Creating Anime In A Fantasy World - Chapter 53: Only Goblins That Never Show Themselves Are Good Goblins!

As the figure slowly emerged from the darkness, the eerie atmosphere inside the previously quiet cave grew even more unsettling.

The goblins, sensing danger, immediately raised their bows and fired an arrow at the distant man.

In response, the man, fully armored and hidden in the shadows, deflected the incoming arrow with his sword and quickly used his shield to repel a goblin that leaped at him from the darkness.

How many grueling battles, how much repeated training would it take to perform such precise actions?

As the priestess stood, bewildered and unsure, a voice slowly emerged from beneath the helmet…

“One.”

With that, Goblin Slayer pressed his torch against the face of the goblin that had tried to ambush him.

Its screams ended quickly, and another goblin corpse littered the cave.

In the distance, the goblin with the bow tried to flee, but the priestess, acting on instinct, blocked its path for just a moment.

In that brief hesitation, a knife, still hot from killing its companion, buried itself into the goblin’s skull.

“Two.”

The goblin fell, its skull shattered.

Soon, after a battle with no glory and a victory soaked in filth, Goblin Slayer calmly pulled his dirty, brain-splattered short sword from a goblin’s corpse.

Witnessing this, the priestess trembled with fear.

Despite being saved, she saw the armored man as something even more terrifying than the goblins themselves.

“Wh-Who are you…?”

Finally, unable to suppress her fear any longer, she asked in the still, tense air.

The response came…

“Goblin Slayer.”

—Not a dragon-slaying hero or a monster hunter, but a killer of the weakest creatures: goblins.

Under normal circumstances, such a ridiculous title would make anyone laugh, but here and now, in this atmosphere, the priestess felt no humor, no absurdity.

Because standing before her was exactly what the name said—a genuine Goblin Slayer.

……

The scene ended, and as preparations for the next shot began, Edward showed the already-filmed segment to the excited adventurers on set.

The adventurers, who had seen the scene in person, couldn’t believe how different it looked on camera.

Even Saeki, who had read the script many times and participated in the filming, couldn’t help but marvel at the difference.

The intertwining of bl00d and fire in the scene left a far deeper impression when viewed through the lens.

When Goblin Slayer began walking slowly towards them from the distance, everyone felt an overwhelming sense of dread, as if they were truly part of the story being told.

The feeling of narrowly escaping death, and the suffocating fear that came with the presence of Goblin Slayer, engulfed them.

For these adventurers, the filmmaking process was a new experience.

Seeing the finished product, they couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of pride and satisfaction, far beyond what they would feel after killing a hundred goblins.

As soon as the short preview ended, the crowd erupted in applause.

Their motivation visibly surged, a testament to the film’s power.

Filming resumed, with many props from the previous scene left in place.

Deeper within the cave, the crew had arranged the setting according to Edward’s instructions.

As for the actors, after seeing the footage, any doubts Edward had about their performances vanished.

Whether it was due to the effects of the suggestion magic or simply the actors playing to their own strengths—likely both—their performances had been seamless.

There had only been one incident: a goblin actor went a little wild on set.

With everything back in order, filming resumed for the second half of the scene.

……

Led by the seasoned Goblin Slayer, the priestess soon reached the deepest part of the cave.

This time, even Goblin Slayer was cautious, taking time to make some small preparations before proceeding.

Meanwhile, following Goblin Slayer’s plan, the priestess raised her staff and whispered, “O great god of light, grant us your holy radiance, to guide us through the darkness…!”

In this world, the primary faith was centered around the church, so Edward had adjusted the script accordingly.

He didn’t want to create a new religion, as that could draw the ire of the established church.

As the priestess cast her holy light spell, Goblin Slayer charged into the goblin-filled stone hall, his back to the brilliant glow.

In the light, the grotesque forms of the goblins became clearly visible.

Inside the hall were six regular goblins, one large goblin, and seated on a chair, a goblin wearing a skull—a goblin shaman, clearly capable of using magic.

“Six, plus one big one and a shaman—eight left.”

Blinded by the sudden light, the goblins, used to the dark, struggled in disarray.

Only the goblin shaman, a higher species, ignored the light and raised its staff, beginning to chant an unfamiliar spell.

But in an instant, Goblin Slayer hurled a spear with pinpoint accuracy, piercing the shaman’s body.

The creature let out a dying scream and tumbled from its chair.

With the shaman dead, panic began to spread among the goblins.

But before they could fully comprehend their leader’s demise, Goblin Slayer was already retreating back through the cave.

This scene spanned half the cave, presenting a challenge for both the filming and the actors.

Saeki, playing Goblin Slayer, relied entirely on his own strength to pull off the performance.

As an experienced adventurer, much of what happened in the script was something he had experienced firsthand in his own life.

At this moment, he fully embodied the role of Goblin Slayer, delivering a performance so precise and intense that everyone on set held their breath.

In this scene, Saeki’s skills as a fourth-tier Sword Soul and silver-ranked adventurer were on full display.

His endurance, precision, and power left everyone in awe.

Even those adventurers who had initially doubted his ability to lead the film now respected him, realizing that few in the northern adventurer’s guild could match his abilities.

The only strange thing was that none of them had ever heard of this powerful adventurer before.

But that made sense, as Saeki had gone to great lengths to sever ties with his past. Even the name Saeki was just an alias.

……

Eventually, after slaying every goblin in the cave, Goblin Slayer and the priestess reached its deepest chamber. With practiced ease, Goblin Slayer lifted a hidden wooden board.

Inside, they found not only stolen treasures but also four trembling goblin children, huddled in fear.

“We’re lucky,” Goblin Slayer remarked. “These things breed fast. If we were any later, there’d probably be fifty of them by now, and they’d be attacking human villages.”

As he spoke, Goblin Slayer gripped his club tightly, staring down at the quivering children.

“Even the children… must die?”

As the priestess asked the question, she already knew the answer.

She was surprised by how cold her voice sounded, as if her heart had grown numb to the reality before her.

“Of course.”

Goblin Slayer’s reply was colder still, or perhaps it was simply matter-of-fact: “They will never forget this hatred. The ones who survive will grow smarter and seek revenge.”

Raising his club, Goblin Slayer continued, “There’s no reason to let them live.”

“…Even if there’s a kind goblin among them?”

“A kind goblin?”

Goblin Slayer paused for a moment, as if the thought was absurd, and then answered decisively, “Maybe if you look hard enough. But… only a goblin that never shows itself to humans is a good goblin!”

With that, bl00d and fire completely engulfed the pitch-black cave.