The goblin tribes had always lived in fear.
Especially in winter, when food was scarce, the ogres would come.Without hesitation, they would devour goblins — their supposed 'allies' — to satisfy their endless hunger.
Even thinking about it sent chills down the spine of the goblins.
And now—
Their leader, Agu, had done something insane.
He had approached the ogres, seeking their help.
—
The large goblin standing before Agu trembled violently, his mind flashing back to scenes of blood and broken bodies.The ogres were monsters among monsters — terrifying beyond reason.
To even speak to such creatures was suicide.
Yet...
There Agu stood, unharmed.
No wounds, no missing limbs.
It was unimaginable.
The big goblin could only gaze at Agu with awe and fear, as if he were no longer of the same race.
"It's fine."Agu's voice was low and calm, seeking to steady his terrified companions.
"It's still summer. There's enough food. The ogres won't bother eating us... for now."
The elder brother, Brin, stuttered anxiously, "W-what should we do then, Agu?"
The goblin way was simple: avoid anything stronger than themselves — humans, trolls, ogres — and never provoke them unless death was certain anyway.
Normally, they would retreat, hide deeper into the forest, and wait.
But this time was different.
The human that had appeared was too dangerous.
They couldn't afford to ignore him.
"Big brother must be rescued," Agu said firmly."We must gather all our valuables, offer them to the human, and beg for Muguo's release."
Less than half a month ago, their strongest warrior, Muguo, had vanished near the forest's outer edge.Soon after, goblin refugees had fled deeper into the jungle, babbling terrifying news.
A human had appeared — a lone figure who had slaughtered ogres as easily as swatting flies.
Even now, the thought made Agu's blood run cold.
The Ji tribe had no way to fight such a being.
Facing reality, Agu had risked everything to seek an ogre's aid.
But in the end—
The ogres had laughed and turned him away.
This was the cruel truth of the world.
Two Days Later — [Fire Month] July 2nd
Deep within Tob Forest.
The dense jungle pulsed with life and unseen threats.
"Gurururururu..."
Low, growling noises echoed through the trees.
Two massive creatures, each nearly three meters tall, circled Minori.
Their powerful limbs churned the earth; their sharp, saliva-dripping fangs gleamed in the faint light filtering through the canopy.
Minori stood calmly, one hand gripping his iron sword, the other holding the unconscious goblin Muguo like a sack of potatoes.
He glanced left and right, gauging the beasts' movements.
"...Is this your territory? If I leave now, would that be acceptable?"
He asked lightly, his voice without fear.
"Graaah!"
One of the monsters roared, lowering its head threateningly.
Minori sighed.
"Guess that's a no."
The creatures resembled massive wolves at first glance — but the resemblance ended there.
They bore two thick, outward-curving horns on their skulls.Their bodies were wrapped in black chains, which shifted and coiled around them like living serpents, not hindering their speed in the slightest.
These were no simple magical beasts.
They were Evil Hounds — known by some as Dog Demons.
Vicious, cunning, and horrifyingly strong, they were among the few creatures capable of preying on ogres.
They moved faster, struck harder, and fought smarter.
Against a normal ogre, two Evil Hounds would slaughter their prey with ease.
Minori kept his breathing calm.
He had entered deeper into the jungle while expanding his hunting range, and unknowingly trespassed into these creatures' territory.
His current situation—
Was extremely dangerous.
The black chains...Minori's sharp eyes caught the way they shifted slightly with every move the beasts made.
They're not just for defense. They're weapons.
Dealing with these creatures would not be simple.
Furthermore, their bodies followed a familiar rule:
Copper skulls, iron bones... tofu waist.
Their abdomens were the weak point.But the chains wrapped tightly around them made even targeting that vulnerable spot a challenge.
"Gururu..."
One of the Evil Hounds positioned itself behind Minori, its green-brown eyes locked on him.It tensed—then leapt forward with explosive speed.
Whoosh!
The beast came at him like a charging boulder, jaws wide, aiming straight for Minori's sword arm.
The fetid stench of blood and rot filled the air.
But Minori was faster.
Without panic, he sidestepped cleanly to the left, pivoting on his heel.
Clang!
His iron sword swung in a brutal arc, colliding with the beast's horn.
The force of the blow slammed the creature's skull to the ground, gouging deep furrows into the soil.
The Evil Hound let out a pained snarl, struggling fiercely — but Minori's strength was overwhelming.
"Crunch... Creak..."
The sword blade ground against the beast's horn, sparks flying.
The monster's heavy breathing grew panicked.
It had underestimated this human.
Meanwhile—
The second Evil Hound, which had been preparing to ambush Minori from the front, hesitated.
Its companion had been pinned with a single strike.
Fear flashed through its cunning eyes.
Minori, still pressing his sword down onto the struggling hound, turned his head slightly.
His golden eyes gleamed under the hood of his black robe.
"...Not attacking?"
A faint smile crossed his lips.
"Then allow me to strike first."