The feast had finally died down, the fire reduced to a few glowing embers and the goblins retreating to their huts. Luke watched as they shuffled off, some alone, others in pairs or small groups. There was no sense of ownership here—no locked doors or private property. The goblins shared their huts, their tools, and even their food without hesitation. They took care of the children collectively, the little ones darting between the adults with squeals of laughter.
It was a strange sight, but also… comforting. Luke couldn't help but feel a pang of longing. In his old world, humans were so focused on ownership, on competition, on stuff. Here, the goblins lived simply, sharing everything they had. It was a kind of community he'd never experienced before.
"If only humans were like this," he muttered to himself, shaking his head. "Maybe the world wouldn't be such a mess."
As the village quieted down, Luke spotted Grut, Rok, and Zog near the edge of the village. They were patrolling, their weapons in hand and their eyes scanning the darkness beyond the huts. Luke hesitated for a moment, then approached them.
"Hey," he said, keeping his voice low. "What are you guys doing?"
Grut turned to him, his spear resting on his shoulder. "Guard village," he said simply.
"Guard the village?" Luke repeated, glancing around. "From what?"
"Beasts," Rok said, his dagger gleaming in the moonlight. "Sometimes… humans."
"Humans?" Luke's eyes widened. "What do you mean, humans?"
Zog grunted, hefting his club. "Humans in armor. Come with swords, fire. Kill goblins. Take land."
Luke's stomach churned. He'd heard stories about adventurers and knights hunting monsters, but he'd never thought about what that meant for the monsters themselves. To the humans, goblins were just pests to be exterminated. But to the goblins, humans were a terrifying threat.
"So… you're out here to protect the village?" Luke asked, his voice tinged with unease.
Grut nodded. "Goblins strong. Protect village. Protect family."
Luke looked at the three of them, their faces set with determination. They weren't just mindless monsters—they were protectors, guardians of their home. And now, whether he liked it or not, he was one of them.
"Do you… need help?" Luke asked hesitantly.
Grut grinned, clapping him on the shoulder. "Lok strong. Lok help guard."
Luke nodded, though he wasn't sure how much help he'd be. He glanced down at his small, green hands and sighed. "Yeah, sure. Lok strong."
The four of them continued their patrol, walking the perimeter of the village in silence. Luke's mind raced as he tried to process everything. The goblins weren't just simple creatures—they had a society, a culture, a way of life. And they were under constant threat from humans. It was a sobering thought.
As they walked, Luke couldn't help but feel a growing sense of responsibility. He'd been thrown into this world against his will, but now he was part of this tribe. They'd accepted him, celebrated him, and trusted him to help protect their home. He couldn't just sit back and do nothing.
"Hey, Grut," Luke said after a while. "What happens if… if the humans come? What do we do?"
Grut's expression darkened. "Fight. Protect village. Or… run."
"Run?" Luke repeated, his voice barely above a whisper.
Grut nodded. "Sometimes… humans too strong. Goblins run. Find new home."
Luke swallowed hard, his chest tightening. The idea of running, of abandoning the village, felt wrong. But he also knew that fighting armored humans with nothing but spears and clubs was a death sentence.
"There's got to be another way," he muttered, more to himself than to the others.
Grut glanced at him, his sharp eyes narrowing. "Lok smart. Lok find way?"
Luke hesitated, then nodded. "Yeah. Maybe. I'll… I'll think of something."
As they continued their patrol, Luke's mind was already working, strategizing. He needed to figure out how to use his Tech Points, how to unlock the Shop and Codex, and how to make the village stronger. If humans were a threat, then he'd have to find a way to level the playing field.
After a while of patrolling, Grut, Rok, and Zog decided to rest, curling up near the edge of the village with their weapons close at hand. Luke, however, stayed awake, his mind buzzing with ideas. He needed to figure out how to use his system to its full potential, and now seemed like the perfect time.
For a moment, he was confused about how to summon the system. He hesitated, then whispered, "System?"
A holographic screen flickered to life in front of him.
[Yes. Host.]
"Nice," Luke muttered, relieved. "Uh… can you show me the shop function?"
The screen transitioned, displaying a new set of options.
**[Shop - Higher-tier shops unlock more functions and content.
Tech Points: 50
Tier 1 - Upgrade (500 Tech Points)
Technology Shop
Blueprints Shop
Skills Shop]**
Luke scanned the options, his eyes narrowing as he processed the information. "Huh… this is actually pretty useful. But how am I gonna earn tech points?"
[For every tool or construct you make, you earn points.]
[You can also earn points if your creations benefit others.]
Luke raised an eyebrow. "What? Let's get this straight. If I make a simple toilet, and my—well, I guess they're my fellow goblins now—if they use it, I generate points?"
[Technically, yes.]
[If you also make a simple spear and they successfully hunt or… kill, you will also earn points.]
Luke smirked. "So, basically, I'm a warlord now?"
[If you choose to do so.]
[However, building infrastructure and quality-of-life improvements generates more tech points over time compared to killing and pure violence.]
"Hmm… I guess you're right," Luke said, rubbing his chin. "Let's see the Technology Shop."
The screen shifted again, displaying a list of blueprints.
[Stone Age Blueprints
Individual Blueprints:
Stone Axe Blueprint: 20 Tech Points.
Stone Pickaxe Blueprint: 20 Tech Points.
Stone Hoe Blueprint: 20 Tech Points.
Stone Saw Blueprint: 20 Tech Points.
Stone Tools Pack:
Includes: Stone Axe, Stone Pickaxe, Stone Hoe, Stone Saw.
Pack Price: 60 Tech Points (25% discount compared to buying individually).
Description: A bundle of essential stone tools for survival and construction.
Hunting Gear Blueprints
Individual Blueprints:
Stone-Tipped Spear Blueprint: 25 Tech Points.
Bow and Arrow Blueprint: 25 Tech Points.
Spike Trap Blueprint: 25 Tech Points.
Flint Knife Blueprint: 25 Tech Points.
Hunting Gear Pack:
Includes: Stone-Tipped Spear, Bow and Arrow, Spike Trap, Flint Knife.
Pack Price: 80 Tech Points (20% discount).
Description: Tools and weapons for hunting and gathering food.
Bronze Age Blueprints
Iron Age Blueprints
Advanced Blueprints
(See full list for details.)]
Luke whistled softly. "This looks more like a commerce business tycoon game. Doesn't it come with automatically built tools instead?"
[If you upgrade the shop function, you can unlock more shop content.]
"Makes sense," Luke muttered. "Can't I get a discount, at least on these individual blueprints? I have to make them all, you know."
[Prices are fixed. Besides, you can earn tech points faster than you think.]
"Fine," Luke grumbled. "But where's the toilet?"
[You have to design your own blueprint. You can also earn tech points if you successfully create a functioning blueprint based on the complexity of your creation.]
"Makes sense," Luke said, nodding. "But can't I just make tools on my own instead of buying from you?"
[It's good to be independent rather than relying on me. However, my blueprints are resource-efficient and streamlined to use fewer resources.]
"Hmm… okay," Luke said, rubbing his chin. "For now—"
Before he could finish, the system interrupted.
[Tip: If you upgrade your Blueprint Creation and Analysis Skill, you can unlock the auto-design function. This redesigns your blueprint based on the specific efficiency your function requires. You can also choose to disable the auto-design function.]
"Ooooh, nice," Luke said, his eyes lighting up. "But how many tech points do I need to reach that auto-design?"
[The auto-design function can be reached at Skill Level 3. You will need to spend a total of 90 Tech Points.]
"That sounds painful," Luke muttered. "But I'll remember your tip. I guess I'll really need that. For now, let's redistribute my attribute points."
The screen shifted to display his current stats.
[Attribute Points: 3]
"Hmm… I'll go with Strength. Put all of it into Strength."
[STR: 3 -> 6]
Luke felt a surge of energy ripple through his muscles. "Ooohhh, that's nice. I feel a… bit stronger? Well, anyway, for now, I'll buy the Bow and Arrow Blueprint and the Spike Trap Blueprint."
[Bow and Arrow Blueprint & Spike Trap Blueprint Acquired.]
A flood of information rushed into Luke's mind—detailed instructions on how to craft the bow, arrows, and spike traps. He blinked, momentarily overwhelmed, but then grinned.
"Woaahh. Hahah, that's great! But where can I access this info just in case I need to study it?"
[The Codex stores all information. For now, since the Codex is Tier 1, you can only store blueprints and skills that you own. Higher tiers of the Codex can store information on species, plants, and everything you encounter.]
"That's also great!" Luke said, nodding. "Alright, let's get to work."