The Core's new throne room, the Aether Furnace Chamber, was a hub of ceaseless activity. The walls, now glowing with a steady blue Mana-Flux Resonance, provided an almost tangible energy field. The Core, its power reservoir rapidly recovering, felt immensely powerful, like a god presiding over its domain.
My initial investment of 900 AP had paid off tenfold. My current Aether Power (AP) was back over 2,500, and it was climbing every minute. It was time to weaponize the populace.
The Mass Evolution
I instructed Grave, the Orc Warlord, to herd the fifty-three remaining Goblins into the Furnace Chamber. They lined up in terrified, yet obedient, rows, sensing the transformative power in the air.
I don't need powerful unique skills for all of them. I need uniformity, loyalty, and an upgrade in combat capability to turn them into a functional militia.
I decided on a mass-naming ceremony, dedicating a small, focused burst of AP to each Goblin while leveraging the intense ambient Aether of the Furnace. This was mass production, not individual craftsmanship.
"Listen, Goblins of the Veil. I am the Core. You are no longer runts. You are the foundation of my Legion."
I spent 10 AP per Goblin—a cost I could regenerate in minutes—imprinting the basic concepts of structure, cohesion, and endurance.
— AETHER CORE POWER DRAIN: 530 AP —
TARGET: 53 Cave Goblins
INITIATING MASS NAMING: GOBLIN LEGIONARIES…
EVOLUTION SUCCESSFUL!
GOBLIN LEGIONARIES STATUS UPDATE (Average):
RACE: Evolved to Goblin Legionary (Standard Infantry)
AURA POWER: 120 (Triple their base strength.)
NEW COMMON SKILL ACQUIRED: [Shared Fortitude] (Passive. Defense increases by 1% for every adjacent Legionary.)
NEW COMMON SKILL ACQUIRED: [Basic Obedience] (Absolute loyalty to the chain of command: Core > Grave/Ranga.)
NEW ROLE: The Obsidian Shield.
The Goblins underwent a less dramatic but equally effective transformation. Their skin turned a duller, tougher green, and their stature became more squat and muscular. They lost their frightened movements and stood rigidly, now understanding the concept of a shield wall and tactical formation. The Obsidian Shield, the Core's first professional militia, was born.
Ranga's Second Gift: The Sentinel
Next, I addressed Ranga. As my first and most loyal subordinate, and now the visible face of the Core, he needed a significant, permanent defense upgrade.
I decided to fuse the Goblin Knight's [Stone Hide Armor] with the drone's [Structural Reinforcement: Tier 1] blueprint, using the immense strength of the Orc Warlord, Grave, as a temporary anchor for the process.
"Ranga, Grave will anchor the structure. I will embed the metal's persistence into your very skin. You will be unbreakable."
I channeled 200 AP into Ranga, using Grave's powerful hands—guided by my telepathy—to press Ranga's form against a newly quarried slab of obsidian.
— AETHER CORE POWER DRAIN: 200 AP —
TARGET: Ranga, the Goblin Knight
INITIATING SKILL FUSION: DEFENSE MATRIX…
FUSION SUCCESSFUL! The skills have been consumed and merged.
NEW UNIQUE SKILL ACQUIRED: [Obsidian Aegis] (Tier 2: Passive. Skin is chemically and physically identical to reinforced obsidian, providing near-absolute defense against standard physical and electric damage.)
NEW ROLE: Ranga, the Sentinel of the Core.
The moment the fusion completed, Ranga's skin hardened, transforming into a polished, seamless black sheen. He looked less like a goblin and more like a small, highly mobile statue forged from pure obsidian. His fear was now completely replaced by stoic, unshakeable confidence.
"My Lord, the defense is absolute. I can feel the metal's resilience… and the earth's strength." Ranga—the Sentinel—nodded curtly, a perfect loyal shield.
Shade's Return: The Lizardmen
As Ranga took his place at the foot of my throne, a ripple of movement near the cavern ceiling signaled the return of my First Sentry. Shade, the Shadow Sentry, phased silently out of the shadows, shaking the small particles of dust and fungal spores from his coat.
"Report, Shade."
The visual and Aura data streamed directly into the Core's system—a flawless, comprehensive report of the world above.
Ironwall Empire: Active patrols 30km from the Fortress, focused on mining the upper iron veins. They use Aura-dampening fields but rely heavily on predictable, noisy routes. Threat: Persistent.
Verdant League (Elves): Observed near surface jungles. High magical power signatures, but strictly avoid the Veil's entrance points. Threat: Cautious/Neutral.
The Fungal Swamp: Located 15km due west. Extremely high ambient humidity and biological Aura signatures. Dominated by the Lizardmen, a race of strong, tribal warriors.
— SCAN RESULT: LIZARDMEN OF THE SWAMP —
POPULATION: ~300 individuals. Highly organized.
LEADER: Chieftain Zyth (Tier 3/Veteran. Aura Power: 950)
PRIMARY SKILLS: [Water Propulsion] (Unique), [Tribal War-Aura] (Unique: Boosts all allies in proximity.)
RELATIONSHIP TO GOBLINS: Hostile/Predatory.
GOAL: Territory Expansion and securing fertile breeding grounds.
The Lizardmen were strong. Their leader, Chieftain Zyth, had an Aura Power nearly three times that of Grave and possessed unique skills that suggested excellent leadership and mobility in aquatic environments. They were too strong to simply conquer without risking a significant drain on my AP.
Diplomacy, then, I calculated. But the diplomacy of a Monster King is not built on words, but on leverage.
"Shade, Grave, Ranga," I projected, my voice filled with decisive command. "The Lizardmen are powerful, but they are stuck in a swamp. The Ironwall Empire will eventually find them. We will offer them the superior strength of Aether Technology and the permanent defense of the Obsidian Heart."
My new plan was simple: demonstrate overwhelming, sophisticated power to force an alliance.
"Grave, take ten Legionaries and prepare the route. Ranga, you will come with me as my physical symbol of power. Shade, you will scout ahead and map the Fungal Swamp. We march at dawn. We will bring the Lizardmen into the Legion."
The Core was ready to make its first move on the geopolitical chessboard of the Subterranean Veil.