Goblin Workshop In Me

68. Advance

“Stop it… Stop it! Keeek!”

Dorma sat down and clutched his head. His eyes turned upside down, and his mouth screamed constantly. However, there was another real problem. His Karma and strength mixed and erupted out at random. He looked like a dam that was about to collapse.

‘He’s dangerous!’

He detected the instinctive threat. His uncontrolled power would do great harm not only to Dorma but to the people around him as well. Moreover, they were inside a building that could collapse.

“Lord, back off!”

“Doran! Wait–”

Without any time to stop her, Doran rushed in. She swung her sword, closing their distance in an instant. She used its side, not the blade.

“Ugh! Ugh!”

However, she couldn’t even reach Dorma, who was engulfed in black smoke. In a short second, Dorma released a chunk of black Karma in all directions, and Doran was caught up in it helplessly.

She flew back and rolled several times on the floor. Her entire body was full of abrasions. She tried to lift herself up with her sword as a cane. Suddenly, in the blink of an eye, Dorma moved to Doran’s side. His eyes were bright red.

“Madmut. Madmut!”

“What are you going to do…?”

“Dorma! No! Don’t do it!”

“Kyaaah!”

Dark waves poured out of Dorma’s palm and hit Doran. She was unable to escape and received the pouring torrent with her whole body.

Doran’s body, covered with her own blood, suddenly floated into the air. Dorma grabbed her neck with an invisible hand and lifted her higher. Dark matter began to form in his other hand.

“Hey, dude!”

Ko Byeong-gap immediately showed up.

“…”

Dorma turned his head and looked at Ko Byeong-gap with his bloodshot eyes.

“Madmut?”

“What the hell are you talking about? Wake up!”

“Madmut!”

The generated dark matter flew to Ko Byeong-gap. He immediately let out his strength and reinforced his body. The black waves swept throughout his body, and it felt as if thousands of knives slashed through his body.

If it weren’t for its strength, it would’ve been a fierce attack that separated his bones from his flesh.

“Ugh!”

Ko Byeong-gap swallowed a groan and stepped forward. He could simply avoid the attack, but the building would be in danger if he didn’t act as a shield, and the three of them could be buried alive.

He clenched his teeth and stepped on the ground like a mountain climber. The distance between Dorma and Ko Byeong-gap gradually grew closer, and finally, Ko Byeong-gap grabbed Dorma’s arm.

“Madmu–”

“You son of a bitch! Don’t you recognize me?”

He pulled his arm and punched Dorma in the abdomen with his other fist.

“Gasp… Gasp!”

Even though he controlled his strength, it was a huge shock. Dorma was completely sobered and turned forward. After a while, his eyes relaxed, and then he fainted.

“Agh!”

Doran, who floated in the air, collapsed. Ko Byeong-gap quickly checked her condition. Looking at her blue complexion, she seemed to have suffocated for quite a while. The degree of trauma was also severe.

“Cough! Ack! Cough!”

“It’s okay. It’s okay. It’s over now.”

“Lo… Lord. Blood…”

“Don’t worry. I’m fine. So focus on recovering yourself.”

“Yes…”

Ko Byeong-gap fed Doran and Dorma the potion he had brought beforehand and drunk a little himself. After that, he grabbed Dorma, who had fallen, and laid him down next to Doran.

“I’ll take care of him, and…”

He got up and turned his head away. There was a slab of slate positioned to where he looked. It was the reason why Dorma became so violent.

“Don’t ever come near it.”

“Oh, I see.”

He approached the stone. As expected, there was something engraved on it.

‘What the hell did Dorma read to lose his mind?’

He took a deep breath, grasped his mind and body, and read the writing. The stone plate, which was about a meter high, was severely damaged. It was broken in several places, and some were hardly recognizable. Still, he read what he could.

– Many people died. Even Philosodam has fallen. Valtadren here is the last bastion. There is no place to retreat to or hide in anymore.

– When the sixth was killed, the seventh holy warrior appeared. The giant causes thunder and earthquakes. Both Trovatin, Tarantera, and Parpafan died, and we shed too much blood.

– All the races with whom we were once with have turned their backs. They are callous, thankless, and shortsighted. It is a lamentable thing to say that they had been blinded by fear and cannot see an inch ahead.

– The seventh holy warrior, Al-Sharon, had been defeated, but the cost was high. All of Ashvilam’s generals are dead. Landreal is in critical condition, so we may have lost our focus.

– Madmut descended from the sky. Rendriol slaughtered his own people to perform ancestral rites and set an example. Nevertheless, all that was heard were screams.

– Madmut says that we were ‘Goblins.’ Rendriol appealed. How were we ‘Goblins’? If it’s the ‘Goblins’ who wished for order on earth, did that mean that all things on earth were born to hate each other and were destined to fight?

– Madmut was outraged. What capacity did we have to set the standard of order? Besides, impersonating God was spiteful to him!

– Landreal was determined. We will not stop fighting.

– Madmut replied. You will perish.

– Madmut ascended to heaven again. After that, no more fighting took place, but the price of God’s wrath was terrible. We were cursed.

– The women disappeared. Both the girl infants and their mothers disappear when the sun sets and rises. The queen disappeared a few days ago. Landreal is in a state of great grief and is completely out of food and beverage.

– Maybe we were ‘Goblins.’

“…”

Like a diary or an essay, the texts were listed by time. There was more content at the bottom, but he couldn’t read it because it was torn off.

‘What the hell is this…’

Ko Byeong-gap didn’t fully understand the whole story. He understood the context to some extent in conjunction with the knowledge he had already known.

‘Is Madmut the name of the son of a bitch that cursed them?’

The name that Kiriyan muttered in the past and the one Dorma screamed that day was Madmut, which was the name of a god. Considering he started a turmoil with just the mere mention of his name, he was indescribably evil.

Ko Byeong-gap glanced at Dorma with a solemn heart. He frowned as if he was having nightmares.

‘By the way, what did they mean that they were Goblins?’

He skimmed through the paragraph again, tilting his head as he read. No matter how many times he looked at it, the phrase didn’t change.

“Goblin? What do you mean, Goblin? How are they Goblin…? Now, wait a minute. Goblin?”

Ko Byeong-gap, who had been muttering for a long time, was shocked as if a hammer had hit him because the meaning behind the word ‘Goblin’ finally came to him. No, it wasn’t hidden. It had faded over time.

He didn’t even know how he came up with it. However, when he looked at the lithograph again, he could read the sentences naturally.

“Landreal appealed. We were really arrogant… That’s what they’re saying.”

Goblin meant arrogance.

***

“Ugh…”

“Are you out of your mind?”

“Oh my God, Lord. What’s this?”

Dorma, who was on Ko Byeong-gap’s back, opened his eyes. He didn’t seem to understand the current situation.

“Please, let me off. I’ll go on my own.”

“It’s alright, dude. Just be on my back.”

Ko Byeong-gap quickly answered while he stretched his legs. Dorma looked as if he was just going to die. He groaned and touched his forehead.

“Ugh…! Did I lose consciousness?”

“Don’t you remember?”

“… I remember going into the temple, but after that… Ugh!”

‘He doesn’t remember?’

Ko Byeong-gap gulped. He feared that Dorma would explode again if he asked. At that time, Doran spoke and stared at Dorma with a disapproving face.

“Hey! Don’t you see the blood on Lord’s clothes? You’re the reason why Lord…”

“Hey, Doran! Be quiet!”

“Hmp!” He screamed to shut Doran’s mouth.

Dorma seemed to have sensed the low atmosphere.

“Oh no, did I do something rude to Lord?”

“No, it’s not like that.”

“L-Lord… Are you angry?”

“It’s okay. Both of you, don’t say anything. It’s late. Let’s go.”

They waited for Dorma to wake up, so the time was delayed. Ko Byeong-gap increased his speed. When the sun had set and the darkness had fallen, they were able to reach Somnium safely. The Goblins immediately flocked to the wall when they heard that their Lord had returned.

“Lord, are you back?”

“Oh, Gobung. How’s everything?”

“Yes! Nothing. Nothing happened.”

“That’s a relief.”

“Ah, by the way… Lord, your clothes…”

Ko Byeong-gap was disheveled. His clothes were torn because Dorma’s attack went directly to his body, and there was a lot of blood on it. He waved his hands as if it was nothing.

“This is nothing. By the way, did you guys eat yet?”

“Oh, yeah. Just now. We ate.”

“That’s great. Tell everyone to gather in front of the clock tower.”

“Now. You mean?”

“Yes.”

He assembled the Goblins in front of the clock tower. There were 1,500 of them, so it was magnificent to see them sit down together.

“Except for the guards. We’re all here.”

Gobung identified and reported the number of people to Ko Byeong-gap. He nodded satisfactorily and asked, “Gobung, have you finished all the work for the recruits?”

The work he referred to was to give the recruits their potions and textbooks. That was the first thing the Goblins had to work on after they entered Ashvilam.

“Yes, I’m done!”

“Did you run out of potions and textbooks? I bought a lot.”

“It wasn’t enough. It wasn’t. It was little. There’s no more left.”

“Really? I’ll buy some when I go tomorrow.”

When Ko Byeong-gap talked to himself, Gobung was surprised.

“Oh?! Tomorrow. Are you going?”

“Well… I’ve decided to.”

“Really…? You are…?”

He must’ve felt sad to be left behind. Ko Byeong-gap smiled and patted Gobung on the shoulder. He then stepped forward and spoke to the Goblins.

“Can you all hear me?”

“Yes! We can hear you!”

“Ah, noisy! Don’t answer me. Listen! Listen!”

“Hm!”

The Goblins immediately shut their mouths at their Lord’s command. They didn’t gather to play 20 questions, so Ko Byeong-gap brought up the point right away.

“Everyone, focus. I’ll leave Somnium as soon as the sun rises tomorrow.”

“Hm?!”

“I’ll tell you the code of conduct from now on, so listen carefully to those who are supposed to go with me.”

Ko Byeong-gap’s voice echoed in the wide field for a while.

***

The morning dawned on Somnium. Normally, it was time to wake up, but the Goblins had been busy for a long time already. They gathered all their belongings that had been sorted and organized in advance. Some carried a large backpack, and some packed a bag.

There were exactly 1,549 Goblins there. Among them, 524 would remain in Somnium, while the remaining 1,025 would go on the road with Ko Byeong-gap.

After they finished their last meal in Somnium, the Goblins gathered at the gate. Their faces were filled with tension and anticipation at the same time.

Ko Byeong-gap told Gobung some precautions before leaving. At a glance, his expression was sullen.

“Ah, don’t be so sad. I’m not leaving you at all.”

“Yes… I know…”

“And I’m going to visit Somnium often for the next month or two. I have to make a way up the mountain.”

“Oh, really? By the way. Up the mountain. What do you mean?”

“I’m going to make a road for cars.”

“Oh, oh!”

“We are looking for a means of long-distance communication, so please wait a little longer.”

“Yes, I understand!”

“Oh, by the way, don’t forget what I told you, and please stay healthy.”

“I’ll keep that in mind! Lord, too. Stay healthy!”

“Okay.”

Ko Byeong-gap patted Gobung on the back and moved to the front of the long parade. He then shouted at the Goblins.

“If you go down the mountain, you’ll soon get to your new nest. Even if the march is tough, I hope everyone follows suit!”

“Yes, sir!”

“If you’re sick or ill, tell me now!”

“…”

“You’re sure none of you are sick?”

“Yes, we’re not!”

“Alright, open the gates!”

“Open the gates!”

A Beast Goblin, who guarded the gate, opened the door. The semicircular door opened wide.

“Let’s go!”

Ko Byeong-gap took the lead and led the caravan. The Goblins walked through the gates and kept their senses sharp. The gates were closed again when all the last men had walked out.

It was then…

“All of you! Attention!”

A loud voice was heard from above the wall. Ko Byeong-gap looked at it in surprise. All the Goblins of Somnium were up on the walls and looked down their way. Gobung shouted from above the wall.

“Dear Lord! Farewell!”

“Stay healthy!”

“Stay healthy, Lord!”

“We’ll miss you!”

Those in the mountain bid them farewell. Ko Byeong-gap’s eyes widened significantly.

“Don’t yell at me because I’m leaving, boys. Anyway, they won’t listen.”

The corners of his lips rose as he murmured. Ko Byeong-gap shouted, feeling his heart warm up.

“What are you staring at? Come on, let’s go!”

“Yes, sir!”

The caravan moved toward Valtadren, which was the name of the olden city, Ashvilam’s second stronghold.