Goblin King: My Innate Skill Is OP

"Son of a Gun!"

I yelled, my voice echoing through the canopy.

"Light?! None of the daily quest tasks were light!"

Running three kilometers, climbing trees, holding a damn boulder, dodging arrows—what part of that screamed light workout?!

"Are you kidding me?!"

I shouted at the sky, waving the pen furiously as if the entity watching me from above could see my frustration.

Then I pointed it upward, rage bubbling in my chest like a boiling kettle.

"Gandalf… when we meet, I'm burying this pen into your eyes, you smug, robed bastard!"

My roar sent a flock of birds scattering from the branches around me. Leaves fluttered to the ground in their wake.

Chest heaving, I leaned against the tree trunk, trying to settle my breath.

That's when it happened—without warning, a soft shimmer of light appeared just above my head. Something slipped through the ripple in the air and dropped squarely onto my face.

A towel.

It flopped down like a lazy squirrel, draping across my features.

I peeled it off slowly and exhaled hard through my nose.

Yep. The system—or whoever the sick puppeteer behind all this was—was definitely trolling me.

Real funny.

I took a moment, breathing in the earthy scent of damp bark and moss, then folded the towel neatly and slid it into my inventory. Right next to the pen. Useless or not, they were mine now.

Just then, a voice floated up from the forest floor—soft, hesitant.

"Chief… is everything alright?"

I glanced down.

It was Zarah, standing near the base of the tree. Her bow was slung over one shoulder, and she was squinting up at me, concern etched onto her green-tinted face.

Oh. Right.

I'd completely forgotten she was still here.

I winced. Then activated [Warp].

In the blink of an eye, I reappeared directly in front of her, feet landing lightly on the forest floor.

She jumped back with a startled gasp.

"Sorry," I said quickly, brushing the front of my shirt. "Didn't mean to spook you."

"I was waiting," she said, relaxing her grip on the bowstring. "But you looked… occupied."

"It's nothing," I replied with a sheepish smile.

We stood in silence for a beat too long.

She glanced away, fidgeting with the tip of the bow she held on her shoulder.

The mood was awkward, so I cleared my throat and turned my attention to the real reason we were out here: the leopard's corpse still lying in the brush nearby.

Its body was motionless, fur matted with blood and dark spots of gore. A cluster of arrows jutted from its skull like grotesque antennae.

Zarah had finished the beast off with brutal precision. No hesitation. Just clean, merciless execution.

I narrowed my eyes, activating [Analyze].

[Zarah – Goblin Archer | Level 5]

Skills: [Iron Fist], [Stealth], [Danger Sense], [Roar of Intimidation]

Loyalty: 100%

She had gained three levels. Good. Good.

Even though I'd softened the creature up—crippled it, really—she'd landed the killing blow, and that earned the bulk of the experience because of the level disparity.

She'd started at Level 2, and the leopard was an 8, so risk-reward mechanics were at play, no doubt.

If we continued this way tomorrow, she'd hit double digits, just like Narg and the others.

Adding another solid fighter to the clan.

"Where to next?" she asked, tightening the bowstring with quiet confidence. "Are we hunting another beast?"

I shook my head. "No."

The sun was dipping low behind the trees, bleeding orange light through the canopy. Shadows lengthened, stretching like claws across the undergrowth.

At night, this forest transformed. Things came out that I wasn't eager to tangle with—not yet.

If I were alone, maybe. But with Zarah? No way. I wasn't about to drag her into another mess like the Mooncat fiasco. That one had nearly gone sideways.

Zarah's face fell slightly, her shoulders slumping in disappointment. But she nodded without protest. The three-level leap must've been enough to keep her satisfied. For now.

I glanced up at the sky again.

We still had a bit of light left.

And I wanted to make one last stop before we head back, so, without warning, I reached out and grabbed her hand.

She blinked, startled—but didn't resist.

Then I activated [Warp]. And in a blink, we landed beside a shallow forest pond. Moss-covered rocks circled the edge, and weeping branches draped low over the water's surface. Sunlight filtered through the leaves above, turning the ripples a soft gold.

I let go of her hand and stepped forward, taking in the peaceful scene. I had found this place earlier during our hunt with Narg. Quiet. Secluded. Marked it for exactly this reason.

Zarah looked around, puzzled.

"Why are we here? I thought we were heading back to the cave."

I didn't answer immediately. Instead, I started unfastening the straps of my clothing, peeling away the upper layers until my torso was bare.

Sweat had caked onto my skin, drying in sticky streaks. There were specks of dried blood, grime, and gods knew what else. I smelled like burnt meat and moss.

Zarah's voice came again, uncertain.

"What are you doing, Chief?"

"Taking a bath," I said simply, stepping down into the cool water. It lapped at my calves, refreshing and shockingly cold. "I stink. Sweat, blood, dirt—you name it."

I bent down and splashed water over my face and shoulders. A small sigh escaped me as the chill bit through the fatigue.

The tension in my shoulders loosened slightly.

It had been a long, brutal day. My muscles ached with every movement. I'd been on the move nonstop—fighting, running, strategizing. I needed this.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her watching me.

Her gaze was intense. Focused.

I glanced back. "Is there a problem?"

Zarah blinked and quickly shook her head. "No, not at all."

But she didn't look away.

Then—without a word—she reached for the strap of her top and began to undress.

My eyes widened in disbelief.

She met my gaze and said, voice calm:

"I'll join you as well."

"Ehh?!"

I froze the moment I...