Lee Jun stood before the goblins gathered in the center of Goblin's Grove, their eyes fixed on the cloth bundle in his hands. He slowly unwrapped it, revealing a glowing card etched with golden patterns—the Evolution Ticket he had received after the fall of the enemy goblin leader, Gho'lran.
Minho, standing beside him, whistled. "So that's the reward, huh? You've been holding out on me."
"I wanted to wait for the right moment," Lee Jun replied. "And after what happened yesterday, I think we found it."
The attack from the wild wolf beast had shaken the entire grove. Though the goblins fought well, the threat had been real—and escalating. Something was stirring in the dungeon.
Lee Jun turned his gaze to Moji, the timid Goblin Shaman who stood nervously with his wooden staff clutched tightly. Moji had always been weaker than the others. His fireball spells were weak and slow. But he never ran away. Even during the ambush, he stood his ground.
"You ready?" Jun asked.
Moji blinked, then nodded firmly.
Jun placed the ticket into the air before Moji. A burst of blue light enveloped the goblin as the ticket dissolved into sparks. Wind swirled around them. The other goblins gasped and backed away.
Moji's body trembled. His limbs stretched slightly, and glowing runes etched themselves across his arms and shoulders. His old wooden staff cracked—then reformed itself, merging with a glowing mana crystal that rose from the ground.
When the light faded, Moji was no longer the same.
His eyes now glowed with soft azure light. His once-rough robes shimmered with embedded rune lines, pulsing gently. Even his voice had changed—no longer high-pitched and squeaky, but calm and layered.
"I… can hear the mana," Moji whispered. "And it speaks."
Minho stared, wide-eyed. "Okay, that's terrifying—and awesome."
[Moji has evolved into a Runic Shaman.]
With his new form came new abilities:
Runebrand: Allows Moji to inscribe runes on allies, temporarily boosting their strength or defense.
Delayed Inferno: A high-damage fire spell that takes time to cast but explodes with area damage.
Runic Warp: A short-range teleportation spell that lets Moji blink a few meters instantly.
Mana Sight: The ability to detect mana trails and sources, useful for sensing enemies or magical traps.
As the goblins stepped closer, murmuring in awe, Lee Jun distributed the satchels he'd brought back from his visit to the city. Inside each were clean clothes, food, or simple tools—gifts purchased with the Veilroot money.
"You've earned this," he said. "And we're just getting started."
From the treetops, a pair of glowing yellow eyes watched in silence.
The Grove was evolving.
So were its enemies.
[Tamed Goblin Count: 35]