Gobo2.

The once carefree goblin stood tall and proud, his green skin darker, muscles more defined, and eyes glowing faintly with vigor. His posture was confident, almost heroic in its own way.

Lumberling raised a brow, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "I didn't expect you'd be the one to evolve first before the others."

Gobo2 grinned wide, showing his sharp teeth. "Hehe, that's how main characters are, my Lord. Always full of surprises."

Laughter rippled through the group. Even Skitz couldn't hold back a chuckle, shaking his head. "Still the same loudmouth," he muttered, though the pride in his voice was clear.

Lumberling couldn't help but let out a quiet laugh himself. "You haven't changed either," he said, before letting his eyes roam across the rest of the gathered warriors.

It didn't take long for him to notice more changes. Kaeldron and Jen now stood taller and steadier, their presence carrying the distinct aura of Knight Apprentices. Even Kelgroth and Shen, his sub-captains had evolved, stepping into the Quasi-Knight level.

And it didn't stop there. Among the gathered soldiers, wolves, and lizardmen, fourteen had advanced to the levels of Knight Apprentice and Knight Page. Their strength had grown naturally without even needing to devour essence.

Lumberling crossed his arms, silently impressed. His people were growing fast, faster than he expected.

He took a step forward, his voice firm.

"I'm glad you all got stronger," he said, looking at each of them. "But remember, this isn't the end. Keep training. If we want to survive this war, reaching the True Knight stage is the bare minimum."

His words were met with firm nods and determined faces. The soldiers, wolves, and lizardmen straightened their backs, their earlier excitement replaced by renewed resolve.

Then Lumberling turned toward Skitz. "Lead me to the prisoners you captured."

Skitz gave a sharp salute, his grin fading into a serious expression. "Right away, my Lord."

Lumberling turned to the rest. "Those responsible for catching them, follow us."

The group moved as one as they made their way toward the prison tents.

…..

Inside the prison area, the air was thick with tension and the scent of blood and metal. Enemy knights were bound tightly in chains, their armor stripped away. Some were still conscious, glaring weakly through bruised faces, while others hung limp from exhaustion.

Lumberling stood at the center, scanning them one by one before turning to his trusted companions.

"Jen, Uncle Drake, Liraeth, Lunira, step forward," Lumberling said firmly. "You, along with the sub-captains and vice-captains, will handle this yourselves. Take what you can."

He stood at the center overseeing the process as they began absorbing the essences of the Knights they had defeated.

No one hesitated. Each of them moved to the captives they had claimed, and soon, faint streams of glowing essence began to rise from the prisoners' bodies.

Lumberling's eyes followed each flow carefully, making sure everything went smoothly. Minutes passed before the last trace of essence faded, leaving the air still once more.

Liraeth slowly opened her eyes. Her body radiated a calm strength, her aura steady and vibrant, she had broken through to the Knight Page stage.

Her lips curved into a warm smile. Before she could stop herself, she stepped forward and hugged him tightly.

"Thank you," she whispered, her voice trembling slightly with relief.

Lumberling's expression softened. He returned the gesture with a gentle pat on her back, a faint smile touching his lips.

"You're welcome," he said quietly.

As the last of the essences settled, faint ripples of energy spread across the tent. The vice-captains' auras grew heavier, their strength rising to new heights. One after another, their presence stabilized, each of them stepping firmly into the mid stages of Quasi-Knight.

Jen, Uncle Drake, and Lunira were no exception. Their energy flared for a moment, then stronger and more refined than before.

Then, from among the sub-captains, four figures, Tor, Zel, Zephar, and Ragza began to glow faintly. Their bodies trembled as waves of energy coursed through them. The air around them grew dense, humming with quiet power.

When the light faded, the change was undeniable. Their auras were deeper, their frames stood taller, eyes gleaming with confidence and newfound strength. They had evolved.

Lumberling watched silently, pride flickering in his eyes. Now, all of his vice-captains and sub-captains stood at Quasi-Knight level, their power and discipline clear in the way they carried themselves.

Not far behind, the elite soldiers finished their absorption. A sudden burst of faint light spread among them, goblins and kobolds alike releasing sharp, brief flares of energy. Their eyes burned with vigor as the transformation completed.

They had stepped into a new realm, Knight Apprentice levels.

The three elves stood in quiet awe, their eyes fixed on the scene before them. Faint motes of light drifted through the air as the last traces of essence sank into the bodies of Lumberling's subordinates.

The air felt heavy, filled with reverence, yet tinged with unease. Something unnatural, yet undeniably powerful, had just taken place.

"You…" Aurelya finally spoke, her voice low but sharp with disbelief. "Are you planning to create an army of monsters?" It wasn't an accusation, more of shock, laced with a hint of fascination.

Lumberling turned to her, smiling faintly. "We are monsters," he replied simply.

Aurelya's brows furrowed, unsure whether to laugh or scold him. Thessalia crossed her arms beside her, shaking her head slightly. "I can't believe this," she muttered. "Before we left, you only had a handful of elite soldiers. Now you've gathered high-rank elites in just a blink."

Lumberling let out a soft chuckle. "What do you mean? You three have more than thirty mages at Magic Circle Four under you."

Thessalia gave a small smirk, but before she could respond, Vaenyra stepped forward, her eyes thoughtful.

"That's different, Lumberling," she said softly.

"Those mages took decades, some even centuries to reach that level. Many of them can't advance any further. But your ability…" She paused, studying him closely.

"It doesn't just break the limits of your soldiers. It bends time itself. What takes us years to achieve, you can do in minutes, so long as they can handle the essence."

Lumberling nodded slowly, the weight of her words sinking in. "I understand what you mean," he said after a moment. "I'll be careful to keep this ability a secret."

His gaze turned distant for a second. He knew how dangerous it would be if anyone discovered this power. Secrets never stayed hidden forever, sooner or later, word would spread.

That was why he had to keep growing, strong enough that no one would ever dare to take what was his.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.