Slime Leveling [Litrpg, Timeloop]-Chapter 217—The Goblin Lord’s Condition
Boom!
Averon erupted with demonic force as he rushed towards the goblins.
The leading Hobgoblin noticed the enormous power of the slime.
She drew her hammer and ordered, "Everyone, run. I'll buy time for you."
"But—" a goblin yelled as he stood behind her.
"Run!" the Hobgoblin bellowed.
The goblin kid trembled and nodded.
A few goblins who wanted to aid the Hobgoblin ran away as she glared sharply at them.
She turned her eyes to Averon, who was standing in front of her.
He asked with a grin, "I'm not here to fight you, but to take you all under my wing."
"Take us under your command?" the Hobgoblin narrowed her eyes.
"Yes," Averon nodded as he raised his palm, showing the Mark of the King.
The Hobgoblin fell silent. She glanced at Averon from top to bottom, scrutinizing him.
She raised her hammer. "A puny slime like you gained a Demon King's recognition? And as if that's not enough, you want to rule over us?"
Her voice reached a few kilometers away.
"She's scary!" Little Slime shivered, peeking at her from Wolf#1's ears.
Averon sighed. 'Slime… Nice, always getting low view.'
The Hobgoblin turned her gaze past Averon, glancing at Lily, who was leaning on a tree, relaxed.
She added, erupting with demonic force, "If that plant demon were the one who wanted to make us submit, I might have contemplated it for a moment. But you!"
She yelled, "Demonic Surge! Demonic Slam!"
She lunged at the young slime as her hammer was coated with black energy, making it shine like black metal.
Averon clicked his tongue and cast "Demonic Surge!" "Demonic Body!"
His body turned black, metallic-like, and was covered with demonic force.
He raised his small palm and caught the face of the hammer.
Boom!
A powerful wind gust burst outward, ripping through the surrounding trees.
The ground beneath him shattered, creating a crater a few meters deep.
'It's been a while since I fought,' Averon mused as he smiled. He was itching for a spar.
The Hobgoblin jumped back and praised, "Not bad. I didn't expect that a slime could be this strong."
She licked her lips. "It's gonna be a good battle."
Her demonic force brightened as she lunged again. "Demonic Slam!"
Her entire hammer was coated with a black layer of energy, making it seem like strong black metal, unlike the single hammer head before.
"Demonic Fire Fist," Averon cast as black flames appeared on his already black energy-wrapped fist, and he slammed it into the incoming hammer.
The Hobgoblin was in mid-air as her hammer connected with the young slime's fist.
Boom! Crack!
A shockwave spread, shattering many trees and little of what remained before.
The next moment, the hammer's head shattered into pieces.
The Hobgoblin lost her balance due to the broken hammer and used demonic force, trying to stabilize herself.
However, that moment was enough.
Averon flashed in front of her and cast "Demonic Fist!"
He slammed his fist, covered by demonic energy, into her gut just as she almost landed.
Thud!
The Hobgoblin was sent flying.
She crashed through more than 50 meters, broke many trees, and then she pumped more demonic force, gaining control as she finally stopped herself.
The few hiding goblins froze. They had stayed behind to help.
Their eyes widened as trees were snapped like dry sticks.
Some of them stood up in shock.
Others stared at Averon as if seeing a monster.
A slime… had just overpowered their strongest warrior.
They all ran, knowing their weakness.
Hobgoblin coughed up goblin blood as she winced, holding her stomach.
The ground below her was pooled with green liquid.
Averon asked, "What about now? Would you like to submit to me along with your clan?"
The Hobgoblin wiped the blood off her mouth and stood up, trembling. "You are strong—I give you that… But power alone isn't enough for me to submit to you along with my clan."
"So what more should I give?" Averon questioned as his demonic force subsided. "Safety, wealth?"
The Hobgoblin took a breath, noticing the young slime relax.
Her black energy receded into her body as she dropped the remaining hammer handle onto the ground.
The Hobgoblin cast "Demonic Recuperation!" Black energy wrapped around her body as she healed herself.
After a few moments, glancing at the young slime, she said, "You'll have to speak to my Lord. Only he can decide whether we can submit to you."
"Your Lord?" Averon muttered. 'I expected her to be the leader.'
He nodded. "Very well. Show the way."
The Hobgoblin nodded and led them to her clan's village.
"Boss Slime is so strong," Little Slime smirked as he rode Wolf#1.
"Of course he is," Bull#1 grinned.
"I need to get more powerful," Aqua Crocodile muttered. "I cannot lend a hand to my lord at my current power." 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖
The gang followed the young slime, who walked alongside the Hobgoblin and Lily.
"What is your name?" Averon asked. "I am Averon."
He then quickly introduced his gang. "This is Lily and…"
The Hobgoblin nodded, "My name is Gilirima."
'Their naming sense hasn't changed,' the young slime thought, holding his forehead.
After a few hours, when the sun began to set, they reached a village with smoke rising up, indicating the cooking of meals.
The village was covered with wooden fences for defense on all sides. Guard towers stood in front of the fence and all around the village.
Glancing at the village from a few hundred meters away, Averon raised his palm. "Everyone, wait here. Lily and I will check it out first."
"Good," Elder Nobara nodded. "Go get your new followers."
"All the best, my Lord," Cow#1 muttered.
Mama Slime warned, "Be careful, my child."
"Don't worry, I'll protect him," Lily said, turning to Mama Slime.
Mama Slime said sharply, "I'll leave him in your care."
Lily nodded.
"Good luck, Boss Slime," Little Slime and the others cheered.
Averon nodded as the three of them—Lily, himself, and the Hobgoblin Gilirima—walked forward.
After a few moments, Averon glanced at the wooden fence rising up to two meters high with small gaps in between.
'It seems they can use spears to pierce enemies from here,' he mused, holding his chin.
He, Lily, and Gilirima were standing right in front of the wooden majestic gate, and fire torches were burning on both sides of the gate.
A little aside from the gate, guard watchtowers stood tall on both sides.
Lily nodded. "Not bad for a small village."
One Hobgoblin and three goblins peeked from the right guard watchtower.
"Who are you? Raise your arms—arms up!" the Hobgoblin hissed, drawing his heavy spear.
"It's okay. They are here to speak with our Lord," Gilirima yelled, glancing at the right watchtower.
Hearing her words, the gate in the fence was opened from inside.
Averon nodded as more than a hundred Hobgoblins—some in light battle armor, while others in heavy armor—stood ready with weapons to attack.
'High security,' he noted.
Gilirima nodded to the goblins as she led Averon and Lily to the biggest building in the village.
Averon checked the wooden dwellings. Compared to his time, they were highly decorated and visually pleasing to look at.
'They can match humans in construction,' he thought, checking the wooden houses rising two or three stories high with all luxurious features.
He noticed the goblin kids playing around joyfully.
Once, the goblin had known only lust and kidnapping from a very young age.
'I succeeded...' He grinned.
---
In the village administration house—
The hall fell silent the moment Averon and Lily stepped inside.
Dozens of goblin warriors stood along the walls.
Their eyes followed the duo carefully.
No one moved.
Even the air felt tense.
A Hobgoblin over five meters tall, clad in heavy grey battle armour, sat on a throne.
His temperament appeared calm, but a hint of battle-thirstiness was visible to a trained eye.
He glared at the young slime and Lily.
He narrowed his eyes as Averon raised his palm, showing the King's Mark.
'He is Tier 4,' Averon sensed the Goblin Lord's power. 'He's way stronger than Giliberu's dad.'
The Goblin Lord said, raising his brows, "If you want to take us in, you'll have to fulfill the conditions of our village."
He continued heavily, "We only submit to someone recognized by the Goblin Ancestor."
For a brief moment, Averon wondered if the goblin remembered Giliberu. After all, he'd done so much for them.
