can achieve a level of power that permits you to live freely before those with true power can reach you."

  "How do you know so much about the way things are if you've been stuck here since birth?" Greg inquired with a hint of skepticism. "No offense, but I doubt you could be seen as an expert on the matter."

  "Every goblin is given a choice when we reach level 5, whether to leave or stay," Kal explained, her tone confident in the knowledge of how things worked. "If we decide to leave, it will be to a world where everything ranges between levels 5 and 17 for the most part. It's also then that we are shown visions of how the universe operates and the endless ladder that we must climb. Upon reaching level 17, we will be forced from it and into a world with no limits at all."

  "Adulthood," Yumiko commented thoughtfully, her fingers tapping the table. "Perhaps level 17 is where the system perceives us as having the power of adults, removing all restrictions and safeties, leaving us to navigate the complexities of an unrestricted universe."

  "No, we are a clear case of blatant manipulation," retorted Kal with indignation. "Even then, the system seeks to push us to leave at level 5, as what it offers by sending us to that world is considered a kindness. It could just send us to the unrestricted world right from the start if it wanted to."

  "What do you know about the manipulation of your kind?" inquired Matt, his curiosity piqued.

  "Only that it has been done to us and that we are being constantly monitored," Kal replied, her voice tinged with frustration.

  "How do you even know that?" Matt pressed on, not willing to let the matter drop.

  "The same way we know that a level has been gained. It's right there in our titles," Kal explained, gesturing towards a list of names and numbers. "It reads 'goblin test world experiment subject #1,214,561' for me, and each of us has our own unique number. It is assigned when we reach level 3, which is when we apparently officially become part of the experiment."

  Everyone seemed to go quiet upon hearing that Kal had an actual number associated with her for the experiment. This revelation sparked many more questions about what it meant for the workings of the universe and whether the title indicated the system was acting for or against the goblins as part of an experiment. Still, Matt didn’t feel there were any answers to be found beyond the ones they already had, so he decided to change the subject as he broke the silence.

  “Let’s not get bogged down by the circumstances of those we are not responsible for. Kal, I will leave your group alone if they keep to themselves, but I will not hold anything back regarding the rest of the goblins,” Matt declared, his eyes meeting Kal's with a firm resolve.

  “That’s fine, great even, as I would be more than happy if you destroyed their groups,” Kal replied, a hint of satisfaction in her voice.

  “Good. Now, what do you know about what we should expect when hunting the goblin king?” Matt asked, leaning forward with anticipation.

  “Little, but…”

  Kal proceeded to share the crucial details about the location of the goblin king and his residence, cleverly concealed within the actual goblin village. The fact that she had only ever been taken there through a network of hidden tunnels to bypass the general population turned out to be a significant advantage. After all, following the same secret routes would mean they could avoid engaging in combat with every single goblin. This was a sensible strategy, as attempting to eliminate every goblin would be as futile as trying to kill every ant in a colony with just a thumb. Ultimately, they had devised a solid plan and a path to execute it. However, there remained one pressing issue that Matt needed to address as he found himself alone with Tana, surrounded by the dim flickering of lantern light.

  "You know that you can leave at any time if you think the path forward is too dangerous," Matt offered, his voice calm yet firm.

  "Right, and pass up what will likely be one of the best chances we have at gaining a level with the current state of affairs in this world?" Tana scoffed, shaking her head. "No, my team has already decided that we're going to stick with you through this mission, but that's it. Our only request is that you wait to attack until after we've all reached level 7 and have picked our third path option."

  Matt sighed, aware of the challenges ahead. "That could take two weeks at the rate things have been going, and I can't risk reaching level 9 early."

  "We just need you to bring one group of monsters back while the rest of us take turns being the one to gather a second group of monsters," Tana explained, her eyes reflecting determination.

  "What happens when both groups of monsters arrive at the same time?" Matt questioned, concern evident in his tone.

  "I am sure that with you around, we will be able to handle it," Tana replied confidently, though Matt frowned at her assumption.

  He couldn't deny that she had a point, yet he worried about the injuries they might sustain and how they would slow them down. Still, he agreed, as long as they stopped once he reached level 8 at the latest, no matter where the rest of the team was at that point.