The group made their way toward the entrance of the underground cavern where Cromus and Loose Tooth had previously found the salt.

  Cromus exhaled, turning to face the others before they descended. “Alright, I’m going to say this one more time—those horses are a problem. If you see them, do not engage. It will not end well.”

  His gaze swept over the group, but he lingered on Jagz a little longer.

  Jagz, noticing the extra attention. “WHAT?!”

  Cromus sighed. “You’ve been a little… eager since you got your class. I’m worried you might bite off more than you can chew.”

  Jagz puffed out his chest. “My bites are strong. I can chew anything I bite.”

  “That’s—” Cromus took a slow breath before trying again. “Jagz, listen. You are strong. I’m not saying you aren’t. But in a world like this, there will always be something you don’t want to fight.” His tone softened slightly. “Right now, those horses are that something.”

  Jagz frowned, his enthusiasm dimming just slightly.

  “What I’m trying to say,” Cromus continued, “is that I want you to work on your judgment. Strength is great. Knowing when to fight and when not to fight is better. Can you do that?”

  Jagz’s face brightened at the praise hidden in the lesson. “Okay, Cromus! I’ll get even better by mastering judgment!”

  Cromus smirked. “Good.”

  From behind Jagz, Ush smiled slightly and gave Cromus a small nod—a quiet acknowledgment that she’d help keep her brother in check.

  Cromus gave her a grateful look before turning back to the cavern.

  “Alright,” he said, rolling his shoulders. “Shall we head in?”

  With that, he took the first step down.

  The cavern seemed undisturbed. The only footprints Cromus spotted on the way in were the ones he and Loose Tooth had left behind when they first discovered the salt.

  The group moved quickly and quietly, stepping carefully over uneven ground. Athas, with his newfound climbing ability, stuck to the walls and ceiling rather than the floor, his movements silent and deliberate. Henry, meanwhile, perched comfortably on Sais’s shoulder instead of gliding through the cavern’s enclosed space.

  Sais found his eyes drifting to Cromus more often than usual.

  Henry noticed. “Are you worried about something?”

  Sais blinked. “Huh? What do you mean?”

  “You keep watching Cromus like something’s bothering you.”

  Sais exhaled through his nose. Mentally, he sighed.

  “He’s way too on edge.” His thoughts passed smoothly to Henry through their link. “I get that the Salt Mine Stallion is stronger than us, to the point we can’t even see its level… but there’s something else. It’s not just caution. It’s fear.”

  Henry processed that for a moment. “You think something affected him?”

  “Not in a major way,” Sais admitted. “But maybe something specific to the Salt Mine Stallion. If you bring it up, he immediately looks tense. And in a world like this? You can’t rule anything out.”

  “There are abilities like that,” Henry mused. “But the ones I’ve heard of wear off after a day. If it was some kind of passive ability, he shouldn’t be affected anymore.”

  Sais frowned slightly but nodded. “Maybe he’s just being extra cautious for the goblins’ sake.”

  “That’s possible,” Henry agreed. “He seems deeply protective of them.”

  Sais smirked. “Yeah. It’s his first real leadership role. He’s the reason they have classes now, and that carries weight. It’s only natural he’d feel responsible for them.”

  Henry hummed thoughtfully. “This is new to me as well. I’ve never been around anyone willing to hand out so many classes in such a short time… and to goblins, no less.”

  Sais chuckled. “Yeah, that’s Cromus.”

  “Goblins are considered one of the least respected races, aren’t they?” Henry continued. “Servants, cannon fodder, early-level experience…”

  Sais’s smirk faded slightly. “Yeah. That’s how it was back home too. In a lot of our games and stories, goblins were painted horribly—probably to make them easier to kill without guilt. If they weren’t mindless monsters, they were…” His voice darkened. “…rapists, pillagers, borderline animals.”

  Henry’s eyes whirred faintly, absorbing that. “That perception isn’t entirely false,” he admitted. “Many goblins here are violent, with no moral compass beyond survival and instinct. But as Red Fist’s followers proved, some are different. Some are born with intelligence beyond the norm.”

  “That’s what we’re banking on,” Sais muttered. “But even if we take over Red Fist’s tribe, keeping goblins around might make things difficult. If we ever try to bring in outsiders, people are going to hesitate the moment they hear it’s a ‘goblin village.”

  Henry’s lenses adjusted. “That seems like a major problem.”

  Sais exhaled. “Yeah… but not to Cromus. He doesn’t want close-minded people anyway. If they can’t handle the idea of goblins being more than background mobs, he won’t want them around.”

  “That’s admirable.Risky… but admirable.”

  Sais smirked again. “Yeah. Cromus hates stereotypes. Probably more than I do. He’s always been like that. Me? I judge people by what they do. He gives them the benefit of the doubt first.”

  He paused, his expression turning mildly disgusted.

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  “…But even I draw the line somewhere. Like stink monsters.”

  Henry tilted his head. “Stink monsters?”

  Sais sighed. “Yeah. Back home, in nerd shops and game stores, there was always that one guy who didn’t bathe. The nicest dude, maybe. But you just couldn’t get past the smell.” He shuddered. “You can overlook a lot of things, but not that.”

  Henry was silent for a beat. Then:

  “I wouldn’t know.”

  Sais blinked. “Oh?”

  “I can’t smell.”

  Sais snorted. “I should’ve guessed.”

  Before he could say anything else, the group came to a halt.

  They’d reached the underground lake.

  The cavern opened before them, the water stretching out like liquid glass, its edges lined with crystalline salt deposits. The bioluminescent glow of algae reflected off the surface, casting shifting blue-green ripples across the cave walls.

  Sais inhaled slowly.

  “…Damn,” he muttered.

  It was far more beautiful than he had imagined.

  “Cromus, you didn’t mention how beautiful this place was.”

  Sais’s voice carried through the cavern, his eyes reflecting the eerie blue-green glow of the bioluminescent algae.

  Cromus, who had been surveying the area for movement, turned toward him before glancing back at the shimmering underground lake.

  “…I guess I didn’t really notice,” Cromus admitted. His voice held a tinge of sheepishness. “I was too caught up in the excitement of finding salt. And then, well… the herd.”

  His gaze swept over the cavern, checking for any signs of danger. He glanced at Athas, expecting the little guy to be hunkered down or on high alert. Instead, the happy lizard was scurrying across the ceiling without a care in the world, his short legs moving with surprising ease.

  Cromus visibly relaxed.

  “Guess if he’s not worried, we’re good for now,” he muttered under his breath.

  The group moved in further.

  Jagz and Ush were already splashing at the water’s edge, reveling in the cool sensation against their skin. Loose Tooth crouched nearby, running his fingers through the salt-heavy sand curiously.

  Kaazz, however, wasn’t focused on the water. He was staring intently at the glowing algae, his fingers twitching slightly like he wanted to reach out and grab some.

  Sais noticed but didn’t comment. Instead, he tapped Henry on the side. “Scout deeper,” he whispered.

  Henry’s mechanical wings gave a soft whirr as he lifted off his shoulder. The clockwork owl glided deeper into the cavern, disappearing into the shadows.

  Cromus and Sais, meanwhile, got to work gathering salt.

  They worked in comfortable silence, occasionally exchanging brief remarks.

  “We should take extra,” Sais suggested, running his fingers through a glistening patch of salt near the water’s edge. “If salt’s not common in cities, we might be able to sell some for a decent price.”

  “Not a bad idea,” Cromus agreed, scooping another handful into their storage. “Worst case? We’ve got plenty to last us a long time.”

  Before long, they had collected more than enough—not just for themselves, but enough to experiment with trade if the opportunity arose.

  Cromus dusted off his hands, watching a few lingering grains of salt fall between his fingers.

  “Well,” he exhaled, “that should do it.”

  “Yeah—” Sais started, then paused mid-sentence.

  Cromus caught the shift in his tone immediately. “What is it?” His eyes darted around, scanning for movement.

  Sais turned to him, excitement brimming across his face. “Henry found something he thinks we should all check out.”

  Cromus had been ready to worry, but seeing that grin on Sais’s face replaced his concern with curiosity.

  “Alright, let’s see what’s got him so excited.”

  The group gathered and followed Sais, moving cautiously through the cavern. Cromus kept an eye on Athas, ensuring he wasn’t acting strangely, while also checking their surroundings. Ush and Kaazz were focused, scanning for movement, while Loose Tooth stuck close, watching Jagz carefully—like he was worried the over-eager goblin might dart off at any moment.

  Cromus’s gaze dropped to the ground. There were no fresh tracks. Only their old ones from yesterday. That was good.

  Then, Henry swooped around a corner, hovering midair before letting out a small, mechanical hoot. He flapped once, then zipped back the way he came, urging them to follow.

  Sais picked up the pace, leading them deeper.

  As they rounded the bend, a new light source filled their vision—far brighter than the bioluminescent algae they had grown used to. The glow was an ethereal blue, pulsing slightly like waves in water.

  And then they saw it.

  A doorway of light stood against the cave wall, perfectly rectangular, rippling softly like the surface of a tranquil lagoon.

  Cromus’s breath caught in his throat.

  DUNGEON DISCOVERED: CORAL LAGOON

  “Our first dungeon.” Cromus whispered in awe.

  Sais smirked at him, eyes shining. “Well, we wanted a way to level up.”

  Cromus exhaled. “Yeah… yeah, we did.”

  Sais gestured toward the entrance. “Go on, fearless leader.”

  Cromus snorted. “Oh, am I the guinea pig now?”

  “Why stop doing what you’re good at?” Sais teased.

  Cromus huffed but stepped forward, raising a cautious hand. As his fingers brushed the glowing surface, the light rippled outward, sending waves of magic cascading over the entrance.

  WELCOME, ADVENTURERS! YOU HAVE DISCOVERED THE DUNGEON: CORAL LAGOON!

  WARNING: Your party exceeds the five-person limit. If you enter now, the dungeon's difficulty will be adjusted accordingly.

  Would you like to split your party or enter as a whole?

  Cromus pulled his hand back and turned to the others.

  “Alright, looks like we’ve got a choice.”

  Sais rubbed his chin. “I figured we’d run into something like this eventually. Here’s what I suggest: Cromus, Kaazz, Ush, and Athas go in as one group. Loose Tooth, Jagz, Henry, and I will go in as another.”

  Cromus crossed his arms, considering. “It makes sense. Both groups have a balance team—and two healers. But Jagz will be your frontline, and Loose Tooth is still only level one. That could be an issue.”

  Sais gave him a knowing look. “Are you doubting your friends?”

  With a flick of his wrist, two Clockwork Defenders shimmered into existence beside him, their metallic bodies clanking into place.

  Cromus stared for a moment. “I didn’t forget about those, and I don’t doubt you. I’m just pointing out things to consider.”

  Sais smirked. “I know. But we’ll be fine. And I’m sure Jagz will remember to judge things properly before rushing in… right?”

  He shot a look at Jagz, the kind of look that wasn’t really a question.

  Jagz nodded rapidly, practically vibrating with excitement. “Yeah, yeah! I’ll be good!”

  Loose Tooth, however, shifted uncomfortably, glancing at Jagz like he wasn’t so sure about that.

  Cromus let out a small chuckle but turned serious again. “Alright, but what about the rest of you? You all have a say in this.”

  “I’m good with going with you,” Ush said, beaming up at Cromus.

  Kaazz gave his usual quiet nod. “I agree with Sais’s choice.”

  “I’m fine with it,” Loose Tooth said, though his grip on his sling tightened slightly.

  “YEAH! LET’S DO IT!” Jagz declared loudly.

  Cromus smiled. “Alright.”

  Turning back to the entrance, he pressed his hand against the glowing surface again, focusing on his group.

  WELCOME, ADVENTURERS! YOU HAVE DISCOVERED THE DUNGEON: CORAL LAGOON!

  DO YOU AND YOUR PARTY WISH TO ENTER? YES / NO

  Cromus mentally clicked YES.

  The dungeon pulsed in response, the light growing brighter as the magic took hold. One by one, Cromus, Ush, Kaazz, and Athas stepped through, their forms vanishing into the glow.

  Sais watched until the shimmering entrance stilled.

  Then, he turned to his group.

  “Alright, you two ready?”

  “Yeah!” Jagz said, practically bouncing.

  “Yep,” Loose Tooth chimed in, though there was a nervous edge to his voice.

  Sais took a deep breath. Henry shifted on his shoulder. The Clockwork Defenders flanked them silently.

  Then, together, they stepped into the dungeon, leaving behind the quiet cavern.