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Clang! Sparks flew as my rusty straight sword clashed against the gleaming, single-edged curved blade of my opponent.

I glanced at the spot where our swords met. My blade was jaggedly splintered, yet the opponent’s sword was unscathed. Damn, he outclassed me in both strength and weaponry.

As I faltered for a moment, my opponent seized the opportunity to strike again. I managed to parry the first attack, but the second one broke through my defense, gouging a wound into my shoulder.

“Ichijuka!!”

Ninomae, shaken, wedged himself between the Lizardman—half-human, half-beast with lizard features—and me, swinging his rusty axe.

The Lizardman deflected the blow with a buckler and counterattacked with a horizontal scimitar swipe.

“Gaaaah!?!”

Ninomae’s stomach bore a gaping wound, blood pouring out. His muscular build as a goblin general offered some protection, but the pain was evident on his usually stoic face. This wound might have reached his guts.

The situation was dire. We were not in a simple skirmish but faced an overwhelming opponent. I had gathered the strongest Goblin Knights and Kobold Warriors for this fight against the Lizardman, but now half lay dead.

“We’re retreating, Ninomae! Knights, Warriors, hold him off! —Let’s go!”

Obeying my command, Goblin Knights and Kobold Warriors charged at the Lizardman, but they were effortlessly cut down, their bodies flung aside. This distraction, however, allowed us to escape.

◆◇◆◇

I am Ichijiku, still a High Goblin.

Guided by a certain individual, my group had advanced to the 21st floor of the dungeon, only to face a stalemate.

The monsters here were vastly different and stronger than those on the upper floors. For instance, taking down a red «Wild Caterpillar» required at least 20 of us, with the inevitable loss of 2-3 comrades in each hunt.

Setting traps proved futile, as some monsters were too cunning, while others, like the earlier Lizardman, were simply too powerful for conventional tactics.

Since our arrival, our 80-strong platoon had dwindled to 50. Even with the goblins and kobolds’ rapid breeding, replenishing our numbers seemed a distant hope.

I recalled the lady’s words: ‘If you feel overwhelmed, tell me, and I’ll take you back.’ Yet, she also seemed to expect results from us, hinting at her belief in our potential growth.

Retreating now would brand me weak, jeopardizing any chances of mating with her. Strength was paramount in attracting a mate.

“…I must persevere and grow stronger.”

Determined, I knew I had to push forward and enhance my strength, even at the cost of sacrificing others.

“How can I raise my strength…?”

I pondered, recalling all the formidable individuals I had encountered and their unique qualities.

“Firstly, those with greater size and strength generally have an advantage.”

I glanced at Ninomae, lying injured with medicinal herbs on his stomach wound. His natural raw power and size had always given him an edge. Such traits were innate, something I couldn’t replicate.

Then, there was the young human male I had battled. He was leaner than me, with average strength, yet he stood his ground.

“Could it be technique…?”

……

It dawned on me that techniques or martial arts could be learned post-birth. While monsters typically relied on inherent strength and abilities, acquiring human techniques seemed beneficial. However, I had no one to learn from, and such skills couldn’t be mastered overnight.

Our situation was dire, with no clear path to gaining power quickly.

Next, I pondered over my worn-out sword, further damaged in the clash with the Lizardman.

“The key difference was our weapons’ quality.”

There it was—the solution. If innate strength and technique were out of reach, a powerful weapon could be the answer.

But obtaining such a weapon was not straightforward. Human weapons, even if worn, could be found, but high-quality ones were rare. I recalled hearing about «Treasure Chests» and «Leprechauns» hoarding weapons, but such chests were inaccessible to monsters.

Perhaps ambushing humans when they opened these chests was an option, but their skills rivaled the Lizardman, and they traveled in groups. A more direct approach seemed necessary.

“Maybe it’s time to raise a human or two?”

I considered the practice of goblins rearing human females for mating. While I had never engaged in it, the potential of using humans to access chests was intriguing. Plus, if they knew human techniques, that would be a bonus. Either way, a better weapon was urgently needed.

As I pondered this, young goblins returned with a meager haul of «Rock Worm» and «Blood Bud». Their limited experience was evident, and it was hardly enough to feed everyone.

The sight of injured subordinates caught my attention. Burn marks and injuries hinted at an unusual encounter.

“How did you get these injuries?”

The young hobgoblin who had been at the forefront, the leader among the newcomers, stood up and answered confidently.

“Yes. The critter we were chasing pulled some strange move, blasted us with fire when we got close. The scratches? Yeah, they’re from that.”

Ah, now that I took a good look, I saw Kobolds carrying a white Cat Sith, tied on all fours to a wooden stick—or was it a cane?

I wasn’t sure about the cat’s age, but it seemed older than us. The cat looked scrawny, hardly any meat on it to make it a viable food source. As for the strange move, it might be magic. I recalled some human adventurers who used canes for magic… Ah, magic! It’s a strong weapon in its own right! That was indeed an intriguing discovery.

“Is that prey still alive?”
“Yes. During our fight, it suddenly became dizzy. We caught it easily because of that.”
“I see. Oi, bring that guy here.”

The young Kobolds gingerly carried the Cat Sith over and laid it on the ground near me. The cat didn’t have any major injuries, but it appeared limp and weak, its whiskers drooping.

“Hey, old man. Can you hear me? I want to ask you something.”

Hearing my voice, the Cat Sith weakly looked at me from under its furrowed brows.

“…No need to yell. To think I’d fall into the hands of a goblin… Oh, blimey…”
“Haa. Yes, yes, sorry for being a ‘low-life’. Can you use magic?”
“…I can, but I’m out of mana and can’t even ignite a single leaf… Jeepers, age isn’t kind. Anyway, I won’t resist, so if you’re going to eat me, just do it.”

Ho-ho, this Cat Sith was indeed a magic user. It was clearly near the end of its life. Letting it live to teach us magic could be more beneficial than simply eating it.

“Say, old man. I have some conditions, and depending on them, I might spare your life.”
“Hah. I’m not clinging to life at my age. Just get it over with.”
“You’re quite the short-tempered geezer. But you’ve got nothing to lose, right?”
“…What are you getting at?”

The Cat Sith asked, eyeing me skeptically.

“I want you to teach me—no, teach us magic.”

My declaration, said with a grin, left the Cat Sith staring at me in utter disbelief.

◆◇◆◇

A month later, I, Ninomae, the Goblin Knights, and the Kobold Warriors had evolved. We had reached a place called the «Boss Room», situated between the upper floors.

“If we kill the ‘Metal Golem’, the guardian of this room, I can access the «Treasure Chest» with weapons in it, right?”
“Yes, you can. But only if you manage to defeat it.”

Mentor Nyanco, the Cat Sith who had become our magic teacher, responded to my question with a timid nod.