The night hung quietly over Goblin's Grove—peaceful, still. But that peace was short-lived.
One of Moji's alarm runes flared crimson at the northern edge of the forest. A spark of magical energy shot into the sky like a distressed flame—clear proof that something had breached their defenses.
Moji stood from his watch post, eyes locked onto the glowing rune."Wild creatures… but not natural. There's magic… they're being controlled," he muttered.
Lee Jun, who had been inspecting the crops with several farmer goblins, immediately turned."Godon! Gather the fighters!"
Godon, holding a long spear, nodded and signaled. Three goblin warriors assembled near the northern gate, joined by Draksra, the goblin thief who emerged silently from the shadows.
A low growl echoed from beyond the trees. Goblins crouched behind wooden fences and piles of stones, waiting for the command.
Then—they emerged.
Two wild wolves with glowing red eyes and a single horned beast—towering nearly two meters tall, covered in dark fur and muscle that rippled like waves. But what made it different was how it moved… calculating, watching.
"That one's not just a beast," Jun whispered.
The battle broke out in an instant.
Godon intercepted the horned beast's charge, parrying with his spear and retaliating with a sharp thrust toward its belly. The creature leapt back—unnaturally fast, as if it understood its own weaknesses.
Draksra circled wide, vanishing into the dark. He reappeared behind a wolf and flung a small blade—it lodged deep into the wolf's leg, halting its advance.
Meanwhile, Moji stood behind the lines, hands circling through the air as ancient words spilled from his lips. Blue fire swirled in his palms, growing denser. Then—Boom!He released it like a flaming cannonball straight at the beast.
The horned creature was blasted back, its fur scorched. But it didn't retreat—instead, its eyes glowed brighter. It roared and smashed through one of the goblin traps, crushing the stone setup with brute force.
"Support them!" Jun shouted.
A few farmer goblins ran up with buckets of hot oil and stones, tossing them from behind the wooden barriers.
One wolf was overwhelmed, stabbed repeatedly by two warrior goblins. But at the same time, the second wolf bit into a goblin's leg and flung him aside.
Moji hurled a glowing rune onto the ground beneath the horned beast. A ring of light surged up, slowing the creature's movement.
Godon seized the opportunity. He dashed forward and leapt, driving his spear deep into the beast's neck.
Its final roar tore through the grove as the beast fell.
Then—its body trembled.
And exploded.
A burst of dark energy sent a shockwave through the clearing. Two goblins were thrown back, wounded by flying shards of bone and cursed magic.
Silence fell.
Jun stared at the smoking remains—only charred bones remained. Moji knelt, pressing his hand to the ground, sensing the lingering presence of magic.
"This wasn't random. They were sent," Moji said quietly.
Jun clenched his fist.
"He's not just watching anymore... he's making his move."