DAY 17
Gobjii, wake up.
What is it?
Something awful happened.
Unbelievable. All the human women...
They probably did it because they had lost all hope.
After they they took a poison that let them pass peacefully in their sleep,
Gobjii and I had a quiet memorial for them.
DAY 26
You're falling behind, Gobe!
I dunno whacha want me to say to that!
A few days passed, and I had begun training the goblins from my generation.
While doing that, I also ate any promising enemies I could find
to learn a lot of new abilities.
Someone's coming.
Right.
They look like goblins, but...
H-Hang on!
They're our raiders!
Raiders?
Basically, they're the fathers of your generation!
It's good to see you back, Hobken!
And with such a promising haul, too!
Those are... humans, right?
They look so lively!
The last batch you captured are gone, so this works out nicely.
Goblin DNA is so strong
that when they mate with other species, it still results in goblin children.
I can understand the instinct to reproduce...
But that doesn't mean I feel great about it.
Is it alright if I look after these human women?
Who the hell are you?!
Newborn little punk!
Gobrou!
Oh, dear...
Okay, both sides, settle down.
We'd appreciate not getting dragged into a civil war.
Seriously! Those are so annoying.
Who are they?
That's Hobsato and the mage, Hobsei.
Why don't the leaders of our respective generations fight,
and then the winner decides what the village is gonna do from now on?
No weapons allowed, of course.
Fine by me. This little punk needs to be taught a lesson.
I'm good with that.
It's settled then.
What the hell is this string?!
Looks like the lesson's been taught.
Gobrou, where were you hiding all that?!
It's not a weapon, okay?
My body makes it, so it's like spit.
Good thing I learned how to produce spider silk from that demon spider.
Impressive.
I'm surprised to see someone like that was born while we were away from the village.
That makes me officially the leader of this village. Any problems?
Fine...
We get it.
I've told the others they're not to lay a hand on you.
I don't intend on doing anything either, and I'll make sure you're looked after.
We'll see about you getting back to a human village someday, too.
Excuse me...
Then, what do we have to do?
I wasn't being completely selfless in saving them.
Because...
Nothing special.
I just want your human knowledge.
It turns out they were part of a traveling business
when the older goblins attacked them.
The men were slaughtered,
and these five were the only survivors.
DAY 28
Good morning!
Hey, good morning...
Hey, good morning... - I think it's less that they've gotten over it,
I think it's less that they've gotten over it,
and more like they realize a positive attitude will make things easier.
and more like they realize a positive attitude will make things easier. - Thank you.
and more like they realize a positive attitude will make things easier.
I tried cooking for them with the ingredients and utensils
that were among the plunder.
You need food to live,
and the better it is, the more it can act like a balm for your feelings.
Humans don't evolve the way we do, but in exchange, they seem to have a variety of jobs.
The absent-minded girl is an appraiser and a smith.
Both of the sisters are cooks as well as tailors.
And the girl in glasses is supposedly an alchemist.
The plucky redhead who greeted me in the morning
seems to be a rookie warrior...
But she's not a lot of help right now, so I'll have her join us for training later on.
Age doesn't matter! From here on, this is a meritocracy!
C-Can't keep going...
What's wrong?! Did you survive this long on pure luck?!
Say what?!
You little shit!
For the next few days, instead of hunting, I focused on group exercises
along with having them learn the rules I set.
DAY 31
It was a rainy day...
Gobkichi and I were doing some serious sparring.
Not bad, Gobkichi!
Are you done?!
Not yet!
Come on, Gobrou!
That's more like it!
It happened after nightfall.
You sure about this?
We've got five fine pieces like that,
and we're supposed to sit back and do nothing?
They're fast asleep.
You should be, too.
I told you to keep your hands off them the other day.
You just don't get it, kid...
You don't get how sweet a human woman really is—
Sorry for the scare.
What's the noise about?!
Good timing. Gobkichi, drag these guys outside.
O-Okay.
Gobmi, wake the others and have them gather around.
They need to see what I'm about to do.
Now then, everyone, do you understand our village's rules?
Okay, dismissed!
I stopped just short of killing him,
which meant that Hobken, who got the worst punishment,
passed away the next morning.
DAY 32
Those scales are sturdy!
Gobkichi!
Right!
The tri-horn horse was tough to take down.
But that also meant...
YOU HAVE LEARNED THE ABILITY [SCALE DRIVE] - Scale Drive. Scaled Horse's Cry. Quick Healing.
Scale Drive. Scaled Horse's Cry. Quick Healing.
YOU HAVE LEARNED THE ABILITY - Scale Drive. Scaled Horse's Cry. Quick Healing.
Scale Drive. Scaled Horse's Cry. Quick Healing.
YOU HAVE LEARNED THE ABILITY [QUICK HEALING] - Scale Drive. Scaled Horse's
Scale Drive. Scaled Horse's Cry. Quick Healing. - Oh, damn!
Cry. Quick Healing.
Oh, damn! - Kick Proficiency. Pierce Proficiency Up. Triple Thrust.
YOU HAVE LEARNED [KICK PROFICIENCY] - Kick Proficiency. Pierce Proficiency Up. Triple Thrust.
YOU HAVE LEARNED [PIERCE PROFICIENCY UP] - Kick Proficiency. Pierce Proficiency Up.
Triple Thrust.
Kick Proficiency. Pierce Proficiency Up. Triple Thrust.
YOU HAVE LEARNED THE ABILITY [TRIPLE THRUST] - Kick Proficiency. Pierce
Proficiency Up. Triple Thrust.
Triple Thrust.
I don't know how, but a single strike with it results in three blows.
That just goes to show how dangerous the tri-horn horse was.
Last night must've been really scary for her.
So, I ended up spending the night with the red, short-haired girl.
DAY 33
When I woke up, I saw that Gobmi had climbed into my bed on the opposite side.
My arms were aching for a while from both of them sleeping on them.
Gobe...?
What a shock, am I right?
Gobe had been carrying our gear lately,
and at some point evolved into a hobgoblin herself.
The training's been going great. Gobkichi is the captain of our armored fighters.
Gobmi runs the ranged unit.
Hobsato handles the mobility-oriented, lightly-armored force.
Gobe has taken over rear support, which mostly consists of assorted chores.
And the village's only mage, Hobsei,
would be acting as the captain of our magic force...
But right now, she's an army of one.
That day, I decided to leave the training to the assorted captains,
while I went deeper into the woods to hunt a variety of prey.
It's worth a shot.
Phase 1 Demise Magic... Gáe Derg!
I might have gotten a little cocky after using attack magic for the first time.
I went further north into the forest.
I've walked a long way.
That's when I remembered...
Now, listen up, children...
Do not, and I mean never, enter the northern woods.
Deep in there lives a massive, crimson creature called the red bear!
That's right... This is deep in the northern woods, like he said.
A tri-horn horse's armor is so hard for us to pierce, and yet...
That's the red bear!
Anyone rational being would probably have run already.
But I...
I find myself thinking up a plan to take this thing down.
I want to fight it. Beat it. And eat it.
I could feel my instincts urging me on...
Phase 1 Demise Magic: Gáe Derg.
Which is why I will use everything I have to bring it down!
What's up, Gobmi?
Gobrou hasn't come back yet.
Now that you mention it, I ain't seen him.
Gimme a sec. I'll ask the others.
No. I haven't seen him. I've been training all day.
I dunno. But Gobrou's so strong, he's probably fine, right?
I've been reading this magic book all day.
And there you have it.
Thanks, anyway.
He...
He sacrificed his right arm to defend against that spell!
Talk about sharp instincts!
And those claws...
I don't think the Refined Scale Armor I got from the tri-horn horse will help!
In that case...
Even tougher than I imagined!
How about this?!
Whoa!
That must have been 2,000 degrees...
I never saw or even heard of a fire-breathing bear in my past life.
I'm gonna have to be willing to take some damage to get this done.
Here I come!
Alright, let's see that fire!
You might be sturdy on the outside...
But how about the inside of your mouth?!
We'll call that round a draw.
My blade's still inside his mouth.
He won't be able to breathe fire again.
That's a hell of a roar.
Most living things would freeze up at the sound of it...
There's no sign of it collapsing, but if I take one more attack, I'm likely to die.
I'm at a huge disadvantage here...
But that'll just make the meal taste better!
I'm hungry!
I...
want to...
eat you!
DAY 34
I won... I guess.
YOU HAVE LEARNED THE ABILITY [HEAVY DAMAGE]
YOU HAVE LEARNED THE ABILITY [HEAVY DAMAGE] - Heavy Damage. Overpowering Strength.
Heavy Damage. Overpowering Strength.
YOU HAVE LEARNED THE ABILITY [OVERPOWERING STRENGTH] - Heavy Damage. Overpowering Strength.
LEVEL VALUES EXCEEDED
NOW THAT THE SPECIAL CONDITIONS [MURDERER OF CHAMPIONS] [CONQUEROR'S POSTURE] [GOD]
[EVOLUTIONARY ADVANCE] INTO [RARE OGRE SPECIES] NOW POSSIBLE.
[EVOLUTIONARY ADVANCE] INTO [RARE OGRE SPECIES] NOW POSSIBLE. - As my
consciousness was fading...
[EVOLUTIONARY ADVANCE] INTO [RARE OGRE SPECIES] NOW POSSIBLE. - I selected yes.
WILL YOU [EVOLVE] NOW? - I selected yes.
WILL YOU [EVOLVE] NOW?
DAY 35
So hungry...
YOU HAVE LEARNED THE ABILITY [MOUNTAIN LORD] - Howl of the Mountain Lord.
Threatening Glint. All Tolerance.
Howl of the Mountain Lord. Threatening Glint. All Tolerance.
YOU HAVE LEARNED THE ABILITY [THREATENING GLINT] - Howl of the Mountain Lord.
Threatening Glint. All Tolerance.
Howl of the Mountain Lord. Threatening Glint. All Tolerance.
YOU HAVE LEARNED THE ABILITY [ALL TOLERANCE] - Howl of the Mountain Lord.
Threatening Glint. All Tolerance.
Oh, yeah... I should get it's pelt.
Huh. Was this knife always so small?
I think... I'm an ogre now.
I-It's an ogre attack!
Everybody, get out here!
Get him before he gets us!
Uh, actually...
He's smiling!
Why is Gobrou missing at a time like this?!
Gobrou?!
Yeah. Uh... I'm back—
Where have you been, you jerk?!
Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow...
You have no idea how worried I was!
You're absolutely right.
And what happened to your left arm?!
You really are amazing, Gobrou!
I seriously can't believe it.
The red bear's supposed to be able to kill and eat ogres...
In the month since you were born, you've defeated the master of the northern woods,
and evolved into a ogre...
Gobmi chewed me out for a while, and then came the questions from everyone else.
But... I managed to survive, and make it home.
To this place, where my second life began.
NEXT TIME: