Satou's scream comes out as a high-pitched, garbled squeak. He tries to move his hands, but they feel tiny and weak, barely responding to his commands. Panic surges through him as he realizes something is terribly wrong. His voice—it's not his voice. It's the sound of some gibberish words. His heart races, and his tiny chest heaves as he struggles to make sense of what's happening.
"What the—?!" he tries to say, but all that comes out is a series of incoherent gurgles. He looks down at his body and freezes. His hands are small, green, and clawed. His legs are stubby, and his entire body is the size of a toddler's. The cave around him is dimly lit, with moss-covered walls and a faint, damp smell that makes his nose wrinkle. "No, no, no! This can't be happening!" he thinks, but his thoughts are drowned out by the gibberish sounds escaping his mouth.
He turns his head slightly and sees another baby goblin lying next to him. Its tiny green hands are flailing in the air, and its wide, yellow eyes are filled with the same confusion and terror that Satou feels. The baby goblin lets out a shrill cry, and Satou realizes with a sinking feeling that he is a goblin—the weakest race in video games and isekai novels, the ones who always get wiped out in the first chapter.
"Noooooo! I don't want to be a goblin! There were other races! Why does it have to be a goblin?!" screamed Satou, but all the words that came out of his mouth were gibberish. His tiny fists clenched in frustration, and he kicked his stubby legs, but it only made him look like a flailing toddler throwing a tantrum.
"I need to get out of here, but even if I do, I'll get killed easily by all species," said Satou, letting out a sigh that sounded more like a whimper. He glanced around the cave, noticing the other baby goblins sleeping soundly, completely unaware of the chaos in his mind. The air was thick with the scent of earth and something faintly metallic, making his stomach churn.
Just then, an old goblin entered the cave. His hunched figure moved slowly, supported by a gnarled wooden stick. His long white beard dragged on the ground, and his yellow eyes scanned the room with a mix of curiosity and weariness. He walked past the sleeping baby goblins, his footsteps echoing softly in the quiet cave. When he reached Satou, he paused, observing him with a tilted head.
The old goblin turned to a massive, hulking goblin standing guard at the cave entrance and said, "Shofh sjurirj sudhhrj shhudjd," his voice raspy and low.
Satou couldn't understand a word of it. It sounded like complete nonsense to him. But then, a sudden sound echoed in his mind, clear and mechanical.
[Skill Acquired: Goblin Translation]
"Wait, what? It's that voice again! Hello? Can you hear me? I need help to get out of here, please!" said Satou, his voice trembling.
[Activating the skill: Goblin Translation.]
"Hey, wait! Hello? Can you hear me? I need help, please!" said Satou in his mind, but he didn't realize he was speaking out loud. The words that came out were still gibberish, but the old goblin's ears perked up.
The old goblin turned back, his eyes narrowing as he walked toward Satou. He bent down, his bony hands reaching out to lift Satou off the ground. "This one is kind of lively compared to the other baby goblins who are still asleep," he muttered, his voice now clear to Satou thanks to the translation skill.
"Wait, I can hear what he's saying now! Does it have to do with Goblin Translation?" said Satou, though his words still came out as gibberish.
The old goblin chuckled, his wrinkled face breaking into a smile. He placed a hand on Satou's forehead, his touch cold and rough. "With the way this baby is active, I have a good feeling he'll become a goblin god, just like in the prophecy. We've been waiting for countless centuries. He has the mark on his forehead," he said, his voice filled with a strange mix of hope and pride.
"Goblin God? What does he mean? But first things first—get your stinking hands off my face!" said Satou, trying to push the old goblin's hands away. But his tiny baby arms couldn't reach, and to the old goblin, it looked like Satou was just flailing and babbling playfully.
"Not today, child. Maybe three days from now, if you survive the special selection," said the old goblin as he gently placed Satou back on the ground.
"Wait, what do you mean 'survive the special selection'? Do you mean if I don't survive, I'll die? Hey, hey, talk to me!" said Satou, his voice rising in panic.
The old goblin only heard baby noises and smiled faintly. "I'm sorry, but I don't have time to play with you, child. I have serious matters to attend to," he said, turning away. He walked toward the cave entrance, where the giant goblin stood guard. "Keep watch. Don't let anyone into the cave, and protect it from any creatures—especially humans," he instructed.
"Yes, sir," said the giant goblin, saluting with a fist to his chest.
The old goblin nodded and disappeared into the passageway, leaving Satou alone with his thoughts and the giant goblin's watchful gaze.
"Hey, hey! Please answer me! What do you mean by 'special selection'?" screamed Satou, his tiny voice echoing in the cave.
The giant goblin simply stared at him from a distance, his expression unreadable. Minutes passed, and Satou continued to yell, his voice growing hoarse. Finally, exhaustion overtook him, and he let out a big yawn.
"Wait, I'm tired and sleepy. Please, no! I demand answers!" said Satou, trying to force himself to stay awake. But his tiny body betrayed him, and within moments, he fell fast asleep.