Slowly, I turned my gaze toward the goblins. The one who had run before the orc earlier kneeled at my feet, his body trembling.

"My king," he rasped, kowtowing his head.

At his words, the other goblins—who had been hiding in the thicket, watching the battle unfold—emerged. They rushed forward, falling to their knees in unison, their eyes wide with awe and fear.

"King!" they chanted, their voices trembling with reverence.

I surveyed them, my gaze cold. Where most might have felt pride or triumph in such a moment, I felt nothing. No joy, no satisfaction. Only the simmering heat of ambition had begun to take root within me. These goblins—weak and pathetic as they were—now saw me as their leader, their king. They had been broken by fear, but fear was a powerful tool, and I could use it.

As I looked over their kneeling forms, the gears in my mind began to turn. I wasn’t just a mindless beast driven by hunger or rage. I had evolved, not only in body but in thought. These goblins were weak, but with proper guidance, they could become something more. They could be shaped into weapons, tools for my greater purpose.

And that purpose? It was still forming, still solidifying in my mind, but one thing was clear—I would not stop here. I had tasted power, and the taste was intoxicating. This forest was vast, filled with predators far stronger than the orcs. But I had no intention of remaining at the bottom. I would rise, and nothing—not orcs, not wolves, not even the monstrous creatures lurking in the deeper parts of the forest—would stop me.

This was only the beginning.

“I am no longer just your leader,” I said, my voice low but firm, a sense of authority building within me. “I am your king.”

The goblins shivered at my words, their eyes wide with fear and awe.

"You will follow me," I continued, "and together we will take what is ours. No more hiding, no more scavenging like rats. We will become hunters, conquerors.”

As I spoke, I could feel their loyalty solidifying, their fear of me growing into respect, perhaps even devotion. I would use that. They were weak now, but that could change.

This forest, this world—it would all be mine.

I clenched my new, stronger fists, my sharp nails digging into my palm, and I smiled. The path forward was clear.

And I would show this forest that the goblins would no longer be at the bottom of the food chain.

With one last look at the goblins kneeling before me, I turned away, already planning my next move. The seeds of ambition had taken root and would only continue to grow.

"Rise," I commanded. The goblins obeyed without question.

"Now," I said, my voice cold and resolute, "we hunt."

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.....

The sky stretched endlessly, an expanse of deep blue with gentle clouds drifting across its surface. Beneath it, a lake rippled, reflecting the serene beauty of the heavens. The water moved in rhythm with the wind, creating delicate patterns that danced on the surface. For a moment, I felt an odd sense of peace.

It was so serene, so peaceful, and yet… when I looked down at my reflection in the lake’s mirror-like surface, the sight jarred me back to reality.

The world around me was beautiful, but my own image? Not so much.

My eyes, sharper than ever, glinted like those of a predator. My jaw, now heavier, set into a hard, almost savage expression. My face was no longer ugly in a traditional sense; it was more dangerous and ferocious.

I studied the features staring back at me, and a bitter smile twisted my lips. "I’ve truly become a monster," I muttered, the words barely audible over the rustling wind.

The goblin in the lake’s reflection grinned back at me, its sharp, menacing fangs gleaming.

A voice broke through my dark thoughts. "My king, we will arrive soon." It was one of my subordinates, a goblin who had just recently evolved into a Goblin Baron, his tone both reverent and anxious. He stood tall, his form bulkier than the average goblin. I nodded silently, and we set off back toward the settlement.

Several days had passed since the fateful clash with the orc. In that time, my new form had fully settled, and I grew accustomed to the weight of my new body. The muscle, the speed, the heightened senses—all of it felt natural now. I wasn’t just stronger; I was more precise and more lethal.

I had evolved into something beyond a mere Goblin Baron. I had dubbed this new form “Goblin Viscount”. During this time, I had waged war alongside my goblin followers against the surrounding beasts. During those days, I didn’t just grow accustomed to my new form; I also took the opportunity to teach my subjects the ways of survival and strategy.

We dug pits, laid traps, and hunted with precision, ambushing beasts and cutting down anything that dared cross our path. The goblins, under my guidance, grew more disciplined. Our attacks became more coordinated, and the damage we sustained from retaliating prey became minimal.

My own strength had also reached new heights. With my power, I could strangle beasts like the two golden-tusk boar with my bare hands, crushing its windpipe without breaking a sweat. Even creatures like the triple-headed snake that once eluded me fell easily to my dull, chipped blade.

Yet, no matter how much progress we made, the hunger inside me only grew.

It wasn’t long before we found ourselves deep within the forest, a large group of prey before us. The scent of blood was in the air. A massive herd of animals grazed just ahead, unaware of the death that lurked in the shadows.

Without a word, I signaled my followers. Bloodlust radiated off us like heat from the sun. We moved as one. My sword flashed in the dim light, cutting down a giant boar in a single stroke. The beasts scattered, but there was no escape.

Goblins rushed in, tearing into flesh with spears, claws, and fangs. Blood sprayed into the air, turning the forest floor into a slick mess of gore and entrails. We killed everything that moved. Boars, deer, wolves—anything in our path was torn apart. Even a group of orcs that had been wandering the forest became our prey, their bodies broken and discarded in the chaos.

I reveled in the carnage, feeling the power surging through me with every kill and every drop of blood spilled. My muscles ached with satisfaction, and my vision blurred slightly as the bloodlust took hold of me.

It was not enough to kill; I had to consume. We feasted on the fallen, tearing into flesh and bone with savage hunger. My strength grew with every bite, every mouthful of warm, bloody meat. My subordinates followed suit, their eyes gleaming with the same hunger that burned inside me.

Amidst the slaughter, I could feel the changes. My power surged, growing with each heartbeat. I was becoming stronger, faster, and more deadly. The feeling was intoxicating. Then something miraculous happened.

Three of my closest subordinates, who had fought relentlessly by my side, began to change as well. Their forms shifted, growing larger and more defined, until they stood tall, no longer simple goblins. They had evolved into Goblin Barons, their presence radiating strength and dominance.

The sight of their transformation filled me with pride and ambition. We were no longer mere goblins. We were becoming greater. As we returned to the goblin settlement, a strange feeling settled in my chest.

The village, now bustling with activity as my goblin subjects scurried about, preparing for the next hunt, looked different. The vision of a kingdom—a kingdom where I would rule over not just goblins but an army—grew clearer in my mind. We needed more strength, more numbers. And for that, we needed the goblin village we had heard about.

According to one of my elder subordinates, the village housed not only warriors but also females. Females of both goblins and other races. A place where the population was grown through abduction and forced breeding.

The goblins who now served me had originally belonged to that village. They were outcasts, younger goblins who had left after the previous leader forbade them from mating with the females. A foolish decision on his part, one that had fractured the group. That Goblin Baron was no leader. He had failed to maintain unity and, in doing so, had allowed his subordinates to stray and become mine.

When I inquired further, I learned that the village housed around 40 goblin warriors, alongside 25 others who were too old, too young, or too weak to fight. The females, according to my source, were kept hidden, likely inside the old human structures that dotted the village.

It was the perfect opportunity. It was clear what I had to do next.

"My king," one of my newly evolved Goblin Barons spoke, bowing slightly. "What are your orders?" I looked toward the distant forest where the goblin village lay. "We march to the village," I said, my voice low and dangerous. "It's time we claim it as our own."

We would take the village. And from there, I would build an empire.