It was obvious.
The reason was that the goblin believed he hadn't been killed—after all, he had just invoked the name of ogres to threaten him.
Looking at the cowardly, cunning, and foolish goblin in front of him, Lyle shook his head slightly.
"Indeed, even though he possesses intelligence comparable to that of a human," Lyle muttered, "he lacks awareness and other factors. He still looks utterly foolish, unable to even discern the situation right before his eyes, yet he thinks he can use this to threaten others."
Lyle chuckled darkly, then suddenly raised his leg and kicked the goblin hard in the chest.
Bang!
The goblin wailed as it was sent flying backward, slamming heavily into a large tree behind it. The impact reopened its yet-to-heal wounds, sending fresh waves of searing pain through its body.
"Ah! It hurts so much!"
"I yield, human master! Please spare me!"
"Human master..."
The goblin's sharp voice echoed through the forest.
"You're too noisy," Lyle said coldly. "If you make another sound, I'll kill you."
He picked up the iron sword in his hand and began walking forward step by step.
Hearing those words, the goblin hurriedly covered its mouth with its hands, curling up under the tree as it trembled all over. Its black eyes were filled with terror.
Standing over the creature, Lyle looked down at the goblin with an indifferent expression and nodded.
"Good. This means we can have a proper conversation now."
"Yes, yes, human...sir," the goblin stammered in response.
"Tell me your name."
"Human, I am called Mukua," it replied nervously.
"Mukua?"
"Yes, yes. I like eating the fruits from the trees, so I named myself after them. That's..."
"Enough," Lyle interrupted impatiently, waving his hand. "Just tell me why you're here."
"I... I..." Mukua stammered, unable to form a coherent sentence.
"Don't try to hide it," Lyle said sharply. "I know you're from a group of goblins called the 'Gigu Tribe.'"
Hearing the words "Gigu Tribe," Mukua froze. Its entire body trembled, its face contorting into an expression of utter dread and despair.
It couldn't comprehend how this human warrior knew about its tribe's existence!
The next moment, Mukua frantically confessed everything.
The goblin's traits of cunning, cowardice, and fear were vividly displayed in its panicked demeanor.
The situation was straightforward.
During the months of June and July, goblins were in their prime mating season. However, for goblins of Mukua's type, breeding was far more challenging than for regular goblins.
To increase their chances of survival, larger goblin tribes like the Gigu Tribe would interbreed with regular goblins. While this often resulted in offspring that were just regular goblins, the success rate was still far better than relying solely on their own kind.
Mukua had ventured to the outskirts of the forest to select healthy and strong regular goblins to bring back to the Gigu Tribe, ensuring the tribe's survival and propagation.
But fate had other plans. Mukua stumbled upon Lyle, who was hunting goblins alone, and the rest unfolded as expected.
During Mukua's explanation, Lyle took note of its abilities and compared them to his own stats.
[Status Panel]
Player: Lyle Vaelcroft
Level: 11
EXP: 2620/5000
Class:
Basic: Genius (Lv. 1 in Warrior, Cleric, Alchemist, Pharmacist, Magic Caster, Thief, Skirmisher, Forest Priest)
Intermediate: Sword Saint (Lv. 10)
Skill Points: 17
Skills:
Passive Skill:
Item Box, Slash Damage (+10%)
Active Skill:
Warrior: Instant Reflexes, Fourfold Slash Quick Slash, Stealth, Tracking
Magic: Paper Creation (Lv. 1) Heat (Lv. 1) Minor Healing (Lv. 1) Magic Arrow (Lv. 1) Odorless (Lv. 1) Camouflage (Lv. 1)
Professional Skills: Alchemy, Pharmacology
...
[Skill: Tracking]
Cost: None (10-second cooldown)
Effect: Determines the target's direction and size based on residual traces.
...
[Skill: Camouflage (Lv. 1)]
Cost: 5 MP
Effect: Blends the user with the environment, reducing their presence. The effect is stronger in forested areas.
...
The Hobgoblin Mukua's class information turned out to be the opposite of what Lyle initially speculated. However, Lyle had considered it a low possibility from the start.
This was no druid.
Instead, Mukua possessed the dual foundational classes of "Skirmisher" and "Forest Priest."
This revelation left Lyle quite surprised. He hadn't expected a goblin to be capable of wielding a rare class like Forest Priest.
From the earlier brief skirmish, Lyle could easily tell that this hobgoblin's levels in both Forest Priest and Skirmisher were low.
Its overall level did not exceed 7.
The Skirmisher class excelled in reconnaissance, exploration, and ranged combat. Many humanoid races living in forests, such as elves, could acquire this class.
The skill Tracking was a fundamental ability and would be quite useful to Lyle.
This hobgoblin, however, clearly had no understanding of advanced techniques.
It also possessed the magical ability of Camouflage.
Lyle was slightly puzzled by this magic. While it was particularly effective in forest environments, it had limited utility elsewhere.
In contrast, the second-tier magic system's spell Stealth was far more adaptable.
But!
The fact that Mukua had access to the rare foundational class Forest Priest intrigued Lyle enough to claim both classes for himself.
After obtaining these two foundational classes from the hobgoblin's fruit-like essence, Lyle felt no sense of triumph. Instead, he frowned slightly.
He had noticed something earlier.
When Mukua had fled, the complex forest environment seemed to pose no hindrance. Trees and underbrush appeared to part and make way for him.
Such a skill shouldn't have been innate to a goblin.
Under Lyle's impassive gaze, the hobgoblin Mukua huddled beneath the trunk of a large tree, his pain-ridden, greenish face marked by physical suffering and deep reluctance.
Then, with great unwillingness, he removed a pool-ball-sized object from around his neck. It was a white bone-like artifact, strung with a durable vine used as a necklace.
This item appeared to be some kind of animal bone. If Mukua hadn't voluntarily removed it, Lyle might never have noticed it.
Initially, he had assumed it was merely a decorative trinket commonly carried by goblins of this subspecies.
"Human lord, this is the treasure of our 'Gigu Tribe.'"
The hobgoblin Mugor, now submissive, cupped the ancient necklace in both hands and respectfully presented it.
He knew his life was entirely in this human's hands. If he failed to please him, death would be inevitable.