The True Purpose

Besides the alert Gnome guards, many staff members operated strange machinery. Simple round-headed robots were sent out to scout in place of the Gnomes.

You Gnomes were practically trying to reach the heavens!

Well, they really could fly up into the sky in airplanes. Roderick could not understand how a race with technology this advanced had allowed outside enemies to invade its own city. Just how terrifying were those enemies?

Before long, Roderick saw the monsters that had occupied the Gnome city: cave dwellers and Troggs.

According to the High Tinker, these monsters, which looked somewhat similar to humans, also seemed to dwell deep underground.

Their bald bodies bore only tangled hair atop their heads. Their eyes had become tiny from deteriorating vision, while their noses were large. Their broad mouths were filled with small, jagged teeth. They were somewhat taller than Gnomes, but still did not reach the breastplate on Roderick's chest.

Most of these monsters were bare-handed. Only a few carried crude weapons, perhaps picked up within the city.

With no formation or discipline, they charged forward howling like beasts, only to be swiftly killed by the prepared Gnome soldiers.

After receiving permission, Roderick stepped forward and grabbed a lightly wounded Trogg. The creature struggled desperately in his grip, but could not break free from Roderick's control.

Seeing the other Gnome soldiers begin to put down the monsters that were not quite dead, he simply snapped the Trogg's neck and threw its corpse to the ground.

Their strength was decent, but they could not compare to well-trained human soldiers. Their agility was average; they could barely evade the Gnome soldiers' musket fire.

There also seemed to be no spellcasters or psychic abilities among them. They could not even make clothing or weapons themselves. They were not much different