"Runt? You still there?" Fen said as she waved her hand infront of me, dragging me back from my thoughts.
"Of course! Why would you think otherwise~?" I said in a playful tone, shaking off my melancholic thoughts.
Fen gave me a skeptical look but chose not to push it.
I took another moment to look around the camp, and as I scanned the area, I noticed something else—this wasn't just a goblin and ogre evolution party. The entire tribe seemed to have leveled up in some way.
"Wait a second…" I muttered, squinting at the few kobolds working near the cooking area. Their fur, once patchy and dull, was now sleek and shiny. Their previously floppy ears were perked up, and their tails wagged with energy.
"You noticed, huh?" Fen said with a smirk.
"Yeah… What the heck happened to them?"
"They evolved into Battlehowlers," Fen explained. "And some of them are now Pack Shamans. Pretty cool, huh?"
"Pack Shamans?" I repeated, my eyes widening.
One of the kobold women, a smaller figure with golden fur, turned around and raised her paw-like hand. A faint glow surrounded it, and the grass at her feet seemed to grow greener and healthier.
"Magic kobolds… This tribe is getting way too powerful," I muttered, half in awe, half in disbelief.
Just as I was processing this, Tink ran over, clutching a strange device in his claws.
"Boss! You're awake!" Tink barked excitedly, nearly tripping over his own feet as he skidded to a stop in front of me.
"Tink! What about you?" I asked.
"I evolved too!" he exclaimed, his tail wagging like mad. "I'm a Tinkerwright now!"
"Tinkerwright? What does that mean?"
"It means I can do this!" He held up the contraption in his claws, which looked like a mix between a crossbow and a slingshot, with gears spinning rapidly along its frame. He aimed it at a nearby tree and pressed a button. A small magical bolt shot out, hitting the tree with a loud zap! The bark sizzled, leaving a scorch mark behind.
"That's… terrifyingly impressive," I admitted, cautiously stepping back. "What else can you make?"
"Oh, lots of stuff!" Tink said, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "I've already started designing a defensive turret system for the camp! And I'm working on something that can amplify spells—like a magic cannon!"
"Magic cannon?! Tink, we live in a wooden camp! Don't blow us up!"
"Don't worry, Boss! I'll make it safe!" Tink said, puffing out his chest.
I sighed, rubbing my temples. "Alright, just… make sure you test your inventions outside the camp, okay?"
"Yes, Boss!" he said with a salute before scampering off, already tinkering with another device.
Just as Tink bounced off to work on one of his latest inventions, his wife appeared, leaning casually against the wall of a nearby hut. Her silver-gray fur gleamed under the afternoon light, and she held a sleek, rune-inscribed staff in one clawed hand.
"Oh no," I muttered, narrowing my eyes.
"What's that face for, Runt?" she teased, smirking as her golden eyes fixed on me.
"I don't know… maybe it's the fact that you look... smug. Did you evolve too?" I asked suspiciously, eyeing the staff.
"Sharp as ever," she drawled, flipping the staff over her shoulder with a casual flair. "I'm a Runeforger now."
"And that means…?"
She sighed dramatically, as if I should've already known. "It means I can stabilize magical constructs, enhance enchantments, and fix certain someone's inevitable disasters." She shot a pointed glance toward Tink, who was tinkering with a mana-infused contraption a few meters away.
I snorted. "Sounds useful. But what about Tink? He's practically a walking disaster. Are you sure you can keep up with him?"
"Oh, Runt," she said, shaking her head and leaning down slightly so she was closer to eye level. "You don't 'keep up' with Tink. You steer him. Otherwise, he'd be halfway to blowing up the forest by now."
I raised an eyebrow, crossing my arms. "And you're okay with that? Isn't it exhausting?"
"Exhausting? Maybe." Her smirk softened into a genuine smile as she glanced toward her husband. "But he's got this spark, you know? Always chasing the next big idea, always dreaming bigger than anyone else. It's part of why I love him."
I blinked, caught off guard by the sudden sincerity in her tone.
"Don't let it get to your head, though," she added quickly, smirking again. "I've still got plenty of energy to deal with your messes, too."
"I don't make messes," I said defensively.
"Sure you don't," she teased, reaching out to pat me on the head like a child.
I swatted her hand away, glaring. "One of these days, you're going to regret underestimating me, you know."
"Maybe," she said, walking away with a grin. "But today's not that day, Runt."
Next, my attention was drawn to the lizardmen and women. They stood off to the side, sparring with each other. Their bodies were more muscular than before, and their tails had grown thicker, with spiked ridges running along their length.
"What about them?" I asked, nodding toward the lizardfolk.
"They're now Spiked Lizard Warriors," Fen said. "And a couple of them are Venomous Spitters."
"Venomous Spitters?!"
"Yep. Don't worry, they won't spit on you… probably," Fen said with a teasing grin.
I groaned. "This is insane. How did all of this happen?"
"Well, it wasn't just hunting," Gorn admitted, stepping forward. "We also found some kind of… magic spring in the forest. We drank from it, and—"
"You what?!" I interrupted, staring at him in disbelief. "You drank from a random magic spring in the forest?!"
"Uh… yeah?" Gorn said, his voice rising an octave.
I facepalmed. "Do you know how dangerous that could've been? You're lucky you didn't all turn into frogs or something!"
"But we didn't!" Gorn said quickly. "And look how strong we are now!"
He gestured toward the female hobgoblins, who were standing nearby, chatting amongst themselves. One of them, a tall and elegant figure with long, dark hair, stepped forward.
"Boss," she said, bowing slightly. "I have evolved into a Hobgoblin Mage."
"A Hobgoblin Mage?" I repeated, blinking in surprise.
"Yes," she said with a nod. "Thanks to the magic spring, I can now use elemental spells. Allow me to demonstrate."
She raised her hand, and a small gust of wind swirled around her, lifting a few leaves into the air before gently depositing them back on the ground.
"That's… actually really impressive," I admitted.
The other female hobgoblins had also evolved, gaining new abilities and skills that complemented the rest of the tribe.
Meanwhile, the female ogres were busy testing their newfound strength. One of them, a towering figure with a broad smile, lifted a massive boulder above her head like it was a feather.
"Look, Boss! I'm strong now!" she said, beaming with pride.
"I can see that," I said, trying not to sound too exasperated.
Even the imps had evolved, their small, mischievous forms now slightly larger and more intimidating. They had gained sharper claws and the ability to control minor shadow magic, which they gleefully demonstrated by creating little tendrils of darkness that danced around their fingers.
And then there was Gorn's wife, Jia, a goblin who had always been 'quieter' and more 'reserved' compared to the others. She stepped forward, her hands glowing with a faint blue light.
"I evolved too, Boss," she said with a shit eating grin on her face. "I'm a Goblin Shaman now."
"A Goblin Shaman?"
"Yes. I can heal wounds and use nature magic," she explained, demonstrating by making a small flower bloom in her palm.
"That's incredible," I said, genuinely impressed. "This tribe is turning into a powerhouse."
"Boss," Gorn said, stepping forward again. "We know we made a mistake by leaving the camp unguarded. But we wanted to get stronger for you—for the tribe. We're sorry for worrying you."
I noticed a wound on Gorn's chest a bit from where I was standing. It was healing, but I was sure it was a blade wound.
"What'cha looking at, kiddo?" Jia asked. I felt a shiver run up my spine as she said that with a 'joyful' voice.
Looking back I could see her smiling but it didn't reach her eyes.
"Nothing! Nothing at all! Hahaha!"
Fuck! Better change the subject!
"A-Alright I'll forgive you guys this time. But promise me you'll be more careful. Deal?" I said, my voice a little off at the start but I quickly forced it to sound normal because Jia was raising an eyebrow now!!
"Deal!" the tribe members shouted in unison, their voices filled with determination.
I really shouldn't poke my nose where it doesn't belong!
---
As I looked around at my newly evolved tribe, I couldn't help but feel a swell of pride. They might drive me crazy sometimes, but they were my family, and I wouldn't trade them for anything.
"Alright, everyone," I said, clapping my hands together. "Let's get back to work. We've got a lot to do, and I'm not letting you slack off just because you've gotten stronger."
"Yes, Boss!" they chorused, their voices echoing through the camp.
As the sun set and the camp buzzed with activity, I felt a sense of satisfaction. The tribe had come a long way, huh?
Maybe, I really was still tired or something else? But back then, I didn't even notice that one of my wife has been looking at me ever since I came back.
And that later, she would bring it up hehehe~ ( •¬• )
Little Theater:
Jia: (leaning closer with a sweet smile) "Boss, what were you staring at earlier?"
Aria: (nervously sweating) "N-Nothing! Just… appreciating the camp's progress! Yep, totally that!"
Jia: (smirk growing) "Good. Keep it that way, Boss."