He was a tall, broad‑shouldered man in the prime of his years. The beard framing his angular face lent him an air of sternness and resolve.
He was Captain Marcus, the city of Aldor's highest military commander.
While carrying out his usual patrol duties, suddenly, a soldier rushed in, breathless, reporting a matter of grave importance.
Marcus: "What did you say? Goblin King?"
Soldier: "Yes, sir. This afternoon, a wounded young soldier was brought back to the city by two children. Upon regaining consciousness, he reported that a Goblin King had appeared and was raising a massive army not far from here. That soldier has already been taken to the Count's castle for investigation and further questioning."
Marcus: "Very well. I will head to the castle immediately. You, go contact the scout unit, have them ready to move and act at once upon the next command."
Soldier: "At once, sir."
. . .
* * * * * * * * * *
After treating the young man, Tris and Rin brought him back to the city.
As soon as they entered the city, Tris immediately handed him over to the guards and paid no further attention to what happened afterward.
Tris did not expect that this would mark the beginning of a chain of major events and upheavals soon to unfold in Aldor.
The very next day, while Tris and Rin were reading books and sipping drinks, relaxing in a restaurant affiliated with the Adventurers' Guild, he overheard countless conversations around them, rumors that left many unsettled.
"Have you heard? A Goblin King has appeared nearby."
"Really? You're not joking, are you?"
"It's true. People everywhere are starting to talk about it."
Another voice quickly joined in:
"I heard the information came from a wounded soldier who was brought into the city yesterday. Also, a scout unit was dispatched that very night to investigate further."
"Then surely the guild will take action too, right?"
"Of course. With something this serious, all the city's fighting forces will surely be summoned."
"Are you planning to join if the guild issues a call to muster?"
"Depends on the situation. But I think I will. After all, my home is here."
. . .
Rin: "Master, what level of Magical Beast is a Goblin King?"
Hearing the tense and urgent atmosphere stirred up by the surrounding chatter, she could not hide her worry and asked softly.
Tris: "It's only a B‑rank."
Rin: "But isn't the Magical Beast you wanted to hunt recently also B‑rank? Then why does a Goblin King of the same rank cause such fear and urgency now?"
Tris: "The Goblin King itself isn't frightening. In fact, you wouldn't even need B‑rank adventurers; just a seasoned group of C‑rank adventurers could defeat it. The real problem lies in its absolute command and control over other Goblins."
Rin: "Why does that make it so serious?"
Tris: "Because of that special ability, whenever a Goblin King appears, it quickly gathers an enormous army of Goblins under its rule. It's their sheer numbers that everyone fears."
Rin: "They're really that many?"
Tris: "From what I've studied, their numbers often reach tens of thousands, and could grow even larger if not dealt with swiftly."
Rin: "Tens of thousands…?"
She exclaimed in surprise, tinged with fear.
Realizing the actual scale, Rin immediately understood why everyone around them seemed so anxious and uneasy.
Tris: "If it were only the Goblin King, it would be easily taken down. But surrounded and protected by such a vast army, killing it becomes extremely difficult, at least by conventional means."
Pausing for a sip of water, Tris continued his analysis:
"By my calculations, the Adventurers' Guild might manage to gather at most a thousand fighters. The city's soldiers could probably muster four or five thousand. The Church of Light is also an important force, but given recent events, its contribution will likely be limited."
Rin: "So doesn't that mean we'd be facing an army two or three times larger than ours?"
Tris: "In truth, even with such a numerical advantage, the Goblins are still the weaker side. The issue is that if a direct clash occurs, even in victory, the losses would be immense. That's what Aldor's leaders will surely want to avoid and carefully consider."
Rin: "Then what will they do to respond?"
Tris: "Most likely, they'll launch raids to cut down the Goblin numbers. They might also call for reinforcements from nearby regions. At this point, with so little information, I can only speculate; we can't be certain."
Rin: "So, should we prepare for anything?"
Tris: "Yes. I'll go to the herbalist shop to buy some supplies. You, go rent a training ground from the guild."
Finishing the last of his drink, Tris set the cup down and gave his instructions.
Rin: "Buy supplies and rent a training ground?"
Hearing what needed to be done next, Rin could not guess his true intentions.
* * * * * * * * * *
Apothecary: "Three‑colored mushrooms, Gelsemium leaves, Smiling Root… in total, thirteen different ingredients. Many of them contain very strong toxins. Do you truly wish to purchase such a large quantity?"
Hearing the question, the figure cloaked in black with a mask covering his face firmly replied:
"Yes. Do you have enough stock?"
Apothecary: "Only these two are a bit short of the amount you requested, but the rest are fairly common and readily available. Please check."
"All right, no problem. Here is the payment."
The transaction was quickly completed. The mysterious customer stored away all the purchased ingredients and departed.
Once he reached a suitably hidden spot, free from prying eyes, the man and the large backpack full of ingredients suddenly vanished into thin air.
In truth, it was one of Tris's puppets that had gone to purchase in his stead.
All Tris needed to do was wait for the puppet to arrive near his location, then store both it and the backpack of ingredients into his spatial ring.
If anyone wondered whether another person could use a spatial ring to suddenly seize Tris's puppet and belongings before he retrieved them, the answer was no.
This was similar to the concept of a Mage's magic control zone.
The puppet was directly under Tris's command, and the items it carried were considered within his sphere of control. It was nearly impossible for anyone else to interfere.
Likewise, if Tris were fighting an opponent clad in armor and wielding a sword, he could not simply use a spatial ring to snatch those items away, since they were under the opponent's direct control.
Having secured the supplies he needed, Tris headed toward the training ground where Rin was already waiting.