Hogo Brittleblade thumbed a rusty dagger nervously. He hardly noticed the blade prick his finger. He was standing with his co-chiefs, awaiting Rika's orders. The rain was still falling from her battle just a few hours earlier.

"Top priority is experience. Kill and eat. Find their dead. If a goblin is wounded, take them out yourself. Villages, monsters, hunters… whatever you can find. Greenthru, take your goblins north. Snakebitter, west." Rika said.

The four chiefs were gathered around her. It was early spring, shortly after the great evolution of their forces.

"Gobog, you inch your way south. That's a dangerous route, so be careful."

One by one, the other chiefs left to gather their bosses.

"Uh, what about me, boss?" Hogo asked.

Rika sneered at him. "Where do you think? Go east."

"But… there isn't much that way." He said with a sulk. "Just a few villages and that spooky house. Give it to Greenthru!"

"Greenthru didn't lose FOUR squads last winter. You did. Count yourself lucky I haven't taken your armor and fed you to the wargs."

Hogo swallowed nervously. It was true he lost a full third of his forces. But it wasn't his fault! Gobma walked into a trap, surely. And Kella was caught by some adventurer. The others lost squads as well, but only one or two.

Luckily, they had the numbers to easily replace his squads. Still, it wasn't a good look.

"R- right! No problem. I'll do that." Hogo smiled at Rika submissively. "And… what about you? Gonna take the fight to the city?"

"Don't worry about me. I have some things to do at the camp. Just do as you're told."

Hogo bowed his head and skulked away. As soon as he was out of view, he snarled and snapped at the air. Greenthru? He was barely a fighter. Nothing special about him… why was HE being given special treatment? Brown-nosing piece of shit probably found something to bribe Rika with.

Not that Rika could be bribed.

A short time later, he moved to his quarter of the camp. Goblins ran wild, testing their new biotraits and marveling at their sudden growth. They had formed new niches. Similar traits tended to group up.

He ducked as a winged goblin flew past, stumbling in the air.

"Brittleblades! To me!" Hogo called.

In short order, twelve goblinoids came before him. They knew the penalty of disobedience. Bugbears, goblins, a hobgoblin, and even a kobold and nilbog. Each looked at him in some mixture of supplication and challenge. This was good. He liked his bosses to have a bit of spine but to know their place as well.

"Alright, boys. Here's the thing. We're going east. Killing and eating our way through. Rika did some party trick that lets us get even more experience. Just gotta make sure someone devours the kills. Shouldn't be a problem. Also, the days of hoarding experience is over." Hogo withdrew a cigar from the depths of his enchanted armor and lit it on a nearby torch.

"Uh, boss, what's that mean?" Said one of his newer goblins.

"Means the experience is an even split. Everyone gets the same amount. That way, the newbies can catch up, and we more experienced gobs can level up, too. Course, I get a bit more. As is right."

They all looked around excitedly. A rumor spread that all the experience would go to the new recruits. Their relief was plain on their faces.

"Gather your squads. We leave at first light."

The first few days of their conquest went by uneventfully. Nearly three hundred bodies moving through the woods. His goblinoids, plus a group or two of orcs, barely slowed through the trees. The mist was only an inconvenience, and they feared no danger. They were the danger.

A few monsters fell to the horde. But, it wasn't enough to make a change.

On their fourth day, they found their first village. It was not prepared. No one had warned them. His green tide washed over its walls. He lost maybe a dozen goblins, but that was okay. He could just get their experience back.

These humans were weak. Their people couldn't fight. Despite being higher level than the majority of his force. What had they spent their traits and skills on? When a goblin attacked, they just sort of… stood there. Trembling and sobbing like gremlins. It was like they had never been in a fight before. Pathetic.

Of course, there were exceptions. Usually, a few dozen didn't back down so quickly. A few humans stood out. These could fight well. He had to kill them personally. Hogo wasn't a curious bugbear. But, he knew that any information could be handy.

"Spoggles, come here," Hogo called after a long day of slaughter.

The small nilbog hobbled to him. He was hunched and small, almost like a hobgoblin. Smaller than normal. His eyes, however, were massive. Each was the size of one of Hogo's fists.

"Yes, boss. What can I do for you?" Spoggles said with a bow. He had a… clean way of talking that bugged Hogo. But, he was useful.

"Go get me a live one. If there are any left."

"Of course. I have a selection. Woman? Man? Child? How… damaged?"

"Someone that knows a thing or two about humans."

The nilbog nodded and wandered off. A short time later, he had a dazed-looking human following him. A female who was unhurt.

"This way, friend." Spoggles spoke. As he talked, his eyes spiraled and glowed. The human's eyes locked towards it. Even Hogo was tempted to look into those depths. Even though he was four levels higher than the nilbog. "Answer this bugbear's questions, dear."

The human looked at Hogo, then recoiled in fear. He grabbed her by the chin with the speed of a viper. Tears ran down her cheek.

"Human. Explain, why are you so weak?"

"I… I don't…" she tried. He dropped her.

"Your people cower against mine. Despite being at a higher level than most of them. Yet, only a few are willing to fight. Why is this?"

"Don't be scared. Answer the question." Spoggles told her. She calmed down immediately.

"We aren't warriors. Farmers, tenders of the forest, and ranchers. Our heroes do the fighting."

"Heroes?"

"Those chosen to fight. They are given the opportunity to gain more experience, so they can protect us."

"How many heroes does each village have?"

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

"A few, generally. When there are too many, the strongest join a guild and then send back money and treasures."

Hogo barked out a laugh "So, you send away your strongest warriors? Pathetic. No wonder you fall so easily."

"If I may," Spoggles said. Hogo nodded. "I believe that humans don't fight and kill for food as we do. Their experience is scarce. It makes sense that they create a few warriors, rather than a lot of weak fighters."

"Alright. Then, last question. What do you do with your dead?"

"We bury them behind the hill yonder," she pointed.

Hogo nodded. Then he ripped a sword from his armor of blades and stabbed her through the chest.

[You have slain - tiller, level 6. Experience Gained.]

He snorted in appreciation. He wasn't sure how, but Rika had made it so they gained experience from killing AND eating. Each human was essentially worth two kills.

"Spoggles, she is yours to devour."

The nilbog jumped on her corpse like a rabid dog. Hogo looked off towards the hill.

"Goblins! To me! And bring shovels."

Hogo was, after all, a bugbear. He wasn't perfectly fair. 10% of all the experience went to him directly. Everything else, even split. The orcs had their own system and killed about a quarter of the humans. But, the humans had a few hundred skeletons just waiting to be scavanged.

Once the corpses were scavenged, his weakest goblin was now level six. He reached level 15. Now, he had enough biotraits for the growth he wanted.

After making the necessary choices, blades popped from his armor. The force of his two additional arms pushed themselves free. The armor would adapt. That was its purpose. Armor of endless blades which adapted to any form.

He stretched his four arms and roared. His horde roared back.

Now, he had time to ponder the curious message.

[Level 15 monster reached. Seek a mark of a spirit beast to progress.]

He knew there was a… wall of sorts past level 15. Rika wouldn't speak of it, being the only goblin to pass it. A mark of the spirit beast? He would have to keep an eye out for one.

Weeks passed. In that time, they had tracked and killed several monsters and slew hundreds of humans. Two villages and a few smaller settlements. Each village also had a convenient pile of experience buried beneath their villages, or nearby. Some even had monster corpses on display that could be harvested. His bosses had grown to level 10 and the weakest of them was now level 8. Soon, there would be no practical difference between a grunt and a boss. That was fine, as long as Hogo was the strongest.

Hogo had only lost a tenth of his force by then and had excelled at slaying the heroes. The trick, he found, was no hesitation whatsoever. Cut them down before they could use any of their fancy tricks.

Finally, as they neared the eastern mountains, he felt a chill in the air. Like a wind pushing him towards something. Not a physical wind, but something different. Deeper. It came with a scent of blood.

Naturally, he followed it. The scent took him to the base of the mountain. Something in his bones told him to continue alone.

"We stop here. Set up camp." He informed his bosses. The eleven that remained. One got a bit too overzealous with their new level and tried to take Hogo's spot. It failed. "Send out scouts and raiders while you wait. Mark the human settlements for slaughter later."

Alone, he ventured up the mountain.

Days passed. With every step, the scent grew stronger. This was the call of a spirit beast. He knew it was instinctual.

The trail led him to a valley in the mountain. It had rough terrain, and stone walls that curled down to meet the relatively flat floor. Like a large bowl scooped out of the mountain itself.

"Hogo Brittleblade…" a voice whispered. It was an ethereal voice. As though just at the edge of his hearing.

Hogo snapped four swords from his armor. The blades regenerated themselves after a moment.

"Show yourself, beast." He demanded.

"I am here. Do you wish trial by combat? If you lose, your life is forfeit." The voice said.

Hogo swiped the air. "I see nothing. Come out and I'll show you a trial."

"I am here." The voice came from a different direction. "With you."

He swiped his swords in that direction. Nothing. He growled in frustration. He had a spare point, maybe he could pick up some traits to help him find invisible cowards.

Hogo stumbled back as soon as he entered his status void to look for one. There, a mere few yards from him was the spirit beast.

It was a cross between a lion and a goat. Large horns curved to blade-like tips. It had hand-like claws on all four legs and a long tail that whipped back and forth. Rather than flesh and bone, it was made of the same stuff as his status screens. That blue glow. There was a transparent, flickering quality to it.

"Do you choose trial by combat?" It asked.

"Yeah, let's-"

The beast leaped at him like a cat on a mouse. Its claws spread wide. He was forced to duck and roll out of the way. A sharp, jagged rock stopped his roll prematurely.

How was he supposed to fight something when he couldn't see the world around him? Of course, that was the challenge, he realized. Fine, he would just have to step up to it.

Hogo stood up and snapped off another blade. One had broken in the roll. He watched the beast circle him. Effortless climbing over the stones.

He flashed in and out of the status screen, trying to memorize the placement of the rocks and cracks. He entered the status void just in time to see the spirit beast pouncing at him again.

He stepped to the side, mindful of his footing, swiped with three of his swords, and stabbed with another. The blades made contact, knocking the beast to the side. A stray claw slashed against his armor. The rusted blades cut both Hogo and the beast equally. Hogo was used to it, though.

His fourth sword had pierced the beast's hide and snapped off. It was there, floating in the beast's chest. It made no noise. No roar of challenge or the bleating of pain.

It only struck again. This time, Hogo dove away and exited the status void at the same time.

He ran, seeking better ground to fight it. There. A crevice large enough for him. There, he could force the fight in one direction.

But, he underestimated the beast's speed. It slammed into him from behind. His armor shattered. Bones snapped. He was thrown against jagged rocks. More rusted blades broke and scattered.

Rage flooded Hogo. He had never LOST a fight before. Sure, he let Rika knock him around. But that wasn't a fight. It would be mad to fight Rika.

He took stock of his wounds. He couldn't move one leg. Based on the pain, his back was a mess of gore. His armor was tatters of a few blades. Bad shape.

As he struggled to stand, the beast calmly walked toward him. Then, with the ease of eating grass, it bit into the side of his neck. Hogo screamed as the beast lifted him.

Blood gushed from the wound. But, Hogo wasn't done. Not till he ran out of blades. The beast shook him, but he grasped one of its horns with two arms. He held onto it with all his strength.

With his other hand, he grabbed blade after rusted blade from the tatters of his armor. He stabbed it in the neck, leaving the metal where it stabbed. Again and again, until he was out of blades. Every shake of its head grew weaker and weaker. It had no blood, yet seemed to bleed.

Soon, it lost the strength to hold him. He fell to the ground, and the beast slumped next to him.

Now it was a battle of wills. A simple wait to see who would die first. He latched a hand to his wound, slowing what bleeding he could. Hogo could feel his heartbeat. There was so much pain, he tuned it out. Instead, he focused on the rhythmic pulse. Each beat was slower than the last.

Finally, after dozens of agonizingly slow heartbeats. The spirit beast faded away.

[You have completed a spirit beast trial and earned the Mark of the Mountain. Constitution increased by 4, will increased by 2. New trait: Horns [Stonetouched]. Regenisis available.]

Hogo looked at his options. He had more than he expected to. The mark of the mountain had opened new paths for him. Stone giant, minotaur, satyr, even lycanthrope (goat). But, one option stood out to him.

[Regenisis to Buggbeast complete. Strength increased by 3, Dexterity increased by 1, Constitution increased by 2. Intelligence and will increased by 1. Base size change: Medium. New traits: Mighty Jaws, Aura of Fear.]

Hogo woke with a roar that echoed through the mountains completely healed. He marveled at his new size. Everything about him seemed enhanced. Thicker fur, mightier jaws. He felt the heavy stone horns atop his head. So, this was the difference between him and Rika. A whole new realm of power. He knew a new regenisis was powerful. But, he knew nothing of the mark. His armor was now in pieces, but that was fine. It would regrow.

That explained where Rika received her wings. They had appeared one day. He laughed with a new, more monstrous voice. He would snap those wings one day.

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