While the village feasted, laughter and cheers echoing through the night, Solus slipped away unnoticed. His heart pounded as he moved stealthily toward the edge of the village, his eyes darting nervously. He couldn't afford to be seen. Not now. Not when he was so close.
Once he was far enough from the village, Solus began to chant under his breath, his hands trembling as he prepared the spell. A faint glow emanated from his palm, the mana swirling into a small, pulsating orb. He glanced over his shoulder, relieved to see no one following him. Just a little longer, he thought, his voice growing louder as the spell neared completion.
But his relief was short-lived. An arrow whistled through the air, striking him squarely in the knee. Solus cried out in pain, collapsing to the ground as the spell in his hand flickered and died. He clutched his leg, blood seeping through his fingers, and looked up to see Grut dropping down from a nearby tree. The goblin's grin was wide and unnerving, his eyes gleaming with predatory excitement.
Grut licked the tip of another arrow, his voice a guttural growl as he muttered in the goblin tongue. Solus couldn't understand the words, but the tone was unmistakable—Grut was thrilled at the prospect of killing him.
Before Solus could react, Luke stepped out of the shadows behind Grut, a stone axe resting casually on his shoulder. His expression was calm, almost disappointed. "I'm really disappointed, Solus," Luke said, his voice low. "I thought you could become one of us."
Solus glared at him, his face twisted in pain and rage. He clutched the arrow in his leg with one hand while the other, hidden behind his back, began to glow faintly as he prepared another spell. "You?" he spat, his voice trembling. "I would never join you. I'll never forgive the ones who killed my friends. You're a fool to think you can bide your time. Master Solmund will come here and slaughter all of you!"
With a sudden burst of energy, Solus raised his hand, the spell glowing brightly as he prepared to send it skyward. But before he could complete the motion, an axe flew through the air, slicing through his arm. Solus screamed, clutching the bloody stump as he fell to his knees.
The goblins emerged from the shadows, their eyes gleaming with malice. The chief stepped forward, his massive frame towering over Solus. He retrieved his axe from the ground, his expression unreadable.
Luke sighed, shaking his head. "Why would your master care about you, Solus? You're just a meager F-rank. Expendable."
Solus's eyes widened in fury. With a guttural scream, he launched a weak energy ball at Luke, who deflected it effortlessly with a flick of his hand. "Thank you for teaching me magic, though," Luke said, a small smile playing on his lips.
Solus stared at him in disbelief. "You're a goblin," he hissed. "You will never wield magic. You're a lower race. You're just a—"
His words were cut short as Luke raised his hand, a fireball forming in his palm. With a casual flick of his wrist, Luke sent the fireball hurtling toward Solus's feet. The human screamed as the flames licked at his legs, his voice filled with shock and pain. "H-how?!" he gasped. "You're a goblin! You're not supposed to wield the power of mana!"
Luke's smile faded, his expression turning cold. "That's what you thought."
Before Solus could respond, the chief stepped forward, his axe gleaming in the moonlight. With a single, swift motion, he brought the axe down, severing Solus's head from his body. The lifeless corpse crumpled to the ground, the flames from Luke's fireball flickering out.
The chief wiped his axe on the grass and turned to Luke. "Noisy human," he grunted, his voice deep and gravelly.
Luke sighed, his shoulders slumping. "I'm sorry, Chief. I shouldn't have let him live. It was my mistake."
The chief regarded him for a moment, then placed a heavy hand on Luke's shoulder. "Mistake make great leader, Lok," he said simply. With that, he turned and walked back toward the village, the other goblins following in his wake.
Luke stood there for a moment, staring at Solus's lifeless body. He felt a pang of regret, but he knew there had been no other choice. Solus had chosen his path, and Luke had chosen his.
As he turned to follow the chief, a notification appeared in his vision:
[ Hostile Threat Neutralized: Solus.
+30 Tech Points
+10 Goblin Village Loyalty ]
Luke dismissed the notification, his mind already turning to the future. The village was safe—for now. But he knew the real challenges were still to come. Master Solmund, the dragon, and who knew what else lay beyond the forest.
The goblins gathered around a small fire, tossing Solus's body into the flames. The crackling of the fire mixed with the distant laughter of the village, a stark contrast to the grim task at hand. Luke watched silently, his expression unreadable. Solus had been a threat, but his death still left a bitter taste in Luke's mouth. He shook his head, pushing the thoughts aside. There was no time for regret.
Turning away from the fire, Luke made his way to the wolf pups. They had been off-leash for a while now, thanks to the goblin children who insisted on playing with them. The pups yipped and wagged their tails as Luke approached, their sharp teeth nipping playfully at his fingers as he fed them scraps of meat. It was good to see them adjusting to their new family. The village had become their home, just as it had become Luke's.
The goblin village felt like a family now, with the chief acting as a stern but caring father figure. Luke had grown attached to the little community, despite their rough edges. The chief had never questioned Luke's magical abilities, though there was always a faint sense of unease in the air whenever Luke used them. Luke dismissed it for now. He had bigger things to worry about.
Opening the System Shop, a notification appeared in his vision:
[Shop - Higher-tier shops unlock more functions and content.
Tech Points: 768
Tier 1 - Upgrade (500 Tech Points)
Technology Shop (Primitive Era)
Blueprints Shop (Primitive Era)
Skills Shop]
"Time to upgrade the shop, I guess," Luke muttered. He pressed the upgrade button, and the notification transitioned from blue to a vibrant pink. A moment later, the shop interface updated:
[Shop - Higher-tier shops unlock more functions and content.
Tech Points: 268
Tier 2 - Upgrade (700 Tech Points)
Technology Shop (Early Medieval Era)
Blueprints Shop (Early Medieval Era)
Items Shop New! (Early Medieval Theme)
System Functions Shop New! (Level 1)
Skills Shop]
"Woooaahhh, nice… very nice," Luke said, his eyes widening. The new options were impressive, but his excitement was tempered by the realization that 500 of his hard-earned Tech Points had vanished in an instant. "Though, my hard-earned points disappeared like a bubble," he sighed, his shoulders slumping. "Let's just check out each one."
He opened the Technology Shop, and his jaw nearly hit the ground. The sheer volume of knowledge and blueprints available was overwhelming. The shop was divided into categories, each offering packages that spanned different eras of technological advancement. Luke skimmed through the options:
Technology Shop - Early Medieval Era
I. Welfare & Agriculture:
Primitive Survival Package (100 Tech Points): Basic fire starting, rudimentary tool making, hunting and gathering techniques, edible plant knowledge, and basic first aid.
Neolithic Revolution Package (225 Tech Points): Early farming techniques, domestication of animals, pottery, and weaving.
Bronze Age Agriculture Package (450 Tech Points): Bronze tools for farming, irrigation techniques, advanced animal husbandry, and fruit tree cultivation.
Iron Age Agriculture Package (750 Tech Points): Iron plows, improved irrigation systems, advanced crop rotation, and efficient harvesting tools.
Early Medieval Agriculture Package (1200 Tech Points): Three-field system, heavy plows, improved horse harnesses, watermills, and windmills.
II. Combat & Warfare:
Primitive Warfare Package (100 Tech Points): Basic weapon crafting, rudimentary shields, hunting traps, and ambush tactics.
Bronze Age Warfare Package (300 Tech Points): Bronze weapons and armor, chariot warfare, and basic siege tactics.
Iron Age Warfare Package (500 Tech Points): Iron weapons and armor, cavalry tactics, and improved siege weaponry.
Early Medieval Warfare Package (900 Tech Points): Formation tactics, trebuchets, and castle development.
III. Industrialization & Craftsmanship:
Primitive Crafting Package (75 Tech Points): Basic pottery, weaving, woodworking, and bone carving.
Bronze Age Crafting Package (250 Tech Points): Bronze metallurgy, improved pottery wheels, advanced weaving, and early carpentry.
Iron Age Crafting Package (400 Tech Points): Ironworking, advanced pottery techniques, and sophisticated carpentry.
Early Medieval Crafting Package (700 Tech Points): Steel production, stained glass, and complex textile production.
IV. Early Transportation:
Primitive Transportation Package (70 Tech Points): Basic rafts and canoes.
Bronze Age Transportation Package (150 Tech Points): Wheeled carts, wagons, and sailboats.
Iron Age Transportation Package (300 Tech Points): Chariots, improved roads, and galleys.
Early Medieval Transportation Package (500 Tech Points): Improved roads, bridges, and larger sailing ships.
V. Construction Techniques & Blueprints:
Primitive Construction Package (50 Tech Points): Lean-tos, pit houses, and basic joinery.
Bronze Age Construction Package (300 Tech Points): Mudbrick and early stone construction.
Iron Age Construction Package (500 Tech Points): Ashlar masonry, concrete, and advanced arches.
Early Medieval Construction Package (900 Tech Points): Romanesque architecture, improved concrete, and advanced plumbing.
Special Offers:
Complete Bronze Age Package (1000 Tech Points): All Bronze Age technologies and blueprints.
Complete Iron Age Package (2000 Tech Points): All Iron Age technologies and blueprints.
Luke stared at the prices, his excitement quickly turning to dismay. "WHAAT?? I could never afford that!" he groaned, slumping to the ground. The sheer cost of the packages was staggering. He had barely scraped together 768 Tech Points, and now he was staring at options that cost thousands.
The system chimed in, its voice calm and reassuring.
[Take it easy, Host. If you build infrastructure that improves the living conditions of the village, you'll gain more Tech Points daily income.]
Luke sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah, you're right. I need to focus on what I can do now, not what I can't afford yet."