Re: Tales of the Rune-Tech Sage

Chapter 159: Find the Goblin Settlement

CH159 Find the Goblin Settlement

***

Moments later, Lieutenant Cross, Laura, and a handful of sub-unit Captains arrived behind him. Even though Udara was hidden just a few feet away, the Peak Intermediate Lieutenant couldn’t sense her presence at all.

If not for the current grave situation, Alex might have marvelled at the terrifying stealth abilities of a Peak Intermediate Shadow Dancer.

But now was not the time.

”Goblin?!” Lieutenant Cross’s eyes widened.

Alex stood up from examining the goblin corpses and the faint trail they had left behind. He met the Lieutenant’s gaze and gave a short nod.

”Lieutenant, reach out to Fury High Command. Inform them we’ve neutralised the primary cause of the forest’s upheaval—the Armoured Troll. From here on, we’ll push deeper into the forest to clear any goblin presence. We continue on our assigned path until we reach the northern exit.”

”Understood, Commander.” The Lieutenant gave a crisp nod.

He stepped away immediately, heading towards the secured rear to use the Fury Army’s special long-range communication method.

The gathered sub-unit Captains exchanged glances, their unease barely veiled.

”Why are we only advancing along our assigned route? Why not request reinforcements to sweep the whole forest?” one of the Shield Captains asked under his breath.

”Didn’t you see how stretched the army was before we even left?” the second Shield Captain replied, frowning. ”Even if the Commander calls for backup, High Command might not be able to spare any proper unit strong enough to matter.”

”I don’t think it’s just that,” the Bow Captain interjected. ”Think about it. The inner regions of the Dankrot Forest are extremely dangerous. We’re already dancing on a knife’s edge just skirting the periphery.

”If even we have to be this cautious here in the outer periphery, how would goblins—a weak low-tier species—survive there in the inner region at all?”

”What if they evolve?” the first Shield Captain said grimly.

”That’s likely why the Commander wants them rooted out now,” the Spear Captain said in a low voice. ”For goblins to live beyond this point, they’d need to evolve into Class 4-potential variants. It’s only been a month since the upheaval started. That’s barely enough time for such a transformation... right?”

The Bow Captain didn’t look convinced. He shook his head. ”You’re forgetting this is the Dankrot Forest. Class 4 might not even mean much in the inner depths. Even a Legend would tread carefully in there.

”Still, you might be right about the Commander’s intent. We will see soon enough if High Command agrees.”

Not far from them, Alex remained unaware of the quiet exchange.

He had already returned his focus to the goblin corpses.

He considered whether to transfer the bodies into Sanctuary for the Nest Queen and her hive to devour.

But after a moment of deliberation, he decided against it.

The Viral Compiler—basis of the Nest Queen’s existence—already had an alarmingly high mutation factor. Alex knew better than to push that envelope further. He wasn’t foolish enough to introduce an additional mutagen component whose effects he couldn’t control.

He was already playing with fire, nurturing and training the Nest Queen in the first place. Adding something as volatile as goblin mutability? That would be asking for trouble.

The other beasts—and the troll—he had sent her provided tangible, useful traits. For example, regeneration and the ancestral markings from the troll.

But goblins? Aside from their reckless adaptability and absurd reproductive rate, there was nothing of value. And even those ’advantages’ came at a steep cost. High mutation, by its very nature, was unpredictable.

The high reproduction rate was tempting. That trait alone could dramatically accelerate the Nest Queen’s drone output.

Still, the risk of her absorbing even more unstable mutation factors outweighed the potential gain.

Alex decided it wasn’t worth it.

Instead of sending the goblin corpses to Sanctuary, he opted to destroy them outright.

[Grade 2 Spell: Cinder Touch!]

A red hue lit up his hand as he moved from corpse to corpse, each one igniting the moment he made contact. In seconds, they were nothing but ash.

It would’ve been a cool and incredibly useful spell—if it weren’t so hard to use on live targets. Its best use was on inanimate objects or already-dead organic material.

Trying it on a living, energy-wielding enemy? A waste of mana. They could simply resist or defend against it with their own energy.

Still, for this cleanup, it was perfect.

The sudden shift in method drew curious glances from nearby soldiers. Until now, Alex had been spatially transferring enemy corpses ’to the void.’

’If you had an easier spell this whole time, why bother void-transferring? Showing off, Commander? Or do you just hate goblins so much you don’t even want to waste the energy sending them to the void?’ they wondered silently.

Just then, Lieutenant Cross returned from contacting Fury Military High Command.

”Commander,” he reported, ”High Command has granted you full discretionary authority. You are permitted to proceed however you see fit—even to retreat.”

’That goes without saying,’ Alex nearly rolled his eyes. ’Did they think I needed their permission to act on the obvious? Is someone trying to exert some non-existent power over me?’

He couldn’t be bother to think much on the matter.

”Understood,” he replied curtly.

He turned to the Direwolves.

”Can you track the scent?”

Fen, the Alpha Direwolf, along with the other five Direwolves from its pack, sniffed the goblin remains and followed the trail.

Bark!

All seven confirmed—they had the scent.

”Alright then. Same as before,” Alex said. ”Bow Captain, I need five from your unit to join Laura to form an Advance squad.”

”Yes, sir,” the Bow Captain acknowledged.

Alex turned to Laura.

”Find me their settlement,” he ordered grimly. ”We will take it out before they spread.”

Laura nodded sharply.

Without another word, she disappeared into the trees alongside her archer team.

The Alpha Direwolf and his pack carried Laura and the other wolf-riding Archer scouts roughly two kilometres north of the troll’s mound-throne, following the goblins’ trail.

The direwolves grew restless, their growls low and ears twitching—a sure sign the scent was intensifying.

Laura raised her hand. The group came to a halt.

They slipped into cover without a sound.

Direwolves were apex ambushers. Hiding their massive forms in the undergrowth was a basic instinct. For trained Archer scouts like Laura’s squad, it was even easier.

Moments later, they heard soft footsteps rustling leaves.

A group of around thirty goblins emerged, walking in a loose column barely thirty metres from the Fury scouts. Every one of them held a weapon.

Laura’s frown deepened.

Some bore crude clubs and sharpened stone blades, as expected. But most were wielding iron short swords, rust-bitten axes, and even a few metal-tipped spears—gear far too sophisticated for a newly risen goblin nest.

There’d been no reports of raids on the nearby human settlements bordering Dankrot Forest, especially not within Fury territory. So where had they acquired these?

Her eyes narrowed further when she spotted the lead goblin.

A Hobgoblin.

It stood taller than the rest—nearly six feet—and had a more muscular, defined frame.

’A Hobgoblin already? Then they might’ve also produced a blacksmith. If they have found an iron vein, even a low-quality one, things could escalate quickly,’ she thought grimly.

”Captain, what are your orders?” one of the scouts whispered.

Laura didn’t hesitate.

”We can’t risk letting them regroup or report back. Kill them all.”

The scouts silently raised their bows and notched their arrows.

The goblins were packed tight, perfect targets.

Laura, without a sound, drew a short dagger from her belt. Channelling Internal Energy into the blade until it shimmered faintly, she let it fly.

Pssheww!

A single dagger and a volley of arrows descended upon the unsuspecting goblins.

Her blade found its mark, slamming straight into the Hobgoblin’s chest before it could react. It dropped like a sack of meat.

The arrows tore through the ranks. Each shaft pierced through one or two goblins—some even three—thanks to their tight formation.

Screams and chaos erupted, but Laura was already moving.

She burst from the foliage with silent footwork, her blade in hand, cutting down those who’d survived the first volley.

Behind her, the archers released a second round.

By the time the final goblin gurgled its last breath, the skirmish had lasted less than a minute.

They got to work immediately. Arrows were retrieved. The dagger was recovered. The corpses were dragged off the path and hidden beneath thick underbrush.

Fortunately, goblins didn’t have keen noses over distance. The bodies wouldn’t be discovered anytime soon.

By then, the main platoon would’ve reached this zone and dealt with the nest.

Laura gave a sharp whistle, and the scouts mounted up again.

They pressed forward—northward, deeper into the forest—led once more by the direwolves.

They didn’t have to ride long.

Soon, the dense foliage gave way.

Before them, shrouded by heavy trees and nestled near a forest stream, lay a sun-drenched meadow.

And hidden within it was...

A bustling goblin village.

**