Aria walked ahead with her father, the chief, and the crowd parted with just one word.
The goblins didn't growl or sneer; they simply stopped moving, watching me with a mix of caution and curiosity.
It wasn't hatred, it was the unfamiliar. For once, I wasn't sure which felt worse.
We reached the long wooden table in the middle of their camp, the place where they held meetings.
I cleared my throat and tapped the surface.
"Alright," I said, "here's the plan. We spread a rumour that Kala is in the volcano growing stronger.
Orcs hear that, they charge straight toward it. When they rush in, we circle around and push them deeper until they fall inside."
Aria's father blinked at me, then leaned back with his arms crossed.
"Kid," he said with a surprised tone, "where were you during the Goblin–Kobold war?
Because if you were there, I doubt goblins would've won anything."
Aria smiled and pressed her arm tighter around mine, her soft chest brushing my elbow on purpose.
"Dad," she said, "you always said Mother knew how to choose. So do I."
I stared at both of them. "Guys… I'm still here. This is the kind of thing you usually say when I'm not listening."
Aria laughed and hugged my arm even harder. "But it's fun for you to hear it."
Her father shook his head. "You're becoming more like your mother every day."
After that, they spread the rumour fast. Orcs started moving their settlement closer to the volcano just like we wanted.
But something felt wrong.
One goblin elder kept slipping out of meetings early, never speaking, and always gripping his bone staff too tightly.
His eyes kept shifting around. I didn't like it.
I followed him quietly.
The moment he left the camp border and checked behind himself, I knew. He was heading toward the orc direction.
He dropped his guard as he walked deeper into the bushes.
That was my chance.
I stepped behind him silently. He didn't even sense me. I raised my hand and struck the back of his head with full force.
His skull cracked like a dry branch and he fell face-first, twitching once before going still.
I leaned over his body and said, "Hey… at least try to hide it. Even a blind idiot could see you were evil."
The system chimed in my head at that exact moment.
[Quest Complete, Variable Removed]
Rewards:
• 20 Tomado
• +5 Interaction
• 1 Evolution Chance
"Damn, So he was a variable?"
Then the rush hit me.
It felt like fire spreading through my veins. My bones stretched, my muscles tightened, and my back cracked like someone kicked me.
I grew taller, way taller, until I stood around 1.9 meters. My body felt heavier but stronger.
My muscles tightened under my scales, and my claws sharpened without me doing anything.
I tested them on a nearby tree. One swipe shattered the trunk into shards and the air pressure alone blew away leaves.
I froze. "...Did I just accidentally become the strongest thing in this forest?"
Because as far as I knew, only the wyvern to the north hit this level.
I walked back to camp. Aria saw me first, her eyes widening and her lips parting a little.
"Oh gods," she whispered, stepping close, "what happened to you?"
Her eyes scanned up my torso, then down, then up again like she needed to double-check.
She only recognized me by my clothing and face.
Then she reached out and touched my arm.
Her fingers pressed into my muscles, then she slid her hand slowly up to my shoulder.
"It's warm," she whispered. "And you smell… manly."
The next moment she leaned her face into my bicep and started sniffing me like she found her favorite scent.
Her father arrived behind her, froze, and almost turned around.
"Oh, sorry, wrong house," he muttered before realizing it was just us. "Hold on… Ragnar Kael? That's you?"
I nodded. "Yeah. Let's stay focused. How's the plan going?"
He straightened himself. "We already circled the orcs. Now we just push them to the volcano."
"Good," I said. "My job is done then."
I took one step back to leave, but Aria grabbed my arm so fast I didn't even react.
"We," she said, her voice soft but firm, "are noble goblins. We can't let our savior leave without a proper banquet in his honor.
Stay for the night." She squeezed my arm again, her chest brushing it intentionally. "Just one night."
Her father saw the atmosphere change and immediately slipped toward the exit on tiptoe.
"I suddenly have something very important to do," he said, not looking back.
Aria didn't even notice him leaving. She only looked at me, her fingers still wrapped around my arm, and her cheeks slightly warm.
I sighed, but not annoyed, more amused. "Alright," I said. "Just one night."
She grinned like she won something important. And she didn't let go of my arm.