The ruins of the forgotten village had become home. Not by choice, but by necessity. The remnants of crumbling walls provided shelter, the broken roads served as training grounds, and the surrounding forest ensured a steady supply of food. Yet, despite these advantages, Leav knew this place was only temporary.
Survival wasn't enough. Dominance was the goal.
Leav stood at the highest point in the ruins, a fractured tower with just enough foundation left to support him. From here, he could see everything—the goblins below, training and preparing, their forms twisting and shifting in the dim light of the torches. He could hear them grunting, the clash of wooden weapons, the occasional scream when a sparring match ended in broken bones.
His tribe was growing stronger, but strength alone wouldn't be enough.
[Leav's Perspective]
His fingers flexed, the sensation different than before. His body had changed again, muscles denser, movement smoother. Every breath filled his lungs with new clarity, his heartbeat steady, controlled.
The system had confirmed it.
[Leav's New Status]
Race:Goblin Tactician (Evolved from Goblin)
Level: 10
New Abilities:
Tactical Vision: Predict enemy movements with greater precision.
Battle Awareness: Process combat information faster, leading to better decision-making.
Enhanced Leadership: Influence lesser goblins more effectively.
His evolution wasn't just physical—it was mental. His instincts had sharpened, his mind now naturally processing battles before they even started. Every step, every movement, every possible enemy reaction clicked into place in his mind as if he had trained for it his whole life.
Leav clenched his fists.
This is what I need.
But he wasn't the only one changing.
[ Tear's Perspective ]
Tear stood with his arms crossed, watching the warriors struggle through another day of brutal training. Some were adapting well, pushing through exhaustion, their swings becoming more refined, their reflexes sharpening. Others… would never make it.
His grip tightened on the hilt of his weapon.
They're too soft. They fight like prey.
Leav had given him authority over the warriors, and he wouldn't waste that trust. They would break before they got stronger. Those who couldn't handle it would be discarded.
"Again," he barked, his voice like gravel grinding against stone.
A goblin stumbled forward, panting. His form was off, his footing weak.
Tear stepped forward, grabbed the goblin by the collar, and threw him to the ground.
"Pathetic," he growled. "If you fight like that in real battle, you die."
The goblin shivered but didn't move.
Tear sighed. He won't survive.
But Yorl?
Tear's gaze flickered toward the beast of a goblin standing a few feet away, barely able to contain his energy. Yorl is different.
[ Yorl's Perspective ]
Yorl's heart pounded in his ears. His hands twitched, itching to tear something apart.
His body felt strange. He was growing, his muscles heavier, his hunger for battle stronger. He wasn't sure if he was evolving yet, but something inside him was changing.
Tear's training was brutal, but it wasn't enough. The fights weren't enough. He needed something more—something that would let him release the fire raging inside him.
The last battle had awakened something in him. He had tasted the thrill of real combat, of crushing his enemies beneath his strength. But it hadn't been enough. He needed more.
Yorl looked at Tear, then at Leav standing above them.
Leav had evolved.
That meant he had to evolve too.
But how?
His instincts told him one thing.
I need to fight. I need to kill.
Yorl bared his teeth, gripping his weapon tightly. His moment would come soon.
And when it did, he would embrace it fully.
[ Leav's Perspective ]
From his vantage point, Leav watched everything unfold.
Tear was pushing the warriors to their limits, breaking them down only to rebuild them stronger. Some would fail. The ones who didn't… would become something far deadlier.
Yorl was restless. His time was coming, and Leav would ensure he reached his full potential.
Frot was lurking in the shadows, as always, whispering to the others, keeping his influence alive. Weal was busy crafting new poisons, testing them on small creatures in the dead of night.
The tribe was shifting, growing.
And soon, the next phase would begin.
Leav narrowed his eyes toward the horizon.
The Bonefangs were still out there. Watching. Waiting.
Let them wait.
When the time came, Leav would crush them.