I Am Not Goblin Slayer

Chapter 277: Lord of the Underground Nest

To be honest, Gauss had seen quite a few monster nests by now.But setting aside numbers and such, this goblin-like creature town was probably the most properly planned one. Though rough and chaotic, it maintained a unique order, giving off a peculiar sense of wild vitality.

Before him was a simple path.

Many goblin-like creatures walked along this road.

Their status could be easily distinguished by appearance. Ordinary goblin-like creatures were thin and small with dull scales. Elite warriors were stronger, noticeably several sizes larger, and clad in iron armor.

There were also special goblin-like creatures riding on giant lizards, swiftly moving along the main roads.

These particular goblin-like creatures didn't wear heavily protective armor, only soft robes. When they rode their giant lizards past, the thin ordinary goblin-like creatures on both sides had to make way and lower their heads.

The hierarchy was incredibly strict.

Through the spider's perspective, Gauss silently observed this monster town.

In the cracks by the roadside, this controlled spider nimbly jumped about while avoiding the claws of the goblin-like creatures overhead.

Soon, it passed through several areas and instantly understood the food source of the goblin-like creatures.

A large patch of land grew dense moss and fungi, while other sunken pits bred swarms of some black crawling insects, rats, and other reserve foods.

While Gauss was observing, several goblin-like creatures were feeding those pits.

Moreover, Gauss realized his earlier judgment that the goblin-like creature nest hadn't ventured out might be wrong.

Because on the roads, goblin-like creatures were pulling carts loaded with wood, beasts, and other supplies.

Clearly, the goblin-like creatures had their own secret passages to the outside.

The more Gauss watched, the more he felt the monster ruling this nest wasn't simple.

Otherwise, how could it restrain these inherently wild monsters so effectively?

Unconsciously, he passed through the town's outskirts and reached the inner areas.

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

Before the furnaces, goblin-like creature craftsmen busily hammered rough blanks, shaping the red-hot metal blocks into tools and weapons.

Beside them lay some finished products - not particularly refined, but the cold-gleaming blades were clearly lethal enough to pose deadly threats to other creatures.

Knives, crude short swords, spearheads, numerous arrowheads, pickaxe heads, trap components, metal ingots - the variety was remarkably rich.

After all, besides mining, the goblin-like creature race's other renowned specialty was forging.

However, unlike humans and dwarves, goblin-like creatures didn't pursue craftsmanship or aesthetic techniques. They focused on practicality, using their innate perception of minerals and metals to identify ore quality, then employing the simplest heating and hammering for rough metal refining.

Therefore, any goblin-like creature tribe established on mineral veins and fire sources would inevitably develop basic smelting and forging capabilities.

This ability had even become a talent imprinted in their bloodline.

Unfortunately...

Another inherent nature of goblin-like creatures was their hostility toward intelligent beings. These creatures despised all other humanoid species and had tendencies to abuse other creatures.

And they worshiped powerful monsters, especially dragons.

This made these creatures a significant hidden danger to humans, naturally placing them in an hostile faction.

More memories about goblin-like creatures flashed through Gauss's mind.

His gaze fixed on the nearly mountain-like pile of ores and weapons.

A goblin-like creature nest strictly enforcing "blockade," maintaining basic internal order, while massively stockpiling weapons, ores, and metal ingots.

What was their purpose? Or rather, what purpose did the goblin-like creature leader managing this nest harbor?

Attacking Gold-Silver Town?

Quietly accumulating strength for future raids?

Based on the intelligence Gauss had collected so far, he couldn't determine clearly.

He vaguely felt the entire goblin-like creature town was shrouded in a mysterious fog.

It was too calm.

So calm it hardly seemed like a monster nest. Only when passing the slaughter area earlier and seeing those blood-stimulated, red-eyed goblin-like creature butchers could he glimpse the shadow of monster brutality on them.

"Roar roar!"

Several goblin-like creatures communicated loudly.

Curious, Gauss moved closer.

He saw several goblin-like creature craftsmen gathered around a piece of ore.

From the shattered stone skin emerged a crystal-clear magic crystal.

The quality was quite good.

About the size of a goose egg.

Gauss roughly estimated such a natural magic crystal would be worth at least several dozen gold coins, if not more.

It was crimson in color, emitting a fire-attribute power.

"Not bad, a good find," Gauss thought silently.

This magic crystal already belonged to Gauss's team as spoils.

Besides him, the other goblin-like creatures surrounding the magic crystal also had their eyes light up instantly.

They continuously emitted excited roars.

Goblin-like creatures had an irresistible collecting desire for gold coins, gems, and any small objects that reflected light.

In this aspect, they indeed shared similar habits with dragons.

Just when Gauss thought these goblin-like creatures would secretly hoard the magic crystal, they instead proactively reported it to other goblin-like creatures.

Finally, a goblin-like creature shaman riding a giant lizard arrived at the smelting workshop holding a burning pure white candle.

After it entered, the goblin-like creature craftsmen immediately scattered and prostrated nearby.

After the goblin-like creature shaman muttered some words to them, it reached out and picked up that crimson magic crystal.

Unfortunately, Gauss currently only shared vision with the clay spider and couldn't activate Tongue of Languages in this state. Otherwise, he'd really like to hear what these excited goblin-like creatures were discussing.

Under the slightly raised, excited gazes of the goblin-like creature craftsmen, the esteemed goblin-like creature shaman took the magic crystal and, escorted by several elite goblin-like creature warriors, headed toward the giant lizard direction.

Gauss's controlled little spider hopped a couple times.

He couldn't quite understand why they were so excited.

He saw a shadow resembling the pitiful corporate wage slaves from his previous life's workplace on them.

Perhaps that goblin-like creature shaman had painted some grand vision for these craftsmen too, since even after the shaman left, these craftsmen remained excitedly roaring and communicating in low voices after getting up.

But Gauss had already followed the shaman's footsteps, controlling the spider to jump onto the giant lizard's body.

He planned to hitch a ride, using the giant lizard to reach the nest's core area.

After all, due to needing to control the clay spider's intensity, the amount of mana invested in this body was truly limited. He already felt the current energy was mostly depleted.

He needed to conserve it.

After the giant lizard left the black smoke-billowing furnaces, it headed straight toward the center.

The journey was unobstructed.

The goblin-like creature shaman riding this giant lizard likely held quite high status in the nest, enjoying extremely prioritized right of way. Not only ordinary goblin-like creatures, but even elite goblin-like creatures, and even other "top dogs" riding giant lizards needed to yield.

Moreover, this giant lizard was the largest in size.

Finally, Gauss reached the center of the goblin-like creature nest via this "top-tier luxury vehicle."

Unlike the dim outer areas with only faint green moss glow, the central region was relatively bright.

And the environment suddenly opened up, without extra crowded buildings.

The glowing moss growing on the dome above and surroundings seemed carefully cultivated and transplanted, emitting brighter, golden-leaning light.

Precisely because of this, the entire area bathed in warm light resembling sunset.

The ground also changed from earthen paths to neatly hammered stone brick roads.

Elite goblin-like creatures and well-dressed goblin-like creature shamans gathered here in large numbers. Gauss sensed heartfelt fanatical worship and excitement from their faces.

Gauss's "heartbeat" quickened, if he had one at this moment.

He vaguely realized the anomaly of this nest might soon surface.

Thinking this, he quickly jumped onto that goblin-like creature shaman's clothing, hiding himself in the fabric folds.

Meanwhile, through exposed gaps, he continued silently observing the surrounding goblin-like creatures.

Upon reaching this special area, all goblin-like creatures uniformly bent their postures.

Even the previously most arrogant goblin-like creature shaman toward ordinary goblin-like creatures was no exception, like servants returning to their loyal master.

So who was the master here?

Gauss couldn't help feeling curious - a powerful goblin-like creature lord?

Hanging on the clothing, swaying back and forth, Gauss noticed the clothing's owner was walking up sloping terrain.

So hot...

Besides shared vision, Gauss could also perceive some other senses of the clay spider.

He detected the temperature rapidly rising.

Even hotter than near the forging furnaces where he'd stayed earlier.

He looked at the ground, feeling scorching energy surging from underground.

Some geothermal area?

This shouldn't be suitable for goblin-like creature habitation, right?

Gauss silently analyzed.

Although goblin-like creatures often claimed dragon descendant status, these creatures had one biggest difference from dragons:

They were cold-blooded poikilotherms, while dragons were warm-blooded creatures.

This meant goblin-like creatures couldn't efficiently maintain constant body temperature through normal metabolism. Their body temperature highly depended on environmental temperature.

This made environments neither too cold nor too hot most suitable for them.

They would create suitable environments for themselves.

So, what exactly was this...

Gauss grew even more curious inside.

Like he was about to meet the nest's true BOSS, brimming with excitement.

Damn body, hold on a bit longer for me.

He didn't want to lose connection due to mana depletion before even seeing the nest master.

The spider's internal mana continued depleting bit by bit.

Thinking? Thinking also consumed energy.

Gauss chose to empty his mind, thinking of nothing.

The goblin-like creature shaman holding the fire-attribute magic crystal trembled more noticeably the higher and more central it went.

That was trembling caused by excitement beyond control.

It lowered its proud head. The scorching temperature made sweat continuously secrete from its scale armor, yet it seemed to relish it.

A heart inside its chest continuously accelerated beating.

Finally, it reached the top of this earthen mound.

The mound top was a flat, open platform square enclosed by low walls.

On the leveled ground, numerous glittering items were randomly scattered.

Some were metal, some were pretty colored stones - perhaps not worth much.

But the quantity was massive, piled mountain-high, still looking quite impressive.

And in the center, there was a "treasure" hill.

The quality was clearly more valuable than the surrounding cheap filler items.

Several gold ingots suspected to be real gold, some scattered silver, certain gems, and a small amount of magic crystals.

Gauss controlled the little spider to emerge from the goblin-like creature shaman's clothing.

He watched the goblin-like creature shaman devoutly prostrate on the ground.

Then placed that crimson goose egg-sized natural magic crystal into that "treasure mountain."

"Clatter!"

Various "treasures" instantly slid down.

A claw covered in dark red scales suddenly reached out from the treasure pile's shadows, accurately catching the rolling crimson magic crystal.

That claw was strong and powerful, with thick knuckles, ending in glowing red sharp claws.

With the claw's movement, the creature in the treasure pile seemed to awaken.

Loud sounds came from within.

A crimson figure slowly woke from slumber, raising its upper body.

Gauss witnessed this through the clay spider's vision.

His pupils trembled violently!

This was a robust beast, its body covered in crimson scale armor.

These scales weren't smooth like snakes', instead having rough, hard texture like cooled lava, uneven surfaces appearing quite ferocious.

Under the light from the golden moss on the cave ceiling, it emitted an indescribable oppressive pressure.

It had a thick yet elegant neck, a twisted head with a long snout covered in sharp bone spikes, some horns growing on its head.

A pair of dark golden vertical pupils embedded in deep eye sockets, eyes radiating a predator's coldness and impatience.

But when its gaze fixed on the magic crystal in its claw, a flicker of fondness and possessiveness flashed through.

It fully emerged from the "treasure."

Strong limbs steadily supported its body, a powerful tail dragging behind, sweeping some gems away when it moved.

Excluding neck and tail, its body was roughly car-sized.

"Roar!"

The beast emitted a satisfied low roar.

From its nostrils, white smoke carrying sulfur scent continuously overflowed during this process.

As if beneath this body hid a miniature volcano about to erupt!

Gauss began feeling uneasy.

This was...

A juvenile red dragon?

The violent aesthetics emanating from the creature before him made Gauss, seeing it for the first time, instinctively tense up while also growing excited.

He truly hadn't expected such a creature behind these goblin-like creatures.

If it really was a dragon, even just a juvenile dragon, it would be an extremely fearsome enemy, yet also an extremely precious one.

But how could a dragon be hidden in such harsh environment?

What about the dragon mother?

"Roar!"

The red dragon emitted another excited roar, scorching breath surging from its mouth and nostrils.

No...

Gauss stared at the demeanor and movements of the dragon-like creature before him, carefully observing, as a thought flashed through his mind.

No, this shouldn't be a red dragon!

But a drake!!