'Now, what should I do with him? Removing him from the medbay could endanger my life. Besides, he has just fully recovered, while Walker still needs to be recharged,' Ailord thought as he stared at Glok, who was also staring back with fear.
'What? Why is he looking at me so intensely? Is he thinking of turning me into something? No no no. I am very grateful that you saved me, but I still want to be a goblin. I don't want to turn into a hard and cold pile of iron. I won't be able to warm Teena,' he screamed inwardly, not wanting to transform into a terrifying creature in front of him while continuously struggling, trying to break free. Teena would hate him.
'Oh? He wants to break free? Does he want to attack? Luckily, I didn't release him from there. But what should I do now? I have to take him back to the forest or his friends will search for him and might find the base. I don't want that to happen.'
At the same time, a notification appeared on the computer.
Ailord moved towards it, observing the new information displayed by one of the Overseers, showing a horde of goblin warriors walking through the forest. Not far from the place of their battle with the lizard.
"Ahh... I really need to kick this goblin out," he said, shuddering at the sight of the goblin troop exceeding ten members. Moreover, they all wore heavy armor that looked menacing. "I figured this goblin wasn't just any ordinary goblin. He could even be the son of the leader, making this meeting all the more cliché."
'Am I really in a story? Transported to another world to save them from the impending chaos?' Ailord scoffed. 'If the gods of this world can hear me, you've really chosen the wrong person. I won't intervene at all. Why should I intervene while you sit back and watch from above? I have my own life.'
"Damn it, damn it, damn it. I need to get out of here fast. He sounds annoyed. I don't want to be a tool to lessen his irritation. But how! I can't move my arms at all. Oh no, he's coming! He's coming back!"
Ailord was shocked to see him struggling more fiercely, like an animal trying to escape a trap. He felt fear, but not because of the goblin himself, but because he might accidentally rip the medbay from the floor.
"It's impossible that would happen. What, is he some big green man who gets strong from gamma—"
However, suddenly the medbay was yanked free, causing Ailord's eyes to widen in shock. And he didn't stop there. Somehow, he managed to move the medbay, rolling it across the floor, accidentally hitting the button to open the garage door. The goblin rolled out, free into the wild, with the medbay somehow still intact despite the impact.
"MY POINT!!"
Ailord rushed outside, clicking his tongue in annoyance as he noted Walker's energy level had reached 18 percent. He wouldn't last long. He needed to catch that goblin again before the costly medbay just disappeared into the forest. And how could the goblin control the medbay as if it were his own body?
"Haha! I never thought that my childhood spent rolling down hills in a wooden barrel would come in handy now. My father was right. Everything we do in life becomes a valuable lesson. Thank you, childhood!" He exclaimed joyfully as he continued to roll through the trees with agility. Not only avoiding crashes, but he was also able to keep rolling without being stopped by roots or fallen tree trunks.
Now, all he needed was to find a way to get back to the village as quickly as possible, before they sent reinforcements. They wouldn't be prepared for the dangers in the forest. It wasn't that he didn't trust his own troops, but this forest turned out to be far different from what he imagined. Glok could only hope that they wouldn't encounter one of those lizards.
"Damn, how can he move that fast? It really makes no sense," Ailord muttered, forgetting that his own power could also be considered nonsensical. A power that used points to manifest into the real world, Ailord certainly didn't want to lose the expensive medbay he had painstakingly created by spending so many points. He hadn't even used it yet!
"Ahhh! Stop!! I won't do anything to you, damn it!!" Ailord shouted.
However, his voice, distorted and intimidating, made Glok's face turn even paler, thinking that Ailord really wanted to kill him for leaving without thanks. "Sorry! Forgive me! I'll thank you next time!! Just let me go back to the village for now!!" he replied in fear.
'I really need to find a way to understand what they're saying. Why is he so scared? I just saved him. He should be thanking me instead of running away like this,' Ailord thought as he quickened his pace, forcing Walker to move even faster despite the display warning to recharge Walker's energy soon.
As they continued like this for several minutes, yelling and responding to each other without understanding a word, fear and confusion accelerated their movements. Unaware, the sound of heavy footsteps and muffled conversation from the goblin troops grew closer.
"Do you think something serious happened that they had to use reinforcement magic?" one of the warriors asked his companion. They both kept scanning their surroundings, vigilant for any monsters that might be lurking and ready to pounce.
"Who knows? There are too many stories about the deeper parts of the forest. I hope none of them are true. But out of ten rumors, there's bound to be one that's right. I just hope they're all right," he replied, gripping the hilt of his sword that remained sheathed at his belt.
Despite their conversation, neither of them lowered their guard. Instead, they became even more alert, as befits trained warriors, ready to respond to any threat that might emerge from the dense forest around them.
Despite their training, none of the troops could have imagined that a large cylindrical object would come flying in from the trees. They leapt back, drawing their swords, ready to attack, unaware that the very person they were seeking was inside it. Only when the cylindrical object rolled did they finally see Glok inside, drenched in sweat with fear evident in his blue eyes.
"Young master!" they exclaimed.
Glok was startled, not expecting to see the village troops already here. He felt pride that his village's forces had arrived so quickly, but at the same time, he truly wished they weren't here—especially with the metal Construct still in pursuit.
It was only a few seconds later that Ailord also emerged, his heavy body shaking the ground and sending a blast of wind that whipped up the sand, forcing the goblin troops to shield their eyes while trying to make out what kind of creature was behind the swirling dust. Only the menacing orange glow could be seen through it, staring back at them with a daunting aura.
"Prepare to protect the young master! Do not let the creature in front approach him!" commanded the Commander, who stood in the forefront with both hands gripping his sword tightly. He would not allow the leader's son to be harmed under his watch.
But as the dust began to settle, gradually revealing a large figure in front, the commander's resolve slightly wavered. The figure in front indeed had no face, but the orange light on its face made the Commander feel as if he was facing a terrifying creature that could easily take his life. He didn't know whether to hold it off alone while the others escaped or to attack it simultaneously without giving it a chance to retaliate.
One thing he had learned in his life as a trained soldier was to recognize the enemy. And the enemy in front was not one that could be easily defeated. Although he was not in a fighting stance, for some reason, the Commander felt that its defenses were incredibly strong. Every attack he imagined in his mind could be blocked and easily countered by it.
Meanwhile, inside the Walker, Ailord was trying to catch his breath, unaware that he had been running fast to retrieve the medbay, which was now behind the goblin troops. He didn't know whether they had run long enough or if the goblin troops were indeed that close. "I just want my medbay... damn it. I don't want... your life at all. The medbay... is far more valuable," he said, panting.
What made his distorted voice sound even more terrifying, especially since no Construct had ever been able to speak. This was the first time the goblin troops heard a Construct's voice, moreover, it didn't use copper like other Constructs. Something entirely new and made all the hairs on their necks stand up, signaling them to flee immediately.