Stuck as a Dungeon Mob

After some serious consideration, Ed came up with the best name possible for a goblin.

'Pip-squeak1' The name suited the goblin especially after Ed forced it to go down the route of speed. Speed-oriented builds tended to be slimmer and thus, at least visually, pip squeaky.

The name however was not very well-received by the dazed goblin. You can't name me that! Was what it seemed to want to scream. To make this a true statement, it tried to run but Ed thrust out and grabbed it swiftly once more.

The goblin wanted to protest because it learned of Ed's intent and reasoning for the name. It was an embarrassing weak name!

The goblin's actions and protest didn't bring Ed any trouble, though it did cause him to frown.

'Should I swap its consciousness?' The pipsqueak was way too feisty. For convenience's sake, changing the goblin consciousness inside was best. He could also just remove its memories as well.

The goblin suddenly froze. That was because it could tell Ed was not looking at it as how one might look at a living creature. In Ed's defense, it was an easy trap to fall for. With the ability to collect, swap and or modify consciousnesses the appreciation towards the lives of mobs was lessened.

Knowing that the dungeon could spawn them at will was also making it that much worse.

'Nah' But Ed still had some reservations. Changing anything that he didn't like wasn't a path he was willing to trot down.

'It's a slippery slope for sure' As things stood, Ed was taking a cliff path full of treacherous and slippery areas that would cause him to tumble down slowly then fast, and then faster. If he was careful enough and skipped around these slippery crumbling zones however he could still make it to his destination with only a couple of downwards detours.

Just like that, Pipsqueak's life was spared from eternal rest in the system just like monsters in a certain game.

One pipsqueak was not enough, however. Ed needed multiple pipsqueaks each excelling in different fields. Only through trial and error would he be able to figure out the best build for a goblin in battle.

'I'll try to have one with improved constitution made using metal.' The unsaturated brown of pipsqueak made him seem shiny in comparison to the other goblins, but that would not be a good thing.

'If they dissociate pipsqueak from a regular goblin their inclusion into the tribe will fail' He didn't want the orcs to be accepting of pipsqueak and his kind but of goblins and be kind.

With this in mind, Ed took pipsqueak who was now wary of him to the outskirts of sanctuary where the goblins lived a simple life.

'Prild' Ed transmitted. Soon enough, a goblin came out of an abandoned stone house. He had poise, he had pride, he had charisma. The one the only Prild came out of the stone hut with a mightier than thou attitude.

Ed was already lamenting coming over.

'What the hell did it learn to be so smug?' Or was it possible that the other goblins were inflating the ego of their leader? Ed looked past Prild and noticed Guts rubbing his hands with mouth and eyes curved sharply upwards. Kill him!

Guts was strong, he was brave, he was smart, he was the next in line for leadership. Yet, the old master would not die! Originally it did not mind this as Prild was powerful and a father figure but now… things were different...

Prild had beat it at the rock, leaf, knife, game! It was a tournament with everyone participants dignity on the line! To lose was humiliating!

Thus Guts had everyone praise Prild ceaselessly until his ego was inflated more than the economy! Which had just come to exist so maybe it wasn't much… then again, the goblins didn't know math.

But contrary to Guts' expectations, Ed did not attack and kill Prild for his arrogant attitude. Actually, he hit himself. To be more precise, Ed facepalmed.

Guts was unable to understand this. He looked at his own hand confused before smacking himself right on the face.

"Gargh!" Guts' face now had his own palm firmly imprinted on it.

Seeing that, Ed wanted to facepalm a second time, but if he did so they would surely be forever stuck in a facepalm loop.

'Prild, this is Pipsqueak, a warrior I've crafted with the will and guidance of heaven, take care of him' Ed transmitted to Prild who stopped holding his chin up high and instead nodded up and down.

To take care of a goblin sculpted by Ed under the command of God was a given.

Ed was satisfied by this behavior, but he wasn't quite done yet. His true purpose in coming was not just this.

'Let Pipsqueak be a show of strength, let him be an example, and gather with me those who also wish to be blessed by God and sculpted by his mightiness!' Ed said with fervent emotion. The emotions he put into this transmission was so deep and profound that Prild trembled.

'Maybe I took the role-play too far…' Ed thought to himself as Prild slowly fell to his knees and prostrated on the ground.

Ed would not understand the emotions of Prild. He was the leader of a small pack of goblins who were bound to one day evaporate. Their god was listening less and less to their prayers even as the resources lessened and their numbers dwindled. This changed only recently but...

Up until now, Prild still had this doubt. He might be very stupid but age brought out wisdom even in a goblin. He could tell that they were being cast aside. They were on the outskirts.

How would it feel to finally enter the pearly gates only to be placed at the edge of it where you could hardly appreciate its beauty and or glory? It was like house arrest in paradise! Prild felt that Sanctuary was indeed a place of refuge and safety when compared to the outside but… for how long?

They were treated as slaves or bugs by most orcs. No one was willing to share their food with bugs! Yet, Ed was still taking care of them. Those that thought lesser of them were likely dissatisfied by this decision, but they were not forsaken!

The old goblin had to shed tears of joy and relief and guts who was watching from a distance couldn't help but repent their actions. Their leader was a great goblin and an awesome parental figure. Guts still had a long way to go.

So now, Guts too felt teary. More and more goblins came out of the stone houses nearby to witness the scenes and they too felt touched while watching their leader cry heartfelt tears.

Ed did not interrupt the crying of Prild initially but… He was crying prostrated on the ground for a little too long... 

'Are all goblins just very well hydrated?' Ed had no idea where they were getting so much water from! What he did know was that he had a case study of at least 2 goblins.

Eventually, things did sort themselves out however and Ed received approximately 10 goblins who were willing to be modified and improved upon. There were only 10 because Ed didn't forget to tell Prild that the goblins would be sent to battle.

That was the only way to start their integration into the Sanctuary.

Part of these 10 was Guts who wholeheartedly wanted to improve. His name was obviously not for show. The goblins were going to risk his life and he who was in a cozy position still stepped up.

With enough goblins selected, Ed just had to perform a fake ritual to take them into his system space. Prild would shed a tear of joy whenever a goblin disappeared into his system space now thinking it was some sort of heaven field.

'The attack on the humans will be tomorrow then' Ed said inwardly after bidding the goblins farewell.

He had gathered enough troops and a good chunk of them were modified into semi-elites. With the goblins in on it, all of his prerequisites were filled out. All he had to do now was start the assault.

This assault had a simple plan really. First, infiltrate the human base with ease through the underground. It was a mana extensive method but it was a very sneaky method as he had already proven.

He could then open up the gate and allow the goblins and orcs in to wreak havoc. That wasn't enough on its own, however. Ed also spent some time writing a new kind of technology. Crystal bombs.

They would be rigging the human base to prevent new humans from fighting to protect it. Ed wouldn't mind having a fort to use against the humans, but there was at least for now not enough personnel to make such a split.

'Worst case scenario I let them build a new one' Ed said jokingly. With his current power, it almost did feel like he was allowing them to build and live in his territory.

But this wasn't too farfetched either. The crypt had already coined the allowing humans into his territory thing. It just had not taken the next step because nobody wanted to live in a place tainted by the undead.

'Hey, maybe these plains would make for killer real estate' Ed would just need a human representative.