Haruki, Grix, and their small group of goblins set out on their journey north, following a worn map that Haruki had found in the goblin village. It wasn't the town he had been sent to, but it was another town that might have the resources they needed. Haruki muttered to himself, scanning the map again. "Demi-humans… and dwarfs," he said quietly. He had heard of towns like these, but seeing it on the map made him wonder what kind of society lived there.
As they approached the town, Haruki and his companions were confused. The town was built into the side of a mountain, with its entrance hidden behind jagged rocks. "This doesn't look like the usual setup for a town," Haruki said to Grix, furrowing his brow. Grix just shrugged, not bothered by the unusual architecture.
They pushed through the rocky path and eventually entered the town. As soon as they stepped inside, they were greeted by a curious sight. Dwarfs and Demi-humans bustled about, carrying tools and boxes, working diligently in the tunnels and halls. Haruki wasn't going to question it; the town was clearly accustomed to a mix of races, and they had a purpose in mind: finding builders to help rebuild the goblin village.
But as they walked through the bustling town, Haruki couldn't help but notice something strange. Despite the hardworking dwarfs and demi-humans, there seemed to be an absence of a clear leader or figurehead among them. Instead, there was a human standing at the center of the town, orchestrating much of the work.
Haruki turned to Grix. "Why is a human in charge here? Shouldn't this be a dwarf or some other high-ranking noble?" he asked, confused. It didn't make sense to him, but he didn't voice his suspicions aloud. Maybe there was a reason—he would find out in time.
They approached several blacksmiths and builders, hoping to find someone willing to help them. But to their dismay, every builder they spoke to was too busy, their hands full with the aftermath of a recent disaster that had struck one of the buildings. "Sorry, no time," one of the blacksmiths grumbled, hammering away at a piece of metal. "We're working overtime to rebuild. A large part of the city was destroyed during the last attack. Things are chaotic right now."
"Damn it," Haruki muttered under his breath. "We can't even get help for the goblins back home."
Grix scratched his chin, thinking. "Why don't you find one of the best builders in the land? I hear there's a guy named Jack. He runs a crew of some of the finest builders here. Maybe he could help."
Haruki nodded, grateful for the suggestion. He had heard of Jack before, but he didn't know where to start looking. They soon found Jack's workshop at the edge of town. Haruki knocked on the door, and it creaked open to reveal a gruff-looking dwarf covered in soot and sweat. "What do you want?" Jack asked, his voice gruff but curious.
"I'm Haruki," he said. "I need your help. We're rebuilding a town, and we could use skilled hands. Can you spare a few workers?"
Jack wiped his brow with the back of his hand. "Can't help you," he said gruffly. "We're in overtime ourselves. Our crew's been working nonstop to repair the town after that damn explosion."
Haruki's face darkened with frustration. But then an idea struck him. "What if I could help you finish it faster?" he asked.
Jack raised an eyebrow. "How would you do that?"
Haruki grinned and reached down to touch the nearby wooden beams and a few of the swords lying around. "I have a skill called Double. I can duplicate anything I touch—whether it's wood, stone, or even weapons." He focused, and within moments, a duplicate of the wooden beam and swords appeared beside the originals. The workers gasped, staring in awe.
"Is this fine?" Haruki asked, stepping back. "I can do this for the town too—speed up the rebuilding process."
The workers were speechless, staring at the two identical beams and swords. The sight was too astounding to believe. One of the workers finally spoke, his voice filled with awe. "That's amazing… your name's Haruki, right?"
Haruki's long white hair flowed in the wind as he smiled, nodding. "Yeah. That's me."
They began to work quickly, using Haruki's Double ability to duplicate supplies faster than they ever could have on their own. The workers, thrilled with the progress, quickly joined in, lifting beams and stacking stones, all while whispering about Haruki's strange power.
But, as with most good things, it didn't take long for things to take a turn. The person in charge—the human who had been orchestrating the operations—walked into the scene, his face red with anger. He was tall and had a haughty air about him, dressed in noble clothing. He was the one Haruki had seen overseeing the town earlier.
"You!" the man barked. "What do you think you're doing? You've ruined everything! I told them to work overtime to finish this! And now, here you are, taking all the credit for our hard work!"
Haruki blinked, surprised by the outburst. "What are you talking about? I'm helping everyone here. You wanted this town rebuilt, didn't you?"
The man sneered. "You're just some outsider! You don't have the right to take over our work. We don't need your help—especially not from some foreigner like you!" His words dripped with disdain, but Haruki wasn't the type to back down.
The man's insults were the last straw. Haruki's patience had worn thin, and before anyone could react, he grabbed the man by the collar and slammed him against the wall. The nobles' eyes widened, but Haruki was beyond reasoning.
"You want to see how this feels?" Haruki snarled. He picked up a jug of alcohol from the table beside him and poured it over the man's head. "Next time, don't disrespect the people who are helping you."
The noble sputtered and wiped his face, his eyes furious. "You'll regret this!" he yelled. "I'll have you thrown in prison for this insolence!"
Haruki, unconcerned, smirked. "I doubt it'll be the first time I've been in trouble."
Hours later, Haruki found himself standing in front of a judge, shackled and surrounded by guards. He had been arrested for assaulting a noble, and the trial was set to take place the next day. Grix stood beside him, looking worried but determined to help.
"Damn, Haruki," Grix muttered. "What are we going to do now?"
Haruki looked at him and gave a small, confident smile. "Don't worry. I've been in worse situations. We'll figure it out."
The chapter ends.