The mayor of E-Rantel, Panasolei, raised his head and squinted at the sunlight streaming through the window. After a brief pause, he spoke with an apologetic tone:
"Sorry about that... The warm sun makes it easy to doze off."
Ainzach shook his head slightly. "This matter is rather unusual. I had intended to inform you through a message, but I didn't expect you to make the trip in person."
"You should take better care of your health, Your Excellency," added Rakheshir with a smile.
"You know me — I've always been lazy," Panasolei chuckled, his voice tinged with self-mockery.
Despite the lighthearted exchange, the atmosphere between the three was far from warm. There was an underlying tension — a quiet wariness that spoke of past dealings and mutual distrust.
"Alright... let's get down to business," Panasolei said, his tone turning serious.
At those words, Ainzach and Rakheshir's expressions hardened.
Panasolei may have appeared as little more than an obese and slothful official, but those who knew him well — like Ainzach and Rakheshir — understood the truth.
He was anything but incompetent.
E-Rantel, as the kingdom's most vital border city, stood as the frontline between the Kingdom of Re-Estize and the Baharuth Empire. His Majesty the King wouldn't entrust such a critical position to someone unfit for the role.
This king, after all, was no fool — a ruler capable of appointing Gazef Stronoff, a commoner, as Warrior Captain and entrusting him to form an entirely new army was clearly one who valued talent over tradition.
Panasolei's appointment was no accident.
"Here's the situation," Ainzach began gravely.
"In the past half month, the number of villages and trade caravans attacked by goblins has dropped significantly. In fact, there hasn't been a single reported goblin attack during this period."
Rakheshir, the leader of the Magic Guild, raised an eyebrow. "Isn't that a good thing?"
"It's not that simple," Ainzach replied, his fingers interlocked as he leaned forward. "This is the time of year when goblin activity usually spikes — they should be swarming and attacking in large numbers.
"This sudden silence suggests that something unusual is happening in the Great Forest of Tob. Something we don't yet understand."
Panasolei, who had been listening quietly, spoke in a slow, measured tone.
"And... what did you find?"
He didn't bother asking if Ainzach had investigated — the fact that they were gathered here meant there was already information to discuss.
"Yes," Ainzach confirmed with a nod.
"Several adventurer teams recently returned with reports from the outskirts of the Great Forest of Tob. According to them, something significant occurred within the Eastern Giant Trolls' territory — the entire forest reeks of goblin blood.
"A large number of goblins seem to have died... yet strangely, no substantial number of corpses have been found."
"Couldn't it be the work of an adventurer party?" Rakheshir suggested.
Ainzach shook his head. "Unlikely. If a powerful team had wiped them out, there would be far more bodies left behind. The lack of remains makes this situation... strange."
He paused to take a sip from the silver container in front of him, the cold liquid inside refreshing him as he collected his thoughts.
"It could be a conflict between goblin tribes within troll territory," Rakheshir speculated.
"Or perhaps," Panasolei muttered, half-closing his eyes, "The Beast of the South clashed with the Giant of the East for some unknown reason."
"That's possible as well," Ainzach agreed. "For now, whatever the cause, it's working in our favor. Fewer goblin attacks mean less trouble for the city."
"Keep an eye on it," Panasolei instructed calmly.
"Understood," Ainzach replied with a nod.
Meanwhile, in the Great Forest of Tob
Beside a quiet stream, Sakeer had no idea that his actions had triggered this meeting back in E-Rantel.
But even if he remained unaware of the exact discussion, Sakeer knew that his recent activities would inevitably draw attention.
Early on, when the number of goblins he hunted was relatively low, the scattered corpses had been quickly devoured by scavenging beasts and monsters — nothing out of the ordinary.
However, with the number of slain goblins now piling up dramatically, things were no longer so simple.
If left unattended, those corpses would soon cause far greater problems.
For one, the overwhelming stench of blood would undoubtedly attract trolls.
And Sakeer had no intention of provoking those monsters just yet.
With the goblin population drastically reduced, Sakeer knew this would inevitably draw the attention of adventurers from E-Rantel.
Most of these adventurers were low-level, relying heavily on easy goblin-hunting jobs for their income.
If one of them wandered into the outer jungle and stumbled upon a field littered with goblin corpses, they could glean valuable information just from the condition of the remains alone.
This was precisely what Sakeer wanted to avoid.
The more clues he left behind now, the more his presence — and identity — could be unraveled in the future.
This was an intelligence war.
And it had begun the moment Sakeer chose to stand in opposition to the Great Tomb of Nazarick.
With that in mind, Sakeer gathered the over 2,000 goblin corpses and the bodies of more than 30 ogres, storing them all in his Item Box.
The sheer capacity of this unique "player-only" item was remarkable. Although the number of corpses occupied nearly a third of the available space, Sakeer finally had a clearer understanding of its limits.
For now, this storage capacity was sufficient — more than enough for his current situation.
Still, Sakeer knew this wasn't much by a high-level player's standards. In the anime alone, the Bone King's resurrection of Shalltear had consumed a literal mountain of 500 million gold coins — nearly enough to fill Sakeer's entire Item Box.
But for now, this much space was more than adequate.
The slaughter of over 2,000 goblins and 30 ogres had taken its toll — not just on his equipment but on his mind as well.
Five iron swords had been rendered useless in the process, and the relentless killing had left Sakeer feeling numb — colder and more detached than before.
His visit to the river today wasn't just about bathing; it was a deliberate break — a chance to pause, clear his mind, and reset his emotions.
Now, having eaten his fill and feeling somewhat refreshed, Sakeer opened his status panel to assess his progress.
[Ability Table]
Innate Ability: [Player]
Overall Level: Lv19
Experience Slot: 5893/9500
Class:
Basic Class: Genius Lv9 (Warrior, Priest, Apothecary, Alchemist, Sorcerer, Rogue, Guerrilla, Forest Priest)Intermediate Class: Sword Master Lv10
Skill Points: 39
Passive Skills:
Item BoxSlash Increase (+10%)
Active Skills:
Warrior Skills: Instant Reflex, Four-Light Combo, Quick Slash, Stealth, TrackingMagic Skills: Minor Injury Heal (1st Tier), Magic Arrow (1st Tier), Odorless (1st Tier), Camouflage (1st Tier), Heat Up (2nd Tier), Papermaking (2nd Tier), Item Identification (2nd Tier)
Professions: Pharmaceutical, Alchemy