Minutes before the Goblin Chief's death.
'Something has entered the cave. In other words, something came looking for whatever emits the dark energy.' Amon thought as his eyes narrowed. 'When most creatures run away from it, something sought it. Just like the Hobgoblin Chief seeks it.' He clicked his tongue. 'Can't take chances now.'
Having followed the Goblin Chief and the Hobgoblin into the cave, Amon quickly headed back outside.
[Please choose one of the following:
1-Gray Wolf[F Rank]
2- Muscular Goblin[E- Rank]
3- Agile Goblin[E- Rank]
4- Goblin Scout[E- Rank]
5-Goblin Warrior[E- Rank]
6-Goblin Chief[E Rank]
7-Black Wolf[E Rank]
8-Beastly Goblin[E Rank]
]
Amon finally selected the Evolution Choice he had decided on a while earlier.
[Evolution into a "Beastly Goblin[E Rank]" will now start.]
The fact that Evolution choices were presented from lowest Ranked to Highest aided in the decision.
Additionally, just like the Infectious Black Wolf's Fangs was a fusion of the Black Wolf's Fangs and Infectious-aspect of the Infectious Rodents, the Beastly Goblin was obviously a fusion of the Goblin Race and Beastly-aspects of the Wolves that had been Devoured thus far.
Amon was extremely curious about what that fusion would give birth to. About what a Beastly Goblin was.
Since it involved Devouring Black Wolves, creatures stronger than Goblins, Gray Wolves, or Goblin Chiefs, Amon felt the urge to bet on it right away.
Plus, it was presented as a choice beyond the Black Wolf.
An Evolution Choice that would allow him to stand above Black Wolves. To stand on the same field as Hobgoblins. Maybe even to surpass Hobgoblins.
Evolution was an incredible ability, but not a pleasant process.
'Arghhh..!' Amon clenched his teeth as it started.
Amon immediately felt his bones being cracked, his skin being torn, and his muscles being broken down.
The pain was definitely lowered somehow, but it still hurt like hell.
'Fucking… Evolution…!' Amon cursed as he used the cave's outside walls for balance due to the dizziness. Still, he felt to his knees.
Amon's limbs grew longer. His nails turned into sharp claws. His ribcage was lengthened.
Every bone in his body was broken, restructured, and strengthened.
Pelt rose from his torn flesh, covering parts of his body including parts of the chest and arms, the neck, and the shoulders.
The most painful part was the restructuring of his skull and jaws.
"Fuck… Fuck…!" Amon fought back the urge to scream and shout as much possible. With the Goblin Chief and Hobgoblin inside the cave, he could not afford to make-
The pain was too much to bear silently.
Seconds later, a long and powerful howl echoed throughout the forest.
***
'What… What was that?!' The Hobgoblin asked himself as he stepped back until his back was against the cave's wall.
There was nowhere to run. The darkness of the cave and that of the night were such that even the direction to the exit couldn't be pointed at now. Without the Goblin Chief's flame, there was no way of telling.
The horrible vision of the monstrosity which had, the Hobgoblin thought, laid nest here haunted him.
It must have been as tall as a Hobgoblin. He couldn't be sure.
The monstrosity was standing in such a weird fashion after all. Its knees were bent, and its back was uncomfortably bent forward, causing the shoulders to round up and the terrible claws to always be pointed forward.
"Fuck… Fuck!" The Hobgoblin cursed as he raised his mace. "Can't see shit in here!"
"I told you…" The monstrosity whispered.
The Hobgoblin winced as the creature's yellow pupils pierced through the cave's darkness.
"I told you you would be the first one I would kill."
"What the…" The Hobgoblin slipped as he tried to widen the distance between him and the creature. "What the fuck are you talking about?!"
"Oh, yeah…" Amon chuckled. "I guess I must have just thought it."
"W-Wait! Is this what you want?" The Hobgoblin shouted, showing the emerald-cut Black Stone. "T-Take it! Just let me go!"
"Fuck no." Amon answered, and his yellow pupils got a bit closer to the Hobgoblin.
"Wait! Wait! I'm sure we can-"
"Oh, come on." The Beastly Goblin chuckled. "I already told you how I feel about Hobgoblin breath. So do me a favor and save your breath. Stay silent."
"You… You mean that you're…?!"
Immediately remembering the feeble Goblin that had crossed paths with him earlier, the Hobgoblin knew that it made no sense. How could this fearsome creature be that same Goblin? It made no sense.
Still, for some reason, the Hobgoblin felt a different emotion override his fear.
"Y-You can't do this! Don't you know who sent me here? You're dealing with things you don't understand, shitty Goblin!"
"Shitty Goblin, funny Goblin… Creepy Goblin, horny Goblin…" The monstrosity chuckled, much to the Hobgoblin's confusion.
"Do you even know who sent us here? You're dealing with things beyond you! Beyond this shitty tribe!"
"Your Chief sent you, no?" The yellow pupils disappeared for a moment and the Hobgoblin winced. "Come on, I can at least blink without you shitting yourself, no?"
The Hobgoblin gulped.
"You saw how I dealt with the Goblin Chief. I'll deal with the Hobgoblin Chief when the time comes, in a similar fashion."
"T-This isn't about our Chief! This… This weapon! Our Chief is being made to bring it!"
"By whom?"
The Hobgoblin's gaze suddenly went to the ground. His lips were shaking, just like his hands.
"By whom?" The Beastly Goblin repeated as it took a step forward. "Answer me or you die right now!"
"If my Chief doesn't get it… You're dead! You're going to die! Crushed under those that even my Chief bends a knee to!"
"Let me guess…" Amon made his finger spin around. Not that the Hobgoblin could see it. "Orcs?"
"Ha… Hahahahaha!" The Hobgoblin suddenly laughed out loud after remaining silent for a second. "Demons! Demons will come for you! Do you really think that we would bend the knee for Orcs?!"
The Beasty Goblin remained silent, staring with narrow eyes.
"A lot of things are beyond me, I guess." He shrugged. "Anyways, time to die."
"Fine! Ha! See if I care! It won't be long before you follow me! It won't be long before-"
The Hobgoblin's words were cut short, just like his tongue.
"It's the third time that I tell you how I feel about Hobgoblin breath." Amon sighed as part of the Hobgoblin's tongue hit the ground. "Now I can finally relax, knowing that there won't be a fourth time."
"Aah…. Ahhh….!" The Hobgoblin whimpered as blood went down his mouth.
Amon watched silently for a moment.
"It's funny when I think about it. You spent all that time making fun of Goblins, yet you're the one bringing a woman to them. Truthfully, I don't think Hobgoblins and Goblins are that different." Amon shrugged with a sigh. "Those there is her, I guess." He shook his head. "Demons, huh? What are you gonna do?" Amon whispered, staring at his claws.
The Hobgoblin knew that his time had come. With a terrified expression on his face, he launched himself forward, mace in hand.
The Beastly Goblin's claws, with a swing of the hand, had taken part of the Hobgoblin's cheeks, mouth, and tongue.
His Wolf-like jaws did the rest of the work, stealing a portion of the Hobgoblin's neck.
"Beastly Goblin," Amon whispered as he stretched his arms up while the Hobgoblin's dead body fell to the ground. "I like it."
He cracked his neck.
"I doubt Syl would though." Amon sighed. "Oh, well. Sacrifices, huh?" He chuckled before walking towards the Goblin Chief's body.
The Palm Of The Devourer made the Goblin Chief disappear. The Hobgoblin's body quickly followed.
'I need to move before that thing comes back. Though maybe I could ambush it…' Amon thought to himself. 'But also…' His gaze moved towards the Black Stone that lay on the ground, having been dropped by the Hobgoblin. 'What to do with this?'
He tapped his cheek for a moment.
'System, any ideas?'