I’m not Goblin Slayer Chapter 057

Released on June 20, 2025

A group of people quietly exchanged specific information at the camp outside the cave. Before leaving, they checked their weapons and equipment one last time.

After confirming that everything was in order, they entered the cave one after another, following their formation.

By rights, Levin, as the shield bearer, should have been in the lead. However, due to the dark, confined, and winding environment inside the mine, this task could only be entrusted to Gauss’s duo, who had just entered the cave for reconnaissance.

And because Gauss had a map displayed in his mind, he could accurately grasp the correct direction and position even without light inside the cave.

Coupled with the Mage Armor and the fact that the potential enemies were kobolds, even if exposed, with the kobolds’ combat strength, there was no worry of being instantly killed by the first wave of concentrated fire.

So, a rather strange scene appeared: Gauss, the mage, walked at the very front.

Meva originally wanted to lead, but thinking that Gauss seemed even more familiar with the cave’s terrain than she was, she didn’t force it.

The few of them proceeded silently and quietly through the cave. To reduce the sounds of movement, their pace was not fast.

Fortunately, under Gauss’s lead, they almost had no risk of taking a wrong turn and arrived at the fork in the mine tunnel leading to the kobold living area.

Unlike the height of the mine tunnels designed for human convenience, this passage dug by the kobolds was slightly cramped.

At its highest point, it was probably less than 1.7 meters, and this was the height of the main traffic passage. Some of the branching passages behind it were only about 1.2 to 1.4 meters high, requiring normal humans to bend over or even crawl forward.

The branching passages connected to the various kobold lairs and living quarters.

Because this was clearly a newly migrated tribe, their population was smaller than the usual kobold tribe’s scale.

So, the current living quarters only consisted of the main hall space, which served as the primary living and hatching area, as well as the excavation work area and waste disposal area, and some dead-end spaces set up with traps.

Gauss gestured to the others, then bent down and entered the main passage dug by the kobolds.

Once inside, it was difficult to even turn around.

As he moved forward, he sent out a Mage Hand to silently scout ahead.

This was to prevent a small, lizard-headed monster from suddenly popping out of one of the branching passages.

It was also thanks to his Agility increasing from 5 to 6 that Gauss moved quite flexibly.

The others found it more difficult to move inside the mine, especially the tall Levin. The low space made him feel even more oppressed.

Fortunately, before he set off, he had switched to a smaller one-handed shield instead of a greatshield, otherwise, it would not just be a matter of discomfort now.

Everyone walked very slowly, keeping their footsteps light. Passing by the excavation work area, they could hear the clanging sounds coming from inside.

Although it was an abandoned mine that had already been excavated, the kobolds’ talent always allowed them to barely find a tiny bit of residual mineral resources in this ruin.

Gauss did not stop, leading everyone more cautiously past the branching passage entrance to the excavation work area.

The team had formulated a strategy before entering.

Compared to the excavation work area, they needed to surprise the kobold main hall, which was larger and more open.

The main hall was a natural cave space that these kobolds had picked up and modified. Its internal height was about 3- 4 meters, and it was over a hundred square meters in size. It had a vertical ventilation shaft, making the space more open, and there was some lighting.

It was more suitable as a combat location than the excavation area.

Everyone cautiously explored, avoiding various traps and mechanisms placed along the way.

Finally, they arrived at the branching passage leading to the main hall.

The next, even lower, branching passage could only be traversed by crawling.

After a brief rest, Gauss bent down and crawled into the passage.

He silently felt sympathy for Levin for a second or two, then focused his attention straight ahead.

The path ahead required even greater caution.

The Bone Staff was unconsciously gripped in his hand.

Once the Mage Hand sensed something was wrong ahead, he would adapt and cast a spell.

Fortunately, no accidents occurred until he crawled to the main hall entrance.

This was also reasonable; the kobolds responsible for excavation were already working in the excavation area, and this was not a period of frequent kobold entry and exit.

Gauss exited the cave, making way for the subsequent team members crawling out.

He leaned against the main hall wall while observing its structure.

After officially entering, the cave space was more open than expected.

In the center was a ventilation shaft, and in the open space not far away was a fire pit. Two kobolds sat around it, using crude stone knives to process and cut up what appeared to be rat-like creatures.

At their dirty feet were several broken pottery jars filled with water, as well as some freshly dug, soil-covered plant tubers and fungi.

It looked like they were preparing ingredients for cooking.

And next to the fire pit area, also the most conspicuous place in the hall, stood a crude stone statue.

The statue looked aesthetically unpleasing. Calling it a statue, it was actually just a stone block standing on the ground, simply carved, and then painted with crude mineral pigments.

Looking closely, one could vaguely make out a silhouette similar to a large lizard, like a dragon.

Next were the stone storage area and small pits dug around the cave, which were likely used as sleeping quarters for the kobolds.

Gauss quickly scanned the main hall space, simultaneously counting the number of kobolds remaining there. Including those resting in the “rooms,” there were a total of 9 adult individuals and 7 or 8 young kobold pups.

The rest were in another excavation area.

During the time Gauss was observing, the others also quietly crawled out of the passage. After emerging, they, like Gauss, remained silent.

Fortunately, the light sources were all in the central fire pit area and under the ventilation shaft, so the areas closer to the outer part of the hall received severely insufficient light. Thus, their appearance did not immediately alarm the kobolds inside.

“Ooh, ooh, ooh…”

One of the kobolds sitting by the fire pit, processing ingredients, suddenly seemed to smell something, and quietly let out confused cries to its companion beside it.

“Ooh ooh!”

The two kobolds got up from the ground, cautiously looking around.

Gauss saw that his teammates had successfully crawled in and knew that the kobolds might have sensed something.

He exchanged glances with his teammates, confirming that everyone was ready.

He seized the moment when the two kobold “cooks” were standing together.

The Bone Staff in his hand pointed in their direction.

After the Magic Missile imprint in his mind flashed, his full magical power quickly mobilized, then rapidly surged into the Bone Staff.

The staff also began to glow faintly as the magic entered it.

A blue orb of light quickly condensed in the space in front of the staff’s tip.

“Buzz!”

The two kobold “cooks” noticed the movement the moment the light appeared.

But before they could take any further action.