Chapter 43 - 42

Chapter 43: Chapter 42 "Skitz, call in Gobo1 and Gorrak. I need a word with them." "As you command, my Lord." Skitz bowed and swiftly turned, vanishing between the trees to fetch them. Lumberling exhaled, rubbing his temple. "We’ve been delaying our return long enough... but this won’t take long." He had originally planned to stay in the deep forest for only a couple of months. Nearly four extra months had passed. But it had been worth it. Gobo2, Takkar, and Aren had all evolved—Hobgoblin Warrior, Kobold Berserker, Hobgoblin Spearman Warrior. Each now wielded strength on par with a Knight Page. Their growth wasn’t luck—it was hard-earned through brutal skirmishes, sleepless nights, and brushes with death. Their strength was real. Gobo1 and Gorrak, however, hadn’t yet broken through. Not for lack of effort, but perhaps they needed a different kind of push. And Lumberling’s newly mastered skill might be the answer. Footsteps approached. "My Lord, you called for us?" "Yes. How’s the hunt going, Captain Gobo1?" "It’s going well. We just finished off a pack of giant rats along the mountain ridge." Gobo2 bowed deeply, his voice respectful but quieter than usual. Lumberling noticed the tension in his shoulders. The strain of watching his peers evolve while remaining stagnant weighed heavily on him—and Gorrak wasn’t faring much better. "I heard you almost lost your life recently, chasing a pack too deep into unknown ground." "...It was a mistake, my Lord. I accept any punishment." Lumberling gave a soft smile, one tinged with pride. Just a year ago, this goblin was timid and nameless. Now he spoke like a soldier, accepting fault with dignity. Monsters weren’t supposed to feel shame. But this one did—and that meant something. "I know you both hunger for strength. But chasing death isn’t the same as chasing growth." He stepped forward, meeting their eyes. "That said... I’ve seen your grit, your loyalty—and your survival. So I will offer you a gift." Gobo1 and Gorrak looked up, surprised. "But before I give it... I must ask: Will you serve me? Not just follow orders. Not just fight. But serve—with everything you are." "My life has always been yours, my Lord," Gobo1 said without hesitation. "And mine is yours by choice and by pride," Gorrak added firmly. Lumberling’s expression turned serious. "Then listen closely. What I’m about to give you must remain secret. You tell no one—not even the others." He turned and drove his spear into the bloodhorn they had kept restrained. As the creature gasped and twitched, Lumberling activated his skill—Essence Weave. A purple thread of energy arced from the beast’s corpse, coiling around his arm before splitting. One half entered his own body. The other... he guided slowly, carefully, into Gobo1. The goblin jolted. His eyes widened. The thread pulsed, then dimmed. He grunted, breathing heavily. "My Lord... what is this power? I feel—stronger. Like when I first evolved... but slower. Sharper." Lumberling smiled. "Good. You’ll feel that a lot. I hope." Gorrak received the next transfer, the same process. Both of them staggered, but stabilized. There were no immediate signs of evolution, but the energy was taking root. That was enough—for now. Over the next two weeks, Lumberling conducted dozens of essence transfers—bloodhorns, giant rats, shade stalkers, vine creatures. It was slow work, and the result wasn’t nearly as efficient as devouring the monsters directly. Still, it was working. By the third week, Gobo1 broke through. Skitz watched Gobo1’s frame ripple with raw energy as the evolution took hold. He smiled to himself—pride, awe, and a flicker of something deeper. Once, he was just another goblin scheming for survival. Now, he stood beside a Lord who changed destinies. "This... this is real power," he thought. Four days later, Gorrak evolved. Their eyes shone with fresh vigor. Their bodies—tougher, stronger. Their movements—sharper. And their loyalty? Unshakable. Lumberling stood before them with a satisfied sigh. "It’s finally time to go home. I just hope Jen’s not too mad." "You all ready?" "Hell yes!" Gobo2 grinned. "I can’t wait to beat some discipline into my lazy squad." "I’m going to challenge Krivex to a rematch first thing," Aren declared with fire in his eyes. "He owes me a beating now that I’m stronger." Lumberling chuckled. "Don’t cry if you lose again." Before Lumberling and his subordinates departed, they brought with them the bones and materials they had collected from months of monster hunts. Each carried large packs and sacks filled with hide, tusk, venom sacs, and bone. Gobo2 alone hauled the towering remnants of the Serpent Vine’s skeleton—its ivory coils bundled like a grim trophy. Its meat had long been scavenged by forest predators, but its bones, belonging to a monster on par with a Quasi-Knight, might fetch an excellent price—or perhaps be reforged into something greater. That monster remained the strongest they’d ever faced—second only, perhaps, to the Bear Behemoths whose territory they had wisely avoided. As the group began their trek, Lumberling took one last look at the forest that had almost killed them—and made them stronger. His expression was unreadable, save for a flicker of something wistful in his eyes. He smirked at the thought, but it faded into something softer. "It’s time to return." The sun filtered through the trees as the party stepped out of the wilds—stronger, scarred, and irreversibly changed. Two weeks had passed since Lumberling and his subordinates began their journey back, and now they stood once again at the entrance of the goblin village. Jen and her grandfather were the first to greet them. "Brother! You finally came home!" Jen lunged at Lumberling, burying her face into his stomach. "I see you’ve grown taller," Lumberling chuckled, patting her head. "You finally reach my waistline." "Hmph! I’m not that small!" Jen stomped her foot in mock protest while Lumberling laughed heartily. "My Lord, I’m glad to see you well," said old man Dan, giving a respectful bow. His eyes then shifted to the figures behind Lumberling. For a moment, he froze. The hobgoblins standing behind his Lord radiated a presence that reminded him of the knights from the cities. He furrowed his brows as he looked closer—and his breath caught. He recognized them. They were the captains who had followed his Lord into the forest. They look so different... and stronger? They had grown—taller, broader, more defined. Their gazes were sharper, their presence heavier, like seasoned warriors with blood-soaked histories. The aura of death that clung to them made Dan’s skin crawl. "How’s life here, old man Dan?" Lumberling asked. "This village has grown wonderfully, my Lord. There’s great potential here for future development," Dan replied with pride. He eagerly shared updates on the farms, livestock, new constructions, and the pottery works in the village. As a man well-versed in crops and animal husbandry, Dan had naturally been assigned to oversee those areas—and he had embraced the role fully. It was clear that both he and Jen had adapted to life among monsters. They no longer flinched in fear or kept their distance. At least, not from the named ones—they treated them like ordinary villagers, even if they weren’t quite human. Lumberling and the captains soon returned to their homes. The warriors quickly scattered, Gorrak eager to reunite with his subordinates. Aren, meanwhile, ran off shouting that he was challenging Krivex to a duel at the training grounds. Lumberling, however, made a beeline for his quarters. After a much-needed bath, he collapsed into bed. In the forest, sleep had been a luxury—now, he made up for it by sleeping straight through until morning. After a full day’s rest, Lumberling rose to a village bustling with purpose. There was no time to waste. In the village’s meeting hall, a formal council had gathered. Lumberling sat at the head of the table. Skitz was seated beside him, along with the hobgoblin warriors. Old man Dan was present, and another hobgoblin warrior had joined the assembly: Krivex. He, too, had evolved. Now a hobgoblin warrior, Krivex sat with a quiet confidence. Next to him was Aren—sporting a bruised face and a sheepish grin. Krivex specialized in archery and dagger combat. Smart, adaptable, and diligent, it wasn’t surprising that he’d evolved. Still, the speed of his growth had taken even Lumberling by surprise.