Sakeer took the bone necklace from Muguo's trembling hands, examining it with interest.
Unlike Muguo, who was filthy from head to toe, the necklace's surface was remarkably clean — almost pristine.
At first, Sakeer hadn't paid much attention to the seemingly ordinary trinket. But now, upon closer inspection, he noticed a faint green glow pulsating along the surface of the bone.
A magical sheen — unmistakably the mark of an enchanted item.
"This... this is the bone of a bighorn elk!"
Muguo's voice quivered as he explained, his hands miming the creature's massive antlers.
"The bighorn elk is a powerful monster that lives deep within the jungle. Its antlers... they're huge, like this...!"
Muguo's gestures were exaggerated, his fingers spreading wide to emphasize the size.
Despite his battered condition, Muguo's face twisted with reluctance — a clear sign of just how valuable the necklace was to both him and the Gigu Tribe.
Muguo's explanation was clumsy, filled with stammering and half-coherent words, but Sakeer eventually pieced it together.
The bighorn elk, a formidable beast native to the Great Forest of Tob, possessed a unique ability — an instinctive mastery of navigating dense jungle terrain.
The necklace, crafted from the elk's horn, inherited this power.
Sakeer's expression shifted as the truth clicked into place.
"So that's it... This item holds the power of—"
—'Forest Crossing.'
Much like the "Camouflage" spell, "Forest Crossing" was a form of faith magic.
Its effect? Unhindered movement through dense jungle vegetation. Trees, vines, and shrubs would seemingly part on their own, allowing the wearer to pass freely.
The exact tier of the spell — whether third or fourth rank — escaped Sakeer's memory.
But one thing was clear: "Forest Crossing" was far more practical than "Camouflage" for maneuvering through forested environments.
With this knowledge in mind, Sakeer had no intention of returning the necklace.
However, rather than wear it around his neck like Muguo had, he wrapped it securely around his wrist.
Magical items needed to be worn in specific positions on the body to activate their effects — rings on fingers, amulets on the neck, and so on.
This bone "necklace," however, was more of an ornament — roughly the size of a ping-pong ball — tied to a thin vine rope.
For Muguo, the vine rope made the item easier to carry. But for Sakeer, it was unnecessary. The magic lay in the bone itself; the rope was meaningless.
With the treasure secured, Sakeer clapped his hands together.
"Alright, enough chit-chat."
He turned to Muguo, a faint smile curling on his lips.
"Now… let's get down to business."
Muguo blinked in confusion.
"B-Business?"
"That's right." Sakeer's smile turned sharper, his gaze colder.
"The reason I haven't killed you yet isn't because I'm feeling generous... I kept you alive for a reason."
Muguo gulped audibly, his battered frame trembling once again.
"Since you were sent here to scout for strong goblins," Sakeer continued, "I imagine you know exactly where all the goblin settlements in the area are located."
He paused, then grinned.
"So... how about you show me the way?"
"!!"
Muguo's face went pale.
For the past month, Sakeer had been aimlessly hunting goblins in the forest — relying solely on luck to stumble across their camps.
The Great Forest of Tob was vast, and navigating its thick foliage, especially at night, had drastically slowed his progress.
Before reaching level ten, gaining experience was manageable; goblins and low-level beasts provided enough experience to rack up a steady one or two hundred points per day.
But now that Sakeer had reached level 10, the bar had shifted — he needed 5000 XP to advance to level 11.
At his current pace, he'd barely manage to gain a level within the remaining two weeks.
Muguo's appearance had sparked a better idea.
Who better to guide him than a goblin with intimate knowledge of the local tribes?
Muguo wasn't just a convenient guide — he was the perfect candidate.
"Y-You want me to... to..." Muguo stammered.
His gaze locked onto Sakeer's unsettling smile — one that seemed far too satisfied, like a predator toying with its prey.
"Human-sama... please... I-I can't... they'll kill me...!"
Muguo's voice shook with panic, and his body quivered violently.
He wasn't stupid. He knew exactly what Sakeer intended — and he knew what would happen if he betrayed his own kind.
If the Hobgoblins discovered his betrayal...
He was as good as dead.
"This isn't a negotiation."
Sakeer's smile widened as he stepped forward. Without warning, his foot came down hard on Muguo's left ankle.
CRACK!
The sickening sound of bone shattering filled the air.
"AAAHHH!!"
Muguo's agonized scream tore through the forest, scattering a flock of birds from the nearby treetops.
A little encouragement was all it took.
Moments later, Muguo — now trembling and drenched in sweat — quickly agreed to Sakeer's "excellent proposal." With no further hesitation, he revealed the location of the nearest goblin settlement.
Satisfied, Sakeer gave Muguo a cold glance before turning toward the goblin community's direction.
A lone figure weaved effortlessly through the dense jungle.
Bushes parted, grass flattened, and branches seemed to bend out of the way — all to clear Sakeer's path.
The enchanted bone charm — imbued with the "Forest Crossing" ability — was proving invaluable.
His speed had multiplied several times over, and the usual drawbacks of navigating dense foliage had vanished entirely.
Even better, his movements were nearly silent.
By combining "Forest Crossing" with "Camouflage", Sakeer rendered himself practically undetectable — unless his enemies possessed detection magic.
"No wonder that Hobgoblin managed to tail me for so long without being noticed," Sakeer mused.
The rest of the journey was a massacre.
With Muguo's guidance and the bone charm's power, goblins stood no chance.
None escaped Sakeer's blade.
During his campaign, Sakeer even annihilated an entire goblin tribe — over two hundred goblins — along with five ogres.
Before acquiring "Forest Crossing", fighting five ogres at once would have been a risky endeavor.
But now?
The dense jungle no longer restricted his movement. By exploiting his speed advantage, Sakeer easily outmaneuvered the lumbering ogres, cutting them down one by one like a hunter flying kites.
By the time Sakeer had reduced the once-powerful goblin tribe to nothing more than lifeless corpses, Muguo — once defiant — had lost all hope.
The Hobgoblin no longer dared to resist. Instead, he meekly followed orders, obediently leading Sakeer forward.
Of course, Sakeer knew better than to fully trust Muguo.
A goblin's cowardice and cunning went hand in hand — and their sudden willingness to cooperate was often a red flag.
But after witnessing the slaughter of an entire Goblin Tribe — one even larger and stronger than his own — Muguo's will had crumbled completely.
Sakeer could see it in his eyes — that flicker of rebellion had been snuffed out.
(End of Chapter)