Compared to Goblins, Kobolds were much easier on the eyes.
They had lizard-like heads and short statures, but their limbs were stockier than the Goblins', and their skin was covered in fine scales.
Their tails were short, somewhat resembling a rat's.
It was said the Kobolds got their name because their cries sounded like a dog's bark.
These creatures were cunning and timid by nature. They lived in dark, underground nests or caves, so they could see even in pitch-black environments.
They could be considered natural-born reserve miners.
Their diet was varied, but they did not eat sentient beings.
Compared to the naturally evil, chaotic evil Goblins, they could be considered lawful neutral creatures.
"Who's the leader among you?"
Levi looked down at the captives. A group of green-skinned, muscular giant beasts stood around them with their arms crossed and sneers on their faces. Their massive shadows fell over the captives, creating an overwhelming sense of pressure.
The moment he finished speaking, all the Kobolds scrambled to the sides, quickly isolating an aged, old dog-headed man in the middle.
"S... Sir... I am."
Old Neil's Adam's apple bobbed as he looked at the cold gazes that suddenly shot toward him from all sides. He spoke with a tremble in his voice.
'These damn pups have no conscience at all, selling me out so quickly!' he cursed inwardly.
"You've studied human knowledge?" Levi asked.
'This old dog actually knows to call me 'Sir,'' Levi thought. 'That's as rare as someone suddenly calling me handsome on the street.'
"Some merchant caravans stopped in our Tribe in the past. They taught me some simple common tongue and characters."
Old Neil seemed to see a glimmer of hope for survival. Seeing that Levi appeared to value this, he hurriedly added.
"So he's an intellectual."
Levi was greatly surprised. In the chaotic and unenlightened Wilderness, finding a literate native was as difficult as finding a white-skinned Black Person in Africa.
Old Neil, who had been secretly observing Levi's expression, let out a small sigh of relief.
'This human probably won't harm me now.'
'I just don't know what this 'intellectual' thing is. Judging by the human's reaction, it seems to be very important.'
"Ordinarily, for attacking my convoy, death would be your only end. However, I am a magnanimous lord. You need only serve me to be spared your death sentence," Levi said, affecting a noble's tone.
Old Neil immediately fell to his knees to show his loyalty.
For him, as long as he could live, he would do anything. Besides, Kobolds had always survived by depending on a powerful Race.
"What's your name?"
"My lord, my name is Old Neil."
"Very good. From now on, you will continue to be the leader of your Kobolds."
After speaking, Levi turned his gaze to the Goblins. The group of vile rats immediately looked at him with fawning expressions.
"Take them all away."
Compared to his intention to train the Kobolds into miners, Levi hadn't yet figured out a use for these Goblins.
But whatever, he'd take them all to the place he was preparing to establish his Pioneer Territory first and figure it out later.
The so-called "pioneering a territory" was nothing more than picking a spot in this Wilderness and directly occupying it.
Therefore, it required a lot of prep work.
Currently, Levi wasn't short on supplies or an Armed Guard Team; he only lacked laborers.
These goblin dogmen, whether for cutting down trees or paving roads, were perfect.
The main thing was to make use of waste.
He ordered ten Beastmen to guard these "human resources," while the remaining Beastmen began to clean up the battlefield.
Unfortunately, Levi shouldn't have hoped for any good loot from these Wilderness beggars. Other than wooden clubs and scraps of iron, there was nothing of value.
Resigned, Levi could only order the Beastmen to retrieve their Javelins.
"B-Boss..." a Beastman suddenly called out to Levi, uncharacteristically hesitant.
"What is it?"
"I... I think I felt the power of the Gift of the War God."
He looked down at his own sturdy arms, clenched his fists, his expression full of confusion.
The Beastmen, who had just dispersed, swarmed back around in an instant.
To be honest, and speaking from the heart, they were all half-convinced and half-doubtful about their boss being the War God.
After all, while their boss's strength was indeed inhumanly fierce, what kind of god would be so down on his luck that he'd have to sell his Sword just to get them a decent set of equipment?
He probably wasn't the War God, but the God of Poverty.
But... the Beastman Warrior closed his eyes to carefully sense it. This power that had suddenly appeared in his body was completely different from the slow growth that came from day and night of training.
Thinking back carefully, it seemed this power had appeared when he stomped a Kobold to death—exactly as the boss had described earlier.
"This is a gift that comes after receiving the War God's approval! You will become the War God's warriors, able to gain unrivaled power in battle!"
At the time, the boss's speech had made him sound exactly like an unscrupulous merchant who came to the Tribe to peddle Magic Potions. As a result, none of them had paid much attention, but now that they thought about it...
Muto waited at the side for a long time for him to continue. Seeing the constipated look on his kinsman's face, he slapped him on the back of the head, his eyes wide. "What's with all the mystical act? If you have something to say, spit it out!"
In contrast to the Beastman Barbarians, whose expressions were turning uncertain and astonished, Zat stood calmly with his arms crossed, a proud look on his face. He had experienced the War God's power from the boss two years ago.
He had told these fellow Beastmen about it before, but no one believed him. Now that the proof was right in front of them, they couldn't possibly still disbelieve it.
"Boss, I felt it too, actually," another Beastman Barbarian said at this moment, though he was much more direct about it.
After a moment's preparation, he directly swung the Giant Axe in his hand. Instantly, a strong wind howled and the air swirled from the axe. As a heavy weapon, the Giant Axe had no fancy Axe Skills—only the dull whoosh of it cutting through the air and the door-panel-wide Axe Blade were enough to make one's heart pound in fear.
These fifty Beastmen had grown up together in the same Tribe, so they knew each other's strength better than anyone. This current display was already comparable to their leader, Muto, and couldn't be explained away by just being 'in good form'.
"Not bad," Levi said with a faint, enigmatic smile, appearing profound and inscrutable.
If these Beastmen had ever seen an Archbishop from a church, they would have found the expressions on both their faces to be identical.
The experience required for a Tier Three "Beastman Warrior" to advance to a Tier Four "Beastman Warrior" wasn't very much. In fact, aside from these two Beastmen, about ten others had also leveled up in this battle.
However, Levi didn't have enough money...
Therefore, a certain someone, eager to swindle the Beastmen, could only afford to upgrade two of them for the time being.
It was worth mentioning that in the game, upgrading units came with a matching set of equipment. But now, Levi had to buy it all separately from the system store himself.
This frustrated him to no end and made him realize that an army was a bottomless money pit.
He became even more anxious about making money.
And now, with the example of two Beastmen receiving the gift of the War God's power right before their eyes, the Beastmen looked at each other, and all could see the eagerness to try in one another's eyes.