I Can See Evolution Paths

The massive bronze doors finished opening, and warm air slowly rolled out from the darkness beyond. Nobody moved. The Goblins stared into the ancient temple with equal parts excitement and nervousness.

Even the children stopped talking.

Vedas studied the entrance for a long moment before turning around. "I don’t think everyone should enter," he said.

Every eye turned toward him.

He looked at the enormous doorway. "If Guardian King Mu’s stories were true, this place belongs to the King." He shook his head slowly. "It shouldn’t become crowded. We still don’t know what dangers remain."

Raku nodded almost immediately. "I agree," he said.

Luka glanced back toward the endless streets of the underground city behind them. "There are thousands of buildings we’ve yet to explore," she said. "The people should continue reclaiming their home."

Raja smiled. "And someone should stay behind to protect them," he said.

Arthur nodded. "Sounds good," he said.

The Builders immediately began talking among themselves. "We still haven’t checked the eastern district." "There were workshops!" "I found another blueprint!" Hunters began organizing patrol routes among the ancient roads. The city suddenly felt alive again in a way that had nothing to do with the Temple at all.

Just as everyone began separating, Raku spoke up again. "Actually," he said.

He gently placed a hand on Mara’s shoulder. "You should come," he said.

Mara blinked. "Me?"

Raku smiled. "You’ve listened to King Mu’s stories since you were little," he said. "You remember every one. If anyone can recognize what we’re looking at, it’s you."

Luka nodded. "And Guardian Voro told me enough to know this Temple won’t just contain treasure," she said. "It contains history."

Athena smiled warmly. "I’d appreciate another historian," she said.

Mara hesitated. "I don’t know if I’d be useful," she started.

Before anyone could answer, her Blazefang Lion casually walked over and knelt beside her. Everyone laughed.

Arthur smiled. "Looks like it already decided," he said.

Mara laughed nervously. "Traitor," she said.

The Lion let out a proud roar, and she climbed onto its back. "Then I’m coming," she said.

Just as Arthur began walking toward the entrance, he stopped. "Wait," he said.

Athena looked over. "What?"

Arthur pointed at her notebook. "Can I borrow that?"

She handed it over, and without hesitation Arthur began writing. Name after name. Requirement after requirement. Every surviving member of the Su Tribe. Evolution paths. Materials. Special conditions. Hidden requirements he had gathered from every conversation, every glance, every shoulder he had tapped along the way.

Athena quietly watched him work. "You memorized all of them?" she asked.

Arthur nodded while writing. "I saw them," he said. "I remembered."

Nobody said anything. Even Athena looked impressed.

Several minutes later, Arthur tore the page free and handed it to Raja. "Here," he said.

Raja carefully unfolded it, and his eyes slowly widened. "Chief," he said. "These are all of us."

Arthur nodded. "You’ve already met most of the requirements," he said. "Some just need one more level. Others need certain materials. Some only need to train a little longer." He smiled. "So while we’re inside, don’t waste time waiting. Get stronger."

Silence. Builders gripped their weapons tighter. Hunters straightened their backs. Even the younger Goblins looked determined.

Raja carefully folded the page and raised it high. "I promise," he said. "When you return, the Su Tribe will be stronger."

Arthur grinned. "I’ll hold you to that," he said.

Vedas nodded. "So will I," he said.

Cheers immediately erupted. Several Builders began arguing among themselves. "I’m evolving first!" "No chance!" "I’m already closer!"

Sun laughed. "You’ve accidentally started a competition," he said.

Arthur blinked. "Good," he said.

Arthur, Vedas, Athena, Athy, Sun, Mithra, Kong, Melo, and Mara crossed the threshold together.

The moment the last person stepped inside, boom, the enormous bronze doors slowly closed behind them, golden runes spreading across their surface, locking them once again. The sound echoed through the entire Temple, and silence followed, broken only by the soft glow of ancient crystals lining the walls.

Arthur looked around. "Neat," he said.

Sun sighed. "Your standards concern me," he said.

The echoes hadn’t even faded before another sound followed.

Click.

Click.

Click.

Small golden flames ignited one after another along both sides of the corridor.

Hundreds of ancient lamps.

Each lighting in perfect order.

The darkness retreated and the Temple revealed itself. Golden veins ran through the polished stone beneath their feet and the ceiling stretched so high that the crystal light barely reached it.

Not a single cobweb hung anywhere. Or even a single stone had shifted despite countless centuries.

Sun slowly looked around. "...This place is cleaner than my room."

Athena gently brushed a finger across one wall. "There isn’t any dust."

Mara’s eyes widened. "The Temple has been preserving itself."

Arthur nodded. "I’m impress."

They continued forward through the temple until they reached an enormous hall. It had statues, murals, and pillars, everything carrying a weight of ceremony that the rest of the kingdom hadn’t. Every pillar depicted a different Goblin King, each wearing a different crown, each holding different weapons.

Mara walked slowly past them. "There were more Kings than I thought," she said.

Athena studied every carving in turn. "The Temple recorded each reign," she said.

Arthur stopped before one statue. "Why is this one smiling?" he asked.

Mara read the inscription carved beneath it. "He ruled during fifty years of peace," she said.

Arthur smiled. "Makes sense," he said.

Arthur continued walking and saw each statue was different. One King carried an enormous hammer instead of a weapon.

Another wore simple robes.

One stood beside dozens of children.

Another rested a hand on a Builder’s shoulder.

Arthur blinked. "They weren’t all warriors."

Mara slowly nodded. "Apparently... they became Kings in different ways."

"So it was a different evolutionary path?" Arthur questioned.

Mithra nodded. "Seems like it... This does justify your previous words that Vedas could have still become King if he was a Goblin Rider."

"Huh... I suppose that’s true." Vedas muttered as he stared at the statues in awe.

Athena immediately began sketching every statue. "...Every reign valued something different."

Sun looked at one King holding a shovel. "...Imagine becoming King because you were really good at digging."

Mara read the inscription. "He expanded the underground farms that fed the kingdom through the Great Winter."

Sun immediately straightened. "...Never mind."

The room became silent.

Arthur noticed. "...Something’s here."

Then every statue slowly turned its head, stone scraped against stone and blue light ignited inside dozens of ancient eyes.

Nobody moved.

Sun slowly tightened his grip. "...That’s creepy."

Only then did the floor begin glowing and they realize the Temple had woken up. Ancient Guardians rose from their pedestals, joints grinding after centuries of stillness. At the same time, ghostly Goblin warriors emerged from the walls themselves.

Arthur smiled. "Looks like the welcoming committee," he said.

The Guardians didn’t attack immediately.

Instead every one of them raised its weapon.

Swords.

Spears.

Shields.

Axes.

All pointed toward Arthur. A deep voice echoed through the chamber. "Prove yourself."

Silence filled the Temple.

Arthur smiled. "...Okay."

The largest Guardian moved first, its stone frame lumbering forward with surprising speed. Arthur met it head on, Dusk flashing in a wide arc.

Mana Burst exploded against its chest, and stone cracked deep across its torso, but it kept coming, one massive fist swinging down toward him. Arthur rolled aside at the last second, feeling the impact shake the floor beneath him.

The Spectral Goblins charged as a unit, spears leveled.

Sun swept his staff in a wide arc, and a shockwave scattered three of them backward before they could close the distance.

Mithra slipped through the gaps between their formation, her golden sword flashing twice, and two Spectral Goblins dissolved into golden light behind her before they even registered being struck.

Athena planted Aegis firmly and blocked three attacks in rapid succession, the shield ringing with each impact, her feet barely shifting under the pressure. Above them, Athy dove down from the rafters, talons raking across a Guardian’s shoulder to throw off its balance right as Arthur’s second strike landed.

Kong simply waded into the largest cluster of enemies and punched one Guardian so hard it toppled backward down a short flight of stairs, cracking apart on the landing below.

Sun watched the wreckage with a low whistle. "That’s one strategy," he said.

The final Spectral Goblin fell moments later, its spear clattering uselessly against the stone floor. But instead of vanishing entirely, its body dissolved into golden particles that hung suspended in the air.

Everyone stopped to watch.

The particles drifted upward, then split apart, flowing directly toward Athy, toward Melo, toward the Blazefang Lion standing beside Mara.

Even Arthur noticed. "It went into them," he said.

Athena immediately knelt to study the phenomenon more closely. "Interesting," she murmured, watching the remaining particles settle. "The Temple isn’t consuming defeated spirits. It’s returning their magic to living Beasts."

Golden light spread across every Contract Beast. Athy’s feathers became brighter. Melo’s tails fluffed out noticeably. The Blazefang Lion stretched its body and its flames burned slightly hotter than before.

Arthur smiled. "So every battle makes them stronger," he said.

"Yeah, it’s no different than killing a beast."

Sun grinned. "Now that’s a reward," he said.

They pressed onward, and the Temple kept testing them.

Every new chamber brought another challenge, sometimes Guardians standing in tight formation, sometimes Spectral Goblins wielding spears or bows, sometimes both together in coordinated waves that forced the group to adapt on the fly.

Each battle felt slightly harder than the last, the stone constructs moving with more precision, the ghostly warriors fighting with sharper discipline.Their shields locked together while the rear ranks thrust their spears through the narrow gaps.

Arthur met the first thrust head-on.

Clang!

He knocked the spear aside and lunged forward.

[Armor Piercing]

His spear punched through the nearest shield and shattered the Guardian behind it.

Another stepped into its place.

"They’re replacing the front line!" Sun shouted.

"Vedas!"

"I’m moving!"

Vedas burst through the opening Arthur created. "Freeze!" His voice exploded through the hallway.

A shockwave rippled across the formation.

The front rank froze.

The Goblins behind him surged forward.

Arthur and Vedas struck together.

One Guardian was smashed apart then another and then another. The tightly packed formation slowly broke apart until the last Spectral Spearman raised its weapon alone. Arthur knocked the spear upward and Vedas drove his own straight through its chest.

The construct dissolved into golden light.

A notification appeared.

[Level Up!]

[Goblin Commander]

[Level 19 → Level 20]

Arthur grinned and clapped Vedas on the shoulder.

"Twenty."

Vedas smiled between heavy breaths. "...Feels different."

They pressed deeper, crossing an ancient bridge guarded by Guardians standing shoulder to shoulder along its length. The moment Arthur stepped forward every spear lowered and the guardians began to glow.

"Charge!"

Arthur and Vedas rushed together.

Bang!

Arthur slammed his spear against the first Guardian’s shield.

The construct barely moved.

"They’re heavier!"

Kong answered with a roar as golden light covered his body.

[Buff]

He crashed into the flank of the formation, sending three Guardians tumbling over the bridge. And then Mithra slipped through the gap with her blade Kusa flashing out.

Once.

Twice.

Three spear shafts snapped and a gash appeared in their armor before the Guardians could recover.

Vedas swung his spear.

[Magic Burst]!

Mana erupted from his spear and the explosion blasted two Guardians backward.

Arthur followed immediately.

[Armor Piercing]!

His spear drove through the cracked chest of the lead Guardian. And then they continued blasting through Guardians one by one until the bridge was finally cleared.

[Level Up!]

[Goblin Commander]

[Level 20 → Level 21]

Sun leaned against the railing and laughed weakly. "That one actually hurt."

They rested only a moment before continuing into a wide chamber lined with elite Spectral Archers, arrows raining down from elevated platforms along the walls. Athena’s shield worked overtime deflecting volley after volley while Arthur and Vedas closed the distance, cutting through the archers one by one until the chamber fell silent.

[Level Up!]

[Goblin Commander]

[Level 21 → Level 22]

Mara watched Vedas straighten after the fight, something like awe crossing her face. "Three in one temple," she murmured. "I’ve never heard of anyone growing this fast."

...

Lightning crackled through the next chamber.

A Guardian nearly twice the size of the others stepped forward. Ancient chains wrapped around its body, sparks dancing between every link.

Its hammer crashed downward.

BOOM!

The floor split apart.

Arthur rolled beneath the swing. "Attack now!"

Vedas struck first.

[Armor Piercing]!

His spear punched into the Guardian’s knee and cracks spread across the stone. The giant roared and swung again but Arthur met the hammer head-on.

[Magic Burst]!

Mana exploded from his spear and the blast knocked the hammer aside.

"Together!"

Both spears glowed brilliantly.

They thrust at the same instant.

BOOOOOOM!

Twin explosions erupted inside the Guardian’s chest and even more cracks raced across its entire body.

The massive construct stood frozen before collapsing into thousands of glowing fragments.

[Level Up!]

[Goblin Commander]

[Level 22 → Level 23]

Arthur laughed but then paused when he saw the hammer of the Giant Guardian crash down.

Its hammer struck the floor.

Crack appeared on the stone beneath before it shattered in the next second. Everyone looked down and saw hidden beneath was a massive circular mural.

It displayed the entire Goblin Kingdom.

Mountains.

Cities.

Roads.

Secret Realms.

Every location is connected by countless glowing lines.

Athena froze. "This is a map."

Arthur blinked. "The whole kingdom?"

Mara slowly shook her head. "...Bigger." She looked at the countless lines disappearing beyond the edge. "Back when the Kingdom still existed and controlled a lot of the Secret Realm."

He blinked and then grinned. "Amazing."

...

The final chamber erupted into chaos.

Spectral Goblins charged from the front while Guardians marched behind them. Then arrows filled the air with the spectral Builders raising walls through the battlefield.

Arthur quickly used his Guardian Shield to create a dome to protect the group from the raining arrows from above. And once the Guardians and Spectral Goblins got close to the dome. He released it and charged forward.

Sun’s staff crashed into a Guardian.

[Point Shockwave]!

The blast sent three enemies flying.

And then Kong tore through another wall with his bare hands.

Mithra’s illusion twisted the battlefield, causing a squad of Spectral Goblins to attack empty air while Melo healed Vedas’ wounded shoulder without slowing.

Arthur activated Command Authority and a golden light swept over a line of charging Spectral Goblins.

[Command Authority]

Then he shouted. "Attack those beside you guys!"

They froze and then the Spectral Goblins turned. For three precious seconds, they attacked the Guardians beside them instead.

"Keep going!"

Arthur and Vedas charged straight through the confusion.

Their spears flashed together.

One thrust.

One explosion.

One more Guardian fell.

Then another and then finally, the last defender finally crumbled into dust. Silence settled over the temple.

[Level Up!]

[Goblin Commander]

[Level 23 → Level 24]

Vedas stood in the middle of the ruined chamber, breathing heavily.

Five levels.

Five battles.

Five victories.

Beyond the doorway, the final Guardian slowly lowered itself onto one knee. Its spear rested before it and the golden light spread beneath its feet. Not in defeat but in acknowledgment. Its duty... had finally come to an end.

Mara quietly walked toward the final Guardian and she knelt. "...I’m sorry."

Arthur blinked. "For what?"

She smiled sadly. "They protected this place until the very end and waited for a successor to come. It’s because we Goblins were lacking so much that they had to wait so long." She gently bowed. "Thank you for all your efforts but now it’s okay. We promise to surpass you all."

The Guardian trembled before its body slowly dissolved into countless golden lights. The lights drifted upward like fireflies and then disappeared into the Temple ceiling.

Mara quietly smiled. "...It’s finally resting."

"Good, it deserved it." Mithra lightly says.

The Temple began shaking, not violently, but deliberately. Ancient gears turned somewhere deep within the walls. One by one, massive stone seals slid aside, golden runes racing across every surface in sight.

Then the floor in the center of the chamber slowly separated. A circular staircase rose from below, descending far deeper than any floor they had seen so far, warm golden light drifting upward from somewhere beneath.

Arthur smiled. "Guess there is more."

Without hesitation, he started walking toward the newly revealed staircase. The others exchanged excited glances before following close behind him.