"We need to lure them to us to avoid any casualties. Even though we're bigger, they still outnumber us," Sabas stated, his eyes scanning the dimly lit goblin camp. A wicked grin spread across his face as a plan formed. "Let's make some noise and draw them in."
Robert and the others moved stealthily to a shadowy tree line on the right of the goblins' campfire. One of the spearmen picked up a rock and hurled it, striking the back of a goblin's head. The goblin howled in pain and anger, its comrades immediately erupting into a frenzy of curses. Enraged, they charged toward the treeline.
As the goblins neared, the spearmen emerged from the shadows, their spears glinting in the firelight. With a swift, coordinated strike, they felled six goblins instantly. The remaining four, now terrified, turned to flee.
"Don't let them get away! We can't risk them alerting the others!" Robert barked. The group pursued the goblins through the dense forest, their breathless panic making them easy targets. One by one, the spearmen dispatched the fleeing goblins, leaving a trail of lifeless bodies.
Robert knelt beside the corpses, his gaze analytical. Goblin grunts—creatures driven by lust and greed, usually residing in dark caves. They were clever, hoarding treasures and reproducing with females of other races.
A familiar blue text appeared before Robert's eyes:
[Would you like to loot goblin corpses?]
"Yes," he replied without hesitation.
The notification that followed was almost routine:
[Received: 6 units of goblin teeth (bronze tier), 12 units of goblin eyes (bronze tier), 8 units of goblin flesh (bronze tier), four leather sacks (ungraded)]
Sabas stared in disbelief as the goblin corpses transformed into lootable items. "What are we supposed to do with this? My lord, you wouldn't eat the flesh of these creatures, would you?" he asked, his face contorted with disgust.
Robert, recalling his video game days, chuckled. "No, Sabas. I'm not that desperate," he said, though a small part of him was curious. "Let's gather everything and regroup."
They collected the loot and headed back to the goblin campfire. The stench of rot and filth was overpowering. "These creatures have no sense of hygiene. Who defecates where they eat?" a spearman muttered in disgust. Robert quickly looted the remaining goblins:
[Received: 4 units of goblin nails, a copy of a goblin trap-making book, 2 units of goblin flesh, a random key]
"The loot seems different this time," Robert mused, picking up the book. He instructed the men to place the items into the sacks. "Let's head home. It's getting dark, and I'm starving."
On the way back, Robert noticed a progress bar above Sabas and the spearmen, now at 30%. "They gain experience like in a game," he whispered. "I wonder what happens when it fills up."
"My lord, we are near the stream. We should stop here and let the men fill their water satchels," Sabas suggested, offering Robert some water.
Robert drank greedily, quenching his thirst. As the men refilled their satchels and washed their faces, Sabas approached Robert. "We still lack food. When we return, I'll take a few men to hunt nearby."
"Good idea. We also need to make a fire and adapt to this new reality," Robert agreed. Curiosity piqued, he summoned the system interface:
**Robert Williams**
- Novice Lord: Progress 10/100
- Talent: Ocean Master (Legendary)
- Trait: Aquatic Respiration (Uncommon)
- Territory: Ocerious (Village)
As they approached the clearing, the village hall came into view—a modest one-story building with a white exterior and slanted roof. "Finally, I thought you might have gotten us lost, Sabas," Robert joked, quickening his pace.
Exhausted from carrying the loot, the men collapsed once they reached the village. "I'm going to sort out the loot inside. Notify me when you return from the hunt," Robert instructed.
Sabas selected three of the fastest spearmen. "Has anyone hunted before?" he asked. A young, lanky spearman raised his hand. "I used to hunt with my dad back in the village before I enlisted."
"Great. You'll lead the expedition. What's your name?" Sabas inquired.
"Daniel," the young soldier replied nervously.
As Sabas and his team set off, Robert entered the hall for the first time. It contained four rooms: a bedroom, an office, a dining area, and a meeting room. He decided to inspect the hall through the system:
**Village Hall**
- Tier One
- Upgrade Requirements: 100 wood, 10 stone
"So, I can upgrade buildings too," he mused with a smirk. A new prompt appeared:
[Would you like to open global chat?]
"Yes," he answered.
The chat exploded with messages:
[Topofthemorning: Did we really just get transmigrated?]
[Smoothcriminal: Anyone else spawn in a yellow jungle?]
[Fatgrandma67: Help, I'm trapped by three wolves!]
[Youngmaster: I have a platinum talent. Bow before me!]
[BigBully39: Who's the idiot revealing their talent in chat?]
[Fatgrandma67: Please, Youngmaster, save me!]
[Youngmaster: Idiot, it's the first day. I only have two troops.]
[Whothatpokemon90: My troops tied me upside down on a tree!]
[45shots: This isn't fair! Where's our novice protection shield?]
Robert sighed and closed the chat. "No time to waste talking to these idiots," he muttered. Remembering his talent, he decided to test it at the ocean the next day. He then picked up the goblin trap-making book and started reading:
**Goblin Trapping 101**
- Dig a hole and put spikes in it. Wait for food.
- Lure animals into the hole and tie them up.
"What nonsense," Robert grumbled. "What a waste of time."
Just then, Sabas and his crew returned with a deer. "My lord, we were lucky. We found this deer separated from its herd."
"Good! Start a fire and let's eat," Robert commanded, his mouth watering. The men quickly skinned the deer and prepared a fire. As the meat roasted, the group eagerly awaited their meal.
When the food was finally ready, they devoured it like starving wolves. "This tastes like heaven," Daniel said, his mouth full of meat. Sabas and Robert challenged each other to see who could eat the most, ending up sprawled on the ground with full stomachs.
"That was fun, but we should head inside. It's almost pitch black out here," Robert said, getting up and entering the hall. He headed to the bedroom and collapsed onto the small twin bed, instantly falling asleep. Sabas and the others weren't as lucky, making do with tables, chairs, and the floor.
As the group rested, thirty pairs of eyes watched the village hall from the darkness, hunger gleaming in their gaze.