From Goblin to God

Chapter 18: A New Pet

Back in the goblin tribe.

When Lowell saw the sudden appearance of so many high-tier goblins, he initially thought another tribe was invading. He couldn’t imagine how much more agony he would have to endure after being tortured for so long already.

“Goblin Wind, you’re back! And you’ve all gotten so strong!” Goblin Moon greeted as she approached.

Lowell finally realized that the same low-tier goblins from before had all evolved into high-tier goblins! The sheer terror of it struck him—this was now a tribe of nearly a hundred high-tier goblins.

In the Lionheart Empire’s largest Entranched Forest, such a tribe would already be a significant force, and this was only a small, remote part of the forest.

“The leader of these goblins—what kind of monster is he? The royal knights and my master must eradicate this terrifying tribe as soon as possible!” Lowell trembled with fear as he thought of the chaos that could unfold if these goblins were allowed to grow stronger.

Meanwhile, Oliver returned to the tribe, ready to give it a name. Naming the tribe was the first step before launching an attack on the Bloodfang Tribe. However, he preferred surprise assaults over declarations of war. Still, the tribe needed a name.

Gathering all the goblins, Oliver asked, “Goblin Moon, Leah, Goblin Wind, and the rest of you, what do you think we should name our tribe?”

Now that many of them had evolved and gained intelligence, they could contribute more meaningfully to discussions.

Goblin Moon thought for a moment. “Why not call it the Strong Tribe? Together, we’ll grow big and powerful! Hehe!”

“You’re too naive, little Moon,” Leah teased. “Goblin tribes are usually named after their leader.”

Goblin Wind and Goblin Crazy exchanged glances, pondering the possibilities. Finally, one of them spoke, “Boss, how about Dragon Slayer Tribe? We’ll slay dragons one day!”

Oliver’s eyes brightened at their silly but confident suggestion.

“Fine,” he said with a grin, “we’ll call it the Heaven Slayer Tribe.”

The name was quickly set.

“Heaven Slayer Tribe! Heaven Slayer Tribe!” the goblins chanted in excitement, dancing and celebrating. Even after evolving, they hadn’t lost their simple, childlike enthusiasm.

Oliver had chosen the name to make others think the leaders were Goblin Wind and Goblin Crazy, keeping himself in the shadows for safety. He also intended to cultivate these two as the tribe’s main warriors.

The next day, Oliver set out alone to scout the Bloodfang Tribe.

Traversing the Entranched Forest, he eventually reached the eastern edge. Surprisingly, two previously marked goblin tribes—the Black Bear Tribe and the Warhorse Tribe—had vanished without a trace.

“Huh? Weren’t the Black Bear and Warhorse Tribes here? How have they been wiped out so completely?”

Both of those tribes had high-tier goblins, and if they had joined forces, they could have matched the Bloodfang Tribe in strength. It was impossible that they had disappeared so quickly.

But they weren’t his primary concern. Oliver continued toward the Bloodfang Tribe.

Finally, he arrived at the tribe’s borders. The tribe was built near a river teeming with fish, surrounded by fertile plains. This strategic access to food allowed the tribe to thrive.

Numerous huts dotted the landscape, housing at least three hundred goblins, likely more. Despite daylight, goblins patrolled from watchtowers and circled the camp in small squads.

“They’re being unusually cautious. Could it be…?" Oliver wondered, deep in thought.

Suddenly, a massive goblin emerged from one of the large huts—unlike any he had seen before. This goblin stood nearly 6 feet tall, with dark brown skin, strange blood-painted markings across its body, and menacing tusks jutting from its mouth. It carried a gigantic bone hammer, seemingly fashioned from the skull and spine of some massive beast.

“A hero-class goblin!” Oliver realized. “A Giant Hammer Goblin!”

The bone hammer was larger than the goblin itself.

It all made sense now. After evolving into a Giant Hammer Goblin, this beast must have wiped out the surrounding tribes. But how had it evolved so quickly?

A closer look revealed the answer. The bone hammer looked strikingly similar to the skull of a tier-four beast from the western forest—the Nether Zebra.

“It hunted a tier-four monster? No wonder.”

The Nether Zebra was one of the strongest creatures in the Entranched Forest. Its body measured up to 20 feet long, and its skull and neck bones made for a perfect giant hammer.

Oliver inspected the goblin’s stats.

[Giant Hammer Goblin (Bloodfang): Lv50 | Species: Goblin | Occupation: High-tier Warrior | Title: Monster Slayer, Goblin Hero, Blessed by the Gods, Breeding Machine | HP: 700 | Strength: 239 | Defense: 114 | Skills: Savage Hammer Strike, Tremendous Strength, Stone Skin, Climbing, Silent Step | Equipment: Bone Hammer | Combat: 900]

Though the goblin’s strength was formidable, it lacked access to advanced metalworking technology, which meant its attributes weren’t overwhelmingly powerful. Oliver’s goblins in the Heaven Slayer Tribe wore iron armor and wielded iron swords, which made a huge difference, even if their base stats weren’t ideal. Equipment played a crucial role.

“Not so tough after all. A group of ten or so goblin warriors could probably take it down,” Oliver remarked. But capturing it alive would be much more difficult. The goblin had likely developed a resistance to paralysis poisons, having survived in the Entranched Forest for so long.

“If only that white-robed priestess, Evelria, were on my side. She could use her holy imprisonment magic.”

Oliver decided to return to his tribe to devise a plan. His goal was clear: capture the Giant Hammer Goblin to breed stronger goblins for the next generation. Only then would his tribe stand a chance against the human empire. Otherwise, they were destined to be exterminated.

Back at the tribe, Goblin Crazy approached with a grin. “Boss, as you ordered, the human is done for.”

Oliver turned to see Evelria lying unconscious on the ground. As for Lowell, his real suffering hadn’t even begun. He had spent the entire day watching his beloved goddess endure at the hands of goblins. His mind was teetering on the edge of madness.

Oliver approached Evelria, slapping her awake. “Heh, heh, heh... are you in pain now? Do you regret it?”

“Kill me. Let me die. I need to repent before God,” Evelria whispered in a broken voice.

But instead of continuing the torment, Oliver changed tactics. He fetched warm water and gently began cleaning her wounds and filth.

“That’s our boss! So clean and proper, ha ha!” Goblin Crazy laughed nearby.

At first, Evelria thought Oliver was showing her mercy. But as she realized his intentions, she began to resist, trembling in panic. “No, I’m losing my mind! The pain is unbearable!”

Hearing this, Lowell screamed, his voice raw with fury. “You monster! Isn’t it enough already? How much longer will you torment us, you vile goblin?!”

Oliver, putting on a show of sympathy, held Evelria in his arms like a concerned elder. “It’s okay now. I won’t let them hurt you anymore,” he whispered soothingly.

Evelria froze, then broke down into tears, collapsing into Oliver’s embrace. She wept bitterly, releasing all the fear and despair she had built up. In her mind, everything had turned gray—her countless prayers for salvation had gone unanswered. Only now, Oliver was offering her something resembling comfort.

Oliver carried her to a large basin, gently washing her body. “From now on, no one else will touch you. I am your God now, understand?”

As he cleaned her, he carefully manipulated her thoughts, planting seeds of dependence. Evelria, her mind shattered, was in the perfect state for manipulation.

“Yes... I am your servant. As long as you protect me, I will stay by your side,” Evelria murmured like a small, obedient kitten.

Oliver continued his work, reinforcing her psychological conditioning. Soon, Evelria was completely devoted, her thoughts revolving solely around staying safe by Oliver’s side.

“My God, I offer you everything,” she whispered, nuzzling against his leg in a display of submission.

Watching from afar, Leah and the others sighed in relief. They couldn’t imagine being reduced to such a state—it was worse than death.

Meanwhile, Lowell’s true torment was about to begin.

With wicked smiles, Goblin Crazy and the others approached him. “Humans are really something. Even the males have such smooth skin. You’ve lived longer than us, but your skin’s better than ours!”

“What are you doing? Wait! Wait, no! Please—this can’t be happening!”

Screams echoed through the Entranched Forest.

Later, Oliver turned to Evelria and asked, "I’d like to see you use the Holy Light Cage spell.”

Terrified of displeasing him, Evelria immediately complied, desperate to avoid being discarded.

“Holy Light? A cage? I don’t know what that is, my God. I don’t remember,” she replied, utterly confused, having forgotten all her former skills as a human.

Oliver then handed her the original magic book. After flipping through a few pages, she finally reacted, saying, “Holy Light Cage? Is this it?”

As Evelria spoke, the magic within her body activated on its own, connecting with the magic book!