《Why a Goblin?》


 Chapter One

    So there I was, going about my life as any typical twenty-year-old college student would on any typical weekday in America, a class here, a class there, cafeteria trips for lunch, random naps when I¡¯m supposed to be doing homework, and of course my favorite¡­ ramen noodle nights.


    Nothing crazy or out of the ordinary really, just a typical day for a typical guy you know? What do I mean by a typical guy you ask? Well, you know, I¡¯m in college with no actual plan, I play a lot of video games, I watch a lot of sports, and I''m interested in women just as much as the next guy, pretty typical right? Well, I think so.. oh one more thing I love anime more than almost anything in the world, it might be kind of unhealthy how much I love anime. It¡¯s not just anime either. I love manga, light novels, web novels, and everything in between, I mean can you blame me? It¡¯s literally the greatest thing to grace this planet of ours, surely you agree.


    I do think I have a problem though, nothing crazy... It¡¯s just that I secretly wish that whole isekai, reincarnation thing was real you know? Like could you imagine reincarnating into a world away from all your problems in life and becoming an overpowered force with your own kingdom?!


    Ah, where¡¯s truck-san when you need him am I right, oh don¡¯t worry I¡¯m not gonna go on a suicide mission in front of a truck to try my luck at reincarnation or anything like that since I know reincarnating in other worlds simply isn¡¯t real, but a man can dream right.


    Well, that''s how I used to think until it happened.


    What happened to me you ask? IT of course!! THE thing I¡¯m constantly daydreaming about! I¡¯m talking about REINCARNATION!!! IT ACTUALLY HAPPENED TO ME!!


    Yeah, I couldn¡¯t believe it either, like it''s all real, everything I¡¯ve dreamt and read about, it¡¯s all real, who woulda thought?


    Not me at least, but the way it happened was definitely not like any of the books I¡¯ve ever read, I didn¡¯t meet truck-san, I didn¡¯t try to save a random kid and died, I wasn¡¯t even murdered, all I did was go to sleep after my last class of the day then boom, I was in another world. Was it always that easy?


    Is this actually just a really long drawn out and painfully realistic dream? I mean I didn¡¯t meet any sort of god telling me they made a mistake, and reincarnation was a way to fix it. Absolutely nothing crazy at all happened, I just remembered falling asleep and then I woke up to where I am right now. So..seeing as I got my dream, you¡¯d think everything would be sunshine and roses right? I mean I finally got my wish for pete¡¯s sake! I reincarnated into another world!! And I wasn¡¯t told I had to go kill a demon king or anything. It was great! Except for one small, teeny, tiny problem.


    I''M A DAMN GOBLIN.


    Yes, a Goblin! I mean are you kidding me? A Goblin?! Why a Goblin?! Why not an elf or a dwarf or maybe a strong dragonkin, literally almost anything else would be better. I basically reincarnated into a starter mob for some beginner adventurer somewhere didn¡¯t I...sigh, this is the worst I¡¯m telling you, but I gotta roll with it, right?


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    I finally got my reincarnation!


    Sorry mom and dad I know you''re probably gonna be crying when you find out I¡¯m gone but It¡¯s for the best! So with my brief apology out of the way, back to my current situation, I didn¡¯t even wake up next to other Goblins in some sort of Goblin village either. When I came to, I found myself in a cave of some sort.


    It wasn¡¯t too big, and it didn¡¯t seem like anyone or anything else lived in here, which is a good thing I guess, I¡¯m not sure how tall I am, but I feel a lot shorter than I was before so maybe around three feet-ish? I don¡¯t have a water source or a mirror of any kind so I can¡¯t really see my face, but everything else is as Goblin as it gets.


    Some sort of potbelly, short stubby feet, and long, skinny arms, oh and how could I forget, I¡¯m green. It definitely took a sort of self-reflection to come to the realization that I did indeed reincarnate as a Goblin in another world I know nothing about, but I think I¡¯ve almost forcefully come to terms with it. I¡¯m a fast adapter, what can I say.


    Yeah..I¡¯m definitely gang green from now on, team gob if you will. I will not stand for any anti Goblin slander from anyone! From here on out Goblins rule and no human or anything else for that matter can tell me otherwise.


    Look out world Rick the Goblin is here and ready to rumble! Now that my little monologue is over, I¡¯ve realized my first problem.


    I¡¯m hungry.


    Ah, I¡¯m really hungry, I mean really really hungry. Where did this hunger come from?! It wasn¡¯t a slow approaching hunger. It just came out of the blue, like a predator pouncing on unsuspecting prey. Which is what I have to become now right? A predator, maybe I can find a rabbit or something to kill then eat?


    But wait... I know it''s Goblins'' rule from now on, but aren¡¯t I currently at the bottom of the food chain? Shit. Can I even fight? I don¡¯t know how to make weapons or anything like that, I don¡¯t even know which type of plants to eat or not eat, I wasn¡¯t a damn botanist. Wait... I¡¯m forgetting something big. I¡¯ve reincarnated into a different world as a Goblin, meaning this should be some sort of fantasy world and assuming I¡¯m not the only monster in existence, I should have a way to level up or evolve or something along those lines right?


    Maybe I have a status or som-...


    Would you look at that? The second I thought about it, a small transparent screen came out showing what I assume to be an accurate depiction of my current status. It showed this.


    { Name - Rick }


    { Age - 20 }


    { Race - Royal Goblin }


    Hmm, it doesn¡¯t show categories like strength or agility, maybe I gotta unlock those? We¡¯ll figure that out later, but more importantly, I don¡¯t see any type of Experience (XP) Bar, so how will I know what I need to level up? Speaking of leveling up..there is no level listed..Hopefully, there are more features that come later, it¡¯d be really annoying to have to live without it. Now.. MUCH MORE IMPORTANTLY ¡­ ROYAL GOBLIN?!?!? Am I some kind of lost prince?! Is this how a Goblin prince looks? Can I order other Goblins around? Ahh so many questions, but where are all the answers eh. Either way, it¡¯s fine, I can definitely make this whole Goblin thing work right? right¡­ and with that being said let''s go hunting shall we? I¡¯m starving.

 Chapter Two

    Okay, it¡¯s finally time to step out of the cave, but I¡¯m nervous. I mean who knows what''s out there you know? What if there¡¯s some sort of giant silver wolf with thirty small wolves with it, that just immediately decimates me ?!! What? You think I¡¯ve read too many novels and I¡¯m overthinking it? As if! I¡¯ve been reincarnated!! It¡¯s only natural for a small Goblin like me to be wary of wandering wolf packs! Ahh, this is nerve-wracking, but I gotta do it don¡¯t I, after all, as they say, closed mouths don¡¯t get fed, plus I¡¯m a big bad Royal Goblin! I got this. Okay! Let¡¯s do it. I see the exit from this small cave a short distance away, I can¡¯t actually see what¡¯s beyond the cave because it¡¯s really dark for some reason..ah were in cave..I guess that makes sense. Whatever, let''s go, so I slowly make my way to the exit with nothing but the loincloth I woke up in and a small rock I picked up as some sort of weapon. As I reached the exit and was just about to walk out it was then that I could finally see what was actually beyond the exit.


    I was still in a cave.


    Who woulda guessed? That the small cave I woke up in, was just a cave within a much, MUCH, larger cave, or rather a cavern maybe? The ceiling was ridiculously high, so high in fact I¡¯m pretty sure I can¡¯t ¡­actually see the ceiling and it was just as wide as it was high, maybe about as wide as three or four football fields? I can just barely make out what I think are the walls in the distance to my left and right, so I don''t really know.


    Behind me was the small cave I walked out of, which was a part of a large wall that I assumed stretched all the way to the ceiling itself maybe. So, this is probably the end of the cavern huh? Okay, guess I''ll walk forward from here until I find something I can hopefully hunt without too much risk or perhaps find an exit to completely leave the cave.


    ¡­.


    ¡­¡­..


    You know, I¡¯ve been walking forward from the little cave I woke up in for about an hour now, well I¡¯m guessing it¡¯s been a hour I have no way to tell time I just know been very long, all while still being very hungry mind you, and I have neither heard nor seen anything at all. Just stone, stone, and more stone.


    How much stone can a lil ol¡¯ Goblin-like me take? Sorry¡­ Royal Goblin like me take? Hopefully, I don¡¯t have to deal with this for much longer, a man er...Goblin like me needs some stimulation in his life! Then almost as if on cue, I finally hear something in the distance, so with hurried steps, I quickly make my way forward till I can finally start to somewhat make out the sounds I¡¯ve been hearing, they sound like...like...like gibberish!!! Like if you tried to imagine what a large angry baby but with the voice of an adult would sound like. It wasn¡¯t until after I took a second to really listen to the gibberish for a minute that it hit me.


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    I can understand it.


    I can actually somewhat understand what was being said even though it was gibberish. It definitely wasn¡¯t English or some other language from the earth, it was quite literally gibberish, but It makes sense to me. I¡¯m still too far away to see who or what is talking or even properly put together the faint sounds that I can somewhat understand. So, I began to move closer to the sound, albeit at a much slower pace because I was scared that whatever I found would immediately try to kill me. Then after around ten-ish minutes passed while walking I finally saw an exit to this cavern that I woke up in, the exit looked similar to the entrance of the first little cave that I found myself in, so maybe it¡¯s just another cave? At this point it doesn¡¯t matter, it''s the only other exit I¡¯ve seen in this barren place.


    So while slowly creeping up to the exit, and trying to stay out of sight as much as possible, I could finally see what waited for me on the other side...


    So there¡¯s more huh.


    Just beyond the cavern exit stood two Goblins, both of them looked almost identical to each other, and I¡¯m assuming the same for me as well. Are they Royals as well? Is this maybe the entrance to the Goblin kingdom I should be a part of as a Royal? The only difference that I could spot between us was the fact they had crude weapons, which looked luxurious if compared to the small rock that I¡¯ve been carrying around.


    It seems they are still talking to each other, but it doesn¡¯t look like the conversation is going forward... Wait? Can they not understand each other? Goblin umm..A, yeah lets go with that, Goblin A has been repeating the same thing for a while now ¡°Goblin...Leave¡±, while Goblin B has just been responding ¡°What¡± for every single response. It really didn¡¯t seem like they could understand each other, but I can? Am I actually some kinda Royal Goblin genius?! HAHA, I¡¯ve always known I had it going on. Oh by the way I realized I can¡¯t fully understand their monster gibberish, but I can somewhat understand the general idea of what they were trying to say, I mean if I could instantly understand monster gibberish, I¡¯d be some kinda super genius right? For now, I¡¯ll settle for being a regular genius, seeing that I can generally understand this gibberish I¡¯m hearing.


    After listening for a little bit, I¡¯ve realized this Goblin could be talking about me, or perhaps who this body used to belong to? He keeps saying ¡°Goblin...Leave¡±, does that mean he saw a Goblin leave, and that Goblin is now me?? Ahh this might turn into an annoying situation huh, cause now what do I do?


    Do I just run up and say "hey! I¡¯m your missing Goblin friend please give me food!" No, of course I can¡¯t do that!! But what other options do I have?! I¡¯m hungry, there¡¯s nowhere to go behind me, to my left or my right, I can only go forward, or do I wait it out and hope they leave so I can follow them to a place with food maybe? But who knows how long they¡¯ll stay there, I might starve to death before they leave! What about fight... NOT, gotta nip that idea in the bud right this second, we do not participate in suicidal Goblin behavior around here. So with all that said I¡¯m left with only one option aren¡¯t I.


    I walk right up with the best-looking smile a Goblin can make, and as friendly as possible, I start speaking.


    THAT''S RIGHT I CAN ACTUALLY SPEAK!!!¡¯

 Chapter Three

    Well, this is awkward, here I am standing in front of two surprised Goblins, speaking my own version of a sophisticated Goblin language, I¡¯m not speaking english per se.. Yet my thoughts are definitely all in English yet I¡¯m speaking something¡­different? I don¡¯t understand what''s going on at all so let''s just chalk it up to reincarnation foolishness..yup works for me. Anyway, I¡¯ve been trying to talk to these guys but completely failing to get them to understand me. At the very least they didn¡¯t immediately attack me, nor were they being very aggressive with me.


    In fact, the Goblin who was constantly repeating ¡°Goblin...Leave¡± actually seemed happy to see me. Maybe all Goblins are actually all friendly to each other? Is it because I¡¯m a Royal? Seems like green means good around here haha! Now everything would be all great and dandy if we could actually communicate! We¡¯ve been going back and forth for a while now! I don''t even know what I¡¯m trying to tell them anymore!!¡¯


    Jaba is the strongest Goblin in the small tribe he calls home, and with the Goblins and most monsters valuing power above all else, he is also the sole Leader of his tribe of Goblins. So when he heard all of the noise coming from the entrance that led into the dangerous cavern while walking nearby, he quickly made his way over. Once he reached the exit, he was a little surprised to find a third Goblin with the two he expected to see, one who was thought to be missing for over a week and even assumed to be dead all arguing with each other.


    After a couple more seconds annoyingly passed with me trying to communicate with these Goblins to no avail, I then saw a slightly bigger Goblin approaching us from a distance, the signature potbelly that I expected him to have seemed a lot smaller on him, and his skin looked a lot more vibrant than ours, is he a maybe a sort of evolved Goblin? Is the king around here..Is he my Goblin dad¡­.? No.. I don¡¯t like how that sounds..


    Anyway I wonder if his form is something I can look forward to becoming? Ah, the path is clear, or should I say green! Er erm... Back to the matter at hand, maybe I can try talking to this Goblin? I do think I can speak but I realized it may actually be coming out as gibberish to the other Goblins, but maybe he can understand the general idea of my gibberish like how I do with them? Well let''s hope so.


    Jaba made his way over to the three Goblins, and when he got close enough he put his hand up indicating for them to be quiet. He knew that all the Goblins weaker than himself couldn¡¯t communicate with each other, but they could understand him, and he could understand them. He didn¡¯t know how this worked, but it didn¡¯t matter to him.¡¯


    ¡°What¡¯s...going...on?¡± said Jaba


    ¡°Goblin...return,¡± said one of the Goblins that Jaba was familiar with. While the other one he was familiar with just stayed silent. It was then that the missing Goblin gave Jaba a surprise.


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    ¡°Ah yes, my fellow green one, are you in charge here? I¡¯ve just returned to be with my brethren, though I don¡¯t have any memories of when I used to be here,¡± said Rick, who turned out to be a missing Goblin from the tribe.


    Jaba was very shocked at how many words the Goblin said. He was sure that this Goblin was weaker than him, so how can he talk so much better than him? Does that mean he is stronger? Is he going to challenge him to be the new Leader? It was these thoughts that kept running through Jaba¡¯s mind as he answered the returned Goblin.


    ¡°Jaba...Leader...you...weaker,¡± said Jaba, with a sort of questioning gaze.


    ¡°So your name¡¯s Jaba? Nice to meet you, Leader, I¡¯m Rick, and sorry to make a request so soon, but is there any way you can help me with some food? A Goblin is starving here.¡± Rick quickly responded


    Again, Jaba was shocked, the strange Goblin who called himself Rick didn¡¯t issue a challenge to be Leader, instead, he asked for food. Although this was surprising for Jaba, he was a simple Goblin. If this Goblin accepted him as the Leader, then it was his job to take care of him.


    ¡°Come...village...food,¡± said Jaba as he walked away without really waiting for a response from any of the three Goblins.


    Yessir! I MET A GOBLIN WHO CAN UNDERSTAND ME!! This is great, I was getting really tired of talking to these two bricks. I¡¯ll never discriminate against my fellow Goblins, but dammit I don¡¯t think I can put up with trying to talk to walls for another second. Either way I made real progress here, this Goblin by the name of Jaba, seems to be some sort of Leader and he agreed to point me towards some food back at his village it seems. Wait, isn¡¯t this gonna be my village as well? My very own Goblin home with my fellow gang green members, is this what it feels like for a child to be adopted? Hopefully, there''s a lot of us, and many more Goblins who can communicate as Jaba could. Jaba also mentioned I was weak for some reason, I wonder why.


    Ah wait, could this be one of those things where strength means everything?


    I guess that makes sense considering we''re monsters after all. Ah! Jaba¡¯s leaving, so I quickly followed behind, while noticing the two bricks I was talking to before didn¡¯t follow us but stayed behind. Are they guarding the exit? There was nothing in the cavern though? Guess maybe I can ask Jaba about that later, let''s just focus on eating for now. Can¡¯t put my best foot forward for Goblin kind on an empty stomach now, can I. With that being said, what does a typical Goblin eat? In the books I read in my past life, I think for the most part it was just raw meat...sigh...I don¡¯t think I¡¯m looking forward to my next meal.


    Well, what did I expect? I¡¯m a Goblin after all. Seeing that there¡¯s nothing I can do about it, let''s just assume the worst and maybe they¡¯ll surprise me with filet mignon or something. I know that''s a longshot by all means, but can¡¯t a Goblin dream? Either way, I¡¯ll eat anything at this point, which makes me wonder why it''s taking so long to get there and why this tunnel is so long. Before I could decide whether to ask Jaba how far we were, I finally saw the opening and we walked out into another open cavern similar to the one I initially found myself in, though a lot smaller. Now my future home is in full view.


    What the hell is this?

 Chapter Four

    Why can I only see around twenty Goblins here?? And all of them look just like me!! Unless I have my definition of a kingdom all messed up, this is no Goblin Kingdom!


    Am I really some lost and forgotten prince stuck out in the boonies with no way home? Is that how my story starts off? Actually¡­I wonder if this body I inherited was always a Royal Goblin, maybe it never was but due to what or who brought me here, it became one? Hmm who knows. Anyway in more present times.. does the state of these Goblins mean I can only talk to Jaba from now on?! That''s just not gonna cut it going forward now is it. Next, what is this state of living I¡¯m looking at, not a single properly built house of any kind, just a few tattered tents which seem to house multiple Goblins each, all of them surrounding a small fire. Guess this is as much as I could expect from a few Goblins who don¡¯t even know how to speak huh.


    There¡¯s work to be done I see, the first order of business will be to eat though, but seeing our current state of affairs, I¡¯m actually quite worried about what Jaba will feed me. Speaking of Jaba, the big green guy led me directly to the fire. Where he told me to sit and wait so I did just that. While waiting I quickly counted the number of Goblins I could see either walking around, or in the tents, the number came out to be twenty-two, so with the two I met earlier, Jaba, and myself gang green is twenty-six members strong at the moment. Not the best start, but don¡¯t worry my green friends, the world will be dyed in green before long! Also some of the Goblins had small patches of hair on their heads, are those females I wonder? Guess I¡¯ll ask Jaba.


    While I was busy having my Goblin fantasies, Jaba returned with what I assumed to be some form of meat on a stick. I don¡¯t know what this meat is from, but who am I to question my first meal since coming here, let''s get this roasted and dig in! After eating my fill of this mystery meat, which actually didn¡¯t taste too bad..it definitely wasn¡¯t anything to write home about..not that I could but it was decent enough, I decided to ask Jaba about everything I currently had on my mind.


    Why does this Goblin talk so much? wondered Jaba, after giving him food he began asking question after question, all of which Jaba did his best to answer because he was the Leader. He was a simple Goblin.


    ¡°Jaba! I have a couple questions for you Leader!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Why do we live in this cave? And why are we guarding an exit where nothing is?¡±


    ¡°Cave...safe...outside...not safe...and..stone monsters...come sometimes¡±


    ¡°Ah stone monsters..what..? We will definitely have to revisit that, anway where does our food come from?¡±


    ¡°Jaba hunts...share...with tribe¡±


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    ¡°By yourself?! We gotta change that right away Jaba!¡±


    ¡°You.. come...might die¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry! I¡¯m coming!! Now why can you speak but the others can¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°Then...come.. tomorrow..and..one day...after hunt...Jaba...speak¡±


    ¡°Hmm, so maybe a sort of rank up or evolution from monster XP? Next, are the Goblins with hair female?¡±


    ¡°...Yes.¡± Jaba didn''t really understand the first part of the question but he answered anyway.


    ¡°I see, how do we get out of the cave and what is outside of the cave?¡±


    ¡°Tunnel...over there...outside..forest¡±


    ¡°Thanks Jaba! That was my last question. Go green!¡±


    Jaba quickly left the weird Goblin by the fire, and retired to a tent, before the weird one could change his mind and ask him more questions.


    Jaba¡¯s such a nice guy, answering all of my questions with exemplary patience! What a good Leader we have. Now with all of my initial questions answered about our current situation, I think it¡¯s time to formulate a plan of action. I have to get more and more Goblins up to Jaba¡¯s presumed level. If we can all communicate I¡¯m sure our Goblin cave dwelling home can improve a long way. The first step to accomplishing that is to get to Jaba¡¯s level myself because based on the interaction with the guards from earlier the other Goblins can understand Jaba plus getting stronger is always a good thing when one is a monster after all. At least I think so.


    Alongside getting everyone¡¯s strength to a higher place, I need to find out what our surroundings are and any enemies I need to be wary of. There¡¯s a lot to be done, but nothing will stop the forward progress of the green wave!


    Except for maybe one thing that is.


    I don¡¯t actually know how to fight! Nor have I ever killed anything in my life! I said all that about going to hunt with Jaba, but won¡¯t I just be dead weight? Ah, hopefully Jaba can show me the ropes. For now I¡¯ll go to sleep in one of these tents among my fellow Goblins, and worry about tomorrow¡¯s problems tomorrow!


    Well tomorrow is now today, so It¡¯s time to officially worry about my first hunt! I mean my life is on the line here! But I gotta do it, this is a necessary step on the way to Goblin domination. Dominate what you might ask? I don''t know! But whatever it is, we¡¯ll dominate. Seeing that Jaba woke me up while everyone else is still asleep, I¡¯m guessing it¡¯s still pretty early? The early bird gets the worm as they say.


    After waking up Rick and giving him a crude looking stone spear, Jaba led him towards the exit from the cave that led to the forest, where he was met with more questions from the weird one.


    ¡°Jaba I¡¯ve never hunted before, so I was hoping to learn a thing or two from you for this first time¡±


    Jaba thought for a short moment before replying.


    ¡°Jaba hunt...you watch...then..try..¡±


    ¡°Ah I can work with that, well then let''s get it going Jaba!¡±


    Okay a little show and tell from Jaba and I should be able to hunt like a pro in no time right? I got this! Walking up to the exit now, I spot two more Goblins whom I already counted last night guarding the exit, so I¡¯m guessing they switched with two who I didn¡¯t get to count which I guess would bring our total up to twenty-eight now, the more the merrier! Finally out of the cave and I¡¯m greeted by something I¡¯ve just realized I dearly missed in the short time since my reincarnation. Ohh the sun, the beautiful sun, I don¡¯t know if other Goblins like the sun, but as a former human being, feeling that warmth on your skin can¡¯t be replaced by anything! After seeing that Jaba was silently moving forward while I basked in the sunlight, I hurriedly ran after him so as to not get left behind. I guess Goblins aren¡¯t creatures who like the sun then, shame.


    Well that¡¯s enough antics! Let''s hunt!

 Chapter Five

    Taking in my surroundings as I followed behind Jaba, this forest is quite dense isn¡¯t it, trees, trees, and more trees. Just trees as far as you can see, with overgrown bushes, wild grass all over the place, this is a forest in the truest sense of the word, and with the sun shining through the tree line, and the sound of the wind rustling the leaves, along with the sounds of some type of bird chirping a merry tune, it creates a serene atmosphere. So serene in fact, I can definitely picture myself building a nice little hammock and rocking away to sleep, but before I could get lost in another fantasy of mine, Jaba abruptly yanked me down beside him behind a bush, that I didn¡¯t even notice him get behind in the first place.


    C¡¯mon Jaba can¡¯t we be a little gentler here?! A Goblin¡¯s got a name you know! And as if somehow reading my mind Jaba said.


    ¡°Rick...quiet...hunt...now¡­¡± said Jaba as he pointed at something beyond the bush we were hiding behind. So I quickly nodded at him and looked to see what it was, Oh...It¡¯s nothing but a rabbit! But why does it have a black horn on its forehead? You¡¯d think the fact that I was a Goblin would be a constant reminder that I¡¯m in another world where monsters are obviously REAL!


    I¡¯m a damn Goblin for pete''s sake!!


    It was also at this point that I realized that Jaba¡¯s and even my own stone spear wasn¡¯t made with stone after all, but the horn of this rabbit instead. Anyway! Now that we¡¯ve gotten that out the way, it¡¯s time to see how Jaba¡¯s going to hunt this little horned dude.


    While Rick looked on intensively, Jaba quietly emerged from the bush they were hiding behind then slowly approached the rabbit until he was about forty-five feet away from it. It was at this point that the creature turned around and bared its teeth at Jaba in a menacing manner. The only thing Jaba did in response was to stand his ground patiently with his spear in hand. Then without notice, the rabbit suddenly charged straight at Jaba! In a matter of seconds, the rabbit closed the distance between them and just as he was a few feet away from Jaba he leaped up straight at him, with his horn looking more dangerous than ever heading straight for Jaba¡¯s head! Then at a speed too quick for the rabbit to keep up with, Jaba sidestepped the leaping rabbit and in one fluid motion, while the rabbit was still in mid-air, Jaba slapped him down back to the ground with his spear and immediately pierced him in the head, ending his life. He then picked up his kill and walked back to the bush where he was met with an ecstatic Rick, who showered him praise which surprisingly to himself, made him feel good.


    ¡°Jaba, I don¡¯t know what I was expecting from a hunt, but that was amazing! The way you jumped to the side and whacked the rabbit was crazy! I hope you don¡¯t expect me to do that for my first time, though.¡±


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    ¡°Good...don¡¯t...worry...Jaba help.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how you plan on helping but I¡¯ll trust you for now Jaba.¡±


    ¡°Good...lets...go.¡±


    And with that, we strolled farther into the forest, till we came upon another horned rabbit, and as soon as I saw it, I started sweating nervously. I mean I¡¯ve never even been in a fistfight before, how am I gonna do that crazy looking sidestep thing!¡¯


    ¡°Jaba, what am I supposed to do? I don¡¯t know how to fight!¡±


    ¡°Stand...in front...of...rabbit...then...rabbit...charge...then...hear me.¡±


    ¡°Wow, first of all, that''s the most words I¡¯ve heard you say so far, secondly If I¡¯m understanding this right, are you telling me you''re going to let me know the right time to do the sidestep thingy?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡±


    ¡°You know I don¡¯t like this idea right? If I¡¯m even a little bit too slow, I''ll get skewered, you know that right?¡±


    ¡°Yes...take spear...now...go.¡±


    ¡°Guess it can¡¯t be helped. I¡¯ll trust you Jaba!¡±


    Even though I said I¡¯ll trust him, I¡¯m still sweating profusely as I approach my potential death.Turns out Goblins can really sweat!


    Now at what I think is the same distance that Jaba was at for the first one, I stopped walking and just as I did so, I could see the rabbit behave just like the first one. It turned around and bared its little teeth at me like I was its most hated enemy, and it couldn''t wait to get rid of me. I stood my ground like Jaba did, albeit with a little shaking, then BOOM! The rabbit began its rapid dash towards me; I could just barely follow it with my eyes and before I knew it, the little thing was about to leap off the ground and that''s when everything seemed to slow down for me. Is this how I die? Is my short Goblin life about to flash before my eyes?!


    ¡°NOW!¡±


    Startling me out of my little imminent death trance was Jaba¡¯s cue, I then tried to jump to the side as fast as I could and to my surprise I fricken did it! By a Goblin¡¯s hair! But before I could revel in true happiness, Jaba yelled at me again to hit so I did just that, BAM! Now to stab and finish it for good. Haha YES!! I got my first kill and most of all I¡¯m still alive!! I can do this! Actually..now that I think about it, even though I got some help from Jaba, that wasn¡¯t very hard at all¡­I guess maybe my Goblin capabilities are better than I thought they would be? Can never go wrong with gang green. Ah, here comes Jaba to surely praise me for my efforts.


    ¡°Good...job...next time...focus¡±


    ¡°Yeah you''re right Jaba, but now what? Do we just continue to hunt like this?¡±


    ¡°Hunt...more...rabbits¡±


    So just like that, we continued to go around hunting the horned rabbits left and right, with Jaba and me taking turns for each one. I eventually got to a point where I no longer needed an audio cue from Jaba, though some rabbits did manage to escape after I did the sidestep dodge thing and was too slow with my slash, it seems they weren¡¯t keen on drawn out fights. Anyway after hunting the last rabbit, we made our way home with our spoils, and then I immediately took a look at my status.

 Chapter Six

    Getting back to my humble cave dwelling finally gave me some time to check out my status and It looked a little something like this.


    {Name - Rick}


    {Age - 20}


    {Race - Royal Goblin}


    {Essence - 3}


    Hmm still no level indicator but something called Essence popped up instead? I don¡¯t know If all my previous knowledge on light novels can help me here cause I have no idea what this means.. And the number three next to it..what does that even mean? Hmm the only thing that really changed before this popped up is the fact that I killed some rabbits, so maybe it''s from that? But I managed to kill six rabbits so why only 3? Is..is it because while I killed six rabbits each kill is only worth half of these essence things? Well let''s try and ask the system I guess.. Um system, what is essence?


    ¡­


    As expected it didn¡¯t answer my question, but something changed, a new option appeared next to Essence..¡¯


    {Name - Rick}


    {Age - 20}


    {Race - Royal Goblin}


    {Essence - 3} - Absorb?


    Absorb huh.. I¡¯m gonna go out on a limb here and say this is a good thing? Surely right? I absorb this Essence thing and I get stronger? Yes that has to be it right..right? But apart from that, it¡¯s still a bit weird that I have this game-like system but no type of level indicator. I really hope it''s a feature I unlock later or something otherwise it would kill the immersion! Where is my very own great sage to report on my progress? Or a little robot system voice saying I got all these new skills and stuff! Sigh, maybe that''s not a thing in this world after all? Either way, at least I now know that leveling up may indeed not be a thing, and instead I got essence and the current way to get more is to kill monsters it seems. Well atleast this is my current working theory until I learn more stuff. So based on that, I think I know my plan of action going forward, hunt rabbits and absorb em.. for now, let''s go watch Jaba skin these horned rabbits.¡¯


    While Jaba was sitting around the fire, skinning the hunt, he saw the weird one walk and take a seat next to him to watch. He didn¡¯t say anything he just watched on in silence. This surprised Jaba because he expected the weird Goblin to begin his usual pestering for who knows how long. This made Jaba think that he could finally do some work in peace, but before he could truly get a chance to enjoy his peace and focus again on the rabbits, the much-hated questions came again. Before he answered the first question though he called over a random male Goblin to take over the skinning duties. Too much work to focus on the weird questions and skin rabbits properly at the same time. He was a simple Goblin.


    ¡°So Jaba, why don¡¯t the other Goblins go hunting? They just sit around all day and rotate guarding the exits?¡±


    ¡°Goblins...protect...home...from...stone...monsters.¡±


    ¡°Yeah you mentioned them before, where do they come from? And when do they come?¡±


    ¡°Come...from...inside...cavern...and...sometimes.¡±


    ¡°I see, but I was in the cavern? I didn¡¯t see any stone monsters in there.¡±


    ¡°Not..sure¡­sometimes¡­come from¡­cavern..that''s..all.¡±


    ¡°Well I guess I¡¯ll have to investigate that on my own time..anyway do the other Goblins have names?¡±


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    ¡°Only...Jaba...and you...names¡±


    ¡°We gotta change that as soon as possible, but I guess that''s not really possible right now..not until we get all the Goblins here able to communicate like you huh. What do you think?¡±


    ¡°Strong...Goblins...good¡±


    ¡°Okay, that''s all for now, thanks again Jaba!¡±


    Without providing a response Jaba just casually went back to finish the skinning of the rabbits.


    Alright, I¡¯m a bit worried about those so-called stone monsters that Jaba keeps mentioning. Are they like the popular stone golems that authors love writing about? Maybe there¡¯s something in this cave that spawns at a regular rate, Jaba didn¡¯t seem to know anything about that, though. I can¡¯t worry about it for now. Hopefully, it isn¡¯t too bad when they eventually come. Right.. I think I¡¯ll try absorbing that essence now..


    I found one of the tattered tents that just happened to be empty at the moment, as the other Goblins are out there just sitting around the fire not saying much..I guess there aren¡¯t too many forms of entertainment for them, I¡¯ll change that soon enough! Anyway I sat down ready to begin this so-called absorption..I opened the status and the ¡°Absorb?¡± question was still there. Now should I just say yes or- ¡®Request confirmed¡¯ popped up on the screen before I suddenly felt all tingly! It felt like a calm yet firm wind was somehow blowing on every inch of my little green body and on my insides at the same time! That doesn¡¯t make sense?! I know!! But that''s what it feels like!!


    The sensation only lasted for a minute or two before I felt normal again. That was quite the experience and I only absorbed three measly essence! Well it wasn¡¯t necessarily a bad feeling, just really weird. Anyway let''s see what that did for me.. Status!


    {Name - Rick}


    {Age - 20}


    {Race - Royal Goblin}


    {Essence - 0}


    {Evo Points - 3/15}


    There it is!!!!!! The first official sign that evolution is possible!!! Hahahah! Gang green will surely rise now!!


    ¡­Despite me saying that, I don¡¯t actually feel any stronger, and I¡¯m only assuming ¡°evo¡± means evolution.. Well hopefully it does because that''s what all my focus will be on!


    So my number one priority now will be to gather up essence and evolve potentially? Hopefully that will put me on Jaba¡¯s level so I could then halfway communicate with the other Goblins because right now I just basically see them as walking bricks. Don¡¯t worry or fret though my fellow green ones, as soon as I reach an appropriate level, I''ll get you all up and running too! Rick, the Royal Goblin, is gonna have you all named and speaking quicker than you can skin a couple of rabbits! Well maybe quicker than a couple hundred or a thousand rabbits, but that''s besides the point! With that being said I¡¯m going to spend everyday hunting with Jaba from now on, and when I can accurately remember my way back to the cave on my own I''ll go by myself.


    So just like that Rick hunted horned rabbits day after day with Jaba, having a decent hunting partner on these hunting trips was something that Jaba wasn¡¯t used to, but he quickly grew accustomed to it. In fact he started liking it, even voluntarily teaching Rick everything he knew about the forest, which wasn¡¯t much, but he did teach him how to make a spear, and how to properly skin a rabbit, though he was sure he would like it a lot more if he didn¡¯t have to deal with the constant chatter on every hunting trip from Rick.


    Everything went smoothly for the first couple days of hunting until something finally happened. On the fourth day, the two had the unfortunate opportunity to come face to face with death. A creature that Jaba himself had never ever seen before, made its appearance in front of the Goblin duo. Jaba immediately wanted to grab Rick and run away while they still could, but with the eyes of a predator staring missiles into them, they were both frozen to the spot, the look of fear on their faces, coupled with all the sweat running down their green bodies was enough to tell how dire the situation was that they found themselves in.


    You know, a lot of people might call me a coward for being scared of a horned rabbit, or even laugh because I actually almost let one kill me in my first hunt. But with the beast that was standing in front of me currently. I don¡¯t think anyone would be surprised if I had straight-up pissed myself right now. In fact, I think people would be surprised if I didn¡¯t do that. It was that terrifying of a beast. What is this beast you wonder?


    Well, it¡¯s a wolf.


    It wasn¡¯t an ordinary wolf like the one most would think of when hearing the word wolf. It¡¯s big.


    Very fucking big. I mean why is it so FUCKING BIG!! It easily towered over me and Jaba, reaching a height of at least seven feet at the shoulders I think, with almost shining silver fur, yellow-colored eyes and fangs bigger than my whole arm, it¡¯s no surprise that I¡¯m scared absolutely shitless right now. Only there¡¯s something wrong. It¡¯s been a couple of seconds since the wolf appeared before us. By all means, Jaba and I should have been merrily on our way to Goblin heaven by now, but we weren¡¯t? Is it waiting for us to move? Looking to my right, I see Jaba, who is definitely stronger than me, scared out of his mind as well, so It doesn¡¯t seem I can depend on him for any ideas, although I was still scared and mentally already said my goodbyes to this world, I tried calming down a little and that''s when I noticed something I¡¯m surprised I missed before this moment. This massive silver wolf is extremely wounded, and it appears fatal.


    We just might...survive?

 Chapter Seven

    Well if plot armor was a thing, it¡¯d be nice if it could kick in right here right now and save our asses. Like wouldn¡¯t it be crazy if some beautiful elf lady with curves in all the right places just heroically swoops in, just in the nick of time right before our deaths and majestically slays this behemoth of a wolf. Then she falls for my Goblin charms which would lead to us getting married and living happily ever after.


    Yeah, that¡¯d be something, wouldn¡¯t it? Too bad that¡¯s very, and I mean VERY far from my current situation. This wolf has been staring us down for almost a minute now, and while I can think a little calmer now, I¡¯m still scared absolutely shitless. The only barely positive thing in this situation is that the wolf has a ridiculously deep gash stretching from the middle of its chest all the way to its left hind leg. The amount of blood constantly falling out from the wound is crazy too, like how is this thing not dead yet?! But we can¡¯t stay standing here forever. We have to do something, at this point it doesn¡¯t matter what it is, as long as we do something!


    Before I could even begin to wrack my brain and formulate a plan to potentially escape, the wolf disappeared, one second it was there, then another second it wasn¡¯t. While trying to frantically look around for the wolf, wondering if it left, I was then suddenly pushed with what seemed like Jaba¡¯s full strength and then some. The next thing I know I was banging my head on a small boulder, and falling unconscious, not knowing where the wolf went, or why I was pushed so hard, with the crazy thing being that all of this happened in only about two seconds I think.Well who knows? I was unconscious after all.


    After pushing the weak Goblin he needed to protect out of the way, Jaba immediately crossed his hands and his spear in front of his chest, then BOOM! The Goblin was struck by a force that almost surely broke every single bone in his body. It only took a fleeting moment for Jaba to go from a healthy yet extremely terrified Goblin, to a Goblin on its deathbed, at this point the only thing keeping him alive was his sheer will to protect the much smaller Goblin.


    He slowly staggered to his feet, covered in more wounds than he could count, bloodied from head to toe, and barely able to stay on his feet. With one eye completely locked shut, and the other barely open, Jaba could just barely see the beast standing not too far from him. So he did the only thing he knew how to do, he readied his spear and shakingly pointed it forward. Waiting for what he thinks should be imminent death, Jaba stood there wavering with each passing second, barely making a sound. If someone else were to be witnessing this scene currently playing out, they¡¯d almost certainly look on with only eyes filled with awe and admiration for the lone Goblin.


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    Standing tall with no hope of winning the battle, Jaba the Goblin could only wait for the world around him to slowly but surely turn dark, never to wake again, but along with seeing the wavering Goblin, anyone watching would see something else as well. Laying down not too far from Jaba, was a giant silver wolf covered in blood, breathing ever so slowly, with each breath bringing it closer and closer to its last one. A beast that could only be described as magnificent in stature, slowly, quietly, and painfully fell into its final slumber. Almost immediately after the wolf silently passed away, Jaba who by this point could no longer see at all, finally fell on his back with his legs no longer able to hold out, he then fell into sleep himself, only it wasn¡¯t his final one, but it would prove to be quite the interesting sleep for the Goblin called Jaba. This brings us to the only other individual present at the scene, the ever so lively Goblin, Rick.


    Ugh, waking up with one helluva headache was not something that I was particularly excited about going through. The headache was so bad it felt like a massive giant was squeezing my head in the palm of his hand while a thousand needles were trying to pierce their way in. It was simply painful, to say the least. With a headache of that magnitude, it was no wonder it took a little bit for me to finally register what the current situation was, or at least what I thought it to be, which is why you can¡¯t blame me for suddenly screaming out another male¡¯s name.


    ¡°JABAAA!!! WHERE¡¯S THE WOLF?!¡±


    Stumbling to my feet, I looked around frantically desperately trying to find Jaba and any signs of the wolf so that we may escape. It initially didn¡¯t click to me that I should¡¯ve been long dead, lying unconscious like that with a predator of that strength around surely is a one-way ticket to Goblin heaven. So I kept on looking around until I came across a scene that almost brought me to tears.


    My very first companion in this life as a Goblin, lay there flat on his back wounded beyond reason to the point that he was almost unrecognizable.


    If it wasn¡¯t for the extremely slow and barely noticeable rise and fall of his chest to indicate that he was indeed still breathing, I would have already assumed he was dead. Running up beside him now, I could definitely see that while he was still breathing, it was very weak, it almost seemed like he could cease breathing at any moment. It was then that I finally saw the massive wolf not too far away from where Jaba lay. I could only begin to imagine what took place during the time I was out. But before I could think about any of that, I had to get Jaba home and provide some type of medical attention, although I knew nothing of the sort. Still, something was better than nothing, so I quickly but carefully picked the lumbering Jaba up and onto my back. Calling him heavy was not an understatement especially considering my current physique, but I would make it back to the tribe at all costs, no matter what happens from this point on or how tired I felt, Jaba is coming back with me to the tribe.

 Chapter Eight

    It was about midday when the whole wolf fiasco went down, and now it¡¯s dark outside, and I mean really dark. I¡¯ve been slowly and somewhat surely making my way towards the cave. Or at least I hope I am. I¡¯m cold, weak, and I don¡¯t even know if Jaba is even alive anymore, but at this point, all I care about is making sure I get him back, even though I can¡¯t actually feel my legs anymore. I keep trucking along. Did I already mention it was dark? I mean really really dark, I can barely see my little green feet barely taking steps in front of me, and that''s with taking into account the eyes of a Goblin who is better at seeing in the dark than a human being. Well at least I think it is, either way, not many other choices than to just keep walking.


    One small green foot at a time..just¡­keep¡­walking..


    And that''s exactly what Rick did, he walked and walked and then walked some more. At some point in time, he began wondering just how much farther they had to go before he fainted, as his entire body ached beyond reason and his legs had long since gone numb.


    It wasn¡¯t just the fact that he was walking very far, it was the fact that he was carrying Jaba on his back the whole time. Taking into account that a Goblin of Rick¡¯s size usually weighed only around sixty pounds total, while Jaba, who was a step above his peers, weighed around one hundred pounds. So it would come as no surprise that Rick was struggling to make it back, carrying one hundred pounds of deadweight because Jaba was still unconscious. But he walked on, with more determination than he has ever had in his short Goblin life or even in his life back on earth, the little Goblin continued to put a step in front of a step, ever so slowly moving forward, little by little. Until he could go no further. His legs couldn¡¯t move, regardless of how much he wanted them to.


    Begging and pleading with every fiber of his small green body to just take one more step towards home, didn''t seem to be enough. The Goblin known as Rick had reached its limit and crumbled to his feet. The one time that Rick tried to do something meaningful in his life, something more than him, something important, it seemed he had failed.


    At least that¡¯s what Rick initially thought until he suddenly heard the tapping and running of what sounded like small feet, and as the feet got closer, Rick happily listened to a sound in which he never thought he¡¯d love more than in this moment, that same old angry monster baby gibberish. Knowing or even hoping that he safely reached his home with Jaba still hopefully alive, Rick just stayed on the ground and immediately succumbed to his tiredness and fell asleep. He would wake up the next morning to quite an interesting surprise.


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    Waking up with a headache two times in a row is just simply two times too many. How can a young Goblin such as me get his beauty sleep if I¡¯m having to deal with headaches first thing in the morning? It has got to stop! Anyway, what¡¯s going on? Why am I the only one in this tent? Where are all the other Goblins? It was at this point that I could hear a very familiar voice speaking somewhat loudly in our cave. Is this Jaba? No, it can¡¯t be, why does he sound so smooth? Did we get visited by some new Goblins or something? So I ran out of the tent looking to find the source of that voice and lo and behold it was indeed Jaba. Not only was he sounding a lot more different than what I was used to, but he also looked a lot more different too, like completely different.. better yet who the hell is that?!


    Jaba woke up not too long before Rick did, and it only took a second for him to realize that he was no longer the same Goblin as his previous self. For one he was a lot taller, now standing at around six feet tall. When you remember that he was previously at around four feet in height, while Goblins like Rick stood no taller than three feet, it was definitely a massive jump for Jaba.


    The signature potbelly on a Goblin was now gone, instead replaced with abdominal muscles that Jaba didn¡¯t even have to work on, it seems after his change he became immediately ripped from head to toe. The one thing about him that didn¡¯t change in a physical way was the fact he was still a beautiful shade of green, just slightly lighter than his fellow Goblins.


    Although his physical changes were quite shocking to see, his most alarming transformations come on the inside of him. He felt he could understand the world around him a lot better than before, more and more concrete thoughts ran through his head now and most of all he felt like he could talk just like Rick did, without random pauses after every word or two. He would describe it as him feeling like a part of his brain which had always been there finally unlocked. It was then that Jaba finally realized he was standing in this tent all alone, fully naked as his previous loincloth could no longer fit around his waist, so he grabbed the much larger piece of animal hide that was being used as a bed and wrapped that around his waist instead.


    Finally emerging from his tent, he saw all the other Goblins in the tribe except for Rick sitting around the fire, as if waiting for him to come out. So he quickly walked up to the group and greeted them, just in time for him to see the weird Goblin that he knew saved his life when he was on death¡¯s door, walking out of a tent with a baffled expression present on his face. Of course, he immediately knew what caused Rick¡¯s confusion, so he chuckled softly and called out to him.


    Seeing the brand-new Jaba calling out to him, Rick only responded by saying out loud the only words on his mind at that moment.


    ¡°What the hell?¡±

 Chapter Nine

    ¡°What the hell happened to you? And why do you look like that ?!¡± said Rick after walking over towards Jaba and the rest.


    ¡°I think I evolved into a higher tier Goblin. I don¡¯t have a way to know what I am exactly, but at the very least, I¡¯m sure that I¡¯m still a Goblin.¡±


    ¡°Wait wait wait, why the hell do you sound so damn crisp Jaba?!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not too sure about that either, must¡¯ve come with the evolution.¡±


    ¡°Wow, evolution..wait, you know about evolution now? and Jaba, why are all these Goblins gathered here?¡±


    ¡°I think they were just giving us room inside the tents to rest after coming back, and yes I do indeed know about evolutions now and a bunch of other things as well..but since we''re both up now, let''s sit and properly talk about what happened yesterday.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, there is quite a bit to talk about. We almost lost two important pieces to the Goblin dream after all.¡±


    And talk they did, about everything the other went through while the other was unconscious. Jaba spoke about every little detail he could remember, from pushing Rick as hard as he could, to falling unconscious while thinking he was surely dead. The only hole in his story was how exactly the wolf died, and what in that entire situation had caused him to evolve into the Goblin he is now. Rick, remembering the fact that he noticed the wolf appeared to be fatally wounded before he was knocked out, could only speculate that the wolf died on its own after attacking Jaba once, thus giving Jaba the final kill and the corresponding essence needed to evolve? Jaba just nodded at this because he didn¡¯t even know what this so-called essence was, so Rick continued, and filled him in with what happened after he woke up. About how when he woke all he found was Jaba being barely alive and what seemed to be a dead wolf, which was followed by the excruciating trip back to the tribe.


    ¡°So what is this essence that you keep talking about Rick?¡±


    ¡°I guess you wouldn¡¯t know what that is huh, just think of it as something you get from killing other monsters to help you get stronger or evolve like what you just went through. Oh by the way Jaba, do you have a status?¡±


    ¡°Ah okay, I¡¯ll remember that and what is a status?¡±


    ¡°Hm, guess you don¡¯t have one, don¡¯t worry about it. Another thing though, when those stone monsters you mentioned came last time, was the tribe able to defeat them easily?¡±


    ¡°No, the tribe was much bigger before the last attack. There were two other Goblins on my previous¡­evolution, but they and many other normal Goblins died while fighting them.¡±


    ¡°That''s very concerning Jaba, why are we having to live next to a continuous Goblin exterminator?!¡±


    ¡°Not entirely sure, we were living here for as long as I could remember. Though I¡¯m sure it¡¯s due to the natural shelter this cave provides? I don''t think a bunch of tattered tents would hold up well in the forest nor did we know how to construct anything else.¡±


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    ¡°I figured it was something like that.. And you really do know more stuff I guess, did a bunch of extra knowledge come from evolving? and, we have to get stronger, because based on what you said our current tribe size won¡¯t be able to survive another one of those attacks whenever it comes.¡±


    ¡°Yes, or at least that''s the only explanation that makes sense, and how are we going to get stronger?¡±


    ¡°That makes sense, and it¡¯s simple really, we get every Goblin here to evolve to your previous level, but don¡¯t worry these aren¡¯t just empty words, I actually have a plan.¡±


    ¡°.....¡±


    ¡°....Okay, what is this plan?¡±


    ¡°That pause was for dramatic effect! That''s where the random action music would come in before I begin to unfold... Ah, forget it. Anyway, since you''re now a lot stronger than you were before it should be easy for you to take two Goblins at a time and teach them how to hunt horned rabbits just like how you did with me. You''re the only one that can do this because until I evolve at least once the other Goblins won¡¯t be able to understand me. Now since we don¡¯t know just how long we have before another attack comes; every single evolved Goblin is going to be vital.¡±


    ¡°I always knew you were a weird Goblin, being able to talk and think like that, even though you''re a normal Goblin. Either way, we¡¯ll do that then starting after this, what about you? What will you be doing while I train the others?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just a genius among Goblins, don''t worry about it, just know I¡¯ll gladly share my knowledge with my fellow green ones, but I¡¯m going to be working on evolving myself. I plan to hunt day and night until I reach the level you''re currently at. I know I can¡¯t do that by just hunting horned rabbits though, so I think I¡¯m going to take a risk and live outside the cave for a while  so I can hunt further and further without having to come back each time. Plus I need to go find out what happened to that wolf corpse.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a strong chance you might die Rick. It¡¯s a reason I only ever hunted the rabbits around the cave you know, and what if the stone monsters come while you''re gone?¡±


    ¡°I know, but it¡¯s a risk I¡¯m willing to take, can¡¯t have the great Goblin Rick be all weak forever can I? This is going to be a Goblin hero story after all. And if those stone monsters do come, I¡¯d be useless against them as I am right now, so It makes no difference. Better I take the risk to get strong than remain to possibly just die as cannon fodder.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you''re saying sometimes, what do you mean by Goblin hero story? And what is cannon fodder?¡±


    ¡°Ah don¡¯t worry about it, but after we''re done talking here, I¡¯m going to immediately leave. Is it okay if I take a few pieces of the stored rabbit meat we have? Actually, it¡¯s probably a little too late for this question but now that I think about it, where do we store the meat anyway?¡±


    ¡°Sure you can take a few, but they are in that hole over there by the wall, it¡¯s really cold next to the walls far from the fire, and we found out that the meat lasts longer if we keep it cold.¡±


    ¡°Oo thats actually really cool..no pun intended..but maybe we can also try drying the meat out as well? , it should also last a long while too, but we¡¯ll be able to take it out on trips. Cut the meat into really thin strips and keep them in the sun until they are dried out. I think we''re also supposed to use salt or something but we don''t have that so this will have to do. I''ll leave tomorrow instead, so I can show you the process, but it takes a while to dry out completely so let¡¯s only do it with excess meat.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t really understand, but let''s do that now then.¡±


    After showing Jaba the basic process on how I think to dry meat, Rick decided to hunt a couple of horned rabbits with Jaba for the morning and then spent the rest of the day going over the plan again with Jaba, he then retired to one of the tents for his last night in the cave before his first Goblin adventure.

 Chapter Ten

    It was time to start my little adventure to get stronger. With Jaba evolving way over me, and with just how useless I was against the wounded wolf, this feeling of being a weak little Goblin is eating me up inside. I absolutely need to get stronger, and I need to get stronger now. Who knows when another threat on the same level as that wolf will come again? What if that wolf wasn¡¯t on the verge of dying? What if another wolf like that shows up at our doorstep the exact same time the mystery stone monsters come? Am I just fated to die? To die without even having the power to fight back even a little bit ?


    No.


    I refuse to live that way. I refuse to die a dogs¡¯ death in this new life of mine. I¡¯ve always dreamt of reincarnating into a world of fantasy, where I could live a life of glory and triumph, and I¡¯ve been given that opportunity now so it''s about time I seize it. Even though I¡¯m only a lowly Goblin, even asking myself ¡®Why a Goblin?¡¯ many times¡­the path to becoming stronger has been properly laid out in front of me, no excuses will be tolerated from here on out.


    One way or another I will strive to be the best Goblin I can be and ensure that my newfound comrades will never have to run away in the face of any enemy again. Be it stone monsters, or an enormous wolf, we will never cower, regardless of whoever or whatever comes our way. Such were my thoughts as I left my home first thing in the morning. With dried rabbit meat in a small sack tied around my waist, and a typical crude spear tipped with the horned rabbits¡¯ horn, I set off into the woods with more conviction and drive than I thought I was capable of having.


    Okay, first things first I gotta go check on that wolf corpse, it¡¯s only been a day since we left the scene so it probably shouldn¡¯t have decayed significantly yet, but there is a strong chance that it got snatched away by some other monsters around here. Either way I need to check just to make sure, maybe if it¡¯s still there I can salvage some stuff. Hopefully it¡¯s still there and I can take its pelt and make a coat or something, cause all I have on me is this loincloth.


    Although I¡¯ve fully embraced the Goblin way of life, the human in me still misses having clothes. Now with the place we fought the wolf being at the edge of range that Jaba hunts, it¡¯s about a half mile into the forest from the tribe, so it took me about fifteen-ish minutes to walk here. Seeing that the entire wolf carcass was gone, the only reason I knew I arrived, was the fact that I can still see stains of blood from where the wolf died, and if I looked a little bit away, I could even see some green blood stains from where I¡¯m assuming Jaba fell unconscious.


    Well that¡¯s a bit disappointing, no fancy wolf coat for me yet I guess. Alright from here on out is uncharted territory so let''s proceed carefully. If I was still a human my first step would be to find a water source, but since I¡¯ve been here I¡¯ve realized Goblins don¡¯t need to drink water, it seems we get all the nutrients we need from just eating meat. It would be nice to have something to wash the meat down with though, who doesn¡¯t like a nice refreshing drink while eating? I know I for sure do! So with that being said, let¡¯s see if I can find a lake, or a river or something and if not I at least need to find somewhere to call home for the time being while I¡¯m out here. Maybe even find a different spot for gang green to call home so we don¡¯t have to deal with the stone monsters.


    It wasn¡¯t until having walked roughly another two miles I think,  placing me about two and a half miles away from the tribe that I finally found something good. Well I actually have no idea how far I walked but that''s what I think it was, anyway, what I found was a big ass lake. It was surrounded by trees on all sides, and had crystal clear water, but even though the water was crystal clear, it was only clear up to a certain level since I couldn¡¯t see the bottom. I¡¯m assuming that means it¡¯s really deep? The one thing I could see clearly though, were fishes! And there were a lot of them! The most important thing from this discovery was that with fish swimming in the lake, it meant the water was most likely safe to drink¡­ I hope.


    Alright after having a few risky sips of the water, it¡¯s time to get this Goblin show on the road. On my way here the only monsters I found were horned rabbits and nothing else. So I¡¯ll just assume that from here back to the tribe was filled mostly with those rabbits...so would that mean it was a group of those little rabbits that took the corpse? Huh weird...welp can¡¯t do much about that, anyway what about if I circle to the east, west, or north side of the lake, surely I¡¯ll find something different right? But before I do that, I don¡¯t need that much more rabbit kills to fill up that essence counter in my status.


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    {Name - Rick}


    {Age - 20}


    {Race - Royal Goblin}


    {Essence - 10} Absorb?


    {Evo Points - 3 /15}


    I killed a couple more rabbits with Jaba before the wolf showed up, then a couple this morning, which brings me up to 10 essence points! And when I absorb that I should be at 13 evo points, so now I only need to find and kill four more rabbits to fill the counter!! Now that I think about it¡­maybe I should¡¯ve done this before I left? Eh whatever lets go kill some rabbits!


    After walking back and forth in the area I came from till it was almost dark out, I finally completed my rabbit kill quota. I then made my way back to the lake and sat against a nearby tree. Let''s see the fruit of my labor shall we. Status!


    {Name - Rick}


    {Age - 20}


    {Race - Royal Goblin}


    {Essence - 12} Absorb?


    {Evo Points - 3/15}


    Yes, absorb! Bring on the tingling sensations!!


    This absorbing session took a little longer than the first one.. It even began to sting a little..I¡¯m assuming it''s because I had more points to absorb? Maybe I should be careful with how much essence I absorb, anyway my status now looks like this.


    {Name - Rick}


    {Age - 20}


    {Race - Royal Goblin}


    {Essence - 0}


    {Evo Points - 15/15} Evolve?


    And there it is! I think I¡¯m fairly safe here by the lake, but just in case I¡¯ll go hide in a nearby bush.. I really should¡¯ve done this back in the cave.. Sigh well it''s time for the green magic! Evolve baby!!¡¯


    And just like that Rick was instantly fast asleep, having a sweet dream of a world filled with green wonder, as any proper Goblin would of course. Yet as he slept and drifted away to dreamland his body went through more than a few changes.


    Not quite like what he expected.


    Once the first rays of sunlight signifying the night had passed landed on Rick''s face, his eyelids began to slowly flutter as he awoke from the land of dreams.


    Hmm¡­why am I in a bush.. Oh Yeah! I evolved!!


    Rick quickly scrambled out of the bush and to his feet though he almost fell a couple times as he was not used to his new body.


    I feel.. bigger¡­stronger...faster...wow this is.. This is great!! Killing those little rabbits is gonna be easy now! I can feel it in my green bones!! Well I don¡¯t know if my bones are green but let''s not find out!


    Rick began checking over parts of his body only to find something very odd on his left shoulder..


    I have tattoos?! I can¡¯t even rub them off! Unless I got attacked by some type of tattoo villain in my sleep this has to be from my evolution right? But I never noticed Jaba having any tattoos! Wait wait wait.. Not only the tattoos, how did I only now realize my potbelly is gone?! Replaced by abs! Jaba still had his potbelly  when he was at this stage, so why are our evolutions so different?.. ah .. status...


    {Name - Rick}


    {Age - 20}


    {Race - Royal Goblin}


    {Tier 1}


    {Essence - 0}


    {Evo Points - 0/45}


    ¡®Thats why! How could I forget?! I¡¯m a Royal Fucking Goblin!! OF COURSE my evolution would be a little different! HAHAHAHAHA! Phew.. okay now that that''s out of the way..what''s this about Tier 1, was I simply tier 0 before? Ah maybe Jaba¡¯s at Tier 2 now? That''s probably right. Also I see my evo point total reset to zero while the points required went up. I guess that makes sense? That would require a whole bunch of rabbits though, guess I have no choice but to explore and find stronger monsters if I want to gain essence quicker? Because surely stronger monsters gave more essence. The morning is still young onwards and forwards!! To the eastside of the lake!!

 Chapter Eleven

    Being the massive lake that it was, it took me well over thirty full minutes to reach the east side of the lake, and from there I ventured back into the forest hoping to find something I can hunt. Then after slowly advancing into the forest, I finally found something. Is that¡­ an ostrich? It really does look like an ostrich, well maybe except for the fact it had long saber tooth-like fangs coming out of its mouth.


    Why the heck does a bird have fangs that long anyway, whatever for now I¡¯ll just call it a saber ostrich. Alright now how to kill it? I don¡¯t know how fast or how strong it is, so running in rashly is probably a bad idea, dying before I even kill one new monster would be kind of pitiful right? That¡¯s why I waited and thought out a brilliant plan before acting. What¡¯s this plan you ask?


    Rashly running into attack. I¡¯m just a Goblin after all.


    I say that, but it¡¯s more than just me being a Goblin, it has everything to do with the fact in my previous life I was nothing but an ordinary college student, how the hell was I supposed to know various battle strategies, I wasn¡¯t some genius in school either, just a simple kid. Which explains why I only know basic things like trying to sneak up on a monster, or the sidestep after a charge with the horned rabbits that Jaba showed me. After that? I have no idea what to do, which just leaves me with charging in. Which seems bad now, but I really think it¡¯s necessary for my growth, I¡¯m not just out here to get essence.


    Although everyone can be taught how to fight, it¡¯s completely different from actually doing it, so with my plan of essence gathering and constantly getting into more and more fights, my fighting instincts should improve as well right? Hopefully to a point where I don¡¯t have to think about my next move, to be so in tune with the way I battle that I do it based solely on muscle memory. Well, that''s a long way off, for now, I¡¯m gonna take a step towards that goal by charging at this saber ostrich, as I¡¯ve named it. A brilliant name if I might add. Plus I need to test out my new Goblin body!


    By the way, I¡¯m not running at full speed while screaming on top of my lungs to announce to the ostrich and probably the whole forest that I¡¯m here. I never understood why people did that, anyway, might as well cut your own leg off while you do it too.


    Either way, I finally started running! With the distance between us only being about thirty feet, I pushed my green legs to run as hard and as quietly as they possibly could, and it wasn¡¯t until I passed the six feet mark, when the saber ostrich turned around, then immediately let out an ear-piercing screech. Although it wasn¡¯t so bad as to make me wanna cover my ears and cry, it was bad enough to make me abruptly stop my charge.


    I didn¡¯t fall over though so I just readied my spear which now felt a little smaller in my hands after evolving.. Guess I need a new one?


    Anyway I waited to see what the ostrich would do from here, and while being up so close I realized this beast is a lot smaller than the ones back home on earth, at least in terms of height, with his body only around four feet in height, and its long neck bringing up its total to six feet, it was definitely smaller but still bigger than my size albeit not by much, it seems I¡¯m little taller than 5 feet in height? I didn¡¯t have time to think about that, though, because it suddenly pointed its entire neck in a line towards me, while charging full speed at the same time! With only a distance of around six feet between us, all it took was one giant step for the ostrich to quickly half that distance!


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    So I did the only thing I thought I could do! I threw my freaking spear as hard as I could towards the face of the ostrich which had its mouth gaping wide as it charged at me showing off its two large fangs. I don¡¯t know why I thought to throw it, it was much less about If I thought it would work, and more about that I thought that its wide-open mouth was a nice target, but to my absolute surprise, the damn spear throw worked!


    Flying through the air, at a speed I didn¡¯t think I was capable of producing, the spear hit the saber ostrich firmly in its wide-open mouth! And with the spear coming out the other side of its head the saber ostrich immediately died, falling down, it slid forward a little bit right at my feet due to the momentum of its charge.


    That might appear like I easily killed the saber ostrich, but I knew it was far from that. If that spear throw had missed, by not even more than an inch, I¡¯d most likely currently be staring at some pearly green gates in Goblin heaven at this very moment. Or at least in some weird first fight with the damn saber ostrich.


    After taking a few moments to digest what just happened, I quickly cut out the two fangs from the head of the ostrich, I then immediately began butchering the ostrich. Though I¡¯m definitely not doing a good job of it, I knew the smell of another dead monster would instantly attract others, and it was still a little too heavy for me to haul back to the lake despite my recent evolution, so I had to butcher it here.


    Quickly gutting the creature and cutting off all the meat I could store in my waist pouch I got from Jaba, I somehow made it a little bigger from the hide of all those rabbits I killed. I left the rest of the carcass to use as bait. And though I definitely don¡¯t know any crazy fighting strategies, anyone can figure out that other than when the target was sleeping, the second easiest time to kill your target is when they¡¯re eating.


    Yes, I know that might sound a little evil, target this and target that, even using bait to kill unsuspecting victims, but this is real life, and I rather them than me. So with that being said, I backed off around fifteen feet from the carcass and while holding the spear in my mouth I climbed a nearby tree. I¡¯m hoping that is far enough so that whatever comes for the dead saber ostrich won¡¯t notice me but instead focus on the meat in front, but at the same time that I¡¯m close enough to be able to get a good strike in from the air, before whatever the beast that shows up can see me coming.


    So I patiently waited in the tree, silently perched on a branch thick enough to hold my weight as if I was a veteran predator. With my eyes darting back and forth in the area around the bait, I looked on hoping to spot my soon to be victim just in case It might potentially spot me instead of the bait. I waited and waited and waited some more and while waiting I took a peek at my status to see that the saber ostrich only gave me .5 essence.. Just like the horned rabbits.


    A little disappointing but whatever. Anyway before I died of boredom waiting in the tree something finally showed up. It was big, it was massive, it was undoubtedly fear-inducing, truly a being that could deserve to be called domineering. The most alarming feature of the monster in front of me though? The fact it was another saber ostrich.


    Dammit.


    I definitely almost died killing its child or something like that right.

 Chapter Twelve

    So after risking my life and dancing on the fine line between life and death, I only managed to kill a much smaller saber ostrich? Well, that''s really annoying, to be honest with you...Anyway, a kill is a kill, and all it means is that I just have to kill the one in front of me right now. I just don¡¯t know how to do that yet though.


    For one, this damn bird is really big, with its body reaching around seven and a half feet in height and its neck adding on another five feet for a total of twelve-thirteen ish feet in height, it¡¯s double the height of the previous ostrich. And it¡¯s definitely not lacking in how much wider it is too, so I have no idea how I¡¯m supposed to kill this thing.


    Is it even going to take the bait? I have no idea if cannibalism is a thing for monsters or not, or maybe it only applies to some monsters. If so, is this saber ostrich a part of that particular group? I can only hope. For now, let''s just watch and see what this saber ostrich does. It took a minute or two before it started walking towards the dead body of a fellow member of its species, although it was a smaller one. Once it arrived, I got really nervous, because a couple of different things can happen from this point on.


    In one scenario the ostrich can bend down to eat the bait, and from there I can figure out how I would like to attack it. Another scenario would have the ostrich immediately leaving the area after looking at the bait; this is a scenario I¡¯d like to avoid if possible because I need all the fighting experience and leveling I can get.


    The only other scenario I think possible is the worse one in my mind, instead of focusing on the bait, the saber ostrich immediately spots me in the tree and attacks, thus pulling me into a fight where I no longer have the surprise factor, which then brings on a strong chance of me dying to this damn bird. That¡¯s a big no-no from me so let''s hope and pray for scenario number one, please.


    It only took two giant steps for the ostrich to reach the bait, and once it got there it seemingly paused for just a second before bringing its neck down to the dead saber ostrich to begin eating it. YES!! I started screaming inwardly because the best scenario happened, you wouldn¡¯t be able to tell by looking at me because I am currently perfectly still on this tree branch as I watch the massive saber ostrich eat. Well atleast I think I¡¯m perfectly still.


    Now for the hard part. The ostrich won¡¯t take a long time to eat, so I have to move quickly, the only ways I can think of to attack from here is to either try and get a headshot with a spear throw and hopefully killing it instantly, or diving in straight at its massive back and landing a strong blow with the spear still in hand. The spear throw can end the fight before it even starts but if I miss or I¡¯m not strong enough to pierce its skull then the ostrich will be alerted, and I¡¯ll be caught red-handed without a weapon to properly defend myself.


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    Truly a high-risk high reward situation. Now if I dive on the ostrich¡¯s back while stabbing it with my spear, I¡¯ll be able to guarantee at least one strike on the ostrich. Though the downsides are a bit concerning. I don¡¯t know If I will be able to kill it in one shot, plus I don¡¯t know if I''ll even be able to inflict a wound of any type of significance.


    Then after I land on it, what comes next? Do I then turn into a Goblin cowboy and ride the ostrich while trying to kill it? There¡¯s a lot of uncertainty there. So which option do I take? The high-risk high reward one or the guaranteed hit but who knows what after one?


    After some quick thinking since I¡¯m short on time, I did what I thought was best! I dived like a missile at the saber ostrich with my spear pointing forward!


    Pushing off the branch with all the strength my green Goblin legs can muster, it only took a second for me to make an impact with the ostrich! It happened so fast that It couldn¡¯t even react until I hit it! I don¡¯t know how much damage I actually did, but blood is gushing out everywhere around the stab wound I made.


    At the same time as my impact on the ostrich, it immediately let out a wailing screech that seemed to pierce the heavens itself! It couldn¡¯t be compared to the one from the smaller ostrich I killed earlier! All I could do was scream on the top of my lungs while my ears started bleeding.


    With the ostrich thrashing about along with its screeching I was forced to let go of the spear as it did its best to throw me off! But before it could completely succeed in doing so, I latched on to its long neck and held on to it with my whole body trying to strangle it to death! The ostrich then did something I didn¡¯t think its neck was strong enough to do! It began thrashing me onto the ground and nearby trees with my body completely wrapped around its neck.


    With every hit and bash against something I screamed and screamed, as my body became covered in more and more wounds with each hit, but through nothing but sheer and utter willpower I held on and squeezed for dear life!


    Knowing the second, I let go will be the end for me, I squeezed with every ounce of strength I had left in my body!


    ¡°DIE YOU FUCKING OVERSIZED BIRD!!!¡±


    Yelling on top of my green Goblin lungs, I squeezed till I couldn''t anymore before I finally heard a snapping sound, and the saber ostrich stopped moving as we both fell to the ground.


    ¡°WHAAAAAAA!!!¡±


    That day I let out my very first battle cry, announcing to the world that Rick the Goblin is going to be a problem. Gang Green bitches.

 Thirteen

    I don¡¯t really know how I did it, but I did. I freaking did it, I just killed a monster that was definitely far stronger than myself, it wasn¡¯t pretty but who cares, I¡¯m alive dammit. But what do I do now? There¡¯s no way I can currently even hope to start butchering this giant saber ostrich, and even if I wanted to, I¡¯m way too weak and wounded to even think about moving from my current spot where I¡¯m just laying here.


    This isn¡¯t good at all, I know sooner or later the smell of blood from the giant saber ostrich will draw more monsters here, but I''m in no condition to fight even a horned rabbit right now, let alone another monster like this big ostrich.


    Not seeing any other options, I started dragging my body to a nearby bush inch by inch, if I can¡¯t get away then the next best thing to do is try and hide.


    Even though I¡¯m sure I have multiple broken bones, a multitude of cuts and bruises, and a lot of lost blood, I can¡¯t really feel anything as I continue to drag my body towards a nearby bush. Upon reaching the bush I crawled right in, now I can only hope that anything that shows up to eat the saber ostrich will focus on that and not worry about a dying Goblin. Though my plan was just to lay here and hope the regenerative powers of a Goblin are better than I thought, a wave of tiredness almost immediately climbed over me.


    Not having the strength to fight off this immense amount of tiredness, I succumbed to it and unwillingly fell asleep.


    Upon falling asleep I instantly found myself in a deep slumber, which brought on what I assumed to be a lucid dream. There was nothing here, just darkness in every direction I looked in. I couldn¡¯t see my body, but I could still feel it, and no matter where I looked there was nothing, I even tried walking, but it seemed as if I was glued to my current spot.


    Why am I having such a weird-ass dream? Is this how all Goblins dream? But I haven¡¯t dreamt like this since I¡¯ve been here. It doesn¡¯t make sense; It doesn¡¯t seem like I can forcefully wake myself up either. Oh! Wait one second¡­don¡¯t tell me this is what happens when you evolve into a higher tier? Did Jaba have to experience something like this too? But isn¡¯t far too soon for me to become Tier 2?! I just evolved!


    While still pondering my own questions, I then heard a voice that wasn¡¯t mine.


    ¡°Correct.¡±


    Who the hell is that?! What was that?! Is it god?! Why can¡¯t I talk out loud?! What the hell is going on?! I can''t even see anything!


    ¡°Calm down, we¡¯re short on time so I¡¯ve sealed your ability to talk, I¡¯ll also seal your emotions for a bit so you can focus on the conversation so for now just listen. I¡¯m going to explain the reason why you''re here in this world of ours. Then I¡¯ll give you a chance to ask questions if time permits. First of all, you weren¡¯t brought here to become any sort of hero or king for monsters.


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    The sole reason for bringing you here is for stability.


    Every couple hundred years, someone from your world is brought here to help keep this one stable. Don¡¯t worry too much about how that works but that''s the reason.


    You aren¡¯t required to live in any specific manner, you are free to do as wish in this world, whether it be living like a normal Goblin or committing mass genocide against your own species, the choice is yours.


    Now the reason for only speaking to you now is because you needed to evolve to at least tier 2 so that your mind could be strong enough to handle me speaking to you.


    Also just so you''re aware when a creature begins the evolution process your body will emit an almost undetectable aura of sorts that will keep other creatures away that weren¡¯t already nearby. Stronger creatures can ignore this aura and approach anyway though so don¡¯t bank on this. Lastly, since you were brought here against your will, you received gifts to help your survival in this world, such as your status card and being a Royal of your race.


    This Tier two evolution is also your last gift, thankfully that saber..ostrich as you call it was enough of a catalyst to force this evolution on you, otherwise it would have taken you who knows how long to reach this point.


    Now, quickly ask any questions you might have.¡±


    ¡°Who are you and will we meet like this every single time I evolve?¡±


    ¡°You can consider me one of the gods of this world, and no, this will be the first and last time. The only other way to speak to us gods is to receive a blessing. Now there isn¡¯t much time left so choose your questions wisely.¡±


    ¡°What is the situation between monsters and humankind in this world? And is there some kind of war going on between us?¡±


    ¡°Monsters are regularly hunted by all races for various reasons, while sapient monster races such as yourself aren¡¯t hunted but not everyone is necessarily fond of your existence. So yes there is something akin to a war, some races, mainly humans believe that sentient or intelligent monster races shouldn¡¯t exist. Next.¡±


    ¡°Does everyone reincarnate into monsters? And what is the situation of my Goblin race?¡±


    ¡°No, your reincarnated species is random, and your race is one of the largest in the world, but it is also one of the weakest. Your small tribes are spread everywhere but usually don¡¯t last long due to other monsters or humans. Well I suppose there is that one group of Goblins that''s fairly strong anyway next question.¡±


    ¡°Is my tribe close to any human settlement or other sentient creatures?¡±


    ¡°Not really. Last question.¡±


    "Hmmm¡­will I eventually unlock levels for my system?"


    ¡°No, but different evolutionary paths will eventually appear..That is all the time we have, you will now fade back into a normal rest, while your body finishes the evolution process. You¡¯ll wake up soon enough.¡±


    The lucid dream-like state then ended for Rick, and he returned to Goblin dreamland.


    ¡°Hmm I didn¡¯t tell him about Velora...now that I think about it I didn¡¯t tell him about a lot..oh well he¡¯ll be fine¡­probably.¡±


    And so the day quickly turned into the night, with monsters seemingly staying clear of one particular area in the forest. There laid a small Goblin whose body was going through a multitude of changes. Rick, who was in deep slumber, couldn''t feel any of the changes that were currently visibly happening on his body.


    Completely unaware of the fact his body was changing by the second, growing bigger, stronger, and faster than ever before, Rick would wake up a brand-new Goblin. A Goblin with newfound knowledge, a Goblin with a newfound purpose, a Goblin that will eventually cause waves in this world, but for now, he¡¯s just a Goblin who is sleeping.

 Chapter Fourteen

    Sleeping soundly in a bush that was far too small to cover his new size, is a Goblin that was far larger than his previous self. Standing or in this case laying down, he was a height of six feet and weighed approximately a hundred and eighty pounds. It was a massive difference from his previous self that was only around five feet in height.


    His green skin is still green of course after all a Goblin has got to be green but different from his usual green it was now darker and richer in color as if staring at it made you feel as if you were enveloped in the warmth of a forest.


    With his previously toned abs now brimming with strength and vitality and overall muscles you''d expect to see on a bodybuilder, this Goblin was nothing like his previous self. This Goblin was Rick, and his new body wouldn¡¯t be the only surprise he¡¯d be waking up to this morning after sleeping through the entire night.


    Ah! I¡¯m up! But my entire body feels extremely heavy for some reason, looking around I see that I safely made it through the night. Everything seems all good, and dandy except for the fact that my head is sticking out of the bush for some reason and my body feels really really heavy. WAIT I EVOLVED, I SHOULD BE JABA¡¯S OLD SIZE NOW RIGHT ?! Sitting up to check out my body I could only stare in silence for a few seconds, I mean could you blame me? I¡¯m flipping HUGE!


    Why am I so big? Even my tattoo got bigger, reaching down to my elbow now, will it keep growing? Is this one of those things that weird god voice.. OH YEAH THE WEIRD GOD VOICE¡­ Thats..thats a lot to take in.. well I suppose that explains my new body? I should be a full Tier 2 Goblin now right?


    [Yes]


    "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?! AM I STILL DREAMING DAMMIT ?!"


    [No, I am one of your unique skills, Velora. You can liken my existence to a computer from your previous world. My current abilities are limited only to help in the processing of information, the use of the discern skill, providing suggestions, and explaining various details about your status card.


    Though I will only know as much information that you have been exposed to regarding most things, I already come equipped with some knowledge regarding your status... As you grow in power so will the abilities of this skill, I exist solely to help in your survival. Also there are some significant changes to your status card, would like to see it now?]


    Wow...this is a lot to take in for one Goblin, first, a mysterious voice claiming to be some sort of god invades my dream, and spat out a whole bunch of mind-blowing information, and now you''re telling me that I have my very own great sage-like voice like in some novels I used to read as a skill? That is a little crazy when I sit and think about it. Take one little trip outside the tribe and everything starts going crazy, stay home kids it¡¯s a crazy world out there.


    Anyway every now and then I¡¯m marvelously reminded that this is a fantasy world, and I should expect nothing less. This is going to take a while to process so let''s take it one step at a time like a calm, sophisticated Goblin such as myself should. So Velora was it? I¡¯m assuming you can hear my thoughts, or do I have to speak out loud?


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    [Yes, I can hear your thoughts]


    I see, before I ask the questions I have you can go ahead and show me my status.


    [Understood]


    {Name - Rick}


    {Age - 20}


    {Race - Royal Goblin}


    {Tier 2}


    {Essence - 0}


    {Evo Points - 0/180}


    {Skills}


    {Velora}


    That''s definitely a significant change. Ah, this is really a lot to process, but just gotta remember one small Goblin step at a time Rick! Okay, Velora I know why I¡¯m Tier 2, but why exactly did you become one of my skills? The god in my dreams didn¡¯t mention you. Also, what is this discern skill you mentioned?


    [I am not sure as to why you were not told about me, but I am simply one of the gifts to assist you in your journey in this world. The discern skill is simply a way that I can analyze and provide you information based on my current knowledge pool.]


    So.. I¡¯m assuming that skill can¡¯t really help much with your current knowledge level? Also you mentioned a computer, does that mean you can read my memory?


    [Yes, the skill will be able to show its true ability once I have gathered the appropriate amounts of information. I can¡¯t read your memories; the mentioning of a computer was a part of my built-in introduction.]


    I guess that damn dream invader played a part in that, which is a little annoying but what can a Goblin do? Anyway, Velora, although your voice sounds a little robotic, it still gives me the feeling of talking to a person, so does that mean you possess any sort of emotions?


    [I¡¯m not a human being, but I do have some semblance of emotions to make me easier to communicate with, so that comment did indeed hurt a little.]


    Haha, my bad Velora! But it¡¯s good that you do, if you''re going to be in my head forever it¡¯s better for you to have even a little emotion, rather than some emotionless voice.


    Now I have a partner! And you''re gonna help me accomplish my new dream Velora, a dream I have been thinking about since I¡¯ve been here, but I¡¯m now firm in it. With everything that I was told by that mysterious voice while I was evolving, the most glaring thing to me was that my Goblin race is constantly killed by both monsters and human beings alike.


    That¡¯s not something that sits well with me, I¡¯m going to create a place where every Goblin can live freely, regardless of their strength. But he did mention something about a strong Goblin tribe.. Maybe I can find them, and we can bring gang green to greater heights!! In my previous life, I always thought about how amazing it was to see someone build a nation from nothing, in various novels, maybe it¡¯s my time to do that.


    Gang Green is going to stand tall one day, maybe not today or tomorrow, but one day for sure, Goblins will be on top. Now with that being said, do you have any suggestions or comments regarding that Velora?¡¯


    [Yes, you are currently still sitting naked in a bush, and it is dark. I suggest finding shelter and clothing.]


    Ah!... I am definitely a large naked Goblin in a bush...Close your eyes Velora!


    [Impossible]

 Chapter Fifteen

    Since the loincloth I have been wearing literally has been ripped off during my evolution, I''ll have to walk around in my birthday suit until I can kill something with a hide and turn that into clothing.


    Hopefully, my pride as a male Goblin can survive until I find something. For now, I¡¯ll just take the nearly foot-long fangs from the giant saber ostrich and go back to the camp. These will come in handy in making a new spear since that other one broke..Actually now that I think about it if Jaba didn¡¯t already show me how to make a spear I¡¯d really be struggling now.


    Well I still kind am since I would need to make a spear fit for my new body instead of those little ones from before..sigh.. ah the meat is also a little ruined since I didn¡¯t get a chance to butcher the damn bird.. double sigh¡­even my pouch that had meat in there was destroyed¡­TRIPLE SIGH¡­... .whatever back to the lake I go...


    Once Rick got back to the lake he made the trek back around to the south side of the lake where he started from and plopped down on the forest floor in all his naked green glory.


    It¡¯s only day two of my solo adventure yet so much has already happened..I killed some rabbits and evolved, then fought a mini saber ostrich and a large saber ostrich then spoke to some dream invader who is supposedly god or one of them? Then evolved again.. Now here I am naked and afra..- well mostly just naked and alone sitting next to a lake.


    [You are not alone.]


    Shit !, That''s right I have you now..that might still take some getting used to.


    [That is understandable. I recommend getting some sleep, since it appears finding clothes and shelter is not happening. Just for your awareness I will not sleep while you sleep and I¡¯m able to sense your surroundings at the same level you''re capable of.]


    Damn, I kinda wasn¡¯t thinking of the whole keep watch thing when I left on the journey, that''s what happens when I make rash decisions like leaving alone to go on a journey in a world I know nothing about huh..bad Goblin Rick!... let''s take a deep breath in..inhale out..exhale.. Alright I feel a little better, can¡¯t change the past let¡¯s just be better going forward.


    Okay so you can keep watch as I sleep is what your leading to there right Velora?


    [..Yes.]


    Is that sarcasm I sense?! I needed a second to recalibrate okay!


    [It was your imagination.]


    Whatever you say, well fine, I¡¯ll take you up on that offer and get some shut eye. Talk to you in the morning!


    [Understood.]


    ¡­..


    Alright it''s a brand-new day to bring glory to gang green! But first things first, food and some type of clothing! Let me mosey on over to the lake, sip some water then I¡¯ll go on the hunt for rabbits using the saber fangs as daggers.


    Killing the little horned bastards should be far easier at tier 2 right?


    [Yes, it will be far easier.]


    Ahh! dammit I forgot again.. sorry about that Velora, I guess getting used to knowing there''s a permanent presence in my head is a little hard.


    [No offense taken.]


    Now onwards to the rabbits!


    It only took a few minutes to find my first rabbit, but I suddenly had a revelation upon seeing it.. with my newfound height and the trajectory that the rabbits usually jump at.. won''t it be aiming for my exposed Royal crown Goblin jewels?! This fight might be more serious than I planned for. Okay I¡¯m super focused now¡­ I step a little closer to the rabbit before it turns around at me, shrieks hysterically and then¡­ RUNS! What the hell?! It actually took off running! I¡¯m not that scary looking you rude rabbit!!


    [To a creature as weak as that rabbit, you are an apex predator and quite literally it¡¯s worse nightmare. Its reaction is justified.]


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    Sigh I suppose that makes sense.. but now I can¡¯t or don¡¯t need to use the great Jaba rabbit hunting strategy anymore, what a sad day in Goblin history.


    Anyway after wandering around in the forest I found another rabbit, although this time I simply crouched and creeped as closely as possible before throwing one of the saber fangs at the rabbit. It was a perfect headshot. You¡¯d think I was a javelin thrower in my past life or something, I¡¯m kinda good at this throwing stuff!


    So Rick simply went around for about 30 minutes or so killing rabbits until his kill count reached eight, to both have meat, and have enough hide to make a small loincloth. It was only after skinning and butchering the rabbits to the best of his ability for an hour and laying out the hides next to the lake where no trees stood to block the sun did he finally take a break.


    Alright I scraped off all the guts and stuff from the hides and they will probably dry in a couple days maybe? For now I have some questions for you Velora.


    [Ask away.]


    Since you''re technically a skill, does that mean I have the opportunity to gain more skills?


    [It seems I have a programmed answer that fits this question. It says ¡®Apart from Velora, you will not be receiving any sort of skills for free. Though if you work hard enough on one particular  action, the world itself may reward your work with the creation of a powerful skill. This is something that is extremely hard to accomplish and it is rare for people below Tier 5 to have a single skill.¡¯ That is the end of the message.]


    Wow.. no free skills, but mama nature can reward the grind basically? That sounds like I need to begin training every day huh, sounds like ¡­a good time¡­yes a good time... Well, let''s see my status!


    {Name - Rick}


    {Age - 20}


    {Race - Royal Goblin}


    {Tier 2}


    {Essence - 4}


    {Evo Points - 0/180}


    {Skills}


    {Velora}


    Hmm, no need to absorb that amount of essence, I guess I can keep walking around in my birthday suit hunting more monsters? Hopefully I can find more tier 1 guys. Which is what I¡¯m assuming that big ostrich was, actually maybe even tier 2? Who knows.


    Oh wait Velora I have another question, the dream invader voice person said something about my status card being one of the ways I was helped. So does that mean, no one else has a status card?


    [Yes and no, every single living thing has a status, but based on the knowledge I was given, only you possess the ability to freely access it without the use of any kind of device.]


    I wonder how other folks know what skills they have then, sounds extremely annoying. Well, that should do it, for now, let''s eat some of this meat, it''s still mostly raw and not dried yet but hey it works.


    Since it''s not even midday yet, I can go hunt some more, hopefully, something with a nice fluffy hide. By the way, Velora, I know you can check my surroundings and you have that discern skill so are you able to scan large distances and you know tell me everything that''s around me from  monsters to plants and stuff?


    [Not currently. Neither abilities are passive so I can only activate one at a time, and only at short distances]


    Not currently huh..does that mean you might be able to do it in the future?


    [Yes, there is a possibility of that happening. My growth is tied hand in hand with yours.]


    Ah, that makes sense then, well hopefully I can give you some crazy-ass powers soon, for now let''s go back to the saber ostrich corpse and see If there are any monsters lurking around.


    [Understood.]


    Anyway, we¡¯re just about at the corpses now, so let us see if we can use the whole bait plan again. Slowly walking to where I can get a clear view of the corpses, I eventually enter within earshot of what sounds like...eating?


    [It seems something has already taken the bait, if you''re able to get a sight of it, I¡¯ll be able to use the discern function of my skill.]


    Okay no problem, so instead of continuing forward, I stepped back a little bit then proceeded to climb a nearby tree, and due to my new size and strength, climbing the tall tree only took a few seconds. Now that I¡¯m up here, I can clearly see just exactly what¡¯s been eating away at my hard-earned saber ostrich corpse. Is that a wolf? Yeah, it¡¯s definitely a wolf...And its dark black coat seems extremely fluffy...Is this plot armor?


    [What is plot armor? But I can use the skill now, would you like me to do so?]


    Ah! Don¡¯t worry about it haha, and yes yes discern my new fur coa- er I mean that wolf.


    [Understood. Discerning now.]


    {Name - ??}


    {Age - ??}


    {Race - Black Wolf}


    {Tier 1}


    Hmm well, that doesn¡¯t show much, but it shows enough! I should be able to beat a tier 1 wolf that¡¯s barely at my knees right?


    [More stored data is required in order to see more, and yes in theory your current self should be able to easily dispose of the wolf, but as you''ve never seriously fought with this new body before, I advise you to be cautious.]


    Understood, fur coat here we come!

 Chapter Sixteen

    Jumping down from the tree, I quickly dashed towards the scene, and the black wolf was immediately made aware of my presence.


    In all my naked Goblin glory I stand facing this wolf, with nothing but the saber fang as a dagger.


    Now standing around twenty feet from the wolf, I see that it immediately got into a position where it can easily dash forward, but it didn¡¯t do so, it¡¯s only baring its fangs while growling in a menacing manner.


    Can it sense the difference in strength maybe? I wouldn¡¯t be surprised since Goblins will soon be top of the food chain! Back to the matter though, this wolf is probably faster than me, but since it''s facing me head on I can probably just run straight at it, and if it turns to run I can throw the dagger right? Right.


    Good! Let''s go! Come to me, my fur coat!


    Ahhh! Dashing forward in the blink of an eye I quickly began to close the distance between us, only to find out the wolf dashed at me as well! Right as it was in arms reach I swiped down with the dagger to go for a one shot kill to the head!


    But the damn wolf dodged! Why would you move you bastard just accept reality!!


    It then attempted to swipe a paw at my thigh, but I was surprisingly quick to dodge, my superb Goblin instincts in full effect! But that was dangerously close to the jewels you walking coat!


    After dodging I quickly threw a punch at it, with my off hand yet it dodged again, only this time I was expecting it and I somehow perfectly timed a nice stab with the dagger straight to its head! Mission Accomplished!!


    That was all it took and now my brand-new coat sprawled in front of me. How was that Velora?


    [Reckless and sloppy, you should be able to dispatch a lower tiered monster far easier than that by my estimate. Though I suppose your fighting instincts and skills will come with experience.]


    Well, that was a bit of a buzzkill Velora, but I suppose you''re right, especially since I have the family jewels in full display, that wolf could¡¯ve snipped them right off huh...Ahh that''s a little scary to think about. Anyway, do you think this wolf¡¯s pelt will be enough to make a nice fur coat?


    [It appears too small for any type of coat, but it should be just enough to cover your lower area, although it will barely reach mid-thigh length, any sort of coverage is better than none. Perhaps combining it with the rabbit hides will make a large enough coat.]


    Right again it seems, well let''s quickly bring this guy back and turn him into meat strips, and a nice pelt to cover my waist area.


    [Good idea.]


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    Okay, now that I¡¯m here I¡¯ve only ever done the whole skinning thing on small horned rabbits, so this might not go so well, and it¡¯s not like I have a knife just the fangs and the rather sharp horn that tops the spear I came with. Whatever let''s get to it. A Goblin¡¯s gotta do what a Goblin¡¯s gotta do!


    ¡­¡­


    Done! Dammit that took forever! I don¡¯t even know how long.


    [Approximately two hours.]


    Two hours?! At least I¡¯m finally done with the skinning, well since we still got a decent amount of daylight left let''s lay this out to dry while I finish butchering the rest of the wolf for meat.


    It was now that I finally noticed something weird. I don¡¯t see any monsters approaching the lake. And I haven¡¯t seen any at all near the lake since I¡¯ve been here. I understand monsters might not need water as much as a typical animal or human being, but to not drink at all doesn''t make any sense.


    Is there something going on I wonder. Is there some beast lurking within the depths that''s been keeping monsters away? But I¡¯ve drank here before, and that was before my evolution, so I was nothing but a small weak Goblin.


    So unless there was a monster lurking within the lake that didn¡¯t like the taste of Goblins, there shouldn¡¯t be anything down there. What do you think of it Velora?


    [Not enough information to form any sort of conclusive judgment.]


    Figured you¡¯d say that, but I remember the voice that invaded my dreams said that there aren''t any human settlements or sentient monster tribes in the immediate area.


    I don¡¯t think that means they aren¡¯t any individual strong monsters, or even a group of strong monsters that wasn¡¯t big enough to be considered a tribe.


    Come to think of it, what could have possibly injured that giant wolf that me and Jaba almost died to?


    That beast is undoubtedly the strongest creature I¡¯ve seen since I¡¯ve been here, so the fact that something was able to injure it to that extent and even force it to run is troubling.


    Not that I can do anything about it anyway, so for now let¡¯s just focus on hunting and my continued grinding I guess. Speaking of leveling, Velora, how much essence did I get for killing that wolf, it was Tier 1 one right?


    [You received exactly 1 essence point, bringing your total to 5. Which would then translate to 5 Evo points out of the required 180 needed to evolve again.]


    Hm just slightly better than the rabbit huh I guess the grind to Tier 3 is definitely going to take a while. Well let¡¯s just absorb what I have now.


    [Understood, but I am required to tell you that from Tier 2 onwards, absorbing essence will only get more and more painful, as you''re now forcibly elevating your entire being to a far purer level of strength. Think of it as a refinement process. Do you still wish to absorb now?]


    Pain??? I was already feeling a little weird from the tingling sensation but there''s pain involved? sigh.. anyway no pain no gain! Since I have no choice, I gotta muster up some courage for gang green!  Let''s do it!


    [Understood. Your body will immediately begin absorption, pain will be felt instantly and for the entire process.]


    Wait, what do you mean instan-... AHHHHHHHHH!!!!


    Huffing and panting as I recovered from the slightly intense few minutes of  pain from the absorption, I just lay on my back trying to recover.


    Velora, is that how the process is going to be every single time in the future?


    [Yes, but I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll get used to it over time. Although in the future I recommend only absorbing a little each session as a longer session simply means more pain,  there will still be some pain, but it is significantly shortened by amount absorbed.]


    ¡­..


    Doesn¡¯t that seem like information you could¡¯ve told me before I went through that experience?


    [Perhaps.]


    You''re having fun with this aren¡¯t you?!


    [Of course not, I¡¯m just a skill designed solely to help you.]


    Noo you''re a hundred percent enjoying this!


    [Preposterous.]

 Chapter Seventeen

    After that painful leveling experience, my status now looks like this.


    {Name - Rick}


    {Age - 20}


    {Race - Royal Goblin}


    {Tier 2}


    {Essence - }


    {Evo Points - 5/180}


    {Skills}


    {Velora}


    Exactly as expected, I''ll have to remember in the future to absorb when I can, so I¡¯m not incapacitated for long periods of time. Now with it being only day two I wonder how much longer I should stay away? I have already progressed so much in a measly two days that it feels a little pointless to stay out for longer.


    I¡¯m a little worried about the tribe but surely Jaba has it under control right? It would really suck returning home to a destroyed


    tribe, because at the end of the day, what¡¯s a Goblin without his tribe? Nothing that is. A Goblin should be around other Goblins, especially when it seems like everything in this world seems to want to wipe us off the map or take advantage of us. Sooo...despite everything I just said¡­ I¡¯ll stay out a little longer.. at least until all the pelts are fully dry and I can walk back home somewhat clothed. I need to maintain some sort of dignity!


    Well, I guess I just need to go around killing a bunch of monsters, do a little training with punches and stuff, maybe even practice making a better spear. I¡¯ll do all of this until I reach a satisfactory level with my skills.


    Okay, lets use the last bit of daylight I have left to dispose of the wolf remains at a location far from here so as to not attract monsters to my rest spot. After that, it¡¯s eating a little, a bit of rest for the night, then continue to hunt until I reach where I want to be!


    And that is exactly what Rick did for three whole entire weeks. He hunted monsters of various sizes, strengths, and abilities. From small strong ones to big weak ones, he¡¯d fought and killed it all.


    He¡¯d done so much relentless fighting over the course of that three week span that you could no longer refer to him as just a regular Goblin.


    Not that he was ever regular in the first place.


    Even calling him a strong Goblin might not do him the appropriate justice. No, Rick could only be described in one word, a Warrior.


    Okay maybe that''s a bit of a stretch, but an aspiring warrior at least! He definitely became better at fighting over the course of the past three weeks, and although he never really figured out how to make a perfect spear, his close combat abilities improved leaps and bounds with each battle he fought. Of course being forced to fight for the first couple days of that week with his crown jewels on the line helped force him to be better.


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    Though eventually he was able to string together something resembling a skirt to wrap around his waist and cover his prized possessions, the zeal he fought with didn¡¯t seem to stop after that.


    As if he was born to battle, born to fight, born to give his opponents every single thing he could bring forth and then some, Rick grew stronger. On the inside he was still that cheerful Goblin, who only sought to better his race, but he became a different being altogether once engaged in battle.


    He became an existence that only yearned for the absolute decimation of any adversary he seemed to face, but accompanying this yearning was the pure joy he experienced in any fight he participated in. Or at least that''s how Rick saw himself in his head.


    Something he thought he¡¯d only do out of necessity, he developed a solid and profound love for the ways of battle, but he never let this deep love distract him from the fight or urge him into reckless decisions.


    This was partly due to the respect he gained for fighting. He eventually seemed to believe that a fight should be ended at the earliest convenience, meaning mercy, and hesitation were two


    words he started to distant with. Though one could also say there was mercy in a swift kill.


    He wholeheartedly thought that a true fight should end as quickly as the fighter¡¯s abilities dictate, but each second of that fight should be enjoyed to the fullest extent.


    One might question how someone could change so much in the span of just three weeks , but they would fail to realize the gravity of getting into fights where your life (and jewels) were on the line for every single second of every fight for that entire time, due to that, it''s no surprise that Rick¡¯s mentality went through such a drastic change.


    Even though his personality was still the same, his views on battling and his strength and technique in said battles both went through significant changes.


    This brings us to the current situation, a situation deep in the forests north of the lake, where Rick stood unabated in front of the strongest monster he had seen since entering the forest. In fact,


    Rick believed this monster might be stronger than the wolf that he and Jaba almost died fighting.


    Standing not too far from the beast was a tall and muscular Goblin with tribal like tattoos covering his left shoulder down to his elbow, and likewise covered from head to toe in the pelts he got from killing various beats such as wolves and even some type of monster deer, and while some pieces like the loincloth around his waist were crudely made, others such as his makeshift vest showed off just how much effort he placed into getting better at skinning.


    With his latest attempt at making a wooden spear that matched him in height and was topped with a sharpened bone that took him one entire day to make, and a couple of rather long fangs now turned daggers at his waist, Rick stood his ground firmly in the face of the beast in front of him.


    Not taking a step forward or backward, he just stood there, with every single cell in his body screaming danger.


    Apart from his natural instincts telling him to flee, there were two reasons that caused additional worry for Rick, the first one being


    that when Velora tried to use discern on the creature, only question marks showed up.


    The other reason, and probably the reason that brought Rick more worry was the fact the creature spoke to him.


    ¡°Haven¡¯t seen a Goblin of your size in a long time. Where¡¯d you come from?¡± Said a foxlike creature that only reached Rick¡¯s waist in height at it''s head, it was covered in a caramel color pelt that was dotted with black spots.


    The feature that stood out the most, though, was its eyes. Pitch black, with fiery blazing red pupils in the center.


    Just looking into its eyes was enough to give Rick a sense of fear. Although this foxlike monster was smaller than Rick, it definitely


    wasn¡¯t any weaker, something Rick could immediately feel.


    So with no apparent way to beat or safely flee from the monster, Rick could only respond to its question as he remained in a constant state of alertness.


    ¡°South of here.¡± Replied an extremely tense Rick. Although he spoke somewhat calmly, his mind was anything but.


    FUUCCKKKKK, WHERE THE HELL DID THIS DAMN


    DEMON FOX THING COME FROM!!


    Velora!! There has to be a way to get out of this right?! Please tell me you have a solution!


    [The situation exceeds current capabilities, I advise caution.]


    Dammit!


    ¡°South huh. Are there more of you?¡±


    There¡¯s no way I can sell out my fellow Goblins back home right?!


    What the hell do I even say?!

 Chapter Eighteen

    Dammit, I don¡¯t want to give up my tribe if this monster seeks our destruction, but at the same time, I feel like any glaring lies will get me killed for some reason! Ah dammit, I¡¯ll just tell the truth for now!!


    ¡°A few more.¡±


    Now, what the hell is it thinking about?! Planning to attack my tribe ain''t you?! Well, we won¡¯t go down without a fight you damn fox!


    ¡°Hm, did you run into a wounded silver wolf by any chance?¡±


    Huh? Why is he not asking about the precise location of my tribe, so he can come to personally annihilate us?!


    Why is he talking about that wolf that almost killed Jaba and me?! Is he the one that injured it by any chance?! If so I¡¯m screwed beyond Goblin heaven, aren¡¯t I?!


    ¡°Yes, It died.¡±


    ¡°Ah so that vile pup did die after all, I guess that¡¯s one of my worries gone. Now, why are you here if your tribe is in the south?¡±


    With narrowing eyes, the fox directed this question and his probing gaze at Rick. This simple act alone though caused Rick to shudder unconsciously.


    Did it just refer to that giant domineering silver wolf as nothing but a...pup? That can¡¯t mean anything good, can it?  And why the hell is it looking at me like that? I can¡¯t help but tremble ever so slightly before its gaze dammit.  And what am I supposed to tell him now, that I¡¯m out here grinding so I can evolve enough to fight stone monsters in a cave where my tribe lives? Velora what do you think?


    [Say you were hunting.]


    I guess that works too.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to hunt.¡±


    ¡°So far away from your home? That¡¯s odd. It seems you lack knowledge of just where you are, young Goblin.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t follow.¡±


    Is this where he educates me by killing me to teach me a lesson I¡¯ll literally never forget?!


    ¡°Hm, well it is the job of the old and strong to teach the ones that are young and weak. I¡¯ll impart you with some knowledge before we part ways.  Put your weapon down, if I wanted you dead, you¡¯d have already been so.¡±


    So I¡¯m not going to die..? Instead, I¡¯m going to get advice from an old wily fox? Why is he doing this?


    There must be some scheme that I¡¯m missing, I can¡¯t wrap my head around the fact that this strong and apparently old fox would want to teach a Goblin such as myself anything. So although I¡¯m lowering my weapon, I still stand firm and remain alert as I ask him a question.


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    ¡°Why are you doing this?¡±


    ¡°To put it in simple terms, I¡¯m just bored and there''s not really anyone else to talk to in this damn forest, well at least not anyone that I want to talk to¡­anyway you, on the other hand, are new and capable of having a conversation.¡±


    So he is talking to me out of pure boredom? What type of coincidental chance encounter is this? Although I can¡¯t trust this fox, I have no choice but to stand down, as long as myself and the tribe of my new Goblin family is safe then that is the best I can hope for, so I just nodded at the fox hinting at it to continue.


    ¡°Listen carefully young Goblin, this region of the forest is divided into four parts with the lake as the center of it all.


    South of the lake is unclaimed land that is mainly home to horned


    rabbits and now It seems like Goblins as well, and the farther south you go, you¡¯ll eventually reach a mountain range. You came from this direction, so I assume you know what I¡¯m referring to.


    To the east and west of the lake is riddled with various monsters of different strength, but with not a single one of them approaching true sentience usually signified with the ability to speak such as yourself, there isn¡¯t any sort of ruling power, just survival of the fittest.


    Where we are now is controlled by myself, and I¡¯ve been in control for quite some time. It is not a position that is bestowed through any formal means, it just comes with being the absolute strongest monster in any given region. And because this is supposed to be a conversation, I¡¯ll answer some questions.¡±


    Ask some questions huh...I guess it doesn''t hurt to try and make the most of this chance.


    ¡°Was it you who injured that silver wolf and if so why?¡±


    ¡°Yes it was, and that little welp sought to kill me so he could try and rule the forest. He failed miserably of course.¡±


    ¡°Is there something wrong with the lake?¡±


    ¡°No, but an old acquaintance of mine spends his time sleeping at the bottom, only waking up periodically to hunt. I would advise staying away from the lake because you never know when that monster will wake up and proceed to kill everything in its wake.¡±


    So that¡¯s why not a single monster except for myself dared to approach the lake and even drink from it! Dying in a lake is not how I wanna go out, so I guess I¡¯ll have to move my little rest area.


    ¡°Any more questions? If not, I''ll let you be on your way.¡±


    ¡°Yes, what should I refer to you as? And why don¡¯t the monsters in


    the east and west areas converge on the south?¡±


    ¡°Hmmm my name huh...you''re not strong enough to know, and


    most monsters are typically extremely comfortable in the place they came to exist in, therefore never moving or leaving the area unless forced to do so.


    Now if there aren¡¯t any more questions I¡¯ll take my leave here, I recommend going back to the east or west area to hunt while staying away from the lake as much as possible. Also you can come here a few times if you¡¯d like since it is quite boring with no one around to talk to.¡±


    Before I could even give a reply, the fox whose name I apparently wasn''t qualified to know, left the scene just as quickly as he came, like a blur.


    Walking away from that location towards the east, I couldn¡¯t help but replay that entire encounter in my mind, although I was given some important knowledge, the only thing that mattered to me was the fox¡¯s strength.


    It was a blatant reminder that no matter how strong you get, there will always be someone stronger in some way, form, or fashion. So with that, let''s spend the rest of today hunting, then begin my journey back home, dwelling on this fox stuff for too long can¡¯t be good for my mental health, and after three whole weeks, I¡¯m really starting to miss the little cave.

 Chapter Nineteen

    After trying my best to make sure that I wasn¡¯t being followed by that fox, even though I¡¯m sure it can follow me without me knowing a thing, I began making my way to the west side of the lake changing my direction from the east to try and throw off the fox just in case it was following me.


    The west side was filled with monsters that were stronger than the ones on the east side for some reason.


    I walked relatively close to the border of the lake because I didn¡¯t want to get into a fight anywhere near the territory of that fox. And since that fox is dominating the northern area I vowed not to go back until I was at a level where I could fight him, even though he said to come for a visit, it''s hard to relax while being in front of something that can kill you before you even realize.


    Looking at the sun, I think it¡¯s around noon, so I¡¯ll spend the rest of the day hunting, and hopefully begin my trek home as previously planned.


    Velora, can you bring up my status, please.


    [Understood.]


    {Name - Rick}


    {Age - 20}


    {Race - Royal Goblin}


    {Tier 2}


    {Essence - 8}


    {Evo Points - 83/180}


    {Skills}


    {Velora}


    After hunting a whole bunch of tier 0 and tier 1 monsters, I now have 83 evo points, with 8 essence points for me to still absorb. Absorbing all of those points definitely wasn¡¯t the easiest thing to do though...In fact it hurt like hell! My body still hurts even now!


    But nevertheless the grind continues! Maybe If I wasn''t suffering all the pain from all that absorbing, I wouldn¡¯t have needed to run away when I ran into Tier 2 monsters.


    [I told you to only absorb in smaller batches, if you listened, maybe you wouldn¡¯t have been in that situation.]


    It was only a batch of 15, I thought it was fine! Speaking of Velora...her discern skill has been relatively useful when it comes to seeing the tier of the monster and even the name...which she says comes from an internal database or something. It can pretty much identify anything except when it comes to things extremely stronger than me like that fox apparently. Forget that stupid fox though, I¡¯ll surpass him soon enough on the way to Goblin supremacy.


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    Now seeing as though she didn¡¯t sense that fox, or whatever ghastly creature is apparently taking beauty naps in the lake, I can¡¯t solely depend on it. Maybe there are even little sneaky critters that practice stealth and are on a lower tier than me and can still bypass Velora¡¯s senses..


    Anyway I made it to the west side, let''s hurry and hunt the first thing I can get my green hands on!


    It was after carefully advancing for around five minutes that Velora finally picked up on something.


    [Stop, there''s something close by, and it doesn¡¯t seem to be moving, advance carefully.]


    Okay, that essence ain''t gonna hunt itself so let''s go. So after slowly walking forward for about ten feet I finally spotted the monster Velora mentioned. A little Hog huh.


    [It is not little.]


    It¡¯s a figure of speech! Anyways please use discern.


    {Name - ??}


    {Age - ??}


    {Race - Bull Hog}


    {Tier 1}


    [It is not a level that should be threatening to you, but please be wary of the charge as most of the varying types of hogs in the area choose to do.]


    Appreciate the input...now how to kill it...Ah this spear is on its last legs anyway so why not one last hoorah for it eh?


    So I slowly lifted my spear and aimed it carefully at the not so little hog, and before the Bull Hog could even realize it was being attacked, a spear was suddenly lodged in the right side of its head, instantly claiming its life.


    Hehe.


    I walked up to the hog to see the that spear didn''t really survive the throw and another spear bites the dust...Wonder why I can¡¯t make them as good as Jaba.


    [I don¡¯t believe it''s a problem with your spear making ability, but you are just too strong at your current size for the materials you are using to make your spear. Tying sharpened bones or fangs to sturdy pieces of wood will no longer suit you. If my assumption is correct Jaba should also be experiencing deficiencies with his spear.]


    You know what Velora...that...makes a whole lot of sense...I guess this would be the point in the story where I suddenly develop an interest in forging my own weapons and go on to become a master forger!!¡­Except for the fact I know next to nothing about forging anything. I mean I suppose I know a little about melting ore and pouring the ore into some type of mold and then letting it cool? Wait don¡¯t I have to beat the cooling metal with a hammer or something too...Ahh!


    This is a little annoying, we don¡¯t even have a furnace!


    [You should simply just make one.]


    Simply? where would I even get the tools to do that!


    [You can make the tools as well.]


    And the actual ore that I would need to even make tools let alone weapons?!¡¯


    [Same as before, simply find it and smelt it. Nothing has changed.]


    None of what you''re saying is easy to do Velora! I don¡¯t even know how to do any of these things! There was no handy dandy Goblin smithy handbook there when I was reborn! Plus what if I fail? What then!


    [Nor did you know how to fight, yet you got better. Make an attempt and learn from your failures. If your goal is truly to take¡­gang...green...as you call it to the next level, it will most likely require significant effort and a whole host of failures to go with that.]


    sigh...I suppose you''re right and that makes sense...sigh...wait why did you pause when saying gang green, you should say it with pride because you''re a part of it too!.¡¯


    [I suppose.]


    Alright...anyway building some sort of smithy will be one of the next things I have to do when I return to the cave I guess, hopefully Jaba and the rest of the group will agree to help. Thanks Velora.


    [It is my job to help you on your journey. Now I do recommend you quickly return with the Bull Hog, or it will soon attract other monsters.]


    Ah your right!


    So Rick lifted up the Bull Hog which was comparable to a large wild boar and made the trek back to his little campsite on the south side of the lake, though it was no longer right next to lake as the monster slumbering within definitely made his green body shiver.


    Even though he didn¡¯t necessarily believe everything the fox told him, no need to take chances right? At least that''s what he believed.

 Chapter Twenty

    Going back to the day Rick left the tribe on his journey to gain strength, we find Jaba, at the Tier Two evolution of Goblins, surrounded by his unevolved tribe members while he tried to figure out just what to do regarding the plan Rick left behind.


    Rick said something about taking two Goblins at a time to fight horned rabbits until they leveled up, but I¡¯m still not too sure what this whole leveling thing is about, is it just getting stronger and smarter after fights?


    Hm, I need more information, hopefully that weird Goblin survives and comes back soon. Anyway, instead of taking two, I¡¯m going to take everyone, so I can show the entire tribe at the same time, except for the ones on guard duty though. Yes, this is definitely a good idea, good thinking Jaba.


    Since unevolved Goblins aren¡¯t the smartest, I need to keep this short and direct. No need for any weird long speeches like that weird Goblin would probably do, and I don¡¯t think I need to stand for everyone to hear me, but let¡¯s do it anyway.


    ¡°Everyone listen up! The stone monsters will be coming again, and we are too weak to survive! So everyone will get stronger! We¡¯re going to train, follow me!¡±


    Alright I think I did well there. Good job Jaba. He was a simple Goblin.


    The Goblins looked perplexed at Jaba for a second, they couldn¡¯t understand why the sudden need for everyone to go outside.


    But they did remember the stone monsters and how many of their fellow Goblins died, although their limited intelligence caused the memory to be blurry. So with that and the fact they all respected Jaba as their Leader since he was the strongest Goblin around, everyone quickly got up and followed Jaba outside.


    Okay I think that went well; they looked a little lost at first but they all followed me in the end as expected. Now for the hard part, would showing them the sidestep move I showed the weird Goblin work for them too?


    That Goblin was a lot smarter than these guys, and I think he¡¯s smarter than me, so I¡¯m not sure if this will work for the normal Goblins too.


    Anyway, if you take away myself, Rick the weird Goblin who just left, and the four Goblins on guard duty, that leaves twenty-two Goblins here to teach. That''s a lot of Goblins...but I can do this.


    Okay, I¡¯m not the smartest Goblin in the world, but I do know how to fight rabbits so let¡¯s just show them the moves a few times without actually fighting one of the rabbits, then I¡¯ll show them again while fighting the rabbits.


    Yeah that should do it, hopefully they get the picture even though I¡¯m using the same spear I had before I evolved so it¡¯s really small.


    Do I have to go hunting somewhere else to make a bigger one?


    Maybe Rick will bring one. Anyway, let''s show them how to fight now.


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    ¡°Everyone pay attention, this is how you fight!¡±


    All the Goblins keenly looked on as Jaba began showing them how to thrust with the little spear he had in his hands, even though he looked awkward with the spear that was obviously too small for his body, they seemed to understand his movements.


    He did the thrusting movement repeatedly before transitioning into a sidestep, followed by an arcing slash.


    The Goblins didn¡¯t quite understand how to do the sidestep at first but after Jaba did it numerous times, they got the general gist of it.


    Well as best as they were going to get it without actually doing it themselves.


    Alright I just showed them how to thrust, sidestep and slash from above. I¡¯m not sure if they understand by just watching, but the best way to learn is to do it yourself.


    Wait...I just now realized we don¡¯t have enough spears for everyone, but they all know how to make one, so let¡¯s send half of the group to gather a few sturdy sticks lying around or even to break off a few low hanging branches and then go back to the cave to turn them into spears with the horns we have left over.


    ¡°Before you all begin practicing, I need just this side of you all from here to here to go gather sticks and branches for making spears, then quickly go back to the cave and use the remaining horns to make them. Go!¡±


    While the other group quickly scampered off to do the task given to them, the leftover Goblins had all the spears that were laying around the cave in hand, thankfully it was just enough to have the remaining eleven Goblins practice.


    Alright...now let''s line them up and have them practice I think.


    Jaba quickly had them lined up in two lines and started some repetitive thrusting. Doing his best to correct any mistakes they made during the process, with the intelligence he gained in his evolution really showing its worth. Creating this sort of training regime and correcting big and small mistakes for this amount of Goblins wouldn¡¯t have been possible for the previous Jaba.


    So he let them continue doing the thrust training until they start to tire before awarding them a little break.


    It was during this break that Jaba realized something. He began to really enjoy this sort of teaching experience. It was becoming rather rewarding for him.


    I realized it a little bit whenever I trained Rick, but seeing all these little Goblins trying their best to learn makes me happy for some reason, though I¡¯ll never tell any of them that. Not sure why I won¡¯t tell them, it just feels like I shouldn¡¯t for some reason. After a few moments pass I quickly get them back to training, though this time I get them going with the sidestep and overhead arcing slash.


    There were a lot more errors and mistakes this time around, though I expected this.


    If anything this made me happy, being able to teach these little ones through everything is really fulfilling.


    The way they just listen to me and try their very best to put forth what I tell them, it¡¯s just something about it that warms my heart.


    Maybe¡­maybe I could get used to this.


    After drilling them for a little bit, I think it¡¯s time to show them how this set of moves works on the horned rabbits we eat. But If I bring everyone on the hunt we¡¯ll never catch anything, so do I now take them two at a time like that weird Goblin mentioned?


    No, that''s going to take too long. Oh wait...what if I catch one and bring it here, that should work I think. I¡¯ve never caught a horned rabbit before, but with how much stronger and faster I feel, I think it should be easy. Another good plan Jaba, well done. He was a simple Goblin.


    Alright let''s do that.


    ¡°Alright, everyone stay here and continue to practice what I showed you! I¡¯ll be right back!¡±


    And with that the group of Goblins continued to train, while Jaba swiftly vanished into the surrounding woods in search of one of the many surrounding horned rabbits. While back inside the other group of Goblins were busy toiling away in the making of those spears. All in all, it was quite an eventful day in the lives of the Goblins living in this small cave.


    Quite unusual for them.

 Chapter Twenty One

    Having returned to the training Goblins, with a captured horned rabbit in his hands, Jaba now realizes he didn¡¯t think this all the way through. However with the Goblins looking on with expectation flooded in their eyes, Jaba really wanted to come through here.


    Hm, I have the rabbit, but how do I get it to attack me instead of just running away or attacking the Goblins instead. Maybe I should¡¯ve taken them two at a time after all, but that would take forever.


    Since I¡¯m already here, why not try it out first to see if it works, for some reason I really don¡¯t want to disappoint my students¡­students...yes my students.


    What if I just toss it not too far away then just hope it charges? Or maybe I could put it near the group of Goblins and hopefully, it charges at me to try and escape instead of running into the Goblins?


    Ahh, but what if it attacks them instead? I¡¯m definitely fast enough to kill it quickly, but it might be able to fatally injure one Goblin before I make it, and one Goblin is one too many.


    Any single one of my tribe members, now turned students dying because I was wrong, is not a thought that sits well with me.  I don¡¯t think I¡¯d be able to sleep well at night if that were the case.


    Alright, that option is off, I won¡¯t risk a Goblin dying just for a demonstration.


    Now what? Guess I have no choice but to try and toss it a little distance away in hopes it charges right back at me. Seeing that it¡¯s still feistily trying to escape out of my hand as I hold it by its ears, maybe it¡¯ll be angry enough to foolishly charge at me instead of running away.


    Alright here goes nothing, with my back towards the Goblins, I toss the little rabbit as softly as possible not too far away from me.


    It landed then quickly turned around to face me, which made me think that it was about to charge. I readied my little spear in wait, but before I could even yell at the Goblins behind me to pay attention, It darted off into the woods.  Disappointingly I turned around to the Goblins and apologized for that failed training session.


    ¡°Sorry about that, I didn¡¯t plan for the rabbit to run away. I¡¯ll work out a different way to practice.¡±


    They didn¡¯t seem as down about it as how I felt inside.  Well, I guess this leaves me with just one option, which is just taking a few of them at a time to observe the hunting process. Maybe this


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    will work out better anyway because I¡¯d be able to give individualized advice to each Goblin. The weird Goblin was right, which is maybe not that surprising since after all, he really is smart.


    Alright, this isn¡¯t so bad, let''s put this plan into action. I quickly pointed at two of the male Goblins in the front and told them to follow me.


    ¡°You and you, come with me, while everyone else just continues to practice the moves we went over!¡±


    After the two Goblins I pointed at came forward, and I received various nods of acknowledgement from the remaining ones, I set out with two Goblins in tow.


    With the Goblins following silently behind me in the woods, it only took a short while before I spotted a lone horned rabbit.


    After telling the two Goblins to bend down and remain quiet, I slowly did exactly what I taught Rick before.  Although I can now quickly dash in and kill the rabbit before it even realizes what happens, the unevolved Goblins won¡¯t be able to do the same thing.


    This is why I¡¯m just walking up to the horned rabbit as slow as ever, and eventually it hears me and turns around growling and ready to charge.


    Once it does, it thankfully doesn¡¯t run away for some reason, and it instead begins a charge that seems really slow to me now.


    I sidestep at the best time possible when it jumps to try and impale me. I then followed up with a rapid overhead slash that instantly smashes the rabbit into bits...It seems I¡¯m not used to my strength yet.


    Well, they get the point.  I went on to repeat this process for two more rabbits, and when we came upon the third one I decided to let one of the Goblins give it a shot.


    ¡°Alright, this time you go try to kill it, just like how I did.¡±


    The Goblin simply nods, before stepping out and replicating the way I walked to the best of its ability. I remember having to tell Rick when to move, but I¡¯d like to see if this Goblin can do it on its


    own.


    I¡¯m fast enough to save it before something fatal happens just in case. It was then that the rabbit noticed the presence of the Goblin and turned around in a similar fashion to how all the members of, its race did, growling with fangs shown.


    Now for the hard part, the rabbit began charging, and I know for me it seems as if it is charging slowly, but I know it¡¯s the fastest speed that little Goblin has ever seen.


    Either way, the Goblin held its ground before performing the sidestep in spectacular fashion! It then brought down its spear on the now airborne rabbit, quickly ending its life. Ah, it¡¯s this moment here that makes me smile more than I¡¯d like to admit.


    ¡°Good job, let''s do it again.¡±


    The little Goblin seemed happy to be praised, and I then told the Goblin who just watched that he¡¯d be next to do the same thing. The sun was already at its peak by the time we returned with a couple of dead horned rabbits with us. Both Goblins performed well, which made me question if I was looking down on my fellow Goblins.


    Seeing the group of the Goblins we left behind still diligently training, I told them to rest so I can swap out another set of Goblins to take hunting. During the rest, I noticed the first group of


    Goblins returning with freshly made spears in hand. Hmm, I forgot about that group. I won¡¯t tell them that though.


    No matter, I¡¯ll just put off the hunting trip so I can get these guys up to speed on thrusting, sidestepping, and an overhead slash. No matter how many times I teach it, it makes me happy every time.


    ¡°Alright everyone get your spears and line up!¡±

 Chapter Twenty Two

    With Jaba fervently teaching the unevolved Goblins with vigor and discipline, they entered a strict schedule of training as a group in the morning, followed by hunting in rotations with Jaba.


    It only took two days for that arduous regimen to produce quite the visible change in the tribe. A change that saw the number of unevolved Goblins reduced by one in number.


    It was the morning of the third day when Jaba was waiting outside to begin training when a newly evolved female Goblin came out to greet him.


    Her height didn¡¯t change much, just slightly over three feet tall, the most evident changes came with the reduction of her potbelly, and the slight increase in her bosom, which was once flat and indistinguishable from male Goblins.


    Her hair, which was also the only way Rick could tell the males apart from females, grew a lot more, having just as much as a two-year-old baby might. With this new evolution, it was quite clear now that she was indeed a female.


    She also gained the ability to speak and also understand other Goblins, instead of only being able to communicate with Jaba, she could now communicate with the others.


    ¡°Ah! We finally got one of you to evolve! I guess Rick was right after all!¡±


    ¡°Jaba!...I...evol..ved?'''' Said a rough but definite feminine voice. A voice clearly not used to speaking, as she didn¡¯t really have a reason to speak too many times before.


    ¡°Yes, you evolved! Which means you grew stronger, good job. Now, do you have a name for yourself? And also, what are those things on your chest?¡±


    ¡°No...name...and...not..sure¡­¡±


    ¡°Hm I¡¯m not sure either, I didn¡¯t have those things when I evolved to your current level. Maybe Rick will know when he comes since he knows a lot of weird things. But you need a name..hmm...how does Geedi sound?¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    ¡°Alright, Geedi stand to the side for now, everyone else line up! Things are going to change now that we have another evolved Goblin! I will continue to take two to three Goblins at a time to hunt while Geedi herself will take one!¡±


    ¡°Going forward I need everyone to set Geedi as their goal! And if you don¡¯t already have a name for yourself, I will give you one once you evolve! Now grab your spears and begin training!¡±


    ¡°Geedi come over here, now that you¡¯ve evolved you need to learn how to properly use your new strength while learning more than just how to thrust, sidestep and slash. The easiest way to show that is to actually fight, now come!¡±


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    As soon Geedi heard the word come, she immediately ran towards Jaba, even stumbling along the way due to moving at a speed she wasn¡¯t used to.


    Having recovered from her stumble she quickly arrived at Jaba and began doing the few moves she was used to, thrusting, sidestepping, and overhead slashing. It was at this point Jaba began fighting back while yelling out pointers.


    ¡°Look at how my spear moves in the air! You can slash from multiple angles! Don¡¯t be afraid to change the level of your body! Duck, jump, slide, sprint forwards, let the spear become an extension of your hands and feet! Quicker Geedi! Move move move move!!!¡±


    Although Jaba was holding himself back, and the spear he was using was so short that essentially was just a pointy stick to him he was still far beyond the capabilities of Geedi. Also note, this was Jaba¡¯s third spear as the two previous ones all broke when he accidentally swung it too hard. There was a slight smile on his face while he continued to train her as if showing how happy he was inside. Though Jaba himself didn¡¯t realize it.


    He kept it going until he noticed she was getting tired and finally stopped.


    ¡°That''s enough for now, everyone take a short break!¡±


    ¡°How do you feel Geedi?¡±


    ¡°Ti..red...but..want..to..go..again.¡±


    ¡°Haha good! Cause we will! Everyone! After the break time is over, continue training, then afterward it will be time to hunt!¡±


    And just like that Jaba and Geedi spent the morning sparring intensively while the remaining unevolved Goblins trained just as passionately. After their training session, which was followed by a brief rest, Jaba took three Goblins with him to hunt while Geedi was accompanied by just one.


    This sort of arrangement continued for another three days before another evolved Goblin showed up, this time a male.


    Looking almost exactly the same as when Jaba did before he evolved, he quickly made his way over to Jaba.


    ¡°Another one! Now did you already have a name prepared for yourself, or will I have to give you one?¡±


    ¡°..No...name..¡± Came a nervous reply from the Goblin.


    ¡°Why do you sound so scared? It¡¯s a good thing to evolve! Be stronger and hold your head high!¡±


    ¡°Ye..s.. Ja..ba.!!¡±


    ¡°Hmm a little better I guess, anyway you need a name as well I see. Are you comfortable with Dal?¡±


    ¡°Y..es..¡±


    ¡®I came up with another splendid name...good job Jaba¡¯ He was a simple Goblin.


    ¡°Alright good, now for the rest of you, just like before with Geedi, one of you will accompany Dal to hunt! Before we start that though, begin morning training!¡±


    ¡°Now for you Geedi and Dal, instead of fighting me, you will both fight each other! I¡¯ll be able to properly provide help and advice when necessary, so get some space between yourselves then quickly begin!¡±


    A couple more days passed with the tribe continuing their ever so passionate training, it has only been three weeks for these Goblins, but this small Goblin tribe went through many changes that would set the tone for the weeks, months and even years to come. With a solid foundation, one can build and grow many times over.


    Especially with a Goblin such as Jaba being the guiding figure in the lives of his fellow Goblins. He trained them with both an iron fist and a kind heart. In doing so he appeared to have found his love for teaching, something he still doesn¡¯t quite understand himself, but he definitely will with time.


    Though the reason for all these changes was slowly making his way home from his rather adventurous journey. Humming a tune from his previous life, a new and improved Rick was coming home.

 Chapter Twenty Three

    It was late at night in the forests surrounding the cave where a small group of Goblins lived. Most of the Goblins in that cave were sound asleep, except for the four guards alertly carrying out their jobs.


    With two guards posted at the entrance of the cave, the remaining two were stationed in a passage within the cave itself, guarding against the dangerous stone monsters.


    So if someone was able to see the expressions of both sets of guards at this very moment, they¡¯d see two very different sets of expressions.


    While the two guarding the cave entrance leading to the forest were both equally shocked and happy as they ran back towards the rest of the tribe to let them know the good news.


    But the two Goblins guarding the passage within the cave could be seen running with expressions of dread and worry to wake up Jaba and the rest of the sleeping tribe to warn them of the incoming danger.


    Ah, Velora I¡¯m finally home!! Look! I can see the cave entrance now! I might cry! It¡¯s been far too long dammit! I missed these little green bastards, especially Jaba.


    Well, I suppose he isn¡¯t actually all that little huh, either way, I miss them!


    Hey, I can finally see the entrance, and oh look I can even see the Goblins who are supposed to be guarding the entrance to the cave, but before I could even say something, they immediately ran farther in.


    I wonder if they recognize me. I definitely left here looking just like them, but I came back looking like Jaba. Even I¡¯d be confused.


    Well can¡¯t do anything about it now, they¡¯ll know I¡¯m the great Goblin Rick soon enough! let''s walk in.


    [There¡¯s a lot of noise coming from the cave.]


    Maybe they¡¯re just happy to see me? I mean who could blame them, it¡¯s me after all.


    [I doubt it.]


    I¡¯m starting to think you''re hating on me Velora, but anyway it¡¯s definitely a lot of noise, it almost sounds like...screaming.


    [Why would I hate on you? What does that mean? And It is screaming.]


    No time for that! Could it be the stone monsters attacking?! What type of crazy-ass story book coincidence is that?!


    It only took a couple of seconds for me to sprint into the cave to where the Goblins slept, though not one of them was currently sleeping.


    No one even reacted to my arrival, not even the two guards who saw me from the cave entrance paid any attention to me, but I couldn¡¯t blame them.


    The stone monsters were here after all.


    At the back of the cave I could clearly spot Jaba at the front of three rows of Goblins lined up in an orderly fashion with spears in hand giving orders of some sort, I even saw more than one evolved Goblin standing next to Jaba.


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    Jaba and the other evolved Goblins turned around to wait for the approaching stone monsters to exit from the passage and come out in the open cave.


    They were huge.


    About ten of them and they all easily surpassed twelve feet in height, they were dark brown in color, as if representing the cave walls themselves, they also had some sort of bronze shiny thing around their stomachs.. They didn¡¯t make any sound except for their loud steps as they made their way towards the waiting group of Goblins.


    It was at this point that I dropped everything in my hand except for my latest spear and immediately charged at them.


    Velora discern them!!


    [Understood.]


    {Name - ??}


    {Age - ??}


    {Race - Earth Golem}


    {Tier 1}


    So the good news is they are only Tier 1. The bad news is I don¡¯t know much else about them! I do believe I can kill them quickly I just hope they are no random surprise golem abilities! Either way Gang Green will prevail!


    So I ran towards them with my spear at the ready, being careful not to interrupt this little formation Jaba has cooked up..which was neat to see by the way..they¡¯re like a little Goblin army marching!


    [Focus Rick]


    You¡¯re right! My bad!


    It was then that Jaba and the other Goblins finally noticed me, but this isn¡¯t any time for greetings!


    Once I reached extremely close to the rearmost row of Goblins, I did my best to muster every bit of strength into my legs and jumped forward as far and as I high as I could and using the momentum from my sprint thankfully my giant body was able soar right over the Goblins.


    Is this what it feels like to be a movie star in Hollywood?


    Before I could get lost in my thoughts, my short-lived period of flight and stardom came to an end as I came crashing down on the closest earth golem in front of Jaba and the rest. Of course, I didn¡¯t forget to drive my spear, which was surprisingly really effective for the limited materials it was made out of as it drove straight through the head of the golem. Though of course the spear didn¡¯t survive the ordeal.


    Ending its pitiful boring golem life in the process. Well at least I hope I did.


    [The earth golem seems to have been successfully killed, and it doesn¡¯t show any signs of regenerating.]


    Of course, I needed Velora to confirm that because I didn¡¯t know if they had some sort of core that had to be destroyed or anything along those lines. That¡¯d be really annoying if that was the case.


    I quickly jumped back towards Jaba and the rest of the Goblins before the earth golems could converge on me. Hopefully they all got a good look at just how dashing I was! HAHAHA!


    ¡°RICK IS THAT YOU?!¡±


    Jaba, who seemed shocked beyond reason, immediately yelled out to me once I reached them.


    ¡°Of course it is.¡±


    After replying all cool like since this is my great green Hollywood style return to the tribe, I faced the incoming enemy before saying something else to Jaba.


    ¡°We¡¯ll catch up later, let''s put these guys back in the dirt first.¡±


    Jaba nodded at me then seemingly instantly recovered from his initial surprise from seeing me, and quickly barked out some orders to the other Goblins. I wonder when they got this organized.


    ¡°Nothing changed! Follow the same plan as before! Geedi and Dal will lead a group of seven normal Goblins each!


    Tars will take the remaining nine! All three squads will constantly run in, hit them, then quickly run! Keep repeating this process using everything we¡¯ve learned! Never stay still, you are faster than them but weaker! Let''s go!!!!¡±


    I watched the orders from Jaba immediately get carried out and to be honest I¡¯m a little stunned, when the hell did they get this organized for real?! And since when did Jaba know what hit and run tactics were?!


    [You should go help them.]


    Oh yeah...I knew that already Velora!


    I see Jaba instantly run up to one of the golems alone with just his fists as his weapons, so I immediately readied myself again before dashing towards my next victim. Though my spear broke, I still had my trusty fang dagger instead of just my bare fists.


    Needless to say, the remaining nine earth golems didn¡¯t stand a chance. Gang green strikes again.


    [Is there a need to say gang green.]


    You''re ruining the moment Velora!

 Chapter Twenty Four

    Out of the nine golems that were left, Jaba took care of two by himself. Though his fists weren¡¯t in the best of shape as a result of that.


    From the remaining seven, the squads led by the three evolved Goblins took care of four, while I managed to reduce the remaining three into lifeless rocks. The biggest thing to take away from this is the fact we managed to not only survive but win convincingly.


    With our only real injuries being Jaba¡¯s fists. It seems I really need to get that smithy up and running so both of us can get actual weapons. While taking a moment to digest the result of the battle, I spot Jaba approaching me, with the other Goblins.


    ¡°You made it back just in time Rick, and it seems your training went extremely well.¡±


    ¡°Yeah I think you guys had it covered though, but I wasn¡¯t gonna let some moving rocks ruin my spectacular return to the tribe.¡±


    ¡°Still weird I see. Either way, It¡¯s dark out and you¡¯ve just returned, I think we should just rest for the night, and we¡¯ll talk in the morning.¡±


    ¡°How do you even know what it means to be weird? But that sounds good, it''s just that I don¡¯t think I can fit in the tents with the other Goblins.¡±


    ¡°You have your own.¡±


    That¡¯s the last thing Jaba said before walking away. What does he mean I have my own? Do we all have our own now? I didn¡¯t pay attention to anything at all when I entered the cave.


    While watching the Goblins walk back towards the center of the cave, where our tents are located, I spot a couple of them stealing glances at me every now and then.


    Are they interested in me? Well how could I blame them, I¡¯m the Royal Goblin genius Rick after all. I¡¯ll leave them alone for now though. We¡¯ll have plenty of time to talk tomorrow.


    [Very self-conscious.]


    It¡¯s just confidence, Velora! If I don¡¯t have confidence in myself who will?


    [Well if you say so]


    Are you actually just a skill?


    [Of course.]


    Yeah, if you say so, anyway I see Jaba didn¡¯t lie when he said I have my own tent, but it doesn¡¯t seem like everyone else has their own either. Am I some privileged Goblin in the tribe now?


    But how did Jaba know I¡¯ll come back this much stronger? Did he just trust me? That feels good for some reason. What a weird feeling...not really used to anyone trusting me without a concrete reason to. Anyway, I¡¯ll ask Jaba about it tomorrow.


    Spread out in front of me I see six tents, three more than what we had when I left two weeks ago. I don''t know how I missed them coming in, but here they are.


    All the unevolved Goblins split themselves between the three tents we already had, then the three evolved Goblins made their way into one of the tents together. Then I spotted Jaba going into one of the remaining two, which were both larger than the rest. So I guess this empty one is for me?


    After settling into my new home that even had a small piece of hide to lay on, I took a look at my status to see just how much essence those golems provided. Status please Velora.


    [Understood.]


    {Name - Rick}


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    {Age - 20}


    {Race - Royal Goblin}


    {Tier 2}


    {Essence - 4}


    {Evo Points - 92/180}


    {Skills}


    {Velora}


    Hmm it''s a good thing I absorbed all my remaining essence before coming back otherwise the four golems I killed would¡¯ve put me in double digits and that would''ve been way too painful to absorb at once.. Hey Velora, shouldn''t it be possible to absorb some essence instead of all at once?


    [Perhaps, but you can only know by trying.]


    Figured you say that..actually now that I think about it since you can grow right alongside me, shouldn''t you be able to absorb some of my essence as well?


    Ding!


    The hell was that?!


    [It seems you saying that triggered a new option in the status. I will display it now. ]


    {Name - Rick}


    {Age - 20}


    {Race - Royal Goblin}


    {Tier 2}


    {Essence - 4}


    {Evo Points - 92/180}


    {Skills}


    {Velora} - Absorb?


    That is¡­interesting. I wonder if there are any other hidden features I wasn¡¯t aware of lurking behind some sort of input I have to say.. Well I suppose we will find out as we go. Anyway I think you should absorb it!


    [Are you sure? I don¡¯t believe this is reversible. Your own strength should take priority.]


    Of course I¡¯m sure! Your my partner and were in this together! Remember you''re also apart of gang green!


    [I see...Alright I¡¯ll absorb it.]


    ¡­


    Velora?


    ¡­


    It wasn¡¯t until a few worrisome minutes passed for Rick that Velora finally came back online.


    [The absorption is complete.]


    How was it, are you okay?!


    [Yes, no need to be alarmed. Though in the future I suggest for you to only request I absorb essence when you do not need me as It appears I will be offline for the duration of the absorption process.]


    No need to be..fine whatever just glad you''re okay..so..any changes?


    [In fact there are some changes, I think I will have a little more information when using discern now, and it seems I have unlocked some sort of clock feature. Though note, it is my understanding that these changes would¡¯ve been unlocked regardless of how many essence I initially absorbed. In the future it will take an incredible amount of essence to unlock any further capabilities.]


    Dang and is there any type of counter in the status to keep track of that?


    [Unfortunately not.]


    Dang again..wait you mentioned time, as in a way to tell what period of the day it is? By using hours, minutes, and seconds to tell exactly what time of the day it is? According to exactly where in the sky the sun is located?


    [Yes, I do. Would you like to know the current time?]


    Yes of course! Do you even know what day and month it is? What about the year?


    [The time is currently 23:47, and I don¡¯t have any information regarding months and years. Though with yours or maybe even my next evolution that may change. Or perhaps if you get your hands on a calendar and more knowledge regarding this world.]


    Well, I guess I can¡¯t get everything at once, and it¡¯s not like knowing the month and year will change anything for me at the moment anyway so I¡¯ll be thankful for just knowing the time.


    The next challenge will be to teach the whole time concept to the rest of the tribe. I think that can only benefit the tribe in both now and the future.


    What do you think Velora?


    [A smarter race is a stronger race.]


    Well said Velora! Guess I¡¯ll just have to put my famed genius mind to good use then HAHA!


    One more thing though Velora, Is it possible for you to wake me up at a specific time in the day?


    [Yes, that is possible since I don¡¯t require rest.]


    Oh shit yeaaa I got my own little alarm clock! Wake me up at 0730 please!


    [Also, you left your belongings at the cave entrance.]


    Thanks for telling me but I can¡¯t be bothered to go grab my stuff, I¡¯ll get it in the morning.


    [Understood.]


    Goodnight Velora.


    [Understood.]


    ¡­


    Say goodnight back dammit!


    [...Goodnight.]

 Chapter Twenty Five

    [Rick, it is now 0730. Wake up.]


    ¡­


    [This is the time you requested. It is time to wake up. Please wake up.]


    ¡­Hmm..is it time already..


    [Yes.]


    You know I¡¯ve fully embraced being a Goblin and not dwelling on my past life too much, but a cup of coffee would be great right now.


    [What is coffee?]


    Oh, it¡¯s a hot beverage made from a specific type of bean.


    [I see.]


    I wonder if I could even find coffee beans in this world...


    Well, it wouldn¡¯t even matter since I have no idea how to actually make coffee from the beans...maybe I just boil it? Whatever, just something else I need to add to the list of things to not only find but figure out how to use. Got a lot to do today now that I¡¯m back home and the stone monsters have been dealt with. Speak to Jaba, meet the new evolved Goblins I saw, gather my belongings, check out the stone monster corpses and then we go from there!


    [Jaba is currently approaching your tent.]


    ¡°Rick! Are you awake?¡±


    What perfect timing from Jaba, I guess he probably has a lot he wants to talk about which makes sense, since quite a lot has changed around here in a relatively short period of time. Anyway I should probably greet him .


    ¡°Yes Jaba I¡¯m up bright and early ready to take another step to glory for gang green!¡±


    ¡°If you''re already able to still say such weird things, then I¡¯m sure you''re perfectly awake. But since you''re up, we need to have a proper talk. Get something to eat and meet me in my tent when you''re ready.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry you won¡¯t be calling it weird for long! And I¡¯ll come to your tent shortly, I have a lot I want to talk about as well.¡±


    ¡°Alright, and stop screaming so loud, you¡¯ll scare the other Goblins.¡±


    ¡°Yeah yeah, they¡¯ll be fine. See you in a bit.¡±


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    He walked away after I said that, so I went back into my tent.


    By the way Velora, can you tell me the time at each hour as the day passes? Starting at 0800 if it hasn¡¯t already passed.


    [Understood. It hasn¡¯t already passed. It will be 0800 in four minutes.]


    Oh, that''s perfect, but since it¡¯s so close just tell me when it¡¯s 0900 instead and keep going from there except when I¡¯m asleep.


    [Understood.]


    Oh wait, all my stuff is still at the front of the cave, so I guess I¡¯ll just go talk to Jaba now and then grab it all afterward since that''s where all my dried meat is.


    Once I reached Jaba¡¯s tent, which was just right next to mine. I called out to him since it¡¯s rude to just barge into another Goblin¡¯s tent. Goblins are a noble race after all.


    Well maybe not...But we will be!


    Though in the few steps it took me to arrive at the tent, I see that the remains of the stone monsters have been moved somewhere while all the unevolved Goblins are being led outside by the three evolved ones.


    Wonder what''s going on. I¡¯ll have to find that out later.


    ¡°Jaba, it''s Rick. Is it alright to come in?¡±


    ¡°Yes, come inside.¡±


    Inside the tent was basically the same as mine, a piece of hide laid out on the floor was the only thing inside along with two short spears and a seated Jaba in a crisscross applesauce position.


    ¡°Have a seat, then we can start talking.¡±


    I nodded then sat in the same position. Which is when Jaba dropped something unexpected on me.


    ¡°While you were gone, I¡¯ve done a lot of thinking about the tribe. The tribe is my home and family, and as the Leader of the tribe, I have to do what¡¯s best.


    "So after all that thinking and due to more recent developments, I think..no..I know I want you to become the new Leader of the tribe.¡±


    I always knew if I wanted to accomplish my goals for the future of this tribe and the Goblin race as a whole, I¡¯d have to become some sort of Leader at some point. Especially with the word Royal being a part of my race.


    Though I didn¡¯t expect it to come so soon, and especially not with Jaba being the one to suggest it. I really want to know what led him to this.


    ¡°Why do you want me to become the new Leader?¡±


    ¡°The Leader of the tribe should be the strongest and smartest Goblin. I¡¯ve always known you were smarter than the rest of us with all the weird things you say, but it wasn¡¯t until I saw you fight the stone monsters that I realized your strength.


    "There isn¡¯t a better Goblin to lead us.¡±


    Well, I understand his reasoning but that can¡¯t be the only reason why. I¡¯m sure Jaba enjoys being the Leader so why would he give it up so easily.


    ¡°Are those the only two reasons?¡±


    ¡°Well, I think my time is better put to use elsewhere in the tribe.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Someone has to be there to train the unevolved Goblins.¡±


    ¡°Hmm...ohh I see, you like being this sort of Goblin teacher person huh?¡±


    ¡°No no no...I¡¯m just the right Goblin for the job.¡±


    So Jaba likes being a teacher I see, well I won¡¯t mess with him about it.


    ¡°If you say so, but I¡¯ll accept the position of the Leader then. But just so you know, I¡¯m going to be changing a lot of things around here, though of course everything will be to the benefit of our tribe.¡±


    ¡°Sure, you''re the Leader.¡±


    ¡°Alright, before I get into any Leader like business, let''s talk about all the things that happened during the past week.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good. So I immediately put your idea of leveling up the tribe into action the day you left¡­¡±

 Chapter Twenty Six

    ¡°So all you did was just a bunch of training, hunting horned rabbits, and then more training for the entire two weeks?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I took two, sometimes three of them to hunt at a time, till Geedi, Dal, and Tars eventually evolved.


    "Once they evolved, I let them take Goblins under their wings to form a squad and they all hunted together.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad it all worked out then, I didn¡¯t think a week was enough to evolve three Goblins.¡±


    Hmm, I hunted a fair share of horned rabbits when I was with the tribe but never evolved. I wonder if the constant training sped up that process.


    Velora, what do you think? Can some crazy training give me essence as well?


    [Not enough information, perhaps do some more physical training yourself, and I¡¯ll be able to make more conclusions.]


    I feel like you said that from a negative place, but sure I¡¯ll do the whole training montage thing at some point.


    ¡°Alright, Jaba if there¡¯s nothing else that went on during the two weeks I¡¯ll go over my little Goblin adventure now.¡±


    ¡°We already went over everything, please continue.¡±


    ¡°Okay good. If you head straight north from the cave entrance, you¡¯ll reach a massive lake.


    "There is something far stronger than us that lives in that lake, so no one is ever allowed to go near it at any costs.¡±


    ¡°For some reason I can understand what a lake is, but I¡¯ve never actually seen one before.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a bit weird but whatever, you¡¯ll know what it is eventually. Back to the topic at hand, to the east and west of the lake, is just more forest area filled with various types of monsters of different strengths and tiers.


    ¡°For Goblins on our level, it is the perfect place to hunt and get stronger. Horned rabbits won¡¯t be enough to satisfy our level of strength.


    "Not even the three evolved Goblins should still be hunting horned rabbits, if anything now that I think about it..we should be raising them.¡±


    ¡°Will the both of us hunt together? And what do you mean by raising them?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure how the hunting process will work just yet, but for the horned rabbits I mean we should see if we can somehow keep a certain amount of them confined in a closed off area so that we always have a stable supply of food, they will mate and grow, and once they grow by a certain amount we kill a few of them. What do you think?¡±


    ¡°That sounds interesting but difficult to do.¡±


    ¡°Yes it¡¯ll probably be difficult, but nothing a genius Goblin such as myself can¡¯t fix.¡±


    ¡°If you say so. What¡¯s north of the lake?¡±


    ¡°North of the lake is also an area that you should never approach. It is ruled by a very strong fox. Remember that giant wolf that almost killed us? It was that fox that injured it to such an extent.


    "So just like the area near the lake, never go to the northern side of that lake.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll keep that in mind. I¡¯ll also tell the same thing to Geedi, Dal, and Tars. Is there anything else I should know?¡±


    ¡°No, there isn¡¯t anything else pressing for now, but I have a question. How do Goblins reproduce?¡±


    ¡°You mean how do we get new Goblins?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


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    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, even from the first memory I have, we have always just been here, we never gained any new Goblins, we only lost Goblins.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I understand...It seems I¡¯m going to have to have ¡®The Talk¡¯ with the whole tribe.¡±


    ¡°What is the talk?¡±


    "You¡¯ll hear it soon, for now go to the others outside, and tell them about the Leader position changing. I¡¯ll be out there soon to announce some stuff and have the talk.¡±


    ¡°You sound like a Leader already. I¡¯ll let them know, but before that, what''s with all the weird markings on your body? I don¡¯t think I have any of those.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not exactly sure, maybe I¡¯m just special? Hahaha¡±


    ¡°...Whatever you say.¡±


    After Jaba said that he walked out of the tent to head outside and after a couple minutes of digesting our conversation I also left the tent. It was really weird with the whole me becoming the Leader thing, but I think it went well if I say so myself. I don¡¯t really wanna reveal the whole Royal Goblin thing if I don¡¯t need to, I think it may be getting all weird.¡¯


    [You may be right.]


    Anyway I quickly went to grab my things before making my way back to my tent.


    [It¡¯s 0900.]


    Already?! Damn me and Jaba talked for a while. They do say time flies when you¡¯re planning Goblin domination...Or at least now they do.


    [Who else says it?]


    I¡¯m ignoring that one for the sake of my mental health. Anyways I guess I should go give that talk huh..


    [Do you truly feel it is necessary to do so?]


    Yes I believe so, we need to grow somehow if I want this to be a Goblin kingdom one day. Unless we somehow find other Goblin tribes and convince them join us, then reproduction is our next best bet, and even though Jaba didn¡¯t know about the process, I clearly have a reproductive organ so the rest of them should to, meaning we probably reproduce similar to humans.


    [That would make sense.]


    Hmm¡­Alright for now I¡¯ll explain to Jaba and the three evolved Goblins, from there I¡¯ll have them explain it to the unevolved Goblins.


    This surely doesn¡¯t count as me running away from more work. No, of course not.


    [I see.]


    Don''t judge me Velora! This is just efficiency!


    Anyways, let''s list out my plans and priorities properly here.


    First I need to go over my future plans for the tribe with everyone.


    I firmly believe that communication from top to bottom is key in any organization.


    Next, I need to have this talk about sex and babies, with Jaba and the three evolved Goblins. I also need to appraise them, and the whole tribe for that matter.


    After that, I need to try and teach Jaba and possibly the evolved Goblins about time.


    I wonder how I¡¯ll do that though. Maybe a sundial? I don¡¯t really know how that works though.


    Okay never mind we might have to hold on about the whole time thing for now. Then comes the analysis of the stone monsters, I really do think there is more to those corpses than just being moving rocks..at least i''m hoping so.


    Alright that should be everything on my agenda for now. I¡¯m such a busy Goblin.


    [What are your plans for the tribe?]


    Interested? Well they go a little something like this¡­


    [I see. Interesting.]


    Right? Let¡¯s go let the rest of the tribe know.


    Once I arrived outside, I was greeted by the sight of a bunch of sweaty Goblins taking some sort of break.


    I guess they¡¯ve been training hard under Jaba. Seems intense.


    [You should join them.]


    I knew you were gonna say something... I¡¯ll join soon enough.


    ¡°Everyone line up! The Leader has something to say!¡±


    Once Jaba saw me, he immediately gave that order, and the Goblins immediately followed suit.


    Two lines of unevolved Goblins formed behind the three evolved Goblins Geedi, Dal and Tars. While Jaba is still standing a couple feet away facing them.


    I¡¯ve never been too shy when it came to speaking in front of crowds, but I¡¯ve never had to do so as some type of Leader figure.


    It would be a lie to say I wasn¡¯t a little nervous as I calmly walked next to Jaba.


    Once I reached next to him, he immediately took two steps back as if to show I¡¯m the sole Leader of the tribe.


    Of course that didn¡¯t make me more nervous or anything¡­


    [Calm down. This is important in your quest for Goblin world domination.]


    ¡­


    So you do pay attention after all...And to think it¡¯d be you reminding me of my own dreams.


    But you''re right, I¡¯m going to have to speak to even larger groups in the future! And I¡¯m even a damn Royal Goblin! This is supposed to be my calling!..I think.


    This is nothing!


    Okay let''s do it.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure Jaba has already explained that there has been a change in Leadership, so I won¡¯t dwell on that any further.


    "Instead let''s focus on the future and everything it holds.


    "We are a small tribe, with an even smaller reach. It''s time to change that. Our Goblin kind is constantly hunted and preyed upon by bigger and stronger enemies.


    "It is time for that to end. We need to grow both bigger as a tribe, and stronger as individual Goblins now more than ever.


    "This will include keeping up with your already intensive training, but also extending out past our current area of influence.


    "We are located in the south, a place with no apparent ruler. That position will be filled by us as we extend our reach forward.


    "This tribe will become the foothold for the great Goblin empire that will soon grace this land.


    "Any Questions?¡±


    Was that too much?!! Did I do enough?! Will they even understand me?! Dammit!


    They might not even be able to clearly understand anything I just said!!!


    [I think you did well.]


    Then where are the reactions?! Why is no one spea-...


    ¡°OOOOOHHHHHHHH!!!!¡±


    Oh shit they are screaming! That¡¯s a good thing right?! Even Jaba¡¯s screaming!!

 Chapter Twenty Seven

    After everyone calmed down and all the screaming stopped Jaba, the three evolved Goblins, and I went inside the cave while the remaining Goblins stayed outside to continue their ever intense training.


    We¡¯re all sitting down at the center of the cave as I begin to fully expand on all the details of the various plans I have for the tribe.


    This might take a while.


    Also, on the way in I finally noticed that Geedi wasn¡¯t wearing anything to cover her breasts, which is something that didn¡¯t bother me as much as I thought it would.


    Maybe it¡¯d be wrong in human society but we¡¯re Goblins. A couple of boobies here and there is alright with me if it¡¯s alright with them.


    Though I did tell her to try and wear something over them when she¡¯s fighting.


    I wonder if maybe she¡¯ll want to cover them up after we have the talk though...Well, we¡¯ll cross that bridge when we get there.


    I took the liberty of looking at all three of their statuses before we began. Well this is also a good time to test out Velora¡¯s new discern capabilities.


    {Name - Geedi}


    {Age - 2}


    {Race - Goblin (High)}


    {Tier 1}


    {Mana - 0/0}


    {Strength - 8}


    {Agility - 4}


    {Intelligence - 3}


    {Endurance - 7}


    {Name - Dal}


    {Age - 2}


    {Race - Goblin (High)}


    {Tier 1}


    {Strength - 6}


    {Agility - 6}


    {Intelligence - 4}


    {Endurance - 5}


    {Name - Tars}


    {Age - 2}


    {Race - Goblin (High)}


    {Tier 1}


    {Strength - 7}


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    {Agility - 4}


    {Intelligence - 6}


    {Endurance - 6}


    ¡­.


    Velora..I know you said you can discern a little bit more information, but isn¡¯t this far too big of a jump?? Now it really feels like I¡¯m looking at a status screen in a game!


    [I didn¡¯t have a good comparison for what is a little improvement versus what is not.]


    Quick show me Jaba¡¯s!


    [Understood.]


    {Name - Jaba}


    {Age - 3}


    {Race - Hobgoblin}


    {Tier 2)


    {Level - 75 (1925/1950)}


    {Health - 75/75}


    {Strength - 57}


    {Agility - 52}


    {Intelligence - 48}


    {Endurance - 54}


    Hob..Goblin! Wow this is a great discovery! So the Tier 2 evolution of the Goblin race is called Hobgoblin while the tier 1 evolution is still called Goblin just with a high tag¡­ so a high Goblin? Wow.. this.. This is a lot to take in.. wait show me my status as well please¡­


    [I highly recommend checking out your status after the meeting, the group in front of you have been staring at you weirdly as you stood there with various facial expressions.]


    Ah..good point.


    ¡°Ahem.. Alright so you all should now know that I want this tribe to eventually grow into a force so mighty we can only be called an empire.


    We are nowhere close enough to that mark, but we will start working towards that now. Any questions about that?¡±


    Only Geedi raised her hand to ask a question. Did Jaba teach them to raise their hands to ask questions?


    ¡°What...is...empire..?¡±


    ¡°Ah guess I should¡¯ve explained that first, well think of it as a really big tribe that controls a lot of smaller tribes. Does that help?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Alright moving on, in my mind the two most important things in the making of an empire is knowledge and strength.


    You need the knowledge to be able to handle any situation properly and efficiently, but all the knowledge in the world would mean nothing in the face of absolute power.


    So we have to prioritize both. Lucky for us, we have me, probably the smartest Goblin of all time if I do say so myself.


    Anyway, the easiest for everyone to get smarter is to evolve, but the only way to evolve is to fight and kill other things. Horned rabbits are good for the unevolved Goblins but are too weak for us, so we¡¯ll be extending our hunting trips further into the forest.


    Hunting deeper into the forest is better for us, but it¡¯s definitely more dangerous so only one squad at a time will venture deep into the forest. While the other two will focus on training and protecting our home.


    With that being said, Geedi, Dal, and Tars. You three will now be known as squad captains and it will be your responsibility to guide, protect, and train your squad to become stronger.


    The squads will also be named after you, so take pride in them.


    Any questions about that?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Said a very straightforward Geedi.


    ¡°N..nn...no..¡± Replied Dal in a nervous tone.


    While Tars simply responded with a shake of the head.


    It seems Geedi is clearly the headstrong type, while Dal is really nervous for some reason, and Tars is the cliche quiet type I guess.


    [It is now 1100.]


    Gotcha.


    ¡°Alright since there aren¡¯t any questions let''s move on. The first group to go hunting deeper into the forest will be the Geedi squad. I will be there as well to help in serious situations, but Geedi will be in charge of leading the squad into battle.


    "Understood Geedi?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    She seems really excited about this; we might have a battle maniac on our hands here.


    ¡°By the way, I¡¯ll also follow the other squads into the forest, but I will only do so for the first time.


    "Now earlier I said that horned rabbits are too weak to be our hunting priority but that doesn¡¯t mean we should stop completely. Instead, we are going to raise them as a stable food source for the tribe.


    "We¡¯re going to hold off on that, though, since I don¡¯t actually know how to tame and safely raise rabbits that dash, jump, and have pointy weapons on their foreheads.


    "So don¡¯t even worry about that too much as of yet.


    "Apart from taming the rabbits, we will also try our hand in blacksmithing at some point, though again don¡¯t worry about this too much for now as I still need to figure this one out myself.


    "One more thing, guard duty for the cave entrance, and the path that leads deeper into the cave from where the stone golems came from will be taken care of by the two squads that remain home.


    "Any more questions?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I have one.¡±


    ¡°Oh Jaba, what is it?¡±


    ¡°If they¡¯re squad captains, what am I?¡±


    Is Jaba worried about his position or something? Even though he could easily still be the Leader right now. That''s kinda funny actually, but what do I actually give him...


    He is still a Leader in this tribe and will continue to be so even if I¡¯m the overall Leader. I¡¯m pretty sure he knows that though, so I guess he wants a title to go with it?


    ¡°Jaba you''re the squad leader. You''re in charge of the squad captains and the overall state of all three squads within the tribe.


    "While the squad captains are in charge of training their own squads, it¡¯s your responsibility to train the captains themselves.


    Since the entirety of the tribe is being placed into the different squads you are responsible for the well-being of every tribe member along with me.¡±


    ¡°Understood!¡±


    I guess that response means he likes it? Well, it is true that having a title is a good feeling. I¡¯d be lying if I said being the Leader of the whole tribe didn¡¯t feel good.


    I guess now it¡¯s time for the talk¡­

 Chapter Twenty Eight

    ¡°Okay everyone listen up, the information I¡¯m about to explain is very important to our future. To grow into an empire, we need more Goblins.


    A lot more.


    One of the oldest and easiest ways to do that is through reproduction. Hold all your questions till I¡¯m done explaining. Understood?¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Y..es!¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡±


    Alright, it seems they¡¯re all taking this seriously. I don¡¯t know if that''s good or bad but whatever. Also, I¡¯m not a biologist so if anyone is reading this please don¡¯t judge me.


    [What do you mean by reading?]


    Nothing, it''s just the author trying to be funny.


    [What author? I don¡¯t understand.]


    I don¡¯t understand either! Anyways let''s get this Goblin sex talk show on the road!


    ¡°Alright, so the practice of a male Goblin and a female Goblin participating in reproduction is called having sex. Which is a pretty important term to remember when it comes to reproduction.


    Now reproduction can be attached to many things but in our case, it¡¯s about making little Goblin babies. Basically, I¡¯m saying that we need to have this fancy thing called sex, to be able to reproduce more Goblins.


    Now you''re all probably wondering what the hell is this sex thing that I keep mentioning. Well, it¡¯s this beautiful thing that a male Goblin and a female Goblin perform together.


    In other societies it can lead to wars, marriages, grudges, and all sorts of weird things, but in our case, it will lead to more Goblins and of course happiness and bliss for all parties involved. At least I hope so.


    I guess that didn¡¯t describe what sex actually is huh¡­ Okay so myself, Jaba, Dal, Tars, and all the other male Goblins in the tribe all have one thing in common that Geedi doesn¡¯t have. It is that thing between our legs that we pee from.


    It is the pride of our manhood and should be protected at all costs.


    That thing is called a penis.


    Geedi on the other hand along with all the other female Goblins in the tribe has something else between their legs. It is also their pride and something that should also be protected at all costs. It is called a vagina.


    This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    Now sex is what happens when the female Goblin with a vagina and the male Goblin with the penis both come to an understanding, meaning both of them agreed to it, without anyone being forced into it, to let the male Goblin stick his penis into the female Goblin¡¯s vagina.


    And then BOOM! You are now having sex. Well, there are moves and other things involved but we¡¯ll cross that bridge when we get there.


    Now, remember clearly that both Goblins need to agree to it. The male Goblin must never try to force the female Goblin to have sex, while the female Goblin must never try to force the male.


    Any Goblin that does that will be either kicked out of the tribe or killed immediately.


    While sex and reproduction will be important for our growth, only do it when you want to and with who you want to. If you only want to have sex with one Goblin forever then that¡¯s


    fine, but if you want to do it with a lot of people then that¡¯s also fine as long as everyone agrees.


    Okay now we know what sex is, but that is only a part of the whole reproduction thing. The other is in the middle of having sex.


    Once the male Goblin and hopefully the female Goblin as well reaches the absolute peak of their happiness, the male Goblin will release a special liquid that is not pee from their penis inside the female Goblin¡¯s vagina.


    That liquid will cause the female Goblin to get pregnant, which means carrying new little Goblins in your stomach. Then after some time has passed the little Goblins will come out from the female in a painful process. So all the female Goblins should only let the male Goblin release that liquid in them if they are okay with getting pregnant and going through the painful process of giving birth to the new Goblins.


    Alright, that is everything I have to say about sex and reproduction.


    Are there any questions?¡±


    It¡¯d be nice for not one of them to have any questions.


    [Impossible. Look at them carefully thinking about everything you just said. Questions are bound to come.]


    Yeah, I can see that.


    ¡°I have one. Who will take care of the new Goblins?¡±


    ¡°Well, Jaba, who took care of you when you were a new Goblin?"


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember who took care of me. I don¡¯t even remember


    being a little Goblin.¡±


    Hmm, so I guess Goblins don¡¯t have any memory from their early childhood due to evolution limits? Actually I guess it¡¯s not right to


    call it childhood since Jaba himself is only three years old...Maybe premature tier one stage? Ah I don¡¯t know this is getting too complicated for my perfectly green Goblin brain.


    [How do you know it¡¯s green?]


    Ah just play along! It¡¯s definitely green!


    [If you say so.]


    Anyway I¡¯m going to assume that while Goblins are weaker than almost everything else, we reproduce a lot quicker and even grow much faster, based on the fact that it only took a couple weeks for us to evolve this much, and that Jaba has grown that much while being only three years old¡­Wait.. Doesn¡¯t that me some type of ancestor level Goblin at my big age of twenty?! Nooooo what happened to my youth! I¡¯m still young!


    [Focus.]


    Sigh.. can¡¯t a Goblin complain about growing old in peace? The many woes of a Goblin, boy I tell ya..


    Anyway I don¡¯t know if only high Goblins can have babies or if the normal ones can as well, but I doubt any Goblin would want to top two weeks of training and hunting to take care of the smaller ones.


    So maybe we can create some type of Goblin baby training ground that will train and nurture them until they grow into normal Goblins before putting them in a squad?


    But who the hell is going to stay behind and run the nursery? The normal Goblins can¡¯t talk to each other.


    [The two squads that will stay behind on hunting trips can take care of the training grounds.]


    Oh wait, I''m an idiot.


    Thanks for pointing that out Velora.


    But another problem...Do Goblins need to breastfeed? So many problems from just talking about sex.


    I don¡¯t even want to imagine the questions that Geedi, Dal, and Tars still haven¡¯t asked.


    Sigh...

 Chapter Twenty Nine

    ¡°Alright Jaba, that was a good question, but this is what we¡¯ll do, every single Goblin child born will undergo combat training for their level, along with education in various fields so they can be smarter than the average Goblin.


    We will need to dedicate an area within the cave for this specifically and we¡¯ll call it the Junior Goblin Training Grounds. That''s probably a mouthful so just training grounds will also work.


    The young Goblins will stay for their training for two weeks before being assigned to either the Geedi, Dal, or Tars squad.


    For the entire time the children are in the training grounds, their well-being will be the responsibility of the two squads who stay home during hunting trips.


    It is up to those two squad captains to make sure the young Goblins are receiving the education needed because normal Goblins can¡¯t communicate with each other.


    That responsibility will rotate as the squads rotate for daily hunting trips.


    The only factor that might currently cause a problem for the training grounds right now is if the young Goblins need to be breastfed.


    Don¡¯t worry about it for now but remember to let me know if the female Goblins who give birth start producing any liquid from their breasts.


    Oh, by the way, the female Goblin who gives birth to the young Goblins are the mothers of those Goblins, while the male Goblin who released that white liquid into the female is the father.


    Any more questions?¡±


    ¡°Ye...ss..can...a...gob..lin..have...a...lot..of...fath..ers...and...mo...thers?¡±


    ¡°Good question Dal, but no, a Goblin can only have one mother and one father. It might be hard to figure out who the father is in some cases, but there is no doubt who the mother is since she will be the one to give birth.


    Any other questions? Ask anything you can think of.¡±


    ¡°Other...ways...to...grow...tribe.¡±


    ¡°Oh shit Tars you do speak! You speak a lot more clearly than the others too, that¡¯s interesting. Anyways, to answer your question, which is a really good one by the way is through finding other Goblin tribes.


    We will need to go search the lands around us far and wide till we find other Goblins. This can be very dangerous because who knows if other Goblin tribes or even stray solo Goblins will be friendly towards us.


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    Those other Goblin tribes could be far bigger and stronger than us, meaning they¡¯d have the power to either kill us all or force us to join under them.


    So the mission of recruiting other Goblins will only be carried out by myself.


    I know how much work it requires to become a Tier 2 Hobgoblin so it should be rare to come across one or more of them or even a stronger one in a world where Goblins are at the bottom of the food chain.


    Even though that¡¯s the case, I still want to be safe since it¡¯d be easier for me to escape a dangerous situation than it¡¯d be for you all.


    Don¡¯t worry though, I won¡¯t start doing missions like that till I¡¯m confident in you all being able to survive in the forests while protecting your squads on hunting trips on your own without any help from me or Jaba.


    Any other questions? You haven¡¯t asked anything yet Geedi. Nothing to add?¡±


    ¡°Thin...king.¡±


    ¡°Hm okay then.¡±


    [It is now 1200.]


    Oo it¡¯s getting late, anyway, I wonder what Geedi could possibly be thinking about, I hope it¡¯s not anything weird.


    ¡°Leader, I have a request instead of a question.¡± Said a pensive Jaba.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    Jaba looks really serious, what could it be that he feels the need to ask my permission first? Even going out of his way to call me Leader, I¡¯ll have to respond to his request with the same seriousness.


    A good Leader should always respond to their subordinates determination. At least I think so, I¡¯m pretty sure I saw something like that in some anime somewhere.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to go on the same type of training adventure you went on.¡±


    So he wants to get stronger. I can understand that. It¡¯s one thing to be a strong evolved creature, but it¡¯s another thing to become truly used to and accustomed to your new strength.


    I¡¯m sure he got motivated after seeing me fighting the stone golems during my ever so spectacular hollywood return to the tribe.


    But this is a delicate time of growth for the tribe, I don¡¯t think I want him spending an entire three weeks as I did in the forests.


    Even though I¡¯m sure he¡¯d be strong enough to survive and come back, I¡¯d like for one of us to always be here while the other one is away.


    So going on the hunting trips with the squads will have to be put on hold while he¡¯s gone.


    ¡°I understand, but you can¡¯t leave for more than three days. I¡¯d like one of us to always be here while the other is out, so the hunting trips will be on hold till you come back.


    I know it¡¯s not a long time, but I know you¡¯ll be able to accomplish at least something during this time.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s more than enough time, I appreciate the opportunity!¡±


    ¡°Great, then let¡¯s not waste too much time, leave first thing tomorrow morning I¡¯ll take care of the training of everyone while you''re gone.¡±


    [Finally.]


    Knew you¡¯d have something to say! Leave me alone dammit!


    ¡°Understood!¡±


    ¡°Alright good, are you still thinking Geedi? Remember it''s completely okay to ask anything, I¡¯ll answer every question or request to the best of my ability.¡±


    ¡°Rea..lly?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I will.¡±


    I¡¯ve only known Geedi for a little bit, but this is the first time I¡¯ve seen her hesitate. I guess it¡¯s a pretty serious request or question just like Jaba¡¯s was. Got to make sure to meet her expectations.


    Like a true gang green Leader would!


    ¡°It¡¯s...a...req...uest.¡±


    ¡°Alright what is it?¡±


    I¡¯m even more interested in this request than I was for Jaba, she was thinking about this for a while now, so it¡¯s got to be something extremely important.


    ¡°Let...me...ha..ve..your...chil..dren.¡± Said Geedi with an extremely determined expression as she stared at Rick.


    ¡°HUH?!¡±

 Chapter Thirty

    There¡¯s no way she¡¯s serious right? Her evolution one hundred and ten percent caused her to develop a weird sense of humor right? Did she listen to a single word I just said about having children?


    [She looks serious.]


    She does, doesn¡¯t she¡­


    Out of all the problems I thought could possibly happen from this conversation, this was not one of them.


    Am I that captivating of a Goblin? What am I asking, of course I am!


    With that being said, can I even blame her? It¡¯s me, Rick! The Royal Goblin genius! I even had my own Hollywood action fight scene when I fought those stone golems!


    [So you''re going to accept her request.]


    Ahem! No, I didn¡¯t say that. I¡¯m just trying to understand where she¡¯s coming from! Yes, that''s what I¡¯m doing¡­


    [Then why not ask her. She¡¯s been staring daggers at you while you¡¯ve been lost in your own delus-...thoughts.]


    You were going to say delusions, weren¡¯t you! I¡¯m on to you Velora!


    [I¡¯m just a skill and she¡¯s still staring at you.]


    I¡¯m starting to think otherwise! Whatever let''s see if maybe she has a good reason for causing my mental stress.


    ¡°Geedi, do you understand what you''re asking? If you do, why are you asking that?¡±


    ¡°Lea...der...smart...stro..ng...look..goo..d...fi..ght...stone...mon..sters..¡±


    So it was because of the fight against the stone golems!! I knew it! But how do I deal with this?


    I¡¯m not planning on being that cliche dense isekai main character type Goblin that doesn¡¯t know how to deal with the opposite sex, but that doesn¡¯t mean I want to have children with Geedi.


    Plus it seems like she values power and strength more than anything, even Jaba used to say similar things before he became a Hobgoblin. Actually he still kinda says things like that.


    I wonder if it is because she¡¯s not a Hobgoblin and her mind isn¡¯t so complex that a small show of power is enough to bring her to that decision.


    [So what are you going to do?]


    Well, I¡¯m going to turn her down, but hopefully, it won¡¯t cause her to hate me because it seems she really wanted me to agree to that.


    Actually..now that I think about it...I¡¯m forgetting one big ass reason for turning her down...


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    I¡¯m not ready to be a dad!


    You can¡¯t get the great Goblin Rick that easily Geedi!


    ¡°Okay I understand, but I¡¯ll have to deny that request Geedi. It¡¯s not time for you to focus on having children yet. Focus on getting stronger for now.¡±


    I¡¯ve never actually rejected someone like that before, but it should be fine right? That shouldn''t cause her to hate me or anything like that right?


    [Maybe.]


    ¡°Then...if..get...stron..ger?¡±


    [She doesn¡¯t seem to hate you.]


    Yes but this is a problem too!


    [Her mind should evolve once she becomes a Hobgoblin, so there¡¯s a chance she won¡¯t want your children anymore at that point.]


    That makes sense, but what if she does?


    [Then you can reject her again if you''re still opposed to it.]


    You know Velora, every now and then I¡¯m actually thankful for the advice you give.


    [Then why ignore my advice to go train?]


    Annnd now I¡¯m not so thankful, I¡¯m going to train soon!


    [Sure. By the way, it is now 1300.]


    At least you can tell the time properly!


    ¡°If you can become a Hobgoblin then I¡¯ll consider your request.¡±


    ¡°Hob..gob..lin?¡±


    ¡°Ah! Wait before we continue, Jaba, do you know what your race is?¡±


    ¡°A Goblin right?¡±


    Hmm, Velora are the races I see in the statuses of monsters actually known in the world? Or is it just something to make it easier for me to understand?


    [The races you see are the classifications created by the being who created both me and the status you possess, so they should also exist in the world. Though it is possible other races may call them different things.]


    You mean that rude voice that called itself a god?


    [Yes.]


    I see, then I guess that could definitely mean that some people of this world might actually classify us as something else.


    Guess that makes sense. I¡¯ll stick with what I see in the statuses though, and I¡¯ll even pass it on to my fellow Goblins.


    ¡°Jaba both you and I are more than just Goblins, we are Hobgoblins. A Goblin that has gone through two evolutions and became a Tier two creature.. We initially start at Tier 0 and the form you were in before your current state was Tier 1


    Although we are still Goblins at heart, we¡¯re a much stronger version than the normal Goblins training outside. We are even still leagues above High Goblins which is what Geedi, Dal, and Tars are.


    You three have only gone through one evolution, but you are still far stronger than what you were before. Every evolution you go through can only be achieved with hard work, so take pride in being a High Goblin!


    That goes for you too Jaba, as far as I know, you''re at the apex of the Goblin race! Take pride in being a Hobgoblin!


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    [That was a good speech. Geedi seems to be even more determined now.]


    Don¡¯t remind me¡­


    ¡°Ahem! Alright, we got a little side-tracked but hopefully, that answers your question Geedi. Both Jaba and I are Hobgoblins. Reach our level before bringing that request back to me.¡±


    ¡°Under..stood!!¡±


    ¡°Good, now unless you all have any more questions I think we¡¯ve covered enough for now. Go outside and give the Goblins a break from training. Then take your time to explain to your squads about everything we went over in this meeting.


    Jaba go with them to make sure the information is passed down properly. Also, don¡¯t forget to bring the squads out to hunt some more horned rabbits, but the squad captains should try not to help as much as possible.


    The more high Goblins we get the stronger we¡¯ll be.


    Once all that¡¯s done, do all the preparations you need to go on your training trip Jaba. I¡¯ll accompany you as far as the lake first thing in the morning.¡±


    ¡°Understood, I¡¯ll be ready. Squad captains, let''s go.¡±


    [You know Geedi still looked determined as ever as she walked out of the cave.]


    I noticed I¡¯m starting to wonder if she¡¯ll give up on that idea once she becomes a Hobgoblin.


    [I don¡¯t believe she will.]


    Yeah..probably not. I¡¯ll have to remind her not to do anything reckless to get stronger once we go on those hunting trips in a couple of days.


    Seems like I have got a lot more stressful days ahead of me, but whatever gang green will still find a way on top!

 Chapter Thirty One

    Alright with the talk finally over with, and the Goblins all outside training I can finally take a small break to look into my very own status..I¡¯m actually a little nervous..please bring up my status Velora!


    [Understood.]


    {Name - Rick}


    {Age - 20}


    {Race - Royal Goblin}


    {Tier 2}


    {Essence}


    {Evo Points - 92/180}


    {Health - 80/80}


    {Strength - 62}


    {Agility - 57}


    {Intelligence - 53}


    {Endurance - 59}


    {Skills}


    {Velora}


    And there it is! Wait, why is my intelligence only 53! I feel like that is a slight to my genius! I¡¯m clearly a Royal Goblin genius!


    [Remember the only reference you have to intelligence are other Goblins. Fifty three could very well be incredibly high.]


    Thats¡­that''s true! Hahaha Velora I think you''re right! I¡¯m definitely the smartest Goblin around!


    [Or it could also be incredibly low.]


    You..sigh.. You sure know how to bring a Goblin up and throw him right back down to earth huh?


    [Just giving you accurate and logical conclusions to help you on your journey.]


    Yeah yeah, anyways..I see the status still classifies my race as a Royal Goblin instead of a Hobgoblin like Jaba, which should mean it is more than just a title and something like a actual birthright huh So the tribal tattoos I have on my left arm is probably some type of Royal Goblin racial trait I¡¯m assuming.


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    Wait..doesn¡¯t this make me a target for enemy forces? Something like ¡®Kill the Goblin with tribal tattoos! He¡¯s their Leader!¡¯ ¡­ahh I¡¯m getting chills just thinking about it.


    [That sounds plausible, would it be better to hide your tattoos then?]


    That sounds like a good idea, but I can¡¯t help but want to show them off! I¡¯m a Royal Goblin for crying out loud, I should take pride in that! I just need to get strong enough so that I can show them off anywhere I go!


    [I suppose that works as well. When you''re done, you should probably head outside to observe the training.]


    Hmm you''re right I do need to go participate in a proper training session, maybe I can even introduce some new exercises.


    [Finally.]


    Yeah yeah, let''s go see if they¡¯re passing down everything we talked about earlier okay.


    [I doubt the unevolved Goblins will understand all of it.]


    Yeah, I don¡¯t think they will either, but as long as we can introduce the information to them now, it¡¯ll become a lot easier to them once they all evolve into high Goblins.


    The thing that I want them to understand the most when it comes to the talk is the whole idea of consent.


    I made it very clear to Jaba and the squad captains that anyone who forces themselves on another Goblin whether male or female will face some serious punishments.


    [Then make sure to remind once you get out there.]


    Yeah good point, got to make sure they understand.


    Once I made it out of the cave, I quickly spotted Jaba and the squad captains all standing together in the center of a circle with all the unevolved Goblins standing around them to form that circle.


    I guess they decided it¡¯d be better to talk to them as an entire group instead of just each captain talking to their own squad.


    I can even see Tars talking, albeit in small amounts but still he¡¯s talking.


    It didn¡¯t take long for them to spot me as well though, the second Jaba saw me he yelled at everyone to line up and they all moved accordingly with both extreme speed and efficiency.


    It¡¯s like a little military squad lining up when a supervisor walks in, I don¡¯t know where Jaba got the idea to train them to do these things, but I won¡¯t say anything about it since he looks quite happy to be doing this.


    Instead, I¡¯ll just work on keeping a straight face because I really want to start smiling at the sight of all of them lining up in such a crisp and orderly fashion.


    Anyway, let¡¯s just remind them about the whole consent thing then maybe I can observe some training.


    [And also participate in the training.]


    Yes, that too¡­


    ¡°Alright everyone, I¡¯m not sure how much information has already been passed down to you from Jaba the squad Leader, and Geedi, Dal, and Tars, the three squad captains.


    But whatever it is they already spoke about and whatever else they need to finish, do your best to remember that information. It is all very important for the tribe to get stronger. So don¡¯t fail to pay attention and even ask questions when you don¡¯t understand something.


    Also one of the most important things to remember is that no one is allowed to force someone else to have sex with them ever.


    This is a very important rule to me.


    Any Goblin caught forcing another Goblin to have sex with them will either be kicked out of the tribe or directly killed in front of the entire tribe.


    There will be no second chances about this, so please do not do it.


    Hopefully, everyone will follow that one.


    Now that¡¯s enough of that, the captains can finish passing down the information later today for now let me see how you guys train.¡±


    ¡°You all heard him! Everyone space out accordingly to your usual spots and begin training! Remain at a high intensity for the entire time and never slack!¡±


    ¡°Was that really necessary Jaba?¡±


    ¡°Yes it was. We train how we fight, so we can¡¯t go soft during training, or everyone will die when it¡¯s time to go deeper into the forests.¡±


    ¡°Yeah that¡¯s right, well let¡¯s see what this training is all about.¡±


    Hmm, it¡¯s definitely pretty high intensity but, they don¡¯t seem to actually be doing anything. Just a couple of basic moves being repeated at a rapid and powerful pace.


    But where are the push-ups? The sit-ups? Even some jogging? Jaba probably doesn¡¯t know about such exercises.


    ¡°Everything looks good for the most part Jaba, but I think I¡¯m going to make a few changes with our training schedule.¡±


    ¡°Which is?¡±


    ¡°Well, have you ever heard of a type of training called the push-up? Or even one particular method called the sit-up?¡±


    ¡°No, I have not."

 Chapter Thirty Two

    ¡°Alright everyone pay attention! I¡¯m going to show you a couple of different training exercises that we will now be doing every morning before the start of actual combat training.


    This type of training will be called warm-ups, and they must be done before every session every morning!¡±


    Rick then went to show all the Goblins present a few short and simple stretches while doing his best to explain that the purpose of said stretches is to loosen up the muscles within their bodies.


    That then led to the squad captains, Jaba, and of course all the unevolved Goblins wondering what muscles were.


    Rick was forced to pause his little demonstration to begin another long period of explanation, but this time regarding Goblin biology.


    Though Rick only knew about the basics when it came to human biology, so he was completely clueless when it came to the anatomy of Goblins.


    Velora, do you happen to know anything about the insides of a Goblin?


    [I have no information regarding the anatomy of any creature, perhaps opening up a willing Goblin will be able to provide more information.]


    What the hell do you mean a willing Goblin?!


    Do you think anyone is just open to dying for the sole reason of being cut open for research??


    [I suppose an unwilling Goblin will work just as well.]


    You''re no help at all sometimes! Wanting me to murder Goblins all willy nilly!


    [Knowledge is important.]


    Whatever you say, well I guess I just have to wing it like always.


    ¡°Alright so you all don¡¯t need to worry about this whole muscle thing just yet, but I¡¯ll explain it a little bit to give you guys a rough idea of just what we are working on.


    So everyone and everything has muscles, all of us here, the horned rabbits we kill and eat, and almost every creature you will see once we venture out deeper into the forests and world.


    The muscles are under our skin, and it''s what we use to move our body parts around when we do anything, training, fighting, cooking, muscles are a part of it all.


    The best thing about muscles though is that we can train them to get stronger, much much stronger.


    But although muscles can get stronger, we still have to take care of them like you do with your weapon. Doing all those stretches I showed you every morning will help to keep your muscles in the best condition possible at all times, so make sure to do it.


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    Now there¡¯s a bunch of other stuff we can do to take care of our muscles but just worry about stretching for now, I¡¯ll teach you all about that stuff later.


    Are there any questions so far?¡±


    ¡°Yes, so has the training we¡¯ve been doing so far been useless?¡±


    ¡°Good question Jaba, but no the training you¡¯ve been doing so far is very important and we won¡¯t stop, we¡¯ll only improve on it.


    This type of training helps to improve a specific thing to do with our muscles called muscle memory.


    That just means our muscles and our entire body as a whole will remember the movements that we practice a lot, so everything we do in training will become a lot easier to do in an actual fight.


    I¡¯m sure you all have probably already noticed that, but does that answer your question Jaba?¡±


    ¡°Yes it does, but I have one more, if those stretches you showed us earlier are for keeping our muscles in good condition, are there different ones to make our muscles stronger?¡±


    [It is now 1400. By the way, I hope you are paying attention to your own explanation about training.]


    You hate me, don¡¯t you?


    [Of course not.]


    So you say.


    ¡°To answer your question, yes there are others, it''s the ones I asked you about before all this. Push-ups and sit-ups are just two of a whole bunch of other types of things we can do, but we¡¯ll start off on just those two for now.


    If there are no other questions, then I can show everyone exactly how to do them and we can begin a small training session in them before you guys go hunting for rabbits.¡±


    After going through another headache-inducing explanation for all the Goblins, coupled with some ridiculing from Velora, Rick began his workout demonstrations again.


    Doing his very best to maintain proper form during his push-ups, and not forgetting to emphasize the need to keep their body in a straight line all the way through.


    He even made sure to tell them to go all the way down without touching the ground and then going all the way back up. Needless to say, the whole going all the way down thing was a little challenging for the unevolved Goblins due to their potbellies.


    He then showed them how to do a proper sit-up with the help of Jaba holding his feet down. This one was much easier for the Goblins to replicate even with their potbellies.


    Once Rick finished giving his demonstrations the Goblins all gave the workouts a try, while Rick was there to point out any mistakes in their form and help out whenever needed.


    Jaba and the squad captains picked up on it as fast as you¡¯d expect, and Geedi even went as far as doing push-ups till she couldn¡¯t move her arms.


    Her determination and drive seemed to know no bounds.


    Rick was a little worried about seeing that for his own particular reasons but in the end, he used her as an example for the others to know when to stop and take a break.


    On the other hand, the unevolved Goblins needed a lot more attention from Rick when it came to doing the workouts, especially the push-ups.


    Of course, Rick was very helpful during the whole process, and it didn¡¯t take long for every Goblin present to get used to the different workouts.


    Rick also reminded the squad captains to relay the information to the four Goblins on guard duty.


    All in all, it was a very productive experience for both Rick and all the other Goblins, including Jaba and the three squad captains.


    Of course, Velora made sure to remind Rick just how much of a productive experience it was.


    Much to Ricks¡¯ dismay of course.


    Once the Goblins finished getting used to the workouts, they all set off as one big group to go hunt in the nearby forests for the seemingly never-ending supply of horned rabbits.


    Probably one of the few creatures who grow faster than Goblins.


    Rick and Jaba both stayed behind as they were obviously not needed for the hunt, Rick went back inside the cave to do some research into the stone monster corpses and a couple unevolved Goblin statuses. While Jaba stayed outside to continue training in preparation for his departure in the morning.


    Forever a busy road on the way to a Goblin empire for Rick and his tribe.

 Chapter Thirty Three

    [It is now 1500.]


    I don''t know if time is going fast or slow, but we¡¯ve gotten a lot done today anyway so I guess it doesn¡¯t matter too much.


    Can you bring up the statuses from the couple of unevolved Goblins we looked at earlier please.


    [Understood.]


    {Name - None}


    {Age - 2}


    {Race - Goblin}


    {Tier 0}


    {Health - 15/15}


    {Strength - 2}


    {Agility - 2}


    {Intelligence - 2}


    {Endurance - 2}


    {Name - None}


    {Age - 4}


    {Race - Goblin}


    {Tier 0}


    {Health - 15/15}


    {Strength - 2}


    {Agility - 2}


    {Intelligence - 2}


    {Endurance - 2}


    {Name - None}


    {Age - 3}


    {Race - Goblin}


    {Tier 0}


    {Health - 15/15}


    {Strength - 2}


    {Agility - 2}


    {Intelligence - 2}


    {Endurance - 2}


    {Name - None}


    {Age - 1}


    {Race - Goblin}


    {Tier 0}


    {Health - 15/15}


    {Strength - 2}


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    {Agility - 2}


    {Intelligence - 2}


    {Endurance - 2}


    Hmm, so it looks like the stats of Goblins don¡¯t really change much till they evolve into high Goblins. I guess that¡¯s why Goblin tribes don¡¯t last long in the world probably, we have really terrible low and weak starting points. I also used to think Jaba was the oldest Goblin in the tribe apart from me obviously, but that seems to be wrong.


    There is a Goblin here the same age as him, and even one Goblin who is a whole year older than him.


    I wonder why the older Goblins didn¡¯t evolve before Jaba, and even now before Geedi, Dal, and Tars, who are all two years old.


    Is that where each individual Goblin¡¯s personality comes into play? Hmm, I should probably go check out all the different Goblin statuses in the tribe to see if there are any older ones, but I think I¡¯ll wait till they evolve into high Goblins.


    That should be fairly interesting because if they¡¯re older than Jaba they might remember way more about life before the stone monster attack.


    Though they were normal Goblins at the time so that might just be wishful thinking.


    I¡¯ll just have to wait and see if they remember anything once they evolve. No use in thinking about it for now.


    There¡¯s even a Goblin who¡¯s only one year old, so I¡¯m assuming that one¡¯s got to be the youngest Goblin in the tribe.


    I guess that that means the stone golem attack that killed most of the tribe was less than a year ago probably.


    Not one of them has a name either, I guess you don¡¯t need a name if all of them look exactly the same and can¡¯t even communicate with each other.


    Well, that¡¯ll all change with me being here, Goblins are about to be stronger than ever.


    Though I wonder when we¡¯ll get some baby Goblins. Soon enough all the current Goblins here will evolve into high Goblins, so we should have a pretty elite force, but we need a lot more than what we currently have.


    I can¡¯t expect them to just start popping out babies so soon after just hearing about the whole reproduction thing.


    So going out to find other Goblin tribes should be my number one focus for now.


    Should I change my plans slightly then?


    Ideally, I¡¯d want either me or Jaba to always be here in cases of any emergency like the stone golems attacking or some other random variable like the wolf.


    But If I¡¯m going to go looking for other Goblins, I can potentially be gone for a significantly long time.


    This means Jaba will just be stuck here unable to go out and fight stronger prey while I¡¯m gone. But how can I avoid that if I want to both accomplish goals and protect the tribe at the same time?


    What do you think Velora?


    [There is the option of just waiting for more Goblins to become high Goblins, or even waiting until one of the squad captains becomes a Hobgoblin.]


    I guess I can just take it easy and wait it out then it¡¯d make it a lot easier for me to go out and explore for longer periods of time.


    While Jaba and whoever the newly advanced Hobgoblin is can rotate between staying at home and going to hunt deeper in the forest.


    [But you''re not going to do that are you.]


    Of course not! Well maybe, I don¡¯t know yet. The tribe needs to get bigger, and having more information about the areas around us can¡¯t hurt either.


    Who knows, maybe while I sit still and wait for more evolutions, that old wolf or the monster in the lake can choose to attack.


    The whole entire tribe fighting wouldn¡¯t be able to stop them, so would it really matter if neither Jaba nor myself is here?


    [Probably not. Regardless of whatever you decide to do, the tribe is a lot stronger now even without you and Jaba¡¯s present.


    Three high Goblins and all the unevolved Goblins have actual battle experience.


    That coupled with their constant training makes them a tribe that might be far stronger than you might give them credit for.]


    Wow that was really inspiring Velora, you should start writing poems or something.


    [Only if you properly start training.]


    I guess I set myself up for that one, any way you''re most definitely right, my Goblins are all a part of gang green so there¡¯s no way they are weak.


    With that being said, I¡¯ve made my decision then. I¡¯m going to leave at some point again to begin another journey. Though I won¡¯t leave too soon as there is still much to do here, so let''s start with the stone monster corpses. Which were really just a pile of big rocks at this point, nothing was even in the shape of a body since it all broke apart once they died.


    After Rick made his way over to the small corner where the stone monster corpses were and began inspecting them, he found the whole reason on why he wanted to look at them. In some of the large rock remains of the stone monster, were bronze looking pieces of metal-like seemingly built into the stone. Of course this excited Rick.


    Look at it, it definitely looks like some type of ore right? It just has to be! Velora, do you think you''re able to scan this? I don''t think you¡¯ve tried to scan nonliving things before.


    [I can try.]


    [It seems I can.]


    {Name - ??}


    {Type - Ore}


    Wait is that it?..I suppose I should be grateful you were even able to scan it at all, this is good news. It also confirmed that it''s ore, meaning we can turn it into tools and stuff right?


    [Yes, that should be possible.]


    Of course that is easier said than done, so for now I think I will hold off on this a little bit until we grow some more. No need to rush and do everything all at once, number one priority for now is to grow and get stronger, there will always be time for other things later.


    Though with that being said I think I¡¯m actually gonna leave right away instead of waiting a while¡­I¡¯m not sure it''s the best idea but I think it will be beneficial. What do you think Velora?


    [There are pros and cons to everything, all you can do is make confident decisions and live with the consequences whether they are good or bad. Though regardless of the outcome, whether good or bad, you should still learn something from it to help make better decisions in the future, as you¡¯re now responsible for lives other than your own.]


    That was deep..very deep, thank you Velora and I think you helped me with my decision. I left for two weeks, and the tribe grew stronger with the instructions I left them, and I think they will continue to grow stronger at this rate so leaving again so soon shouldn¡¯t be too much of a problem.


    I trust my fellow Goblins!


    Though I¡¯ll have to leave some instructions for the tribe because I might be gone for a long time.


    Alright, Velora, what are some major things that can happen while I¡¯m gone?


    [Well for one, a multitude of evolutions can take place depending on how long you''re gone. More normal Goblins could become high Goblins, while the current high Goblins could become Hobgoblins, and even Jaba could evolve beyond a high-tier Hobgoblin before you return.


    Also, the Goblins might begin to try reproducing which would lead to a bigger tribe by the time you return.


    The Goblins could get attacked by stone golems, or something stronger and all perish. A few of them might also die due to encountering strong monsters while on a normal hunt.


    Maybe other stuff as well, but these are the few I believe have a decent chance of happening.]


    So basically I have a lot to talk about when they come back from hunting.


    [Basically.]

 Chapter Thirty Four

    Once everyone came back from the hunting trip, stacked full with horned rabbits, Rick brought the squad captains and Jaba inside for another meeting.


    With a few unevolved Goblins scattered around the cave taking care of the cleaning up process of the horned rabbits, while the others continued to train, the meeting started.


    ¡°Okay so look, I¡¯ve decided to change some things from our earlier meeting. I¡¯m going to put more faith in the strength of the current tribe.


    And because of that, I¡¯m going to go on another adventure to find new Goblins now instead of when Jaba comes back from his training.


    That means I won¡¯t be here to guide you all through the hunting trips deeper into the forests, or for any issues that may arise while I¡¯m gone.


    Instead, I will trust you all to be able to take care of everything, especially Jaba.


    My plan is to leave tomorrow morning before anyone even wakes up and before Jaba leaves for his own training trip deeper into the forest.


    I know this is a fast decision because I just came back, but I don¡¯t like sitting around when I know there are monsters way stronger than us not too far away.


    We have to grow bigger and stronger quickly and efficiently.


    That is why my mission is to potentially find another tribe and bring them back here is very important, and If I don¡¯t find other tribes even discovering other threats we need to be wary of is also just as important.


    But of course the ultimate prize would be to find more, because if I were to succeed we would most likely double in strength and size immediately.


    So since I¡¯ve already been a lot deeper into the forest and I didn¡¯t find any Goblins there or even any signs of them, I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll have to go much farther to find even faint signs of them.


    That means I could be gone for much longer than the time I was gone before. I¡¯m not sure how long it¡¯ll take, but I plan to search for them until I find them or something of importance whatever it may be, or I simply can¡¯t go any further.


    It could take weeks, maybe even months but if I find nothing even after one year has passed I¡¯ll come home.


    Now I won¡¯t just leave you guys in the dark about things of the future while I¡¯m gone. So I¡¯m going to leave behind some instructions and advice for you all to follow while I¡¯m gone.


    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    Pay attention.


    First, Jaba will be overall in charge of the tribe while I¡¯m gone as he is the squad Leader.


    The squad captains are to assist him in taking care of the tribe, but all final decisions will come from Jaba.


    So basically like how it was when Jaba was still the Leader.


    Now tomorrow morning Jaba will leave to go on his three-day training trip, so the tribe will be without both myself and Jaba for that time.


    Which means the squad captains will be in charge of the tribe.


    During that time if the three of you can¡¯t all agree on a decision, then find out which two agree on the same thing and go with that.


    Now if all three want three different things then all three of you are wrong, find something else.


    Secondly, if any other normal Goblins evolve then they will still stay in their current squads and will not be promoted to squad captains or get their own squad.


    The tribe isn¡¯t big enough for every high Goblin to get their own squad, so nothing will change. At least not until the tribe gets bigger.


    Now if any squad captains evolve into Hobgoblins the same thing still applies, you will remain as a squad captain for now.


    Once the tribe gets much bigger, then the positions can change, and we¡¯ll add new ones as we go.


    Thirdly, if while I¡¯m gone everyone decides to give sex and reproduction a go, then I expect the new Goblin training grounds to come into play.


    With the two squads we will have staying home to protect and guide them as they grow up. Then placing them in a squad once they are ready.


    Nothing will change on that front.


    Just make sure the main rule about not forcing anyone to have sex is focused on. And if anyone breaks it then they should be punished like the rule says.


    Fourthly, if the tribe gets attacked I expect the whole tribe to fight them off and protect our home.


    But if the danger is too large then try to escape, and regroup somewhere in the forest, being alive is always better than being dead.


    We can always rebuild and start again if we¡¯re alive, but it all ends once we die, so fight if you can but if you can¡¯t, then escape.


    Now, are there any questions about all that?¡±


    ¡°How many Goblins are you planning on bringing back?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not too sure, but I will only bring back whatever I think the tribe is big enough to handle.¡±


    ¡°What will you do if there are too many Goblins to bring back?¡±


    ¡°Two good questions in a row, Jaba I love it, but at that point, it¡¯ll depend on how strong all those Goblins are.


    If it''s just a lot of normal Goblins then I might risk it and bring them back anyway, but if there are high Goblins and even Hobgoblins involved then I¡¯ll stick to just making contact and worry about bringing them back depending on how our initial contact goes.¡±


    ¡°Alright, what if you die or get captured? We would never know to be able to come help you.¡±


    ¡°Another tough question, you''re on a roll Jaba. Though like I said earlier, I will search for up to a year, and If I find nothing once I reach that one-year limit I¡¯ll immediately come back to the village, which might take another year to do so.


    So basically if I¡¯m not back within two whole years, assume your favorite Goblin Rick has died, and my dreams for Goblin domination will fall to you.


    Does that answer your question and are there any others?¡±


    ¡°Yes it does thank you, and no that''s all the questions I had.¡±


    ¡°Okay great, what about you all Geedi, Dal, and Tars?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Alright, then that settles everything.¡±

 Chapter Thirty Five

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    Rick ended the meeting and let everyone go back to what they were doing before. He just spent the rest of the day in his tent.


    Daydreaming about what his next adventure might hold in store for him.


    After living a fairly normal life at least by what human society back on earth thought was normal, he was really enjoying the thrill of adventuring to somewhere new.


    Needless to say, Rick didn¡¯t plan on being one of those Leaders that delegated everything possible to their subordinates and ran wild all over the place without taking proper responsibility for his people.


    He knows even if he doesn¡¯t want to, he won¡¯t really have the ability to do that at some point in the future when his dreams of Goblin domination and a thriving Goblin empire come to fruition, but right now it''s a joy he¡¯s grown to love. The freedom of adventure was truly a thrilling feeling.


    He is definitely taking advantage of the fact due to the small size of his tribe and the lack of actual rules and policies that there aren¡¯t any restrictions on how the Leader is supposed to behave.


    He didn¡¯t plan on introducing anything like that to the tribe either, at least for the time being.


    Rick knew that as an organization grows bigger and bigger, that certain political aspects always tend to come into play. But he hoped in his heart that maybe things will be different in Goblin society.


    That the greed and jealousy of humankind would just be foreign concepts when it comes to Goblins.


    But that might just be wishful thinking, he knew at some point in the future as the tribe gets bigger, that there might be a Goblin who covets the position of Leader and the power it holds, or maybe even a group of Goblins who wanted to do nothing more than to kill him.


    Though if that actually happens, it¡¯ll be far in the future. For now, Rick will just worry about the things he can, like going on an adventure to find more Goblins, or how to get Velora to stop asking him to train.


    Just simple things.


    Oh, he¡¯s also wondering as to why Jaba woke up the same time as him, even though he planned to leave long before anyone else woke up.


    ¡°So why are you up and waiting for me at the entrance of the cave Jaba?¡±


    ¡°I wanted to see you off on this long journey. I don¡¯t believe the Leader of the tribe should set off without anyone there to see.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s really classy of you Jaba, very noble Goblin-like.¡±


    Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Thank you, but do you have any idea as to which direction you''re going to go in?¡±


    ¡°Not yet, I¡¯ll probably head to the lake and decide from there. By the way, I probably should¡¯ve told you all yesterday but I¡¯m leaving all my stuff here for you all.


    It was just bones and hides from various creatures from my journey into the forest. I¡¯m sure you all can figure out some uses for it.


    Also, remember everything I told you going deep into the forest. Never go on the north side of the lake, and never get too close to the lake itself. If you stick to the east and west side of the lake you should be fine.¡±


    ¡°Understood, I¡¯ll keep it in mind.¡±


    ¡°Alright that¡¯s enough dilly-dallying, take care of the tribe while I¡¯m gone.¡±


    ¡°Yes Sir!¡±


    Just like that Rick left again for another adventure. Even though he¡¯s barely been back to the tribe a day or two, he¡¯s now back on the road or in this case in the forest again. And he¡¯s already facing his first challenge upon his arrival at the lake.


    So where the hell should I actually go? I told Jaba I¡¯d figure it out at the lake, but now that I¡¯m here it¡¯s kinda hard to actually decide where exactly I want to go.


    Any thoughts on the matter, Velora?


    [You can always go ask the foxlike monster located on the northern side of the lake.]


    Now why in green Goblin''s name would I go do such a thing?


    [Well one of the first things he said to you during that encounter was ¡°Haven¡¯t seen a Goblin of your size in a long time.¡± This should mean he has seen other Goblins before, and even one of your current evolution.]


    I forgot you can remember everything. It¡¯s because you feel like more than just a skill these days. Anyway, there''s a lot that can go wrong here. Plus I¡¯m not too comfortable with talking to someone who can kill me and wipe out the entire tribe before I can spell Goblin.


    [It¡¯s either that, or you can start walking in a random direction.]


    Well, when you put it like that.. I still don''t want to talk to him!


    What if he questions why I want to find other Goblins? What if he wants to stop me from doing exactly that? What if he just kills me?!


    [You won¡¯t get anywhere asking these questions. Just make a decision and go.]


    Ah, fuck it! Let''s go find the damn fox!


    [He¡¯ll probably come to you once you reach the Northern side of the lake. I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll find him if he doesn¡¯t want to be found.]


    Fair point, anyway, let''s head over there.


    Rick slowly and alertly made his way around the lake to the spot where he met the wolf, or at least as close to it as he can remember.


    He only had to stand there and wander around aimlessly for a few minutes before a familiar fox greeted him.


    ¡°Interesting, it hasn¡¯t been that long since you left and you''re already back. I honestly didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be back so soon. I even thought you¡¯d be too scared to come back.¡±


    Who the hell is he calling scared dammit!


    [You but calm down. This is important.]


    You¡¯re right, I know. I just don¡¯t like him.


    ¡°Yes I¡¯m back, but I just came to ask a question, if that''s alright. I¡¯ll be on my way right after.¡±


    ¡°Hmm..Interesting. What is this question then?¡±


    ¡°Where can I find more Goblins?¡±


    ¡°What an interesting question. Why do you want to find more Goblins? Isn¡¯t your tribe south of here?¡±


    ¡°I want to be around more of my kind.¡±


    ¡°Another interesting comment, but I¡¯m no fool Goblin. I don¡¯t care if you want to grow your little tribe of Goblins, but I do care when someone tries to play me for a fool, I advise you to mind your manners in the future.


    ¡­Though since it was your first offense I¡¯ll look past it and answer your little question..I last saw other Goblins far west of the lake, they could be gone by now though so don¡¯t get your hopes up. Goblin tribes don¡¯t tend to last too long.¡±

 Chapter Thirty Six

    Right after the Fox finished speaking, he immediately vanished just as fast as he showed up in front of Rick. At that point, Rick immediately began running towards the west side of the lake, filled with¡­ a variety of thoughts.


    Velora! That was a fucking threat, wasn¡¯t it?! What the hell did he mean by Goblin tribes don¡¯t last long?! Is he planning to make sure that''s the same case for my tribe?!


    I¡¯m never going back to see that damn fox! I told him one little Goblin lie and he got all upset! Talking about how he¡¯s no fool and what not! He even started throwing threats my way!


    I promise if I wasn¡¯t so much weaker than him he¡¯d already been a damn nice coat! Dammit, I hate being weak!


    [I understand what you''re going through. Hopefully, you can evolve again soon. I have a feeling your next evolution will be extremely special, though I¡¯m positive it¡¯s extremely far down the road.


    And although he did leave with you some threats that don¡¯t appear to just be casual, he did give you the information you were looking for. That should count as a win. Now just go find those Goblins and get strong enough so that his threats will mean nothing.]


    Now, why can¡¯t you be this comforting all the time?


    [I¡¯m always operating in line with your best interests. This is why you should begin training wholeheartedly now. Especially with the threat of the fox hovering so close to the tribe.]


    You know usually, I¡¯d fight you on that, but this time I¡¯m all for it, especially since I¡¯m back out deep into forests now. There¡¯s no better training than actual fighting with my life on the line!


    [Good, now get a move on it because it is now 0800 and Jaba should¡¯ve left for his own training by this time, so if you don¡¯t want to run into him again I suggest you make haste.]


    Oh damn yeah you''re right, let''s get it going then!


    Lead me to every damn monster you find. I''m going on a Goblin killing spree!


    [You''re going to be killing the Goblins you find? I was under the assumption that you wanted to bring them back to the tribe.]


    What? No! Just lead me to the monsters Velora!


    [Understood.]


    [Found one. It¡¯s close by. Keep heading straight and you¡¯ll come across it. Bringing its status up right now.]


    {Name - None}


    {Age - 3}


    {Race - Horned Deer}


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    {Tier 1}


    {Health - 60/60}


    {Mana - 10/10}


    {Strength - 60}


    {Agility - 30}


    {Intelligence - 18}


    {Endurance - 45}


    [You¡¯ve fought these before, just remember to be wary of the giant horn in the middle of its antlers.]


    Understood!


    The horned deer, which is completely unrelated to the horned rabbit, immediately charged at Rick once it noticed him with its head lowered and both antlers along with its horn pointed squarely at Rick.


    Again, this creature is completely unrelated to the horned rabbit.


    Upon seeing the charging deer, Rick gripped his spear firmly and charged right back at the deer. It only took a few seconds before they were both just a mere five feet from each other.


    At this point, it would just take a couple of seconds for them to run into each other.


    It was then that Rick performed a sharp jump to the left of the deer, to which the deer tried to respond by stopping and turning towards him.


    But it simply didn¡¯t have the type of reaction speed, and necessary agility to do so in time.


    As soon as Rick jumped to the left and the deer began passing him by, he viciously stabbed his dagger straight into the side of the deer before his own feet even touched the ground.


    The amount of pure power behind that strike made the deer easily topple to the ground, creating a loud thud as the three hundred and fifty-pound deer who was four feet tall at the shoulders came crashing down.


    It struggled to breathe as the strike from the fang went directly through its lungs. Its suffering didn¡¯t last too long as the last thing it saw was a large, green Goblin bringing a fang down on its head.


    The deer was dead.


    Rick quickly and efficiently harvested just the right amount of meat he wanted and the horn of the deer. Leaving the remaining carcass there for the taking.


    This horn would do well as a spearhead.


    Mind you, the only thing Rick brought on this particular adventure was his trusty fang daggers and the clothes on his back, and a small pouch with nothing in it. But he didn¡¯t plan on staying in one place too long, so he just took a few strips of meat and the horn and placed them in the pouch.


    So it didn¡¯t take too long for him to quickly fashion a sturdy enough spear from branch nearby other things he found, even making use of the sinew found on the now dead deer to tie everything together. Of course the spear probably wouldn¡¯t last long but it¡¯ll do for now.


    It was still early in the day; he wasn¡¯t going to stop killing like this for quite some time while simultaneously moving further west with each kill.


    In fact, he went on that way for a couple of hours, killing everything he could find and taking only what he needed from each kill.


    Of course he made sure to take breaks to allow both him and Velora to absorb all the essence gained.


    It was around 1100 when he finally decided to take a rest. Although it was mostly because he was hungry and needed to dry the meat out as best as possible while the sun was still up.


    He found a nice little spot in the middle of the forest where Velora couldn¡¯t sense any monsters and laid out the strips of meat he cut to dry on a nearby rock.


    How many monsters did I kill Velora?


    [In three hours you killed exactly fifteen monsters, with 11 of them being Tier 1, three Tier 0s, and one Tier 2 .]


    Yeah, it was another giant saber ostrich thing, what was its actual race called again?


    [It was called a Fanged Flightless Bird.]


    What a long-ass name for no reason, calling it a saber ostrich is definitely better. Don¡¯t you agree Velora?


    [Saber ostrich is definitely a shorter name.]


    Ah, you''re no fun. Anyway, I''m going to take a little snooze here while we wait for the meat to dry. Of course, wake me up if anything comes too close.


    [Understood.]

 Chapter Thirty Seven

    [Wake up.]


    ..Is something coming..?


    [No, but it¡¯s been several hours, and the meat has long since been dry. Unless you plan to spend the night here, I think it¡¯s time to wake up. I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t want to be wasting any more time here.]


    Ah shit, I guess I forgot to tell you what time to wake me up at huh...Anyway, it''s good that you did, thank you, and you''re right, I definitely can¡¯t waste time, a very important future for Goblins is on the line here!


    [Of course. So now what are your plans for the night? It¡¯s now 1800 and as you can see, the sun has already set.]


    Well, because I took that long-ass nap, I say let''s travel through the night but at a much slower pace. Hopefully the night is peaceful, and we can cover a lot of distance even at a slower pace, heck maybe we even run into some Goblins and can find somewhere to sleep.


    [Unlikely.]


    Yeah yeah you''re probably right, for now, can you bring up my status please? I''ll take a look at it then we can continue moving.


    [Understood.]


    {Name - Rick}


    {Age - 20}


    {Race - Royal Goblin}


    {Essence}


    {Evo Points - 99/180}


    {Health - 80/80}


    {Strength - 62}


    {Agility - 57}


    {Intelligence - 53}


    {Endurance - 59}


    {Skills}


    {Velora}


    Since we split the essence absorbed, I¡¯m just at 99/180. Still quite a long way to go before I reach Tier 3.


    [That should be accurate. If evolving into a stronger monster was easy then everyone would be as strong as that fox.]


    Yeah, I know, no pain no gain I guess.


    ~


    So Rick gathered his dried meat, his latest spear, which was still in relatively decent shape, and began moving through the night.


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    It wasn¡¯t easy to move both silently and stealthily when one was so large but being the same color as the foliage around him played a part.


    Also having his own radar to continuously scan the area around him in Velora was huge too.


    He safely moved farther and farther westward throughout the entire night while avoiding monsters here and there. He had to avoid them if he could because fighting monsters at night would only be bad news, especially if he had to fight too many monsters at once. He could still see in the dark, but he didn¡¯t have night vision, so he would be at a disadvantage against monsters who were born to see better at night.


    Though he did have to fight at one particular moment during the night, well if you could even call it fighting. The monster was one that also managed to escape the constant radar from Velora.


    It was probably the most dangerous fight Rick had been in since his time fighting what he refers to as a Saber Ostrich before he evolved into a Tier 2 Royal Goblin.


    ~


    What time is it Velora?


    [It is almost 2300.]


    Okay gotcha, It¡¯s still going to be a while before it hits daytime.¡¯


    [Yes it will, the sun should not rise until 07..SOMETHING IS CLOSE!! DUCK!!!]


    ¡°AHH!! MY SHOULDER!!¡±


    [I think it¡¯s some type of flying monster! I didn¡¯t detect it until it was already right next to you! Stay quiet and stay alert!!]


    Dammit, were you at least able to discern it?!


    [No! It was moving too fast for even that!]


    ~


    After diving in and leaving a large gash along Rick¡¯s right shoulder that was now leaking out blood, the mystery assailant quietly landed atop a nearby tree.


    It eyed Rick as nothing more than a large piece of meat that stumbled into its hunting grounds. Just like it did with every other monster, it planned on killing Rick slowly with multiple diving attacks too fast for Rick to cope with. The monster itself wasn¡¯t very strong when it came to a head to head battle, so of course it chose to simply never engage in such things, as that would be foolish for it.


    It trusted in its speed and ability to blend into the darkness more than anything. It had yet to meet another monster who could best it in speed and stealth.


    If Rick had a chance to see this monster, he would immediately associate it with a hawk of some sort.


    Except it was no hawk that Rick had seen on earth, it was covered in sleek back feathers that made no sound when flying through the night sky.


    From its feet to its talons, to its very beak. Everything was all black. The only thing on its body that showed a different color was its eyes. They gave off a beautiful blue tint that was perfectly in contrast with the night sky.


    Truly a beautiful monster perfectly fitted with the darkness of the night.


    Though most creatures never really get the chance to marvel at that beauty.


    ~


    Dammit, it¡¯s obviously faster than me, and I have no way to track it, nor are my eyes good enough to even see it coming.


    Which means my options are limited.


    Velora, my survival will depend a lot on how fast you can detect it, and how fast I can react to that detection.


    Focus everything on that.


    [Understood!]


    Cmon cmon cmon¡­ Where are you¡­ Show yourself¡­


    [LEFT!]


    ¡°SHIT! My other fucking shoulder!!¡±


    [Move positions! Try to get out of its territory!]


    Dammit alright!!


    [Behind! DIVE!]


    [YOU BARELY MADE IT! GET UP AND KEEP RUNNING!]


    [LEFT!]


    [RIGHT!]


    [JUMP!!]


    At this point, the hawk was getting frustrated. It had only managed to properly strike Rick twice, but Rick had yet to show signs of stopping or dying.


    And to make matters worse since the second strike, it couldn¡¯t seem to hit Rick anymore.


    The hawk was in peak condition and could tell that it was much faster than the green creature running away from it. Yet it couldn¡¯t hit him anymore.


    The timing and precision of the hawk¡¯s attacks were sharp and swift, yet no matter how hard the hawk tried, Rick managed to dodge at the very last second.


    Rick had even given up on trying to fight back, he was only running as fast as he could while performing various evasive maneuvers at the last moment before being hit.


    Although the hawk was still full of energy, it knew it couldn¡¯t hunt the green monster for much longer. It was moving farther and farther away from its nest and hunting grounds.


    So it only chased Rick for roughly another forty five minutes after the second attack before frustratedly finally giving up on such a large piece of dinner. Of course the hawk truly found this a shame.


    Rick didn¡¯t know this information yet though. He kept running for two whole hours after the eagle left , with even Velora staying on high alert, primed and ready to warn Rick of any type of danger not just from the hawk, since they were still in the wild and anything could attack at any moment.


    The only reason Rick finally stopped to catch his breath and tend to his wounds, was because his legs were simply about to give out after running that hard for that long. Stopping was better than collapsing after all. Plus he finally felt a little safe, which helped his decision to stop and well¡­ he collapsed anyway.

 Chapter Thirty Eight

    Here in the darkness of the night, deep into the ever-dangerous forests away from his home was a Tier 2 Royal Goblin. This Royal Goblin had just finished running for his dear life for over two hours. In that same two hour span, that Hobgoblin covered an astounding distance of forty plus miles.


    Though the Royal Goblin in question wasn¡¯t aware of the number of miles he traveled.


    The Royal Goblin was of course Rick, and he was lying flat on his back gasping for air as he tried to catch his breath.


    This is something he¡¯d like to have avoided doing because such action could immediately lead to his death if something strong stumbled upon him.


    But he couldn¡¯t help it, once all the adrenaline wore off he instantly collapsed at his current position.


    Running as far as he did, for as long as he did, at that speed was by no means an easy feat.


    But it had to be done. He had to ensure that the mysterious flying monster trying to kill him had backed off.


    So through nothing but sheer will and mental strength, he ran as fast as he could for two entire hours before finally feeling some semblance of safety.


    And now he is experiencing the repercussions of such an action.


    Barely being able to maintain any form of steady breathing, unable to move any part of his body without experiencing excruciating pain from the stress he put his body through.


    He was also quite sure he had injured the bones in his feet in some way, though it was only an assumption based on the pain he was going through.


    If he were to get attacked in this situation by another creature with the same strength as the hawk or even himself for that matter, it¡¯d be the immediate end of the Royal Goblin named Rick.


    And all of this is without taking into account the large gashes on his shoulders. With one large gash on each shoulder, he was definitely not in any condition to fight.


    So all Rick could do was just lay there, and trust Velora to watch his surroundings while hoping he would recover fairly quickly as a Tier 2 Royal Goblin, without suffering any attacks from monsters.


    Though hoping alone can¡¯t change reality.


    It didn''t take very long for Rick to fall unconscious from just pure exhaustion. Velora could do little to nothing to stop him from drifting away in sleep.


    Velora could also do nothing but watch during the event that followed Rick falling unconscious.


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    She could only watch in suspense as Rick was dragged away by a singular humanoid creature.


    Even after seeing the status card of the creature and figuring out what was taking Rick away, she still didn¡¯t feel comfortable with the creature.


    Yes, the thing slowly dragging the large body of Rick away was indeed a Goblin.


    Though it looked nothing like the Goblins of the tribe that Velora was used to seeing. Even the race of the creature was weird as it was something different instead of just the usual Goblin or high Goblin or even Royal Goblin like Rick.


    No, It was instead called something a little different.


    It still carried similar features of Rick and his tribe of Goblins such as being as green as the foliage around it and having the same distinctive potbelly sported by Rick and the rest.


    Though there were differences definitely present on the creature. As the fact it had a different name for its race would imply.


    First of all, it was shorter than even the normal unevolved Goblins who stood at a height of only three feet.


    Instead, the creature appeared to only be two and a half feet in height, which seemed far too small in the mind of Velora.


    Second of all, its small hands were the home of some rather long fingers. Each finger seemed to reach more than a few inches in length.


    It was truly an odd sight to see the small green creature wrap its long fingers around Rick and pull him along. Of course with the feeble size of the creature and the weight of Rick, it made the situation even more odd as it struggled to pull Rick along.


    But even as odd as it might be, it was still a perilous situation for Rick. He was so deep into his slumber that even while being dragged along, he showed no signs of waking.


    Much to Velora¡¯s and even his own dismay.


    It wasn¡¯t until the morning of the next day that Rick finally woke up.


    ¡°Uhh my damn head...where the hell am I?¡± Said Rick as he held his head in discomfort.


    [Rick it¡¯s about time you woke up, you¡¯ve been unconscious since we escaped from that monster that tried to kill you late last night.


    [It seems you pushed your body too far and this was the consequence of that. Anyway, a lot has happened since you lost consciousness. You were dragged away into this small cave by an interesting monster.


    [The creature left a short while ago, but it is sure to come back.


    [I don¡¯t think you''re in any condition to try and escape but I doubt you have to. The monster tended to your wounds while you were out. Plus I think you¡¯ll be pleasantly surprised once you see the actual monster, so I don¡¯t recommend trying to leave right now.]


    Wait wait wait¡­ I fell unconscious, then I was Goblin-napped, then my Goblin-napper took care of my injuries, and now I¡¯m awake again in this cave with my Goblin-napper gone, and you''re telling me I should wait here instead of leaving because I might be surprised once I see the monster?


    [Yes, it seems you''re conscious enough to understand clearly. That¡¯s good.]


    Are you insane?! I¡¯m leaving right now! Those simply aren¡¯t good enough reasons to stay for it to come back!


    [The monster is a Goblin.]


    ¡­


    Well, why the hell didn¡¯t you just say that before!


    [I tried to replicate your behavior. I believe you called it the dramatic effect.]


    Wha..That¡¯s different! This is about me being snatched away by an unknown criminal versus finding another Goblin!


    [I see. I¡¯ll remember that for next time. Also, the Goblin is back.]


    ¡°You¡¯ve finally woken up, good. We have a lot to talk about.¡±


    As Rick turned his head towards the monster he assumed to be a ¡°Goblin¡±, his face gradually turned from confusion to shock, to an even deeper look of confusion. The creature in front of him looked nothing like he expected it to.


    ¡°You''re...a Goblin?¡±


    ¡°Ah you can speak clearly, but I''m not just a Goblin. I¡¯m a TinkGoblin, so close enough I guess.¡±

 Chapter Thirty Nine

    Velora, bring up his status, please.


    [Understood.]


    {Name - Dran}


    {Age -7}


    {Race - TinkGoblin (High)}


    {Tier 1}


    {Health - 20/20}


    {Strength - 8}


    {Agility - 7}


    {Intelligence - 15}


    {Endurance - 6}


    So he¡¯s really not just an ordinary Goblin, so maybe there really are other types of Goblins?..I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever read any novel where there was a race of TinkGoblins. This is a lot to take in¡­I wonder if the ¡°Tink¡± in his name means he¡¯s something like a crafting Goblin.Wait¡­if he¡¯s a crafter type Goblin..wouldn¡¯t that solve all my smelting issues..? Ahaha it can¡¯t be that easy right..? right..??!


    [You''re losing focus again.]


    Um yes you''re right.. Anyway, it seems I still know far too little about this world.


    I guess me and this TinkGoblin really do have a lot to talk about. Then let''s start off with the obvious.


    ¡°Why¡¯d you help me?¡±


    ¡°Well, you''re a Goblin, and Goblin kind will never turn their back on each other. Regardless of which type of Goblin. This is normal, and I''m sure any Goblin in my position would¡¯ve helped in the same way.¡±


    Is he basically saying gang green is worldwide?!


    [Calm down.]


    How can I?! He just basically confirmed all Goblins support each other!


    ¡°Well said! What''s your name? I¡¯m Rick.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Dran, but let¡¯s get the food going before we talk anymore. I brought breakfast.¡± Said Dran as he held up two small rodent-type monsters that Rick failed to notice until now.


    ¡°These are called Gimobs, they''re fast and hard to catch but since they¡¯re not too smart a simple trap is all it takes to catch them.


    I already cleaned them up so we can put it over a fire immediately.¡± Added Dran as he explained to Rick what the creatures in his hands were. Though to Rick they just looked like large hamsters.


    ¡°Okay sounds good.¡±


    He even brought me food! What a nice Goblin! I hope every Goblin I meet from now on is like this.


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    [I don¡¯t think Dran means any harm, but don¡¯t put all your trust in him too soon, and that should go for every other Goblin you meet.]


    You know It''s really funny you say that since you''re the one who encouraged me to stay here.


    [That doesn¡¯t mean you should be ready to trust him the same as you do Jaba. Instead, it just means he has earned the right to be trusted on a superficial level.]


    I suppose you¡¯re right, I¡¯m just a little excited at the fact I finally met another Goblin, one that is even a whole different type of Goblin! He even kinda hinted at the fact that there might be other Goblin types around!!


    [Your excitement is understandable, just stay focused and alert.]


    I gotcha.


    ¡°The food is ready; we can chat while eating. So I¡¯ll go ahead and start first.


    Where did you come from?¡±


    ¡°Hmm I came from further in the forest, but I don¡¯t know exactly where I am either. Where is this cave located anyway?¡±


    Velora where am I? Just how far did I run last night?


    [You ran for a little over two hours. It wasn¡¯t until you covered a distance of around forty miles from where that creature attacked you that you finally stopped and fell unconscious.]


    FORTY MILES?!


    ¡°Right now we¡¯re currently inside the Nameless Forests, which is about two months of travel east of the Iris River Plains.


    And you''re saying you came from deeper inside the Nameless Forest?¡±


    ¡°Iris River Plains?! So this forest eventually ends if I keep going west?¡±


    And this place even has a name too? That damn fox didn¡¯t tell me any of this.


    ¡°But yes, to answer your question I came from deeper inside the forest. Though I didn¡¯t know it was called that, nor did I know about this Iris River Plain thing you mentioned. How about you? Where are you from? Are they more of you? If so, where? I apologize if I¡¯m asking too many questions, but I really do want to know everything, you¡¯re the first TinkGoblin I have ever met after all.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not too many questions at all..but everything huh..I guess I can do that, but I didn¡¯t think any other Goblins lived inside this dangerous forest. All the Goblins I¡¯ve ever seen live in the Iris River Plains. Which is where I lived as well along with my tribe before coming here.¡± Responded Dran as his tone and expression both turned solemn as he continued to speak.


    ¡°The plains are home to more than one race and all of them are different and go through constant changes. There are only two things in the entire plains that stay the same.


    The Goblins are the weakest, and the Orcs are the strongest. This is a fact.¡±


    At this point, an angry expression had already made its way onto Rick¡¯s face.


    ¡°The Orcs are in control of the plains and demanded tribute from all the weaker tribes and races.


    Although they never tried to bully or push around the races closer to them in strength, those races never stopped them from bullying races like us.


    It¡¯s because only the stronger races get to live near the lifeline of the plains, which is the Iris River itself. With the Goblin race being the weakest race, we had to live on the fringes of the plains much closer to the Nameless Forest, where it is definitely more dangerous. Where our time was mostly occupied with somehow coming up with tributes for the Orcs.


    The tribute the Orcs wanted from us was meat, and we could only risk our lives to hunt inside the forest because without the tribute we would never be allowed to drink from the river or even to live inside the plains.¡±


    By now Rick was far from just angry. He was fuming inside. He couldn¡¯t bear to hear the pain and struggles his fellow Goblins had gone through.


    Even though Rick was a former human being, and his time as a Goblin was still short, one shouldn¡¯t underestimate just how committed he was to his new life and race. He had truly embraced his new life perhaps way faster than some might have expected¡­one could even begin to think something else was at play.


    Dran noticed his behavior as well but chose not to comment on it because felt it made sense for a fellow Goblin to be upset. After all Goblins were a united race as far as he knew.


    So he continued his story.


    ¡°But quite a long time ago now, my tribe couldn¡¯t meet the amount required for the tribute on time, and the Orcs used us as an example for the others¡­The tribe¡­the tribe was burned to the ground, and almost everyone was killed.


    Those who weren¡¯t killed were taken to be slaves. The only reason that I¡¯m alive is that I was coming back from the forest at the time of the slaughter when I saw it all happen. I was too weak then and still am too weak to do anything.


    All I could do was watch ..watch as all my friends and family were killed, burned, tortured, and chained¡­my only option was to escape to this forest, and I¡¯ve been living in this small cave ever since.¡±


    By the end of his speech his voice was trembling as if the forgotten emotions and memories began to replay in his head.


    [Rick, I can feel your emotions running wild. Stay calm, you can''t help them if you''re not thinking straight.]


    ¡°..I¡¯m going to murder them..¡± Mumbled a seething Rick.


    ¡°What? I didn¡¯t hear what you said.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯M GOING TO FUCKING MURDER THEM !!!!!¡±

 Chapter Forty

    Dran was quite taken aback by the sudden outburst from Rick. While he was also upset at the situation and understood why Rick was upset as well, he knew trying to fight the Orcs would lead to their deaths.


    After all, what can two Goblins do against a whole tribe of Orcs and potentially the other strong races that also lived in the plains?


    It was just foolish to even consider doing that, so Dran did his best to calm Rick down before he made a rash decision.


    ¡°Rick, I understand why you''re angry, but there¡¯s nothing just the two of us can do. Even a whole tribe of Goblins wouldn''t be able to fight the Orcs.¡±


    [I agree with Dran Rick, even if you brought the Jaba and the rest here it doesn¡¯t sound like a good idea. If this orc tribe was powerful enough to bully multiple small races they should be far stronger than our tribe back home.]


    Rick, who appeared ready for another outburst slowly began to visibly calm down. Every cell in his body was still furious, but he wasn¡¯t such a fool to think he could go fight off such a dangerous foe with his current strength.


    It wasn¡¯t until after a couple of deep breaths that Rick finally spoke again.


    ¡°Dran, you just helped me realize something. There is nothing I hate more in this world than hearing about my kind being oppressed to such an extent.


    I meant what I said before Dran. I¡¯m going to murder the ones responsible for burning down your tribe. I promise you that.


    But you¡¯re right, just the two of us aren¡¯t enough to make that promise become reality. So it¡¯s a good thing we aren¡¯t alone.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? Are you talking about the other Goblin tribes still living in the plains? They''re all too weak, both physically and mentally. That alone won¡¯t be enough.¡±


    ¡°I have a tribe of my own Dran. Though it¡¯s quite small right now and it''s somewhat far from this location, my tribe is free and doesn¡¯t live under anyone else.¡±


    ¡°Wow, that sounds hard to even imagine. A life free from being forced to do as others say. I guess it makes sense though.


    I was wondering how you managed to evolve to where you are now but to think there¡¯s a whole other tribe deep inside the Nameless Forest.¡±


    ¡°That brings me to a question I was meaning to ask. Was no Goblin in the plains able to evolve to the point where you could fight back?¡±


    ¡°Yes some did, but the Orcs aren¡¯t stupid. They had regular patrols to monitor us, and once a Goblin evolved one too many times they were immediately taken away and killed before they could do anything.¡±


    ¡°I¡­see. Alright, get comfortable. We have a lot to discuss. I''m serious about making those Orcs know what it means to be an enemy of gang green.


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    Now, how many different types of Goblins are there?¡±


    ¡°I understand your seriousness and I feel the same way, but I won¡¯t risk my life to fight the Orcs with you unless it seems genuinely possible.


    Though I''ll help with anything else other than actually going back into the plains to fight. Now for the answer to your question.


    There are three types of Goblins. TinkGoblins, Maglins, and finally your type which are just known as Goblins.


    And before you ask, Maglin is just short for MagiGoblins, but I¡¯m still referred to as a TinkGoblin because ¡°Tinklins¡± sounds odd.


    Now all three types look different from each other as you can already tell. TinkGoblins are much shorter but we are extremely talented with our hands and are born with instinctive knowledge on how to build various things. We are not suited for fighting one bit.


    Maglins, on the other hand, are slightly taller than the height of a normal unevolved and only get taller as they evolve but they are extremely frail.


    They make up for their frail bodies with their innate skillfulness when it comes to using mana in many different ways. Unlike the other types, Maglins have access to mana from birth.


    Finally, we have you, the most versatile type of Goblin there is. You are capable of doing everything Maglins and TinkGoblins can do as long as you''re taught how. Though that¡¯s just what is said, I¡¯ve never actually got to see a normal Goblin do any type of magic.


    You also have the most battle potential out of all three, your only shortcoming is the low intelligence and the inability to speak that your type of Goblin is usually born with.


    It is said that your type of Goblin is useless until they go through their first evolution. Though I¡¯ve never seen other Goblins with those markings you have, what are they?¡±


    ¡°Mages and crafters huh, I can already see the potential. I¡¯m going to need all three types of Goblins if my dream is going to happen.


    And we¡¯re going to need all three if we''re going to defeat the Orcs. Also I don¡¯t really know what these markings are either, hopefully we will find out in time. Now you said that the Goblin tribes are located on the fringes of the plains, right? Extremely close to this forest?¡±


    ¡°Yes, they are. You should be able to see some of the tribes once you reach the edges of the forest. I''m sure we¡¯ll also see Goblins in the forest hunting for the tribute as well.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s perfect. Now, how many Goblins are there in total if you count all the tribes.¡±


    ¡°Well the tribes aren¡¯t allowed to grow too large either and I¡¯ve only ever seen 3 other tribes apart from my old one. I think there are around twenty Goblins of various types in each tribe so I¡¯m guessing there¡¯s at least sixty total.


    Though I don¡¯t know if there are any other tribes, or if the Goblins the Orcs took as slaves are still alive.¡±


    ¡°Sixty is more than enough for this plan. I want to bring as many Goblins as possible back to my tribe.¡±


    ¡°The Orcs will notice the missing Goblins at some point, and they¡¯ll catch us in no time since it¡¯ll be hard to move all of them.¡±


    [I didn¡¯t want to interrupt earlier but it''s been about three hours since you woke up and started talking. The time is now 1100.]


    Thank you.


    ¡°Hmm, then we¡¯ll only take a few. There¡¯s not enough space for so many Goblins at the tribe anyway. We¡¯ll need to make a lot of accommodations. Now how big is the orc tribe? And how strong are they?¡±


    ¡°That might work. But I¡¯ve never seen the orc tribe, not even from a distance as they live in a place we are not allowed to venture. Also, I don¡¯t know exactly how strong they are, but I think each one of them should be around your level perhaps.¡±


    ¡°So we¡¯re really nowhere near strong enough..whatever we¡¯ll be strong enough in no time. For now, we¡¯ll focus on saving as many Goblins as possible. I¡¯m sure you can help with that right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I should be able to.¡±


    ¡°Good, then we¡¯ll begin making the trip down there in a few days. I don¡¯t think my body is healed enough to go now.¡±


    [Maybe if you trained it a little it would be.]

 Chapter Forty One

    After going back and forth with Velora about training for a few seconds, Rick spent the rest of the day talking with Dran about various things, such as the things he¡¯s able to build currently and how daily life was in the plains.


    Based on everything Rick learned from Dran it seems like TinkGoblins are the combined versions of various different craftsmen-type jobs on earth. Whether it be metalwork, glasswork, and of course any type of woodworking they did it all.


    But the knowledge to do all those things came from both individual evolutions and passed down knowledge from much older TinkGoblins.


    Dran himself has only gone through one evolution even though on his status it says he¡¯s already seven years old, which is much older than any other Goblin in Rick¡¯s tribe back at the cave. It seems even though he is a different type of Goblin the requirements to evolve are the same as any other Goblin such as Geedi for example.


    That requirement put a lot of strain on the TinkGoblins due to them not being suited for any form of combat, yet they still had to go out and hunt like the rest if they wanted to earn experience and eventually evolve to gain more knowledge.


    Dran also mentioned to Rick that his evolutions didn¡¯t bring much change to their actual appearances though. Their height pretty much stayed the same throughout, the only real change happened mentally and inside their bodies.


    Such as more defined and flexible muscles and even higher bone density, but it was hard to notice these things if you just looked at any evolved TinkGoblin.


    Though one of Rick¡¯s most important questions was left unanswered, it was what came after a Hobgoblin. Dran himself didn¡¯t know, but he said there was a chance one of the older members in any of the tribes might know more about it.


    But it would be hard to get in contact with them just for that since those older Goblins didn¡¯t leave the tribe too much anymore. It was only the younger Goblins who hunted in the Nameless Forest.


    So Rick gave up on that knowledge, for now, it''s not like it would change his conviction to continue to get stronger and evolve anyway.


    After that Rick asked about the Maglins but Dran didn¡¯t know too much about them other than what he already told Rick regarding their frail bodies and ability to use mana from birth.


    If Rick wanted to know more he would have to ask an actual Maglin.


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    Three days had to pass by before Rick finally felt like he was at a hundred percent again, and after moving around a bit and getting everything ready to go. Rick left on his two-month long journey to the plains with Dran by his side.


    Though Dran wasn¡¯t actually by his side, he found himself on Rick¡¯s back holding on for dear life while he ran since he wouldn¡¯t be able to keep pace with Rick on foot.


    Of course, Rick wasn¡¯t running full speed, but almost any speed Rick ran at was still a lot faster than what Dran can do himself.


    Rick did his best to avoid any needless fights or confrontations due to traveling with Dran, but he still fought every now and then where avoiding a monster would be too big of a detour.


    Rick was also really wary of any more attacks in the night similar to the ones he suffered at the beginning of his journey where he almost died.


    Fortunately, he never encountered them, otherwise either he or Dran might not have survived.


    Anyway, two months slowly went by without anything significant happening except for a few battles here and there. Though all the essence gained was absorbed by Velora.


    With Dran and Rick being at the edges of the Nameless Forest, Rick was now able to see the plains for the first time.


    ¡°Wow, it''s truly beautiful. Vibrant green lush grass as far as my Goblin eyes can see. It¡¯s truly a sight to behold. It''s definitely a lot bigger than a couple of football fields and for some reason, I thought it¡¯d be completely flat but there''s a few small hills dotted around the place. Wait, Dran you said there¡¯s a river? I can¡¯t see it though.¡±


    ¡°What''s a football field? And the River is still way beyond that small hill you see in the distance. That''s how far Goblins and the other weaker races are forced to live from the River.¡±


    ¡°Oh, a football field is just a...type..of field? Yeah, let''s just go with that. Also, don¡¯t worry about that anymore. Before you know it, Goblins will rule these entire plains and our rule will stretch far past the plains before you.¡±


    ¡°That''s..That''s hard to imagine for me right now, but I¡¯m sure every single Goblin around the world or at least in the plains would love to see that happen.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It will. Anyway, I don¡¯t see any Goblins around here, point the way to the closest tribe.¡±


    ¡°One should be close by, let''s just move along the edge of the forest so we don¡¯t get spotted by any Orcs that might potentially be on a patrol right now.¡±


    Dran and Rick walked north from their current position along the edges of the forest for twenty minutes before finally seeing the outlines of what appeared to be some sort of camp.


    It consisted of a few small buildings made out of wood, and around twenty Goblins of all three types just like Dran explained to Rick.


    They also spotted a small squad of four Goblins coming out of the tribe heading straight for the forest.


    The squad consisted of three High Goblins like Geedi and the rest while the last member appeared to be a Maglin. It was quite tall. It stood just a few inches under Rick who himself was already six feet tall.


    So Rick and Dran made their way over towards where they would enter the forest so they wouldn¡¯t be spotted by anyone else.


    This squad of four is going to be the group that spreads the word that Rick is here to change things. It''s also the start of a tale told in many Goblin homes over the years of how one Goblin changed the fate of many.


    Though that''s a story for another time.

 Chapter Forty Two

    The small squad of four Goblins eventually made their way into the forest. Their guards and weapons were already up and at the ready because they knew they could be attacked at a moment¡¯s notice.


    This is why Rick and Dran cautiously approached them from the front so as to not startle them. The small squad eventually spotted them, and it took a few moments for them to recognize that the two beings in front of them were Goblin-kind.


    It wasn¡¯t that rare to meet Goblins from neighboring tribes inside the forest, but it was the sight of Rick that caused them an immense shock.


    It was common knowledge within the tribes that all Goblins who evolved to Tier 2, Rick¡¯s current level would immediately be killed.


    So how come there was a Goblin so strong standing right in front of them? Did he evolve in the forest by any chance?


    They couldn¡¯t help thinking that he was going to die once he made it back to the tribe. The thought of him escaping or him not being from the plains didn''t even cross their minds once.


    In their minds, it was pointless to try and escape since Goblins can¡¯t survive in the Nameless Forest anyway. That same thought process also unconsciously eliminated the idea of Rick being from somewhere in the forest and not a Goblin born in the tribes.


    Eventually, the two sides came face to face, and it was the Maglin who upon closer inspection turned out to be a female Maglin, started speaking first.


    ¡°You know what awaits you once you return to your tribe right?¡±


    Rick remembered the information told to him by Dran, so it only took a couple of seconds for him to realize what the Maglin in front of him meant with that question.


    And sure enough, his response made all four members of the squad look at him as if he was crazy.


    ¡°That¡¯s no way to greet a fellow Goblin but anyway my name is Rick and it¡¯d be nice to know yours as well.¡±


    ¡°Your right..I apologize for that, my name is Teeja.¡±


    ¡°That''s better, and to respond to your first comment my tribe is not here, I came a long way from far deeper inside the forest. And thanks to Dran here, I know what you''re talking about, but I won¡¯t be stepping foot inside the plains anytime soon. I¡¯m here now for very different reasons.¡±


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°That can''t be true now, can it? Do you expect me to believe you really came from inside the forest? We all know Goblins aren¡¯t strong enough to survive for long too deep inside the forest.¡±


    It was then that Dran started speaking to support Rick¡¯s claim.


    ¡°It''s true. He really did come from deeper inside the forest. I myself am from the plains, and I just happened to find him in the forest, it was then he told me about where he was from.


    He wasn¡¯t even aware of the plains where we are now let alone to be actually from here.¡±


    It took a few moments for the squad in front of them to thoroughly process that information. You can¡¯t blame them; they have gone their entire lives thinking no tribe of Goblins could survive in the Nameless Forest.


    A life forever under oppression inside the plains is what they knew and all they knew. There was never thought of ever-changing that but here was a Goblin in front of them who did not suffer from the same fate as them.


    It was quite a shock for her to receive, but eventually, the Maglin began speaking again.


    ¡°Okay...let''s say I believe you, and you are not from these plains. What are you doing here? If that TinkGoblin by your side has told you anything about life here, then you should know this is no place for you.¡±


    ¡°Of course it isn''t, and it''s no place for you either, or any Goblin anywhere for that matter. No Goblins should be living a life of oppression just because we start out a little weaker than other races.


    You asked what I¡¯m here for. It¡¯s to help you all escape to a life better than the one you have now and to make the Orcs who caused this regret their decisions.


    So whether you believe me or not, let''s not waste any time, go back, and bring a representative from your tribe who can make decisions. Dran and I will be waiting here.¡±


    ¡°Listen I still can¡¯t really wrap my head around the fact that you aren¡¯t from the plains like the rest of us, but I also believe that a fellow Goblin should really have no need to lie to me. So I''ll do as you say, someone from our tribe will be here shortly.¡±


    After she spoke she immediately left, and the other squad members quickly followed. Dran and Rick just stayed in their position as they watched them leave.


    ¡°In the end, only the Maglin spoke to us the whole conversation huh.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s how it usually goes, only Maglins and TinkGoblins can speak as well as this from birth. Your type of Goblin won''t become proficient speakers until the second evolution, but they usually die soon after.¡±


    ¡°I see. That will change soon enough. I don¡¯t know when exactly it will change but I can promise it will.¡±


    ¡°Hopefully it does.¡±


    After their little conversation, Rick and Dran sat in silence as they waited for people from the tribe to come back. Their wait only lasted for a little under two hours when the same squad of four came back along with one extra.


    The one extra was another Maglin, except this time it was a male.


    Rick and Dran both stood up as the group got closer. But before they could enter talking distance the original squad of four broke off and entered the forest at a location not too far from them.


    Only the individual male Maglin was left to talk to him.


    Once the Maglin reached in front of Rick and Dran, he immediately greeted them.


    ¡°You really are a Goblin on his second evolution I see..Anyway my name is Jala and It¡¯s nice to meet you Rick.¡±.

 Chapter Forty Three

    It''s good to meet you as well Jala, we probably don¡¯t have a lot of time to discuss so let¡¯s get straight to it. I¡¯m sure Teeja already gave you a rundown of everything I told her, but I¡¯ll say it again now.


    I want to free all of the Goblins living here while under the oppression of Orcs. The Orcs themselves will also need to pay a fatal price for what they¡¯ve done to my fellow Goblins. Now I know all this isn¡¯t possible right now, but we can start the process.¡±


    ¡°Hmm...I see. Everything you said you want will sound amazing in the ears of every Goblin who hears it throughout all of the plains. The question remains whether it''s even possible in the first place or just hopeless dreams.


    But it seems you know that neither us nor you have the capability to make any of those wishes come through right now, so what is the process you speak of?¡±


    ¡°Well, fighting the Orcs right now is out of the question, but freeing some of the Goblins from your tribe and bringing them to safety should be simple enough to do now.¡±


    ¡°And this safety you speak of is deep back inside the Nameless Forest right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it''s over two months of travel away from here.¡±


    ¡°So you''re planning to travel with a small number of Goblins all the way back to your tribe? Wouldn¡¯t this be too dangerous to accomplish?¡±


    ¡°No, I made the trip here, so I know just how dangerous it is. We¡¯ll be fine since I¡¯ll be with them the entire way and most of all, Goblins aren¡¯t weak.¡±


    ¡°Goblins aren¡¯t weak huh¡­Alright I¡¯ll support you with this. If it¡¯s between living in fear every day or a chance at freedom, the choice is very easy to make. If we can only save a few Goblins from living with the fear of the Orcs on their backs then that¡¯s already more than we would have had anyway. What do you need from me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you see it that way, but for now I need all the information you have on all the Goblin tribes living in the plains. For the move itself, I think I can take around five to ten Goblins. Five exactly would probably be best since I don¡¯t want to leave your tribe too short-handed after we¡¯ve left or had your tribe appear too much smaller than what it usually is.¡±


    ¡°So you''re planning to take Goblins from all tribes living here?¡±


    ¡°Yes, eventually but as of right now I¡¯ll only bring back the Goblins from your tribe. I don¡¯t want to accidentally bite off more than I can handle. I¡¯ll see how this first group goes and then we¡¯ll take it from there.¡±


    This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    ¡°I see. That sounds like a decent enough plan then, now does it matter what type of Goblins come? Whether it be TinkGoblins, normal Goblins, or Maglins like myself?¡±


    ¡°It''s great that you brought that up, if possible then I¡¯d like the group of five to be made up of two High Goblins, two Maglins, and one TinkGoblin. The evolution level for the Maglins and the TinkGoblin doesn¡¯t matter. If that won¡¯t work for you then just one of each type should work then the other two can be whatever works best.¡±


    ¡°Wait, what are High Goblins?¡±


    ¡°Ah! I suppose you all wouldn¡¯t know what that is either huh...Just consider it the new race of a normal Goblin who has evolved once. We can discuss it more in detail at a later date when we have more time to speak.¡±


    ¡°I see...it¡¯s just that for some reason that term just seems so fitting, but you''re right we can talk about that more in the future under better circumstances. To answer your earlier question, two...high Goblins as you call it, two Maglins and one TinkGoblin is perfectly fine.


    When exactly do you want to begin the move?¡±


    ¡°The sooner the better, so if you can tell them about what¡¯s going on and get them on board now then that works for me.¡±


    ¡°Alright then I¡¯ll go back now to take care of that, but before I do that I have one question. Are you planning to eventually move here with your whole tribe at some point?¡±


    ¡°Not as long as there¡¯s a single race here that¡¯s stronger than us. In the future I want Goblins to be the ruling race wherever we live. So until that can be true in the plains, I won¡¯t be bringing my tribe here, and at this point, I already consider you all a part of my tribe so I¡¯d prefer if I could bring all of you home.


    Though I know I can¡¯t do that just yet, so I¡¯ll settle for just a few of you.¡±


    ¡°Already a part of your tribe eh...Well, you¡¯d be the strongest Goblin in the entire plains, so I guess it wouldn¡¯t be wrong to say you are our Leader. Anyway, that answers that, so wait here for some time and I¡¯ll be back with the five who¡¯ll be leaving with you.¡±


    Jala then immediately left, leaving Dran and Rick in another waiting game.


    ¡°By the way Dran I¡¯ve been meaning to ask you something.¡±


    ¡°Sure what is it?¡±


    ¡°Are you going to stay in your cave? Or will you be traveling with us back to my tribe?¡±


    ¡°Of course I¡¯m coming back with you to your tribe, and like Jala just said, if you lived here you¡¯d already be considered the Leader of any tribe you stayed in. You''re the strongest Goblin here, and you''re smart. I already consider myself a member of the tribe and you as my Leader.¡±


    ¡°Oh shit what, that came out of nowhere! Just randomly dropping bombs on me!¡±


    ¡°Is it bad?¡±


    ¡°No no.. not bad at all. Well then glad you decided to come with me. Anyway, I wonder how long it¡¯ll take for Jala to gather the Goblins and come back.¡±


    ¡°Probably another hour or so. He has to explain a lot to them, after all suddenly hearing there''s a Goblin who has evolved twice and isn¡¯t from the plains but instead came from a tribe within the forest is a lot to take in.


    Plus the whole thing about leaving their homes to go to a completely different place can also be a big shocker to any Goblin. And it¡¯s not like he¡¯ll force them to leave if they don¡¯t want to go, so they also have to be willing to make the trip.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I guess that makes sense.¡±

 Chapter Forty Four

    It wasn¡¯t before another hour passed that Jala could finally be seen approaching the forest again, this time with five Goblins in tow and something in his hands.


    Just like how it was previously discussed there were two High Goblins, two Maglins, and one TinkGoblin. It took them a couple of minutes to reach where Rick and Dran were patiently waiting.


    Once both parties came face to face, Rick finally got a clearer look at what was in his hands...It looked like small brown sheets??


    ¡°That took a little longer than I initially planned for but here are the Goblins who have agreed to come with you Rick and I wrote down all the information you asked about on these documents. I can¡¯t stay here for too much longer, though, because those damn Orcs should come patrolling sometime soon and I have to be there with the Leader of the tribe when they come.¡±


    ¡°Wait wait wait, what do you mean you wrote it all down on documents?! Since when can you all write?! What are you even using to write on?! What language do you even write in??¡±


    ¡°With you reacting like that, is it safe to assume neither you nor any of your tribe members back home know how to read much less write?¡±


    ¡°Well no...I guess not.¡±


    ¡°I see. Is it only normal Goblins that live in your tribe?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is.¡±


    ¡°Well that explains it, either way, don¡¯t worry too much about it. The two Maglins coming with you both know how to read and write and should both be able to teach you as well. Even that TinkGoblin that you showed up with should know how to as well.¡±


    ¡°Is that true Dran?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s true that I can read and write, but it¡¯s not something I¡¯m confident in being able to teach properly.¡±


    ¡°Well alright then, that was a little bit of a shock, but I guess knowing how to read and write is almost a basic steppingstone for any growing society of Goblins! Now one last thing before you go back, you mentioned going back to the Leader of your tribe, I thought that was you this whole time.¡±


    ¡°No of course I¡¯m not the Leader, that is usually the oldest Goblin to have gone through one evolution in the tribe. The Goblin that fits that bill in my tribe is a rather old TinkGoblin and she is far too weak to be making trips into the forest, so I came in her place instead.¡±


    ¡°What''s her name?¡±


    ¡°Her name is Gala.¡±


    Stolen story; please report.


    ¡°Well tell Gala I said to stay alive, I''ll come back to free her soon enough.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure she''ll be happy to hear that. Anyway, I¡¯ve stayed here long enough, I¡¯ll take my leave now. Everyone, come and introduce yourself to Rick.¡±


    Soon after Jala said that he turned around and immediately started walking back to the tribe, there was no need for any extensive goodbyes since he was sure that he and Rick would meet again at some point. Though it was more like a desperate hope than him being sure.


    Because although he didn¡¯t show it during his time conversing with Rick, he was begging and hoping inside that Rick could make true everything he spoke out. Living knowing the Orcs can simply kill you and everyone you love at any moment was not a good way to live.


    Shortly after Jala left, the five Goblins who were chosen to leave with Rick who had been standing quietly behind Jala until he left, finally stepped up and lined up shoulder to shoulder (though with three vastly different heights between the five of them this was really just a figure of speech.) and began introducing themselves one by one.


    Leaving little room for Rick to speak till all of them were done speaking.


    ¡°Hello Tribe Leader Rick, it is good to meet you, my name is Kida, a Maglin. Thank you for this chance to be free. I¡¯ll serve you and the tribe well now and in the future.¡± Said a female Maglin in a rather formal but still happy tone.


    She was quickly followed up by another male Maglin whose voice was deeper than his tall and frail appearance would signify.


    ¡°Likewise Tribe Leader Rick, I Zargi also a Maglin will never forget the freedom you have given me today, I look forward to serving you and the tribe as a whole forever.¡±


    Then came a rather loud female TinkGoblin whose voice definitely didn¡¯t match her small stature.


    ¡°I feel the same way as them! I know a lot about building things and I¡¯m happy to share that with you! Oh, and my name is Wala!¡±


    Next was the set of high Goblins who were both females, and even though they couldn¡¯t speak as well as the other Goblins that went before them, they still made their intentions known.


    ¡°Thank...you...rea..dy...to..fight...and..help..name...Lagi..¡±


    ¡°Sigi...name..al..so..fight...and...help..¡±


    And although their sudden rapid-fire introductions had Rick a little flustered on the inside he quickly collected himself and responded in kind.


    ¡°Ahem...I¡¯m glad you all feel that strongly about coming back with me, it won¡¯t be long before it''s every Goblin in the plains that can have that same freedom and you all will play a key part in that. But for now, we have a long journey ahead of us and since it''s a group of this size the journey will be longer.


    I¡¯ll be running in front, with Sigi and Lagi behind me to my left and right. Dran and Wala will be behind them while Zargi and Kida will follow closely behind them. We will be taking several breaks, to rest, fight, and eat so don¡¯t be afraid to let me know if you''re tired. A tired Goblin is a dead Goblin in these forests if you''re not careful. Any questions?¡±


    ¡°Yes, will we begin your lessons on reading and writing while on the journey?¡±


    [Don¡¯t avoid this as you do with training.]


    And here I was thinking you disappeared.


    [Never.]


    ¡°Yes Kida we can, if we have adequate time and light during our rest time then we can start doing some lessons. After all, a Goblin should always aim to be better and stronger!¡±


    ¡°Well said Tribe Leader!¡±


    ¡°By the way, everyone can just call me Rick if you want, the whole tribe Leader thing isn¡¯t necessary if you don¡¯t want to. Anyway, line up like how I planned and we will be moving out now, let''s go!¡±


    [Should always aim to be better and stronger huh?]


    Where are you learning how to speak like this???


    [You.]

 Chapter Forty Five

    Now going back to a small hut in the home of the Goblins that Rick just left on his journey with, sat two Goblins, one of which being Jala.


    ¡°You made it back Jala; did it all work out okay?¡±


    ¡°Yes Ms. Gala, it worked out just fine, the group of Goblins we decided to send showed proper manners right up until I left. I¡¯m sure Tribe Leader Rick will be pleased with them.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I believe he will as well, though he¡¯s probably more than just a normal tribe Leader now.¡±


    ¡°More than a tribe Leader? Isn''t the Leader of every tribe called a tribe Leader?¡±


    ¡°You mentioned he had weird black markings right? Those markings will only show their worth when a lot of Goblins are gathered¡­Or at least that is what has been passed down...you know...we weren¡¯t always just these small, weak tribes of Goblins scattered around the plains? We were much more at one point in time. There were a lot more of us back then too. We weren¡¯t separated into small tribes, instead, it was one big village and we had strong and wise chiefs that guided us along.


    Forgot the second evolution, the chiefs back in those times were at least on their third evolution.


    Though these times I¡¯m speaking about were long before I was even born. This is all just passed down from Leader to Leader through stories over the years. Who knows how much of it is true, and how much of our history is lost. At this point, I don¡¯t even know how we have fallen to the state we are in now.


    But I can say this, that Goblin known as Rick is our best chance to get back to those days Jala. I¡¯m not sure how much longer I got in these old bones of mine, so it¡¯s up to you to make sure we support Rick properly.


    Even if that means keeping him out of the plains until he is strong enough to fight the Orcs on equal footing. That is our beacon of hope, and we must protect him. Do you understand me Jala?¡±


    ¡°Yes...I believe I do Ms. Gala; I will make sure to do everything in my power to support and guide our lone beacon of hope Rick.¡±


    ¡°Good. Now I just hope the other tribes he visits in the future will have the same thought process. Let our people know if they ever come across Goblins from other tribes to pass our meeting of Rick back to them. Now go get the tribe prepared for the possibility of the Orcs coming.¡±


    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°Understood Ms. Gala. By the way, there was a message left for you by Tribe Leader Rick.¡±


    ¡°Really? Well, speak it quickly! I¡¯m not getting any younger here Jala!¡±


    ¡°I believe he said not to die because he¡¯ll be back to free you soon enough.¡±


    ¡°Hahahaha! Then I can''t die off so soon now can I?! If that¡¯s his order for me then I¡¯ll do my best to follow it!¡±


    ¡°I agree Ms. Gala, I¡¯ll go get the tribe taken care of, we¡¯ll be ready if the Orcs do end up coming.¡±


    And so Jala left the hut, and it was at this time that Teeja and her squad of Goblins returned from their hunt with a small bag filled with meat. Some of which will be stashed away for the tribe while the rest will go towards the tribute for the Orcs.


    Once Jala saw Teeja and the rest, he quickly gave them the word about passing on the information about Rick to other hunting parties. He would leave them to pass it along to everyone else.


    After that, he immediately gave the entire tribe the order to prepare for the Orcs, and almost instantly the entire village got in motion doing everything both carefully and quickly.


    The process involved moving the children, the female Goblins of all three types, and all the other non-combatants such as male TinkGoblins into the huts and barring everything up as tight as possible.


    The Goblins had no way of fighting back, but they knew the patrolling Orcs could decide to attack them at any point in time for no reason at all. At least for any reason apparent to the Goblins. And since the Goblins can¡¯t fight back in worry of having the entire tribe destroyed, the stronger male Goblins would take the brunt of the damage.


    Even though there are strong female Goblins, the Orcs are no strangers to committing vile acts. Almost anything one could think of was done by them. So it¡¯d be better to keep the female Goblins out of sight and hopefully out of mind.


    It only took one hour for everything to be in place. Jala and all the other male Goblins in the tribe except for the male TinkGoblins were all tense as they waited for any sign of the Orcs. The Orcs didn¡¯t come patrol every day, but they came most days, and since they weren¡¯t there the day prior it was fully expected for them to show up today.


    And just as expected, Jala and the rest only had to wait ten more minutes before two Orcs could be seen approaching on foot, and even though they were on foot, they weren¡¯t moving slowly by any means, it wouldn¡¯t take very long before they reached the tribe.


    The Goblins in the plains didn¡¯t know anything about orc evolutions, but they¡¯d all be shocked to know that these two Orcs hadn¡¯t even evolved once yet, but they¡¯re already the same size as Rick.


    Jala immediately made his way into the hut that Gala was in and updated her on the situation.


    ¡°This time it¡¯s only two Orcs, so it shouldn¡¯t be too bad. Hopefully, they just leave a few of us with a few bruises and then leave like always.¡±


    ¡°Yes that is all we can hope for, let¡¯s at least just be glad it was only two instead of a whole squad of them.¡±


    ¡°Alright, they¡¯re probably about to enter the tribe by now so I¡¯m going back outside. I¡¯ll come back once they¡¯re gone.¡±


    ¡°Stay strong Jala.¡±


    It was then that from inside the hut, Jala and Gala could both hear the loud voice of one of the Orcs roaring throughout the tribe.


    ¡°THAT TRIBUTE BETTER BE FUCKING READY!!¡±

 Chapter Forty Six

    The look of both fear and confusion was plastered all over the face of Jala as he ran out of the hut to meet the Orcs. He couldn¡¯t understand why they were there that fast or why they were asking about the tribute.


    This should¡¯ve just been a routine patrol for them. The tribute isn¡¯t ready, and it isn''t due for another few weeks so he couldn¡¯t understand why they are asking about it now. But he knew all too well if he didn¡¯t find a way to appease them, the entire village could be up in flames before the day was over.


    Once he made it outside, he immediately saw the Orcs standing in the middle of the tribe seemingly waiting for something, they hadn¡¯t said anything else after that first initial question.


    It was then the Orcs saw Jala running towards them with what they thought was a funny-looking face.


    ¡°Hahaha! Oglub look at the weak Goblin running! It looks so scared hahaha!¡±


    ¡°Enough Parfu let''s do what we came to do.¡±


    ¡°You''re no fun Oglub! We should have fun with these weaklings! We never get to do anything back in the village!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough Parfu!¡±


    ¡°Ahh fine! You! The Goblin with the funny face, come here.¡±


    ¡°Yes sir I, Jala is at your service.¡±


    ¡°Yeah yeah you better fucking be, anyway where the hell is the tribute, I can¡¯t seem to find it.¡±


    ¡°Sir, I don¡¯t mean to offend but shouldn¡¯t the tribute not be due for another couple of weeks?¡±


    ¡°Are you trying to call me stupid Goblin?¡±


    ¡°No sir of course not!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I thought. Now I¡¯ll ask one more time, where the fuck is the damn tribute?¡±


    Without knowing what else to do, Jala motioned for two Goblins to go and grab what they have prepared so far for the tribute. He knew it was nowhere near enough for what the Orcs usually demanded but he had no choice.


    The Orcs surprisingly waited patiently for two Goblins to run into one of the huts and before then coming out with what seemed to be some sort of box. It was roughly a foot and a half in height, two feet long, and one foot wide.


    It seemed to be made out of wood, but the wood looked to be coated in some sort of resin. The two Goblins carrying it finally reached in front of the Orcs and placed the box down in front of them and stepped away.


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    ¡°Well fucking open it then!¡±


    ¡°Yes sir!¡±


    Jala quickly lifted up the cover and what came out of it would¡¯ve left Rick speechless.


    It was cold air! The box was releasing extremely cold air! If Rick was here to see this, he¡¯d immediately think he was looking at a cooler from back on earth. The inside of the wooden box seemed to be coated with the same resin as the outside of it but there was something else mixed in with the resin coating the inner walls of the box.


    It looked like little blue grains of sand spread all over the inner walls of the box, and these little grains seemed to be constantly giving off almost freezing cold air. This truly really would¡¯ve left Rick¡¯s jaw on the floor if he got a chance to see it but the same couldn¡¯t be said for the Orcs.


    ¡°This is nowhere near enough is it? Where the fuck is the rest?¡±


    The box wasn¡¯t even a quarter way filled with meat, even the normal Goblins knew just how grave this situation was.


    At this point, Jala was extremely worried about what would happen from this point forward. He knew there was nothing else he could do to get a tribute prepared right this second for the Orcs. He also knew just how quickly this can take a sharp turn for the worst.


    But most of all he didn¡¯t know what to say to fix this situation. His mind was running on fumes as he tried to figure out what to say but the orc in front of him wouldn¡¯t afford him that time.


    ¡°Are you going to make me ask you again?¡±


    ¡°No sir of course not! But if we can just have a little more time, we¡¯d be able to meet the required amount of meat! Just a little more time is all I¡¯m asking for!¡±


    ¡°Then get down on your knees and beg me for it.¡±


    ¡°Parfu this should be enough, we have other things to do.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m getting tired of you trying to tell me what to do, Oglub! Just shut the fuck up and watch!¡±


    One must understand that throughout this entire interaction between Jala and the Orcs, Jala had been standing the whole time. And since he is in fact a Maglin that has been through one evolution, he was basically eye to eye with the Orcs.


    This fact alone was very upsetting to the orc known as Parfu. He strongly believed that Orcs were superior to Goblins. In fact, all Orcs including Oglub believed this as well. Though Parfu couldn¡¯t stand the fact that a Goblin could stand in front of him at the same height. In his mind, this couldn¡¯t be allowed.


    ¡°Now back to what I was saying, if you want more time, get down on your knees and beg me for it.¡±


    After realizing he was not getting out of this situation, Jala got rid of all hesitation and immediately got down on his knees. Even going as far as to put his head into the dirt. If it meant he and the entire tribe could survive for another day, he would do anything it takes to ensure that.


    ¡°Sir I am begging you for an extension of time for us to gather enough meat for the tribute.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s more like it! This is how it should be every time! Goblins don¡¯t even deserve to breathe the same air as us! Here! Hurry and pack this shit up so I can leave this filthy place!¡±


    Parfu threw a large leather bag at Jala, but this wasn¡¯t an ordinary bag by any means. If one were to check the insides, they¡¯d find the same blue sand-like material woven into the leather. It didn¡¯t provide the same level of cold air as the box did, but it was good enough for the purpose of transferring the meat.


    Jala quickly got up and did as he asked, carefully transferring the meat from the box into the bag. Parfu snatched the bag from him as soon as Jala was done, and the two Orcs left just as quickly as they arrived.


    Though not before Parfu shouted one last line on his way out.


    ¡°YOU HAVE TWO WEEKS! HEADS WILL FLY IF IT¡¯S NOT READY! HAHAHAHA!¡±

 Chapter Forty Seven

    Let''s fast forward about three days into Rick¡¯s journey in the forest towards the cave he stayed in with Dran. It was an early misty morning in the forest and Rick along with the group of Goblins he was traveling with were engaged in the first of many early morning lessons.


    Well, it was just Rick learning and one of the Maglins doing the teaching.


    ¡°Alright we¡¯ve traveled for three days already, we can use this morning to start some of these reading and writing lessons. Who¡¯ll be doing the teaching? Zargi or Kida?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be the one doing the teaching Mr. Rick! We can start right now if you¡¯d like.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, we can, alright for everyone else you''re free to hunt together nearby or just stay here and watch the surroundings. Okay Kida you can start.¡±


    So the remaining Goblins decided to stay around Rick and Kida as they began the lesson instead of going out to hunt. They all agreed that Rick should be able to learn in peace and not be worried about any monsters ruining his time of learning.


    Though of course Rick had Velora constantly scanning the area around him, so he didn¡¯t necessarily need them around him. But they obviously didn¡¯t know about that nor was Rick planning on telling that any time soon.


    The only way a problem would occur is if a creature that was far above the level of Rick''s ability and Velora¡¯s scanning were to approach, but at that point, they still probably wouldn¡¯t be of any help.


    Rick himself might die depending on what type of monster approaches, especially if it was something on the level of Ezekiel, the fox that lived on the northern side of the lake.


    Anyway, Rick let them do as they pleased, and he could finally begin his lessons with Kida.


    Well, he would begin in his lesson if it weren''t for one little problem. Though it''s not actually a problem, just a small surprise or a large one depending on how you see it.


    ¡°Alright Mr.Rick, we can start by looking at any word in the documents provided to us by Jala and going over the letters in the word to understand their pronunciation and meaning.¡±


    ¡°Okay that sounds good, I haven¡¯t really looked at the documents at all either, so I don¡¯t know how Goblin letters look at all.¡±


    ¡°Here are the documents then, take a look and see if maybe you can understand any of it.¡±


    ¡°Now that I¡¯m actually holding these documents, it really is amazing to see. It¡¯s not actually paper but hardened thin sheets of skin.¡±


    ¡°Yes it is, it was developed long before I was born.¡±


    ¡°Gang green is capable of all sorts of stuff huh?¡±


    It was then that Rick finally focused on the words written on documents in his hands. To him, it just looked like a bunch of random lines and shapes, and he couldn¡¯t understand any of it. But just a few seconds after looking at it, something happened.


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    The random lines and shapes began turning into a language he was very familiar with. English.


    The words on the documents were all turning into English. Every single last word was being translated in his very eyes and he was now able to read the entire document without problems!


    Needless to say, Rick was very shocked! With his eyes opened wide he immediately looked through all the documents and saw they were being translated for him too!


    Kida was looking at him the whole time and she was quite shocked to see Rick with nothing but the surprise on his face and him flipping through the documents looking for something as if his life depended on it!


    She thought she was looking at a Goblin that just couldn¡¯t believe that a Goblin of his level was not able to read even a single word! Even though he was the strongest Goblin around he couldn¡¯t read at all! But she couldn¡¯t be farther from the truth than she was now.


    In fact Rick could indeed read every single thing written on the documents. Even things like commas, periods and apostrophes were translated in his eyes. But of course, Kida didn¡¯t know that, so she decided she would at least comfort Rick, but before she could finish speaking Rick cut her off with some words of his own.


    ¡°Mr.Rick it¡¯s not a problem if you don''t know how to read, I¡¯m sure you wi-..¡±


    ¡°KIDA! What language do you see in the documents?! Is it English?! Are you still seeing your Goblin language?!¡±


    Kida could barely understand what Rick was asking and she didn¡¯t even know what this thing called English was, but she quickly took the documents back and looked at the words written down. All she saw was the same words written before, so she couldn¡¯t understand what Rick was asking of her.


    ¡°Mr.Rick the words are still the same as before, I don¡¯t quite understand what you¡¯re asking.¡±


    ¡°Ahhh so they¡¯re the same for you! But it''s English for me instead! Wait! what if I were to write something down?! Kida do you have anything to write with? Actually, forget it! I¡¯ll just write something out in the dirt!¡±


    At this point Kida was worrying about Rick, thinking not being able to read must¡¯ve really hurt his pride as a Goblin that has gone through two evolutions. So she worriedly watched as a couple of seconds passed with Rick moving his finger around in the dirt in weird movements, after he was done he immediately asked if she could read it.


    If someone from earth who could read English saw what Rick wrote in the dirt they would instantly see it was the words ¡°Gang Green¡±, but for Kida all she saw was just weird lines of all sorts and she couldn¡¯t make any sense of it.


    ¡°Mr. Rick..I ..I can¡¯t understand what you wrote in the dirt.¡±


    ¡°So you can''t understand it huh, figures. Well, it doesn¡¯t look like you need to teach me how to read and write after all. I can read the documents, but it¡¯ll probably be impossible for me to learn how to write it.¡±


    [It''s probably the one who created me that also gave you this ability. It¡¯s probably a blessing and a curse, you will most likely understand every language in this world but will never have the ability to teach it to anyone else or actually learn the language.]


    Sounds like a damn curse but whatever can¡¯t do anything about it now.


    Kida, on the other hand, couldn''t believe what Rick just said, what does he mean he can already read the documents and doesn¡¯t need to be taught! Is he running away from his duties?!


    ¡°Mr.Rick! I assure you I¡¯ll be here every step of the way to help you in becoming able to read and write! It¡¯s not as hard as it seems! Especially for someone of your level!¡±


    ¡°Ah so you don¡¯t believe me huh, makes sense I guess. Here pass me back the documents and I¡¯ll read it out for you exactly what they say.¡±


    ¡°Okay, if you say so Mr.Rick. You have to read every word correctly, or I strongly recommend you continue with the lessons!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll start right now then.¡±


    Rick then spent the next hour or so reading through the documents for Kida. He also had to read the specific words Kida would sometimes point to because she couldn¡¯t believe he could read. By the time he was done, Rick had memorized almost everything Jala wrote in the documents.

 Chapter Forty Eight

    ¡°Ok fine you can read! What about writing?! You still need to be able to write properly since you are a Leader right?!¡±


    ¡°Writing is going to be impossible for me Kida, it¡¯s just not something I¡¯ll be able to do right now. Just being able to read is already good enough so let¡¯s just finish with that.¡±


    ¡°But..but..but! Writing is important Mr.Rick!¡±


    ¡°I know it is, which is why you should focus on teaching Lagi and Sigi how to read and write instead of me. I know it¡¯ll probably be hard due to their evolution level, but I believe in you Kida! I just know you¡¯ll be able to do it!¡±


    ¡°Sigi? Lagi? But what abou-..¡±


    ¡°I believe in you Kida.¡±


    ¡°I..I see. Understood Mr.Rick, I¡¯ll do my best to teach Lagi and Sigi everything I know about reading and writing.¡±


    ¡°Okay great! I knew you could do it. Anyway we¡¯ve been here long enough I think it¡¯s time we start moving again. So you¡¯ll begin teaching them at the next break we have. This part goes for everyone! Get back in formation! We¡¯re leaving now!¡±


    Everyone quickly gathered in the right formation, and they set off again even though Kida was still a little bit confused about Rick being able to read even though he said he couldn¡¯t but at the same time he couldn¡¯t write and refused to learn. Truly baffling for Kida.


    Rick on the other hand was focused on very different things than that of what was on Kida¡¯s mind.


    That was a lot of information that Jala provided, a lot more than I ever asked for. He answered the main question about the information on all of the Goblin tribes living in the plains but even threw in stuff on other races as well. What a great Goblin, gang green should be thankful for him.


    [Then make sure you thank him when you see him next.]


    Yeah yeah of course I will! I wonder if I could make him like my assistant or something in the future because of my weakness with writing.


    [Careful not to offend him by asking him that, he might think that¡¯s beneath him.]


    Ah, that¡¯s true, isn¡¯t it? There¡¯s no way a Goblin would want to strive to become an assistant right?


    [Probably not, especially since based on what he was saying when we spoke, he is probably second in command back at the tribe and possibly next in line to be the Leader of that tribe. So he¡¯ll probably want to be much more than an assistant in the future.]


    Yeah you''re right, I¡¯ll just have to wing it then! Anyway, let''s review the information he gave us again. Go ahead and bring up the document again in my mind, please.


    [Understood.]


    By the way, the fact that you can memorize everything I see and then show it back to me is a really amazing feature, almost amazing enough for me to ignore your constant attacks on me.


    [I have never attacked you, only encouraged. Anyway here is all the information that was written on all the documents.]


    ~ Rick I¡¯ve provided relevant information on everything I know regarding all the races I know of living in the plains. There¡¯s a lot we don¡¯t know though so please understand this doesn¡¯t cover everything in the plains. This is just information my tribe has come across over time.


    First the information on all the tribes in the plains, or at least the ones we know of. We believe there are about eight Goblin tribes scattered along the edge of the plains. With each tribe having about twenty to thirty Goblins in each tribe, it can never be more than that since the Orcs don''t allow us to grow past that point. Now there could be one or two less or even one or two more tribes than what I¡¯ve mentioned because we haven¡¯t been all over the plains.


    This is just from meeting other Goblins in the forests and on the rare occasion we are allowed to visit the Iris River we might meet other Goblins and exchange as much information as possible. So there could easily be other tribes. And because the Orcs aren¡¯t strangers to killing a large number of Goblins, there could also unfortunately be fewer tribes than what I¡¯ve mentioned.


    Now I believe you should be more than able to take five Goblins from each tribe without the Orcs noticing the missing Goblins, after all, Goblins do sometimes die in the Nameless Forest when out hunting. Now when it comes to deciding which Goblins to take with you, I recommend taking five Goblins who have been on their first evolution for a long time.


    Those Goblins should be closest to their next evolution, and only death awaits a Goblin who has evolved twice if they stay inside the plains. The five Goblins I sent with you all fit those circumstances. You''re probably wondering how the Orcs manage to kill all of them but it''s because they seem to have some way to tell when a Goblin is going through its second evolution.


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    By the time that Goblin is done with their evolution a squad of Orcs has already long been dispatched with extreme haste and is not more than a minute or two away from the tribe. The Goblin that evolved is then chained and taken away; we have no idea what happens to them after but since we never see them again we can only assume the worst.


    So do make sure to tell whoever the Leader of the tribe is that the Goblins who have been on one evolution the longest are the ones you want. Obviously, you won¡¯t be able to save all of them, but everyone saved is already more than what would¡¯ve happened without you being here.


    Once you¡¯ve visited all the tribes and have taken a few from each, I don¡¯t know where you¡¯d go from there but don¡¯t forget you are still far too weak to fight the Orcs. Before you even get to the Orcs you¡¯ll have to find your way through the other strong races around them, much less the weaker races around us. Because although they are considered weak in comparison to the Orcs, they are still stronger than us Goblins.


    We still are not quite sure just how many other non-Goblin races are located in close proximity to us, but so far we know about four of them. Fabyls, Svers, Lidens, Gildras. Now all four of them are extremely different from each other and we barely know anything about them because not one of them is friendly with us Goblins.


    In fact, I¡¯m sure just like the Orcs, they view us Goblins as far beneath them in every way possible so what we know is just from seeing them over the years and other passed down information. So there is a chance it might not be one hundred percent correct. Another thing to remember is that all the other races are located closer to the Iris River than we are.


    If they were layers to the plains then all the Goblin tribes are spread out on the outermost layer closest to the Nameless Forest, then the next layer in will be the races I¡¯m about to describe to you and from that point on the races just get stronger and bigger in numbers the farther you go in.


    First up we have the Fabyls. They are similar in size to what a normal Goblin would like after one evolution, and they are a humanoid race like us Goblins and the Orcs. One of the things that make them different is the fact that they are covered from head to toe in feathers and appear to have wings for arms but I¡¯m not sure about that. On their faces are a pair of bead-like eyes and a strong-looking brown beak to go with it.


    Their feet are not like the feet of birds as you might be thinking but instead, it is almost like the paws of a wolf you might¡¯ve seen in the forest. I¡¯m not sure what they are good at or if there are types of them within their race or even what their numbers are like. I myself have only ever seen two of them and both of them were covered in brown feathers. I¡¯m not sure where exactly they are located, but I know it''s not close to my tribe.


    On the other hand, the race closest to my tribe is the Lidens. I know a bit more about them when compared to the Fabyls. They are also a humanoid race, standing at about four feet in height. On their face is one giant eye in the middle along with a nose and mouth. Their skin is usually brown and appears to be leathery, though I have no idea.


    What makes them stand out is the fact that they are a really fat race. I¡¯m not exactly sure if they eat a lot or if it¡¯s natural and that''s how they were born but they are all extremely fat even at their small height of four feet.


    But with that large weight comes with it a significant amount of power and strength packed into their small frame. This was found out in an unfortunate manner. On a trip to the Iris River, one of our Goblins stumbled in front of a Liden, and he was obliterated in one punch. All he did was stumble in front of him by accident and he was dead before we knew it. We could only hang our heads in shame and take it while doing nothing about it due to our weakness.


    I¡¯m only telling you this to show you that even though there are other races weaker than the Orcs and are even slightly oppressed by them, no one likes Goblins or will ever offer us a helping hand. So whatever you do from here on out will have to only depend on Goblin power.


    Now, after the Lidens we have Svers. It was passed down to me that Svers are located all over the plains due to how numerous they were and how quickly they reproduce. I¡¯m not sure if that is correct since it was just passed down within the tribe. For their appearance, they are the same size as a TinkGoblin but covered in a very light coat of fur.


    I¡¯m not sure what the color of that fur is but this is all the information I have about their appearance. The main thing to know about them is that they¡¯re extremely fast. I¡¯m not sure just how fast, but at the very least they are much faster than any Goblin has probably ever been.


    Last but not least we have the Gildrans, a race that shouldn''t be considered a weak one. I myself have fortunately yet to see one but the information passed down in the tribe about them is definitely a little frightening. It is said that they look like snakes but with arms and legs so they are able to do a lot more things that a normal snake would be able to do.


    I¡¯ve been told a Gildran is a ruthless creature that is one of the strongest living in the entire plains, but apparently have very low fertility so there¡¯s not a lot of them. That¡¯s the only reason they¡¯re still known as a weaker race than the Orcs. While individually they are strong, as a race they are weak due to there being only a very few of them in the entire plains.


    That''s it for all the knowledge I have regarding other weak races around the Goblin tribes. The only ¡°strong¡± race I know of and have seen personally is the Orcs. They are about as tall as you currently and have the face of the ugliest boar you have ever seen. They even have small tusks coming out of their mouths.


    I¡¯m not sure exactly how strong a Goblin who has gone through two evolutions is, but I don¡¯t really think you¡¯d be able to fight them at your current strength Rick.


    If you have any more questions Kida should be able to answer most of them. I wish you safe travels Tribe Leader Rick. ~


    [That concludes all the information that was present in the documents.]


    It really is a lot to take in all at once. But it seems the entire plains will have to know what it means to disrespect my Goblin race. The Orcs will still have to face the most severe punishment, but I won¡¯t forget everyone else. Gang green will remember.


    [Don¡¯t forget what Jala wrote in the documents. We are not strong enough to fight everyone in the plains.]


    Then that means all we have to do is get stronger. It''s a good thing that these forests are filled to the brim with monsters. We will get much stronger and then we¡¯ll have the entire plains educated on the definition of anger by the time I¡¯m done.


    [Understood.]

 Chapter Forty Nine

    [It is now 1900.]


    Perfect time to stop moving for today.


    ¡°Alright everyone, we can stop here! It¡¯s already dark out, so let¡¯s take a break here and rest up for the night. Eat what you have and as always don¡¯t worry about standing watch through the night I¡¯ll handle it. Just be ready to go in the morning!¡±


    After receiving a series of acknowledgements from the group Rick turned his attention to Kida


    ¡°Kida, can I talk to you before you begin sleeping?¡±


    ¡°Of course Mr.Rick, what do you need?¡±


    ¡°I just finished reviewing the contents of the documents Jala provided me. There¡¯s just one thing I can¡¯t wrap my head around. Why exactly is the Iris River so important to you and all the races in the plains? There¡¯s no way just providing fresh water and maybe a few fishes can be that big of a deal for us Goblins right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you''re right, it¡¯s far more important than just fresh water and fish. I¡¯ve never actually been to the Iris River myself, but I have been told bits and pieces about it. The water of the Iris River is very special, it is filled with very high-quality mana. I was told that just one short bath in the Iris River is already enough to heal all of someone¡¯s light injuries like bruises and cuts, while it will also aid in greatly recovering their mana at the same time.


    Now if instead of just a bath and you chose to instead drink the water, it would only multiply those effects further. Though gifts of the Iris River don''t stop there Mr.Rick, probably the most important feature of the Iris River that I know of are the Ice stones that can be found on the floor of the river.¡±


    ¡°Ice stones? What are they?¡±


    ¡°To put it simply Mr.Rick, they are really tiny, blue sand-like stones that constantly give off cooling air. It will continue to give off that cooling air right up until it runs out of mana. Once it runs out of mana, it will be on one of us, usually us Maglins to refill it will mana. Though you can only refill each stone around three times before it will stop gathering mana and releasing that cooling air.


    That¡¯s everything I know about the stones, but there could very well be other uses that we haven¡¯t been told or figured out on our own yet.¡±


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    ¡°I see...There¡¯s still so much I don¡¯t know about this place, and it always amazes me when I find something new. I can¡¯t wait to actually see these stones, Kida.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure if you have never seen them before it will be quite the refreshing experience once you get the opportunity.¡±


    ¡°Now is there anything else about the Iris River that I should know?¡±


    ¡°Ah yes! Just one last thing, you mentioned fish earlier and there are indeed fish in the river, but they are not ordinary. Of course, I haven¡¯t had any of the fish, nor have I had fish from anywhere else actually, but I¡¯m told it is a delicacy. Only the tribe Leader back in the plains received the chance to taste it once due to an Orc throwing a half-eaten fish at her.


    If the Iris River offers anything else other than what I¡¯ve just told you then I don¡¯t know about it. Hopefully, with this, you see how important the Iris River is for all the races in the plains.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for taking your time to explain all that to me, and it definitely has opened my eyes to how important the Iris River is, no worries though it will be Goblin-owned and operated soon enough. Anyway, I¡¯ve taken up enough of your time, get some rest.¡±


    ¡°Anytime Mr.Rick! All of us are forever in your debt!¡±


    And so Kida along with everyone else picked out a spot on the ground and fell asleep trusting in the ability of Rick to keep watch over them through the night. It was something they didn¡¯t want to do at first, saying things like ¡°The Leader should get more rest than all of us!¡± but Rick was adamant and firm, so they eventually conceded.


    Rick himself was lost in his thoughts as he considered all the hills and mountains he would have to climb to attain his dream of a Goblin empire. He had to grow his tribe in strength and number, then came problems with the oppressed Goblins in the plains. He would have to fight a race far stronger than him in every which way, and that wasn''t even considering the other races who might decide to help the Orcs.


    He also couldn¡¯t forget about the fox who could wipe out his entire tribe, and he wouldn¡¯t be able to even save himself. Then came the mystery monster living in the lake who could come out at any time and do just as much damage as the fox in the north. It was truly a lot to have on one plate. Of course, Rick could choose to avoid all of this trouble and just live an easy life with his small tribe of Goblins.


    The thing is Rick loved being a Goblin and being around his fellow Goblins perhaps far more than a former human being should. But that¡¯s what he was, a former human, he was now a Goblin, and he wanted the best for his race. With all that in mind, Rick also knew the quickest way to fix all of his problems or at the very least most of them.


    It was strength. Powerful and unquestionable strength.


    If he was stronger than all his enemies then no one would be able to put a stop to his dreams of Goblin dominance. But he was weak. Weaker than everything and everyone who stood in his way.


    Now of course Rick already knew all of this information, but it was the first time he really took a second to just digest everything going on in his new life and all the challenges he would have to face on the path he chose. It was truly an arduous path, but Rick planned to stick with it and persevere.


    After all, there is no gang stronger than gang green now is there?

 Chapter Fifty

    After taking a few moments to breathe and fully digest his thoughts, Rick himself went to sleep. Even though he was supposed to be the one keeping watch over the Goblins sleeping all around him, he slept just as they did every single night.


    After all, he wasn¡¯t actually the one keeping watch, that job fell on Velora alone. Of course, this was simple for her since the concept of sleep or rest didn¡¯t exist for her. So the night passed by without anything out of the ordinary happening and soon it was morning again.


    Once morning came around Rick was the first to wake up, as usual, thanks mostly in part to Velora¡¯s morning alarms in his head. Soon after him, all the other Goblins woke up as well, with Wala the fiery little TinkGoblin being the last to wake up as usual.


    They soon left out on their journey again, heading for the previous home of Dran. They took many breaks, had many battles and got a lot closer as the days kept on passing. Kida didn¡¯t fail to try and teach Sigi and Lagi reading and writing at every chance she got. The two High Goblins were a little unsure about the whole learning thing at first, but Kida didn¡¯t leave room for discussion.


    She (unwillingly) received an order to teach them from the Goblin who she respects as her Leader, and she intended to follow it through to the end. Even though she would much rather spend her time teaching said Goblin, she wouldn¡¯t fail to properly carry out the order given to her.


    So facing that sort of dedication and commitment, Sigi and Lagi had no choice but to follow suit. Eventually, their continued instruction paid off and they could now read some of the more basic words but writing them from memory was still a ways off.


    Still, the days continued to pass as they traveled. More battles with various monsters, more rest and breaks, which then meant more teaching and learning for Kida, Sigi, and Lagi. It soon became routine for them, and before they all realized, well everyone except Velora, they reached about a half-day away from where the cave was.


    They were fighting two black wolves, both only at tier 1 once Rick checked their statuses. He himself was not actually fighting this time around but observing the battle from a distance. Of course, Wala and Dran weren¡¯t fighting either, only the two Maglins and the two High Goblins engaged in the battle.


    With the High Goblins Sigi and Lagi each taking a wolf each and fighting them bare-handed, and the two Maglins Kida and Zargi supporting from a distance with long-range abilities that appeared to be magical spells of all sorts in the eyes of Rick, the battle didn¡¯t last very long. Of course, their ability to fight is something that has gotten better on this long journey with Rick guiding them and providing advice on anything he sees.


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    Though shortly after the battle was over, Kida started to feel lightheaded and soon took a knee while grabbing her head. Before anyone could even approach her and ask what''s wrong, she immediately fell over and lost consciousness. It was too long after that her body began emitting a strong light. It was now evident to all the Goblins around her that she was evolving.


    ¡°She..she¡¯s evolving!¡± Said a surprised Zargi.


    ¡°Woah! Another Goblin on their second evolution! And this time we don¡¯t have to see her get taken away by the Orcs!!¡± Wala was pretty surprised herself.


    ¡°This...good..¡±


    ¡°Yes...it..is...good.¡±


    Sigi and Lagi gave their usual short responses.


    ¡°This is all thanks to you. Under normal circumstances she¡¯d be taken away as soon as she woke up. Now I just wonder how much different she will look.¡±


    ¡°This is just how it should be, all I did was free her and the rest of you from your shackles, how far you all go from here is all because of yourselves. Anyway, spread out around her and make sure nothing approaches.¡±


    They all acknowledged the instructions and spread out as directed. Waiting patiently for the light to fade, which was blinding everyone from seeing the process of her body changing on a molecular level.


    It took all of fifteen minutes for the evolution process to finally begin to show signs of ending. All eyes were focused on the figure the fading light was slowly beginning to reveal. Mouths were hung agape as Kida slowly woke up and began to catch her bearings. She eventually became one hundred percent conscious and stood up for everyone to see.


    Though one Goblin, in particular, turned his head around as soon as he saw Kida. She stood around six feet and five inches and had long black hair that seemed to reach her waistline. She was still fairly skinny as Maglins are. But her body no longer looked as frail as it once did. Instead, her skinny frame looked to be firmer and stronger, almost like a track and field athlete from Rick¡¯s past life.


    There¡¯s also another feature that really caught Rick¡¯s eye. Her bosom seemed to have grown just as much as she did. If Rick were knowledgeable about bra sizes from his previous life he would¡¯ve known that Kida was now at a D cup. Yep, Rick is still just another male at heart. Anyway Kida¡¯s growth in various areas seemed fitting for a female Maglin that stood at six feet and five inches. She was now the tallest Goblin in the group. A full five inches above Rick.


    Rick then heard a lot of noise and movement behind him, so he slowly turned back around to see a sight he really didn¡¯t expect to see. Kida, who seemed to have realized that her previous garments had been torn apart and no longer covered her body fully, was scrambling around to fix that. The female Goblins were all busy trying to help her, despite the significant size difference.


    It seems that the Goblins from the plains were a lot more sexually aware than his own Goblins back home. He probably should¡¯ve asked them about that once he met with Jala or even on the journey back to the cave, but it seems his answer is right here in front of him. Anyway, he quickly asked Dran, and Zargi to help tear the pelt off the two black wolves to try and help Kida.

 Chapter Fifty One

    After a few minutes were spent with Kida and the female Goblins putting something together, her main private areas were finally covered enough. Of course, the pelts taken off the black wolves cannot be used yet because they are still fresh and haven¡¯t been dried properly. So being only partially covered would have to do for now.


    ¡°Kida, how do you feel?¡±


    ¡°Mr.Rick¡­ I¡¯m not quite sure yet.. I still feel normal but at the same time, I feel like a whole new Maglin. Almost as if I¡¯ve just been reborn. This is nothing like the first evolution I went through. It might take some time to get used to this.¡±


    ¡°That''s fine, you''re no longer in the plains so you¡¯ll have all the time in the world you need to get properly used to your new body and all the strength that comes with it. We¡¯re really close to the cave, let''s first get there and we can talk more about your evolution.¡±


    So they set off again, and with the new growth of Kida, anyone who saw the group of Goblins traveling would think their group was quite a funny composition. One really tall female Goblin, two fairly tall male Goblins with one of them being skinny and the other looking quite strong. Then came two Goblins that seemed to be the normal height for how tall you¡¯d think a Goblin should be.


    And if one didn¡¯t look carefully they might¡¯ve missed the two small Goblins that were barely two and a half feet tall, scampering along in the middle of the group. But they went along towards their destination, which took the rest of the day. It was late into the night when they finally arrived at the small cave which was Dran¡¯s home.


    Which meant a journey that took them almost three months to complete due to having to take multiple breaks, fighting from time to time, and even educational lessons was close to ending. Either way, they were finally at the cave, and now only a few days away from the tribe.


    Once they made it into the cave, everyone settled in and went to sleep straight away, they all came to an agreement that all discussions could be left for the morning.


    After a truly restful night that saw everyone sprawled all over the cave, a very important morning came around. Very important for Rick that is. He would first have a conversation with Kida regarding her new evolution but that wouldn''t be the most important thing on his mind at all.


    He had a decision to make regarding going home. He was now in familiar territory. His tribe is only at most a day or two away from where they are now. But to get there he would have to go through the territory of the creature that could have almost definitely taken his life before his journey to the plains even began.


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    He could try to avoid it and probably succeed in doing so, but he knew there could be really good benefits if he could successfully kill that creature.


    Only monsters stronger than himself could adequately evade Velora¡¯s scanning system, and it was those types of monsters he needed to kill if he wanted to grow immensely any time soon. Killing a bunch of monsters far weaker than himself could only take him so far. He would need to have riskier battles with stronger beings if he really wanted to grow.


    Especially since he knew that reaching Tier 3 wouldn¡¯t solve their problems since the Orcs most definitely had the means to deal with that based on his assumptions. He didn¡¯t know how far he needed to go before he evolved into something capable of fighting back, so it was important to take the opportunities he could when they presented themselves. Though before it came time to make that decision he should talk with Kida, and then do something he probably should¡¯ve done at the start of the journey.


    It didn''t take too long for all the Goblins in the cave to wake up. Immediately after waking up, Dran took Sigi and Lagi with him to go get breakfast. While Zargi promptly began tossing around question after question towards Kida about the new evolution. Kida herself seemed a little flustered but she understood his excitement, she would probably be doing the same thing if it was Zargi who evolved.


    As for Wala, she seemed to be fiddling with something in the corner of the cave, Rick took notice and realized she was just cleaning up the pelt they brought in for Kida, before setting it outside to dry.


    ¡°Alright, Zargi leave Kida alone for now, we¡¯ll do some talking after we get something to eat. Breakfast is the most important meal in every Goblins'' day.¡±


    So with that, Zargi backed down and even made a mental note in his head to make sure he eats breakfast every day from now on. In fact, both Kida who was now on her second evolution like Rick and Wala who was busy doing her thing also made mental notes to eat breakfast every day. In fact, this would be a movement that would spread far and wide in the Goblin community. In the future Goblins far and wide would be making sure to eat a healthy breakfast just off this one passing comment from Rick..


    Of course, Rick didn¡¯t know about all the mental notes being taken down, or any future Goblins taking their breakfast seriously, he was just repeating something he heard back in his human days. Anyways Dran and the others eventually came back with the same type of rodents he gave Rick when he was first here, Gimbos. Though this time instead of two it seems they caught twelve of them.


    Everyone came together to clean up the Gimbos and prepare them for cooking. Once that was completed they were skewered on sticks Dran had laying around the cave. A fire was quickly started and before long the wonderful smell of roasted Gimbo spread around the cave.


    Not a lot of talking was done between the Goblins while the Gimbos were being cooked or even when everyone was eating. Except for the one occasion where Zargi seemed to be passing very important information onto Dran, Sigi, and Lagi who all made mental notes of their own. Of course, Rick saw them talking but paid no mind to it, so he had no idea what was being said, nor did he care about it.


    At some point in time, everyone finished eating and Rick could finally begin his conversation with Kida, much to the happiness of Zargi.

 Chapter Fifty Two

    It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve spoken to you all like this right? Well, listen it''s not my fault, whoever is running this show got all caught up on the whole narration thing. While I was left saying a bunch of one-line cliches! Crazy right?!


    Well, I¡¯m back! The great green Royal Goblin Rick! There¡¯s been a lot I¡¯ve wanted to tell you about how I feel about everything that¡¯s going on, but I couldn¡¯t for reasons out of my control! I will now though, cause who knows when I¡¯m gonna be forced to go back to these one-line cliches! Just being all serious all the time! I¡¯m still that Hollywood Goblin star ready to change the world!


    Anyways here I am in this cave with Kida and all these other Goblins from the plains. We¡¯ve just finished our breakfast, which is very important by the way! Now me and Kida plan on breaking down her evolution. I¡¯m actually really excited, for one she¡¯s flipping huge!!


    And although I¡¯ve been locked in mentally, physically, and emotionally with the Goblin race, it''s my first time actually thinking one of the female Goblins was attractive! It''s not like I thought they were ugly before, but I just couldn¡¯t find them attractive in any way


    But here comes Kida evolving into a beautiful athletic giant of a Goblin! Plus she¡¯s been blessed in certain areas that I couldn¡¯t just ignore...sigh. I know I shouldn¡¯t be focusing on things like this with all the stuff going on, but I couldn¡¯t help it okay? It''s a tough life for a Goblin!¡¯


    [I wonder if Geedi would appreciate these thoughts.]


    Ah! Now, why would you bring Geedi up Velora. There¡¯s no way she¡¯s still looking to have my children right? Yeah, there¡¯s no way..Right?


    [Well, you¡¯ll find out really soon now won¡¯t you? It should be really interesting if she does indeed still wish to have children with you.]


    I don¡¯t even want to think about that, I¡¯m too young for kids! Whatever, let''s focus on what¡¯s right in front of me.


    ¡°Alright Kida, we can talk about your evolution a little now. First of all, what are the major changes you can say about your new state versus your previous self?¡±


    ¡°Well I¡¯m still not sure on everything but so far the biggest change I can feel is the amount of mana I have access to. As a Maglin I¡¯ve been accustomed to using mana since my birth, so it was the first thing I noticed when I evolved.


    Apart from that, I¡¯m still feeling it out, you¡¯ve obviously seen...ahem...the physical changes I¡¯ve gone through, but I think I¡¯ve received new abilities along with the expanded mana capacity. I won¡¯t be sure exactly what they do until I actually give them a try, but I have a general idea.¡±


    Velora you saw that little cough?! She knows I saw her damn boobs! Do you think she¡¯s upset? It¡¯s not my fault she was naked!


    [I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be fine, just focus on this evolution, it''s good information for me as well. The more evolution knowledge I gain the better I can predict other evolutions. In fact, I might already have a rough estimation on that.]


    Hmm tell me more about that later then.


    ¡°Hmm..Kida, how can you tell exactly what abilities you have and how to use them?¡±


    ¡°Oh that¡¯s an easy one, Mr.Rick It¡¯s just a feeling. Almost as if you¡¯ve had the knowledge your whole life, though once you learn something new when evolving it will usually take some time to get accustomed to that new skill and all the capabilities of it. Isn¡¯t that how it is for you too as well Mr.Rick? I¡¯m pretty sure that¡¯s how it is for every Goblin in the plains.¡±


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    ¡°Just a feeling huh..Well yeah, I guess you can say it¡¯s like that for me too, I was just checking to see if it was different for the Goblins in the plains. Now you should definitely get accustomed to your new body before we complete the rest of the journey back to my tribe, or our tribe I guess it is now. You all can go outside and begin doing that near the cave, I¡¯ll be out there soon to join you.¡±


    Kida agreed with Rick, and she excitedly made her way outside, with Zargi who himself was also very excited and was keen on seeing just what Kida could do. After all, as long he kept getting stronger he would eventually evolve and be able to do similar things as Kida.


    The two High Goblins and both TinkGoblins followed them outside as well, it seems everyone was interested in seeing the new and improved Kida. That just left a lone Royal Goblin in Rick remaining in the cave. Seemingly thinking about truly critical things.


    ~


    Go away narrator! This is still my time to shine! Anyway, Velora I probably should¡¯ve done this a long time ago, but I really should¡¯ve long checked everyone¡¯s statuses. Well, better late than never, and what better time to check than right now. So can you bring up Kida''s status please?


    [Sure, but first what is this narration thing you keep talking about?]


    The enemy of my storied legend and future stardom Velora. Truly a despicable thing if you ask me.


    [I don¡¯t quite understand, and I don¡¯t believe I ever can. Anyway, here''s Kida¡¯s status.]


    {Name - Kida}


    {Age - 5}


    {Race - Elite MagiGoblin}


    {Tier 2}


    {Health - 35/35}


    {Mana - 55/55}


    {Strength - 15}


    {Agility - 20}


    {Intelligence - 25}


    {Endurance - 15}


    {Skills}


    {Mana Manipulation III}


    {Elemental Affinity III}


    {Spell Construct Mastery I}


    So she does indeed have skills, it did cross my mind when I saw her fighting, but I thought that rude voice that interrupted my dreams said it was rare to have skills below Tier 5?


    [I believe that is still the case, I think what you''re seeing is the abilities she naturally possesses due to her race displayed in the status as a skill to make things easier for you.]


    I guess that makes sense because if a dragon is born with the ability to breathe fire, I suppose that wouldn¡¯t be a skill but just a natural thing similar to breathing normally for it..But how will I know when someone has one of those rare skills and not some natural born ability?


    [The system should differentiate if you encounter such a situation. For now just assume all skills you see are just a natural born ability of that individual displayed as a skill.]


    I also noticed she has access to mana which makes sense because of her race but I wonder if I will ever get this access as well?


    [Perhaps on your next evolution.]


    Sigh perhaps..There¡¯s still so much I really don¡¯t understand about skills and statuses. Even her race is slightly different, adding Elite is a prefix instead of just calling her a Hobgoblin like Jaba..I guess that has to do with her type? Anyway Velora, is it possible for you to bring up the descriptions for each skill ?


    [Let''s give it a try.]

 Chapter Fifty Three

    [Mana Manipulation III - The third version of Mana Manipulation. It is the ability to use the mana present within one¡¯s body to form various shapes made entirely out of that same mana. Those shapes can then be given simple meaning or commands to follow.


    [For example, forming a small ball-like shape of mana and willing it to fly at a target in the distance and have the mana explode on impact. This skill can also and should be used in conjunction with other magical-related skills.


    [This skill has no specific mana requirements. The mana consumed will depend solely on the user and the size and complexity of what shapes they create. The higher the skill, the less mana required to create shapes.


    [Elemental Affinity III - The third version of Elemental Affinity. It is the ability to give one¡¯s mana various elemental properties. The base elements in the world are Water, Fire, Earth, and Wind. As long as one has the Elemental Affinity skill they will be equally proficient in all four of these base elements. The higher the skill level, the more proficient the user will become with the application of the elements.


    [This skill can be used in conjunction with numerous other skills. It is commonly used with Mana Manipulation to give the created shapes an element to bring forth a deeper and lasting effect.


    [For example, a ball of mana created with Mana Manipulation that was willed by the user to fly at a target and explode would do far more damage if given the Fire element.


    [This skill has no specific mana requirements. Instead, the amount of mana consumed is solely dependent on the user and how strong the elemental properties applied would be when used in conjunction with other skills such as Mana Manipulation. The higher the skill, the less mana required.


    [Next, we have Spell Construct Mastery.


    [Spell Construct Mastery I - The base version of Spell Construct Mastery. This skill gives the user the ability to truly take their very first step into the world of Magic. This skill takes the act of manipulating mana to an entirely different level of expertise. It is the ability to create extremely complex constructs of mana with predetermined meaning and even elemental properties as well.


    [In essence, it is the ability to create your own personal abilities categorized as spells strictly for the use of the user. If Mana Manipulation was used to create various relatively simple shapes, and Elemental Affinity was used to give those shapes elemental properties then this skill eliminates that process altogether.


    [For example, if the user were to create a ¡°Fireball¡± spell construct imbued with the meaning to explode on impact and fly in a straight line when released. It would then be listed under the Spell Construct Mastery skill as a spell. Giving the user the ability to drastically reduce the time needed to cast the spell as the user wouldn¡¯t need to go through the process of creating the mana-shaped ball and applying elemental properties to it.


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    [The created spell would have a set mana requirement and the amount required would depend on the properties given to the spell by the user.


    [Creating a ¡°Fireball¡± spell construct is just a basic example. The type of spell created is only limited to the imagination of the user and the level of the Spell Construct Mastery Skill itself. Though it seems the amount of spells and complexity of said spills is most likely limited to the level of Spell Construct Mastery or in Kida¡¯s case her understanding of it and also her mana capacity. So I assume she will only be able to create one or two relatively simple spells.]


    Dammit, even with that restriction that still sounds overpowered as hell! What do I have to do to get a skill like that?!


    [I¡¯m not quite sure it is something available to the type of Goblin you were born as. It might be something unique to Maglins and any other magically orientated race. Though since you are indeed a unique individual, there might be options open to you that aren''t open to any other Goblin or even any other race in the entire world. For example, myself.


    The skill Velora.


    You are undoubtedly the only existence in this world with the skill Velora. Some might have similar skills, but no one else will have Velora, only you.]


    Well, when you put it like that...I guess I really should be more thankful for the help you bring and everything you take care of for me huh.


    [That isn''t necessary, my sole purpose is to provide assistance and support to you forever. My advice is calculated, and it is always aimed at bringing you the most benefits possible. Such as encouraging you to train. You should really train more. Well, I should say start instead of more, seeing that you don¡¯t train at all.]


    Wow you had me hooked for a second there, but you just had to bring up the whole training thing! And I do train! I just train in my own special way!


    [Hm, your own special way? I haven¡¯t been able to grasp this special way you have mentioned. It seems I still have a ways to go. I¡¯ll review all your previous experiences and pay close attention to your future actions so that I¡¯m able to truly understand this special you¡¯ve mentioned.]


    Wait! No, that¡¯s not something you have to do, it''s fine!


    [Don¡¯t worry I¡¯ll still be able to properly carry out my other actions and any orders while doing this.]


    Ah fine whatever, doesn''t seem like I can stop you anyway. Anyway, I¡¯m truly looking forward to seeing all the different constructs and spells that Kida can come up with, maybe I can even give her some advice from my extensive isekai reading from back on earth.


    Hmm, there¡¯s one thing that''s really sticking out to me, though. In the description for the Elemental Affinity skill, it mentions the use of base elements. Does that mean there are more advanced elements out there waiting to be harnessed? Are they only accessible through skills or is it some Kida would have to create herself?


    [This is not something I have enough information to answer. But your logic appears reasonable, I would assume the word ¡°base¡± would mean the lowest level, hinting at something higher than itself. Though there isn¡¯t enough knowledge available to me to come up with a more concrete answer.]

 Chapter Fifty Four

    Ah, I really do hope I actually get some sort of similar skill or ability like that. Especially with this whole base element thing, there could be some really sick elements out there just waiting for me to use them to create my Goblin empire!


    [I believe if there are indeed other elements apart from the base four listed, then they are already known by beings stronger in magic than Kida is. I¡¯m also sure there are quite a few beings much stronger than Kida. Now if for some reason the elements haven¡¯t been discovered I highly doubt they¡¯d be waiting on you specifically.]


    You just don¡¯t know how to pull punches at all do you Velora! If I had really low self-esteem, my dreams would be crashing and burning as we speak! But I won¡¯t let you stop this show Velora, I¡¯ll be shooting lightning out of my hands before you know it.


    [I don¡¯t have the ability to throw punches, so I don¡¯t quite understand exactly what you mean by that. Also, I don¡¯t believe you have received a skill that would allow you to conjure any form of elemental magic. Nor have you received any knowledge regarding any sort of advanced elemental abilities apart from the skills you¡¯ve seen from Kida. Perhaps upon your next evolution, you might be able to receive an elementary skill or ability related to the world of magic. Thankfully with all the monsters and essence you¡¯ve fought and absorbed on this journey you aren¡¯t that far from Tier 3 any longer, so perhaps you will find out soon.]


    I should start calling you Velora the Vicious or something like that. I wonder if that is actually the full name of the skill and you¡¯ve just been hiding it from me all this time.


    [No, my name is Velora.]


    Yes yes, I understand, can you bring up everyone else¡¯s status though please?¡¯


    [Understood.]


    {Name - Zargi}


    {Age - 5}


    {Race - MagiGoblin (High)}


    {Tier 1}


    {Health - 20/20}


    {Mana - 45/45}


    {Strength - 10}


    {Agility - 7}


    {Intelligence - 20}


    {Endurance - 10}


    {Skills}


    {Mana Manipulation III}


    {Elemental Affinity III}


    {Name - Wala}


    {Age -7}


    {Race - TinkGoblin (High)}


    {Tier 1}


    {Health - 20/20}


    {Strength - 6


    {Agility - 5}


    {Intelligence - 16}


    {Endurance - 6}


    {Skills}


    {Name - Lagi}


    {Age - 3}


    {Race - Goblin (High)}


    {Tier 1}


    {Health - 20/20}


    {Strength - 9}


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    {Agility - 5}


    {Intelligence - 4}


    {Endurance - 8}


    {Skills}


    {Name - Sigi}


    {Age - 3}


    {Race - Goblin (High)}


    {Tier 1}


    {Health - 20/20}


    {Strength - 7}


    {Agility - 7}


    {Intelligence - 4}


    {Endurance - 7}


    {Skills}


    Okay, everyone else hopefully shouldn¡¯t be too far from their second evolution. It¡¯s still a long way to go until they can become as strong as myself and Jaba but it¡¯s a step in the right direction. Now I myself need to hurry up and become a true powerhouse for the tribe.


    If I¡¯m really going to free all those Goblins in the plains from a life living under orc tyranny then I need to be stronger than the strongest orc. I have no idea just how strong that individual may possibly be, but from what I¡¯ve been told, I¡¯m only just stronger than the few Orcs who patrol the Goblin tribes. There¡¯s no way a patrolling orc will be anywhere near the level of strength as I imagine the Leader or maybe even Leaders will be.


    I¡¯m no Einstein so I¡¯m not sure if everything I¡¯m doing is the right way to go about it, but I can only move how I believe is right and deal with whatever comes next, cause after all even Einstein has never been transformed into a Goblin in another world! At Least I think he wasn¡¯t..Anyway-..¡¯


    KA-BOOM!!!


    Just as Rick was gathering his thoughts a very large thunderous explosion sounded from outside the cave. It was loud and raucous enough to even cause the cave Rick was in to shake slightly. Rick even somehow found a way to fall over even though he was sitting down, though Rick himself would never admit that.


    Oh, shit...what...what the hell was that?! And why the hell does it feel like something, or someone was talking about me?!


    [I¡¯m not sure about the whole someone talking about you concept, but I believe that explosion came from outside the cave where Kida and the rest should be going over her new capabilities. I suggest you go out and take a look.]


    After hearing Velora¡¯s assessment, Rick quickly gathered himself off of the floor and made his way towards the exit of the cave. Once he reached outside, he was greeted by a sight that he wouldn¡¯t even begin to understand even when it was explained to him¡­


    Now let''s rewind just a few minutes before the explosion that made a certain someone fall even though they were sitting down. With Kida, Lagi, Sigi, Dran, Zargi, and Wala focused on the ball of burning mana currently floating above Kida¡¯s open palms, while they were located a short distance away from the cave in the surrounding forests.


    Well, it really was just Kida and Zargi focused on the ball of mana, while everyone else backed off them a bit..almost as if they could sense the impending danger.


    ¡°I think I can make it much bigger!¡± Said a rather unusually excited Kida.


    ¡°You¡¯ve already surpassed your previous limit Kida! This is good enough for an experiment!¡± Responded a more flustered Zargi, who was now a lot less excited than he was at the beginning of this experiment with Kida.


    ¡°But look at it Zargi! Don¡¯t you want to see just how big It can get! Just look at how much more hot and fiery the fire element is now when I add it to my mana! Let¡¯s keep going!!¡±


    And that she did..At this point, Zargi slowly started backing away from her as she became lost in her frenzy to see the ball of mana grow bigger and bigger...and bigger. So big that it was now bigger than Kida¡¯s own towering body as it now floated above her head. In fact, by now Kida was no longer in control of the burning ball of mana as she powerlessly lowered her hands while consciousness slowly left her.


    It was then that Zargi and the rest ran back towards Kida as they saw this and did their best to move her unconscious body away from the ball of mana along with themselves. The large ball of burning mana then exploded! Sending the group of Goblins trying to get away flying nearby and the area around the ball completely decimated.


    The sight that greeted Rick once he came outside and looked at the situation was six Goblins laying down on the ground with various injuries.


    But that wasn¡¯t even what surprised him the most. Instead it was a large, scorched area just right in front of him. Trees were blasted to bits, with nothing but burnt stumps and singed wood chips to show that they were once there.


    The beautiful brown soil that covered the forest floor  all around him was now burnt black in the small crater that now remained after the explosion. After being lost in shock for a few seconds Rick finally ran over to the injured Goblins scattered not too far from the decimation left by the explosion.


    Though he was never too worried about them, Velora had long since told him they were all alive, and the injuries received were mostly scratches and bruises. They were all evolved Goblins for a reason. The only one who gave Rick a little worry was Kida. According to Velora she was suffering from some type of mana sickness. But Velora was no doctor so she couldn¡¯t give an accurate assessment of  Kida¡¯s condition.


    Eventually all the Goblins slowly got up with the exception of Kida who remained unconscious.


    ¡°What the hell happened out here? And what exactly is wrong with Kida?¡±


    It was Zargi who spoke up first.


    ¡°Leader Rick.. it was Kida..she got a bit too into the experiment and lost control.¡±


    ¡°What experiment? Explain everything in detail.¡±


    ¡°She tried to create a big ball of fire mana, much larger than what she had done in the past. Then I think the excitement got to her as she kept on increasing it in size before she eventually ran out of mana and lost control. Then with no one to control the ball of burning mana, it simply exploded. Thankfully most of the explosion was directed outward or maybe some of us would have died.¡±


    ¡°Shit¡­and Kida? Do you know exactly what''s going with her?¡±


    ¡°Yes, she is just experiencing mana depletion. It happens when one of us uses all of our mana in a very short period of time. She should be alright, but most likely won¡¯t wake up for a few days, actually that time could be shorter as she evolved so maybe her recovery speed is better.¡±


    ¡°Well as long as everyone is fine, Though Zargi I suggest you remember this little experiment for when you eventually evolve.¡±


    ¡°Yes sir I definitely will.¡±


    ¡°Alright, with that being said we will wait however long it takes for Kida to wake up and heal then we will immediately depart for my tribe. I¡¯ve been gone for over four months, and I miss my little tribe.¡±


    In another location slightly east of the Lake, two Goblins could be seen walking fairly leisurely in the forest.


    ¡°Do you think the Leader will finally return soon? It¡¯s been way too long right?¡±


    ¡°The answer won¡¯t change no matter how many times you ask Geedi, no one knows when he will come back. We just have to wait.¡±


    ¡°Tch, he needs to hurry up! He promised he would have my children!¡±


    Dal only smiled wryly after hearing that..everyone in the tribe knew by now that it would only result in a bad day for them if they reminded Geedi that the Leader never actually promised the whole children thing with her. She was too far gone now in her delusions for anyone to argue against her without receiving a beating in return.


    Though he too wondered when their Leader would return, after all a lot had changed in the tribe.


    Unbeknownst to them though, Rick would soon make his grand return to the tribe, but with other Goblins trotting along with him. One could only imagine just how Geedi would react to one of the more well-endowed Goblins traveling alongside Rick. Who knows? Maybe she won¡¯t care¡­


    - End of Book 1 -

 Chapter Fifty Five (Book 2)

    On the day a certain goblin woke up in a cave..


    In a dark room, empty of anyone laid eight stones, each the size of an adult male¡¯s hand. All perfectly laid in a circle upon an old wooden rustic altar. An altar that clearly showed its age with all the cracks and splits in the wood along with a heavy amount of dust.


    Yet despite its appearance, the altar stood firm, dutifully being a place of refuge for the very stones that lay upon it. Year after year, this room and the contents within it stood silent without interruption. It was almost as if the room was frozen in time for the very purpose it was created for now seemed lost and forgotten by the beings it should matter to the most.


    At least such was the case for decades until this very moment. The room finally had signs of life.


    The stones began to emit a faint light which gradually grew brighter until the stones themselves started to vibrate in place. After a minute the entire room was bathed in a soft green glow and the stones themselves stopped vibrating and instead began to emit a faint ringing barely more audible than a whisper.


    But just like the light this ringing sound also grew in intensity until it was just loud enough for it to reach down the hall, and inside a room not too far from the one it started in, until it finally reached the ears of the one within.


    ¡°Hmm..? Ringing..? Who could be making such noise at this forsaken hour. Once I find this little scoundrel I¡¯ll give them a proper scolding! Damn..ring..wait.. Ringing?! No¡­ it can¡¯t be..¡±


    Muttered a rather aged voice, before said owner of the voice hurriedly gathered himself and sprinted down the hall as fast as his old bones could go. It wasn¡¯t long before he reached his destination and a look of absolute shock made its way onto his face.


    ¡°The Stones of Birth are..glowing..they are glowing..THE STONES OF BIRTH OF GLOWING!! I MUST TELL THE CHIEF!!¡±


    And so the aged individual began another sprint, despite the creaks and pleas of his old bones.


    Though this sprint was one the elder would make ten times out of ten regardless of any hindrance, let alone one as feeble as age. For the glowing of these stones signified prosperity, freedom, growth, and strength for the race this particular individual belonged to..A race of individuals with a skin that was always covered in a beautiful shade of green.


    Goblins.


    Yes, this old individual was in fact an old Goblin, one of course that was tasked with a sacred duty more important than even his own life yet one that he has never been able to carry out in his long life. One that was forgotten to many, one that had almost lost its meaning completely. Yet the stones now glowed. A duty that almost lost the battle against time now came roaring back with vigor. The stones glowed. It was now up to the old Goblin to make haste with his message. The stones were glowing.


    First the Chief, then the entire clan, then all neighboring clans and then the subordinate tribes and before long all of goblin kind will come to know the stones were glowing.


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    And once the goblins were prepared.. the world.. the entire world will come to know.


    THE STONES WERE GLOWING. A GOBLIN ROYAL HAS BEEN BORN AND A GOBLIN KING WILL SOON RISE.


    As yes.. the stones were indeed glowing.


    Ahem.. back to the present..the old Goblin, quickly made his way out of the small stone building and followed a dirt path south right into the center of the Clan grounds, where the largest building in the Clan was located, the home of the Chief, this building also doubled as an administrative building where clan elders would convene to discuss all manner of things.


    After reaching the building, the old Goblin didn¡¯t even bother with the guards manning the doors and just barged in, of course not just any individual could just barge into the Chief¡¯s building unchecked¡­anyway he quickly found the office where the Chief usually resided at this late hour, and of course barged through that door as well.


    Sigh..


    ¡°Elder Raj, you know your not supp..-¡°


    ¡°Blah! There is no time for that! The Stones of Birth are glowing!!¡±


    The Chief immediately stood up from his chair with a look of seriousness on his face.


    ¡°Are you sure?! This is no laughing matter!¡±


    ¡°Of course I¡¯m sure! They are glowing, a very beautiful green glow in fact.¡±


    ¡°This..this changes everything..we need to find him. Did the glow start today?¡±


    ¡°Yes, after discovering the glow, I made it here with great haste. Which means we have a week..one week until the Stones of Birth will stop glowing completely until the next day where one Stone will glow again for just a short moment to signify the direction of the Royal.¡±


    ¡°We need to gather all the elders and the neighboring Clan Leaders, we need a force strong enough to make the journey to find and bring our future King home but also small enough to remain hidden from our many enemies. None can know of this¡­especially not humans.¡±


    Despite the late hour, it didn¡¯t take long for the Chief¡¯s message to be passed throughout his clan, and then the neighboring clans as well, all thirteen of them. Each housing thousands of goblins of all shapes and sizes, for these were Goblin lands, deep into the Dark Lands of Mir. Far away from the human gaze and too dangerous for any one large force to venture without significant losses.


    By the time first light came, a large conference room was now housing all 14 Goblin Chiefs in the Dark Lands of Mir. Every single one of them radiating a power that suited beings sitting firmly in Tier 6.


    ¡°How many will we send?¡±


    ¡°We should of course send no less than Fifty of our finest warriors! How can we welcome our future King with anything less?!¡±


    ¡°Rogur you babbling fool! If we send that many Goblins beyond these lands they would attract too much attention!¡±


    ¡°You were always too damn cautious Jurna! Sending only fifty is barely even acceptable¡±


    ¡°Rogur, she is right. I agree our future King should only be treated with the highest honors, but this mission is too sensitive and far too important. It needs to be handled delicately. I think no more than ten warriors should go.¡±


    ¡°Ten?! Does anyone else agree with Grul?!¡±


    The remaining Chiefs who were silent up until this point all gave it a moment to think it over before nodding to Rogur, indicating their agreement.


    ¡°Fine! But my Clan will send at least two warriors! And one of my Generals will be one of them! I won¡¯t back down from this, I refuse for my clan to have a poor showing in front of the future King.¡±


    ¡°Have it your way. To avoid any leadership issues Rogur¡¯s General will be the only Tier 5 on this mission, the remaining spots will be our best Tier 4 warriors. Lets quickly determine a team and prepare them for this mission. We only have a few days. Let''s not waste any more time.¡±


    A rather tall yet surprisingly buff Maglin responded to Rogur, while the latter, an extremely bulky Goblin, only grunted in response.


    The remaining Chiefs didn¡¯t pay him any mind, they were more than used to Rogur¡¯s personality. Despite wanting to make this team fairly quickly it took more than half a day to fill the required slots, while no one else was as heavy handed in their approach as Rogur, they all wanted their clan¡¯s warriors to make this journey, as it would bring them great honor to escort the future King.

 Chapter Fifty Six (Book 2)

    After the team was finalized, the Chief¡¯s whose warriors were chosen sent messengers back to their clans to bring back the chosen warriors. Another day had passed by the time the entire team had gathered.


    The level of tension in the clan was extremely high at the moment, with every single Goblin knowing the importance of this mission, none more so than the selected team of ten. They were the ones tasked with the great role of not only finding their future King, but bringing him back as well.


    Of course, they were all prepared to lay down their lives to ensure this mission was a success.


    The team members consisted of one Tier 5 and 9 Tier fours. The document that listed this all important team went as follows.


    Rogu - First son of Chieftain Rogur, General of the Raagur Clan. Tier 5 Goblin. Royal Retrieval


    Team Captain.


    Loruk - First Son of Gralgo, Chieftain of the Central Clan, Captain of the Goblin Corps. Tier 4 Goblin. Royal Retrieval Team Vice-Captain.


    Teral - Warrior of the Saug Clan, Captain of the Saug Magic Team 1. Tier 4 Maglin.


    Hurgs - Third son of Chieftess Jluug, Adjutant to General Trig. Tier 4 Maglin.


    Kris - Shadow Goblin Clan. Tier 4 Goblin.


    Krel - Shadow Goblin Clan. Tier 4 Goblin.


    Sarug - First Daughter of Chieftain Darug, Captain of the Third Goblin Sword. Tier 4 Maglin.


    Ulgri - Crafter of the Pogra Clan, Head of Iron Shop 3. Tier 4 TinkGoblin.


    Surgsha - Material Gatherer of the Pogra Clan, Head of Mat Team 1. Tier 4 Goblin.


    Ra - Warrior of the Raagur Clan, Captain of the Raguur Scout Division. Tier 4 Goblin.


    While only Seven of the Fourteen Clans were represented, all the Chiefs eventually agreed this was the best team for the mission. While all Clans were composed of Goblins of all shapes and sizes, not all Clans were of the same strength, focus, and size. Taking all of those things into account led to the creation of the Royal Retrieval Team, as it was dubbed.


    While strength was paramount to the success of the team, it was not the sole deciding factor, highlighted by the inclusion of Ulgri, the sole TinkGoblin on the team. They needed to be prepared for all possible situations without losing too much strength for direct fights.


    Eventually, the remaining days passed as they quickly put together team of ten, did their best to bond and work on their coordination for the upcoming journey. Of course this was done under the watchful eyes of all the Chiefs, who didn¡¯t hesitate to give their advice especially since most of them sent their own kin on this life or death mission.


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    For no mission could be greater than this¡­


    But the time was nigh, the stones had stopped glowing the day prior, and it was finally time to see which stone in the circle of eight would begin glowing one last time, to signify the direction the Royal was born in. All the Chiefs were gathered, albeit slightly cramped in the very same stone room the Stones of Birth were housed.


    And despite the slightly cramped atmosphere, they were all silent as this room essentially spoke for Goblin Royalty, they did not dare to disrespect it with complaints.


    It was after a few long, yet silent minutes after first light did one of the stones finally begin to glow.


    ¡°The glow...is very faint. The New Royal is far beyond these lands.¡± Said Chieftain Gralgo in a somber tone.


    ¡°We expected as much, I believe if a Royal was to be born near us, we would hear about it.¡± Responded Chieftess Jluug.


    ¡°This is correct, no need to dwell on this any longer, let us go deliver the news and send the team off, we cannot waste a second.¡± Spoken by Chieftess Yalg, who was already walking towards the exit of the stone room.


    The remaining Chiefs quickly followed, and before long the Royal Retrieval Team was gathered before them.


    Before the team trul;y departed, the Chiefs who had warriors in the team all stepped up to give their clan members final words of advice, this of course included the only Tier 5 on the mission.


    Chieftain Rogur places his large hands upon his son¡¯s shoulders as he spoke.


    ¡°You have your direction, you know your mission. Your life is a cheap price to pray to achieve success, yet I will pray to our god that it is a price you will not need to pay. Bring back our Future King.¡±


    ¡°I will not fail you father, await my return.¡±


    ¡°Good!¡±


    After all remaining goodbyes were stated, the Royal Retrieval team quickly departed in the direction given by the Stone. Outfitted in the best armor and weapons the Clans could provide.


    Of course that was not all, as the Team Captain was also given a Goblin Blood Stone, a rather small greenish stone that is said to glow bright red when within a certain distance of a Goblin Royal. The glow will then begin to glow brighter, the closer the Royal is to the stone.


    This item would be paramount to finding the Royal.


    Though one must wonder how the Royal Retrieval team would feel if they knew the one they were so keen on bringing back to become a King, referred to himself as a part of something called ¡®Gang Green¡¯.


    Speaking of this ever important Royal, in the present, he was currently deciding on whether to take the easy way out as he called it, or to face his dark fears as he again called it.


    ~~~


    [Rick, there is no need to fight this lone Hawk. We both agree that not only could we stay wide of where it initially attacked you, but you can also wait till daytime to travel that direction, as it is likely a nocturnal hunter.]


    ¡®Yes, Velora that¡¯s true but isn¡¯t that a cowardly way of thinking! I should go back and turn that hawk into fried chicken for what it did to me!¡¯


    [What is fried chicken? And how will a hawk become a chicken?]


    ¡®Ah..nevermind that..¡¯


    [...Understood, though my thoughts are unchanged, there is no need to risk your life and the lives of the goblins traveling with you for something so small.]


    ¡®Yeah yeah, I know you''re right, I was being a bit dramatic. Though I¡¯ll definitely still come back and kill that damn bird when I''m stronger. Especially since after this long trip I¡¯m now extremely close to Tier 3.¡¯


    [Good decision, and yes you are extremely close to the Third Tier. Would you like to see your current stats?]


    ¡®Hmm, no I¡¯ll wait till we get back to the cave, no need to distract myself any further, plus it¡¯ll be a nice little surprise to Jaba and the rest when I evolve almost immediately after getting back home hehe.¡¯


    [Suit yourself.]

 Chapter Fifty Seven (Book 2)

    Rick and the rest of the group calmly made their way back to the cave in which Rick called home. Of course Rick made sure to travel with ample daylight and also to give a wide berth to the area where he encountered that Hawk. Much to his own annoyance of course, but he knew what he had to do, especially since he was now responsible for others.


    Though there was no way of knowing if there were any other similar foes nearby or if the Hawk itself had moved locations, so Rick made the rest of the team aware of the danger and they all kept their guards up. Which of course slowed them down a little, but not enough to put significant time on their timeline.


    So despite the need to maintain battle readiness, and taking a much wider path to their destination, the team was just barely a full day away from the lake in which a great beast slept, a lake that was of course devoid of any Goblin presence per orders of Rick.


    Well it was devoid of any Goblin presence right up until Rick and friends finally reached its periphery.


    ¡°This is the lake I mentioned earlier, something way stronger than us is apparently sleeping inside of it, so remember while your here to never step foot near it just in case it wakes up with a taste for Goblins¡­In fact we need to consider relocating since the actual cave where I live isn¡¯t that far from here.¡±


    The other Goblins all gave solemn nods, before they all quickly began heading south towards the cave. With all of them rather eager to meet Rick¡¯s tribe.


    It was just supposed to be another regular scouting trip for this lone Tier 1 Goblin. As part of all the new changes Jaba implemented, there would be daily scouting trips out in the forest, just walk around a bit in your assigned location and make sure nothing dangerous is lurking nearby.


    That''s it..nothing more, nothing less.


    But today was different for this Goblin, for as he walked to his assigned location which was the southern periphery of the lake. Probably the easiest and scariest location to scout as it was usually always safe, and very close to the tribe, but at the same time it was close too the lake where a slumbering beast that could wake at any time slept.


    It was only a short time after he left the cave and began walking to his location that he saw a small group heading towards him.


    He quickly tensed as there wasn''t supposed to be anyone this close to the cave, especially not a group. He didn''t recognize the individuals approaching, nor was he going to try and figure out who they were, and if they were enemies or not, but what he did know was that he had to warn the tribe as fast as possible.


    So he dropped all caution, quickly turned around and made a beeline for the cave. Moving as fast as his little Goblin legs could carry him.


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    Now if the Goblin could see Rick and crew, then of course Rick and the others could see him as well.


    They quietly watched as his expressions went from relaxed to shock and worry before settling on a determined one as he began sprinting in the direction he was coming from.


    "Mr.Rick...are you sure we shouldn''t have said anything? That Goblin looked a little frightened."


    "Honestly Kida..I thought he would recognize me. Though I didn''t recognize him either since he probably evolved after I left, so I guess it''s only fair..."


    "..Understood Mr.Rick"


    "Anyway, It''ll work itself out, let''s continue back to the tribe."


    It wasn''t long before the cave entrance finally came into view.. though what Rick saw left him speechless.


    Neatly lined up and armed with spears, were three different squads of Goblins, all around 20 Goblins each. Some of them were even Tier 1.But standing in front of the three squads were three more goblins, though far larger in size.


    They were of course Dal, Geedi, and Tal. All of whom were Tier 2 just like Rick.


    Then of course the Goblin at the front wasn''t to be outdone. Still firmly in Tier 2, but he seemed different. He appeared a lot more battle hardened and stood at the forefront like a true general ready for war.


    This was Jaba, right hand of Rick and someone who fought from the front, standing solemnly ready to defend his tribe.


    Well at least he was standing ready right up until he finally saw who was at the head of the approaching group..and then also hearing his name being called in a voice he hadn''t heard in far too long.


    "JABA!! I''M BACK!!"


    Jaba himself almost tripped even though he was standing still..he couldn''t believe it. The Leader he and of course the rest of the tribe missed so much was back! And not only was he back, he seemed to have accomplished his mission and found other Goblins!..Though that was only regarding two of his group members..Jaba wasn''t really sure who the others were, though for some reason he couldn''t quite shake the feeling they were Goblins too..?


    Jaba obviously wasn''t the only one to hear Rick''s shout..


    Dal couldn''t help but want to scream in Joy cause their Leader was finally back! He hasn''t been our Leader for a long time, but it just somehow felt..right to wanna support the Leader.


    ''Though I really hope Geedi doesn''t cause too much of a fuss about these children she wants..what if..what if the Leader..turns..turns her down?''


    That thought alone caused a shiver to run down Dal''s spine.


    ''I''ve decided not to think about this further..yes..this is a good plan.''


    While Dal was going though his own inner turmoil so too of course was Tars and Geedi.


    Though Tars¡¯ thoughts were a lot less drama related than Dal, they were no less complicated.


    ''The Leader is...still Tier 2..Will this cause any problems I wonder? I hope not..for some reason my instincts tell me the Leader is the right person to be in charge..I wonder why that is? Why as I stare at him do I get this feeling to be respectful? Is it only me that feels this? Hmm, I''m not sure what''s causing these instincts of mine to feel this way but these same instincts of mine have kept me alive while fighting in the forests so I''ll continue to trust them.


    ''The Leader is the Leader and that''s that.''


    After reaching that final conclusion Tars seemed to relax as if everything was right in the world.


    Now Geedi..Geedi probably was probably having the most tumultuous thoughts of all of them.


    ''He''s Back!! He''s finally ba..- who. is. that. ...and why is she standing so close to him?!''

 Chapter Fifty Eight (Book 2)

    Back to Rick and the Gang...


    After everything calmed down and all the misunderstandings were cleared up, Rick and the group with him gathered together with Jaba, Geedi Tars, and Dal around the fire pit in the cave. While the rest of the goblins either trained or left to go hunt as usual.Once everyone was seated and a quick run of introductions happened, discussions began in earnest.


    ¡°So you''re saying that..these people with you..are all..Goblins?¡±


    ¡°Yes, they are..I was very surprised too when I met them all. Who woulda thought there were other types of Goblins out there? But I¡¯ll break it down for you, there are three types of Goblins.


    "First you have us, essentially we are the base type of Goblins, we start out at a lower intelligence level and can¡¯t really communicate with each other, but other Goblin types, and higher tier versions of us base Goblins can understand us. But of course with the bad come the good, base Goblins are the most versatile of the bunch. We can essentially do everything the other types can do once we reach higher evolutionary tiers. Or at least that''s what''s been passed down in the tribes.


    "Second you have Maglins, the magical type of Goblin. They are all born with the ability to use magic, and as they go up the tiers this ability only gets stronger and stronger. Of course we don''t really know what they can do past Tier two, but based on what was passed down in the tribes and Kida¡¯s own growing strength with her recent evolution it¡¯s probably safe to assume that it¡¯s true. Oh and unlike base Goblins, they are born with more intelligence and can communicate with everyone just fine.


    "And you guessed it, TinkGoblins can also communicate with everyone just fine.


    "But of course they can do more than just communicate, despite their smaller stature they have very long and strong fingers that carry a delicate touch, and something of an innate knowledge on how to build things. To my understanding they aren¡¯t necessarily born with the exact recipe to build something but it¡¯s easier for them to see a need and build a solution or be given an idea from someone else and figure out how to build whatever it is.


    "Though no one exactly knows what a higher Tier TinkGoblin can do, let alone a Tier 2 one, because they are not the best fighters yet still need to fight other creatures to grow. So we can just assume they¡¯ll probably get better at building stuff.


    "Alright..that''s everything the tribes know about the different types of Goblins, and even if a lot of it is word of mouth and not technically confirmed, it¡¯s still good information. Any questions?¡±


    After taking a couple moments to digest all the new information given, it was Tars who posed the first question.


    ¡°Yes Leader, I have a question..I don¡¯t want to be rude to..Kida I believe your name was, but I do not know you or understand you, but what I do know is that you are also Tier 2 like our Leader. Does this mean you will eventually try and fight him to be the Leader?¡±


    After Tars finished speaking the tension seemed to rise and everyone tensed up as if a fight would break out at any second.. Well it was mostly just Geedi who was ready for a fight, she was staring at Kida with a dangerous glint in her eyes.


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    Oh and of course Rick wasn¡¯t all that tense either.


    ¡®You know Velora, that''s a good point, It¡¯s not the first time I was told that the strongest Goblin in the tribe is who the Leader is, I don¡¯t really wanna rule with fear but at the same time I don¡¯t mind fighting for the position since that''s what it means to be a Leader of Goblins I guess. And now that I think about it..It¡¯s not just Kida that might challenge me, what about Tars here, Geedi and Dal? Or any other Goblin that eventually evolves to the same Tier as me? That¡¯s a lot of fighting huh..¡¯


    [Yes, that would be a lot of fighting, but I do not believe it¡¯s that simple. You are a Royal Goblin, It is in your DNA to be a Leader amongst Goblins. I am not yet aware of all of the meaning behind that, but your birthright is your birthright.]


    ¡®That..that was surprisingly encouraging. See your not so bad when you try to be nice¡¯


    [If you say so. Now focus on the conversation Kida looks like she¡¯s ready to answer and depending on what she says Geedi looks like she¡¯s ready to kill so be ready.]


    ¡®Ah your right..Geedi does look a little scary right now..¡¯


    It was then Kida finally responded.


    ¡°No! Of course not! Mr.Rick is our Leader too! In fact ever since we arrived in the vicinity of the cave I¡¯ve been getting a weird feeling whenever I look at Mr.Rick.. It¡¯s almost like I should be respectful when I talk to him, or I should be behaving more subservient..It¡¯s kind of hard to explain..and the feeling isn¡¯t that strong! But.. but it¡¯s there. I wasn¡¯t sure when to bring this up but this is as good a time as any..is anyone feeling this way as well? Is it just me..?¡±


    All the Goblins looked at her with various emotions. Though Rick and Geedi were the only ones whose emotions were a bit different.


    Geedi of course looked even more likely to do something dangerous, but at the same time she was clearly holding back from actually acting out on her thoughts.


    While Rick was very confused..


    ¡®Velora..no way your timing was this good..It¡¯s almost like you rigged it! Is this the damn birthright thing you talked about?! Am I giving off Royal Goblin pheromones or something??¡¯


    [Like most times, I have no idea what you are talking about. Though the pheromones theory might have some truth to it, I suggest we investigate further.]


    Rick didn¡¯t even get a chance to respond before Tars started speaking again.


    ¡°I..I feel it too..When I was finally able to see the Leader approaching that same feeling came to me. Even now my instincts are telling me to be respectful when I am near the Leader. I thought it was only me, but seeing that you''re feeling it too, maybe this is something more important.


    "Is anyone else feeling it as well..?¡±


    Everyone kind of just nodded along in response to Tars, even Geedi seemed to calm down a bit and after giving it some thought she realized she felt the same thing and nodded along as well.


    ¡°It¡¯s important after all..So Leader is this something you are doing on purpose? Or is it something that happened on your journey? I don¡¯t remember this feeling being present before you left.¡±


    ¡®So I should probably come clean with them huh..though I¡¯m not sure if this is because I¡¯m a Royal Goblin or not, but that''s most likely the reason all of them are feeling this odd things when looking at me..Am I just gonna have to get used to being some type of pheromone battery for the rest of my green life? Sigh.. What do you think Velora? Should I tell them I''m really a Royal Goblin genius?¡¯


    [Your race displays as Royal Goblin, not Royal Goblin Genius. As for your question, I see no harm in telling them, in fact it should help your case if they know the position you hold is one your race itself signifies you should hold. Also it is now 1100.]


    ¡®Look at you, always denying my genius mind! But fine I agree, I think I¡¯ll tell them¡¯


    ¡°No Tars, this isn¡¯t something I¡¯m doing on purpose, nor am I 100% certain I know the actual reason why this changed or why it¡¯s happening..but..I do know the most likely reason for it. It¡¯s something I didn¡¯t tell you all initially. But I am not just a regular Goblin, and no I don¡¯t mean in terms of Maglin, or a TinkGoblin, but something more..


    "I am a Royal Goblin."

 Chapter Fifty Nine (Book 2)

    After Rick gave his big declaration in true Dramatic Rick fashion, he was not met with the big oohs and ahhs he was expecting. No super shocked faces, no loud gasps, or even any surprised stuttering. Instead he was met with confused silence. While Goblins do in fact get ¡®smarter¡¯ and are even infused with new knowledge, it is not all encompassing.


    For instance, no one knew what a ¡®Royal¡¯ was exactly. Which of course left Rick feeling a little embarrassed his dramatic declaration didn¡¯t have the desired effect.


    ¡®Velora why aren¡¯t they reacting..why are they all kinda looking at me like I¡¯m crazy??¡¯


    [Perhaps they are simply stunned by your magnificence.]


    ¡®You know that''s not the case! I¡¯m starting to believe you really are just here to make fun of me!¡¯


    [Of course not, I am only here to support you on your journey. Oh look, Jaba is about to speak.]


    And Velora was right, while Rick was still mentally recovering from the mental damage given by Velora, Jaba tentatively spoke up, seemingly on everyone¡¯s behalf.


    ¡°I think I can speak for all the goblins here..¡± He paused slightly to receive nods from the rest of the group ¡°..that we do not know what a ¡®royal¡¯ is.¡±


    ¡°Wait what..what do you mean you don¡¯t know what a Royal is..? Wait, do you know what a Kingdom is?¡±


    ¡°..Yes, It¡¯s a much bigger tribe right? At least that''s how I understand it.¡±


    ¡°I guess that¡¯s not actually wrong, but a kingdom is a bit more than just a small tribe, though we can go into detail there later, meanwhile lets focus on what a Royal is..


    "So I¡¯ll try to explain this as best I can in a way that you all should be able to understand, so just wait till the end for any questions, alright?¡±


    Rick continued after receiving nods from the group, oh and Velora letting him know it was now 1300.


    ¡°So a Royal is kind of like the Leader of a tribe, except it is but more than that, while a Leader is usually just one Goblin, a Royal can be many Goblins, usually all a part of something called the Royal Family. For example if the Leader of a tribe had a partner, and they had children together, all of them would be Royals. A class above the rest of the tribe, yet still a part of the tribe.


    "We can get into power dynamics and all of that later, but essentially the Royals are the group that kinda rules the tribe, and the Leader of the Royals, is also the Leader of the entire tribe.


    "Now it gets a little bit more complicated from there, in most cases being a Royal has benefits, such as being protected and revered by the tribe they are a part of, and many other benefits we can talk about after, but while they receive benefits, they are also responsible for the well-being of the tribe, with the overall Leader having the final say on all matters for the tribe.


    "Now anyone can technically become ¡®Royals¡¯, just take over a bunch of tribes and declare yourself King, or Leader and then as long as you''re in charge youre say goes I guess. My case is a little bit different as I don¡¯t think I need to call myself a Royal because I was born one. And while I really don¡¯t fully understand what that means yet, that¡¯s probably the only reason you all get that weird feeling when looking at me¡­and that¡¯s a pretty rough explanation I think but that''s kinda it..any questions?¡±


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    ¡°Yes! I have a question!!¡± A rather loud TinkGoblin spoke up.


    ¡°Go ahead Wala.¡±


    ¡°So does whoever you decide to call partner get reborn as this Royal thing too?¡±


    ¡°Hmm..I don''t think so? It will kind of just be understood I guess.¡±


    ¡°Huh..interesting.¡±


    ¡°I too have a question..you said something about the children of Royal also being Royals..does that mean they will be next in line to rule the tribe if you were to die..?¡± said Zargi with a somewhat serious look on his face.


    ¡°I suppose so? But nothing is set in stone and we can make rules for all that stuff in the future.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    ¡°Leader..with all of this talk about children..does..does this mean you''re open to children of your own..?¡± Said a very nervous Geedi.


    ¡®Sigh.. Velora she really went and brought it up didn¡¯t she..¡¯¡¯


    [You knew she would at some point, now answer her.]


    ¡®Your right..¡¯


    ¡°Yes, I..I¡¯m open to children at some point in the future..but probably not anytime soon. I need to take care of the tribe, and focus on getting stronger so that we can free all the Goblins in the plains.¡±


    After hearing Rick¡¯s answer Geedi¡¯s face went through a look of disappointment before quickly flashing to one of hope, and then she responded with a simple nod accompanied by a smile, seemingly content with Rick¡¯s answer.


    ¡®That..went better than expected..I thought she would cause more of a fuss about it¡¯


    [That just means you don¡¯t know her well enough, maybe it¡¯s time you spent more time with your tribe, instead of running off everywhere?]


    ¡®I..I suppose you''re right..especially since I really am a Royal, do I need an escort or something..?¡¯


    [Perhaps, perhaps not. I don¡¯t think there are set rules for this. At least there aren¡¯t any in my current database.]


    It was then Kida spoke up, drawing Rick out of his inner conversation with Velora.


    ¡°Mr.Rick..I believe we will probably have a lot to discuss on this as time goes on, but thank you for explaining what you have so far. You are our Leader, and being born as this..Royal only affirms that. Though I think we all still need some time to fully digest all this information and then finally begin to plan all the ideas we discussed in our travels here. Is it alright if we ended here for now? I think I have a lot of catching up to do with Jaba, Tars, Dal, and ..Geedi here.¡±


    ¡®Huh..that''s kind of random right, Velora? Why does she seem kinda serious as she asked that.¡¯


    [I''m sure she has a reason for actions.]


    ¡®Your probably right, it¡¯s just weird..anyway I suppose I needed some time to go check out my status finally¡¯


    ¡®Sure I guess? We can meet up later once everyone is ready.¡¯


    And with that Rick got up and went to his Tent which was pretty much the same as he left it months ago.


    ¡®You know I don¡¯t mind living in this tent, but hopefully with Wala and Dran here we can get some proper houses or something..or at least some better than crudely made horned rabbit tents with holes in em..not that I can do a better job of course.¡¯


    [They should be able to help. Though I do believe you will likely have to describe exactly what you want to them as they themselves also lived in tents in the plains.]


    ¡®They did, didn¡¯t they..anyway things for future Rick to worry about..I think it¡¯s finally time to check my status! Pull it up Velora!¡¯


    [Understood.]


    {Name - Rick}


    {Age - 20}


    {Race - Royal Goblin}


    {Essence - 5} Absorb?


    {Evo Points - 177/180}


    {Health - 80/80}


    {Strength - 62}


    {Agility - 57}


    {Intelligence - 53}


    {Endurance - 59}


    {Skills}


    {Velora}


    ¡®Hehehe Guess who''s bouta be TIER THREE!!¡¯


    If there was a Goblin nearby Rick¡¯s tent when we finally read his status, they probably would¡¯ve been weird out by the low giggles they were hearing.


    Thankfully for Rick, there wasn¡¯t.


    But of course Velora was still there.


    [Why are you giggling?]

 Chapter Sixty (Book 2)

    ¡®Do you think the fact that I only need three essence but have five to absorb will cause a problem?¡¯


    [Not sure, more information is required. Perhaps It will be left alone? Or maybe stored until your evolution is completed. We won¡¯t know unless you try.]


    ¡®Figures..well might as well do it. Absorb, please.¡¯


    [Understood.]


    After experiencing the weird absorbing feeling that Rick still can¡¯t get used to no matter how many times he does it, he brought his status back up.


    {Name - Rick}


    {Age - 20}


    {Race - Royal Goblin}


    {Essence - 0}


    {Evo Points - 180/180} - Evolve?


    {Health - 80/80}


    {Strength - 62}


    {Agility - 57}


    {Intelligence - 53}


    {Endurance - 59}


    {Skills}


    {Velora}


    ¡®So it really took it all..It¡¯s only two essence but I hope I get it back after I evolve. Also I know I just need to evolve to see, but do you think this evolution will bring about a whole bunch of changes like the previous ones? From Tier 0 to Tier 1 I, I gained these black tribal-like tattoos, and I didn¡¯t have a potbelly anymore when the regular goblins like Jaba did. From Tier 1 to Tier 2, not only did my tattoos get bigger, I had a lucid dream with some god apparently, and I gained you. Will all my evolutions be that way? Is it because I¡¯m a Royal perhaps?¡¯


    [It is reasonable to expect more differences as you evolve. As you¡¯ve just stated, you are a Royal. It is ingrained in your blood to be a step above the masses of your race. I¡¯m not currently aware of the type of changes you should expect, but I would advise you prepare for them mentally at least.]


    ¡®Your right..well no use in delaying it, Evolve!¡¯


    [Understood.]


    Going back a few minutes ago to when Rick got up from around the fire. The rest of the Goblins stayed seated for a while longer, until Kida finally spoke again.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what everyone thinks of everything Mr. Rick said, but I think it changes a lot..If he really is this Royal thing from birth, which I believe he is.¡± Kida paused a bit to let her words sink in and then continued.


    ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure about how important that he is a Royal is, but it sounds very important, and I think we need to change some things. First, how do we address him? He didn¡¯t really like being called Leader, so I called him Mr. Rick, but it should be something else...there¡¯s other things I can think of but I¡¯m still new here, so I don¡¯t know how everything works. Do you guys have any thoughts on this?¡±


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    Of course, It was Geedi who spoke up first. Though with a lot less animosity than she initially planned.


    ¡°You''re right¡­you are new here. I think we need to go over in detail where you all came from and what your goals are here, but in the meantime¡­I agree with you¡­Now that the Leader is back things need to change, especially with the fact that he is this all important Royal. What do you think Jaba, you probably know how to go about this best.¡±


    Jaba took a moment to collect his thoughts and then spoke in a somewhat serious tone.


    ¡°¡­I have been doing a lot of thinking about something similar since before Rick even came back. We have a lot more Goblins now since the time he left months ago but based on what I know of Rick and his personality, this won¡¯t be the last time he runs off on some adventure, not that we would try and stop him as it seems to bring benefits. He even brought back¡­new¡­goblins. Or at least new to us.


    "So I¡¯ve long been thinking that we need to give Rick his own team or something that will follow him around and help fight his battles. I¡¯m even more ready to do this now that we know he is a Royal, even though I also don¡¯t fully understand everything that means, I do realize that it¡¯s important, and for some reason I feel a strong urge to want to protect him even more. I¡¯m not sure who will make up this squad that only follows Rick, but I really do think we should do it. What do you all think about that?¡±


    Everyone sat in contemplation for a couple minutes digesting everything Jaba said, but it was during this time that the tent Rick entered began to shine brightly.


    With the light pouring out through the many holes in the tent from the poor ¡®stitching¡¯ job to link all the rabbit hides together. Of course, all the Goblins currently in the cave noticed it, and had various looks of awe, and astonishment on their faces.


    ¡°He is evolving again¡­this is good, the Leader of the tribe should always be the strongest!¡± Said an excited Geedi.


    ¡°I evolved to Tier two before him, yet not only did he catch up but now he passed me as well. You''re right Geedi, this is good, but I wonder how he is evolving so fast? I don¡¯t really know how to explain it but I don¡¯t really feel all that close to being Tier three¡­I didn¡¯t understand the feeling even a little back then, but after I woke up when Rick brought me back to the tribe after we survived that terrible beast we ran into, my body felt like it longed for more, and I gave into those feelings and evolved right there. But it feels like that¡¯s extremely far off for me. How about everyone else?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the same for me too Jaba, I felt that same longing for both my Tier one and Tier two evolutions, but right now it feels like it will take a very long time to reach Tier three¡­I don¡¯t really know how to explain the feeling either, but I can feel¡­something giving me the idea that it will be a while to evolve again.¡±


    After Dal responded to Jaba, everyone else kind of just chimed in with their own experiences to evolving, and although they all described the feeling to evolve differently it was very similar between them, another thing to note was that the ones still at Tier one like Zargi didn¡¯t feel that same chasm to reach Tier two that Jaba and the others felt to reach Tier three.


    Instead, he described it as something that was somewhat within his reach. Of course, no one knew exactly what they were all feeling with certainty, but it did give them all somewhat of a confirmation that Rick was evolving through the Tiers particularly fast. And for some reason they weren¡¯t too surprised by it.


    They didn¡¯t move to immediately finish discussing their previous topic regarding how to treat Rick going forward, as they all just sat there, taking a few moments to stare at Rick¡¯s tent in admiration while awaiting the finish to his evolution.


    It was Tars who woke them up for the lul of watching Rick¡¯s tent and brought them back to the discussion.


    ¡°I think we should finish this talk before he wakes up. Jaba, I think your plan to give the Leader his own dedicated team that will follow him around and help him do things is a good one, but they can''t be too weak, so one of us should do it, along with lets say..hmm¡­five Tier one Goblins? I will volunteer myself for the role. If no one has any complaints I will even go and pick out the five Goblins who will be a part of the team right now. Actually, I¡¯ll just go ahead and do that.¡±


    Before anyone could really digest everything Tars was saying, he got up and immediately left, walking briskly towards the exit before quickly disappearing outside to pick his new team members.


    Of course he had a slight smirk on his face the entire time¡­but his plan wouldn¡¯t go that smoothly as everyone else finally caught on, Geedi, Kida,Zargi, Jaba, Dal, and the usually quiet Lagi and Sigi all got up and ran after Tars, it was easy to tell they all wanted to be on this team following Rick around.


    Which of course left Dran and Wala sitting dumbfounded around the fire pit.


    ¡°...So Dran..have you noticed the state of these..tents..¡± Said Wala, who was usually a little fiery but appeared somewhat disgusted.


    ¡°Yes I have..I think we have a lot of work to do.¡±

 Chapter Sixty One (Book 2)

    Going back to around the time Rick first made it to the Plains.


    ¡°General, we are approaching the lands of the Enargo Nation. They will have ways to detect us. It would be wise to take a wider route so that we have a chance to get past without being detected.¡±


    ¡°No need, we have come prepared. Teral activate the device.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Teral then took out an opaque stone that fit snuggly in her palm, then she willed her mana to enter the stone, filling it up.


    Once the stone was filled, an imperceptible shroud extended outwards, covering the group its aura.


    ¡°How long can you keep it active?¡±


    ¡°Roughly 40 minutes while walking or jogging, less if I have to sprint.¡±


    ¡°Then we will exit these lands before that time is up. Focus on the device, Loruk will carry you. Stay together and move with haste.¡±


    After receiving acknowledgment of his orders, Rogu immediately began sprinting at almost full speed with the group following behind him. Of course, since he was Tier 5, he was a lot faster than his peers, but he would likely be the first one detected due to his strength if he exited the shroud.


    While the shroud would prevent them from being detected, by means of scanning with various monster race detection technology, it wouldn¡¯t prevent them from being seen, or if someone truly strong happened to have their senses in the area they would be found out with or without the shroud. Due to that they still had to stay to the shadows and do their best to avoid being seen.


    Thankfully this route and plan had already been planned out. Despite the rush in which the team was assembled no stone was left unturned in the planning of this mission. There are many plans and contingencies in place to ensure the return of their King. Even if every single one of them died in the process, the mission would be considered a success as long as the King was delivered safely.


    Fortunately for them, they successfully made it out of the area of detection within the timeframe. Though by this point Teral was beyond exhausted for having to maintain a constant flow of heavy mana into the stone. She was drained and could hardly walk, let alone speak. Of course Rogu recognized this.


    ¡°We will rest for a moment. You two, scout the area. Surgsha and Ra ensure our food stocks are still in order.¡±


    Both Kris and Krel nodded and disappeared into the surrounding woods. While the other two began double checking their rations. They were on the outskirts of the Enargo nation at this point and although they knew the general direction of where they must go, they had no idea for long they would actually need to travel, and that was without counting the journey back.


    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    So stopping at times to gather food when they could was part of the process.


    A few minutes later Kris and Krel showed up. It was Krel who spoke up.


    ¡°No immediate threats in the area. There is a caravan traveling in our direction along the main road, but their guards are roughly Tier 3.¡±


    ¡°Understood. Teral, can you move?¡±


    ¡°I can.¡±


    ¡°Good, Surgsha, our food?¡±


    ¡°We are okay for now, we might need to restock in a month or so.¡±


    ¡°Mm, form up. We will head out shortly.¡±


    As everyone prepared themselves to continue the journey ahead, Rogu took out the Bloodstone and carefully caressed it in his hands.


    ¡®I will soon find you my King.¡¯


    A few moments later and the team was on the move once more.


    ¡­..


    Time continued to pass, and around the time Rick was a month into his journey back to the Tribe, the Royal Retrieval Team ran into their first real problem.


    ¡°Sir¡­we will have to fight.¡±


    ¡°I know, but we will do this efficiently.¡±


    The Team was currently on the banks of a raging river in the dark of night. They had already learned that for miles on end there would only be one way across. A bridge that was off in the distance. Nothing was wrong with the bridge itself. The problem was what awaited them after the bridge.


    On the side of the river sat an encampment of sorts. From what they could see it was a group of 30 or so humans that were lightly armored. According to their limited knowledge of the area, there should be no such encampment here, which posed a problem.


    Rogu could only wonder if there was more to this that met the eye. This type of encampment appearted semi-permanent. Why would the humans set this up here? By this point they were quite the distance away from any human nation, and were far into the Wild Lands as they were dubbed.


    Only officially recognized demi-humans governed these lands from this point on. Of course Goblins weren¡¯t included in that list of official races.


    Anyway, he knew they had to be dealt with for the sake of their mission, but it had to be delicate. There would be no way to pass without being seen, and they couldn¡¯t wait to see if they would ever dismantle the camp and leave. So blood would need to be shed. He would ensure this went as silent and quick as possible. He refused to have armies on his tail as he journeyed to their King.


    ¡°Listen carefully. I cannot sense anyone stronger than Tier 4 in that camp, but we are outnumbered and we need to be quick, efficient, and ruthless. I am not worried about that camp, but I am worried about what may come after. We have to ensure they have no time to send any messages.


    ¡°Teral, are you able to disrupt the wind around the camp to limit the traveling of sound?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but it will be limited, faint sounds only. Anything too loud and the wind won¡¯t matter.¡±


    ¡°That is good enough. Kris and Krel. The success of this will rest on your shoulders. I want the entire camp to know the pain of meeting the Shadow Goblin Clan at night. Loruk, Hurgs, and Sarug, be ready to play clean up. Surgsha, Ra, and Ulgri remain here and do not cross the bridge until we are finished.


    ¡°Understood?¡±


    No one spoke, but various nods was all the confirmation Rogu needed.


    ¡°Good. Move out.¡±


    The members of the team didn¡¯t waste any time and immediately began to move as their orders dictated. Kris and Krel seemed to blend into the night as they sprinted across the bridge. No sound could be heard from their steps, no smell came from their bodies, even the wind itself didn¡¯t react to their movements. They were one with the environment.


    Rogue watched all of this happen with subdued awe. No matter how many times he witnessed the members of the Shadow Goblin clan, he would always be shocked at their abilities. They were made up of the same type of Goblins as every other Clan, but when they disappeared into the night like this, one couldn''t help but think they were an entirely different race of Goblins altogether.


    The encampment was in for a rough night.

 Chapter Sixty Two (Book 2)

    Eventually both Dran and Wala exited the cave to go fully scout the type of materials they would have access to in the forest. They of course knew it would likely be mostly wood from the trees, but it was their first time this deep in the Nameless Forest, so it wouldn¡¯t hurt to survey the area.


    Which left the cave mostly empty. Well mostly empty if not for the fact that there was a sleeping Rick who was currently unconscious as he underwent his evolution.


    An evolution that was now coming to an end.


    ¡°Erm..uh..Velora..?¡±


    [Welcome back Rick. Your evolution was a success. Though, there are some changes you may not be happy with.]


    ¡®Oh yeah¡­OH YEAH!! I evolved! Wait a second¡­What do you mean I won¡¯t be happy with?¡¯


    [It would be easier to show you. Would you like to see your status?]


    ''Wait, I''m nervous now¡­show me?''


    {Name - Rick}


    {Age - 20}


    {Race - Royal Goblin}


    {Tier 3)


    {Essence - 0}


    {Evo Points - 0/540}


    {Skills}


    {Velora}


    ¡®Velora.¡¯


    [Yes?]


    ¡®Where¡¯s the rest of my status?¡¯


    [It¡¯s been taken away.]


    ¡®Taken away huh.¡¯


    [Yes, taken away. There is a message attached to your evolution. It is in regards to your current situation. Would you like to see it?]


    ¡®Sigh Welp let''s see it!¡¯


    [Understood.]


    ~ Tier 3 already huh? Good for you. That also means you should probably understand a bit about the world now. The numbers you saw before were a part of a little tutorial of sorts and Tier 3 marks the end of that. You don¡¯t need the numbers, they are only a crutch. ~


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    ¡®This is evil! Are they eventually just going to take away my status altogether! Bring me my numbers back!¡¯


    [I don¡¯t think that''s possible.]


    ¡®Ahh this sucks. Should I expect more messages as I evolve through the Tiers?¡¯


    [I do not know, but it wouldn¡¯t hurt to be prepared for that to happen.]


    ¡®Super big Sigh I think the author just didn¡¯t want to keep up with all the numbers!!!¡¯


    [...What?]


    ¡®Nevermind that, let''s see what changes Tier 3 brought me. Hmm¡­I feel mostly the same. Well apart from an increase in overall bodily strength, but other than that I don¡¯t really feel any different. Do I look any different Velora?¡¯


    [Your muscles seem a bit more refined, but other than that, no.]


    ¡®Huh¡­was Tier 3 just about getting a little stronger?¡¯


    [Perhaps things not visible to the naked eye got improved.]


    ¡®Sometimes you really show your smartness Velora! But yeah you''re probably right, It didn¡¯t show up as a skill in my status but maybe I can sense mana or something now?¡¯


    [Perhaps, I suggest consulting Kida.]


    ¡®Yeah I¡¯ll do just that¡­where are they anyway.¡¯


    [They exited the cave shortly after you triggered your evolution.]


    ¡®I see¡­well let''s go find them!¡¯


    Unbeknownst to Rick, the second he woke up from his evolution. Every single Goblin in the area could feel it. They couldn¡¯t feel the fact he woke up per se¡­but they could feel something else. Though they wouldn¡¯t find out what that feeling was for a while longer.


    ¡°Hm? Do you guys feel that?¡± Said Dal as he looked back towards the cave.


    ''Yeah¡­it''s the feeling we get around the Leader¡­but it feels stronger.¡± Responded Kida as she too looked towards the cave.


    ¡°Hey! I thought we just now agreed to call him Chief. As the leader of his new guard team I won¡¯t stand for anything less!¡±


    ¡°We get it Geedi you won the draw, but don¡¯t you feel it too?¡± Said Dal.


    ¡°Of course I feel it, but I¡¯m not surprised. The Chief is special after all.¡±


    No one else said anything as they all kind of just stared at the cave entrance. Well everyone except Geedi. She was busy scrutinizing the members of her Squad. They had a draw to decide who would be the one to follow Rick around and she won it, though the rest of them had a feeling that she probably would''ve fought to get the position if she didn''t win so it was probably for the best.


    Anyway, she now needed the actual members who would fill out the team and it was driving her just a little crazy.


    Eventually she settled on 5 of them.


    ¡°Alright, you 5 will be on this team. We will be guarding the Chief! So if you''re not ready for that, tell me right now!¡±


    ¡°...Huh ready for what?¡±


    Geedi turned around in a fright to see Rick walking out of the cave and looking straight at her.


    POV Rick


    ¡°Chief!¡±


    ¡®Did she just call me Chief? Where did that come from?¡¯


    ¡°Why Chief? You don¡¯t have to call me that, Rick is perfectly fine!¡±


    ¡°Ah Chief, we should probably talk. We have decided on some things, that we hope you don¡¯t fight us on.¡±


    ¡®Is this a rebellion Velora?!¡¯


    [You are overreacting.]


    ¡®Probably¡­but you''re not supposed to say that! Anyway let''s see what they have to say.¡¯


    ¡°Sure Jaba, we can talk. Want to go back in the cave?"


    ¡°Ah yes we can, just me and you should be fine.¡±


    Rick and Jaba headed back inside the cave and eventually found themselves back around the fire pit.


    ¡°So Jaba, what''s all the fuss about?¡±


    ¡°Well, we all talked about it, and we realized you do need to be treated with a bit more respect. We also decided that you do in fact need an escort, and Geedi won the draw to become the captain of the escort. She is currently picking out members for the escort, but the idea is for them to follow you around and protect you everywhere you go.


    ¡°Also with the whole respect thing, we won¡¯t call you Rick anymore. It needs to be something more respectful and Wala suggested Chief, and we agreed to run with it. Is this alright with you?¡±


    ¡°Chief huh¡­well I guess I don¡¯t have any complaints. I¡¯ll do my best to be a great Chief for the tribe.¡±


    ¡°That''s great! Also¡­that feeling we get that we talked about earlier¡­It got a little stronger after your evolution.¡±


    ¡°Wait what? Really? I can¡¯t even feel whatever it is you''re talking about.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it''s not a bad feeling, and it''s not super stronger than before but we can all feel it.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­well, at least it''s not bad¡­¡±


    ¡®Dammit Velora I¡¯m a pheromone battery!!¡¯


    [You''re overreacting.]

 Chapter Sixty Three (Book 2)

    [It is now 1500.]


    ¡®Thank you.¡¯


    ¡°So Chief¡­apart from the improved sensation we¡¯re all getting from you, are there any other changes to being Tier 3?¡±


    ¡®Is that a sparkle in his eye Velora?¡¯


    [No, I don¡¯t think so.]


    ¡®No, I see it! His eyes are sparkling!¡¯


    [¡­]


    ¡®Is that the silent treatment?!¡¯


    ¡°Um Chief?¡±


    ¡°Uh sorry, I was thinking about your question.¡±


    ¡°Ah was it too much to ask?¡¯


    ¡°No no, you will soon be Tier 3 yourself anyway, but not much changed for me. I still look the same, and I can already tell I¡¯m both stronger and faster than before, but so far, I haven¡¯t noticed anything else too significant. Though I plan on doing various tests to confirm that.¡±


    ¡°Oh okay, I can tell that I¡¯m close so I couldn¡¯t help but think about it. Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Ah of course Jaba. Actually, it¡¯s good that you¡¯re here, the tribe has gone through a lot of changes while I was gone huh¡±


    ¡°Yes! I¡¯ve been very proud of our progress! The three squad idea has gone down really well, with Geedi, Tars, and Dal being great squad leaders. It led them to reaching Tier 2 around a week after you left, and a number of Tier 0 Goblins reached Tier 1. Before long, the entire tribe with the exception of the new ones will be Tier 2.¡±


    ¡°Right..new ones. I did notice there were a bit more Goblins than when I left. I¡¯m assuming that means a number of you guys decided to engage in Goblin baby making activities.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­there was some of that. It was all by the Tier 0 Goblins though. None of the Tier 1 Goblins or any Tier 2 did anything like that. I¡¯m not sure why that¡¯s the case but that¡¯s how it happened. So instead of around 20 something Goblins, we now have 43 Goblins, not including the group you brought back. Oh that number is including myself , Geedi, Dal and Tars.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a big increase¡­but I dont see any pregant Goblins, or any babies at all running around. Why is that?"


    "Well they all kind of stopped at some point. Again, not sure the reason there. Regarding babies...it actually takes only about 7 days for a baby to grow into a full fledged Goblin. The mother also only stays pregnant for 14 days. So once you left it all happened very fast...Honestly it was a bit much at first but things have calmed down since then.


    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    "Plus the addition our numbers was good and we were able to do some new things due to that."


    ''7 days to grow and a 14 day pregnancy? We''re like bugs Velora! No wonder people want us gone, if left to our own devices we could multiply like crazy in the span of just a few months...''


    [Yes, I could see how that would pose a problem, but remember Jaba said they stopped after a while. Perhaps it was just an instinctual desire to reproduce that the lesser Goblins found harder to ignore.]


    ''There you go again with the smart stuff...well it''s not something I can figure out in the short term, but its good to know we could very easily face population problems in the future.''


    "Right...so these new things you mentioned Jaba, does that include scouting? Is that why i ran into that lone Goblin on the way back to the cave?"


    "Yes! So how we go about things have changed slightly once all the babies stopped coming, and the previous ones grew up. We still kept three sqauds, but one will go through training with me, while the other rested and guarded the back exit in the cave, and the active squad will handle hunting and scouting.


    "So not including myself, Dal, Tars and Geedi there are 39 Goblins. 24 of them are Tier 1 now and are split between the 3 squads evenly at the moment which was just a nice coincidence. The other 15 are still Tier 0 and are mostly made up of the ''babies''. They are split evenly as well, but this time on purpose.


    "That makes three squads of 13, one squad leader each, and then me."


    "Wow...thats actually really good. You guys are amazing Jaba."


    "Haha...thank you."


    "Ah don''t be shy now!"


    [Stop teasing him.]


    ''Your no fun!''


    "Anyways Jaba, that brings me back to the whole escort thing with Geedi. What will we do now with the remaing members of her squad? And who''ll be the new leader?"


    "Actually I don''t think we''d thought that far ahead but your the Chief, what do you think?"


    "I am the Chief now aren''t I...let me think."


    ''So Velora what do you think?''


    [Weren''t you the one that was supposed to think about it?]


    ''This is me thinking about it! But fine...hmm...what if we just make Geedi''s entire squad the new escorts...and then the other two will still kind of be the same, but the squad not hunting will help with things around the tribe...like building...yeah Wala and Dran know how to build things but they can''t do it all themselves, so they''d need help.


    ''While the escort thing...I still feel a bit weird about it but it makes sense I guess. What king didn''t have a royal guard? Plus wasn''t the Royal Guard suppose to be a step above the rest? Ah...I just got an idea! My ''Royal Guard'' does need to be step above the rest...so no one below Tier 2 for now!''


    [Does that mean your going to reject their wishes to give you an escort?]


    ''No...but they need to be evolve quickly if they want to join my guard and they need to be cut from a different cloth as well. So I''ll ''reject'' them but only until they become Tier 2. ''


    [What about the new Goblins you brought? Are they going to be ingrained in any squads?]


    ''Hmm another good question...well Wala and Dran could be the very first members of our new building squad, but the others...I guess with Kida and Zargi we could create a magic division? Sigi and Lagi though...I''m actually not sure. I can just ask them I guess.''


    [You didn''t need my help afterall.]


    ''Yeah yeah whatever you say.''


    "Alright Jaba, I my answer. Please call the others back in so I can just say it all at once."


    "The entire tribe or just the new Goblins and the squad leaders?"


    "Hm good question..."


    ''I suppose I should do more delgation now huh, let the squad leaders get more and more used to handling their own squads.''


    "Just squad leaders and the new Goblins."


    "Got it Chief."


    ''Its going to take some time to get used to that.''

 Chapter Sixty Four (Book 2)

    ¡®I¡¯m a little nervous about this next conversation, but I think it¡¯s the right idea. What do you think Velora? And for real this time!¡¯


    [I believe your ideas are sound. Though I would advise you to remain flexible and try to keep an open mind regarding the future. If you eventually have tens, hundreds, or even thousands of Goblins under you, a proper structure will be needed, or things can get out of control very quickly.]


    ¡®That¡¯s a good point¡­Well its only about 40 of us for now, so I¡¯ll focus on that, but as we grow these plans and squads of mine will eventually need to be changed.


    ¡®Having a thousand Goblins into one squad won¡¯t work all that well I don¡¯t think. But multiple squads being a part of a large¡­group of sorts should be the next step I think. Okay yeah, that all makes sense in my head, and I¡¯ll let future Rick deal with it!


    ¡®Oh, there goes Jaba and the rest.¡¯


    ¡°I¡¯ve brought everyone Chief.¡±


    ¡°Good, good, gather round.¡±


    ¡°Alright¡­so I¡¯ve done a lot of thinking, and I finally have my thoughts in order. Let¡¯s start off with the Chief thing. If that¡¯s the decision you all have made, I¡¯ll respect it. It will likely take me a while to get used to being called that, but I¡¯ll get it eventually.


    ¡°Now the whole escort thing. That one is a bit deeper to unpack. I agree with it, and I do think the leader of any tribe should have something like a dedicated guard. It does feel a little weird to be making my own guard like this, but it needs to be done.


    ¡°So¡­while I do think it needs to be done. It needs to be done properly. Here are the changes I have in mind. Instead of just 5 Goblins from Geedi¡¯s squad, it will be the entire squad itself. All of you will now become the Royal Guard, oh and that¡¯s what we¡¯ll call it. The Royal Guard.


    ¡°So yeah the Royal Guard, the entire squad will be a part of it but not initially. The Royal Guards need to be the best of the best. The top of the line. Only Tier 2s and above can join the Royal Guard. So yes that means so far only Geedi will be technically in the Royal Guard. Regarding her squad, they will be considered to be accepted into the Royal Guard, but not officially until they all reach Tier 2.


    ¡°And like I said earlier, the Royal Guard needs to be the best of the best, so that includes being excellent fighters. They need to be trained specially and dedicate their entire beings to being Royal Guards. So, although I said Geedi¡¯s entire squad will make up the Royal Guard, at this point they have the chance to drop out if that¡¯s not something want to do, and we can place them in one of the other two squads.


    ¡°Speaking of the other two squads¡­they will essentially remain the same. One squad is responsible for hunting and guarding the outskirts of the Tribe, while the other will be staying home and guarding the entrances to the cave and also helping Dran and Wala with any building they do.


    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°Now regarding the Goblins who joined me from the plains. I already mentioned building, but I would like for Wala and Dran to run some sort of building and research division. As of right now that division will just be you two, but I am hoping it will grow in the future. Kida and Zargi on the other hand will be a part of a new magic division, while for Sigi and Lagi¡­I¡¯m not sure.


    ¡°So Sigi and Lagi, I¡¯d like for you to tell me what it is you want to do. Actually, that goes for all of you. Kida, Zargi, Wala, and Dran. Do you all have any thoughts about what it is you want ?¡±


    ¡°I love the idea of a magic division! I¡¯ve always wanted to dedicate my time to researching nothing but magic and this feels like the perfect chance to do that!¡±


    ¡°¡­I agree with Zargi¡­I think a division that is focused on magic will be great.¡±


    ¡°Thank you Zargi and Kida, anyone else?¡±


    ¡°Ah yes! I feel just like Zargi! A building and research division is perfect!!¡±


    ¡°I think both Wala and I will enjoy being in this new division Chief.¡±


    ¡°Thank you¡­Sigi and Lagi?¡±


    ¡®Why are they just staring at me?¡¯


    [They are probably thinking.]


    ¡®Oh¡­yeah probably.¡¯


    ¡°Wan..t..to¡­hel..p..Ch..ief.¡±


    ¡°Want to help Chief? I see Sigi..and you Lagi?¡±


    ¡°Sa..me¡­th¡­ing.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­want to help Chief huh¡­hm¡­let me think¡­¡±


    ¡®So¡­Velora¡­what do you think?¡¯


    [Again, this is a decision for you to make, but I don¡¯t believe you need to overthink it. Their request was to help you, so let them help you.]


    ¡®No need for the attitude Velora, but what you just said kind of gave me an idea. The job of the Royal Guard will be to protect me, and while I can definitely give them things to do, that isn¡¯t their primary function. It would probably be nice to have a team of dedicated helpers. Wait helpers sound like such a bad term¡­how about hands! The Chief¡¯s hands¡­yeah I actually like the sound of that. Good job Velora!¡¯


    [Thank you.]


    ¡°So Sigi and Lagi¡­since your request was to help me¡­I thought of a new group. It will be called the Chief¡¯s hands. This group will be responsible for carrying out tasks from me that are separate from the tasks given to the tribe. You won¡¯t report to anyone else, just me. How does that sound?¡±


    ¡®Okay I definitely see sparkles now! You see it too right Velora?!¡¯


    [¡­]


    ¡®Ah whatever!¡¯


    ¡°It..sou..ds¡­good.¡±


    ¡°Go¡­od.¡±


    ¡°Great! Well, that¡¯s pretty much  everything about that, I have some other things to talk about, but do you guys have any questions in the meantime? Jaba, Geedi, Dal and Tars?¡±


    It was Geedi who spoke up first.


    "I don''t have any questions Chief! I will get my squa- other members of the Royal Guard up to Tier 2 in no time!"


    ''Isn''t she getting too excited about all of this?''


    [It''s a big deal.]


    ''Well, yeah I guess so.''


    Tars came next.


    "Chief...are others able to join the Royal Guard now?"


    ''Hmm that''s actually a good question...but I think i want to create a standard first before I add any others.''


    "As of right now, the answer would be no. Once Geedi and the rest are truly members of the Royal Guard, then we potentially start taking some type of application to join, but the idea is for it to be hard to join since the Royal Guard will be top of the line! Now that I think about it...that goes for you too Geedi. You are being given a free pass at the moment, but your position can be taken in the future if you do not perform."


    .....


    ''Now why is she staring at Tars as if she wants to kill him?''


    [It...kind of a big deal.]


    ''No way you just said the exact same thing again...


    ''Actually don''t even respond to that, let''s hurry up and finish this talk so we can officially get up and get moving again! I hate sitting around all day.''

 Chapter Sixty Five (Book 2)

    [It is now 1700]


    ¡®Dang, we talked for a while¡­but it was a good talk on all fronts so It¡¯s worth it. What did you think about everything Velora?¡¯


    [I believe you are handling your position well enough. It may not seem like it sometimes, but you must always remember you are now responsible for the lives and well-being of others. Not a single Goblin went against your orders in the previous meetings. They just accepted it willingly.


    [That¡¯s a good thing, but I also do believe it could be just as bad. If you continuously make decisions, will they just continue to go with it? That is something to keep in mind.]


    ¡®Well, that¡¯s not necessarily what I was asking, but you make a good point. Even geniuses make mistakes sometimes¡­but that¡¯s why I have you! I¡¯m sure you will question me if I do or say something stupid before its too late to fix whatever it is I did.


    ¡®Even then, I¡¯ll do my best to make sure I create an environment that allows them to feel safe enough to call me out on something.¡¯


    [Good.]


    ¡®Yes, yes now enough of that! What did you actually think about all of the plans?¡¯


    [The plans to improve the actual tribe are good. With both Wala and Dran heading the project, I believe in its success.]


    ¡®Even though I told them to prioritize creating actually wooden structures instead, making nicer tents?¡¯


    [Yes, it will take more time, but once complete it will be better for you in the long run.]


    ¡®That¡¯s exactly what I was thinking. Anyway, we won¡¯t go back to the plains for a while so during that time the tribe needs to get strong enough to comfortably lay claim to all of the southern forest. Only the horned rabbits really roam the area, but who knows if another beast like the fox won¡¯t roam south and decide to claim the land for themselves?


    ¡®Which means while the tribe will continue to grow in strength, I definitely need to get way stronger. I have no idea what Tier the fox is on, but its surely way above 3, and the orcs¡­they are able to dominate hundreds of beings in the plains¡­not only their numbers are strong, but their strength even more so.


    ¡®540 evo points¡­I will fill that up in no time¡­but first, magic lesson number 1!¡¯


    [We haven¡¯t confirmed if you can use magic yet. It is best not to get your hopes up.]


    ¡®It just has to be that way since nothing else really improved about me. That would be a waste of an evolution if all I got was some extra muscle. There just has to be something, and I believe that something is the ability to finally use mana. Either way I¡¯ll confirm it when Kida comes back.¡¯


    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    After a few moments, Kida could be seen walking back into the mostly empty cave except for the lone Goblin covered in various animal hides, sitting calmy around a fire pit.


    ¡°I¡¯m back Chief!¡±


    ¡°Ah welcome back Kida. Is everything alright out there?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but everyone is caught up in a training frenzy. Especially the new Royal Guards. Once Geedi relayed the news to them nobody dropped out, instead they all got pretty fired up and all of them along with Geedi stormed off into the deeper reaches of the Nameless Forest.


    ¡°Immediately afterwards, Tars and his squad stormed off as well. Dal and his squad of course remained behind with half of them being drilled by Jaba and the other half was helping Wala and Dran gather materials. Which was going a bit rough since we didn¡¯t have tools to cut down trees so that¡¯s being worked as well.¡±


    ¡°What about Sigi, Lagi and Zargi?¡±


    ¡°Ah yes sorry, Sigi went off to hunt with Zargi, while Lagi is hovering by the entrance of the cave in case you need something.¡±


    ¡°Wow¡­I¡¯m glad to see everyone is so fired up about this. Which means I can¡¯t sit around just wasting my time while everyone else is working so hard. SO! Please help me learn some magic Kida.¡±


    ¡°I will do my best Chief!¡±


    ¡°I believe in you¡­so what do I need to do first?¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll talk about my experiences first and then we¡¯ll go from there. So as a Maglin, from my earliest memories, I could feel the mana in the air. I can¡¯t see it but I can feel it around me, it¡¯s a bit hard to describe but think of it as being submerged in water and the water is all of the mana around you, except it is not constricting in anyway, nor do you lack the ability to the breathe. There is no current to swim against or any pressure it all, the presence is just there. Constantly with us. How does that sound so far?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m following for now¡­¡±


    ¡°Okay, please be sure to stop me if your confused about anything. So, continuing on, that¡¯s what the mana in the air feels like to me and has always felt like. The key though, is the mana that is constantly circulating within my body.


    ¡°This is another thing that I was born with, and it has only improved with each evolution, the quality, the amount, and the speed at which I can make use of it.


    ¡°There are some other things as well, but I am still learning those myself. Though for your case, I believe the biggest thing initially will be for you figure out how to sense the mana in your body if any is present at all. Then from there it should be easier to sense it in the atmosphere, which should help you make use of mana better, because even though we are using the mana in our bodies to form shapes and other things, the mana in the atmosphere plays a part as well.


    ¡°So, let¡¯s try step one. Close your eyes and focus on your body. It is hard for me to guide you through this process as it was natural for me but imagine a small stream rushing through your body. If its there it shouldn¡¯t take super long to sense it, as its not hiding from you.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll give it a try.¡±


    ¡®So, Velora? Sensing any mana?¡¯


    [You should focus on sensing it yourself. At the moment I cannot sense anything.]


    ¡®Ah fine..!


    ''Okay focus Rick...she said it should feel like a small stream...imagine a river...flowing through me...imagine a river...flowing through me....imagine a river....imagine a ri....imag.''


    Kida and of course Velora watched on as Rick sat almost perfectly still, with his eyes closed. Fully focused trying to sense this stream of mana that Kida discribed to him. Unbeknownst to them of course, what Rick was doing was typical for every Goblin who wasn''t born a Maglin once they reached Tier 3. It was the first Tier where the mana veins of Goblins would be finally developed enough for them to sense and begin practicing with mana.


    Of course ithis process would usually take other Goblins weeks if not months to accomplish, as the Mana Veins themselves are essentially brand new organs. It''s similar to someone learning to walk again after breaking a foot. It takes time.


    But was a Rick a normal Goblin? No...He is a Royal.


    ''Ahhh Velora I think sense the Mana River thing! I told you! Hahaha!!!''


    Yes...a Royal..

 Chapter Sixty Six (Book 2)

    ¡°Kida, I feel it! The mana coursing through my veins like a flowing river! No¡­not like a river it feels more like a roaring waterfall.¡±


    ¡°Chief I don¡¯t know what a waterfall is, but It¡¯s good that you feel it! Now the next step will be to actually use it.¡±


    ¡°Wait you don¡¯t know what a waterfall is for real?¡±


    ¡°No¡­should I? I apologize Chief.¡±


    ¡°Ah sorry don¡¯t apologize, you don¡¯t necessarily need to know, I was just a little surprised, I could describe it, but it would be better for you to see one. I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll find one somewhere. Anyway, the mana within me feels like a lot more than a small stream. It feels like a fast flowing extremely large river coursing through my body.


    ¡°Is that normal or is something wrong with me?¡±


    Kida showed a troubled expression as she considered Rick¡¯s words.


    ¡°Um, I haven¡¯t been in this situation before so I¡¯m not exactly sure about the answer. But based on what I know about mana and how it has felt in my body with each evolution, I would say it feels that way due to your talent Chief. The calm stream I feel has only gotten stronger as I evolved and based on your description, you might even rival myself or Zargi in terms of mana capacity alone.¡±


    ¡®You hear that Velora?! I¡¯m talented!¡¯


    [It most likely has to deal with the fact you¡¯re a genuine Royal of your race. It is only natural that you have added capabilities in comparison to your lessers.]


    ¡®It sounds kind of weird when you put it like that, but what you¡¯re saying makes sense. Also are you able to sense the mana within me now?¡¯


    [Yes I can.]


    ¡®And I¡¯m assuming I won¡¯t be displayed in my status screen right?¡¯


    [It will not.]


    ¡®Is there really no way for you to add it? I know some random decided to take it away, but the numbers were really helpful.¡¯


    [At the moment, I do not know a way for it to be added again, but I will investigate in the background. If something changes I will inform you.]


    ¡®Ah thank you Velora.¡¯


    ¡°Erm...I think your reasoning is likely accurate Kida. Now, you also mentioned actually trying it out or something along those lines right?¡±


    ¡°Oh yes! You need to try using the mana within you. This is something else that comes naturally to Maglins, but I will again try to describe my experiences. So, the first thing all Maglins can do when they are young is to form basic shapes made up of the mana within us.


    ¡°Though for you, I think you should first practice on just manifesting mana.


    ¡°Please try to imagine some of that flowing ¡®mana¡¯ in your body appearing in your palm. While the ambient mana all around us is not visible the mana within us, will have a slight hint of a random color once displayed. We honestly don¡¯t know why the color is random, or what it all means, but that¡¯s what happens.¡±


    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    ¡°Interesting¡­I¡¯ll give it a shot.¡±


    ¡®Okay¡­manifest mana¡­¡¯


    Rick closed his eyes once more as he continuously did his best to will some of the mana coursing through his veins to appear on his right palm.


    This process went on for about 30 minutes before Rick began to get frustrated.


    ¡®Dammit any ideas Velora? This is a big failure right now.¡¯


    [Hmm.]


    ¡®Hmm?¡¯


    [Hmmm¡­]


    ¡®Hmm¡­?!¡¯


    [Have you tried asking it?]


    ¡®Asking it¡­no I haven¡¯t ¡­I¡¯ll give it a try.¡¯


    Rick once again put everything into asking the mana in his body to appear in his right palm, only this time, it took only a moment for something interest to happen.


    [Ding!]


    ¡®Uhh..did you just disrupt my focus to say Ding?¡¯


    [That¡­wasn¡¯t me. It appears you have a notification. Would you like to read it?]


    ¡®Aw, are you embarrassed Velora?¡¯


    [I can delete the notification.]


    ¡®Ah no need to go that far sheesh I was just joking. Please show me the notification.¡¯


    [Mhm.]


    { A Royal¡¯s Magic Should be Special }


    { Choose your Element }


    { A Goblin''s Wrath }


    { A Goblin''s Death }


    { A Goblin''s Life }


    { A Goblin''s Cry }


    { A Goblin¡¯s Joy }


    { A Goblin''s Strike }


    ''Velora...Am I seeing this correctly?''


    [Yes, I believe so.]


    ¡®Wow¡­this is a lot to take in. A Royal¡¯s magic should be special huh¡­I¡¯m almost shaking with excitement.¡¯


    [Please don¡¯t, Kida has been intently watching you this whole time.]


    ¡®Uh...erm...okay¡­well it said to choose my element. These don¡¯t sound like elements though. Do you think they align with different elements that exist out there?¡¯


    [Perhaps, though I don¡¯t have any other information to go off of. In this situation your intuition will likely be all the insight we have until you pick one.]


    ¡®Figures¡­well its probably best I just pick the one that resonates with me the most huh¡­¡¯


    [That sounds like the right course of action.]


    ¡®Well, I think I can get rid of Death and Cry for now. They sound too depressing for my tastes. After that it becomes a bit hard though¡­I want my Goblins, to live happy and joyous lives, but should we be attacked, I would want our enemies to feel my wrath as corny as it sounds¡­But strike sounds interesting too¡­wrath kind of sounds like an angry thing, while strike seems like it still has something to do with fighting my enemies.


    ¡®Arghh this hard! Help me Velora!¡¯


    [I do not think it¡¯s a good idea to provide any further input here. This decision seems permanent. Make a choice that will live with.]


    ¡®¡­I don¡¯t like it when your right¡­ahh fine fine¡­I think I¡¯ll pick¡­A Goblin¡¯s Wrath.¡¯


    [Ding!]


    ¡­


    [That. Wasn¡¯t. Me.]


    ¡®¡­I understand.¡¯


    [You have a notification. Displaying it now.]


    { A Goblin''s Wrath ¨C Your Chosen Element is now the fire that drives your armies to victory on any battlefield. Burn your enemies to cinder with the fires that dwell within the heart of every Goblin. Your mana will now strictly be attributed to Goblin Fire, and it will have the added effect of causing the minds of your opponents to break down, leading them to become uncontrollable, attacking both friend and foe. }


    { Any Goblin touched by your fire will feel strengthened for a limited time, before being weakened once the duration expires. }


    { The strength of your fire grows alongside you. }


    { Beware the Wrath of the King of Goblins }


    ¡­..


    ¡­¡­.


    ¡­¡­¡­


    ¡®OHHHHH SHITTTTTTT !!!!!! VELORAAAA!! LOOK AT THIS! ARE YOU SEEING THIS?!¡¯


    [I can see it.]


    ¡®I need more excitement than that!! Look! Gang Green just got some fucking fireeee!!!¡¯


    [Your shaking is making Kida uncomfortable.]


    ¡®Ah¡­¡¯

 Chapter Sixty Seven (Book 2)

    ¡°Ah Chief..! Your mana! It looks like fire! But why is it green?¡±


    Rick finally opened his eyes to see green flames covering his palm.


    ¡®Oh, shoot I really do have green fire coming out of me!¡¯


    ¡°Kida, I think this is something else that has to do with the fact I¡¯m a Royal.¡±


    ¡°This is amazing Chief¡­even Maglins need some time to start incorporating elements with their mana, and even then I¡¯ve never seen anyone use green fire. You should try using the other elements! Maybe they will look different for you as well!¡±


    ¡®The other elements huh¡­Do you think I¡¯ll be able to use other elements Velora?¡¯


    [Based on the notification shown, I do not think so, but it wouldn¡¯t hurt to try.]


    ¡®I agree¡­¡¯


    ¡°Wait Kida, how do I use other elements?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you already doing it with the fire Chief?¡±


    ¡°Um, well no this is a bit different. It¡¯s kind of hard to explain.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s odd. For me it¡¯s as simple as sensing the different elements within the ambient mana and calling that element to my mana. Or at least that¡¯s how it feels to me.¡±


    ¡°Oh...well I¡¯ll give that a shot that then.¡±


    ¡®Okay the fire is snuffed out, and no more mana is flowing¡­lets try to sense the other elements.¡¯


    ¡­.


    ¡­..


    [It is now 1800.]


    ¡®Yep as expected I can¡¯t sense anything else. I think I¡¯m restricted to just being able to use Goblin Fire, and I don¡¯t even think its in the air, I think its coming straight from me.¡¯


    [That is a reasonable deduction.]


    ¡°Yeah Kida, I don¡¯t believe I can use other elements. The Green Fire, is likely all I can do .¡±


    ¡°Ah I¡¯m sorry Chief, but I¡¯m sure if we keep trying, we can figure it out!¡±


    ¡°I appreciate your enthusiasm Kida! Let¡¯s go check on the others for now.¡±


    Once Kida and Rick made it outside, what they saw gave them both a slight shock.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    ¡®Velora what the hell? The space is so wide open now.¡¯


    [Yes, it seems Wala and Dran can work far faster than we realized.]


    Just this morning the area in front of the cave only had a small area that lacked trees. That area was where Jaba usually trained the Goblins, but now that area had been expanded outward for quite some distance.


    It was likely just around 45 feet of space in front of the cave prior, but now that number seemed to reach close to 120 feet of cleared open land. Even the stumps were uprooted, and the holes left behind filled with dirt.


    ¡®We were barely gone an hour, how the hell did they manage all this, look at all of those logs stacked up over there, what are they even planning on doing?¡­Actually now that I think about it...where is everyone?¡¯


    [Perhaps Lagi will know, she has been calmly waiting behind you since you exited the cave.]


    ¡®Ah, I got so distracted I almost missed her.¡¯


    [Almost?]


    ¡®¡­¡¯


    ¡°Hey Lagi, do you know where everyone went?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ever..y.one¡­wen..t..to..he..lp¡­ca..tch¡­rabb..its¡­for¡­fa..rm.¡±


    ¡°Rabbits for the farm? What farm???¡±


    ¡°Wa..la¡­an..d..Dr..an¡­built¡­a..fa..rm.¡±


    ¡®Theres just no way they had enough time to clear all of these trees, build a farm, and organize some rabbit hunting!! How are they doing all of this?!¡¯


    [I agree, this type of productivity is more than my expectations.]


    ¡®Wait, that kind of sounds like you were doubting Gang Green!¡¯


    [I am simply agreeing with you.]


    ¡®Ahem..¡¯


    ¡°So Lagi, do  you know where this farm is?¡±


    ¡°No¡­wai..ted¡­he..re..for..yo..u.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­thank you for that Lagi.¡±


    ¡°Mhm!¡±


    ¡®Well, what do I do now? Should I go try to find this farm? Or should I just wait here?¡¯


    [Waiting here would probably be the best course of action.]


    ¡®Eh probably.¡¯


    ¡°Uh Kida, I know I asked you to help me, but do you want to go hunt as well? Perhaps to test out your new abilities some more? Ah both you and Lagi could go together if you all would like. Just be sure to come back before it gets to dark¡­In fact I hope everyone comes back before it gets too dark¡­¡±


    Kida and Lagi, both thanked Rick and went off into the forest, which was now a little bit more of a walk away from the cave after a good amount of the trees were cut down.


    Well, Lagi needed a bit more urging that it was okay to go because she felt she needed to be there if Rick needed anything, but she left in the end. So, all that was left was a lone Goblin just standing there staring into the distance.


    ¡®Well now its just me¡­Velora can you show me my status please?¡¯


    {Name - Rick}


    {Age - 20}


    {Race - Royal Goblin}


    {Element ¨C Goblin Fire}


    {Tier 3)


    {Essence - 0}


    {Evo Points - 0/540}


    {Skills}


    {Velora}


    ¡®Oh, it shows my element! Though I¡¯m a bit surprised it didn¡¯t say A Goblin¡¯s Wrath instead of Goblin Fire.


    ¡®I guess it was just there for selection. Now¡­I wonder how long it will take for everyone to get back.¡¯


    [You could use this time to train.]


    ¡®You...actually¡­why not.¡¯


    And so, Rick began his training. Which was basically just a really high intensity workout. He did pushups, sit-ups, squats, crunches, and jumping jacks.


    [It is no 1900.]


    ¡®Ahh I¡¯m tired¡­an hour long workout! Are you happy now Velora!¡±


    [This is for your benefit.]


    ¡®Yeah yeah whatever you say¡­but man, its dark outside and no one is back yet. I¡¯m starting to get worried. Should I go look for everyone?¡¯


    [That might be a good idea.]


    Though just as Rick was about to head out himself, he saw movement coming from the forest.


    ¡®Is that Lagi?...Why is she running?¡¯


    [She doesn¡¯t appear to be in any stress though.]


    ¡®No...she doesn¡¯t.¡¯


    Eventually Lagi made it to Rick and after taking a moment collect herself she began speaking.


    ¡°Ev..ery..one¡­at..fa..rm.¡±


    ¡°Everyone? Even Geedi?¡±


    ¡°Ye..s.¡±


    ¡®Well would you look at that. Guess I¡¯m going to the farm too.¡¯


    ¡°Could you please lead me to the farm?¡±


    ¡°Mhm!¡±


    [You could¡¯ve run to meet her, instead of letting her run the whole way.]


    ¡®I¡¯m choosing peace.¡¯

 Chapter Sixty Eight (Book 2)

    Hey Velora, what do you think of this farm? I¡¯m getting kind of excited to see it.¡¯


    [It should be interesting.]


    ¡®Ah man is that it? Just interesting?¡¯


    [Yes.]


    ¡®Booo.¡¯


    And so, while following Lagi, Rick and of course Velora, headed towards the eastern side of the Nameless Forest. The walk was a bit farther than Rick expected as they had already been moving east for about 30 minutes before he finally heard his fellow Goblins.


    ¡°Wait, how many do we have?¡±


    ¡°We have 7 of them now. 4 males and 3 females.¡±


    ¡°Okay that should be good enough until we make it bigger!¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t to show the chief!¡±


    It was Wala and Dran talking to each other of course. The masterminds behind this whole thing. The ¡®thing¡¯ in this situation being the first stages of a farm they planned to expand on. One of the many projects they had discussed in the short time since Rick last saw them.


    ¡°Oh¡­this is amazing¡­¡±


    With Wala and Dran engaged in conversations and everyone else from the prospective Royal Guards, to Tars and Dal and their respective squads, to Jaba, Kida, Sigi, and Zargi. Everyone was busy doing one thing or the other as they helped bring the farm to fruition, so no one noticed immediately when both Lagi and Rick approached.


    Of course, they were all surprised when they heard him speak.


    ¡°Chief! When did you get here?!¡±


    ¡°I just got here Wala. Wow you guys really did amazing¡­I honestly didn¡¯t know what I expected to see...but this is great! Please explain how you guys managed to keep the rabbits in the pen! Matter fact tell me everything!!¡±


    Losing out in excitement levels for a moment, Wala froze for a second before responding with her usual vigor.


    ¡°¡­Right this way Chief!!¡±


    ¡®Velora this is amazing¡­they really built a rabbit farm! Look at the torches! Well, they¡¯re just sticks on fire that people are walking around with but still! And the fences for the pen! How did they even tie everything together? We don¡¯t have any string...only sinew. Plus, I don¡¯t think we had enough left over for all of this.¡¯You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    What Rick was looking at was a clearing that had been cleared of trees that now held a small circular pen made of what appeared to branches from the nearby trees. One branch was planted in the ground, while two more were connecting it to another branch planted a short distance away.


    [They did a wonderful job but pay attention to Wala so you can actually learn what¡¯s going on.]


    ¡®Oh, ah yeah your right.¡¯


    ¡°¡­So, we figured out that if you break the horns on the rabbits, they become extremely docile! It¡¯s kind of hard to catch them and keep them alive in time to break their harms without hurting them or getting ourselves hurt in the process, but we have managed to catch seven of them!¡±


    ¡°How did you guys even figure that out??¡±


    ¡°Ah it was me Chief¡­I was out hunting, and I accidentally struck the horn of a rabbit from the side and when it snapped off the rabbit just sat there. It didn¡¯t try to run away, it just sat there. I went to pick it up, and it didn¡¯t attack me or anything. It was then I remembered you wanted to start a rabbit farm or something like that, so I took it back to Wala and Dran and told them about your plans and what I found. Which led to this.¡±


    ¡°Tars that¡¯s really good because I honestly had no idea how we were going to actually trap the rabbits without them running around trying stab us.¡±


    ¡°Thank you Chief.¡±


    ¡°Well, we paused our other plans to make this happen so I¡¯m glad you like it.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t just like its Dran, I love it! Though how did you guys manage to tie the fence together?¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s not tied together its nailed together! We broke off little splinters from the rabbit horns and used some of the pieces to nail the wood together! It¡¯s not actually sturdy enough to handle a lot of pressure so we will need to make it better later, but it will work for now!¡±


    ¡°Ohh you guys are really smart. But this is good, now we just need to figure out what they eat, and dedicate people to watch and care for them, oh and to guard the farm¡­but it¡¯s kind of far from the cave¡­I guess whoever isn¡¯t on duty can place a couple Goblins here as well? Yeah, that will work until we have more Goblins.¡±


    So, Rick and the others talked about the farm and plans for the near future, with Wala and Dran explaining all the things they had planned to help develop the tribe, with Rick of course proving a lot of input since he had the final say. At some point, Geedi and her team left after their help wasn¡¯t needed anymore. Her seriousness was evident because she didn¡¯t try to speak to Rick the entire time he was there.


    Of course, while all of this was happening, a certain team was still making their way towards a certain Goblin.


    ~ ~ ~


    POV Rogu


    ¡°From this point on we are in uncharted territory. Our information does not extend far enough to have detailed information about the areas beyond. Our only landmarks are that mountain in the distance, and the massive forest that sits beneath it. Both of which lie in the direction we are heading in.


    ¡°It is expected that these forests are filled to the brim with beasts. Though we do not know their strengths. Remain focused and be ready to act at moment¡¯s notice.¡±


    After receiving various nods of acknowledgement Rogu and the team set out from the high grass they had been resting in.


    Before them lay a wide-open grassland, with grass reaching up to 4ft in height. They moved quickly, yet carefully through the grass for miles on end. There were times when something would jump out of them but to their high states of alertness, the threat was always quickly dealt with.


    They traveled through that terrain, through valleys, over hills, through swaps, and many many forests.


    They traveled like this for months, until the mountains weren¡¯t distant images anymore. They had reached the Nameless Forest.


    The northern part of the Nameless Forest.

 Chapter Sixty Nine (Book 2)

    POV Rogu


    ¡°Captain look! The Goblin Blood Stone!¡±


    ¡°Hm?!!!...


    ¡°We¡­we are close¡­!


    ¡°¡­Everyone form up!¡±


    Rogu waited until the Goblins gathered up around him before he continued to speak.


    ¡°We are finally close to our target. Our future King! This does not mean it is time to relax. The dangers are far from over. I need you all to be more focused than ever as we get closer and closer to our future King. We will find him and once we do, no harm can come to him. Not a single injury can befall him while we still breathe!


    ¡°Now let¡¯s move.¡±


    Rogu and his team progressed through the Nameless Forest in extremely tense states. They were excited at the prospect of finally meeting their Future King, and were obviously eager to make a good impression, but they didn¡¯t let the excitement cause them to lower their guards. If anything, it simply made them far more alert as not only was the Future King nearby, but they had little to no information about these lands they walked in.


    Although the journey before this point was just as perilous, the dangers they faced, or potentially could¡¯ve faced were mostly known, and thus could be planned for to some extent. Here that level of planning was nonexistent. They moved forward steadily during the day and rested at night, with Rogu constantly checking the stone which was shining brighter than ever before at this point.


    They moved like this for a few days. A few monsters that weren¡¯t smart enough to recognize the difference in strength attacked them and were quickly dealt with and discarded or turned into provisions, but they had finally run into a beast who simply couldn¡¯t be tossed aside.


    ¡°Wow¡­quite a bit of Goblins are showing up in my territory these days. Though some of you look a bit different. Perhaps some sort of Goblin variant? Interesting. Plus, you at the front¡­your quite strong. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen a Goblin quite as big and strong as you. So¡­why are you all in my territory?¡±


    A large fox with eyes the color of blood was standing not too far from the group as it stared intently at Rogu as it finished it¡¯s greeting with a question directed at him.


    Rogu of course could tell immediately this fox was far stronger than him. He was firmly within Tier 5, with only the Chiefs of the Clans being stronger than him¡­but this fox¡­he wasn¡¯t too sure, but it felt stronger than his father. All Goblins knew they weren¡¯t strong enough to walk out into the world with their heads held high. There wasn¡¯t just one or two Tiers that they knew of, that was above Tier 6. If Tier 6 alone was all it to be considered a power strong enough to not be bullied are wiped out, then they wouldn¡¯t be hiding in forsaken lands.


    Rogu has never meant anyone stronger than his father but, this fox¡­it was likely Tier 7¡­Rogu was nervous, but his mission was too important. While he wasn¡¯t confident in killing the fox. He felt at the very least he could severely injure it at the cost of his life. A small price to pay in his mind.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Of course he wasn¡¯t dumb enough to start fighting immediately.


    ¡°Great Fox. We are merely passing through to our destination. We did not know this was your territory and apologize for any offense. We will leave your territory as quickly as possible.¡±


    ¡°Ooo, just passing through huh. What is your destination?¡±


    Rogu was hoping the fox wouldn¡¯t get curious about his mission, but he needed to walk the line of peace for as long as he could. He would not tolerate undermining the mission, but if he could find a way to resolve this peacefully, he would do so to his upmost ability.


    ¡°We are seeking our brethren.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­where are your brethren?¡±


    ¡°¡­We do not know the exact location, just the general direction.¡±


    ¡°This is getting more and more interesting¡­and how do you know the general direction of your brethren?¡±


    At this point Rogu¡¯s body was tensing as if ready to explode forward at a moment¡¯s notice. He was mentally planning just how he could catch the fox off guard if needed. He was practically doing everything necessary to prepare for one devasting attack with the exception of rousing his mana due to fear of the fox sensing it and taking offense.


    He took a few moments to decide what to say.


    ¡°We have ways to sense our brethren.¡±


    ¡°Ways to sense them? That¡¯s new¡­how is it that you¡¯re doing that?¡±


    This is a question that Rogu would never answer.


    He felt regretful at the idea of not being able to meet the Future King, but he knew it was likely that he died at this moment. He would not provide a favorable response to the fox, and the chances the fox returned his answer with violence was extremely high.


    While he was better than his father when it came to politics, that wasn¡¯t saying much. His father would have likely attacked the moment the fox showed itself. He couldn¡¯t help but think to himself that perhaps if he was better at said politics, this interaction could¡¯ve gone in another direction.


    No matter though. His resolve was firm, and his decision was final. The Goblins he led should also be aware of the situation, they would know to run while he bought them time.


    ¡°Unfortunately, Great Fox, I cannot share that information. I humbly ask for your understanding in this matter.¡±


    Time seemed to slow to standstill as the fox looked at Rogu and Rogu looked back unwaveringly. The other Goblins began flexing their muscles as they prepared to dart in different directions to maximize survivability and Rogu finally began rousing his mana.


    These moments of calm while Rogu awaited the response from the Fox felt like an eternity in the mind of Rogu, but only a singular minute has passed, before the fox finally responded.


    ¡°Ah some sort of Goblin secret, eh? Fine, I¡¯ll give up on that for now. Well, I¡¯ve learned enough, head south for another day or two and you will reach a lake, then south of that lake is where you¡¯ll likely find your brethren. In fact, please deliver a message for me. I asked one of those Goblins to return so that we may talk as it gets bored in this forest at times, but he never does. Please remind him of my request.¡±


    After saying that the Fox vanished as if he was never there in the first place. Even Rogu at Tier 5 couldn¡¯t follow him with his or sense anything about his disappearance.


    Speaking of Rogu¡­he appeared frozen in place for a moment before his shoulders seemed to slowly unwind as the all the built pressure of that meeting took its time in leaving his body.


    It wasn¡¯t just him.


    All of Goblins took a mental sigh of relief as they digested the fact, they were all still alive and together.


    ¡°Don¡¯t relax too much. We will continue to move forward.¡±


    And so, after somehow surviving that encounter, the team moved forward once more. No one mentioned it, but they all heard what the Fox said. Their brethren weren¡¯t far. Just a few days of travel away at most. Of course it could all be an elaborate ploy from the Fox, but for now they would have hope.


    Hope to see their Future King.

 Chapter Seventy (Book 2)

    It was two days after the interaction between the fox and the royal team. Rogu and his team had just walked past the lake and were now firmly in the southern part of the forest. Though what they saw in the distance was less of a ¡®forest¡¯ and more of a village. It was early in the morning as they slowly advanced on the village in the distance. The sun had yet to make its appearance and the dark of night still had a hold on the world.


    Eventually they stepped on what appeared to be a road of some sorts. The road went both to their left and right further into the forest, but the central path carried on into the village.


    Though before they could make it any further a voice greeted them.


    ¡°Halt! Where is the Chief? He should not be back yet with the newest group of Goblins. Did the Chief send you all here on your own?¡±


    It was a Tier 2 Hobgoblin, who stepped out from their left, only he wasn¡¯t alone. Two more Hobgoblins were behind him as they approach the Royal Retrieval team.


    If he was back at home, a Tier 2 Goblin wouldn¡¯t have dared to speak to him in this manner. No Chief or anyone of importance ruled the clans with fear, as that was not their place, but due to his power and position as a General of his clan, he was given the type of respect that station commanded. So, this was a interesting experience for him.


    Of course, Rogu was far from a fool. These should be the Goblins that are currently living with the Future King. He wouldn¡¯t dare to throw his power around unduly. Not to the Goblins who were directly serving the Future King.


    POV Rogu


    ¡°Forgive us, we came from far away, and while it was a collection of Chiefs who sent us here, I don¡¯t believe we speak of the same one. My name is Rogu, Captain of the team behind me. Is it possible for us to speak to your leaders? It is of grave importance to our race.¡±


    The Hobgoblins were a little taken aback by Rogu.


    ¡°A collection of Chiefs? A Captain?¡± The plains don¡¯t have any of that¡­please wait here for a moment¡­¡±


    ¡°Take your time.¡±


    ¡®So, these are the Goblins that currently serve the Future King huh¡­they are a bit too weak, but that is no problem. Once the Future King has been safely returned home, he will have the entire backing of all the clans behind him. Father would be particularly excited. Even me¡­I enjoy my role as a General of the clan, but¡­who wouldn¡¯t want to serve the King? I must make a great first impression.¡¯


    After a few moments of waiting, the Hobgoblin from earlier returned with another by his side.


    ¡°I am Jaba. The Chief has placed me in charge until his return. It sounds like we have a lot to talk about, please follow me.¡±Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    ¡°Understood Jaba.¡±


    ¡®A Tier 3 was left in charge? I can barely feel any mana in him. It seems he just barely started to unclog his mana veins, which means he only reached Tier 3 in the recent months. That is a bit weaker than I thought, and considering the stone hasn¡¯t gotten any brighter since we reached here, the Chief they speak of is likely the Future King. Hopefully he isn¡¯t too far.¡¯


    Jaba led the team down the road and into the village. The village had a small square and in the center of the square was a small stage. Perhaps large enough for 5 Hobgoblins to stand side by side. The flooring of the square was still the floor of the forest, but the road circled around the stage, before breaking into different directions.


    Jaba veered over to the left towards one of the buildings that circled the Village Square. Once inside the small wooden building, one could see a space with a large table in the center and a few chairs sounded it, though at the head of the table a chair that was slightly larger than the others sat. Jaba took a seat to the right of that chair and gestured for the others to sit down. Though there were only 4 other chairs apart from the big one, so only Rogu decided to accept the offer. The others calmy waited to side.


    ¡®So, this is the room where he holds meetings¡­that chair is likely his. Oh, do I wish he was here right now.¡¯


    ¡°Once again, my name is Jaba, welcome to my home, The Green Village, based on your appearances, and what I was told earlier. You all aren¡¯t from the Nameless Forest, or the Iris River Plains, right?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad to meet you Jaba, my name is Rogu, Captain of the Royal Retrieval team and General of the Raguur Clan. And no, we come from very distant lands. In search of this very place.¡±


    ¡°Royal what? General? In search of this place?¡±


    ¡°Yes, please allow me to explain. Back home, we have awaited the birth of a Royal Goblin for a very long time. We knew there were Goblins living likely all over the world, but none of them should have communities as vast as ours. Thousands and thousands of Goblins share my lands with me, which is why we thought the Royal would¡¯ve been born with us. Months ago, the birth of the Royal was discovered, but we quickly realized we were wrong and that the Royal likely born quite a distance away. Thus, my team was assembled to safely retrieve the Royal, and return him to clans so that he may claim his throne and rise as the Goblin King.


    ¡°That is why we have fought bottles, and travels for months on end to reach this place. So that our Future King of Goblins can claim his rightful place as our leader. That is our mission.¡±


    The second Rogu mentioned the word Royal, Jaba¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t for once stop widening. Only growing more and more shocked at every word Rogu said.


    It took him more than a few minutes to fully intake everything that was said, and even then, he was still confused. It was a lot to take in after all. Though despite his confusion, he managed to understand that in some way shape or form, these Goblins wanted to take Rick away¡­that would prove difficult for them.


    ¡°I don¡¯t necessarily understand everything you¡¯ve stated, but our Chief will likely not agree to go anywhere with you. Not until the plains are free.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by ¡®plains are free¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Many small Goblin tribes call the plains home, but they are oppressed by Orcs and are forced to pay tribute.¡±


    ¡°¡­.I see¡­is this¡­is this where your ¡®Chief¡¯ headed by any chance?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­the plan is to slowly take a few Goblins from the tribes until we are strong enough to free them from the plains entirely.¡±


    ¡®Orcs dare to oppress my people. And to further dare to do so in front our Future King¡­Ah I¡¯m going to enjoy killing them.¡¯


    It was then Rogu stood up in a flash. A rather serious look gracing his face.


    ¡°Thank you for the information, Jaba. I will ensure the safe return of the Future King.¡±


    Jaba didn¡¯t even get a chance to speak before Rogu abruptly turned to his team.


    ¡°You heard him. Our people are being oppressed and our Future King has gone to liberate them. His enemies are our enemies, and his battles are our battles. Let us bathe these plains in the blood of Orcs.¡±

 Chapter Seventy One (Book 2)

    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­everyone knows they aren¡¯t together. Our little princess still has a chance!¡±


    ¡°But ¡­-¡°


    ¡°But nothing! The little princess will ride headfirst into war at the drop of a hat, but she would never make the first move because she gets nervous about things like this, so we have to do it for her! There are already rumors of others getting ready to try their luck as well so we must be quick. Tonight, at the festival we will make our move! Now are you with me or not?!¡±


    -  A conversation between two particularly Green individuals¡­


    POV Rogu


    ¡°Wait! You can¡¯t just go off of to the plains. It¡¯s not just the Orcs, there are other races in the plains who will likely help them keep the Goblins down if they tried to revolt. Just let the Chief handle this. He might be Tier 4 by the time he comes back from this journey. Soon he will be strong enough to free all of the Goblins, just be patient.¡±


    Rogu paused in his steps for a moment, before turning around.


    ¡®Tier 4? We only got news of his awakening 9 months ago¡­yet he is already nearing Tier 4. Ah that would explain why the tribe is weak. This is a new tribe. Their growth by this point was likely spurred on by the Future King. Which means they likely don¡¯t know a lot of things.¡¯


    ¡°Jaba, I appreciate your concern, but we are not weak. I am Tier 5, and all of my team members are Tier 4. I will not be endangering our Future King. If I judge the situation to be unfavorable, or he orders otherwise, I will not hesitate to back down. I know we have only just met, but I must reach your Chief, with due haste. I cannot and will not sit idly by while he faces danger. My father would skin me alive if he heard that.


    ¡°To further show my resolve. Hear me well. I, Rogu, Captain of the Royal Retrieval Team, General of the Raguur Clan, and First Son of Chieftain Rogur, swear to bring your Chief, and the Future King of Goblin Kind back safe and sound. This I promise you.¡±


    Jaba sat frozen for a moment.


    ¡°¡­It doesn¡¯t appear I can convince you otherwise, and Tier 5¡­It doesn¡¯t appear that I can physically stop you either¡­ but now you hear me well¡­¡±


    Jaba stood up to look at Rogu face to face, although Rogu was taller, and his physique many times more robust, Jaba did not cower.


    ¡°I am Jaba, Right hand of the Chief, and Leader of the Goblin Squads. If the Chief is brought harm by your actions, this entire tribe will rise up against you and you will face severe consequences! Tier 5 or not!¡±Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    The moment was tense, and tempers appeared ready to flare, as Jaba stated his piece.


    ¡®This Goblin¡­¡¯


    ¡°HAHAHAHAHA! I have heard you loud and clear Jaba! If I fail in returning the Chief safely, I will gladly face any consequence you deem fit!¡±


    Jaba was caught off guard by the laughter for a moment and his shoulders slowly dropped as the intensity of the situation slowly dropped.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m glad we reached an understanding. You will need someone to show you the way. Wait her¡­-¡°


    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary, just point me in the general direction and we will find our way. Though I do have a question for you. If you are the Right Hand of the Chief, should you not be by his side? If you¡¯re here, then who is with him?¡±


    ¡°The Royal Guard.¡±


    Rogu¡¯s knees buckled for a moment, before he caught himself.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sorry.¡±


    ¡®The Roya..Roy¡­there is already a Royal Guard¡­¡¯


    ¡°¡­These Royal Guards¡­are they strong?¡±


    ¡°Apart from the Chief, they are likely the best fighters in the tribe. They basically lived in the deeper reaches of the forest for weeks on end, before they were even allowed to become Royal Guards, and even then, they didn¡¯t accept and kept training in the forests alone for another month before they officially took up the positions. Though none of them are Tier 4 so to you they might seem weak, but the Chief is proud to call them his Royal Guards.¡±


    ¡°¡­I see. Thank you for sharing, Jaba. If you will, please point us in the direction we need to head in.¡±


    ¡®None of them are Tier 4, but the Future King favors them already¡­but I¡¯m Tier 5¡­maybe I can still apply to join? I will need to be careful. Father¡¯s guard never took kindly to other people trying to join, but maybe the leader of the Royal Guard would be open to it. I will need to be careful.¡¯


    ¡°Follow me.¡±


    After they opened the door to the building, which led directly outside, Both Jaba and Rogu with his team stepped outside to see a group of Goblins waiting for them. Of course, it was Tars and Dal, along with their squads standing at the ready.


    Although it was very early in the morning, it didn¡¯t take long for word to pass that a new group of Goblins had made their way into the tribe and Jaba was meeting with them. Of course, Tars, and Dal wouldn¡¯t just stand by and do nothing, so they decided to wait outside the conference room to give Jaba his space.


    ¡°Everything is alright guys.¡±


    ¡®Although they are a young tribe, it seems they have good heads on their shoulders. My team and I are strangers, but they didn¡¯t meet us with hostility, and instead welcomed us into the tribe, but not necessarily with wide open arms which is good. And that Jaba, hahaha, he didn¡¯t back down after learning I was stronger than him, and instead was ready to defend his tribe and the Chief.¡¯


    ¡°Did you find a large lake on the way here?¡±


    ¡°We did.¡±


    ¡°Good, head back towards that lake, and then head directly west from it. It¡¯s around 2 months of travel from that point and you will reach the plains. I don¡¯t if the Chief is already on his way back or not, so be careful not to pass him by. Safe travels.¡±


    ¡°Thank toy for your help Jaba.¡±


    And with that Rogu and his team left the tribe, as Jaba, Tars, and Dal watched calmly as they left. Only they knew what their thoughts were as they looked on.


    ¡­.


    ¡°Alright, Jaba was kind enough to tell us that this journey would take around 2 months. We will cut that down to a month. Our Future King is near and every second we waste is a crime. Do not tally. Kris, Krel, Ra and Surgsha, spread out to our wings and ensure we do not miss signs of the Future King and his¡­.Royal Guards as we advance. Move!¡±

 Chapter Seventy Two (Book 2)

    Rogu and his team began the long two month journey towards the plains. He was at the front of the formation with the others trailing behind him, while Kris, Krel, Ra and Surgsha were spread out on the left and right respectively.


    They moved with speed and efficiency and didn¡¯t have to fight a single battle as they blazed their way through the forest. Taking very little time to rest once it became dark before they once again moved through the night.


    If one overlooked the Fox in the North, and the Monster at the bottom of the Lake, the Nameless Forest posed little to no threat to a team that consisted of Tier 4s and one Tier 5. So, it was little to no surprise that the one-month timeframe that Rogu had set out ended up being right on target.


    It probably could¡¯ve been even shorter, but he wanted the team to still be able to fight at a moment¡¯s notice. Arriving with no energy to do anything probably wouldn¡¯t be a good idea.


    POV Rogu


    ¡®Wow what beautiful plains¡­we have crossed many different plains to reach this point, but I don¡¯t think any of them touch upon the beauty of what¡¯s in front of me. Though¡­this beauty is overshadowed by what I see in the plains themselves¡­¡¯


    ¡°Captain¡­that tribe¡­¡±


    ¡°I see it Ra. They are living poorly. I didn¡¯t doubt him, but Jaba was truly right about the Goblins being oppressed. Not a single Goblin above Tier 1, and they looked skinny. This can¡¯t continue.¡±


    ¡°We should wait until we find the Royal, Captain.¡± Said Vice-Captain Loruk.


    ¡°I know¡­but¡­sigh¡±


    ¡®It truly is a good thing my father wasn¡¯t the one to come, or even my younger brother. Both of them wouldn¡¯t have waited for the Future King, they would have just charged right in. Not even out of disrespect, neither of them would be able to stand this sight. Of course¡­neither can I¡­¡¯


    Rogu then turned around to address his team.


    ¡°Alright, spread out and look for the Future King, the stone probably won¡¯t grow any brighter than this, he¡­-¡±


    ¡°Captain, there¡¯s movement.¡±


    Rogu paused his words as he turned around to see what looked to be orcs approaching the small tribe before him.


    ¡°Orcs¡­Prepare to move.¡±


    ¡°But shouldn¡¯t we fin¡­¡±


    ¡°I am not sitting still if one of them dares to put a hand on one of our people. I said prepare to move.¡±


    It was Teral who spoke up, but once she heard Rogu¡¯s response, she ceased all complaints and both her and the rest of the team readied themselves to move at moment¡¯s notice.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    ¡®Three Orcs¡­they are all Tier 3¡­but what are they doing?¡¯


    Rogu watched on as the Orcs slowly made their way to the tribe. Walking as if they were kings among peasants. Of course, the tribe had long since noticed them and were already making the necessary arrangements. Of course, Jala was the one leading these arrangements.


    And although the distance from the tree line and the tribe was well over 600 feet, Rogu and the rest could still see and hear what was happening clear as day.


    ¡®They are gathering a chest of some sort¡­a tribute?¡¯


    Eventually the Orcs made it to the tribe.


    ¡°Where is my damn tribute! We have other tribes to hit today hurry this shit up!¡±


    ¡°Yes sir!¡±


    As always Jala is the only one to talk as the other Goblins quickly finished putting everything together before stepping away. Though as Jala himself began to step away, one of the Orcs slapped him across his face, and he slammed into the ground. The Orcs were massive, and with Jala being only Tier 1, a single casual swing from a Tier 3 Orc was more than enough to break bones.


    ¡®How dare they¡­¡¯


    ¡°Mo¡­-¡±


    Just as Rogu was about to rush into the tribe and teach the Orcs their place. He immediately felt something that made him shudder.


    Not just him, all the Goblins in the Royal Retrieval Team felt something run up their spines, before the atmosphere itself began to feel heavy.


    Rogu then looked down at the Goblin Bloodstone as it began vibrating, before it quickly shattered.


    ¡°What¡­the Future King¡­he is angry¡­we are feeling his anger. Find him now.¡±


    Of course, Rogu could¡¯ve spread his senses out over a wide distance, and likely find his target a lot quicker, but he thought that would be disrespectful and settled on the good ol¡¯ fashioned way of just using your eyes.


    Rogu watched as the Orcs eventually started walking out of the tribe and it wasn¡¯t until after they left that Jala finally picked himself off the ground, while the other Goblins rushed to his aid.


    By this point Rogu¡¯s fist was clenched tightly and it was taking everything in his body not to run after them and show them that there are things in life that are worst than dying.


    But he held himself back.


    If the Future King could do it, even still while this oppressive aura permeated through the air, then he could too.


    That was the only thought holding him back.


    A few moments later, Kris returned.


    ¡°We found him. Though we did not approach.¡±


    ¡°His Royal Guards?¡±


    ¡°A few Tier 2s and 1 Tier 3.¡±


    ¡°I see, remind the others to still treat them with respect. Where is our Future King?¡±


    After being shown the way by Kris, Rogu slowly made his way over towards the location, and although he was still angry at the situation he just witnessed, his heart couldn¡¯t help but start to feel warm. He would seen meet the Future King of all Goblin kind. He would make a great first impression.


    Rogu made his way through the Forest and eventually he laid his eyes on Rick and his party.


    He didn¡¯t bother hiding his presence as he didn¡¯t want to cause a fright.


    So of course Rick, and Geedi noticed him quickly. It was hard to miss such a large Goblin walking towards you.


    ¡°Stop moving. Where did you come from?¡±


    Geedi stepped towards him with her spear pointed forward, while the other members of the Royal Guard quickly split into two groups. One slid back and surrounded Rick, while the other moved to provide support for Geedi.


    ¡®Hm, their reaction time is far too slow, but they show promise.¡¯


    ¡°I said¡­where did you come from?¡±


    ¡®She¡¯s not loud¡­but she isn¡¯t quiet either. Good.¡¯


    ¡°I won¡¯t ask¡­-¡±


    ¡°And you do not need to ask again. I apologize for the scare¡­¡± Rogu paused as he slowly lowered his head while taking a knee. He rested his arm across his knee before continuing with a lowered head.


    ¡°I come from the Dark Lands of Mir. Home to 14 Goblin Clans. I hail from the Raguur Clan. Whose Chieftain is Chief Rogur. My name is Rogu, Captain of the Royal Retrieval Team, First Son of Chief Rogur, and General of the Raguur Clan. I carry with me the wish and hope of the 14 Goblin Clans to carry out a mission that is worth more than my life. A mission to bring back the Future King of Goblins so that he may claim his rightful Throne and lead our people into an age of prosperity.


    ¡°Future King, I Rogu, am at your service.¡±

 Chapter Seventy Three (Book 2)

    POV Rick


    ¡®Velora¡­what the hell?¡¯


    [It appears you are far more important to Goblins that you previously realized.]


    ¡®I mean sure¡­but what the hell is this. This Goblin¡­who is far stronger than me by the way, shows up out of nowhere, takes a knee, then lists off a bunch of cool sounding titles I barely understand and then tops it off by saying he is ready to serve me? I mean what the hell.¡¯


    [A king does indeed have servants. Plus, didn¡¯t the god mention there was a group of Goblins that was fairly strong? Maybe this is them?]


    ¡®I mean¡­yeah, they technically do and yeah it could be¡­but this is a lot all at once! What am I even supposed to say to him?¡¯


    [Well, don¡¯t leave him kneeling there forever.]


    ¡®Ah your right.¡¯


    ¡°Ahem¡­Rogu was it? This is a lot, please stand.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Future King.¡±


    ¡®Ah Velora I don¡¯t know if I can deal with that.¡¯


    ¡°Is it possible for you stop calling me that for the moment?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­I can¡¯t¡­My father would skin me alive if I called you anything less than Future King, Please forgive me.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­everyone here calls me Chief, would that for you too?¡±


    ¡°The 14 Clans are already home to 14 Chiefs. You are above them Future King.¡±


    ¡®This is going to stress me out. Do you have any suggestions, Velora?¡¯


    [What about Lord? Or Young Master?]


    ¡®Wait! Young Master?! Am I going to finally be one of those Young Masters??¡¯


    [Once again, I don¡¯t understand you.]


    ¡®Ahem¡­you wouldn¡¯t get it.¡¯


    ¡°What about Young Master? Or even Lord? Pick one of these.¡±


    ¡°I believe Lord will suffice. Thank you for understanding my Lord.¡±


    ¡®Ah no Young Master for me just yet¡­and the ¡®my Lord¡¯ thing is still cringey¡­but it¡¯s better than Future King¡­Though I noticed something else. Velora¡­this Goblin is stronger than me, isn¡¯t he?¡¯


    [He should be at least one full Tier higher than you.]


    ¡®I see¡­¡¯


    ¡°Now Rogu, as you can see this isn¡¯t the best time to discuss all the things you have mentioned. We will do so at a later time. For now, please just observe. Though you also stated you were the captain of a team, are those members here? And Geedi you may back off for now.¡±Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°Yes Chief.¡±


    ¡°¡­I understand my Lord, and I did not come here alone. Is it alright if I call the rest of my team here?¡±


    ¡°Yes, quietly.¡±


    ¡°Come.¡±


    ¡®What the¡­where the hell were all of these guys hiding? And why the hell do they all look so cool?! I kind of ignored the Rogu fella because I thought he was just abnormal, but everyone has beautiful, crafted leather armor. They look very different from each other, but no one lacks in quality. Even the weapons that everyone¡¯s carrying. It¡¯s all iron of some sort! I¡¯m getting kind of jealous Velora, we are still using wooden weapons with animal parts attached to them!


    ¡®I mean they¡¯re expertly made by Wala and Dran, but still.¡¯


    [You will get here eventually.]


    ¡®I know I know¡­though it really was cool how they showed up out of nowhere¡­though it¡¯s kind of a security risk that they were just hiding this close to us, and we knew nothing about it...¡¯


    [That is most likely the reason why Geedi¡¯s fists are clenched as tight as they are right now.]


    ¡®Hm...? Oh, your right¡­best to leave her alone in that state.¡¯


    [Are you sure?]


    ¡®Yes, the last time I tried to tell her it was okay, she went off on a lengthy speech about how she was weak and that she will do everything to get strong enough to protect me better. Then she went off on a training montage and came back as a Tier 3 Hobgoblin, plus the large scar across her abdomen, that proves she almost died.


    ¡®Can¡¯t have that happening again.¡¯


    [That is fair.]


    ¡®Anyway, I live that fancy dressing team and their mysterious way alone for now¡­these Orcs¡­they are testing my patience. I think we need to accelerate the plan a bit. Previously I thought it would be a problem to incorporate everyone, but we are strong enough now. There¡¯s no reason why we should leave any Goblin tribes alone in the plains anymore.¡¯


    [I understand your frustration, but that might not be the best path forward. Moving one tribe might be fine, but all of them? It would take time. And of the Orcs caught wind of it before we are done¡­that type of battle would be too much for the tribe. You¡¯re the only one in 4th Cycle, and only two others are 3rd Cycle.


    [I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve realized it by now, but you improve way faster than the others. It¡¯s going to take time for the entire group to be strong enough to handle the plains and everything it might bring. Just be patient Rick.]


    ¡®I know¡­I know¡­but seeing Jala get hit¡­¡¯


    [Your aura is leaking again.]


    ¡°Ah my apologies everyone. I¡¯ll restrain my au¡­ra¡­¡±


    ¡®Velora look at them! All those new Goblins, their eyes are sparkling! Especially that big one¡­Rogu! Look at his eyes!¡¯


    [¡­.]


    ¡®I don¡¯t know how you don¡¯t see it¡­


    ¡®Though that got me thinking¡­wouldn¡¯t having them here help with getting all the Goblins out of the plains?¡¯


    [Their strength would help of course, but we still don¡¯t know how strong the Orcs are. Let alone the other races living in the plains. I recommend taking more time to think this over.]


    ¡®¡­I will wait. At least until we make it back to the Village. Oh, here comes Jala now. His face is still bruised¡­Velora¡­I know what we just discussed¡­but this is the last time I will sit idly by and watch a Goblin get beat down like this in front me. Never again.¡¯


    [I understand.]


    Eventually Jala found his way to the spot in the forest where Rick and the rest were waiting.


    ¡°Ah Ric¡­er no its Chief now right, sorry. Thank you for upholding your promise to wait and not attack no matter what you saw. It was close to the time of tribute collection, and I didn¡¯t want them to see us sending Goblins into the forest, and potentially spot you.¡±


    ¡°Enough of that Jala, how are you? Why didn¡¯t you bandage the wound?¡±


    ¡°Ah if they come back and see it bandaged so soon, it might set them off. Better to wait a few days.¡±


    ¡°No. Get yourself proper medical care now.¡±


    ¡°Chief I understand how you feel, and I appreciate it bu¡­-¡±


    ¡°Jala.¡±


    [Your aua is lea¡­-]


    ¡®Let it leak.¡¯


    ¡°¡­I understand Chief.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    ¡®I changed my mind, Velora. If starting this war early makes me a fool, then I¡¯ll be a fool, but I can¡¯t stand to see this type of behavior anymore. Not accepting medical help, because you¡¯re scared of retaliation? That¡¯s insane Velora. No more¡­no more¡­¡¯

 Chapter Seventy Four (Book 2)

    [I understand Rick. I¡¯ll refocus my thoughts to the direction you have chosen.]


    ¡®You¡¯re not going to fight me on this?¡¯


    [My sole purpose is to help you on your journey. No matter what it is.]


    ¡®I see¡­please never stop proving input Velora, I value everything thing you say whether I agree or not.¡¯


    [Of course. Somone has to tell you to train.]


    ¡®Ugh. Moving on now, I¡¯m going to try and incorporate big guy over there and the rest of his team.¡¯


    [I believe they will be more than willing to do pretty much anything you ask.]


    ¡®We¡¯ll see about that.¡¯


    ¡°Rogu was it? I changed my mind. I might have a task for you all. Are you all willing to help?¡±


    Slam


    ¡®Oh, my goodness¡­Why did he slam his fist against his chest that hard¡­¡¯


    ¡°We are here to serve my Lord. Say the word and I will bathe these plains in the blood of Orcs.¡±


    ¡®¡­All the extra things are going to take some getting used to¡­and here I just finally got used to be calling Chief, but I have to respond to his dedication in kind.¡¯


    ¡°Good. But we won¡¯t be bathing these lands in blood just yet. We don¡¯t have enough information. I need to know how many tribes are in the plains, I need to know our enemies, there are other races that would likely help the Orcs if it came to war, no not if, it would come to war. I will not forgive them for what they¡¯ve done to my people. Is this something you can help me with Rogu?¡±


    ¡°Yes my Lord. Kris, Krel, go investigate the Orcs, I want to know everything about them. Ra, go find every single tribe of our people. Do not dally.¡±


    The three members that were called out immediately bowed towards Rick, before saluting Rogu. Though just as they were about to set out¡­


    ¡°Wait! Your lives are more important than the mission. If it is too dangerous, come back immediately.¡±


    All three pairs of eyes locked on to Rick, and they bowed once more before departing.


    ¡®Bowing¡­yeah this is definitely going to take some getting used to isn¡¯t it Velora.¡¯


    [Likely so. I expect there will be many things that would take some getting used to as you meet more Goblins from the 14 Clans.]Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    ¡®Yeah the 14 Clans¡­¡¯


    [You should probably inform Jala of what¡¯s going on. He looks a little frightened.]


    ¡®Ah I kind of forgot about him.¡¯


    [I know.]


    ¡°Ah Jala, sorry got kind of distracted there. From now on, things will be changing very fast in the plains. But before we get into that, I think we have some introductions in order. Jala this is Rogu, Rogu this is Jala. Jala here is a leader of sorts in the tribe before us, while Rogu is a General from distant lands. We¡¯re all Goblins here so let¡¯s be friends.¡±


    ¡°This is all a bit much, but it¡¯s nice to meet you Rogu.¡±


    ¡°Likewise, Jala.¡±


    ¡°Good...that¡¯s those two¡­but I don¡¯t know the rest of you. Please introduce yourselves.¡±


    The rest of the Royal Retrieval team went on to introduce themselves to Rick and Jala. Of course, all of the introductions were really intended for Rick, but they didn¡¯t mind Jala¡¯s presence, nor did they mind the Royal Guards¡­who were watching all of them like hawks.


    Though as the introductions finished up¡­both Rick and Jala couldn¡¯t help getting shocked at everything they heard. All the different titles¡­all the different clans¡­and this wasn¡¯t even all of them.


    Eventually, all of the introductions were over, and it was time for the crux of the discussion.


    ¡°I think we¡¯ll be waiting for a while, so let¡¯s talk. Jala, you can go back for now, get your tribe prepared for the potential of all of them having to leave here in the next few days. I know it¡¯s short notice, but we may need to move quickly.¡±


    Jala seemed like he had so much he wanted to say, but he eventually just bit his tongue and left. It wasn¡¯t like he was scared to disagree with Rick or anything like that, but he truly took Rick to be his Leader, and with that came a certain level of trust in him. He would bank on that trust for now.


    And with that Only Rick, Geedi and the rest of the Royal Guards, and Rogu and the Royal Retrieval team remained.


    ¡°So Rogu, this mission to bring back your Future King. How are you so sure that¡¯s me?¡±


    ¡°My Lord, it would be best for me to start form the beginning to explain¡­¡±


    Rogu then began a long talk in which he explained many things to Rick. He began with the Stones of Birth. He wasn¡¯t able to explain the science behind it, but he did let Rick know they began glowing many months ago, and after the timeline was broken down to him, he of course timed it up with the day he woke in the cave as a Goblin.


    Though he kept that to himself¡­and Velora of course.


    Rogu continued on about how the Chiefs from all the Clans gathered in the Central Clan and discussed the plan of action. It was imperative that they sent out a force to recover their new King. After long discussions, that force ended up being Rogu and the others. Perhaps if time wasn¡¯t of the essence, the force might¡¯ve been different, but they were confident in the group. All put together for their different abilities and most of all their selflessness.


    Finally, Rogu mentioned the Goblin Blood Stone. He described its purpose and how they had used it to track Rick down. All in all, it was quite the story.


    ¡°So, your goal is to bring me back huh¡­and if I don¡¯t want to leave?¡±


    ¡°That¡­I am not sure¡­ I don¡¯t want to go against your words, but it is important to bring you to the clans. There are thousands of Goblins awaiting the return of a King. Your return My Lord.¡±


    ¡®Ahh¡­those are some heavy words Velora¡­¡¯


    [They are indeed, but isn¡¯t this what you wanted? They would be the foundation of your future Kingdom of Goblins.]


    ¡®I know that...but am I just supposed to abandon everything I¡¯ve built here? Everything we¡¯ve started?¡¯


    [Perhaps, perhaps not. These are the types of decisions you will need to make in the future. Being a King is not an easy thing Rick. There will be hard choices. This is just the first of many more.]


    ¡®Sigh¡­I know¡­I know¡­¡¯


    ¡°I would love to return with you to the Clans Rogu, but I cannot abandon the Goblins here, and based on the journey you have only barely described to me¡­it doesn¡¯t sound like a journey tens and tens of Goblins could make. I can¡¯t leave Rogu. I can¡¯t leave my tribe. At least not now.¡±

 Chapter Seventy Five (Book 2)

    There was a moment of silence as everyone digested Rick¡¯s words. They were heavy. How could Rogu not understand where he was coming from? This was supposed to be the Future Leader of all Goblins. Of course he would not want to abandon his people, that¡¯s the type of quality that would be needed as a King, especially the King of a race that is seen as just mere monsters to be culled whenever possible.


    A King who would abandon them at the drop of a hat, would not last long upon his throne. So, on one hand Rogu was happy¡­but on the other he was severely conflicted. While he didn¡¯t expect Rick to abandon his people¡­Rick was the Future King of ALL Goblins. And that included the 14 Clans. Just as the tribes here needed him, the Goblins in the Dark Lands of Mir needed him too.


    While Rogu was deep in his thoughts, Rick finally started speaking again.


    ¡°I mentioned it at the end there Rogu, but the key is not now. I want to visit the Clans, in fact I want to create a place where all Goblins can safely call it home without worry, but the Goblins here are not ready. Based on everything you have explained to me Rogu, you all are a lot more advanced than what we have here and can afford to defend yourselves. We can¡¯t do that yet.


    ¡°Which is why I¡¯m asking you to wait. Wait until the tribes here are strong enough to stand on their own. Only then can I leave them for as long as you need me to. Is that alright with you Rogu?¡±


    ¡°I have received your order My Lord.¡±


    ¡®Yep, still cringey.¡¯


    [Get used to it.]


    ¡®I know I know.¡¯


    ¡°Good¡­now let¡¯s see what we can do in the meantime. Are you able to contact the Clans at all?¡±


    ¡°Ah yes, we can contact them, but not in an easy manner, and it takes a lot of energy to accomplish so we only do it in emergency situations. Which we haven¡¯t had so far.¡±


    ¡°Please explain.¡±


    ¡°Teral come forward.¡±


    ¡°Yes Captain.¡±


    ¡°Explain the process to the Lord.¡±


    ¡°With pleasure Captain.¡± After nodding to Rogu, Teral then turned to face Rick.


    ¡°My Lord, through this device, I am able to send a short message back to the Clans. We cannot receive anything in return, and once the energy inside has been used, it would take weeks to recharge. Weeks of a constant input of mana.¡±The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    What Teral brought out was a small grey disk. It didn¡¯t have any particularly amazing visual features. Just a small grey desk that was mostly flat. It had a few dings and imperfections, showing just how old it might be.


    ¡°Wow¡­how do you use it?¡±


    ¡°My Lord, I have to activate it by infusing a large amount of mana at once, and then once it¡¯s on, I have a short window to say my message and it will be delivered on the other side to a device that looks similar to this one, but it is only for receiving messages.¡±


    ¡°That is amazing¡­did you all make this?¡±


    ¡°Many years ago yes, Goblins did know how to make them¡­but only a few remain today, and no one knows how to make them anymore. We do spend a lot of time researching them, but due to the few we have remaining, we are hesitant to take one apart to further the research. I apologize for this My Lord.¡±


    ¡°No no please don¡¯t apologize. I was just curious about the disk. It¡¯s really cool, and I¡¯m sure since Goblins knew how to make it once, we¡¯ll figure it out again eventually. Though the message. We need to let the Clans know you all are safe, and I have been found. Through this next part I¡¯ll leave it up to you Rogu. Would you like to return the Clans, maybe perhaps leaving someone here to guide me when it¡¯s time? Or would you all be okay with staying here for an extended period of time. Until I deem the tribes strong enough to handle my absence for over a year.¡±


    ¡°My Lord, I will stay as long as you¡¯d have me.¡±


    ¡°Good good¡­now for the message. Please tell them that you have found me, we are safe, and that you all will be delayed for some time. What do you think Rogu? Should we say anything else?¡±


    ¡°My Lord, I believe that should be enough.¡±


    ¡°Good, please go ahead Teral.¡±


    ¡°Yes, My Lord.¡±


    Teral then closed her eyes as she held the small grey disk in her hands. She took a few deep breaths before a large amount of mana began pooling together within the tall Maglin¡¯s body. Of course this was not something the others could see; they could only sense the gathering of mana. Some more than others.


    Not worrying about what others see or not see, Teral continued with the accumulation of mana within her, for a bit longer. Slowly pooling it all together before opening her eyes and immediately unleashed the accumulated mana into the disk. Normally this action would¡¯ve likely resulted in a dangerous situation with all of that energy being released all at once, but instead of any sort of explosion, the small disk seemed to almost greedily drink up every last bit of mana that Teral poured in.


    It flashed blue for a moment and then went dark before the blue light came back ever so faintly in the center of the grey disk. Teral immediately began speaking.


    ¡°We have found the Future King, we are safe. We will be delayed in returning. Drukha¡±


    ¡®Dru what? What the hell was that?¡¯


    [I am not sure; I believe it to be another language though.]


    ¡®Another language? I thought I could understand everything.¡¯


    [Perhaps there are things that could change that.]


    ¡®Hmm, might as well just ask her.¡¯


    After Teral finished her message, a few moments passed before the blue light in the middle of the disk flickered abruptly for a second or two until it completely died out and the disk went dormant once more.


    ¡°It is done My Lord.¡±


    ¡°Good job Teral..but quick question, what was it you said at the end there?¡±


    ¡°Drukha My Lord?¡±


    ¡°Yeah that.¡±


    ¡°It is of the Old Goblin Tongue, and it means safe. It is a way of confirming the message being sent back wasn¡¯t forced.¡±


    ¡°Ohh that¡¯s cool too, oh what would you have said if there was some danger involved?¡±


    ¡°In that situation, I would¡¯ve said Thraguk, which means danger.¡±


    ¡®This is kinda cool Velora, I wanna learn this Old Goblin Tongue thing!¡¯


    [I¡¯m sure they¡¯d be willing to teach, but I don¡¯t know if you¡¯d truly be willing to learn.]

 Chapter Seventy Six (Book 2)

    ¡°Alright, we got that out of the way. Hopefully that¡¯s good enough to keep the Clans happy for a bit and not worry too much about you all¡¯s return. Now for what¡¯s next.


    ¡°Rogu, I¡¯m tired of seeing the Goblins here live under oppression. I want to free every single tribe that is living here and bring them back to the place I called home. I am not sure which direction you came from, but I have a home a couple months of travel away from here. That¡¯s where I¡¯d like everyone to be.


    ¡°Though perhaps this next part is selfish of me, but I don¡¯t plan on letting the Orcs off for everything they¡¯ve done. They need to suffer the consequences of practically enslaving my people. Then from there, I simply want to grow. Both myself and the tribe. This fight with the Orcs could last a while and I¡¯m not sure how many of them are there, but we will definitely need to be stronger. Until then, you and your group are the strongest Goblins we have Rogu, so I hope you all can help me out here.¡±


    [It is now 1600]


    ¡°Of course, My Lord, my sword is yours to command, along with the rest of my team.¡±


    ¡®This Rogu fella is so dependable. Deep down I¡¯m a little worried about this die hard loyalty since we just met, but I¡¯m not going to complain about it for now. What do you think Velora?¡¯


    [As previously mentioned, I believe you are for more important to the Goblins than we previously thought. The fact that your very race itself is ¡®Royal¡¯ by nature already says a lot. It is not out of the question to assume your depends on the very existence of having a Royal at the helm. Though I will need more information to form a more definitive answer.]


    ¡®¡­.You know sometimes I forget how smart you are.¡¯


    [Not sure why.]


    ¡®That attitude right there is why!¡¯


    [I don¡¯t follow.]


    ¡®I¡­whatever.¡¯


    While Rick was bickering with Velora...the message sent by Teral had reached the clans. In a small room located in a building that was in the center of the Saug Clan, there was a Maglin who was one of the many others who were charged with being in this room.


    There wasn''t much of anything located in the room. Just a small wooden desk and it''s accompanying chair. The Maglin who sat in this chair, was extremely focused on of the three items on the desk.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    There was a small item that appeared to be a writing utensil of sorts, and with it a sheet of what appeared to be the pale hide of some animal. Though the target of the Maglin''s focus was of course the Grey Disk in the center of the desk.


    This disk was monitored day in and day out without fail. For the team that would be sending messages back was carrying out a mission that was of grave importtance, and in the situation a message was sent, it would need to be received, recorded and sent up through the proper channels immediately.


    It was now that the disk abruptly whirred to life.


    The Maglin nearly jumped, but their training took over quickly. Which was good since the voice of Teral soon sounded in the room.


    "We have found the Future King, we are safe. We will be delayed in returning. Drukha."


    The Maglin didn''t waste anytime after that and quickly wrote down every single word she heard. Of course she made sure to write the word Drukha in large letters at the top of the page.


    After completing her task, she rushed out of the room to where another Maglin stood waiting for a situation like this to occur. No words were said, the hide was handed over and the Maglin moved with conviction towards their destination. It was still within the same building, and a few moments later, the Maglin was bursting through the doors that led to an office of sorts.


    This action would usually be met with punishment, as the person who sat in this office was none other than the Cheiftess of the Saug Clan, Chieftess Yalg.


    She looked up from her desk, and stuck her hand out. She of all people knew that her subordinates would never be this disrespectful lest the situation called for it, and she of course knew that there was a mission of grave importance being carried out at the moment, and it has been almost a year since they received word from the team. So a message was likely any moment now.


    She recieved a message and only took a moment to read it before speaking aloud.


    "Send the word to the other Clans. All Leaders are to gather in the Central Clans immediately. Royal Related."


    Her orders were passed on, and various Goblins moved about to being them to fruition.


    Two days later and the last of Chiefs had gathered in the Central Clan once more.


    "We should send more support."


    "Are you sure thats worth the risk? We don''t know the troubles the team went through to find the King, but a little over 9months have passed before we got word back. That means they had to travel thorugh many hostile lands to find him. Should we reallt risk another team to make that journey?"


    "Hmm are you saying that our Future King isn''t worth that level of risk Darug? Why the hell should we hold back in our support? We need to being the future back safely. No amount of risk is too much in this situation."


    "No Rogu of course not, I just caution us to not risk the lives of our brethren needlessly."


    The Chiefs went back and forth for quite some time before a decision was made.


    "Are we all in a agreement? 3 General equivalents will be sent to reinforce the Future King. Speed will be paramount, so the fastest and stealthiest we have will be sent. Any last disagreements?"


    No one made any movements to speak.


    "Good, Lets move quickly."

 Chapter Seventy Seven (Book 2)

    POV Rick


    On the day Teral sent the message¡­


    [It is now 1700.]


    ¡®Thank you Velora, and oh look, that Loruk guy is finally back.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see you caught a boar. Good Job Loruk let¡¯s eat guys.¡±


    The small gathering of Goblins didn¡¯t waste any time butchering the boar and getting a small fire going.


    They ate and chatted amongst each other as the day turned into the evening and the evening turned to night. Hours passed as they were waiting for the return of the three that were sent to scout.


    Eventually it was far into the night that someone finally returned.


    [It is now 2300.]


    ¡®That late already huh. I¡¯m surprised no one has gone to sleep yet. Though I¡¯m sure everyone is tired.¡¯


    [Food and conversation seem to be keeping everyone going. Though I do recommend some rest at some point.]


    ¡®Your probably right.¡¯


    ¡°My Lord, someone is approaching.¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡®What the hell, I don¡¯t see anyone.¡¯


    [Spread your mana out like we¡¯ve been practicing.]


    ¡®Oh yeah, I almost forgot. Alright let¡¯s see¡­hm¡­I can¡¯t really spread it that far yet¡­ah! Yeah, there we go, someone really is approaching from the plains. Damn Rogu¡¯s range must be really far, which makes sense, I guess. Now who is this.¡¯


    [I believe his name was Ra.]


    ¡®Now that I think about it, what a cool name. Anyway, he was the one sent to go investigate the other tribes, right?¡¯


    [Yes, he was.]


    Eventually Ra made his way back to the group. He looked a little exhausted, but fine for the most part.


    Rogu was the first one to approach him.


    ¡°Good job on returning Ra, what did you find?¡±


    ¡°Captain, I ran all over the outer periphery of this side of a massive river. If we keep heading to the right of this tribe, you will find 3 more tribes exactly like this one, but after some point, the plains end, and lands meet water. I quickly circled all the way back and headed to the left where 2 more tribes could be found before the plains ended at the mountain range in the distance.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°At that point, I decided to venture a bit more inwards, where I began to run into these groups of feathered beings. I am not sure what they are called, but at that point I thought it best to come back and here I am.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­good job Ra, get some rest. My Lord, what would you like to do?¡±


    ¡°For now, nothing, everyone should get some rest, we will talk in the morning. That means you too Geedi.¡±


    ¡°¡­Understood Chief.¡±


    Rick stayed seated where he was, watches were set up and others drifted away into sleep. Rogu was up as well, but he simply leaned up against a tree with his eyes closed, as he paid attention to the surroundings. As a Tier 5 Goblin, his stamina levels were simply off the charts, and it would be no issue for him to stay up for a few days.


    ¡®So, there are 6 total tribes in the plains huh¡­that number doesn¡¯t add up. Did we get a letter from Jala last time telling us there was more than that?¡¯


    [Yes, the letter mentioned 8 total tribes. Though he wasn¡¯t sure, that was just a somewhat educated guess from him.]


    ¡®I¡¯m sure there was a reason that he thought there were 8¡­so the fact that we have 6 now means something happened¡­¡¯


    [Don¡¯t think about it too much Rick, focus on what¡¯s in front of you.]


    ¡®¡­Your right. So, 7 tribes. Probably around 20-30 each, which means we could be working with around 200 Goblins here. That¡¯s a lot of Goblins to safely move from here all the way back to the village. Though while I think that¡¯s accomplishable, the problem would be after that.


    ¡®After that we would have little to no presence in the plains. And fighting a war while having to wait two months for support is no bueno, but at the same time¡­even if we could have troops close by, I don¡¯t think the Goblins would be strong enough to fight head-to-head to head with the Orcs. Without taking Rogu¡¯s team into account we only have one Tier 4, two Tier 3s, and a few tens of Tier 2s. That¡¯s probably nowhere near enough to contend in an actual war with Orcs, and whoever else would help them.


    ¡®So¡­what then? If we can¡¯t go head-to-head with a stronger force, but I need them gone nonetheless, what are out options?¡¯


    [You can attempt to sneak into Orc camp and remove the leader. Or perhaps try to lure them into the forest and employ various guerrilla tactics. Though I recommend waiting on the Goblins sent to scout the Orcs return. Once we have information on them, we can come with a plan accordingly.]


    ¡®Sigh¡­your probably right. And there¡¯s that sleeping monster in the lake as well¡­the Goblins back home know not to deal go near, if possible, but who knows when it will wake up? And let¡¯s not forget the fox¡­I still don¡¯t know how strong it is, but I refuse to go and check¡­oh wait a second¡­I wonder if Rogu and the others met the fox? I¡¯ll ask in the morning¡­¡¯


    [Is everything alright Rick?]


    ¡®Hm...? Ah yeah everything¡¯s fine. I¡¯m just feeling a little stressed. Maybe more stressed than I expected to feel, I guess. This scope of this whole thing is starting to grow wider and wider, and while I definitely still want this, the reality of the situation is sometimes different from what you expected, and that¡¯s how I feel right now.


    ¡®I¡¯m currently planning to uproot over 200 Goblins and ask them to move away from what they¡¯ve known this whole time, and potentially expose my entire tribe and all of these Goblins to war and bloodshed. That¡¯s a big decision Velora¡­It wasn¡¯t that long ago that I was just a regular person on earth, now I¡¯m here liberating Goblins and pledging to kill Orcs.¡¯


    [I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a problem to have these thoughts, I believe the key is to not ignore them, and make sure you try to deal with them. Talking about them like this is probably a good idea going forward.]


    ¡®¡­.There you go again being smart¡­but your right. Thank you, Velora.¡¯


    [Of course.]

 Chapter Seventy Eight (Book 2)

    [It is now 0700.]


    ¡®Damn I barely slept¡­I feel fine, but a good night is important! Or at least¡¯s that¡¯s what my mom used to pester me about¡­anyway, we need to actually come up with a real plan. I have a few ideas, and we¡¯ve talked about a couple things here and there, but no actual plan as of yet. We¡¯re waiting for the Goblins to come back with information on the Orcs, but we should still be able to do something about the tribes at the moment no?


    ¡®The sooner I can move them back home, the sooner they all will be safe. Though I don¡¯t think I can go back myself anytime soon. I need to be here, and we need to get started on a small outpost that¡¯s closer to the Plains. Maybe about two weeks of travel from here? What do you think?¡¯


    [That sounds logical, though I highly recommend conferring with Rogu. He introduced himself as a General and thus should theoretically be well versed in military strategy.]


    ¡®Hm, that¡¯s actually a good idea Velora, you¡¯re on a roll lately¡­now let¡¯s see, do you think he¡¯s awake? He¡¯s just leaning against that tree with his eyes closed. Geedi¡¯s awake with a few of the guards, and that Loruk guy is also awake. Should I let them sleep some more? Hmm, how about a small test? Well not an actual test, just a feeler to see who else is awake. Yeah, let¡¯s do it.¡¯


    ¡°Good morning Geedi, and good morning to anyone else who is awake.¡±


    ¡°Good morning Chief, were you able to rest well?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it was good enough thank you. Yourself?¡±


    ¡°Good as well, thank you Chief.¡±


    If someone looked at the scene, maybe someone would wonder why Rick wasn¡¯t greeting the rest of his Royal Guards, but it was something they themselves decided to do. They believed they had to earn the right to talk to Rick, because they were his guards, but they were weak. He was on Tier 4, but only one of them stood on Tier 3 at the moment and it was Geedi. Even Geedi herself has been limiting her speech as much as possible. She finally made it Tier 3, yet she still couldn¡¯t use any magic at all.


    Despite the fact the Kida assured her that she was making progress, it was still hard for her to accept being weak. Of course, that thought kind of cemented itself further when Rogu showed up. She couldn¡¯t sense him approach at all, and she instinctively knew neither her nor her guards were a match for him, that was already bad by itself, but then the rest of his team showed up and they were all stronger too.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    She couldn¡¯t help but feel extremely inferior. Thus, although she wanted to talk to Rick a lot more than what she was currently doing, it was a punishment and motivation to grow stronger by having a limit on conversation. Of course this was all communicated to Rick, and he just kind of went along with it, but it was still hard on them.


    Now while was dealing with her inner dilemma, Rogu who hadn¡¯t slept a bit the entire night, was dealing with one of his own. He didn¡¯t understand the ¡®Good Morning¡¯ phrase used by Rick.


    He knew that it was morning, but the good part didn¡¯t make sense to him. Did something happen that he wasn¡¯t aware of? But he was awake all night and paid attention to every single rustle in the bushes. So, what was it? He noticed that Geedi seemed to understand what Rick meant, which brought him more confusion. These types of thoughts flashed through his mind at blistering speed before he finally decided to ¡®wake up¡¯ and ask Rick a question.


    ¡°My Lord¡­this ¡®Good Morning¡¯, what does it mean?¡±


    ¡®Oh, would you look at that. They don¡¯t say good morning back in the clans.¡¯


    ¡°It just a greeting used in the morning. No real special meaning behind it, just a greeting.¡±


    ¡°I see, then, Good Morning to you as well My Lord.¡±


    The other members of the Royal Retrieval who were still ¡®sleeping¡¯, quickly ¡®woke up¡¯, and gave their series of Good Mornings as well. Rick didn¡¯t know it yet, but he just sparked another revolution for Goblin Kind. Centered around saying good morning¡­


    ¡°Now Rogu, I¡¯m glad you¡¯re awake. You mentioned you were a General. Are you experienced in fighting large battles and coming up with tactics?¡±


    Rogu seemed to perk up at the mention of his title before responding.


    ¡°Of course, My Lord! I have led many grueling battles in both attack and defense against the dark creatures of Mir many times.¡±


    ¡®Wait what, the dark creatures of Mir? Doesn¡¯t that sound scary Velora?¡¯


    [Perhaps, but this is not the time.]


    ¡®I know your scared, no need to hide it, but your right.¡¯


    ¡°Erm, I see. Then what do you recommend we do about the tribes? My current plan is to have all of them evacuate back to my village, but I would like to build an Outpost close to the plains so that we can still maintain a presence here so that we¡¯re better equipped to fight the Orcs without everyone having to travel two months to get to and from the plains and the village.¡±


    Rogu paused for a moment to consider the words from Rick and then responded.


    ¡°My Lord, it would depend on a few things. Do you want to expand into the plains? Or are you simply building the Outpost for Goblins to stay temporarily? That answer is important. If you¡¯re planning on expanding, then this Outpost will need to be strong enough to withstand sieges and large enough to house a large number of warriors and support. If it is a temporary building, then something easily taken apart and sabotaged would be best. We would not want to build a sturdy building just for our enemies to move in after we leave. There are a few other things to consider but that¡¯s the main point. Do you want to expand into the plains? The answer to that question will determine a lot about how we move forward My Lord.¡±


    ¡®Do I want to expand in the plains huh¡­¡¯

 Chapter Seventy Nine (Book 2)

    ¡®Hmm, I do think I need to expand in the plains¡­but I don¡¯t think now¡¯s the time.¡¯


    ¡°I would indeed like to expand into the plains, but now¡¯s not the time for that. We aren¡¯t ready to be conquerors just yet. For now, just something that house a couple Goblins. This won¡¯t be an all-out war just yet, for we just need a staging ground. How does that sound?¡±


    ¡°I understand your thoughts My Lord. Then for now I recommend building this Outpost as soon as possible. Once we begin evacuating the tribes, it will only be a matter of time before Orcs catch wind of this.¡±


    ¡°Ah build it right away huh¡­that means I will need to get Wala and Dran here, but it¡¯s going to take two months to reach them, and then two months to bring them back¡­hmmm.¡±


    ¡°My Lord if I may¡­¡±


    ¡°Of course, go ahead.¡±


    ¡°We could have this Outpost up no more than two weeks. Perhaps less with more hands.¡±


    ¡°Two weeks? Is that enough time to build something big enough to house around 30 Goblins? I know you said it should be easy to take it all down, but that doesn¡¯t mean it should be flimsy right?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry My Lord it will be fine, isn¡¯t that right Ulgri?¡±


    ¡°Ah Yes Captain! My Lord, we don¡¯t have the types of materials needed to make something truly special but I¡¯m confident I can design something that fits your needs perfectly! We will not let you down.¡±


    ¡®Oh, they¡¯re serious¡­¡¯


    [We¡¯ve already seen what the Goblins back home can do with a limited time, it only makes sense to assume stronger, more experienced Goblins can do even more in the same amount of time or even less.]


    ¡®That¡¯s true, I guess. Welp let¡¯s get them some more help then.¡¯


    ¡°Alright Ulgri and Rogu. I¡¯ll trust you and take your word for it but let¡¯s get you some help. Geedi, send someone to Jala¡¯s tribe. Tell him I need a few Goblins who are able to help build. Oh yeah, I also forgot to ask if they¡¯re doing okay on food, please find that out as well.¡±


    ¡°On it Chief! You! You heard the words of the Chief, go.¡±The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    The member of the Royal Guard that was signaled out, nodded to Geedi and Rick before taking off towards the Tribe.


    ¡®Sigh¡­sometimes I really don¡¯t understand them. Why do I need to talk to Geedi instead of just asking the guard that myself? And if I tried to just go to the tribe myself, they would all make a fuss and ask me to let them do it instead. I tried complaining initially but they wouldn¡¯t take no for an answer, so I just let them be, but man it¡¯s all so weird sometimes.¡¯


    [It¡¯s good you let them be, they appear very passionate about all of this, and it¡¯s to benefit you anyway, so don¡¯t complain too much.]


    ¡®Yeah, yeah I know don¡¯t worry.¡¯


    Before long the Guard Geedi sent, was soon seen running back towards the group, only this time he had around 10 Goblins with him. The tribe wasn¡¯t even 30 Goblins strong, so 10 was a good amount of them. Of course, Jala himself was at the forefront of the group.


    They eventually made it to Rick and the others.


    Thanks for coming Jala, if you¡¯re here to help build please talk with Ulgri here she¡¯ll help you out oh and I almost forgot, Rogu, the Outpost should be a few days, maybe a whole week¡¯s travel away from here. I don¡¯t want it to be right at the edge of the plains. If the Orcs decide to follow us, then they need to bully within the forest.


    ¡°Understood My Lord, Loruk and Sarug, you two stay here. The rest of you with me.¡±


    Rick watched on as Rogu and the others marched off deeper in the woods. Rick himself was still a little worried about what type of Outpost he¡¯d see when he went to check on the results. He also wouldn¡¯t mind going off to help, but Geedi would throw another fit.


    The woes of being a loved leader.


    ¡­


    ¡®It feels like someone is talking about me again¡­¡¯


    [I didn¡¯t hear or sense anything. What are you talking about?]


    ¡®Ah you wouldn¡¯t get it.¡¯


    [¡­]


    ¡®Are you judging me Velora?¡¯


    [Not at all.]


    ¡°Um Chief, you sent someone to ask how we¡¯re doing on food right? We¡¯re okay for now, since we were able to prepare well in advance for the tribute.¡±


    ¡°Ahem, I see. Well Jala, no more tributes alright? No more tributes, ever again Jala. I won¡¯t listen to any arguments. Now with that being said, are you sure you all have enough food? So that everyone can eat their fill, right? I¡¯m not sure when exactly we will be leaving but it likely won¡¯t be today, but don¡¯t try to ration anything. The forest is bountiful, and I will provide meat if you need it. Make sure everyone can eat their fill alright Jala?¡±


    ¡°¡­I understand Chief, no more tributes and the everyone in the tribe will eat their fill.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good Jala, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll have someone deliver a boar or something before the day is over!¡±


    With that, Jala went on his way. He was a bit skeptical at first, but hope had taken a strong root in him at this point. Ever since Ms. Gala passed away a few months ago, the entire tribe essentially looked up to him for everything. He was prepared to lead until it was his turn to go, but the stress was definitely mounting. He told Rick he had food, but that would only be true if they rationed every single piece of it. If everyone were to eat their fill, it would all run out by tonight.


    He didn¡¯t show it, but Jala was truly happy. When was the last time he got a chance to eat till his stomach was truly full? The answer was never. He would make sure the entire tribe ate till they couldn¡¯t walk today.

 Chapter Eighty (Book 2)

    A few hours after Rogu and others left, and someone had long since delivered a few dead beasts to Jala¡¯s tribe.


    Rick was just sitting there in silence. Well silence to everyone else, but he was busy having a conversation with Velora.


    ¡®Can¡¯t believe I¡¯m just now remembering to do this, but Velora can you please bring up Rogu¡¯s Status? And why didn¡¯t you remind me about this.?¡¯


    [Understood, and you didn¡¯t ask me to remind you.]


    ¡®Fair I guess.¡¯


    {Name - Rogu}


    {Age - 17}


    {Race - Supreme Hobgoblin}


    {Tier 5)


    ¡®Ah still no numbers! When are they coming back Velora, I really miss having them.¡¯


    [As always, I am still working on it. This was something that was done by a higher power. It¡¯s going to take some time for me to undo whatever it is that was done. Though I do believe in continuing to scan and as many beings at various level of strength, especially your own race, we will eventually get to where we need to be, to one day bring the numerical data back.]


    ¡®Sorry, you¡¯re right. I should probably focus on the things at hand. 17 years of age¡­I really want to laugh and say he¡¯s just a teenager but, considering how fast Goblins reach adulthood, he is not young at all. I don¡¯t really know what the comparison would be for a human, but that¡¯s significant. I¡¯ll have to keep that in mind when I see the ages of other Goblins.


    ¡®¡­Though¡­I¡¯m technically still older than him¡­does that make an old man??¡¯


    [I don¡¯t believe so.]


    ¡®Thank you for your support, Velora, it is appreciated.¡¯


    [Of course.]


    ¡®Now his race, that¡¯s new¡­a Supreme Hobgoblin huh¡­that¡¯s pretty cool. Actually, that¡¯s more than pretty cool¡­It literally says Supreme. I wonder what he can do differently than the rest of us. Guess we¡¯ll find out soon enough. Though while he is supreme, Jala and Geedi are still being called Hobgoblins on their status as Tier 3s, while Kida and Zargi who are both still Tier 2s, are called Elite MagiGoblins. Even Wala and Dran also get that Elite moniker in front of their names.


    ¡®I wonder if it goes away when they hit Tier 3 or do, they still keep it? Either way, being called a Greater Hobgoblin really does sound cool. I¡¯m only a little bit envious that their races get to change while mine just says Royal Goblin the whole time. Oh, and my tattoos cover my entire upper body with the exception of my head now. Still not sure how I feel about that.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡®Anyway, let¡¯s scan that Loruk guy next, please.¡¯


    [Understood.]


    {Name - Loruk}


    {Age - 11}


    {Race ¨C Greater Hobgoblin}


    {Tier 4}


    ¡®So, he¡¯s 6 years younger than Rogu and a Tier 4. I wonder how long it took for him to be Tier 4 and Rogu to reach Tier 5. Will have to talk about with them at some point, actually we¡¯ll have to talk to them at some point about a lot of things. Considering that the clans seem a lot more advanced than the rest of us.


    ¡®Now¡­at Tier 4, he¡¯s a Greater Hobgoblin. I¡¯m really starting to get a little jealous of these names. Not too jealous¡­just a little bit. Now can you bring up the status of one the Maglins that left?¡¯


    [Understood.]


    {Name - Teral}


    {Age - 11}


    {Race ¨C Arcane Maglin}


    {Tier 4}


    ¡®A Arcane Maglin huh¡­that sounds kind of elite¡­Velora is it a problem that I¡¯m now getting really jealous of these evolutionary names?¡¯


    [Yes, you should be proud of the fact that your subordinates are strong and are evolving into powerful forms instead of being jealous of the names of their races. You are a Royal. Do not forget that.]


    ¡®You know what¡­your right. I was just joking a bit, but you¡¯re still right. Though even though your right¡­those names are still really cool sounding and I¡¯m excited to see what the higher Tiers are called. Like those Chiefs, in talking with Rogu we learned that they are Tier 6, surely, they have a cool name too. Now for the last one, please bring up the TinkGoblin¡¯s status.¡¯


    [Understood, and the names are indeed interesting.]


    ¡®Ah see you get it!¡¯


    {Name - Ulgri}


    {Age - 12}


    {Race ¨C Arcane TinkGoblin}


    {Tier 4}


    ¡®The arcane moniker is back. I wonder why TinkGoblins and Maglins both get the Arcane moniker but not the ¡®normal¡¯ Goblin? At tier 3 we get access to mana, and now that I¡¯m Tier 4 that connection to mana that we just begin to develop at Tier 3 becomes really strong.  So why are normal Goblins just given ¡®Greater¡¯ while the other two both get Arcane? It¡¯s kind of weird and interesting at the same time. Something to ask about later.


    ¡®That¡¯s pretty much it though¡­very interesting stuff. Honestly cannot wait for numbers to be back so that I can really see the difference between myself and Rogu. Just how big is the gap between us I wonder?¡¯


    [Spread your senses out.]


    ¡®Hm? Got it.¡¯


    ¡­


    ¡®Someone is approaching¡­wait no¡­two people are approaching¡­from the left.¡¯


    ¡°People are approaching from our left.¡±


    That was all Rick said and Geedi and the Royal Guards sprang into action. Geedi got close to Rick, while the others spread themselves out in a circular formation with Rick at the center and spears were drawn. Loruk and Surgsha both followed suit and went to the front of the group, while Rick stood up.


    Though just as Rick was standing up, he felt something else¡­


    ¡®No¡­it¡¯s not two¡­it¡¯s three...Five? I can¡¯t tell and they are approaching fast!¡¯


    ¡°It¡¯s more than two! Be ready to fight!¡±


    It only took a few moments after that for Rick and the other Tier 4s to see Kris and Krel to bursting through the forest and rapidly approaching the area they were in, and it only took a few seconds after that for Rick, Loruk and Surgsha to notice that they were being chased. By Orcs.

 Chapter Eighty One (Book 2)

    ¡°Orcs!!!! Royal Guards!!! With me!!¡±


    That was what Rick yelled out the second he noticed the approaching Orcs. His Royal Guards heard his shout and responded in kind. They quickly changed their formation and lined up behind him as he moved to the front of the group. Geedi was behind him and to his right while another guard flanked his left. The rest of them filled on either side behind him, forming what looked to be a wedge or arrow formation.


    Of course, this was something Rick and Velora came up with, when faced with the conundrum of fighting together with his Royal Guards. Their entire purpose was to protect him, and it wasn¡¯t a reach to expect them to die for his sake. In fact, in most places, it would be considered an honor to die protecting your Liege.


    Though that was not a thought Rick had preached to his Goblins, but despite that they still understood that they should be protecting him at all costs and when it was time for them to finally follow Rick around the forest, they ran into the problem of trying to protect Rick and not allowing him to fight the way he wished.


    But it was more than just that. Rick didn¡¯t necessarily want anyone dying for his sake. He didn¡¯t think he was worth anyone dying to protect him, which created the problem. Rick wanted to fight for himself, and protect his Royal Guards, while Geedi and the others wanted nothing more than to be the ones doing the protecting.


    Thus, the arrow/wedge formation. Rick would be the point and the lead, while the others would be right there with him.


    Of course, this didn¡¯t include Loruk and Surgsha, but Rick didn¡¯t forget them.


    ¡°You two! With me! Protect our wings!¡±


    They weren¡¯t part of the formation, but they were seasoned fighters. Loruk went to the left of the formation and Surgsha moved to the right. Now with weapons drawn, formation situated and Kris and Krel rapidly approaching, the Orcs themselves could finally be seen by all, and every last one of the Royal Guards tensed up a bit.


    They were used to fighting monsters in the forest and sparring with each other. But fighting another race like Orcs? One¡¯s that wielded weapons? Ones that were bigger than all of them? This was new, this was different, and despite all of their training in the forest, it would be a miracle to expect them to be truly battle hardened warriors that won¡¯t cower in the face of a superior force.


    Rick noticed this as well, and it was at this moment Loruk, Surgsha, Kris, Krel and even the Orcs saw something they would never forget for the rest of their lives.


    ¡°Do not fear them! You¡¯re with me!¡±Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    After saying that, Rick who had a wooden spear fit for his size in his right hand, turned his left palm down to the ground and then beautiful yet absolutely deadly flames sprung out from his palm. It poured out until it reached the ground and then spread out to his sides and rear as it covered the entire group of Goblins.


    They felt stronger, braver, and their brodies grew limber and ready to strike.


    Everyone other than the Royal Goblins who have seen and felt this effect before, were shocked down to their cores. Although Kris, Krel and the Orcs couldn¡¯t feel the effect, the Orcs felt a primal fear deep within them.


    Something about the flames evoked a deep fear from the core of their beings. A few knees almost buckled as they ran, and their charge appeared to slow down for a bit before another yell was heard.


    ¡°Petty tricks from weaklings!!! Kill them all!!!¡±


    It was an Orc at the front of the charging group, who ran with a large mace in his hand.


    Though apart from helping to refocus his fellow Orcs, that shout caused an already Rick to reach a boiling point, and as his anger rose, so too did his flames.


    They surged and grew around him and the group as he yelled out once more.


    ¡°Charge!!!! Leave none alive!!!¡±


    Although he didn¡¯t realize it at the moment, his words were imbued with mana and the presence of a Royal. Speaking of presence, it roared out into the surroundings as the anger of a Royal made itself known. How could a born Royal be normal? How could their anger be regular?


    It was far from it.


    Rick took off running, with a few Goblins in tow, all of whom could feel the anger of their leader which began to weigh in the atmosphere. It didn¡¯t affect them in the slightest physically, but it seemed to also make them angrier than usual instead.


    Now with the empowerment from the flames and presence of Rick wafting through the atmosphere, the Goblins followed after their leader with invigorated shouts.


    No one knew the Tiers of the approaching Orcs who numbered in the 10s at least, but none cared. Especially not Rick, who didn¡¯t even bother sparing Kris or Krel a single glance as he blazed past them at his full speed, and once he felt like he was in range, he leaped over 7 feet in the air towards the encroaching Orcs, and with a spear coated in green fire, came crashing down as he roared at the top of his lungs.


    ¡°ARGHHHHH!!!!!¡±


    A cloud of green flames immediately spread throughout the area and the screams of Orcs could soon be heard throughout the forest.


    The exact number of Orcs present numbered 15 and now two of them were dead. Their bodies lay scorched at the feet of Rick.


    Though he didn¡¯t dwell on his small victory as the other Goblins rushed in behind him, with Geedi giving out orders as she entered the fray.


    ¡°Triangle!!!¡±


    Another practiced command, which called for 3 Goblins to surround one opponent with one on three different points around the target, forming a sort of triangle. Of course, it wasn¡¯t enough of them to do that with every Orc present, but they weren¡¯t alone. Loruk soon rushed in, with sword unlike anything Rick¡¯s tribe could produce, and Surgsha wasn¡¯t too far behind with a pair of short swords dancing within her fingertips.


    Rick himself quickly realized the leader of the Orcs wasn¡¯t one of whom who died to his preemptive strike and he dashed towards his direction. Only this time he had no spear as it broke in the previous clash.


    Wala and Dran were definitely able to improve their weaponry, but they still lacked the ability to make something that could truly withstand the force of a Tier 4 Goblin.


    So, Rick only rushed ahead with his fists as his main weapons.


    They were coated in green flames.

 Chapter Eighty Two (Book 2)

    [Rick every single one of them are Tier 4! The Royal Guards aren¡¯t strong enough to handle this!]


    ¡®Dammit!¡¯


    ¡°GEEDI !! RETREAT NOW! All of you! RETREAT¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t let a single one escape! Chase them all down! Goblins dare raise a blade at us? Kill one of our own?! The Warlord will kill us twice over if we don¡¯t bring back their heads!¡±


    ¡°SHUT THE FUCK UP! I WILL KILL YOU NEXT SWINE! GEEDI I SAID TO RETREAT NOW!¡±


    Geedi and the rest of the Royal Guards who were in the middle of trying to set up their triangle formation to comabt the Orcs, hesitated for a few moments after Rick told them to leave. How could they do that? Their whole purpose was to protect him and he was telling them to leave?


    It was conflicting, but only for a few moments. They had never seen Rick so angry¡­so bloodthirsty¡­so¡­full of wrath. He was usually so happy, and full of joy with them. But at the moment he looked anything but joyful. The flames around his fists seemingly blazed with the intent to kill. They seemed ravenous even. The green fire a complete opposite of the serene nature of a lush green forest.


    But of course that wasn¡¯t the only thing that made the Royal Guards leave despite their unwillingness to do so.


    It was the power in Ricks voice. Rick didn¡¯t know this yet, but it would truly be hard to find a Goblin that would disobey an order from a Royal. It was only right that the authority they held within their race be unmatched. Especially when that order is being imbued with essence of power only a Royal Goblin would possess.


    Though despite them eventually retreating with haste¡­hesitation was hesitation. And against a Tier 4 opponent? Hesitation could prove catastrophic and it did.


    After giving the order to retreat and cursing at a Orc, Rick didnt just sit back and watch it all happen. Nor did the Orcs.


    They rushed forward the power of a Tier 4 while rushed in instead to be block instead of his initial thought of going after the leader of the group. Loruk, Surgsha, along with Kris and Krel who were both wounded also stepped in to help secure the retreat of the guards.


    They didn¡¯t need to be ordered and would never leave their Future King to fight on his own in the first place.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    But reality was always the biggest reminder of one¡¯s weakness.


    They were outnumbered and two of their members were already weakened. It wouldn¡¯t have have a been a problem to block them if Geedi and the others were already a distance away, but they had rushed into the battle directly with Rick and were already in the midst of moving to attack the Orcs, so the distance between wasn¡¯t large to begin with.


    One of the Guards, a male covered in furs from beats he hunted himself was a bit slower than the rest and before he even realized what was happening a sword neared his neck.


    Velora noticed and called out to Rick.


    ¡°NOOO STOP!!!!¡±


    Rick cried out as he moved to reach the Goblin, but while his words would¡¯ve been listened intently by Goblins¡­since when did Orcs have that same inclination? The answer was never.


    *Thud*


    The head of the Goblin landed almost landed on the ground with a soft thud. The eyes on the Goblin head, wide with shock.


    The chaos of the battlefield seemingly coming to a hault as the sound of the head reaching the ground resounded in Rick¡¯s ears numbers times over.


    His steps slowed and Velora went silent. As Rick took in the scene before him.


    Rick had been in this new world for quite some time now. He had adapted, learned about the world, embraced his new people, had laughs, create goals, been angry, seen new things he had only ready about in books¡­but the death of a fellow Goblin? He had yet to experience it this vividly.


    He heard yet to watch one of his people die in battle. Right before his eyes, without the ability to help him.


    Time to seemed to slow as Rick finally began to process the scene he just witnessed.


    It was at this period that one would need to remember the description of Rick¡¯s Magic.


    { A Goblin''s Wrath ¨C Your Chosen Element is now the fire that drives your armies to victory on any battlefield. Burn your enemies to cinder with the fires that dwell within the heart of every Goblin. Your mana will now strictly be attributed to Goblin Fire, and it will have the added effect of causing the minds of your opponents to break down, leading them to become uncontrollable, attacking both friend and foe. }


    { Any Goblin touched by your fire will feel strengthened for a limited time, before being weakened once the duration expires. }


    { The strength of your fire grows alongside you. }


    { Beware the Wrath of the King of Goblins }


    It was the last line of the description that one would need to remember in order to understand what was about to take place.


    Beware the Wrath of the King of Goblins.


    It was then that Rick let out a gut wrenching roar.


    "ARGGGGGGGGGHHHHH!!!"


    It shook the forest around him, as the eyeballs now blalzed with green fire and the flames themselves quickly danced with wild abandon in every direction with him as the center. Nothing was untouched in his vicinity. The nearby Goblins felt stronger than ever before, the Orcs were all fighting with Zeal and deadliness now became mad and began attacking each other. The ground beneath their feet became scorched and the trees and bushes began to burn.


    Only Goblin-Kind would ever be safe from the Wrath of the King of Goblins.


    Though while the Orcs were in the process of attacking each other, Rick would not allow them to kill each other.


    Their lives were his to claim.

 Chapter Eighty Three (Book 2)

    Rogu and the others who left to go start working on the outpost Rick wished for, weren¡¯t very far when Kris and Krel returned. It hadn¡¯t even been a day since they had departed, so they were still only a couple hours away from the location.


    Especially Rogu.


    Who never intended to stay for the entire building of the outpost in the first place. His plan was just to help break ground on the project and secure the area before heading back towards Rick. And unlike he would usually do, he wasn¡¯t leading the procession from the front, in fact he was hanging back about 30 yards behind the group which wasn¡¯t moving that fast in the first place.


    So even though they had been travelling for hours, they hadn¡¯t gone all that far since most of the group was made up Tier 0 and 1 Goblins. Now combined that combined with Rogu¡¯s distance from the group and his own natural senses befitting that of a Supreme Hobgoblin, it was no shocker that he heard the screams of Rick, or that he felt the aura that Rick was releasing in waves.


    Rogu¡¯s expression tightened the second he both heard and felt what he had. He quickly barked out some orders.


    ¡°Continue onwards and get the Outpost built with waste! The Future King is in trouble! I¡¯ll be returning on my own!¡±


    Of course, the second he said that all the Goblins present, especially the ones that were on his team, wanted to turn around and run with him. Of course, who could blame them? Protecting Rick, the person who will one day be crowned their King was both an honor and a necessity to them. It must be done, but they knew that they couldn¡¯t compare to the impact of Rogu, plus regardless of any of that, his orders were absolute.


    So, they pressed on with clenched fists while Rogu turned around and began rushing at breakneck speed towards Rick.


    His natural superior strength to his lesser Tiered counter parts already set him far apart in terms of speed, but he then empowered his body with mana, and he was rushing through forest at a blistering pace.


    If he continued at this pace, he would cut what would be a 6-hour journey for a Tier 0 Goblin down to just a few minutes.


    Of course¡­when it came to battle a few minutes was a truly long time.


    ~~~


    With green flames reaching from his fists to his elbows, Rick rampaged through the battlefield with a mad light in his eyes. He delivered punch after punch to even more maddened Orcs who were busy trying to kill each other with reckless abandon.


    His fists danced through the battle like fireflies flying through the night sky. Though unlike fireflies, the fists of Rick were connecting and leaving a gory mess after each connection.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Rick took off towards an Orc that had his back facing him, and with a roar he drove his flaming fist straight through his back, through his spine, and all the out of the other side. He quickly pulled his fist back, pushed the Orc¡¯s body to the side and lunged straight at the Orc he was fighting before quickly dodging the Orc was already in the process of delivering and sent a fist straight at his head, bursting his skull in the process.


    This berserk like atmosphere and rampage went on for a few more minutes, with the other Goblins having very little room to interfere or play a part.


    By the end of it all, Rick was standing in the middle of the battle with a body in his hand.


    This was the scene Rogu saw once he appeared.


    It lit a fire in him.


    To see his one¡¯s King or leader, standing victorious in the middle of a battlefield surrounded by the bodies of his enemies, was a sight most warriors would enjoy and be empowered by, Rogu of course was no different.


    But he wouldn¡¯t allow himself to be distracted by the jubilation he felt in this moment. This was indeed a battlefield. One that wasn¡¯t planned nor foreseen. An error on his part.


    Though before Rogu could make his way towards Rick and apologize for his mistakes. Rick dropped the body in his hand and started speaking.


    ¡°Kris and Krel come here. Rogu, it¡¯s good you made it back. Take the others and evacuate all Goblin tribes right now. Bring every single Goblin in the plains here. If you run into Orcs or any of the other races and they pose a problem, then kill them. No mercy. All Goblins need to be evacuated immediately. Geedi take the Royal Goblins and the fallen body of your member and go back to the tribe. Once there do not leave. Do not let Jaba and the others leave either. You all are not strong enough. Do not complain, just do it. This is not your battle. Move now.¡±


    Geedi would¡¯ve likely hesitated and complained about staying, but the tone in Rick¡¯s voice plus the fact he even went out of his way to tell her not to complain told her enough. Even Rogu would¡¯ve liked to give his insight here, but if nothing else he was a General, and if a General wasn¡¯t going to follow the orders of his King, then he was no General at all.


    So, after a series of ¡°Yes, My Lord, and Yes, Chief¡±, a small team of Hobgoblins led by Rogu departed to the plains to carry out Rick¡¯s orders, while Geedi and the others quickly gathered the body of their fallen companion and began the two-month trek back home to the tribe.


    The only remaining Goblins in the clearing were Rick and of course Kris and Krel who he told to remain behind.


    Both of whom were silently kneeling just a few feet away.


    ¡°Rest first, we will talk in a moment.¡±


    Was all Rick said to them before he himself took a seat right where he was standing among the bodies.


    [Are you sure sending them away to evacuate the tribes now is the right idea? We could¡¯ve waited until we got information from Kris and Krel.]


    ¡®No. The Orcs were able to send out an entire squad of Tier 4 Orcs just to chase two Goblins. They are strong. And regardless of what information they have. The chances that the Orcs have some inclination that stronger Goblins have arrived in the plains is high enough. Waiting any longer is too risky. Rogu is a Tier 5. I¡¯m willing to bet on the fact he can handle most threats.


    ¡®It¡¯s not like we have other forces to back him up with. This battle just proved to me that strength matters more than I realized. Throwing tens of weak Goblins at a singular Tier 4 would be nothing but a massacre. So, there is no use in waiting. I also have no more patience for them.¡¯

 Chapter Eighty Four (Book 2)

    By now the sun had set, and darkness had begun to take over the sky. Rick spent an hour or two just resting silently. And apart from the initial conversation he had with Velora, there wasn¡¯t many thoughts being circulated in his mind at the moment.


    He was just there sitting motionlessly the entire time.


    Until right this second when he stood calmly, and walked over to the two Goblins who were resting silently as well.


    POV Rick


    ¡°So, are you two rested enough to talk?¡±


    ¡°Yes, My Lord.¡± It was Kris who spoke up first.


    ¡°Good, now¡­what happened out there?¡±


    ¡°I will explain it all by myself for a smoother flow, is that alright My Lord?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°Thank you My Lord. I will start by saying that we never made it deep into Orc territory. We were barely at the edge of what we believe their lands are before we were detected. We took off from here and headed north from the tribe next to us, and we continued that way for a bit. On the way north we passed by a few patrols of what appeared to be Tier 3 Orcs, and we also passed by a few scattered patrols of these bird-like beings. They appeared to be made up of Tier 2 and 3 creatures.


    ¡°Both groups were easy enough being detected by and we progressed at a steady rate. Taking note of many things along the way. We eventually ran into a settlement for the bird-like creatures, and it was perhaps a few hundred of them present in the settlement. We didn¡¯t go in the settlement, nor did we get particularly close, but from what we could tell, the majority of them were below Tier 3 while a selection of them were Tier 3, and even fewer Tier 4.


    ¡°These are just rough estimates based on what we sensed and saw, so our initial findings could be off. We didn¡¯t observe them for long, but one of the things we noticed was their interactions with the Orcs. Although they weren¡¯t treated or spoken to in the same way our brethren were, the Orcs didn¡¯t seem to treat them all the way like equals would either. Or at least that¡¯s how it appeared to us.


    ¡°It was after we progressed from there that the problems began. The number of Orcs began to rise significantly the more we travelled, and we passed by two small camps of them. Both camps had around 10 Tier 3 Orcs each and it seemed like staging points for all the tributes they¡¯ve collected. Again, we were able to get pass them with relative ease, but then we made it a bit further and found a larger camp. We though this was the main camp of the Orcs, so we decided to enter it.


    ¡°We quickly learned this was not their main camp, after overhearing many conversations referencing some type of War chief, who we presume to be their leader. This was troubling because the entire camp was filled with Tier 4 Orcs and even though we wanted to get more information, we didn¡¯t want to risk being discovered. Though it seems we underestimated the Orcs a bit. No one saw us, but I believe we were identified by smell, and before we knew it a squad of them was upon us and we had no choice but to run.


    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.¡°We did our best to lead them away, and run towards the mountain, before heading back towards the forest and attempting to lose them there, but to no avail. The only reason we returned is because of your order to return alive. I apologize for leading enemies to you My Lord.¡±


    ¡°No reason to apologize, you both did good. Thank you for returning alive. If you haven¡¯t eaten yet, please head to the tribe next to us. Jala should have some food.¡±


    ¡°My Lord, we cannot leave you unprotected.¡± This time it was Krel who spoke up.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry I¡¯ll be waiting here; you guys can go ahead.¡±


    [Look at them Rick, they really don¡¯t want to leave you. You already made Geedi and the others leave as well, don¡¯t do it to them too.]


    ¡®Fine¡­your probably right.¡¯


    ¡°Fine both of you come with me. We¡¯re going to visit Jala.¡±


    ¡°Yes, My Lord.¡±


    ¡°Yes, My Lord.¡±


    ¡®Sigh this is only going to get worse when I finally reach the clan right?¡¯


    [Most likely. I¡¯m sure they will be a massive expansion of the Royal Guards, or perhaps an entire separate division in place just to attend to you.]


    ¡®Hmm, I wonder¡­though it¡¯s going to be a long time until I get a chance to visit the clans anyway. Plus, now that I think about it a bit, it¡¯s not very feasible to grow a force here, and then worry about a force a significant distance away like the clans. Either we all need to move there, or they need to move here, but based on the information Rogu has given us, both of those options are impossible. Do you think space magic is a thing?¡¯


    [Possibly. The tool that allowed Teral to send a message over what is likely to be hundreds of miles back to the clan, implies there are ways to have long distance travel of some sorts. Perhaps space magic is at play in some capacity.]


    ¡®That makes sense. Hopefully we can come up with a way to create some sort of portal to connect both places so that we don¡¯t have to worry about the distance any longer.¡¯


    [Perhaps that something a Maglin at the higher levels will be able to assist with.]


    ¡®Perhaps.¡¯


    Eventually, Rick and the two Goblins following silently at his side arrived at the tribe in the dark of night. The tribe was mostly quiet with most of the Goblins sleeping, but there was 1 Goblin standing watch and after spotting Rick and recognizing who exactly he spotted, he gave them a really big wave and after the wave was returned by Rick he took off towards one of the tents in the small tribe.


    Before long, Jala was seen coming along with the lone Goblin who was on watch.


    ¡°Ah sorry to wake you up Jala, it kind of slipped my mind that you all would be asleep at this time. Actually¡­now that I think about it, I forgot to send someone to inform you of what¡¯s about to happen. C¡¯mon let¡¯s find somewhere to sit we have a lot to discuss.¡±

 Chapter Eighty Five (BOOK 2)

    After Rick sat Jala down and explained everything that happened today and what would likely be happening from now, or at least in the short term, he left and went back to the small little clearing.


    He then tried to gather all the bodies of the Orc corpses but Kris and Krel ending up almost begging him to allow them to do it, and both of them worked quickly to get all of them piled up.


    Once the pile was ready, Rick set it ablaze but in a controlled manner.


    Eventually all the bodies were burned up and the night atmosphere was calm once again.


    ¡®Jala was a little shocked and frightened huh Velora.¡¯


    [I¡¯d say he was a bit more than a little frightened.]


    ¡®Hm you think so?¡¯


    [Rick he threw up. Twice.]


    ¡®Well¡­¡¯


    [Then he fainted.]


    ¡®Um¡­.¡¯


    [Then proceeded to throw up again once he woke up.]


    ¡®Okay fine I get it, he was extremely frightened. Well I guess it makes sense in a way. He has lived his whole life under oppression from Orcs, and all the Goblins who came before him lived the same life, so it¡¯s been generations of oppression that he¡¯s faced.


    ¡®Yet out of nowhere, a new Goblin shows up out of what was supposed to be a deadly forest for Goblins and gives him hope of a better life about eventually leaving the plains, then fast forward a bit and more Goblins he¡¯s never seen before show up at his doorstep about a mission to take me back to some faraway lands.


    And then to add fuel to the fire¡­his oppressors were not only near his home in force¡­but they were massacred by the very Goblins he hoped would lead him away from here¡­yup I can see how that would cause him a lot of stress in the moment.


    [It¡¯s good that you realize.]


    ¡®Yeah yeah yeah¡­wait whats that over there?¡¯


    [It appears Rogu and the others have returned, wait no I am wrong. Only the Greater Hobgoblins Loruk and Surgsha are accompanying the group of Goblins. Will you go greet them?]


    ¡®No, if they need me, they know where I am, no need to bother them¡­I¡¯m a little curious about why its only those two traveling with the group but based on what I can see from here they don¡¯t look to be wounded or anything.¡¯Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    ¡­..


    Going back to after shortly after Rogu left with the remaining members of the Royal Retrieval Team¡­


    POV Rogu


    ¡°You said his flames were empowering you?¡±


    ¡°Yes Captain¡­I felt strong¡­stronger than I¡¯ve ever felt before.¡±


    ¡°Wow¡­you felt this too Surgsha?¡±


    ¡°Yes Captain, it really was an amazing feeling. To be strengthened by the Future King himself! Though¡­I did feel a bit weakened afterwards, but it wasn¡¯t too bad. Just means theres a cost to get that strength. It still feels amazing though and I would do it a million times if the Future King wished for it.¡±


    ¡°¡­and then after one of his Royal Guards died, he essentially went berserk, and the Orcs went mad, and he proceeded to brutally destroy them?¡±


    ¡°Yes Captain. It was a beautiful sight to watch our Future King enact his wrath on the Orcs. They don¡¯t deserve a shred of our mercy.¡±


    ¡®Dammit¡­I missed it all. To be able to watch him in all his glory, dismantling his enemies. Not only that¡­but to be strengthened by him as well! I am jealous¡­I shouldn¡¯t feel jealous of my brethren but I am. I too would like to witness the Future King in action. Dammit. I really do hope we find Orcs on this mission. I need to release this frustration.¡¯


    ¡°Captain.¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°Was it the best decision to leave the Future King with only Kris and Krel? He sent away his Royal Guards, and the others are traveling into the forest to build an Outpost. Shouldn¡¯t we have stayed behind? Or perhaps all travel together?¡±


    ¡°You make good points Loruk, and while I am currently the Captain of the Royal Retrieval Team, first and foremost I am a General. A General has to know when it wise to advise, versus when it would be better to simply follow orders. In serving my father for all these years, there are things I¡¯ve picked up on, to help guide these choices.


    ¡°And based the look the Future King was giving me, and the tone of his voice, I knew in that moment I was simply to follow the orders I was given. And there is no greater authority to me, than the words of our Future King. Does that answer your question?¡±


    ¡°Yes it does, thank you Captain.¡±


    The small group continued their journey westwards from Jala¡¯s tribe, and eventually they came upon the first tribe in this direction.


    ¡°Captain¡­¡±


    ¡°I see them¡­Three Orcs. 1 Tier 4, and 2 Tier 3s. They don¡¯t seem to be collecting tributes of any kind. Just patrolling the area. Hm. Let¡¯s assume they have means of communication, and there are others nearby. Take them out the Tier 3s quickly and quietly. I will handle the Tier 4.¡±


    No response was needed, and the team did indeed move quickly and quietly, and before the Orcs even truly realized what had come down on them, two of them were breathing no more, and the lone Tier 4 was missing his arms and his neck was firmly in the grasp of Rogu.


    ¡°Loruk, Surgsha, find the elder of the tribe, calm them down, figure out what they know and prepare them for the move. Do not hurt or scare our brethren unnecessarily but we have no time to waste so be a bit forceful if you must.¡±


    ¡°Yes Captain.¡±


    ¡°Yes Captain.¡±


    ¡°Now you¡­nod once if you speak my tongue.¡±


    *A Frantic Nod follows.*


    ¡°Good¡­let¡¯s have a chat. From this point on, nod once for yes, and twice for no. Understood? Good. Are there more of you in the area?¡±


    *Nod*


    ¡°Stronger than Tier 4?¡±


    *Nod¡­Nod¡±


    ¡°I see. Are they in the other tribe?¡±


    *Nod*


    Rogu then snapped his neck and dropped him to the floor.


    ¡®Hmm, let¡¯s assume there is one stronger than Tier 4. I¡¯m confident in my ability to kill a Tier 5 Orc, but Tier 6 would be a fight to the death but I can likely cause severe injuries. Anything higher than Tier 6 is a death sentence. Alright I know what to do.¡¯

 Chapter Eighty Six (Book 2)

    After getting the answers he needed from the Orc, Rogu met up with Loruk and Surgsha who had already had the tribe gathered, packing only valuables for the journey ahead.


    ¡°Loruk, did anyone in the tribe know anything?¡±


    ¡°Captain, they mentioned a team of Orcs came by and asked questions about other Goblins, and after beating a few of them for answers they didn¡¯t have, a couple of them stayed behind while the others left.¡±


    ¡°Beating a few of them huh¡­Lead them to Jala¡¯s tribe we have no time to waste.¡±


    ¡°What about you Captain? Shouldn¡¯t we do this together?¡±


    ¡°That would waste too much time.¡±


    ¡°But Capta-¡­¡±


    ¡°Loruk. You are the Vice-Captain of the Royal Retrieval, and due to that your questioning will get a pass. But at this moment, I am acting as a General to the Future King of Goblins. Do you understand what that means?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes Sir.¡±


    ¡°Good, then carry out your orders.¡±


    ¡°Yes Sir.¡±


    Immediately following that discussion, Loruk and Surgsha departed to Jala¡¯s with the tribe in tow, meanwhile Rogu was getting his thoughts in order as he watched them leave.


    POV Rogu


    ¡®Loruk¡¯s head is in the right place, so I won¡¯t fault him for his questions, and that is part of his role as the Vice-Captain of the Royal Retrieval team, but this was different. My orders were from the Future King himself. I am not acting as the Captain of that team at this point in time.


    ¡®Currently, I am what I always have been. A General. The pinnacle of the army that is to serve under the Future King of Goblins. And just like there are times when a General should not question their Liege, there are times when a General¡¯s orders should be followed with haste. This is one of those times, and Loruk understands this as well. All he needed was a reminder.


    ¡®Now¡­let¡¯s go see what awaits me at the next tribe.¡¯


    By now it was dark, and Rogu used that to his advantage to make his way to the next tribe. It was not the easiest thing in the world to hide a frame as large as his in these wide open plains, but it being the dark of night helped a long way. And with his speed, it only took him 5ish minutes to reach the next tribe, and what he saw almost made him lose the grip he had on his own mind and body.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    There were many Goblins strewn around the tribe. Beaten, bruised, and unmoving. It was hard to tell if they were dead or alive, but it hardly made a difference to Rogu whether they were alive or not.


    Just the fact they were being beaten like dogs was enough for him to want to commit a massacre. Again, Rogu was aware of the treatment Goblins received outside of the Lands of Mir, but rarely ever left those lands, and in that place, Goblins couldn¡¯t be bullied like this without a war starting, a war that his father himself would lead. So, despite the knowledge that this happened in more places than just these plains, it was another matter altogether to see it so clearly.


    Though instead of continuing to get angry, Rogu smiled.


    One of the orders that was given was to show no mercy, and it was an order he planned to follow thoroughly.


    Of course, Rogu would always do his best to maintain the level of professionalism and discipline expected from an official General, regardless of any internal emotional turmoil they may or not be going through.


    There were only five enemies before him. Or at least only five he could see within the tribe itself. He could easily extend his senses using mana to entire surrounding area, and uncover any hidden dangers nearby, but if what his instincts were saying to him was correct, then the one Orc he had his eye was sure to be a bit above the rest, and likely strong enough to detect the use of his mana sense.


    ¡®Hmm, five Orcs. Four of them are wearing typical brown armor, while the one who seems to be overseeing everything, is wearing all black armor. Armor that appears from over here to be a touch above the rest. Just that alone would hint at a higher level of strength.


    ¡®Though, there is a chance I¡¯m not close enough to tell¡­but I¡¯m not getting the feeling I get from my father. Or even of that Fox. There are plenty of things back home that make my instincts scream in fear and this Orc does not provide that same feeling, but all that means is that it is most likely not above Tier 5. Good.


    ¡®Now. What¡¯s the best way forward. It is unlikely I can sneak up on it, and I don¡¯t want to cause any more harm to the tribe by recklessly charging in. Which means it would be better to bring it away from here. So¡­my only option is that.¡¯


    Rogu unsheathed his sword. If Rick was perhaps more familiar with swords, he would have likened the sword to a large Dao Sword. The blade itself was roughly 5 ft in length alone, and the hilt seemed to be made out of some kind of intricate wood. There was only one design etched into the blade.


    It read ¡®KRAGNAR¡¯.


    To most, it would mean nothing¡­but to those who spoke the old tongue of Goblins. It would mean one thing. War.


    ¡®Kragnar¡­we move again. Let us finally put this body of mine to work in the name of the Future King of Goblins!¡¯


    Unless one was a Maglin, other Goblins would never be able to fully utilize every single element to the same capacity and efficiency. There would always be one. One that they would be able to grow in strength and understanding with above the others.


    Rogu quickly channeled a portion of his mana at the tip of his sword, and very quickly a small orange ball began to form. So as not to make the ball too big, he cut off the supply of mana yet maintained control of the ball that was now rotating at the tip of his sword. Due to the darkness, it didn¡¯t take the Orcs very long to notice a light in the distance, but before they could act, Rogu swung his sword in a downward motion and the ball went flying at a blistering speed in the direction of the Orcs.


    Of course, the Orc in all black armor dodged rather easily, but the attack was never meant for him.


    The small ball of fire crashed into one of the other Orcs, causing a small explosion that was enough to throw the Orc in the distance.


    ¡°You dirty PIGS! COME AND TASTE MY BLADE.¡± An excited Rogu.

 Chapter Eighty Seven (Book 2)

    POV Rogu


    Rogu would have much rather to keep this operation as quiet as possible. It would have been a far better scenario if he could take out the Orcs both quickly and silently. Leaving no room for any type of communications to be sent out, or potential nearby reinforcements to come. But Rogu learned a long time ago that in times of war, it was best to prepare to work with the worst of circumstances, and this wouldn¡¯t even begin to compare to the worst situations he had been in. Of course that was only on a surface level.


    Rogu considered this mission the most important one he had ever received. A spot that was previously held by the Royal Retrieval mission. But how could that compare to being given direct orders from his Future King to rescue his people and crush his enemies? The answer was it couldn¡¯t.


    Since hiding was no longer necessary after his provocation to the Orcs, Rogu spread his out his Mana Sense as wide as he could and smiled immediately after doing do.


    ¡®There are none nearby, at least no Tier 5 and below. Though that is still no reason to play around. The sooner I get this done, the faster I can evacuate the tribe and get back to the others. It¡¯s a good thing my provocation seemed to work.¡¯


    ¡°YOU FUCKING GOBLIN! WHO THE FUCK GAVE YOU THE CONFIDENCE TO STAND AGAINST YOUR MASTERS! IF YOU WANT TO DIE SO BAD I WILL GLADY SHOW YOU WHY ORCS RULE THESE PLAINS! WARCHIEF GIVE ME STRENGTH!!¡±


    The Orc who was exploding with fury, drew a mace from his waist, a mace whose spikes glistened with a red glow with the night sky as backdrop. He then charged out of the tribe with a speed that almost didn¡¯t match his large size. The glow of the mace began to get brighter as the Orc took large powerful yet fast strides in his black armor towards Rogu.


    Of course, Rogu wasn¡¯t standing still in this moment either.


    ¡®The others stayed behind in the tribe huh. No matter, at least there won¡¯t be any pests to worry about. Though that mace¡­it looks a bit troublesome. I¡¯ve seen something similar from those vile bastards deep in the Forgotten Vale, if it¡¯s the same thing, it would good if too never let that mace touch me.


    ¡®Not that I was planning to.¡¯


    Rogu who already had sword unsheathed, flooded his body with mana, empowering every cell in his body at the same time, and that flood of mana didn¡¯t stop at just his body. It flowed through him and into his sword as well, and very quickly bright orange flames coated the edge of his sword.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    Rogu then took off in a charge of his own and it was akin to two unstoppable forces charging at each preparing to engage in a cataclysmic clash that would decimate the area for miles on end.


    Though this was obviously something Rogu didn¡¯t want. A clash of that stature could potentially end in his favor, and maybe even end the battle in one move, but the tribe he was tasked to evacuate wouldn¡¯t escape that type of collision unscathed. He did not want to have to explain to his Liege that his powers played a part in eliminating the people he was supposed to be helping.


    What a shameful experience that would be.


    So, when Rogu and the Orc neared each other, the Orc promptly took a wide swing with his mace, which by this point had reached the apex of its eerie red glow. His swing was packed full of the intent to fully destroy Rogu, but Rogu had other plans.


    Instead of engaging with the Orc before him, he only planned on dodging from the very beginning, which is exactly what he did.


    By stepping sharply to the left, he got out of the way of the mace before his own sword burst forth with power, aiming towards the now exposed side of the Orc who screamed out at him the second he dodged.


    ¡°COWARD!¡±


    No warrior liked being called a coward, but what reason did Rogu have to care about that? His mission was absolute so pressed on. A searing blade rapidly approached the side of the Orc and just as the slightest part of the blade met the skin of the Orc, he managed to bring his mace over in time to block the blade from going any further and a loud ring followed suit with the clash of weapons generating billowing winds.


    Of course, Rogu didn¡¯t expect to kill the Orc with that one strike so before the Orc could disengage. He muttered a word.


    ¡°Urzhak¡±


    And the flames around his sword intensified instantly before it exploded with power. The Orc screamed out in pain as it jumped away from the flame¡¯s area of influence. Though it did not escape completely unscathed.


    Starting from the point of that wound, the entire side of the Orc¡¯s body was now charred black.


    There was a reason Rogu was confident in his ability to fight any Tier 5 Orc. Ever since he could walk, he had been fighting life and death battles throughout the Dark Lands of Mir. Against truly harrowing creatures who sought to feast on his fellow Goblins. The lands the Goblin Clans called home and been secured long before he was born, but it was a never-ending battle to ensure they remained secured. They ruled Goblin Lands, but Goblins were far from the rulers of the Dark Lands of Mir.


    He could tell from the very second, he laid eyes on the Orcs in the tribe. These people were bullies than true battle tested warriors. Their eyes didn¡¯t have the same look as warriors who had to fight tooth and nail for the survival of their people. He would never lose to someone like that, not while on the same level of power.


    From that point the battle didn¡¯t last very long. With one side of the Orc essentially useless, his battle prowess was more than cut in half, and in front of a being like Rogu, that was essentially a death sentence.

 Chapter Eighty Eight (Book 2)

    POV Rogu


    ¡®Hm, that takes care of that. That bastard had the strength of a Tier 5, but he lacked true fighting ability. I wonder just how long they have been living as rulers of this area and bulling the weak while having that piss poor level of ability.


    ¡®Truly a shame. It is a good thing the Future King wants them gone. They don¡¯t deserve their seat of power. Hm, I should bring the mace back. The Future King will want to know what it is.¡¯


    Rogu took hold of the mace, while being careful not to touch any of the spikes. Of course, along the way back to the tribe he repeated to himself more than a few times that taking this mace was not a trophy to show in front of Rick¡­ Anyway, he made it back to the tribe where he was promptly attacked by the remaining Orcs who had stayed behind.


    They witnessed the battle and knew they likely weren¡¯t his match, but they foolishly assumed he would be weakened, and thought an ambush would work. They were foolish indeed.


    Rogu didn¡¯t waste any time dealing with the Orcs and a short time later the tribe was just filled with the gasps and shock of around 25 Goblins.


    ¡°Who¡¯s in charge?¡±


    Rogu¡¯s voice boomed around the tribe and a short time later an older Maglin stepped forward.


    ¡°I¡¯m the one in charge sir¡­¡±


    ¡°No need to be frightened Elder, I¡¯m a Goblin just like you and everyone else here. My name is Rogu, and I have been sent to evacuate your tribe. I know this is sudden, but please trust me on this. You don¡¯t have to worry about Orcs anymore.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a Goblin¡­? But¡­¡±


    ¡°Elder listen we don¡¯t have time, pack up your necessities and come with me. We need to leave now. All of your questions will be answered in time.¡±


    It was no surprise that the Elder and even the other Goblins doubted their eyes and when it came to Rogu.


    He looked and felt like a Goblin, but they had never seen a Goblin that large, that strong, such beautiful armor, and most of all he was casting magic! To their knowledge only Maglins had the ability to cast magic. Yet here was a ¡®normal¡¯ Goblin right in front of them casting more powerful magic than any Maglin among them had ever cast. Something the elder Maglin knew all too well. Which is why his next question wasn¡¯t a surprise when you considered all of that.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    ¡°Are you¡­are you, our King?¡±


    Rogu was about to rush them a bit more forcefully until he heard the question.


    ¡°Hahahah!! Your King? Elder, if you want to meet your King then you need to get moving now. He is the one who ordered this evacuation. Now, gather your tribe.¡±


    The Elder finally relented and began getting his fellow tribe members in order. Which wasn¡¯t that hard since they were already nearby and listening as the Elder and Rogu conversed. And seeing as how they didn¡¯t have many ¡®valuables¡¯ in the first place, it didn¡¯t take them very long until they all moved as one big group with Rogu and the forefront.


    It took them more than a couple hours, but they eventually reached Jala¡¯s tribe where Loruk and Surgsha were waiting for Rogu. They both considered moving along to the next tribe but made the decision to wait for Rogu. They even decided against going to visit Rick, thinking it would probably better to wait until the mission was completed.


    After Rogu arrived with 25 Goblins in tow, everyone very quickly realized a problem. The tribe was too small to hold two other tribes as well. Especially on such short notice. Of course, who was still up in the middle of the night was watching and saw the problem as well.


    POV Rick


    ¡®I honestly didn¡¯t think this far ahead¡­all of them can¡¯t stay there.¡¯


    [I figured as much. You were in an emotional state, so it only makes sense you didn¡¯t quite think things through.]


    ¡®¡­Your being rude again Velora.¡¯


    [Not sure what you¡¯re referring to.]


    ¡®Whatever, still need to figure out what to do about all of these Goblins.¡¯


    [Why not just send them all to the outpost being built in the forest? They would be able to help with the building process, while also settling there until they can be transported back to the village. Though the village would eventually need to be expanded as well, but I believe it is more equipped to handle that sort of rapid expansion with the likes of Gala and Dran present]


    ¡®That surprisingly makes a lot of sense.¡¯


    [Surprisingly?]


    ¡®Ah erm no, I didn¡¯t mean it that way¡­¡¯


    [I see. Now about the surprisingly good idea?]


    ¡®You¡¯re giving me attitude now? Fine fine, your extremely well thought out plan seems to be the only reliable solution we have at the moment. I think it would be the right thing to do. My only question would be who¡¯s going to take them there? Only Rogu knows the way to wherever they were, and I don¡¯t want to leave the area, but at the same time I¡¯d rather not have Rogu, and the others leave either.¡¯


    [I¡¯m sure you can convince one of Kris or Krel to leave with the Goblins, then you can just travel to the other tribes alongside Rogu, since you can send the rest of Jala¡¯s tribe as well.]


    ¡®Ah! That¡¯s a great idea! Yeah, who says I just have to sit here the whole time? Let¡¯s get Rogu before he leaves.¡¯


    [I think he¡¯s already heading this way.]


    ¡®Oh well that makes things easier. Huh¡­why is he carrying a large mace?¡¯


    [It is likely he got it from the enemy.]


    ¡®The enemy huh¡­so they did indeed run into Orcs.¡¯


    [Yes, it appears so.]


    ¡®And judging from the fact he is coming back with a weapon, and the tribe was safely evacuated, no mercy was shown.¡¯


    [That also appears correct.]


    ¡®Good.¡¯

 Annoucement

    So I was planning on waiting until after Book 2 to announce this, but I think this is fine. My plans for ''Why a Goblin?''.


    First of all thnak you all for reading this book of mine, as it was the first book I ever truly tried to write and it''s still wild to me that people actually enjoy it. Real actual people! Mind blowing!


    Book 1 of WAG was only about 66K words and Book 2 will only be slightly longer. I currently envision about 3 more books after this one for a total of 5 Books in the WAG series. So with that being said, I eventually want to (self) publish Book 1 and likewise for Book 2-5 Unless I manage to somehow get signed by a Publisher lol, but as of right now, one of my goals for 2025 is to get Book 1 Published! Honestly I tried this early last year when I didn''t understand much about publishing a book and a lot of lessons were learned. So I won''t be rushing this, and I''ll take my time and do it right because you guys deserve that from me. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    You guys will be updated along the way and will be the first to know when things are happening. I really hope WAG can have real success as a published novel so that I may continue to pursue writing the type of books you guys will enjoy! I do plan on getting an Audiobook done as well but those are really expensive haha so a long way to go until that point.


    Now for the first real update in this process... I have finally found an Artist that I like and I have offcially commisioned them to create a differnt Book Cover for WAG. I will also getting character illustrations done as well! Rick first, then perhaps Jaba or Geedi second? Who knows.


    Thats all for this annoucement, thank you all for reading enjoying the Gang Green journey with me :)

 Chapter Eighty Nine (Book 2)

    ¡°My Lord. There are some things you should know. As you have already realized, we have evacuated the two tribes to the west and brought them here as ordered, but both tribes had Orcs occupying them. The first tribe just had 1 Tier 4, but the second tribe had a Tier 5 Orc in its midst.


    ¡°It posed no problem as I managed to draw it away from the tribe and deal with the problem. This Mace was its weapon of choice. The Mace itself had a power that resembled something perilous I have encountered before. I believe if this mace manages to draw blood while being empowered by mana, it will cause that wound to bleed profusely. I have seen it happen before, and I t is not pretty sight My Lord. It will be something to monitor and be wary of as we continue to fight the Orcs.


    ¡°Of course, that isn¡¯t the only problem. The fact a Tier 5 Orc was present is likely more of a bigger problem. They are aware of some type of other presence in the plains. Likely due to the squad that chased after Kris and Krel that hadn¡¯t returned, and now that the Tier 5 Orc won¡¯t return, their suspicions will be raised further, and the number of Orcs in the area could reach a number we aren¡¯t ready for, especially since we aren¡¯t even fully aware of their exact numbers.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    ¡®Hm, Rogu makes some good points, but that¡¯s all the more reason why I will join them on the mission to evacuate everyone.¡¯


    [Are you sure you¡¯re ready to fight Tier 5 Orcs? Rogu will be with you of course, but what if there is more than one Tier 5? What will you do?]


    ¡®Then I will fight it, and I will kill it. If I¡¯m willing to send Rogu off to do my bidding, then I need to be willing to fight right alongside him. I can¡¯t order these Goblins to do things if I wouldn¡¯t want to do those things myself. I don¡¯t want to lead like that. I know that¡¯s how Geedi and the others kind of want me to lead but they should know by now that, it will never be like that unless they forcefully tie me to a throne! Ahem¡­With that being said¡­I don¡¯t plan on giving up my precious Goblin life so easily. Please bring up my status.¡¯


    [Understood.]


    {Name - Rick}


    {Age - 21}


    {Race - Royal Goblin}


    {Element ¨C Goblin Fire}


    {Tier 4)Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    {Essence - 0}


    {Evo Points - 625/2160}


    {Skills}


    {Velora}


    ¡®Hm, I had 25 Evo Points before this all began, and the only things I¡¯ve killed recently were those 15 Tier 4 Orcs. So, after some quick math¡­carry the one¡­cross my Is¡­dot my Ts¡­40! Each kill gave me around 40 Evo Points. Still a genius.¡¯


    [¡­]


    ¡®Don¡¯t judge me Velora! Anyway, it shouldn¡¯t take that long for me to reach Tier 5 if we continue to run into squads of Tier 4 Orcs, and if that previous engagement was anything to go by¡­I am stronger than them even though we are in the same Tier. And though it was a little unfortunate that I sent Geedi and the others home, this is really not their battlefield, and this new information affirms that. They would probably turn to mush if a Tier 5 Orc even breathed too hard in their direction.


    ¡®I¡¯m sure they will use this as motivation to get stronger, I just hope Geedi doesn¡¯t venture too far east in the forest. Close to the lake the beats are only Tier 1s and 2s, but that¡¯s the direction we met our first Tier 4 in¡­that damn porcupine. Anyway, all I can do is trust she won¡¯t do that and if she thinks about doing it, then Jaba and the others can talk her out of it.


    ¡®I worry too much, let¡¯s focus on the situation at hand. Kris and Krel will lead the others to the Outpost, I hope Rogu can describe the general direction they were headed in enough for them to follow, and once they are there, they will come back with a few of the other Tier 4s. While they are gone, Rogu, Loruk, Surgsha and I will move to the next tribe, evacuate it and return here to see if the Kris, Krel and the others have made it back yet, then send two of them off with the evacuated tribe¡­.wait no, what if they aren¡¯t back yet¡­then we won¡¯t have the extra numbers to evacuate the tribe to the Outpost while moving to the other tribes. Hm¡­what to do¡­¡¯


    [Just evacuate all the remaining tribes together, and the move them all at once towards the Outpost.]


    ¡®¡­Wouldn¡¯t that be too big of a group traveling around?¡¯


    [Perhaps, but even though lower Tiered Goblins can¡¯t run as fast as you or Rogu, that doesn¡¯t mean they can¡¯t run at all.]


    ¡®Decent point¡­hm, alright we¡¯ll go with that. Plus, it¡¯s not like we can¡¯t make decisions of the fly depending on how the situation changes. Let key the others in the plan.¡¯


    Rick then called over Loruk and Surgsha and once everyone was gathered, he explained the plans he came up with. Rogu then confirmed he remembered the way and could accurately describe it to Kris and Krel who also confirmed they¡¯d be more than able to find the trail of the others without issue. They were also reminded by Rick to wait amongst the tree line and not to enter the soon to be empty tribe.


    Once everything was finalized, they all walked down to the tribe and let Jala, and the other two tribe elders know what was about to happen. Rick felt about uprooting them like this constantly, but he knew it was best for them. A small period of stress, for a better tomorrow.


    Or at least that¡¯s what Rick believed and was hoping for. A better tomorrow for Gang Green.


    Anyway, things moved quickly from there. The now one large tribe took a few moments to get their things in order before leaving with Kris and Krel to find the Outpost. They would remain there for some time until it was time to move to the Village, and then eventually only a small fighting force will remain at the Outpost.

 Chapter Ninety (Book 2)

    It was finally time to leave since everything was now in order, and Rick, Rogu, Loruk and Surgsha departed eastward from Jala¡¯s tribe. They rushed through the plains quickly with the night sky still rich with darkness that helped them to maintain their stealth as they ran.


    ¡®Velora, I feel like a spy on a secret mission.¡¯


    [You need to remain focused and take this seriously Rick.]


    ¡®I¡¯m both focused and taking things very seriously, but it doesn¡¯t help that I feel like a spy. Here I am with a small squad of other Goblins, silently running through the plains in search of my brethren to help them evacuate. Oh wait, I don¡¯t feel like a spy, I feel like a special ops agent.¡¯


    [I hesitate to ask, but what is a special ops agent?]


    ¡®I¡¯m glad you asked. A special ops agent is someone who carries out secret and very important missions for their country. The type of missions that would have grave consequences for the agent and their country if it failed. There¡¯s probably more to it than that, but that¡¯s the general gist of it. Any questions?¡¯


    [No. We are approaching the tribe.]


    ¡®I see that. Hm¡­I can¡¯t sense any Orcs, and everything looks fine. Weird.¡¯


    ¡°Rogu, I believe your senses can reach further than mine, can you sense any Orcs?¡±


    ¡°No, My Lord, I can¡¯t sense anything other than our brethren.¡±


    ¡°Hm¡­interesting, well let¡¯s not let our guard down too much. We¡¯ll inform them of what¡¯s to come and to prepare, before moving on to the next tribe.¡±


    And that¡¯s precisely what happened.


    There were three other tribes in this direction and not a single one had the presence of Orcs. Not one. They reached the second tribe and after informing them about the move and to pack up, they promptly moved on to the third and final tribe in this direction. Once there they were quickly informed about what was happening and a short while later, they were packed and all of them turned around and began heading back.


    They were prepared to face the Orcs on the way back, but there was nothing. Even though they had to move slower due to the now bigger group, not a single Orc was spotted as they made it to the second tribe. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    It didn¡¯t stop there. By the time they made it to the first tribe they stopped at on the journey the mood was a little odd. They all should¡¯ve been happy that there were no Orcs, and no danger faced, but it didn¡¯t quite make sense.


    Something was off.


    ¡®Velora¡­something is definitely wrong right?¡¯


    [It is indeed possible that something is wrong. Though there could be a possibility that they only focused their forces towards the tribes on the west because that¡¯s the direction that Kris and Krel escaped from. Though despite that, I would operate with the understanding that they are planning something.]


    ¡®Hm, good points all around. On one hand, I¡¯m gonna hope they just sent all they had to the west in search of Kris and Krel, but on the other, I think there¡¯s absolutely going to be something in store for us. It¡¯s been more than a couple hours now since Rogu killed a Tier 5 Orc, and the idea that they wouldn¡¯t respond in some way shape or form by now doesn¡¯t add up.¡¯


    ¡°Rogu¡­what do you think about this? The fact that we haven¡¯t seen a single Orc this entire time?¡±


    ¡°My Lord, I think you are right to question it. Something is off. I believe it¡¯s best we prepare for some type of engagement happening soon. The chances of an ambush waiting for us at Jala¡¯s tribe are high.¡±


    ¡°An ambush waiting for us at Jala¡¯s tribe huh¡­¡±


    Rick then stood up and looked around for a bit, before standing still as he turned to face the forest.


    The forest that had extended all the way to where the third tribe was located, and it even went a little past it. So, it was without a doubt it was also here, where they stood in the first tribe.


    The Nameless Forest.


    The same Nameless Forest that Rick and the others had come from.


    Rick stared at it for a while longer. It was still dark, apart from a few mumbles and hushed whispers here and there, no one was talking.


    [It is now 0300.]


    Of course, Velora was talking as well.


    Eventually, it was like a lightbulb finally came alight in Rick¡¯s head.


    ¡®Ah¡­why don¡¯t we just go in the forest from now. If there¡¯s a chance there¡¯s an ambush waiting for us at the end of journey back, why don¡¯t we just avoid it completely, and head straight into the forest from now¡­¡¯


    [That is a sound plan. An ambush is likely only effective if one is unaware. There is of course a chance that we are overthinking it, but there is no harm in practicing caution.]


    ¡®I appreciate the vote of confidence Velora.¡¯


    [Of course.]


    Rick then proceeded to explain his plan to the others, and Rogu was all for it. After making sure the now 80ish Goblins they had following them understood what was to happen, the entire group pivoted and moved in the direction of the forest.


    After making it into the forest, they walked in a bit deeper so as not to be easily seen, and quickly headed west towards where Kris and Krel were supposed to be waiting.


    Sometime later, the entire group made it, and they found Kris, Krel, and a few other members of the Royal Retrieval team waiting for them as well. Only Sarug and Ulgri were missing as they were needed to back with the Outpost team, who still hadn¡¯t begun any sort of building and were still heading deeper into the forest.


    Though¡­it wasn¡¯t only the other members of the Royal Retrieval team that Rick and the others came back to see.


    ¡®Verlora¡­this wasn¡¯t something as simple as an ambush¡­¡¯


    [No. it doesn¡¯t appear so.]


    ¡®This¡­this is a small army.¡¯

 Chapter Ninety One (Book 2)

    Rick and the others looked at the scene before them quite somberly. It was something of an eye opener for them. With the goblins back home at the village, and the combined total of all the Goblins that were evacuated from the Plains, the total wouldn¡¯t reach close to 500.


    It wouldn¡¯t even reach half of that.


    And 500 is an important number because that¡¯s the number of Orcs that were gathered in the area which was once Jala¡¯s tribe. Although they had evacuated with some of their goods, and a few tents, the tribe was still largely intact when Rick departed from the area.


    Now it has been replaced by much larger tents, battlements that were being set up at this very moment, and there were various other things being built as Rich watched it all with clenched fists.


    The Orcs weren¡¯t playing around any longer, and they were now flexing their muscles and proving why they had ruled these plains with an iron fist for generations, and why they would likely continue to rule it for generations to come. Unless of course someone had a say about it¡­


    POV Rick


    ¡°My Lord, your orders?¡±


    ¡®My orders huh¡­what do you think Velora. What should my orders be in this situation. Behind me stands a few Tiers 4 Goblins, and one Tier 5. A few tens of Tier 0 Goblins, and a handful of Tier 1s. Ahead of me stands what looks to be a few hundred Orcs of various shapes and sizes. From here alone I can tell there are more than just a few Tier 4 Orcs among the group and based on what I can see and feel, there are more than likely a few Tier 5s as well.


    ¡®That¡¯s the current situation, so what orders am I expected to give Velora? There¡¯s not a single Orc in that field that¡¯s weaker than Tier 3, and it even looks like they¡¯re even beginning to build a smithy. They are preparing for a proper war effort. Yet here we are, not even finished with building our village yet and it¡¯s two months away from here.


    ¡®Is it worth it to even continue building the Outpost? If this entire force stormed into the forest, would it even have a chance at survival? We really are out of our scope here, but I refuse to try and even order the Goblins to fight against this. How can I even ask Rogu to fight against this?This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    ¡®He¡¯s been calling me his Future King, and even the My Lord stuff, but this is different. This is the reality of war. We killed a few of them and now they have deemed time to retaliate and unlike in the movies, they¡¯re not going to just keep sending small squads to get wiped out one at a time until they are none left.


    ¡®No¡­the second they realized something was wrong they came out in force. A force we have no hope of fighting against. Not without sacrificing every single Goblins standing behind me. And even then, there¡¯s no hope in even getting on top. So, what are my orders, Velora? What else can they be other than retreating with our tail between our legs?¡¯


    [There is no harm in retreating. You knew this war would be a hard fought one the second you decided to start it.]


    ¡®I know¡­I know. It¡¯s a bit much to see what were up against in force like this. And the scary part isn¡¯t even what we see here. What¡¯s scary is what we don¡¯t see. There are other races in the Plains, and the Orcs definitely number far more than this. We have our work cut out for us don¡¯t we Velora.¡¯


    [We do, but we knew that and will be ready for it. Rogu has been silently waiting for your orders, you should probably respond.]


    ¡®Your right.¡¯


    ¡°My orders Rogu, are to retreat. This is not a battle we can fight at the moment. We are better off retreating and come up with a different strategy.¡±


    ¡°Understood My Lord, now if I may speak out of turn for moment. I believe this is the correct decision My Lord. Retreating is a part of war and knowing when to retreat is sometimes the most important ability of any strategist or commander. This war is not over My Lord. We will regroup and plan accordingly. My only suggestion is to potentially create a group of scouts that will monitor the activity of the Orcs.


    ¡°It would be too late to come up with a plan and counter strategy if they suddenly show up at our doorstep without warning.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for the kind words Rogu, it helps. We¡¯ll work on scouts as soon as we can. For now, let¡¯s retreat, while watching our backs.¡±


    Rick and the others then began walking away with Rick at the font of the group with Kris and Krel alongside him to lead him to the were the Outpost group¡¯s direction, and Rogu was picking up the rear, keeping a careful eye on the Orc camp they were slowly moving away from.


    ¡­.


    ¡°So those green bastards are running away after all huh¡­are you sure we can¡¯t just go after them right now? Only a few of them have any real strength, we could kill them before daybreak and get home in time for breakfast.¡±


    ¡°You know what the War Chief said. We can¡¯t enter the forest until he sends words. Apparently, he made a deal a long time ago with something that lives in the forest to never enter it. If you want to go against the War Chief then go right ahead, but I won¡¯t stick up for you.¡±


    ¡°Tch always the loyal dog.¡±


    ¡°Say that again and see if you don¡¯t lose a limb.¡±


    ¡°You think I¡¯m scared of you?¡±


    ¡°Both of you shut the fuck up. The War Chief will be here in a few weeks, and if someone¡¯s head is going to roll, it won¡¯t be mine.¡±

 Chapter Ninety Two (Book Two)

    Rick and the entire group slowly but surely made their way throughout the forest, and after an hour of traveling it wasn¡¯t hard to realize that the Orcs weren¡¯t following.


    It was around this time that Rick shifted from the front of the group and joined Rogu in the rear.


    POV Rick


    ¡°Rogu, we have talked about it a bit, but never quite had the chance to really discuss things. You came here to take me back to the Goblin Clans, because I¡¯m a Royal and the Future King of Goblins, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, My Lord. That was and still is the primary focus of my mission. You must visit the Clans; it is just a matter of when.¡±


    ¡°I see, and to visit the Clans, It will be roughly a year of travel, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, give or take. There are various places that we must avoid at all costs, and things could change dramatically at any point that may extend or shorten the entire journey. But it is best to plan for close to a year.¡±


    ¡°I understand that, but why me? Are there no other Royals? Why not elect one of your Chiefs perhaps?¡±


    ¡°My Lord, it is much deeper than that. You are special. Goblins cannot thrive without a Goblin King or Queen at our helm. It is impossible. Our race has many advantages, with our versatility and the fact that we grow much faster than others in more ways than one, but there cons as well¡­


    ¡°How much do you know about the Tiers of power in this world My Lord?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, not much, I guess. Thats just the level that someone evolved to, right?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not wrong My Lord, but there is more to it as well. What about the races that don¡¯t evolve? Like humans for example. They don¡¯t evolve or gain strength in the way that Goblins and other monsters or monster races do. Yet they are also judged by the same Tiers of Power, I won¡¯t dive into how a human gets stronger since I¡¯m not knowledgeable enough about it, but what I will say is that they aren¡¯t born with caps to their power.


    ¡°No one knows how strong the strongest human is, at least Goblin of Dark Lands of Mir do not know, but we do know they can keep growing, and there are at least 10 known Tiers of Power.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    ¡°It is important to know that because regular Goblins cannot evolve past Tier 7.¡±


    ¡°What.?!¡±


    ¡°That is the unfortunate truth for us My Lord. We can never reach Tier 8 or anything above it. That is simply the hard limit of our race. Except for one person. The Monarch of Goblins is the Goblin in history that is known to be able to evolve to Tier 10. A level of power that demands respect all over this continent. No one would be able to force us to bow or hide away in unfavorable places if a Tier 10 King stood at our forefront.


    ¡°Though it gets even deeper than that. Even though our cap is Tier 7, it is not one we can reach without drinking the blood of the King or Queen, in a sacred ritual passed down among our people. So even the current Chiefs will never advance to Tier 7 without a Monarch to assist them. That is why you are so important to us My Lord.


    ¡°If it wasn¡¯t so perilous of a journey, we would have marched every single clan here to greet you. It is also why you must be protected without fail and returned to the Clans so that you maybe be crowned as soon as possible. If the humans found out about your presence, they would spare no cost to ensure you didn¡¯t live long enough to grow. Goblins are not a part of the known acknowledged Monster Races. We are seen simply as monsters to be killed and hunted for parts. Infestation to be taken out lest we grow too much. Beginner quests for new hunters to wet their eyes. Having a Monarch would change that, and just any Monarch, but one that was a true powerhouse would force them to respect us or start a war to remove us. Both of which are better situations than the lives we live now. Because at least with powerhouse at our help and a host of Tier 7 Goblins at his back, we would have a chance to not only fight but secure a true place in this world. So, to answer your earlier question, no My Lord, there are no other Royals apart from you. At least not on this continent.¡±


    ¡®That¡¯s¡­that¡¯s a lot to digest¡­¡¯


    [One thing at a time Rick.]


    ¡®Your right, one thing at a time.¡¯


    ¡°Rogu thank for that explanation, there¡¯s a lot to unpack there but I understand the gravity of the situation now, and a lot more regarding the importance of my position. But I¡¯ll start with one thing at a time. You mentioned not on this continent. Are there others?¡±


    ¡°Yes, My Lord, we Goblins know of two other continents besides this one. We don¡¯t know their exact location or how far they are from here, we just know they exist.¡±


    ¡°And there is a chance that there are other Royal Goblins on those continents, right?¡±


    ¡°Hmmm, potentially My Lord. No one has been able to confirm just how far the reach of the Stones of Power are. We are confident that it can reach every corner of this continent, but it is hard to confirm if that is the case for the others.¡±


    ¡°So, what would be the process if another Royal showed up claiming to be our King? Would me and that Royal have to fight it out?¡±


    ¡°Honestly My Lord I am not sure. Perhaps my father or some of the other Chiefs will have such knowledge. There are records that even I am not allowed access to.¡±


    ¡°Records that you aren¡¯t allowed access to huh¡­I¡¯d love to read those.¡±


    ¡°No one would be able to stop you from doing so My Lord.¡±