Chapter 24

Luke wiped the sweat from his brow, his hands calloused and dirty from hours of work. The training dummies were finished, and the goblins were already putting them to good use, their clumsy strikes growing more confident with each swing. Satisfied, Luke decided it was time to tackle the next item on his ever-growing to-do list: securing a steady supply of iron.

He grabbed his stone pickaxe and slung a makeshift bag over his shoulder, filled with a few essentials—water, some smoked meat, and a couple of extra tools and store it into his inventory disappearing in a flash of light. The cave wasn't far, but he knew better than to venture in unprepared. As he approached the entrance, the cool, damp air hit him like a wall. The cave was a strange, almost otherworldly place, and no matter how many times he entered, he couldn't get used to the sight.

Glowing crystals embedded in the walls cast an eerie blue light, illuminating the cavern in patches. Strange flora clung to the rocky surfaces, their bioluminescent leaves adding to the surreal atmosphere. Luke activated his Night Vision skill, the darkness receding as his vision sharpened. He then triggered his Resource Detection skill, the world around him transforming into a grid of holographic waves. Materials lit up in different colors—coal, copper, tin, and iron, their outlines glowing faintly.

"Alright," Luke muttered to himself, gripping his stone pickaxe. "Let's get to work."

He started with the coal, its dark, jagged veins easy to spot. The stone pickaxe bit into the rock, sending chunks of coal tumbling to the ground. Luke gathered them quickly, storing them in his inventory. Coal's essential for smelting. Can't make iron without it.

Next, he moved on to the iron ore. The veins were deeper, embedded in the cavern walls, and the stone pickaxe struggled to break through. After a few strikes, the tool shattered in his hands. Luke sighed, pulling another pickaxe from his inventory. This is going to take a while.

The process was repetitive and grueling, but Luke pressed on. By the time he was done, he had gathered a decent haul—plenty of coal, a moderate amount of copper and tin, and a respectable pile of iron ore. His arms ached, and his back protested with every movement, but the satisfaction of progress kept him going.

As he was about to head back, something caught his eye—a dark passageway, barely visible in the faint glow of the crystals. Before he had his Night Vision skill, he wouldn't have dared to venture into such a place. But now, with his enhanced sight, he felt a flicker of curiosity. What's down there?

Cautiously, Luke stepped into the passageway. The air grew colder, the walls narrowing as he moved deeper. The passage wasn't long, but it opened up into a massive cavern, its ceiling lost in shadows. Stalactites hang in the cavern ceiling, their tips glistening with moisture. More glowing crystals dotted the walls, their light reflecting off the surface of a small underground stream that flowed through the cavern.

Luke's breath caught in his throat as he scanned the area. The cavern was breathtaking, but it was what he saw in the far distance that made his blood run cold. Spiders. Enormous spiders, each at least three feet tall, their bodies covered in thick, chitinous armor. They moved with an eerie grace, their multiple eyes glinting in the dim light.

"Oh, hell no," Luke whispered, his grip tightening on his pickaxe. He counted at least five of them, scattered across the cavern. It was surprising that nobody was harmed yet. Without his Night Vision skill, he would've walked right into their lair, completely unaware of the danger. Thank the system for small mercies.

He backed away slowly, his heart pounding in his chest. This changes everything. If those things decide to leave the cavern, the village is in serious trouble. His mind raced with possibilities. We need better defenses. Better weapons. And we need them fast. Real fast.

Luke trudged back into the village, his bag heavy with ores and his mind buzzing with plans. The goblins were still busy with the training dummies, their enthusiasm undiminished. Even the young ones had joined in, clumsily mimicking the adults as they swung their sticks at the straw-filled targets. The sight brought a small smile to Luke's face, but his thoughts quickly turned to the next challenge: archery.

The goblin archers here don't really know anything about proper archery, he thought, watching a group of goblins fumble with their bows. They've only trained in trees and during hunts. Ever since I taught them how to craft and use bows, I haven't had the chance to properly train them. If I can train one really good archer—someone agile with high perception—they can become the perfect trainer for the rest.

His eyes landed on Grut, who had just returned from hunting with Rok and Zog. The goblin was unloading a small deer from his shoulders, his movements quick and efficient. Grut fits the bill. He's already got high agility and perception. If I boost those stats further and add some intelligence, he could become a formidable archer. Like a green arrow vibe.

Excited by the idea, Luke called out to Grut. "Hey, Grut! Over here!"

Grut trotted over, his sharp eyes scanning Luke with curiosity. "Lok need Grut?"

"Yeah," Luke said, pulling up the Goblin Village Management panel. "I've got a plan, and you're at the center of it."

He tapped on the list, scrolling until he found Grut's name. The goblin's stats appeared before him:

Grut (Goblin)

Strength: 8

Agility: 7

Perception: 9

Vitality: 8

Resilience: 4

Intelligence: 1

Magic: 0

Attribute Points: 3

Goblin Village Attribute Points: 50

Luke studied the numbers, his mind racing. Grut's already high on agility and perception, so he's used to mobility and awareness. If I boost those further and add some intelligence, he'll be unstoppable.

He quickly assigned Grut's own 3 attribute points to Intelligence, bringing it up to 4. Then, using the Goblin Village Attribute Points, he added another +3 to Intelligence, +6 to Agility, and +6 to Perception. The changes took effect immediately, and Grut's eyes widened as he felt the surge of energy and clarity.

"I feel… different," the goblin muttered, flexing his arms and rolling his shoulders. "Faster. Sharper."

Luke blinked, surprised. Grut's voice was clearer now, his words more deliberate. The intelligence boost had pushed Grut's Intelligence stat past 5, and the change was noticeable. The goblin no longer spoke in the broken, simplistic manner of his kin. He sounded almost… articulate.

"You're talking better," Luke said, raising an eyebrow. "Guess that intelligence boost really did the trick."

Grut smirked, a glint of pride in his eyes. "Feels good. Like my mind's... sharper."

"Good," Luke said, clapping him on the shoulder. "Because what comes next is going to test that sharpness."

Luke grinned. "You're going to be our lead archer, Grut. I'm going to train you to be the best."

Grut's eyes lit up with excitement. "Me?"

"You bet," Luke said, clapping him on the back. "But it's not just about shooting arrows. You'll need to learn strategy, positioning, and how to teach others. That's where the intelligence boost comes in."

Grut nodded, his expression serious. "I will learn, please teach me, Luke."

"Good," Luke said, feeling a surge of pride. "First, let's get you a proper bow and some targets. Then we'll start your training."