Demon King Kyuse Descends! (3)

My heart was pounding furiously. It felt like it might burst out of my ribcage at any moment.

"…!"

Green, pudgy skin. Hairless. Just raw skin. Its height was similar to a child's, and it had a hooked nose. Five fingers, five toes.

Goblin.

Yes, it looked somewhat like a goblin.

Of course, it probably had its own name, but it looked roughly like a goblin for me. After all, I was a demon, and this was the middle world. We didn't share a language. I had no way of knowing what they called this creature in the language of this world.

So, it was just a goblin.

If I said it was a goblin, then that's what it was.

"Kek… Keukeuk…!"

The goblin was injured. Blood was oozing out. It tried to move while lying down, groaning. It seemed unaware that I was observing it.

Completely.

In a completely incapacitated state.

"…"

Could I… beat it? No. Without a doubt. I would definitely win. Just look at the basic size difference. I couldn't possibly lose. It was only the size of a child.

I couldn't lose to something like that. In a physical fight, size was crucial. Moreover, I had a deadly axe in my hand.

I would win if we fought.

Even if it had been healthy, I think I could have won. Especially now that it was injured and down. Moreover, it was an excellent situation for a surprise attack.

Should I…

Eat it?

Should I kill it with my axe, butcher it, and eat it? I was hungry. I could kill it, start a fire, and cook it. Surprisingly, thanks to Karuti, who taught me the basics of dark magic, I could start a fire with just a small amount of magic.

I could butcher it, cook, and eat the meat. The leftover meat would be great if smoked.

"Kegok…"

The creature continued to groan in its injured state. If I attacked decisively, I would surely win.

Gulp.

I swallowed my saliva.

I had never tried it before, and I don't particularly want to resort to such violence… but if it was for survival. If it was to stay alive. I'd eat a goblin or whatever it was. But wait, was it poisonous? Ah, damn it! Thinking about poison really curbed the appetite!

Anyway!

From now on… I should begin with the suffering, groaning goblin!

Here I go!

Swoosh.

The moment I took a careful step forward,

Flash!

It felt like being struck by lightning. A powerful insight surged through me!

"…!"

A strong intuition.

It was about dark magic. I had learned from Karuti the essential and fundamental dark magics that a demon should possess.

And among them was a spell to dominate monsters.

Naturally, as Karuti once said, such domination spells tended to work better on creatures in a weakened state.

"Demon King!"

Killing and eating the goblin here would be… a lowly tactic!

I should test the dark magic I possessed. I still had a bit of magical energy left in me. I could at least use it once. In that case, I should try the spell first, and, if it failed, I could revert back to Plan A.

If I succeeded…

I could command this goblin. Even if it was injured, wasn't it Karuti who said that a demon's magical energy could heal monsters? I believed she did. I was not sure to what extent it would heal, but any amount of healing was a good thing.

Good.

I had changed my mind.

Step by step.

I bravely moved forward.

"Kereuk…?"

The goblin weakly raised its head to look at me.

Whoosh!

Like a panther, I lunged at it, taking it by surprise!

"Kereuk?!"

"Let's see that back of yours!"

"Kereu-euk!"

I sat on the creature's back as if mounting it, grabbed its wrists, and pulled them back!

Flail!

The goblin flailed, but it was already pinned beneath me, unable to move. There was a fundamental difference in our strengths, little guy! You couldn't defeat me!

"Kereuk! Kereu-euk!"

"Stay still! Unless you want it to hurt more!"

"Kereu-euk!"

"I said stay still! Ugh!"

Slap!

"Kahak!"

Spreading my hand wide, I delivered a slap to its temple, momentarily stunning it. Good!

"Initiate dark magic!"

Basic Dark Magic Chapter 1!

Monster Domination Spell!

Goooo…!

The magical energy within me stirred! I channeled the power spreading from my heart to my right hand and focused! The rituals and sensations Karuti taught me!

Recalling them… I completed the spell!

"Be dominated, Goblin!"

"Kehuk…!"

As I activated the initial chant, at the peak of my concentration,

Zzziiing…!

A bead-like dark energy formed at the tip of my index finger! Good! So far, so good! Now, all I needed to do was inject this into the goblin!

"Injecttttttttttt!"

I immediately placed the tip on the back of the goblin's head.

Chooong.

The bead-like dark energy seemed to melt into the goblin's skin, being absorbed into its body.

"Kereu-euk…!"

The goblin reacted as if it had been struck by lightning. After seeing that, I immediately got off its back.

"Kehuk…!"

It trembled as if it had been electrocuted and then collapsed.

It slumped down.

"Was it a success…?"

I couldn't tell if it was a success or a failure. After all, this was my first real-world application of the spell. However, I had diligently learned from Karuti. Really diligently. There was no way I could fail.

Thump thump.

Thump thump.

My heart raced.

Then…

"Kerurook…?"

The goblin lifted its head.

"Hey, hey? Are you coming to? Wake up."

"Kerook?"

As our gazes met, the goblin stared into my eyes and…

Swoosh.

Tried to muster the strength to stand up.

Was this… coincidence? Or was it following my command?

I should figure it out by giving another command. Considering it was injured, let's have it lie back down.

"Hey, wait. Don't stand up. Lie back down."

"Ke, kerook-kerook…"

Once again…

The goblin, as instructed, stopped trying to stand and laid back down, all the while maintaining eye contact with me.

Yes!

"Ye, yes! I did it!"

It was obeying my commands!

Swish.

Then, a black dot appeared in the center of the goblin's forehead. Instinctively, I knew. That was my mark. My domination spell had taken hold of it…!

"Thrill!"

A thrill, an extreme euphoria!

Immense joy!

"Oh, ohh…!"

I knelt on the spot, spreading my arms, and let out a roar.

"Oooooooooooooooooo!!"

I did it, damn it!

I succeeded!

I dominated the goblin!

"But, is this guy seriously about to die on me?"

Although I was pleased that the domination spell worked, it seemed too frail… Wait!

"Ah!"

Surprisingly, the goblin's wounds were healing gradually! And at a speed noticeable to my eyes! Could it be? Because goblins are weaker monsters, even my minuscule magic was able to heal them?

If that was the case, if I recovered a bit more of my magic and cast a healing spell… its wounds would completely heal!

"Now's not the time for this!"

If my domination spell worked, then this wasn't just a regular goblin anymore; it was my first subordinate! I should take precious care of it!

"Kerek?!"

I immediately picked up the goblin and dashed off.

"Let's go! To my hideout!"

Once back at the hideout, I tended to the goblin as if it were a baby.

"Hey. Hey. Yeah. Drink water. Water. Slowly. Don't choke."

In the cramped space of the hideout, I propped up its head and carefully poured water into its mouth from a flask. It felt like feeding baby formula.

"Kaerook…"

The grotesquely looking goblin politely drank the water. To be honest, I was speaking kindly just because it was my subordinate, but damn, it was really ugly. What was this? Wasn't this a monster? At best, it was an extremely ugly monster. It was so ugly that there was no room to speak ill of it.

Still, this was my first subordinate.

I had to raise it well.

"Such an ugly bastard… Ah, right."

Seeing its ugly-looking face reminded me. It was native to this place. Naturally…! It would know what was edible! And what was not!

"The fruits I've gathered!"

This was an opportunity to see if the fruits were poisonous or not!

"Hey! Try eating this!"

"Kerook?"

I immediately laid the goblin down and emptied the fruits from the bag onto the floor. No, this was frustrating. I grabbed the fruits and stepped outside. When I signaled for it to follow, it did so obediently.

-Saak.

I spread out a cloth and arranged the fruits on top.

"Try the ones you can eat."

I commanded, looking straight into its eyes.

"Kerook Kerook."

Seemingly understanding, the goblin murmured.

-Wasak!

Without hesitation, it grabbed a red fruit and took a bite.

"…!"

It was edible.

It was definitely edible! That one! There was a chance it could be poisonous, or the goblin might have a tolerance to poison, but that seemed like an overthought!

That juicy pulp…!

To anyone, it looked like a fruit meant for consumption!

-Wasak, Wasak.

"Kerook Kerook."

The goblin happily devoured the fruits. One by one, each kind I had gathered.

"Oh! Wow! That too! That's also edible?"

"Keruruk."

"Right! Right! Good job! Good job! Eat more! Eat more!"

"Kerek…!"

The goblin joyfully feasted on the fruits.

This little guy was incredibly useful!

I was saved!

"Ah, right! A name!"

I needed to give it a name! It would be disgraceful to order such a splendid creature around without naming it!

"Hey, I'm gonna name you!"

"Kerook?"

I started thinking of names right away.

Goblin.

Blin.

Brin.

Bil.

Goblinil?

Goblinwon?

Linil? Linil? Linwon? Goblinwon? Goblinil? Bil?

Bril?

Buril.

"Buril?"

Buril?!

"Bu, Buril Sa! Buril Sa!"

Buril Sa!

"Buril Sa! Buril Sa! You're my subordinate, so Buril Sa! Buril Sa!"

"Kerek…?!"

"From now on, your name is Buril!"

This creature's name would be Buril from now on!

I had decided on it!

My first subordinate!!!

Buril Sa!

Now I saw why I delved into the magic symbols!

"Come here, you bastard!"

"Kerook!"

I promptly put my hand under the still fruit-eating Buril's armpit, lifted him up, and twirled him around like an airplane ride!

-Bingulbingul!

"Wahahahahaha!"

"Ke, Keruruk."

Buril laughed.

"Wahahahahaha!"

So did I.