Chapter 82: Carnage Scene

And so, with all six goblins armed and ready, we continued following the stream toward the Bright Red Nose Tribe.

The farther upstream we traveled, the more uneasy things became.

The smell of blood grew increasingly strong.

Not that I could smell it myself, of course. But judging from the reactions of my goblins, the stench was becoming unbearable.

"Guh... This smell terrible..." Gopuro muttered, wrinkling his nose.

Gopuberry had already covered her nose with one hand, occasionally gagging as we pressed onward. Even the others looked increasingly uncomfortable.

And then there was the water.

Its color was growing darker, too.

The stream, which had already been stained red when we first discovered it, had gradually taken on an even deeper hue. The water now looked almost crimson, with dark streaks swirling beneath the surface as it flowed downstream.

Damn... Just how many goblins died here?

A heavy feeling settled over me.

We continued onward, carefully making our way through the increasingly dense vegetation. The stream wound between tangled tree roots and moss-covered rocks, carrying more than just blood downstream.

Fragments of flesh and severed body parts drifted along the current, occasionally catching against rocks or becoming lodged between exposed roots. Flies and other insects had already gathered around them, feasting on what remained.

The farther we went, the more frequently we encountered such gruesome remnants.

And yet, we still hadn’t reached the source.

Just how bad is it up there...?

I couldn’t shake the growing sense of dread creeping over me.

Then, all of a sudden, Gopuro raised his hand, signaling for everyone to stop.

"Big Boss... We are here."

His voice was unusually quiet.

For a moment, none of the goblins moved.

I could see the tension in their faces as they exchanged uneasy glances. Even Gopuro, who was usually the most courageous guy, seemed hesitant to take another step.

Gopuran swallowed nervously.

Gopuberry tightened her grip on her bow.

And Gopushadow, who had been watching the surrounding forest with sharp eyes, slowly lowered his stance, ready to react at the slightest sign of danger.

...

I couldn’t help feeling nervous myself.

"Stay alert," I reminded them through [Ruler’s Voice]. "We don’t know what we’re about to find."

"Yes, Big Boss," they answered, their voices low.

Gopuro took a deep breath before cautiously stepping forward. Using the haft of his axe, he slowly pushed aside a cluster of thick branches and tangled bushes blocking our view.

The foliage rustled.

A few leaves drifted to the ground.

And then...

We saw it.

The Bright Red Nose Tribe.

Or rather...

What remained of it.

...

Damn...

Is that it?

The Bright Red Nose Tribe?

I could see it clearly now through Gopuro’s eyes.

The settlement occupied a fairly large clearing surrounded by a rough wooden palisade. Several wooden huts stood within the enclosure, their simple roofs made from logs, branches, and thatched leaves. Near the center of the settlement stood a very tall crude flagpole, from which hung a piece of leather that had been stretched out and fastened to a wooden frame.

Some red symbols had been painted across its surface, presumably the sigil of the tribe.

Under ordinary circumstances, it might have been a rather unremarkable sight. A large goblin settlement, nothing particularly impressive, but still a place where its inhabitants could live, hunt, and raise their young.

But now...

Everything was covered in blood.

The wooden fences were smeared with dark red stains. Several sections had been smashed apart, leaving broken stakes scattered across the ground. Most of the huts had collapsed, their shattered remains strewn across the clearing.

And the bodies...

There were bodies everywhere.

Goblin corpses lay scattered throughout the settlement, hundreds of them, some sprawled across the ground, others slumped against the wooden fences or tangled among the wreckage of their homes.

Some had been torn apart so brutally that it was difficult to tell where one body ended and another began. Limbs lay scattered across the dirt, while dark pools of blood had soaked into the ground beneath them.

One goblin lay facedown near the entrance, one arm stretched toward the broken gate as though he had desperately tried to crawl to safety. Another had collapsed beside a hut, his body twisted at an unnatural angle.

And already, nature was reclaiming the dead.

Black crows crowded the broken palisade and hopped between the corpses, tearing at exposed flesh. Their harsh cries echoed throughout the settlement as they fought over scraps, forming a dreadful chorus above the ruins.

And the crows weren’t the only scavengers.

Flies buzzed above the bloodstained ground, while countless insects crawled over the remains.

Even from where we stood, I could already tell just how horrendous it must have been.

*****

For a moment, I couldn’t think of anything to say.

I had expected something bad. After all, the stream had already given us a pretty clear warning. But seeing the settlement with my own eyes was another matter entirely.

Suddenly...

"Eugh!"

Gopuberry clutched her stomach and vomited her breakfast onto the ground. Gopuflammy wasn’t faring much better, while even Gopuro struggled to keep his stomach settled.

Well, as horrifying as the sight was, I had more important things to worry about.

What the hell happened here...?

Through Gopuro’s eyes, I surveyed the ruined settlement, taking in the shattered fences, bloodstained huts, and countless bodies scattered across the clearing.

Was this really the work of the Dark Giant Spiders?

Or had another goblin tribe attacked them?

I couldn’t say for certain. There were clear signs of a violent battle, but I couldn’t determine what had caused such devastation without examining the scene more closely.

And more importantly...

Were there any survivors?

Please... Let there be someone left alive.

I wanted to believe that at least a few goblins had managed to escape or hide during the attack. But looking at the sheer scale of the carnage, it was difficult to remain optimistic.

"Everyone, stop here," I ordered through [Ruler’s Voice]. "Don’t rush in. Watch the surroundings first. We need to make sure nothing dangerous is still lurking nearby."

"Understood, Big Boss," Gopuran replied quietly.

The others tightened their grips on their weapons and scanned the settlement.

For the next few minutes, we watched and listened.

I carefully examined every visible corner, searching for any sign of movement beyond the crows picking at the dead.

A broken door creaked in the breeze.

A loose piece of thatched roofing rustled against a wooden beam.

Somewhere deeper in the clearing, a crow let out a harsh caw before returning to its meal.

But that was all.

Nothing suggested that any other living creature remained in the settlement.

After several minutes, I reluctantly concluded that the immediate surroundings appeared deserted. Whatever had attacked the tribe was nowhere to be seen.

At least, not from where we stood.

Hmm...

Although I still wasn’t entirely convinced it was safe, we couldn’t remain at the edge of the clearing forever.

"Alright, let’s go in," I ordered. "Gopugiga, take the front with Gopushadow. Keep your eyes open, and don’t charge ahead recklessly."

"Understood, Big Boss!"

The two goblins moved to the front, Gopugiga holding his Big Iron Shield ready while Gopushadow kept his twin daggers at the ready.

"Gopuberry and Gopuran, stay in the middle. Gopuro and Gopuflammy, guard the rear. Don’t let anyone get separated."

"Yes, Big Boss!"

The six goblins quickly arranged themselves into formation.

Then, with the formation in place, we cautiously advanced into the bloodstained settlement.