Becoming a Monster

Chapter 575: Chapter 574: Paranoia

After Noah finished speaking with Bolas, most of the day had passed.

Rather than resting, Noah used that time to observe everyone’s progress.

With so many of his creatures having recently evolved, understanding their newfound strengths had become just as important as helping them grow stronger.

If he didn’t understand what each of them was capable of now, then he wouldn’t know how best to use them once the battle began.

Because of that, most of his attention was spent watching the newly evolved cats and dogs as they gradually familiarized themselves with their new abilities.

Only after he was satisfied did Noah finally turn his attention toward what Ailetta and Arachne were doing.

It was time to take care of the goblins.

Rather than moving immediately, they deliberately waited until the latter half of the day before making their way toward the encampment.

It wasn’t because the goblins posed enough of a threat to justify caution.

Even before losing nearly half of their hobgoblins and their chieftain, Noah had never considered them a serious threat when by themselves.

The delay existed for one reason.

Ever since Ailetta began keeping watch over the tribe, Noah has asked her to pay attention to only one thing.

When were the most goblins inside the camp?

The answer became clear after several days of observation.

After suffering such heavy losses and without a strong, capable chieftain, the goblins had become noticeably more fearful of the forest.

Specifically, Noah and his monsters.

Unlike before, they rarely sent hunting parties out once the day began drawing to a close.

Instead, they preferred to gather within the safety of their camp and wait until morning before searching for food again.

For Noah, that was exactly what he wanted.

The fewer goblins wandering through the forest, the fewer opportunities there would be for one of them to escape.

If they were going to take care of them, then it was better to be thorough.

By the time the sun had begun descending toward the horizon, only three figures quietly emerged from the forest a good distance away from the goblin encampment.

Noah, Ailetta, and Arachne.

This operation belonged solely to the two queens.

For the two women, this operation was more important than the last battle with the adventurers.

As they observed the camp before them, their expressions didn’t change upon seeing their "fortress".

The crude barricade of sharpened stakes surrounding it was almost laughable.

At best, it offered the goblins a false sense of security.

Small groups of standard goblin guards stood watch around different sections of the barricade.

If they simply stood at their positions, one would think this was just an ordinary precaution.

However, the goblins’ behavior was eye-raising. Their heads constantly snapped to even the tiniest noise. Goblin jargon erupted in different parts of the camp, eliciting even more jargon from goblins in the opposite areas.

If one didn’t know any better, one would believe the goblins were the most orderly and vigilant creatures in the forest.

Or the less likely assumption was that they were aware they would be attacked.

Not because they expected an attack.

But because Ailetta’s repeated visits over the past several nights had left the entire camp on edge.

More than one goblin had found themselves looking into the darkness within the trees, only to meet the gaze of a massive eye staring back at them while an impossibly wide smile full of jagged teeth chattered in the night.

That single image had transpired on more than one occasion.

Now, even the bravest among them hesitated when looking into dark areas. Every sound warranted at least two of them to check, because no one had the heart to check for themselves anymore.

—

"You said that the one I let go became the new chieftain, right?"

Noah inquired as he amusingly watched the goblins squirm. Honestly, he wondered just how many days this had gone on.

Imagining the past few days with them running around, not realizing that they were wasting their efforts, was sad in its own way.

"I reckon so, I can’t tell the difference between them. But the first time they met my babies, it was only one that seemed to know what they were, and it managed to frighten the rest even more."

Arachne tried to pay attention to everything the two were discussing, but she regretted it instantly.

"Hehe~ To be that terrified, it has to be the one that was traumatized by our darling."

Arachne felt her face gradually growing hotter.

She couldn’t understand how Ailetta always managed to say those kinds of things so casually.

Every time Arachne tried, the words became lodged in her throat long before they ever reached her lips.

"...One day."

She quietly made that promise to herself before forcing her attention back toward the goblin camp.

—

Inside the goblin camp, one wouldn’t believe that Noah had killed so many before this.

There were at least seventy goblins gathered outside their crude huts, while another twenty hobgoblins continuously patrolled within the barricade.

On the surface, the camp appeared to have recovered.

Only after watching them for a while did the cracks begin to show.

No goblin lingered outside longer than necessary.

The few conversations that took place were kept short before each of them instinctively glanced back toward the surrounding forest.

Even something as ordinary as a goblin stepping on a dry branch caused several heads to snap toward the sound.

The unfortunate goblin nearly dropped his spear before frantically shouting that it was only him.

A chorus of irritated growls answered back.

Not even two heartbeats later.

Crack.

Another branch snapped from a different part of the camp.

Several goblins immediately began pelting that direction with loose stones.

Moments later, an even louder string of furious goblin jargon erupted before another goblin stormed into view, one hand clutching the side of his head while angrily throwing the stones back.

The rest of the camp watched the argument unfold for a few moments before quietly returning to their patrols.

It was a sight that had become strangely common over the past several nights.

Only after realizing it had been another false alarm would they lower them again.

It happened so often that no one even complained anymore.

They accepted that every noise could be a shadow ready to consume them, while every shadow might be the last thing they ever looked at.

At the center of the encampment stood the largest hut.

Compared to the rest of the camp, nearly twice as many guards remained stationed around it.

Yet the identities of the guards were just ordinary goblins. The hobgoblins patrolled the borders or did their own thing.

Despite the chaotic order, the new chieftain didn’t have full control over the camp. It was impossible to do so without sufficient power.

That power only allowed a stagnant balance. But it was a balance that still allowed the camp to function.

That was also the reason the guards stationed outside the largest hut were nothing more than ordinary goblins.

The hobgoblins acknowledged the new chieftain’s position.

But acknowledging his title and obeying his every command were two entirely different things.

Until he proved himself worthy of leading them, they would continue acting much as they always had.

Only the ordinary goblins remained loyal enough, or fearful enough, to guard the hut.

Their eyes constantly swept across the perimeter, searching for anything that seemed out of place.

Yet every so often, their ears betrayed them.

Shrill cries mixed with hoarse grunts continued leaking through the walls behind them, causing more than one guard’s attention to drift despite themselves.

Ever since becoming chieftain, those nightly activities had become increasingly frequent.

Whether it was to celebrate his newfound position, reassure himself that he truly stood above the others, or bury the lingering fear Noah had left behind...

Only the goblin inside knew.

If Noah had witnessed the scene, he probably would’ve been surprised.

The stories he remembered always portrayed goblins as an all-male species.

Yet this tribe was made up of female goblins as well. There weren’t many of them, which made them all the more coveted.

For an ordinary goblin, obtaining the chance to claim even one throughout their entire lifetime was little more than a fantasy.

Now that the former survivor had become chieftain, no one dared question how he chose to spend his nights.

—

The goblins stationed outside the chieftain’s hut were hardly paying attention to guarding anymore.

Their thoughts had long since drifted elsewhere.

The sounds leaking through the walls made it increasingly difficult to focus, and more than half of them were already struggling to keep their hands to themselves.

Then another round of shouting entered their ears.

Almost every goblin instinctively looked toward the source of the commotion.

However, none of them rushed over.

Over the past several nights, enough false alarms had left them reluctant to react until they knew what had happened.

The shouting continued for another few moments before abruptly stopping.

Several goblins let out irritated grunts before turning back toward the hut. Only for another round of cries to erupt almost immediately afterward.

This time...The voices came from more than one direction.

And they were much closer than before. The panic within those voices was unmistakable.

The goblins could barely make out what was being shouted before three familiar figures burst into view.

The shamans.

Following closely behind them were several hobgoblins who had always remained more loyal to the shamans than the newly appointed chieftain.

"Oni!"

"Oni is here!"

"The Oni is here!"

The warning repeated itself over and over again as they ran past the goblin guards, directly entering the chieftain’s hut.

This time, not a single goblin believed it was another false alarm.

But even now, they didn’t understand what was different about this night from any other night when the eyes appeared.