The Goblin King is dead.
As soon as John received this news from the scouting team, he quickly gathered a small, fast-moving group and rushed to the scene to investigate.
The group consisted of five members: John, the guild master of adventurers; Leon and Amy, two veteran rank‑B adventurers; Orson, who had only recently advanced to rank B; and finally, a scout to lead the way.
Leon had striking orange hair. Though not particularly tall, his sturdy and powerful build was evident.
Amy was Leon's companion. She had brown hair, a tall figure, and a youthful face. Always carrying a long staff in hand, it was clear she was a Mage.
Upon arrival, the five were greeted by countless goblin corpses scattered across the ground.
The entire area reeked of a foul stench, a nauseating mix of blood, entrails, bodily fluids, and filth such as excrement and urine.
The stench quickly drew numerous Magical Beasts from the forest. Their feasting on the corpses only worsened the atmosphere, filling it with even more sickening odors.
Orson exclaimed in shock:
"What on earth happened here?"
Snapping off a branch from a nearby tree, Amy used it to turn over several goblin corpses for a quick inspection.
After examining them for a while, she concluded:
"No external wounds. It looks like they all died from mass poisoning."
Leon frowned: "Poisoned? What could kill them on such a large scale? Could it be the water supply?"
The scout replied: "The water they drank surely came from the nearby river. Many other animals use it too, and none show signs of poisoning. So the cause must lie elsewhere."
John thought for a moment, then said:
"First, let's try to find and examine the corpse of the Goblin King."
Hearing this, the group nodded and immediately moved deeper into the center of the battlefield among the corpses.
On their way, they also came across human remains, men and women, the elderly and children alike.
Some bodies were relatively intact, while others had been chopped into pieces, turned into food for the goblins.
Seeing this, their faces darkened, growing grim.
They had already anticipated such horrors, but witnessing them firsthand was no less unsettling.
Amy spoke softly:
"We may not know what exactly happened here that killed them all, but at least the suffering of those people has finally ended."
Her sincere words eased the group's hearts somewhat, bringing a measure of relief.
Continuing forward, it didn't take long before they found the Goblin King's corpse at the center of the carnage.
John ordered: "Clear away this tent fabric so we can observe properly."
Orson replied: "All right, leave it to me."
With his strong arms, he quickly tossed aside the scattered tents, revealing the Goblin King's body clearly before everyone's eyes.
Leon remarked: "It's obvious someone killed him."
The conclusion was immediate: his chest had been cut open, and the magic crystal removed.
The incision was sharp and precise, showing clear experience, nothing like the crude work of wild Magical Beasts.
Amy frowned: "And the head blown apart like that… was it some kind of magic?"
John pointed to the ground:
"Everyone, look here."
He had discovered a deep pit, partially concealed beneath the rubble and debris scattered around.
John: "That must have been an incredibly fast and powerful magic attack. It not only killed the Goblin King instantly but also left this mark on the ground."
Leon: "Who could be strong enough to do that? And these poisoned goblins all around, was that the work of the same person?"
Amy: "Or perhaps it was a group."
Orson: "Do any of you know a master of poisons?"
Amy: "I know a few. But to successfully spread poison on this scale, under the defense of so many goblins, including Goblin Mages, that would be impossible."
Leon: "Whoever did this must be exceptionally powerful. At the very least, they'd have to be on par with a rank‑A adventurer."
Amy: "An A‑rank Mage, who also knows how to use poison?"
Seeing Amy turn to him with the question, John could only reply:
"I don't know anyone like that."
The scout, after checking the area and returning, reported:
"Several other high‑ranking goblins were killed in the same way as the Goblin King."
Orson: "So someone, or a group, specifically targeted the high‑ranking goblins with magic, and then used poison to wipe out the rest?"
Amy: "Based on what we've seen so far, that seems to be the case."
John: "Whoever it was, they've given us tremendous help. Thanks to this, many sacrifices can be avoided."
Leon: "Exactly. With the Goblin King dead and their leader gone, the remaining goblins are nothing more than a disorganized rabble that can be dealt with easily."
Amy: "But we still need to act quickly. Judging from the number of corpses here, perhaps half of the goblins are still alive. With such numbers, they remain a serious threat to civilians."
John: "You're right. Let's head back at once. We need to gather and organize strike teams to hunt down the remaining goblins."
* * * * * * * * * *
At one of the defensive lines against the goblins, where adventurers were camping and operating, a rather strange scene unfolded, sparking whispers and murmurs among the crowd.
In broad daylight, people saw a black‑haired boy wrapped in a blanket.
He was leaning against a slightly slanted tree, fast asleep, enjoying a deep and peaceful rest.
Witnessing this, many felt both annoyed and amused.
"Who on earth brought a child to such a dangerous place?" someone asked.
"He's actually an adventurer. I've seen him wandering around the guild a few times."
"Didn't see him in the earlier groups. So he must have joined later?"
"But coming here only to sleep in the middle of the day… why didn't he just stay in the city?"
"Exactly, what's he even doing here?"
"Still, it doesn't feel right to leave a child lying there. Should we report this to the guild?"
"Forget it. I don't want to get involved."
"Why not?"
That question echoed the curiosity of many nearby.
"Didn't you hear about the scuffle he had with Orson's group before?"
"Orson, the rank‑B adventurer?"
"Yeah, that's him. The kid isn't as harmless as he looks. Conal even seemed to have his arm broken by him."
"Why 'seemed'?"
"At the time, none of us were entirely sure what happened. It looked like the boy and Orson's group had some kind of dispute. After a short exchange, both sides quickly went quiet and left. No one heard of any further conflict afterward, so the matter just faded away."
"Conal's hot‑tempered. You're saying he didn't retaliate after someone broke his arm?"
"Exactly. That's why I don't want to mess with this kid."
Hearing this, those around nodded in understanding.
"Oh, look—speaking of Orson."
Everyone turned toward the direction pointed out.
There, they saw guild master John and a group of adventurers returning from outside. Among them, Orson's massive figure stood out prominently.