Haruki slowly regained consciousness, the world around him blurry and faint. His body ached, each movement sending waves of pain through him. As his vision cleared, he realized he was lying on a straw mattress inside a humble hut. The air was thick with the scent of hay, and the structure around him was rudimentary—sticks and hay woven together, forming a small, makeshift shelter.
"You're awake," a voice said. Haruki turned his head and saw a young boy standing by his side. The boy had white hair that hung in messy locks around his face, and his skin was a deep green, almost like freshly cut grass. His ears were slightly pointed, a clear indication of his goblin heritage.
"Are you a goblin?" Haruki mumbled, still groggy from the blood loss and exhaustion.
The boy nodded, a mischievous smile tugging at his lips. "Yeah, I'm a goblin. My name's Grix. We saw you lying there on the ground, covered in blood. We carried you back here."
Haruki tried to sit up, his body protesting with sharp twinges of pain. He clutched his head, trying to recall what had happened. "How long… how long was I out?" he muttered.
Grix tilted his head, his green eyes reflecting a hint of concern. "Three days," he said. "You've been out for three days."
"Three days?" Haruki exhaled in disbelief. "Damn, I was out that long." His mind raced as he tried to piece together the events that led him here. He took in his surroundings—a simple hut in a village that seemed far removed from civilization. His thoughts drifted back to the battle with Vedryn, the mysterious figure who had nearly killed him.
Grix watched him with quiet interest as Haruki tried to stand. His legs felt weak, and a dull ache shot through his joints, but he managed to rise. "You're not as bad off as I thought," Grix remarked. "You move better than you look."
Haruki chuckled softly, testing his balance. His black skin, still covered in the remnants of battle, caught the light of the sun that filtered through the hut. "So, you said 'we'. Do you mean this is a whole village?" Haruki asked, curious.
Grix nodded enthusiastically. "Yep, it's a small village of about a hundred of us. It's not much, but we make do. We live simply." He gestured outside. "You should come see it."
Haruki followed Grix outside the hut and stepped into the village. It was a crude settlement, consisting of makeshift buildings built from sticks, hay, and whatever materials the goblins could find. Some of the structures looked more like tents than homes, and the ground was uneven, with dirt paths winding between them. It wasn't what Haruki had expected, but he understood. The lack of advanced technology in this world meant that most communities had to rely on whatever they could scrounge together.
The village was quiet—too quiet, Haruki thought. There weren't many goblins around. He caught sight of a few tending to fires or repairing shelters, but the village felt desolate.
"Why are there so few of you?" Haruki asked, turning to Grix.
Grix's expression darkened slightly. "We're at war with another group of goblins," he explained, his voice taking on a serious tone. "They're stronger than us, and they've taken most of our supplies. They've been attacking our village, destroying our homes. That's why we're living like this." He motioned to the huts around them, a grim look on his face.
Haruki could sense the bitterness in Grix's words. "So, you want my help?" he asked, already knowing the answer.
Grix nodded. "Yeah. You seem strong, even though you're not at your best right now. If you help us, we can make you our Lord," Grix offered, a serious glint in his eyes.
Haruki was taken aback by the offer. "Lord? I'm not looking for any rewards. I just want to help you out," he said, shaking his head.
At that moment, an older goblin stepped forward, his features weathered by time and battle. "Welcome to our village, human boy," he said, his voice rough but respectful.
Haruki bowed slightly in response. "I'll help, but I have one condition," he said. "I need to get back to the nearest town."
Grix's expression faltered, as if the request was a difficult one. "The nearest town? That's… miles away," he said, his tone uncertain. "It would take at least two months on foot to reach it."
Haruki's eyebrows furrowed. "I got here through magic… I was teleported," he explained. "So if you're offering me help, then you must know some kind of magic."
Grix's eyes lit up at the mention of magic. "I guess we do," he said with a grin. "I'm not really into magic myself, though. It's not my forte." He scratched his head, his white hair swaying gently in the breeze. "I was beaten pretty badly too, but I'll help you out, Haruki."
Haruki smiled weakly, trying to ease the tension. "It's alright. I'm just glad to be alive."
As they continued talking, Haruki's long hair, which he had tied loosely, caught the breeze. The white strands, slightly tousled from the previous battle, cascaded down his back in waves. Grix, who had been observing him closely, seemed to notice the unusual length of Haruki's hair.
"Wait a minute," Grix said, squinting as he examined Haruki's long hair. "Your hair… it's pretty long for a guy. I didn't expect goblins to have long hair like that."
Haruki paused, a bit taken aback by the comment. He had never given his hair much thought. "Yeah, I guess it's pretty long. I just never saw the need to cut it," he replied with a shrug. "I don't really care for short hair."
The elder goblin chuckled softly, stepping forward. "Well, that's definitely different from what we're used to. Most of us don't let our hair grow out. Only the females do that."
Haruki looked down at his hair again. "Yeah, I've noticed. I didn't think much about it, to be honest," he admitted.
Grix tilted his head. "Guess it makes you stand out more. Not something we see often, even among our kind."
Haruki smiled slightly, brushing a hand through his long hair. "I guess so. Just don't expect me to cut it anytime soon."
As dusk fell and the wind began to pick up, a quiet tension settled over the village. Haruki stood near the border of the settlement, looking out at the horizon. The sun was setting, casting long shadows across the fields. Grix, standing beside him, suddenly stiffened.
"Something's coming," Grix muttered, his eyes scanning the surrounding area.
Haruki's senses heightened. The village's quietness seemed to deepen, like the calm before a storm.
From the shadows of the forest at the village's edge, figures began to emerge. They were goblins—similar to Grix but much more vicious in appearance. Haruki felt his muscles tense, his body readying for another fight.
The chapter ends.