Warmth (3)

In the middle of the night, a group of goblins were walking amidst the trees. The one leading them was the Elder. He was about to go back to report the results of his investigations.

As they traveled quite a distance, they were taking a break now. They didn't have water but still, they ate. Water isn't really badly needed for the goblins.

Unlike food which their instincts indicated as a must, water could be taken even after days of eating. Their body has a better composition than the humans and they don't need a daily intake of water, which is the reason why despite them being weak, they still hold an advantage over most races.

Other humanoid monsters are stronger than the likes of goblins. Orcs which boasts an extreme physical strength, ogre who could smash a goblin's head with a finger, trolls with their vitality…All of them could easily kill a goblin.

However…The goblin's body poses the greatest potential. The strength of other monsters all tilt in a certain direction. It means that there are weaknesses common in their race, one that even the strongest of them can't hide.

If ogres were faced with flying magicians, they can't do anything. Their brains can't even help them. But despite that, the goblins are considered the weakest in the category of humanoid monsters.

The reason being is that the goblins could never bask in the light of glory. They started too weak before they could show off their potential, ending their lives early.

A human once said something about the bodies of goblins…A body that is designed for fighting! But one could only guess why they, the goblins, have been considered weak and only seen as a lowest of the lowest kind of monster.

As the Elder was quietly eating with his back against a tree, the goblins who went with him as his subordinates came up to him. Needless to say, the normal goblins couldn't speak. It seems like the only time they could was when Dawn woke up after his battle with Raen. That's why…

"Gru! Gru!"

With his forefinger pointing to his back, he 'talked' with the Elder. Even though the Elder was also a normal goblin, the knowledge packed in him probably helped with his ability to speak.

The Elder just nodded his head and finished his meal. As soon as his last bite of meat finished, he stood up. With that, they ventured off to where the goblin pointed to.

****

Where the Elder was looking through was further south, he didn't have to look where they came from. That's why he decided it best to search for any disturbance in the south.

If it was in the south, the Elder knew that the ones who had the most territory there was the goblins and some others races. After all, the five great clans resided there.

So he thought that he would meet some goblins while searching but after all this time, he didn't. That's why he was confused. Even if the villages were far away from them, there should be some roaming around.

He couldn't help but think it ominous. While he was having those thoughts, he arrived at the place.

The moon was out so he could see well though it wouldn't matter to his eyes. What he saw there wasn't the same one that he saw back then. It was a creature…a living being.

What's more is that the living being is one that he hates so. No, it would be correct that all of the goblins hated them. It was the being that hunted them the most; turning them into whatever materials. It was a human!

The Elder thought.

'Why is a human here…? We are deep in the forest's territory. Why is he…?'

Of course, the Elder knew that the humans wanted the forest. He didn't know for what reasons though. He decided to calmly look over the human. For better or for worse, he was alone.

The human wore clothes the Elder couldn't recognize. He was thin but judging from his movements; he was one accustomed to the forest.

The Elder looked at the goblins and smacked his lips with his forefingers. He shushed them, to make sure they wouldn't be seen. The goblins were definitely not the brightest bunch but they got the idea.

As they looked over the human once more, they found him looking around. He twisted his head here and there as he bent his back to look forward.

The Elder was anxious about this. They moved out because they thought a monster strong enough to threaten the king was there but they never expected a human.

The human, seemingly having finished his goals, moved towards the darkness. The Elder moved fast, he followed the human into the woods but…

'He's not here?'

After they ran towards his direction, the human wasn't there anymore. As if he was not there at all, the leaves and grass had no signs of being disturbed.

The Elder thought once more.

'A human that could escape our senses…'

It could only be bad was the continuation but he didn't have time for it as he immediately signaled for his men and went his way to go back to his king's side.

****

Didi was out hunting in the woods while the sun was shining brightly in the sky. He was with his unit; a group of 40 goblins! However Didi couldn't understand why he must be leading his fellow goblins.

He was thinking about it as he sat, looking at his subordinates that were beating up a group of orcs. They only number 5 so as expected, they were brutally losing. It's not as if the orcs were weak or something like that.

They were losing only because they do not know the battlefield. The goblins under Dawn were goblins that survived in daily hunts and even the battle with Raen. One could expect that they know how to react and the strength of orcs wasn't any help.

And Didi shifted his gaze at the last orc. He was reminiscing about the past, the past of which he used to be scared of orcs. He used to be pathetic back then but he was truly glad that he survived many trials and met the king.

If it weren't for the king, the goblins in his village would have died and even the blessings of the battlefield wouldn't look at him. At this point, Didi considered his strength to be the king's.

That was why he didn't want to lead; he wanted to be in the front lines, protecting the king from danger. If he was leading another group, there's no way he could do that or so he thought.

He wanted to say something about it but he couldn't. It was after all the decision of his king; he could only abide by it.

"Chwe!"

"Graaa!"

As he was immersed in his thoughts, a ruckus started with his subordinates. Wondering what it could be, he looked up.

"What!"

Then he shoots up from his seat and rushed over to the front. He thought that there were casualties as the goblins started to faint.

He was worried because even though he didn't want to lead, these were still his cute subordinates. He didn't want any of them to die because of his selfish thoughts.

However one of the goblins stopped him. The goblin put his hands in front and waves them in front of Didi.

"Chwee!"

Didi was confused but he decided to stop. As he looked over the goblins that collapsed, soon their bodies started to shine light. As he looked at that light, Didi opened his eyes wide because he was reminded of something.

"Blessings!"

He once witnessed this phenomenon, when the king collapsed and his body received the blessings. Didi doesn't know how the blessings of the battlefield works, he knew that it gave the goblins blessings but that was it, nothing more nothing less.

So he was curious about it. He wanted to see it for himself the process and how it took place. One time, he also wondered about 'who' was the blessings of the battlefield but of course, it's not like the answer will come even if he thinks about it.

Even though Didi was burning with desire to watch this event, he still remembered where he was and so he gave orders.

"Watch the area and guard our brothers!"

The goblins soon moved as instructed. They spread out with Didi as the center.

The most critical moment for a goblin would probably be when they were receiving the blessings. They don't have consciousness at the moment and it occurs after a fight. If the blessings were given while another enemy walked in, king or not, the goblin will die.

And so, after some time, the light faded and the body showed off its brilliance. They didn't receive a big change so Didi was able to properly guess that what they received was probably middle-rank or high-rank.

They didn't wake up yet so Didi decided to let them rest. As soon as he was about to order to tighten the guard, something has spoken to him. No, it wasn't a voice but something far deeper in his mind.

[The blessings of the battlefield is looking at you with amused eyes]

[The title, Believer, will be given to the blessed]

As soon as he heard that, Didi felt something pressing down on him. Unable to stand against the pressure, he collapsed.

The goblins became frantic about him collapsing but he couldn't mind that anymore as he lost his consciousness...