Satou's scream came out as a high-pitched, garbled squeak that didn't sound human at all. It echoed through the small cave like the cry of a frightened animal. He tried to move his hands, but they felt tiny and weak, flailing around like noodles. Panic rushed through him like a flood as realization dawned—something was terribly wrong.
His voice—
It wasn't his voice, It was gibberish.
His heart pounded so fast it felt like his little chest might burst. His breaths came out in quick, uneven gasps as he struggled to make sense of what was happening.
"What the—?!" he tried to say, but all that escaped his lips were confused gurgles and squeaks. The sound made him freeze. Slowly, he looked down at himself and nearly fainted.
Tiny green hands, Clawed fingers, Stubby legs, A round belly, His entire body was the size of a toddler's.
The cave around him was dimly lit by glowing moss clinging to the walls. Drops of water trickled from the ceiling, each plop echoing in the stillness. The air smelled of damp earth and old stone—so musty it made his little nose wrinkle.
"No, no, no! This can't be happening!" he thought, but no matter how hard he tried to speak, all that came out was nonsense.
When he turned his head, his heart skipped again. Lying beside him was another baby goblin—just as small, just as green, its tiny arms flailing helplessly in the air. Its big yellow eyes blinked at him in confusion before it burst into a shrill cry.
Satou froze,The sound was enough to confirm his worst fear.
He was a goblin.
The weakest, dumbest, most disposable race in every fantasy game and isekai novel. The kind that gets killed in the first chapter.
"Noooooo! I don't want to be a goblin! There were other races! Why does it have to be a goblin?!" screamed Satou, but all that came out was more gibberish.
He flailed his little arms in frustration, kicking his stubby legs like an angry toddler throwing a tantrum. If anyone was watching, they'd probably think he was just being cute.
"I need to get out of here, but even if I do, I'll get killed easily by all species," he groaned, his words turning into a sad, squeaky sigh.
He looked around again, spotting several other baby goblins curled up in nests of dried grass, sleeping peacefully. Their soft breathing filled the cave with a weird sense of calm, contrasting completely with the chaos in his mind. The air was thick, carrying a metallic scent that made his stomach churn.
Just then, the sound of slow, uneven footsteps echoed through the cave.
An old goblin appeared from the shadows, hunched over and leaning on a gnarled wooden stick. His beard was long and white, dragging against the dirt floor, and his skin was wrinkled like dried leather. His yellow eyes glimmered faintly in the moss light as he shuffled past the sleeping infants.
When he reached Satou, he paused. His gaze lingered on him longer than expected, eyes narrowing slightly.
The old goblin turned his head toward the massive goblin standing guard near the entrance and said, "Shofh sjurirj sudhhrj shhudjd," his voice low and raspy.
Satou blinked. "What language is that supposed to be?!"
He didn't understand a single word. But before he could panic again, a familiar voice echoed inside his head—cold and mechanical.
[Skill Acquired: Goblin Translation]
"Wait, what? It's that voice again! Hello? Can you hear me? I need help to get out of here, please!" said Satou, his tiny voice trembling.
[Activating the skill: Goblin Translation]
"Hey, wait! Hello? Can you hear me? I need help, please!" he cried again, though he didn't realize he was actually speaking aloud.
To him, it still sounded like gibberish. But the old goblin suddenly stopped and turned, his pointed ears twitching.
He walked back toward Satou and bent down, his bony hand lifting the tiny green baby off the ground. "This one is kind of lively compared to the other baby goblins who are still asleep," the old goblin muttered, his tone almost amused.
Satou's eyes widened.
"Wait, I can hear what he's saying now! Does it have to do with Goblin Translation?" he wondered aloud, though his mouth still spat out gibberish.
The old goblin chuckled, the corners of his wrinkled mouth curling into a faint smile. His cold, rough hand pressed against Satou's forehead. "With the way this baby is active, I have a good feeling he'll become a goblin god, just like in the prophecy. We've been waiting for countless centuries. He has the mark on his forehead," he said with quiet pride.
Satou blinked rapidly. "Goblin God? What does he mean? But first things first, get your stinking hands off my face!"
He tried to push the old goblin's hands away, but his tiny arms could barely reach his chin. To the old goblin, it looked more like playful squirming than protest.
"Not today, child. Maybe three days from now, if you survive the special selection," said the old goblin as he gently laid Satou back down.
Satou's heart skipped. "Wait, what do you mean 'survive the special selection'? Do you mean if I don't survive, I'll die? Hey, hey, talk to me!"
But the old goblin only heard adorable baby gibberish. His faint smile returned. "I'm sorry, but I don't have time to play with you, child. I have serious matters to attend to."
He turned and walked toward the cave entrance where the hulking goblin stood guard. "Keep watch. Don't let anyone into the cave, and protect it from any creatures—especially humans."
"Yes, sir," the giant goblin replied, pounding a fist against his chest.
The old goblin nodded and disappeared into the tunnel, leaving Satou alone with his racing thoughts and the guard's silent stare.
"Hey, hey! Please answer me! What do you mean by 'special selection'?!" screamed Satou, his little voice echoing off the damp walls.
The giant goblin didn't move. His glowing eyes watched quietly, like he was trying to decide whether the tiny, squeaking baby was even worth paying attention to.
Minutes passed. Satou kept yelling until his voice turned into tired squeals. His energy drained fast, his eyelids drooping despite his protests.
"Wait, I'm tired and sleepy. Please, no! I demand answers!" he mumbled, trying to fight it.
But his small body betrayed him. His eyes fluttered shut, his breathing steadied, and within seconds fell fast asleep in a nest of straw and moss, still wearing an expression of utter disbelief.