Chapter 5: Goblin Camp

Chapter 5: Chapter 5: Goblin Camp

A small watchtower rose beside the camp, followed by several rough wooden huts surrounding a burning campfire at its center.

Everything was constructed within seconds.

The process resembled watching time itself accelerate.

When the trembling finally stopped, a complete goblin camp stood before him.

"...Amazing."

Even though Ragnar had seen similar construction animations countless times while playing the game, witnessing it happen in reality was an entirely different experience.

The smell of freshly cut wood filled the air.

Smoke drifted lazily upward from the campfire.

The crackling flames illuminated the wooden walls, making the entire camp feel alive.

Without wasting another second, Ragnar walked toward it.

As he approached the entrance, movement suddenly came from inside the camp.

Five figures emerged from the huts.

Each goblin stood roughly four feet tall with green skin, pointed ears, and long noses. Their physiques were thin but wiry, possessing surprising muscle despite their small size.

They wore simple leather armor stitched together from animal hides, while rusty spears rested firmly in their hands. Crude daggers hung from their waists, and each carried a small wooden shield strapped across its back.

The moment they saw Ragnar, all five goblins froze.

For an instant, neither side moved.

Then, almost simultaneously. The goblins dropped to one knee.

They lowered their heads until they nearly touched the ground.

Their spears were placed respectfully beside them as though offering complete submission.

Not a single one dared to look directly at Ragnar.

The entire camp became silent. Ragnar blinked several times.

"Oh, interesting?"

He slowly approached the kneeling goblins.

None of them showed even the slightest intention of resisting.

Instead, they remained completely still, patiently awaiting their master’s orders.

A strange feeling welled up inside Ragnar’s chest.

Back on Earth, he had never been anyone important.

He was just an ordinary man living in a rundown apartment.

No one had ever knelt before him.

No one had ever looked at him with such absolute loyalty.

Yet now, five living creatures acknowledged him as their unquestionable ruler.

Ragnar awkwardly scratched the back of his head before clearing his throat.

"So..."

He looked at the nearest goblin.

"Can you understand me?"

The goblin slowly raised its head.

Its yellow eyes stared directly at Ragnar.

"..."

It simply blinked, no answer came. He frowned slightly.

"What’s your name?"

Again... Silence.

The goblin tilted its head to one side, looking genuinely confused.

It seemed to understand that Ragnar had spoken, but it had absolutely no idea what he was trying to say.

Ragnar tried another approach.

"Can any of you speak?"

The five goblins exchanged confused glances among themselves.

One scratched the side of its head, and another blinked repeatedly.

The largest goblin even pointed toward itself before looking around as though searching for the answer somewhere nearby.

"..."

Not a single word came out. Instead, one of them merely let out a low grunt.

"Gru?"

Another responded with an equally meaningless sound.

"Grah."

Ragnar sighed helplessly.

"I guess they aren’t capable of talking."

Thinking back to the game, goblins had never possessed advanced intelligence. They could understand simple commands from their Dungeon Master, but they communicated only through crude gestures and primitive sounds.

Only after evolving into higher-ranked goblins would they gain proper speech and human-like intelligence.

"I suppose that makes sense."

Ragnar smiled bitterly.

"They’re still one of weakest monsters, after all."

Even so, he didn’t feel disappointed.

He walked around the camp, carefully observing his first subordinates.

Although they couldn’t speak, they immediately returned to work after realizing Ragnar had no further orders. Two goblins reinforced the wooden barricades surrounding the camp with sharpened logs.

Another began feeding branches into the campfire to keep the flames burning brightly. The remaining two patrolled the area around the cave entrance with surprising discipline, their sharp eyes constantly scanning the surroundings for any signs of danger.

Watching them move, Ragnar couldn’t help but smile.

The dungeon that had been nothing more than an empty shell only moments ago was finally showing signs of life.

It wasn’t much, just five weak goblins living inside a crude wooden camp.

But for Ragnar, it was the beginning of rebuilding everything he had lost.

"They’re more hardworking than I expected," Ragnar muttered with a faint smile.

Although they lacked the ability to speak, they clearly understood their roles. There was no hesitation in their movements, nor did they require constant orders from him. It was almost as if protecting the dungeon had been engraved into their very instincts.

Just then, the ears of every goblin suddenly twitched.

Their relaxed expressions immediately disappeared.

The two goblins on patrol abruptly stopped walking and turned toward the entrance hall.

Ragnar noticed the change instantly.

"...What is it?"

A few seconds later, he heard it as well.

Rustle.

Rustle.

The bushes outside the dungeon entrance shook violently.

Low growls echoed from beyond the invisible barrier.

"Grrrr..."

"Grrr..."

Moments later, two gray wolves slowly emerged from the forest and get inside the hall.

Unlike the previous wolf Ragnar had fought, these two moved together with obvious coordination. One remained slightly behind while the other cautiously approached the entrance of the dungeon, constantly sniffing the air as though searching for prey.

Their eyes soon settled on the door like entrance.

Or more accurately, on the goblins standing guard before it.

The wolves bared their fangs.

Saliva dripped from their mouths as hungry growls echoed throughout the entrance hall.

Ragnar folded his arms across his chest. A smile slowly spread across his face.

"...Perfect timing."

He wasn’t planning on interfering immediately.

This would be the perfect opportunity to observe the combat abilities of his first monsters.

He looked toward the goblins.

"Let’s see how you’ll defend my dungeon."

The moment his words fell, every goblin reacted.

Without a single spoken command between them, they immediately entered formation.

The two goblins closest to the entrance raised their wooden shields and lowered their spears, forming the first line.

The third goblin quickly climbed onto the watchtower overlooking the camp, giving itself a clear view of the battlefield.

The remaining two hurried behind the frontline, gripping their spears tightly while searching for an opportunity to strike.

Ragnar raised an eyebrow.

"...Interesting."

They actually knew basic formations.