Dawn broke over the settlement with a golden warmth that made everything feel peaceful. Satou stood at the edge of the village square, watching the morning activities with satisfaction. Goblins and orcs moved together, building, training, living. It was working. Against all odds, their alliance was actually working.

"Big brother!"

Jessica and Kelvin came running up, their Hobgoblin forms allowing them to cover ground quickly. Both wore simple leather armor that the orc craftsmen had helped them make, and carried spears they'd been practicing with.

"Ready for today?" Satou asked, though he already knew the answer from their eager expressions.

"Yes!" they said in unison.

Today was important. Satou had decided it was time to scout the neighboring forests more thoroughly. They needed to know what other creatures lived nearby, what resources were available, and what threats might be lurking. And if he was being honest with himself, he also saw it as an opportunity.

More creatures meant more potential skills to acquire through his Devouring ability. The settlement was secure enough now that he could take risks.

"Who else is coming?" Kelvin asked.

"Grimnir and five orc warriors," Satou replied. "Plus Ragar, Finn, and Mira from our side. That gives us twelve total. Enough to handle most threats we might encounter, but small enough to move quickly."

"What about Lyra?" Jessica asked. "Isn't she usually in charge when you're gone?"

"She is," Satou confirmed. "That's why she's staying here. Someone needs to oversee construction and keep things running. Urgak will be here too. Between the two of them, the settlement should be fine for a few days."

A deep voice rumbled from behind them. "The warriors are ready."

Satou turned to see Urgak approaching. The High Orc chieftain was an imposing sight even now, days after his evolution. His single remaining arm rippled with muscle, and his presence commanded immediate respect.

"Good," Satou said. "We'll head northeast first. The scouts reported signs of a river about ten miles out. If we can confirm a fresh water source closer than the current stream, it would make expansion much easier."

Urgak nodded. "And if you encounter hostile creatures?"

"We defend ourselves," Satou replied. "But we're not going out there to start fights. Observation first, combat only if necessary."

"Wise," Urgak said. "Though I suspect you're hoping for some combat anyway. That Devouring skill of yours requires raw materials, yes?"

Satou smiled slightly. The orc chieftain was perceptive. "If opportunities present themselves, I won't turn them down. But the settlement's safety comes first."

"Agreed." Urgak clasped Satou's shoulder with his massive hand. "Be careful out there. You've built something worth protecting. Don't throw it away chasing power."

"I won't," Satou promised.

Twenty minutes later, the scouting party assembled at the village entrance. Grimnir and his five orc warriors checked their weapons one final time. Ragar, Finn, and Mira carried supplies and backup equipment. Jessica and Kelvin practically vibrated with excitement.

Lyra approached, carrying a map she'd been working on. "I've marked the areas our previous scouts covered," she said, pointing to various sections. "Stay away from the western ridge. The terrain there is unstable, and we lost a scout to a landslide last week."

"Noted," Satou said, studying the map. "We'll focus on the northeast and circle back through the northern forest. Three days at most."

"Three days," Lyra repeated, her expression serious. "Don't make me come looking for you."

"You worry too much," Satou said with a slight smile.

"Someone has to," Lyra replied. "With you running off to fight monsters and the siblings thinking they're invincible now, worrying is practically my full-time job."

Despite the levity in her words, Satou could see genuine concern in her eyes. He'd known Lyra since those desperate days in the cave. She'd become one of his most trusted advisors, someone who could speak honestly without fear.

"We'll be careful," he promised.

Lyra nodded, then surprised him by pulling him into a brief hug. "Come back safely," she whispered. "All of you."

"We will."

The scouting party moved out, heading northeast through the forest. Within minutes, the settlement disappeared behind them, hidden by thick trees and undergrowth.

-------

An hour after Satou's party disappeared into the forest, the settlement continued its daily routine. Lyra oversaw construction on a new storage building. Urgak trained a group of young orc warriors in combat techniques. Regular goblins tended to crops in the newly established fields.

Everything was peaceful.

Then the shadows moved.

One of the goblin sentries stationed at the eastern perimeter noticed it first. His shadow, which should have been pointing west with the morning sun, suddenly twisted. Elongated. Reached toward him like a grasping hand.

"What the..." the goblin muttered, staring down at his own shadow in confusion.

The shadow lunged.

Dark tendrils erupted from the ground, wrapping around the sentry's legs, arms, torso. He tried to scream but shadow covered his mouth, muffling the sound. Within seconds, he was completely encased in darkness.

Then the darkness compressed.

The goblin's muffled screams cut off abruptly as his body was crushed. When the shadows retreated, there was nothing left but a mangled corpse.

From that same shadow, a figure emerged.

Vegeta rose from the darkness like a nightmare given form, his cold eyes surveying the settlement with predatory interest. Shadows still clung to his body, writhing and twisting as if eager to be unleashed.

"So this is the famous goblin settlement," he said to himself, his voice carrying a note of disappointment. "Looks pretty standard to me. Though I'll admit, the construction is better than expected for monsters."

He walked forward casually, hands in his pockets, as if he was taking a leisurely stroll rather than invading an enemy settlement.

The second goblin spotted him and immediately raised a horn to his lips to sound the alarm.

Vegeta's shadow shot forward like a spear, piercing through the goblin's chest before any sound could emerge. The goblin's eyes went wide with shock as he looked down at the shadow impaling him, then collapsed as the construct withdrew.

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