The path to the goblins' new home was long. The mountains the leader had spoken of were far away.
"Is that truly the best place to build our new base?" Arthur asked the goblin leader.
"I believe so," the leader replied. "It's hidden, so we won't suffer as many attacks. The biggest problem is the animals that live there. They say enormous bears roam the mountains."
Arthur had already dealt with wolves recently, and now, beyond the journey itself, the new base would be in a place infested with bears. His life never seemed to get easier.
Still, despite the dangers—whether hunters or other hostile creatures along the way—it was something Arthur deeply wanted to do.
This was the best way to gain experience points and level up. And in the end, that was exactly what he desired most.
The dungeon was terrifying if you were an ordinary hunter. That suffocating atmosphere, the constant sense that something was watching from the shadows, ready to leap and tear your throat apart—that was what most hunters felt.
Arthur, however, was different. He was connected to the dungeon itself. The creatures weren't hostile to him—or at least, most of them weren't. This dungeon was the home of the goblins, and they saw Arthur as a friend.
But for the other creatures wandering its depths, it was another story. Though goblins made up the majority, they weren't the only inhabitants. Arthur had to remain cautious, alert to every strange sound from the forest.
"These goblins you summoned with your roar are astonishing," the tribe leader said. "They obey you completely. How did you do it?"
To the goblins of the dungeon, Arthur was strange. His scent was the same as theirs, but he was tall, and his skin wasn't green. They knew he was different, yet because he carried no threat and smelled like them, they didn't attack.
That didn't mean he commanded the dungeon's goblins. They simply saw him as a companion. But the goblins he had summoned with his new skill? They would do anything for him. And that was what left the tribe leader so intrigued.
He couldn't comprehend how Arthur had achieved such a feat. Not even the legendary goblins from the old stories of his childhood had possessed the ability to summon goblins like that.
"That's a secret I can't share with you," Arthur said with a smile, "if you don't mind."
The tribe leader sighed, but didn't complain in the end.
"If you help us get to our new tribe location and help us build it, then your secrets are all yours."
He just wanted a safer place for his tribe. It was just a matter of time until a hunter showed up and killed all of them. The tribe leader was willing to do anything to help his fellow kin.
"Don't worry," Arthur reassured him, "we will get there. Tell me, what do you know about hunters?"
The goblins couldn't speak the same language as humans, so that was the first time someone had asked them about the hunters. Arthur wanted to see how they see the hunters.
The goblin stiffened at the mention of hunters, his gaze locking onto Arthur's, eyes wide with fear—and accusation.
"They are evil," he said. "They come and kill us for no reason. The worst part is that they all smile while doing it!"
Arthur understood why the hunters grinned. Each goblin they killed brought them closer to new skills and completed quests. Before receiving his special class, he had never pitied goblins. Now, a trace of sympathy crept in.
Arthur knew most monsters lacked the wit or warmth of goblins. Yet he admired their quirky charm and the way they protected their kin. Slaying them felt wrong.
"But I'm doing the same thing to the wolves—and every other creature I find here," Arthur thought. "In the end, it all comes down to who's a friend… and who isn't."
"They were the ones who destroyed my cousin's tribe… killed him as if he were nothing," the goblin leader said, grinding his teeth in rage.
Just the thought of hunters filled him with fury—and fear. His cousin's tribe had been much like his own. Which meant it was only a matter of time before the same fate befell them.
Arthur could sense the goblin's anger and fear. Now that he was considered one of them, it was as if he could understand their emotions more clearly.
"Don't worry," Arthur said. "We'll find a safe place. With this many goblins at our side, we have nothing to fear."
And he was right. Arthur and the goblins marched down a dirt road through the forest. These paths were often used by goblins, since trade between tribes was common.
Along the way, other creatures attacked. But Arthur's summoned goblins protected the tribe. They formed a shield around him—front, back, and sides. No creature could reach Arthur or the tribe without being intercepted.
It happened several times. The most common enemies were wolves, and a strange type of boar with five horns, massive in size. These boars traveled in groups of three or four, and were level 3.
Their level matched the goblins, but the difference in numbers was overwhelming. By the time the boars realized how many goblins they faced, it was already too late. Arrows and spears rained down, striking them and dealing heavy damage.
Arthur stood still, doing nothing, simply enjoying the stream of experience points. Every monster his summoned goblins killed gave him EXP directly. It was like an automatic farm.
"No other hunter could achieve something like this," he thought, a wide grin spreading across his face. "Maybe summoning specialists—but they're rare. And I doubt they could summon this many at once."
*
The journey continued for several hours. Arthur was beginning to feel tired, and the sun had already vanished.
Time inside the dungeon wasn't exactly the same as outside, though it flowed with the same intensity. When Arthur had entered, it was night outside—but inside, it had been day. In this dungeon, time seemed almost inverted.
Now, after hours of travel, exhaustion was setting in—not only for Arthur, but for the goblins of the tribe as well.
"We need to stop and rest, then continue tomorrow," the tribe leader said. "Is that alright?"
Sleeping inside the dungeon wasn't forbidden. In fact, it was common practice. Arthur liked the idea, especially since he wasn't supposed to be inside without a license. Once he left, trouble would surely follow him. If he could delay that moment, he would.
The goblins began setting up a small camp along the road. Fires were lit, crude tents raised, and guards posted at the edges. Arthur sat down, leaning against a tree, his spear resting across his lap.
During the night, however, an unwanted guest appeared.
"A–A hunter!" one of the goblins cried out.
The camp erupted in chaos. Goblins scrambled to grab their weapons, some clutching crude spears, others raising bows hastily. The firelight flickered across their anxious faces.