When I felt the aches and pains coming from all over my body, I subconsciously opened my eyes, and the first thing I saw when I opened my eyes was the strangely shaped stalactites hanging high on the top.

Lying on the ground, I took a few breaths of the stale air and sat up, rubbing my brow with my right hand, trying to rejuvenate myself from my newly awakened self.

My surroundings were still dim, and the only source of light here was the blood-red glow from the mask, which gave the underground cavern an eerie vibe.

After looking at my surroundings, I stood up and patted the dust off my body, and after pat the dust off my body, I subconsciously looked at the strange mask in front of me that was floating in the air and still emitting a blood-red light, and when I fell asleep, I vaguely remembered that it seemed to have something to say until I woke up.

Not far ahead, the mask that was still emitting a blood-colored glow seemed to notice that I had just stood up and turned its own face towards me, and the blood-red light on its body became more translucent.

[Yo~ up, goblin?]

The mask asked the goblin standing a short distance in front of it in a rather distinctive voice in a tone of concern.

"Mask, what do you want to talk to me about?"

I ignored the mask's greeting, which seemed to care about me, and instead asked straight to the point what it wanted to discuss with me.

[Hahaha~ I like your direct personality very much!]

Mask laughed at the rhetorical question I had just said, and said this to me.

"So what do you want to talk to me about? You have to know that I don't have time to waste here, but time is precious!" I replied angrily to the playful words I had uttered, and when I had finished speaking, I picked up the sheepskin jug I had brought with me, opened the cap, and poured a sip of water into my mouth.

[What do you think...... Is it a waste of time to stay here?...... I ask you, what did you understand from the battle you just fought with the Underground Guardians?]

The blood-red glow of the mask heard what I said, and mumbled thoughtfully to himself and asked me a question that sounded puzzled to me.

"I'm no match for them right now...... It's impossible to get out of here......"

I touched my chin with my right hand and pondered what the mask was saying, and when I thought about it, I said it in a low voice with a straight face.

[Looks like you understand your current situation, goblins.] That's right, no matter how many times you fight their 'Underground Guardians', the results will not change, and the damage you inflict on them with sword energy and magic is completely unable to keep up with their own recovery speed. Well, although it may hurt you to say that, but you are so weak now. ］

Hearing my muttered words, the mask didn't have much of an emotional swing, it seemed to echo what I said, saying it to me, and clearly pointing out a big problem in me right now. When the mask pointed out the problem without hiding it, it also said something that I didn't want to hear but had to admit, yes, I'm weak right now... Compared to those 'Underground Guardians', I am a disadvantage as a goblin.

"Hey, I said Mask, what the hell do you want to talk about?!" I gently rubbed my brow with my right hand, and in the next second, my voice was slightly louder, and I asked the mask floating in the air in front of me.

The mask didn't mean to answer my loud question, and it began to spiral slowly as it floated in mid-air, glowing blood-red. I subconsciously frowned as I looked at the rotating mask floating in mid-air, I really couldn't figure out what it was going to do next.

[Goblin, I remember you said you wanted to leave this hellish place, right?]

The mask asked me in its indiscernible voice.

"Yes!" I replied dryly, to the mask's inquiry.

[But... You don't have the power to leave here...... ］

Hearing my simple words, he said sharply.

"I know what you're saying!" I said in a low and firm voice.

[Do you want power?]

Just as my mind was filled with a little irritation, Mask suddenly asked me.

"Huh, power?"

I stood there with a puzzled voice after hearing the sound of the mask, I couldn't understand why the mask was saying such inexplicable words to me, and what purpose was it?

[Well, power.] The power that can make you kill those 'Underground Guardians' easily, the power that can make you leave this dim underground!How?

The mask that glowed blood-red not far in front of me suddenly floated to a distance of only two meters from me, and asked me in a seductive tone.

I was stunned to hear the words spoken by the mask, indeed...... It's tempting to say that it wants to give me strength... But it's so suspicious! Not to mention that I don't know after receiving the power it gives... What will I become? Maybe I'll become a monster no better than the unspeakable things in the ruins......

"I don't ......"

[Don't be so quick to refuse, Goblin!]

Just as I was about to open my mouth to say no to the mask, the blood-red mask made a sound with me almost at the same time, and there was a strange emotion in its voice that was obvious to me when I heard it.

I was stunned when I heard what the mask said, and then a tangled look appeared on my face, and I was thinking about the pros and cons of 'If I accept the power that the mask gives me, ......' might happen.

"Masks... If I accept the power you have given me, will I die?" I asked in a deep voice as I looked at the mask that glowed blood-red with an ominous aura.

[Are you afraid of death, goblins?]

After hearing my question, he subconsciously asked rhetorically.

I couldn't help but fall silent when the mask asked, 'Are you afraid of death?', and after only a short while, I stood there as if I remembered my mother's (Winya) face and slightly hooked the corners of my mouth. The smile she had when she smiled at me for the first time, the smile on her face when she tasted the food I had cooked for her, and the relaxed brow on her face as she fell asleep...... The scenes were imprinted in front of my eyes like a slide.

“...... It's not so much that I'm afraid, but I'm just afraid that I'll die useless before I finish what I want to do. ...... It's casual to say that, but... If you don't do what you want to do, you die...... That's too much, isn't it?" I looked at the mask that was still glowing blood-red, and I said the answer in my heart firmly.

The blood-red glow that floated in mid-air and the blood-red glow of the mask heard what I said to it, and the blood-red glow from its body became much softer than it had just been, and the soft feeling was like the light of the water reflected by the sun shining on the water.

[You won't die, but the process of accepting my power may... It's probably going to be painful, maybe it's going to be painful. ］

The mask responded to me in a tone that made people sound mischievous.

"I'm not going to die?" I asked for a moment as if I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

[You're not like their garbage!]

Hearing my question, the mask said loudly to me, a goblin.

(The 'garbage' it refers to is probably the corpses that have long since turned into rock in this underground cavern, right?)

[Goblin, put me on.] When you put me on, you'll be able to gain more power than ever before!!]

The mask floated in front of me and said to me firmly in a tone of encouragement.

"No, I refuse. "Even though the mask floated in front of me and encouraged me, I didn't want to put it on.

[Eh, why, don't you want power?!]

As if witnessing my actions, the mask immediately became anxious and asked me a series of questions.

"I always have a feeling... If I'm the only one who puts you on, maybe... It can't be me......" I said, turning my back to the mask and walking towards an area that was neither dry nor wet.

After listening to what I said, something rare happened, and the mask did not say anything to me that tried to hold me back, and it fell silent without the slightest excuse, as if acquiescing to what I said.

[that...... Goblins!]

Suddenly, the mask shouted loudly to me, who had just sat cross-legged on the ground.

"What's the matter?" I asked, with a puzzled look.

[What's your name?]

The mask, which was still floating in mid-air and still glowing with blood, asked.

"Do you have to tell someone your name before you ask for their name?" I said, looking at the mask not far in front of me.

［...... Flindeger. ］

Hearing what I said, the mask was silent for a moment, and then gave me his name.

"Flindeger... Flindeger, that's a good name!" I smiled at Mask after hearing Mask say his name.

[Huh?]

The mask named Flindeger was stunned as if he had heard something incredible.

"I'm sorry, I just talked to myself. My name is Tut and I'm the goblin warrior leader. "Looking at Flindeger, I briefly told him my name and identity.

[Tut: Although you are a goblin, it seems to me that you have more blood than just goblins.] ］

When he learned my name, Flindeger said to me as if he recognized me.

"Thank you. I nodded, and thanked Flinder with a look of embarrassment and embarrassment to be seen through the secret.

............

It's a complete stalemate...... Should I accept the strength he has given me?

...... I don't understand... Don't understand... It's tangled......

............