บท 23: Mission Completed, and Loots!

After a few moments, the goblins were done with their assigned tasks. Goburus and Gobulus had successfully cut down enough trees and gathered sufficient materials to construct the large carriage, while Gobryx, Gobius, Gobshin, and Gobbie had piled up the lizard men corpses neatly in the center of the territory.

Gobusuke returned to the group, satisfied with his findings. "Well done, everyone. We're making great progress," he remarked.

"Now, let's get to work assembling the carriage," he continued, the sound of his voice punctuated by the clanking of metal tools as he picked them up. The goblins worked with impressive speed and skill, the sharp sound of sawing and the rhythmic pounding of hammers filling the air as they set to work.

Wooden planks were sawed down to size with precision, and thick ropes were woven through the slats to keep everything in place. The sound of metal striking metal echoed through the night as nails were hammered into place, securing the carriage's frame together.

Where did the tools for constructing the carriage come from? They were found in the storage room of the lizard men by Gobusuke while he was inspecting their possessions.

As the goblins worked, the carriage slowly took shape. It may not have been the most ornate or beautiful creation, but it was a functional masterpiece of simplicity and sturdiness. With its sturdy wooden wheels and strong, reinforced frame, it was more than capable of carrying the weight of the corpses they needed to transport.

Gobusuke clapped his hands together once, bringing the attention of the team to him.

"Excellent work, everyone. Now, let's get ready to transport these corpses back to our lord. Gobrielle, are you ready to summon the beast?"

Gobrielle nodded and started to focus his mind, chanting as a faint shimmering energy began to emit from his hands. With a burst of strength, the air was filled with a loud cry, and two majestic white horses appeared before them. Their eyes gleamed in the darkness, and their breaths could be seen in the cold night air.

The horses' fur was a bright, snowy white that glimmered under the pale light of the moon. As they moved, their hooves created a soft thud, and a gentle wind seemed to follow them, swirling around their bodies like a protective shield.

[ Tempest Whirlwind Horse ] ( x2 )

: A rare and powerful creature found only in the most remote and mystical lands. Its body is adorned with snow-white fur that glistens in the moonlight, and its eyes are a deep, piercing blue. The horse has the ability to manipulate the winds around it, creating powerful gusts and even summoning tornadoes when it senses danger. Its hooves are said to create lightning when they strike the ground, making it a fearsome and respected creature among the inhabitants of the magical realm. Those who are fortunate enough to witness the Tempest Whirlwind Horse in action are left in awe of its raw power and majestic presence.

After admiring the horses for a while, the goblins quickly loaded all of the corpses onto the carriage, securing them tightly. They then started to pick up the items that Gobusuke had found in the lizard men's storage room.

They carefully stacked wooden planks, tools, and other supplies, making sure everything was secure for the journey ahead.

The horses stamped their hooves impatiently, ready to start moving. Gobrielle climbed onto the driver's seat, expertly taking the reins of the horses. With a snap of the reins, the carriage lurched forward and began to move, its wheels creaking with each turn.

As the carriage moved, the goblins rode on it, keeping a watchful eye on their surroundings. The sound of the horses' hooves hitting the ground echoed through the night, intermingling with the creaking of the wheels.

The forest was alive with the sounds of nature as they traveled deeper into the woods. The trees loomed overhead, casting a shadowy canopy over the road. The horses' hooves kicked up dust and leaves as they trotted along, their breaths creating a misty trail in the cool air.

Finally, after hours of travel, they arrived at their destination safely, without encountering any monsters or beasts along the way. It seemed as if the presence of the two powerful horses had scared off any would-be predators in the area.

As the carriage pulled up to the gate of the territory, Gobusuke, and his team were greeted by a contingent of goblin archers and warriors who had been assigned to guard the entrance. The archers stood at the ready, bows in hand, while the warriors stood with their swords drawn, watching for any signs of danger.

Gobusuke raised a hand in greeting, and the goblin guards relaxed somewhat, recognizing the group as friendly. The archers lowered their bows, and the warriors sheathed their swords, stepping aside to allow the carriage to pass through.

"Gobrielle, please pull the carriage to the center of the territory near our lord's cabin. The rest of you, follow me to meet our lord," Gobusuke instructed the team.

Arriving at Gray's cabin, Gobusuke knocked a few times and the door was opened. All of the goblins started to kneel down in front of their lord as a sign of respect.

"You may stand now," Gray said, acknowledging their presence.

"We have accomplished our task, my lord," Gobusuke said confidently.

"Excellent work, my loyal summons! Any casualties in our party?" Gray inquired, concerned about the safety of his goblin troops.

"There is no casualty or anything, my lord. We were able to complete the mission without any trouble. The loot and corpses that we gathered are in the wooden carriage near here in the center of the territory," Gobusuke reported, pointing to where the carriage was.

"Wooden carriage?" Gray asked.

"We have constructed them ourselves, my lord. Not an impressive carriage but it works."

"Good thinking! You guys really did well"

Gray nodded, impressed with their job but not surprised as he knows that his goblins are very capable. "Very well. You may rest for now, and we will have a small celebration tomorrow for accomplishing the mission successfully. Keep up the good work," he said, dismissing them.

"Thank you, my lord."

"Thank you, boss!"

As the exhausted goblins made their way to their respective rooms to rest for the night, Gray headed to the carriage to inspect the loot they had collected.

Upon reaching the carriage, Gray could immediately see the large wooden crates that contained the loot and corpses that the goblins had gathered.

He lifted the lid of one of the crates, examining the contents carefully. The crate was filled with various weapons and armor, taken from the enemies they had defeated. Gray nodded in approval, pleased with the spoils of their successful mission.

Gray then focused his attention on the pile of corpses.

A text notification appeared.

[ Do you want to loot the entire pile of corpses? ]

Gray clicked "yes", and a few seconds later the corpses vanished, and he received a series of notifications. He ignored the waves of notifications and went straight to checking his inventory.

=====

[ Inventory ] ( 17/25 )

- Iron ( x2,260 )

- Magic Orb ( Rank: 1-star ) ( x415 )

- Stone ( x4,125 )

- Flameboar's Bone ( x367 )

- Wolf Bones ( x217 )

- Magic Orb ( Rank: 2-star ) ( x205 )

- Magic Orb ( Rank: 3-star ) ( x1 )

[ New Items! ]

- Lizard Men's Territory Core ( x1 )

- Lizard Men's Eye ( x78 )

- Lizard Men's Claw ( x124 )

- Lizard Men's Tooth ( x139 )

- Lizard Men's Scale ( x136 )

- Lizard Men's Bone ( x 62 )

- Lizard Men's Tail ( x 58 )

- Tough Scale Helm ( x1 )

- Lizard Tooth Dagger ( x1 )

- Lizard Claw Gauntlets ( x1 )

"I guess not bad. Hmm.. Lizard Men Territory Core? What is this?" Gray said as he scrolled through his inventory.

He clicked on the item to see its description.

=====

- Lizard Men's Territory Core ( x1 )

: An incredibly powerful artifact that serves as the heart of the Lizard Men's Territory, the Territory Core holds immense magical energy. Once absorbed by a lord, the core infuses with the territory, causing it to expand and improve dramatically. An essential item for any lord seeking to grow and strengthen their territory.

"F*ck, yes, this is a very useful item! But how the hell do I use it?" Gray exclaimed as he retrieved the Lizard Men's Territory Core from his inventory.

As Gray held the core in his hand, he marveled at its brilliance, shimmering with a pure white light. The Territory Core was small, but it emitted a powerful aura that made Gray feel invigorated.

A text notification appeared.

[ Do you want to absorb the Lizard Men's Territory Core? ]

"Oh! Of course, that's how I use it. Yes, I want to absorb it"

[ Response confirmed. Territory upgrading in 3...2...1... ]

As the countdown ended, the core began to glow even brighter, pulsing with a blinding intensity. Gray then felt a surge of energy flow through him.