The mist had completely vanished from Goblin's Grove.
For the first time since the private dungeon had opened, Lee Jun could see the clear blue sky and the thick forest stretching endlessly beyond the land. That mist hadn't just been a boundary—it had been a shield. Without it, the area was now wide open... and far more vulnerable.
Jun stood atop a large rock overlooking the field. Behind him, Godon and several goblins stood still, ready for orders.
"Many of the wild goblins escaped during the battle," Jun said calmly. "They might return… or worse, regroup somewhere else."
His fists tightened. The system had granted him a major reward—his goblin limit had increased from 25 to 35 slots. After the bloody battle, only 19 goblins remained by his side.
Sixteen slots remained open.
He had to act now.
"Godon, take two scouts. Sweep the northern and western regions. Look for trails. We're going hunting."
Godon nodded firmly. He was no longer just a regular goblin. After the war, he had grown into a natural leader. With two swift, lean goblins, they rushed into the forest.
Two hours later, the sound of footsteps echoed back from the trees.
"Master!" Godon returned, dragging a wild goblin by the arm. The creature was thin, injured, and covered in filth. "Found him by the riverbank, eating a dead boar."
The goblin flinched in fear but didn't fight back. His eyes weren't filled with hate—only hunger and exhaustion. Jun knelt down in front of him.
"Are you alone?"
The goblin nodded slowly. His voice came out in a whisper, "…Ran… all dead…"
Jun stared silently. He could end this goblin here, but it would be a waste of life.
"One chance," he said. "Pledge loyalty to me, and you live. Lie or betray me… you know the result."
The goblin trembled, then lowered his head to the ground.
A soft glow surrounded him.
[A new goblin has been tamed.]
The hunt continued until late afternoon. By day's end, Jun and his squad had tracked and subdued five more wild goblins:
Three were injured and deeply traumatized.
One archer dropped his bow and surrendered outright.
One muscular female goblin resisted fiercely but surrendered after being defeated in a short duel by Godon.
But the last discovery was different.
In the northern woods, they encountered a young elite goblin—broad-shouldered, carrying a curved blade, wearing a necklace made of bones. He stood alone among broken trees.
"I won't kneel," he growled. "If you want me, beat me."
Godon stepped forward, but Jun raised his hand.
"I'll face him."
The duel was swift and brutal. Jun used his long spear and speed, while the elite goblin relied on raw strength and wild techniques. Blades clashed, blood spilled. They tumbled, rolled, fought on their knees—until Jun finally knocked the blade aside and pointed his spear at the goblin's throat.
"Kill me if you must," the goblin spat with a bitter smile.
Jun didn't move.
"If I wanted you dead," he said quietly, "I'd have done it already."
He lowered his weapon. "Show me your strength not by destroying—but by protecting."
Silence.
Then, the goblin dropped his curved blade to the ground.
[Elite Goblin (Nameless) has been tamed.][Remaining slots: 9]
By sundown, Jun stood surrounded by his new recruits.
Seven wild goblins had joined him that day. They weren't the strongest yet, but they were a start—seeds of a new generation of warriors for Goblin's Grove.
The outside world was no longer distant. The forest was open. Danger could come from anywhere.
But with every new goblin added to his ranks, Lee Jun grew one step closer to building a true goblin force.