The Ironwall drone lay inert, a geometric carcass of blackened iron and broken wiring. Its demise had provided the Aether Core with its first taste of victory, data, and power.
Ranga, the newly empowered Goblin, approached the machine with a reverence born of awe and terror. He followed the Core's silent mental instructions, dragging the heavier components toward the immobile crystal.
"Break it down, Ranga. Every piece that holds power. We must assimilate the entire schematic."
Ranga's [Aura Reinforced Hide] gave him sufficient strength. He used his rusty dagger to pry open access panels, exposing bundles of complex wire and the shattered remains of the miniaturized Aether Reactor. As the first piece of scrap metal—a section of leg plating—made contact with the Core, the System erupted.
— FULL ASSIMILATION: IRONWALL UNIT COMPONENTS —
TARGET: Tier 2 Aura-Dampening Recon Unit (Physical Components and Residual Aether Flow)
COMPLETED DATA SET ACQUISITION.
RESULT: Structural and Energy Efficiency Data integrated.
AETHER CORE STATUS UPDATE:
AETHER POWER: 950 / 10,000 (Gained 500 residual AP from final reactor absorption.)
NEW UNIQUE SKILL ACQUIRED: [Aether Conversion Efficiency] (Tier 1: 50% reduction in AP cost for all non-physical skills. Passive AP regeneration increased by 300%.)
NEW COMMON SKILL ACQUIRED: [Structural Reinforcement: Tier 1] (Passive physical hardening of Core surface.)
The immense surge of Aether Power was intoxicating. The Core pulsed brighter, a deep violet color now replacing the low red glow. My AP had jumped from a precarious 450 to a stable 950. More importantly, the [Aether Conversion Efficiency] meant my power would last longer and regenerate faster. I was no longer a battery on life support; I was a functional power plant.
I turned my attention to Ranga, who sat exhausted but vigilant, his entire being vibrating with dedication. He had fought a force beyond his previous comprehension for me. I needed to reward that loyalty, and more importantly, solidify his evolution.
The name is the anchor of power. The beginning of a dynasty.
"Ranga," I projected. "You have served well. I will grant you a new identity, a new foundation to build your power. This is the Core's gift to its first."
I focused 100 AP—a significant, calculated expenditure—and directed it into the Goblin's soul. The surge was a warm, overwhelming flood of pure, focused Aether, far more potent than the initial data transfer.
— AETHER CORE POWER DRAIN: 100 AP —
TARGET: Ranga, the Cave Goblin
INITIATING NAMING CEREMONY…
EVOLUTION SUCCESSFUL!
RANGA STATUS UPDATE:
RACE: Evolved to Goblin Knight (Low-Rank Demihuman)
AURA POWER: 80 (Massive increase. Fully recovered.)
UNIQUE SKILL: [Aura Reinforced Hide] (Evolved to [Stone Hide Armor] – Passive, greater density.)
NEW COMMON SKILL ACQUIRED: [Basic Aura Blade] (Can channel Aura through weapon.)
DEVOTION: Absolute.
A brilliant, pulsating green shell enveloped Ranga. When it dissolved, the creature that stood up was no longer the whimpering Cave Goblin. He was taller, his skin a deeper emerald, and his skinny limbs were now taut with defined muscle. He discarded the rusty dagger and gripped the Ironwall drone's leg plating—the very piece he had brought to me—and instinctively channeled a faint green glow into the jagged metal, turning it into a makeshift [Basic Aura Blade].
Ranga knelt, his eyes wide with a new mix of clarity and reverence. "Thank you, my Lord… I am worthy of the name!"
You are Ranga. Now, we move.
I used my [Self-Propulsion: Basic], inching myself over the rough ground, but it was tedious and the consumption rate was still too high for long-distance travel. We needed speed.
"Ranga, carry me. We must find speed. We need creatures of swift movement—a pack that hunts."
Ranga immediately and gently nestled the Core into the newly created pouch of his tattered leather tunic. He was strong enough now to move quickly and efficiently through the cave system.
The Shadow Hunt
As Ranga carried me deeper into the Subterranean Veil, the environment changed. The air grew colder, and the raw Aether density in the environment nearly doubled. The Core was now absorbing Aether at 5.5 units/minute thanks to the new efficiency skill.
"Ranga, stop. Aura signatures detected. Multiple, fast moving. Threat level: Moderate."
We had entered a massive, multi-tiered cavern, easily half a kilometer wide. The light from a glowing fungus on the walls cast long, distorting shadows.
— SCAN RESULT: AMBIENT LIFE FORMS —
RACE: Shadow Hound Pack (x7 individuals)
AURA POWER (Average): 150
PRIMARY SKILLS: [Stealth Movement] (Unique), [Shadow Bite] (Common), [Pack Coordination] (Unique)
THREAT LEVEL: Moderate. High speed. Excellent coordinated attack pattern.
GOAL: Territory Defense. Hunting Prey.
Seven pairs of glowing yellow eyes emerged from the darkness. They weren't physically large, but their movement was instantaneous—blurs of black fur, disappearing and reappearing like fluid shadows. Their [Stealth Movement] made tracking them physically impossible for Ranga.
Ranga held his makeshift Aura Blade steady, his bravery battling his instinct to flee. "They are the Shadow Hounds, My Lord. Too fast. We cannot fight them directly."
He was right. Fighting them would drain the Core's Aether reserves without a guaranteed assimilation. I needed to break their hierarchy and offer a better deal than their current existence.
I focused my [Aura Dampening Field] and extended it outward. The newly acquired skill worked perfectly.
FZZZZZZT!
The shadowy area immediately surrounding the Core and Ranga shimmered, and the Hounds instantly stumbled, appearing confused. Their [Stealth Movement] relied on manipulating ambient Aura and shadow—my dampening field negated the Aura component. They were suddenly visible, fast, but no longer ghosts.
"Stop," I projected, the voice not hostile, but resonating with the pure, heavy weight of Aether Power. "We are not prey. I am offering you speed, loyalty, and a purpose greater than this cave."
The alpha of the pack, the largest of the Hounds, growled—a sound that vibrated the ground.
"You interfere with our hunt, Core. You are merely a mineral. We take your power."
I scoffed mentally. A mineral? I am the heart of the Veil. Look at your pack. They are fast, but their coordination is primitive. Their speed is limited by their Aura reserves.
I then focused my remaining Aether—nearly 850 AP—and performed a complex, simultaneous transfer using the newly integrated [Technological Blueprint: Tier 2 Reconnaissance Unit] data. I didn't give them a skill; I gave the alpha Hound the data model for the drone's [Miniaturized Aether Reactor Design]—the concept of efficient, sustained motion.
— [SYMBIOTIC ASSIMILATION] PROTOCOL INITIATED —
TARGET: Shadow Hound Alpha (Pack Leader)
TRAIT TRANSFER: [Miniaturized Reactor Blueprint] (Data)
ASSIMILATING: [Stealth Movement] (Blueprint)
ACQUISITION SUCCESSFUL! The following Unique Skill has been fully assimilated:
NEW UNIQUE SKILL ACQUIRED: [Shadow Speed] (Tier 1: High-Speed Aether-Propelled Movement.)
TRANSFER SUCCESSFUL!
SHADOW HOUND ALPHA STATUS UPDATE:
NEW UNIQUE SKILL ACQUIRED: [Aether-Enhanced Pacing] (Evolutionary blueprint based on assimilated reactor data. Allows for sustained, efficient high-speed travel.)
NEW GOAL REGISTERED: Serve the Crystal Core.
The alpha Hound gave a silent, powerful twitch. Its form didn't physically change like Ranga's, but the quality of its movement did. It surged forward, crossed the entire cavern in a single, fluid second, and stopped instantly, without momentum-killing drag. It was breathtakingly fast, its power now tied to the ambient Aether rather than just its internal Aura.
The Alpha immediately turned back to its pack and bowed low before the Core.
"My Lord… The speed… it is absolute. We are yours. We are the Shadow Scourges."
I smiled, a purely mental gesture of triumph. The foundation of the military had been laid: a strong infantry leader in Ranga, and a reconnaissance and mobility unit in the Shadow Scourges.
"Rise, Scourges. Your first mission is to carry me. Ranga, secure the drone fragments and attach them to one of our new carriers. We have much farther to travel. We must find a settlement."
My eyes—the System's output—focused on the data streams. The next goal was clear: unification. I needed to find a place to build my nation.
— SCAN RESULT: LOCAL GOBLIN SETTLEMENT —
LOCATION: 5 kilometers East-South-East (Ancient Obsidian Mine)
STATUS: Population: ~50 Goblins. Weakly defended.
RULER: Chieftain Grag (Orc Sub-Species. Aura Power: 300).
GOAL: Resource Exploitation.
THREAT LEVEL: Moderate.
A settlement with a ruler? Perfect. A kingdom needs a capital, and a Core needs a throne.
"Shadow Scourges, to the Obsidian Mine. Ranga, protect the Core. The era of the Aether Core begins now."