Goblin King: My Innate Skill Is OP

Chapter 384: Nightfall

"Bundi..." I called out. "New assignment."

The moment he heard that, Bundi hurried toward me almost immediately, looking far too eager for someone who had already been overloaded with responsibilities earlier.

"Yes, Chief."

I gestured lightly toward the barrier overhead.

"It’s not a major priority right now, but begin studying the barrier structure itself. I want you to see if it’s possible to eventually create something capable of doing what Caius just mentioned."

Bundi blinked.

"You mean... a weapon capable of piercing barriers?"

"Or disrupting them," I clarified. "Anything along those lines."

Caius immediately looked skeptical after hearing that.

"That would be extremely difficult to achieve," he said honestly. "Barriers like this are stabilized through linked mana flow. Breaking through them usually requires either overwhelming force or some form of interference with the structure itself."

Honestly, that just made the idea sound even more useful.

Because if someone else could eventually figure it out, then it was better if we started thinking about it first instead of waiting to become victims of it later.

Bundi, meanwhile, looked even more excited now.

"I’ll do my best, Chief," he said firmly, practically vibrating with enthusiasm already.

Honestly, the goblin seemed happiest whenever he was given something complicated to obsess over.

"Sure," I replied. "Just remember this isn’t a priority over the clan’s current defenses and siege development."

"Understood."

Even then, I could already tell he was mentally disappearing into another world entirely.

I turned away. With the barrier finally completed, Caius technically could’ve begun power leveling the others. But by then, the sun had already begun setting.

With the barrier finally completed, Caius technically could’ve started power leveling the others already. But the sun was going down fast. And nighttime in this world was a completely different matter.

The creatures roaming the wild after dark were far more dangerous, far more aggressive, and in some areas, entirely different monsters appeared once the light disappeared. Sending weaker goblins out at that hour, especially for leveling purposes, would’ve been unnecessarily risky.

So after some discussion, it was decided that Caius and the others would begin the large-scale hunting operations the following morning instead.

As for me, though, nighttime wasn’t really a problem. If anything, it was the ideal time for me to hunt.

The stronger monsters usually emerged after dark, and those were the creatures I actually needed if I wanted meaningful experience gains at my current level. Beyond that, I was confident enough in my own abilities to escape if I encountered something truly beyond me.

That said, leveling up wasn’t the main reason I planned on heading out tonight.

The real objective was the monster crystals.

If Ariel’s information was accurate and those wolves genuinely carried crystals capable of enhancing armor and equipment, then we needed to secure them as quickly as possible. Talia already had enough knowledge to improve the clan’s gear significantly, but materials had always been the problem. Now we finally had a possible source.

As for the settlement itself...

For the first time in a while, I wasn’t overly worried about leaving it behind temporarily.

With the walls fully completed and the garnet-powered barrier active overhead, the Emerald Midget Clan was far more secure than it had ever been before. Our strongest fighters were still inside the settlement as well, so even with some groups temporarily absent, the clan wasn’t defenseless.

Besides, Narg and the others he’d taken with him would most likely return before deep night fully settled in anyway. So overall, there really wasn’t much reason to worry.

And even if something unexpected happened, we still had the [Soulshade Sigils]. That alone eased my concerns significantly.

If any of the groups encountered serious danger, all they had to do was tear the talisman, and the linked chroma on mine would react immediately. The moment that happened, I’d know which group was in trouble and could use [Warp] to return as quickly as possible.

Honestly, the more I thought about it, the more useful Narg’s talismans became. For once, I could actually leave the settlement without constantly feeling like disaster would strike the second I turned my back.

I lifted my gaze toward the four-tailed fox resting lazily atop one of the nearby rooftops.

"Alright, Ariel," I called out. "Let’s get going."

Ariel looked down at me from above.

"Going where?" she asked casually.

"To get the crystals," I replied. "Where else would we be going?"

Ariel stared at me for a second as if she couldn’t believe I needed to explain that.

Then, without another word, the four-tailed fox sprang to her feet and leaped down from the rooftop gracefully, landing nearby with barely a sound despite the height.

Right after that, Zarah walked toward me.

"Zarah, you’re in charge while I’m gone," I told her. "Keep things in order."

She nodded at first, but instead of stepping away, she moved closer and gently held my hands.

"I thought you said nighttime was dangerous," she said softly.

"It is," I answered honestly. "But not for me."

Zarah narrowed her eyes slightly after hearing that and leaned closer toward me, her expression turning more scrutinizing.

"Not for you," she repeated slowly, "but for us."

For a moment, I forgot how to speak. Her face was way too close to mine. Close enough for me to notice the faint glow in her eyes from the barrier light above us and the cool sensation of her fingers around my hands.

My brain stopped functioning for a second there.

She shook her head slowly.

"I do not like the way you baby me."

"I don’t baby you," I denied immediately.

"It’s more that the clan needs protection right now, so I need you all here."

"That excuse is starting to get old," she replied.

For some reason, that almost made me gulp.

"How am I supposed to become a strong commander if you keep shielding me from danger?" she continued, her gaze fixed directly on mine.

I let out a slow breath.

"It’s not about you," I said. "It’s about the clan."

Zarah gave me a look that practically screamed: Really?

Honestly, I didn’t think her expressions had this much range.

"If I truly intended to keep...