The lake was clean and clear with no visible ripples over it. It was just there staying quietly and a shadow formed above it as the shadow moved to drink the water. The water became disturbed from the shadow that drank from it.
After drinking, the shadow moved and it stood atop the land beside the water. As the water becomes still, the water reflected the shadow's figure and its distinct features could be seen.
The figure had a menacing face; the strong jaws that looked like it could crush anything with raw force alone and the fangs protruding from it was so sharp that it seemed that it could cut up rocks.
The eyes that could be seen from the reflected figure was a color darker than black. It had the feeling of being able to suck in anyone that comes into contact with it. What's even weirder is that the whites of his eyes aren't visible anymore because of his black eyes.
It doesn't end with that. When the figure turned around, there was a horn spouting out from the back of his head however it wasn't sharp or anything; it was more of a chipped one that got slashed from a blade.
The moment the figure vanished from the reflections of the water, a voice disturbed the quiet atmosphere and from the voice, could one discern who the figure was.
"King."
The figure was the newly evolved Goblin Low Viscount with his trademark of light green skin, the king and the caller was the Elder.
The king looked up at the sky to see that the sun was about to set and then he spoke to the Elder while looking up.
"What is it?"
The Elder made a faint smile as he spoke.
"It is better for the king to come himself."
The king looked at the Elder and nodded his head. The Elder guided the king to the destination while the king followed behind.
While they were walking, the king sensed some goblins that are far stronger than any stray ones that he encountered so far. There were two that he sensed, to be specific. One that seemed to be like him and another that is unknown to the king. As he is a viscount right now, his senses are much sharper than before.
As he became excited on the idea of his goblins evolving, he walked at a rate faster than before.
The first one to enter the sight of the king was a goblin with a body large enough to match the king's. The goblin's upper body would always standout due to the large build and his lower body seems to have been buffed up to support his upper body that was full of muscles. The goblin turned around and with his face manlier than before, Didi spoke.
"Oh king! I have evolved and became a Goblin High Big!"
The king who heard his words couldn't help but doubt his ears. He asked.
"Big?"
"Big!"
He wondered.
---The blessings of the battlefield gave out such a weird name? Why Big...
Although he was questioning that why such a simple name was given for an evolution, he couldn't help but agree with that as he was indeed big as he matched the king's size even though he was below in terms of ranking.
And then the king remembered something important.
"You're not a Baron or a Baronet?"
The one to answer his question is not the big man himself but the Elder who guided him here.
"There are different blessings given by the battlefield that differ by the individual. I can only guess that he got that rank because of his preference. But…"
The Elder ended his words right there but the king wanted to know more of it so he urged the Elder to continue.
"But?"
"According to the knowledge passed down, there are some rules to the blessings of the battlefield that specifically concerns the five great clans and that we also follow that rule. I am not sure about it as it was from a long time ago."
Whether satisfied by the explanation or knowing that no answers will come up even if he bothered the Elder, the king nodded and moved his field of vision to another spot where a goblin awaits to be seen.
The next one to enter his vision was Hig who commanded the 15 old and injured goblins and contributed the most to the previous battle.
The body of his still had the green color and the upper body had undergone a great change. With his face looking more rowdy, his body definitely remembered someone of a certain figure.
"You look like me or no, a baron…Have you become a Baron?"
Indeed. The figure that he looked like was the king himself when he was still a High Baron however there were still some differences but the overall composition was the same.
"Yes. I think it is because I have personally led some of our goblins that influenced my evolution to Baron."
The king seemed satisfied with that reasoning as he nodded his head and he spoke to the both of them.
"Didi, Hig, I'm counting on you."
The two immediately lowered their heads and gave a reply to the king with a voice full of enthusiasm.
"Yes king!"
The king then looked at the Elder with eyes that said to show him the others and surprisingly, the Elder could read what was on his blackish eyes.
The Elder gestured for the king to follow and soon they walked while meeting some goblins on the way. As they were on the rest right now from the journey, they would stockpile on food with the lake near here. According to the Goblin High that used to be an enemy, there was a source of water near the village so just the journey will be rough or so he said.
Boom!
A large noise disturbed the surrounding area but the goblins in the vicinity didn't react at all. The king who was coming in here for the first time was perplexed about this as he sensed some more beings that evolved.
What greeted him when they passed over the trees that lead to an open land was a loud bang of something exploding.
Boom!
A light gathered in front of the king and the elder's eyes and soon it dissipated. The ground below the light has caved in and some dust formed after the light disappeared.
When the king moved his sights in front, what he saw was Ika moving about excitedly about something.
The Elder immediately called for Ika and soon Ika was presented in front of the king.
As Ika was a female goblin, she had some curves but it didn't make her any womanly. In fact, that made her more fearsome.
When she increased her rank before, her body was the same as a normal goblin but now she became a bit bigger than before and there was something on the back of both of her hands. She wasn't much different aside from those parts.
Ika, who was in front of the king, told him of the rank that she attained.
"King! I have become a Goblin Low Sorcerer"
The rank that she attained was a Sorcerer that could perform some magic. It looks like the reason why her style of fighting was one of those taking advantages of distance was because she had the talent to become a sorcerer that bombarded the enemy from afar.
"That's a new one. Make sure you get used to it so you won't hit any of your brothers or sisters."
"As you will."
It seems the explosion going off from before was her doing.
As Ika went on her way to practice some more of her magic, the king looked to the other side where Una and Dal resides.
They both confirmed for the king what their ranks are.
The first who spoke was Una, a goblin that's almost the same size as Didi.
"King, I am a Goblin Low Big, the same as Didi!"
Indeed, the size of him speaks about his rank. Dal spoke after Una.
"..I am a Goblin Baronet. My lord, I ask for forgiveness."
Dal didn't change much compared to before but his fingers were long. It was as long as a human's and even though he couldn't tell the different but his eyesight was clearer than any other goblin but such things aren't known to the goblin community.
And the reason why Dal was asking for forgiveness was his rank. The same rank of their hated foe who tried to kill the king. He didn't know however that his rank was different from Raen.
"It is fine, the blessings of the battlefield is for anyone. It doesn't matter what rank you are; prove yourself through battle."
Dal's feelings weren't so simple that it could be brushed off with that. For the goblins, the king is one that will save them. Death isn't enough of a punishment for one who tried to kill him.
"…Yes king."
Dal excused himself from the presence of the king and Una comforted him as they walked off. The king did know that Dal was feeling down because of his rank but that was what the blessings of the battlefield. Dal didn't have to feel sorry for it, was the thoughts of the king.
That is why he couldn't read the complex feelings of Dal better. Even though he was starting to be considerate to them, his pride wouldn't allow his goblins to be weak. That's how he understood it.
The pride that lets him set his path straight and the pride that pushes him off of his path.
This could only be a curse…
****
On the day that just became a night, a single goblin was laughing to himself within the darkness.
"I have achieved a rank that is basically useless!"
Despite laughing as if he was truly in joy, the words were pretty dark. It was as if he was a madman.
"How can I be of use to the king now?!"
The madman who was looking for straws to grip was Karkas.