Chapter 39 - Unexpected Evolution

I started the training with the girls again but this time I decided to do a bit of magical training myself. I started off by focusing my mana in my mouth and then I imagined on creating a flash of light from my mouth. after a few minutes there was a physical pressure forming inside of my mouth and when I moved my tongue I could actually feel like a slight tingling sensation almost like a burning. So I turned away from everybody that was staring at me and opened up and aimed at the wall.

The next second we were all stunned as a small beam of light erupted from my mouth and almost seemed to phase into the wall before the stone walls started melting.

[User has comprehended more of the element of light by 5%]

[User has gained spell: [Breath of light]

Everyone was shocked at what just happened some were frozen with disbelief while others like Shorunt and the goblins were smiling with happiness that their master could use such power.

"WHOA since when have you been able to make a light beam." Howy raced up to me and with an excited look almost started jumping up in down like a giddy schoolboy.

"I just learned it." I said nonchalantly like it was as natural as breathing. But in my head was another story.

'AHHHHH, holy shit I just made a freaking Laser beam shoot out of my mouth holy hell that was awesome.'

I smiled and sat down next to Kitsoma and Sondar who had decided to take a break from fortifying the place and watch. Not because I was trying to act cool but because I was severely low on energy, I got an intense headache and it was getting hard to breathe as my mana was used up past its limit.

"Hey guys, just so we are clear that spell just now pretty much wiped me out for a minute. It used up all of my magic power so until I get filled back up I want you guys to train together ok? Oh and Sondar this place looks amazing man great job but now I want you to take Konna, Shorunt, and Kitsoma and do a short patrol around the tunnel entrances to make sure the ants aren't gathering up, Thanks." And after that the light fades out as I take a very unexpected nap.

The others freak out instantly as my body falls over. Shorunt starts to cast a small healing spell to help me out but it didn't work as my body was fine but it was my pool of mana that was suffering instead.

[User has exhausted entire pool of mana, will now commence conscious shutdown until minimum Mana has been absorbed.]

[Automatic use of skill [Mana Absorption] has commenced]

[Automatic use of skill [Mana Absorption] will experience drastic reduction of efficiency]

[Mana will reach minimum requirement in 20 hours]

'Oh great welp lets hope the other guys can handle things without me for a bit.' These were my last thoughts as the darkness swallowed my conscious mind.

"Shorunt stop wasting you power, his body is fine he just has to rest for a bit to replenish his mana reserves." Kitsoma leaned down and placed a hand on Shorunts shoulder as he was kneeled over my body with a desperate look in his eyes as he continued casting healing spells.

"But master needs me how can I just stop. Please help me Ms. Kitsoma I know you can use magic way better than I can isn't there something you can do?" He looked up with a hopeless look in his eyes as the fact that he is useless in this situation dawns on him.

"There is but I don't need to do anything, look his breathing is already better and the color is coming back to his scales. His mana is already being refilled but it will just take some time plus with that immense power just now I bet he didn't regulate how much he used up so the spell just took all he had." Kitsoma said as she assured the loyal goblin that his master would be ok.

"Let's fulfill what your master said and go out on a patrol that should help ease your mind plus you will have more use out there should we run into ants or other goblins than here worrying about Vexsus and stewing in your own misery." Sondar stood up and said as he and Konna started heading towards the 1st of many tunnels they had planned on patrolling.

'Sniff' "Ok fine it would be better to do as he says then have him find out I disobeyed him while he slept." The teary eyed goblin rose up and with a short sprint caught up to the others as Tinoa, Vinoa, and Howy watched over my body and trained.

[User has gained sufficient mana to awaken]

I woke up feeling sick, and still had a headache but otherwise I felt better after a short nap. Only to get slammed into by 2 bodies slam into me while crying.

"Oh master your finally awake we worried so much about you. We were so scared because it had been almost a full day since you went to sleep so suddenly."

I look down at the voice that just spoke only to see a cute girl with dark green hair and bright red eyes looking back up at me. Next to her was another girl who had dark green hair aswell but her eyes were willed with an Icy clear blue.

"Master we waited for you to wake up but sometime during this our bodies changed and we became like this." Another voice spoke up which drew my attention away from the mysterious girls who just called me master.

I looked up at the voice to discover a guy with black hair and bright green eyes that almost seemed to illuminate by themselves. As I looked at him he bowed before speaking again.

"Master I know that this might be confusing but it is I, your most loyal servant, Shorunt. Me and the other goblins experienced an evolution shortly after you passed out and have evolved into a more humanoid form. We are now Hobgoblins and we have received classes aswell. I have received the class of [Druid] and can now fully utilize the element of (Nature), I also received a passive skill called [Mother natures blessing] That lets me communicate with various animals and some plants.

'Holy shit, this is to much. System what happened while I was asleep.'

[User experienced a burst of unnatural energy from an unknown source. That power then spread through to your contracted monsters and forced their evolution.]

'Did it harm us in anyway?'

[System diagnosis reveals optimal conditions. No malfunctions detected.]

'Ok good can you trace the unknown energy to where it came from?'

[Yes but it will take awhile and it will take up essential processing power]

'Eh on second thought lets not. I would rather have full functionality from you.'

[Wise choice]

'Don't start'

As I had the internal monologue with an otherwise helpful system the others had gathered around me.

"Hey guys, I'm awake but before we get started yes I feel better I do still feel sick somewhat but besides a headache and some queasiness I am good to go. SO since I see some changes happening care to explain who everybody is now?" I look at the goblins who went through a drastic physical change.

"Ah well I already explained that we went through an evolution to Hobgoblin my lord. But I do understand that it might be a bit unsettling as our forms underwent such a drastic change. Konna your up."

As he spoke a tall and fit goblinoid with packed muscles and short blonde hair approached me before taking a knee before a deep feminine voice speaks.

"Master I am Konna I know before I looked like a small and weak goblin but now I am filled with power and using my new class of (Fighter) I will serve my master as his sword." The new and slightly intimidating Konna said as I felt a wave of power radiating from her new muscular body. It looked like a body builder who focused on toning up their body rather than just getting bulging muscles. I could tell her power increased tremendously just from one look.

"Master next is Liosa, She has been given the class of (Rogue)." Shorunt introduced a Hobgoblin that kneeled down with black hair and deep green eyes.

"I am Liosa, I know this body is startling to see but I promise I will become your shadow and protect you with my life."

"And next up is the si...." Before Shorunt could continue the 2 goblins on me jumped up and interrupted.

"Master, Master, Master we are the sisters Tinoa and Vinoa. Tinoa is a (Ice mage) and I am (Fire mage) Aren't you proud of us huh, huh, huh." Vinoa who was the one to speak now had the attitude of someone who was happy go lucky and full of energy.

"Vinoa please calm down master just woke back up you need to relax." Tinoa said with a calm yet shy voice almost like an older sister.

"AWWW but I was so excited to show off our powers to master."

"HAHAHA little Vinoa if I know master he will want to see it first hand, but first we have to let him rest otherwise you might hurt him if you go all out." Konna said reminding me of a how a barbarian would speak in some of the shows I used to watch.

'Hmph' Vinoa huffed as she looked up at Konna. "Just because you are bigger than me now doesn't mean you can boss me around." She said before she walked off like a child throwing a tantrum.

"I am sorry master it would appear that along with the evolution we have also gained our own unique personalities. We are still getting used to them."

I started laughing as I looked at the Hobgoblins. I was astounded at how drastically they changed in just under a day even then under a week of becoming my minions. I felt an odd feeling rising up from my chest as I watched them laugh at how childish Vinoa was and I couldn't help but feel a happiness start to fill my heart. I almost felt like calling this team that was mashed together under stressful circumstances a family. It seemed as time had slowed and our time together as a team was way longer than it naturally was.

Then that moment had passed quickly as a loud bang came from one of the tunnels that was closed off.

I shook off the feeling as I mentally prepared for what was on the other side as I turned to Sondar.

"Can you sense what is on the other side?"

"No, but whatever it is it's big and heavy. I can already see cracks in the wall but that should be impossible as I made sure to double the reinforcement of the main tunnels." He said with a slight look of fear.

"Don't worry whatever it is we can handle it together. Kitsoma, Vinoa, Tinoa, and Sylvania get behind us and start channeling your most penetrative spells if its a warrior ant like I hope it is then we will need to stop it as soon as it rears its ugly head."

They all nodded and jumped behind the vanguard that was made up of me, Konna to my left and Sondar to my right, Howy and Liosa were behind us and ready to attack at a moments notice.

Then as we were preparing I heard a voice speak up with urgency.

"Boss, Boss big big trouble we got a group of atleast 30 red goblins incoming." Digger jumped out of the wall and yelled just as a loud roar and a huge bang came from the main tunnel wall behind us.

"Shit, so we have whatever is on the otherside of that wall leading towards the ants, aswell as red goblins coming in from behind us. Vexsus what should we do? We could always dig a tunnel out of here and let them fight eachother?" Howy spoke up with a tremble of uncertainly laced in his voice making it crack slightly.

"I planned on having the ants and goblins fight but I wasn't expecting it to be here." I was at a loss at what to do but knowing that my friends life were more important than trying to gain power I decided to go with his plan.

"Ok lets go with Howy's plan lets dig the hole but while you are doing that I am going to lay down a few traps." I smiled mischievously and went to work on tying up a few pheromone bags that were designed to alert the ants and draw them in. I placed them just in front of where the goblins would be bursting through that way they would crush and get covered in it. There by hopefully enraging whatever was crashing through the opposite side.

"Done with the hole Vexsus lets go." Sondar said after clearing away a good sized hole quite quickly, it wasn't pretty but at the moment it wasn't needed. We all piled through the hole and Sondar closed it up shortly after just in time for a loud crash and crumbling of rocks to be heard as the wall was broken down.

"AHHHH KEKEKEKE I smell such a sweet scent. There are Women around here. Oh the sweetness in the air is sooo intoxicating, come out little ladies we won't hurt you... MUCH HAHAHAHAHA" A voice shouted out as a louder laughter rang out from however many goblins that followed it.

We heard another goblin voice speak up as a loud bang came what we assumed was the ant wall.

"Lord Sangresh, this should be the entrance to the Ant colony but it appears whoever was here has blocked off the tunnels leading to it. It looks as though a warrior has been drawn here it is to dangerous to stay. The warriors are to powerful for us to kill. Lord please we have many women at home who are more than willing to satisfy you."

I heard an audible Squelch and a load groan before a thud hit the ground.

"Does anybody else want to give up on finding new females for their lord? Speak up now you pathetic worms."

It sounded like they may have killed the other guy but I didn't care to stay and listen because screw that plus who would want to stay and hear about a dude who wanted to take away my companions?

Sondar continued to dig silently with Digger as his scout. I had Digger find a large area with a good amount of earth around it that way we could make a new base to train in. but I also had him pick a spot that was close to the Ant colony for ease of farming. Plus for now they were our food source I also wanted to look at their food source because if I remember correctly they would grow moss or mushrooms to eat off of back in the old world.

Thinking of that I devised a plan for another full party excursion into the colony in hopes of learning how they grow their food or if they were living off of a diet of goblin.

Sondar and Digger took a rest after finding a suitable place to start the new base and I took this time to try my hand at some Earth magic. I felt guilty not being able to help so I decided to try and learn it. Even if I didn't master it right away it still would help those 2 who were crucial to our escape.

I placed my hands on a nearby wall and focused my mana into my hands. Then I 'pushed' the mana into the earth and tried to mentally 'grab' the earth. After a few minutes of pumping mana into the wall I finally could feel like it solidified into the earth and as I pulled my hands back the earth moved with it.

[User has gained the skill: Mana Hands]

I was disappointed because I really wanted to learn Earth magic. But at the same time I was a little happy just because I gained a new skill and a very capable skill that held alot of uses at that.

"Wow Vexsus you learned Earth magic that fast?" Sondar was a bit happy but also I heard a bit of jealousy in his voice.

"Haha no my friend I just used my Mana Manipulation skill and learned a new skill called Mana Hands by essentially grabbing the earth." I made sure to reassure him and the others that I wasn't a total monster when it came to skills. I knew I was still very weak in the grand scheme of things even if I was powerful compared to my current enemies.

"Well still to think that you gained a new skill after only a few minutes its hard to believe how talented you are." Kitsoma said with the others agreeing with her and ofcourse they all had a tone of jealousy which made me a bit embarrassed but knowing what the goal was quickly pushed those feelings out.

"Hey just trust me the things i've seen make this level of power almost worthless. My dad took on a Shadow Eater and won now that is the level that I plan on surpassing. SO while getting compliments on this weak power I gain is nice, I can only place myself in that situation and realize that I would still come up short and more than likely die if that were me."

They gasped at that. "Your telling me your dad killed a Shadow Eater? That is insane I heard some of the older ones can rival even the Masters."

"Yea me to I heard a rumor saying that one of the Progenitors is actually living in the woods close to where the Necromancers territory is."

"Hey, listen stop those aren't important right now, what is important is our current problem. We need to get stronger and still find our way out of this dungeon. For now we need to secure a better food source and a defensible area. We need more patrols and scouting parties to start taking out straggling goblins and ants to make sure this area is secure. We have current problems that need current solutions ok? After we get this settled I will let y'all in on a story or 2."

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[Heat Vision] 0 -> 1 (This is a fix from last chapter I forgot to add it)

[Light Magic Comprehension] 15% -> 20%

[Breath of Light] lvl 0 0/10 - User can create a beam of light from their mouth.

[Mana Manipulation] 16 -> 20

[Mana Hands] lvl 0 0/10 - User can use hands formed from mana to do various things.. (Level of dexterity is determined by skill lvl.)