A Glimpse of Hope

"Your legs will function normally within five minutes, during that time I will heal your subordinates. Not many survived, but from what I can tell, about five of them are still hanging on, albeit in a half-dead state."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I had been instructed to take the dungeon core, escape, and become a dungeon master. And now, I was being told that some of my comrades had survived, and the orc shaman would heal them.

"Why don't you take the dungeon core and leave? I don't understand why it has to be me. Yes, I may be smart for a goblin, but that only holds true within the context of goblinkind. I don't think I will even be capable of escaping this place," I questioned, my curiosity getting the better of me. He was undoubtedly stronger than me, so why choose me for this task?

In response, he smiled, the madness fading from his eyes as he adopted the expression of a loving father. "You see, no parent should outlive their child. I have already lost one, and I don't want to witness another leaving this world before me. I want to be there with him. I am just a selfish parent. As you can see, with my healing spells, I won't let them kill him until there is even a drop of mana left in my veins."

Pausing for a moment, he looked at the goblin he had just healed before shifting his gaze back to me. "You are right, it will be hard for you. But during the few years you have spent in this dungeon, I have witnessed your cunningness, your intelligence, and above all... your love for your army. Though you did not mourn their deaths like humans would, you are different. They are your soldiers, and while some casualties are to be expected in battle, you have always taken care of them and aided them when problems arose. You possess the mind and heart of a ruler, someone who is benevolent to their own people and a menace to their enemies."

His words left me stunned, unable to formulate an immediate response. However, a profound sense of gratitude welled up within me. I wanted to live up to his expectations. Gazing at my five subordinates, who were now restored to full health, I spoke.

"I am relieved to see that you are alive. Our mission is to escape this dungeon, and for that, we need to acquire the best equipment we can find. Begin looting, but remember, you have five minutes before we make our departure."

I looked back at Mur'ghak, thanking him for his assistance. "Thank you for everything. I hope you exact a heavy toll upon our enemies."

He began walking back towards the core room, where the relentless sounds of battle still reverberated. Just before he disappeared from view, he tossed something towards me.

"Don't worry, I will ensure they understand the consequences of attacking alongside those traitors. The ring contains a healing spell imbued within it. Though it may be nearly useless to you, as you cannot use mana, I have charged it with enough power for three uses. Once it is depleted, find a magician. Oh, and if you manage to establish a dungeon, either annihilate or enslave the beastkin. Make them suffer!"

With those final words, he hastened toward the core room. From where I stood, I could hear the bellowing roars of the beastkin and the dwarfs cursing amidst the chaos.

Glancing at my subordinates, three females and two males, I quickly assessed the situation. It was clear that the survival of the females could be attributed to their intuition, while the males had managed to endure thanks to their robust bodies and sheer luck.

"Krishna, go ahead and scout the area. Check if any of the traps are still active and see if the humans have left anyone to guard the exit. We will rendezvous near the secret passage," I ordered, singling out the smallest goblin among them. Her agility and ability to move silently made her the perfect choice for the task. If I didn't know any better, I might have mistaken her for a trained assassin.

"Right away, boss," she responded with her usual cheerful demeanor before swiftly departing.

I could sense the gaze of my remaining subordinates, filled with anticipation. As I turned to meet their eyes, I could see Turag staring at me, his gaze ablaze with fighting spirit. If I didn't know any better, I would have mistaken him for a half-orc or a hobgoblin, given his towering height of 1.8 meters and bulging muscles. He was a typical muscle-bound warrior, driven by the desire for combat and nothing else.

"Don't worry. Even as we escape, there will be formidable opponents for you to face," I assured him, though it wasn't the answer he had hoped for.

His eyes practically screamed, "I want to fight that shiny guy." But sadly, that was an impossible feat. The shiny bastard was far too powerful, and I made sure Turag understood that.

"You witnessed how that shiny bastard effortlessly slew us all, didn't you? It was because he possessed magic, something we lack. Without magic, you will never be able to defeat him," I explained. Turag responded defiantly, saying, "Then I will learn magic and beat him at his own game." His response was nothing more than childish thinking, as someone like him, a muscle-bound brute, would never possess the ability to wield magic.

Nevertheless, I allowed him to harbor his illusions and we continued onward towards the secret passage, where Krishna was already waiting for us.

"As swift as ever, I see," I commented with a hint of admiration.