Chapter 370 Security Issues

Suzuka took a slow glance around her lands, the corner of her lips curving into a satisfied smirk. She turned to Larry, her voice calm but tinged with pride.

 “Yeah, they’ve really been putting in the work. We focused on the essentials first—got the walls up around the farming area to make sure the crops are safe. Protecting the food supply was priority number one. After that, we shifted to building real homes. No more sleeping outside in tents like savages. Now they’ve got proper houses, and let me tell you, the goblins couldn’t be happier. They’re practically giddy about their new homes.”

 “We even expanded the school while we were at it. Silvia finally has a proper classroom now to teach these goblins some actual common sense. Can’t have them running around clueless forever.”

With a flick of her hair, she added with a hint of smugness, “And, of course, I got my house built. Priorities, right? Can’t be the boss and not live like one.”

Larry leaned casually against the caravan, a sly grin spreading across his face.

 “Well, well, Helen, looks like you’ve really been playing queen of the hill while I was out. Got yourself a fancy house, a fortified farm, and goblins with real roofs over their heads. You’re practically building an empire out here. But hey, don’t go thinking you’re the only one making moves. I brought back new blood, supplies, and saved a hundred goblins while I was at it. Not bad for a ‘delivery boy,’ huh?”

He tilted his head toward the town, his tone teasing.

 “And I gotta say, these goblins really stepped up their game. Walls, houses, even a school? Not too shabby. Looks like my absence lit a fire under everyone. Maybe I should take off more often.”

“Larry, before you start planning your next vacation, you need to know things weren’t all sunshine and progress while you were gone,” she said, her tone serious.

She took a deep breath, glancing briefly at the goblins bustling around before continuing.

 “We were attacked. Pig Wolves. They came out of nowhere. Jacob was hurt—badly. One of the goblins dropped a brick on his head and almost killed him. He recovered now, but it was touch and go for a while. And we lost goblins. Too many of them. Little over twenty, I believe.”

Her voice softened slightly, though her stern expression didn’t waver.

 “Jacob blames himself. He’s been carrying the guilt of those deaths, but the truth is, we weren’t ready. We got too comfortable, and we paid for it.”

Suzuka gestured toward the improvements in the camp. 

“Everything you see here now—these walls, the houses, the progress—it came after the wake-up call we got during that attack. The goblins have been working themselves to the bone trying to make sure it doesn’t happen again. And now, with the survivors you’ve brought back, we will get even more progress.”

Larry nodded gravely, his usual swager giving way to a tone of urgency.

“This is serious, Helen. We can’t keep gambling with this. You, Isaac, Jacob—you’re all incredible mages, but you can’t be everywhere at once. And if something happens while you’re dealing with another crisis, we’re sitting ducks. We need dedicated guards—people trained to fight, to protect the camp. Right now, we’re relying on hope and your strength, and that’s not a plan; it’s a disaster waiting to happen.”

He crossed his arms, frustration flickering in his voice.

 “Look, I’d love to suggest goblin patrol teams or something, but let’s be real here—they’re not warriors. Even the most disciplined among them don’t have the instincts or the training. I’m not saying that to insult them; it’s just how they are. They’re workers, builders, survivors—not fighters.”

Larry gestured toward the camp.

 “We need guards, Helen. People who can hold their own in a fight, who know how to react under pressure. Even if it’s just a small group at first, it’ll be a huge step forward. Right now, it feels like we’re patching a sinking ship. We need to build something that lasts, and that starts with security.”

Suzuka sighed, her expression growing serious as she nodded at Larry.

 "Yeah, I’ve been thinking about it since the attack. And I have a few ide—"

Her words were cut short by the frantic sound of squealing goblins. A group of them came barreling through the incomplete section of the wall, their faces twisted in sheer terror. Behind them thundered a massive White Grizzly, its pristine fur shimmering unnaturally, a clear sign of its magical nature.

The beast let out a deafening roar, its sharp claws raking the ground as it charged. When it reached the wall, it slammed into the unfinished section with a thunderous crash, throwing its full weight and strength against it. But to everyone’s surprise, the wall held firm, not even trembling under the impact.

The goblins scattered in panic, shrieking as they scrambled for safety. The White Grizzly swiped at one unlucky goblin, narrowly missing him but leaving behind a trail of frost where its paw struck the ground. The beast’s very presence turned the air frigid, a biting cold spreading like a wave as it advanced.

Suzuka’s gaze snapped to the grizzly, her expression twisting into one of pure rage. Her yellow eyes turned ominously crimson as her fury bubbled to the surface.

 “How the fuck this thing got so close unnoticed?!” 

The air around her seemed to grow heavier, vibrating with invisible power. She raised her hand, and in an instant, unleashed her gravity magic. The White Grizzly roared again, trying to resist, but the force was overwhelming. Its massive body was crushed under the unbearable weight, the ground beneath it cracking and splintering as her magic pressed it down.

With one final, guttural roar, the beast collapsed, its body pinned to the earth like a doll. The goblins, who had frozen mid-panic, looked on in awe, their terror momentarily forgotten as they stared at their master’s raw display of power.

Suzuka lowered her hand, the glow in her eyes fading as she turned to Larry.

"That’s it! We need more hands on deck regarding security. This has gone too far!"

Larry stared at the massive, crushed form of the White Grizzly, his eyes wide with surprise and a hint of unease.

"A White Grizzly? Here? That thing’s way out of its territory," he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. 

"These beasts don’t like warm lands like this. They usually hole up in the mountain regions where it’s freezing and covered in snow. What would drive one all the way down here? Food shortage? Territory issues? Or... Maybe something even worse is pushing them out of their comfort zone."

Larry shook his head, visibly unsettled. 

"This could be the start of a bigger problem, Helen. If things like that are coming down from the mountains, we might have more than just stray monsters to worry about."

"Yeah, I know, Larry. But let’s focus on one problem at a time. First, I’m going to deal with the security issue here. We can’t have goblins running around like headless chickens every time something shows up. This place needs to feel like a fortress, not a buffet for wandering monsters."

Her crimson eyes flicked toward the distant mountains on the horizon. 

"Once that’s settled, I’ll head up to the mountain region myself to check out what’s going on. If something’s driving these things down here, I’ll figure it out and deal with it. But right now, my priority is making sure the camp’s safe."

As she scanned the area, her sharp gaze landed on Hermit, who was scuttling toward his fellow goblins. Her voice thundered through the camp, cutting through the goblins' chatter.

"Hermit! Get your little green butt to my office, now! We need to talk!" 

Hermit froze mid-step, his shoulders hunching as if trying to make himself smaller. He nodded furiously and started waddling toward her office in a hurry.

 "Larry, you and your team, please look after things for a while, okay? Keep the goblins in line and make sure that beast doesn’t have any friends lurking nearby. Get Olivia and Jacob to help you out if need be—Jacob’s good at keeping these guys in check, and Olivia doesn’t back down from a fight. Use them if the situation calls for it."

She straightened up, exhaling as if trying to release some of the tension.

 "I’ll try and do something about the security situation. This camp needs more muscle, and we’re not going to survive with luck alone."

With that, Suzuka strode toward her office to talk with Hermit and put her plan into action. In her office, she leaned back in her chair, her piercing gaze locked onto Hermit as she gestured toward the simple wooden seat across from her desk. The goblin hesitated, his knees trembling so violently that they nearly gave out beneath him. Each step felt like a march to his execution, his wide eyes darting nervously around the room, searching for any sign of reprieve.

Sweat poured down his face in streams, his breathing shallow as he finally lowered himself into the chair. His gnarled hands twisted together with such intensity it was a miracle his knuckles didn’t burst into flames from the friction. He kept his head down, staring at the grain of the wood, wishing he could melt into it and disappear.

Suzuka folded her hands on the desk, leaning forward with a predatory smirk.

 "Come on, Hermit. Relax a bit, would you? I didn’t call you here to punish you. For once, I think you might actually be useful."

Her words caused Hermit to jolt upright, his panicked expression shifting to one of hesitant disbelief. 

"U-Useful, Master?" he stammered, his voice shaky.