I Can See Evolution Paths

The forest had grown quieter after leaving the Greenroot agents behind. Snow fell lightly from the branches, and their footsteps settled into a steady rhythm beneath them as they followed the compass deeper into the White Frontier.

Luna walked beside Arthur, occasionally glancing at the compass in his hand. "Does it always point directly toward the Mirrors?" she finally asked.

Arthur looked at it. "So far."

Luna nodded. "Then that’s convenient."

Sun walked behind them. "Convenient? We’re following a magical compass through a frozen wilderness filled with corrupted Beasts." He paused. "I don’t think convenient is the word I’d use."

Mithra laughed softly. "What word would you use?"

Sun thought for a moment. "Suspicious."

Arthur smiled. "You’re becoming more like Athena."

Athena looked up from her notebook. "I’ll take that as a compliment."

Sun immediately shook his head. "It wasn’t."

Eden flew above them, occasionally diving through the falling snow. "I like it here."

Sun looked upward. "You like everything."

Eden smiled. "That’s because everything is interesting."

Arthur glanced at her. "You and I really are alike."

Athena quietly muttered, "That’s what worries me."

Arthur laughed.

As they continued walking, Arthur received a notification.

[Crownwall Tribe Report]

Recent Development:

The tribe has tamed and gotten help from Sky Hawks. Several young Goblins have begun forming bonds with minor Beasts. Hunters are recording Beast migration patterns. The tribe’s average level has reached Level 10. The first Goblin Training Grounds have been completed.

Arthur slowed slightly as he read the report, his expression gradually becoming more pleased. He looked toward Vedas. "Your people are making progress."

Vedas glanced over. "What happened?"

Arthur explained that the tribe had managed to gain the assistance of Sky Hawks, and that several young Goblins had already begun forming bonds with minor Beasts.

Vedas’s eyes immediately brightened. "This means they’ll have an advantage in the sky as well."

Arthur nodded. "Looks like it."

Vedas smiled as he looked ahead. "Good. A kingdom shouldn’t stop growing simply because its king isn’t there to guide it."

Arthur gave him a small smile. "That’s exactly what I want."

Mithra looked between them. "They’re developing more than strength now. They’re starting to develop their own way of life."

Athena nodded. "The Beast Taming program is especially important. If young Goblins are growing up learning how to form contracts with Beasts, then Beast Taming could eventually become part of their culture rather than something limited to a few hunters."

Vedas considered that for a moment before his expression softened. "Then they’re doing well."

Arthur nodded. They weren’t merely raising their levels. They were beginning to build something that could continue without him and that was the part that pleased Arthur most.

Not long afterward, another notification appeared.

[Utopia Kingdom Report]

The first Goblin smithing school had opened. Utopia craftsmen had begun experimenting with Frost Iron. More Golems and Goblin Statues sealed within the city were being awakened, while Goblin engineers worked on stronger defensive structures. Construction of Utopia’s first Royal Workshop had also begun.

Sun leaned over slightly. "What now?"

Arthur explained the report, mentioning the smithing school and the discovery of Frost Iron.

Sun’s eyes immediately brightened. "Frost Iron?"

Arthur nodded. "Apparently."

Sun grinned. "Now that’s something I’d like to see."

Mithra looked at him. "You weren’t nearly this interested in the Forge back at the academy."

"That’s because they weren’t talking about Frost Iron," Sun replied. "That’s expensive material. If Utopia has enough of it, they could make some very interesting equipment."

Athena raised an eyebrow. "You plan on taking some?"

"I plan on sending it to my father. I’m sure he’d know what to do with it."

Kong raised his fists. "Strong metal?"

Sun looked at him. "Probably."

Kong’s eyes brightened. "Good."

Sun sighed. "Of course that’s the part you care about."

Vedas laughed quietly.

Arthur looked at the report again. Crownwall was developing its own relationship with Beasts. Utopia was developing its own industry. Neither kingdom was simply becoming stronger. They were beginning to become something of their own.

Arthur smiled. "They’re getting somewhere."

The group continued through the forest, and eventually Luna noticed something between the trees. A massive stone figure stood partially buried beneath the snow.

Luna stopped. "What’s that?"

Everyone looked. The statue depicted a Goblin wearing ancient armor, snow covering its shoulders and head.

Luna’s eyes shone. "It looks amazing."

Arthur approached. Something about the statue immediately felt familiar. He walked around it, examining the armor and the expression carved into the stone face.

Athena joined him. "Do you recognize it?"

Arthur tilted his head. "Not yet." He placed his hand against the statue.

The moment he touched it, a powerful surge of energy ran through his body. Arthur’s King’s Mark glowed, and his eyes widened.

[King Mark Upgrade!]

[Guardian Powers Can Now Be Utilized Together.]

Arthur stared at the notification, then chuckled. "Well, that’s useful."

Athena noticed the change. "Something happened."

Arthur looked at his hand. "Looks like it."

He didn’t explain further.

Vedas examined the statue more closely. Something about the armor, the shape of the crown, and the expression carved into the stone felt strangely familiar. Then his eyes widened slightly. "This looks like King Halburn’s statue."

Athena immediately moved closer. "Are you sure?"

Vedas nodded. "Look at the armor. The crown is different from the one he wore later, but the markings are the same."

Athena studied the statue in silence before looking toward its base. There were several weathered symbols carved into the stone, most of them hidden beneath layers of frost. She brushed some of the snow away. "These aren’t decorative."

Arthur looked over. "What are they?"

"I don’t know yet." Athena examined them for another moment. "But if this really is Halburn, then he wasn’t simply passing through the Everglades."

Arthur’s expression became more interested. "Why?"

Athena pointed toward the markings. "These look like records. Something was carved here deliberately."

Vedas looked toward the statue. "I wouldn’t be surprised if he came here for the same reason he traveled everywhere else."

Arthur tilted his head. "Which was?"

Vedas gave a small shrug. "Curiosity."

Athy nodded from above them. "I remember his journal mentioning that he visited places far beyond the territories controlled by Goblins. He seemed especially interested in ancient ruins."

Arthur looked back at the statue. "That sounds like him."

Luna looked between them. "You know this person?"

Eden giggled. "We know him."

Luna waited.

Eden smiled. "It’s a long story."

Luna’s expression drooped slightly, and Eden noticed immediately. She laughed. "Okay, okay." She pointed toward the statue. "I’ll tell you one thing."

Luna looked up. "What?"

Eden grinned. "He was an actual Goblin King."

Luna froze. "H-He was a Goblin?!"

Eden nodded enthusiastically. "Yep!"

Luna looked from the statue to Vedas, as though she was trying to reconcile the two images in her mind. "But... he became a King?"

Vedas nodded. "He did."

Luna stared at the statue again. She had spent her entire life hearing stories about powerful beings that seemed completely beyond her understanding. Yet here stood the statue of someone who had once been nothing more than a Goblin.

Eden laughed. "Because he was amazing." She gestured toward Vedas. "Vedas is a Goblin too."

Luna glanced at him.

Eden continued with a grin. "And you think Vedas is amazing too, don’t you?"

Luna hesitated. Then a faint smile appeared on her face. "I suppose I do."

Vedas’s ears immediately turned slightly red. He looked away.

Arthur noticed. "Vedas."

Vedas didn’t look at him. "What?"

"You’re blushing."

"I’m not."

Mithra covered a smile while Sun turned away, clearly trying not to laugh.

Vedas muttered, "Let’s keep moving."

Arthur laughed.

Eventually the forest opened, and the group reached the edge of an enormous frozen lake. It stretched farther than they could see, snow-covered mountains surrounding it on every side, frozen waterfalls hanging from distant cliffs. The surface looked perfectly smooth.

Luna stared across it. "It’s huge."

Athena knelt and placed her hand against the ice. Her expression immediately became serious. "Don’t step forward yet."

Everyone stopped.

Sun looked down. "Why?"

Athena closed her eyes. "There’s a massive amount of mana beneath the ice."

Arthur looked across the lake. "How deep?"

Athena shook her head. "I can’t tell."

Vedas looked toward the opposite shore. "Then we should find another route."

Arthur checked the compass. The needle pointed directly across the lake.

Arthur smiled. "There probably isn’t one."

Sun sighed. "Of course."

Luna looked nervous. "Are we really going across?"

Arthur nodded. "We have to."

They carefully stepped onto the ice. At first everything seemed fine. Eden flew above them while Athy circled the group. Kong walked beside Sun, occasionally tapping the ice with his foot.

Sun noticed. "Stop doing that."

Kong looked at him. "Why?"

"Because I don’t know how thick the ice is."

Kong stopped, then looked down. "Oh." He became very careful after that.

Star bounced beside Arthur, occasionally pressing itself against the ice, seemingly fascinated by what lay underneath.

Arthur looked down. "Curious?"

Star wiggled.

Arthur smiled. "Me too."

They continued, and for a while the crossing felt almost peaceful, nothing but the sound of their boots against the ice and the wind sweeping snow across the surface.

Then, crack. Everyone froze. A thin line spread beneath them.

Athena’s eyes widened. "Everyone move!"

The ice suddenly erupted. A gigantic Beast exploded from beneath the lake, water and ice shooting into the air as its massive body rose above the surface. Its scales were dark blue and covered in frost, long fins running down its back, jaws opening to reveal rows of enormous icy teeth.

Luna took several steps backward. "What is that?"

Arthur’s eyes shone. "A Beast."

Sun looked at him. "You couldn’t possibly be more specific?"

Arthur smiled. "It’s a big one."

Sun sighed. "That’s what I was afraid of."

Vedas raised his spear. "Everyone, spread out!"

The Beast roared, the sound echoing across the frozen lake.

The Leviathan suddenly disappeared beneath the ice.

Vedas’s eyes narrowed. "Where did it go?"

Athena immediately used Analyze. "Below us!"

A violent tremor ran through the lake.

Arthur’s expression changed. "Everyone, spread out!"

The ice exploded.

The Leviathan burst upward beneath Vedas, forcing him into the air. He twisted his body and landed several meters away, but the Beast didn’t pursue him.

Instead, it dove again.

Another crack appeared. Then another.

Sun looked down. "Is it attacking the ice?"

Athena’s eyes widened. "Wait..."

The entire lake began to tremble.

Arthur immediately understood. "It’s trying to break the battlefield."

The next impact sent a huge section of ice collapsing into the freezing water.

Luna stumbled.

Mithra caught her arm. "Careful!"

Eden flew lower. "The ice is breaking everywhere!"

Vedas planted his spear into the ground. "Then we need to finish this quickly!"

The Leviathan erupted again and this time Arthur moved directly toward it. Not because he was certain he could defeat it. Because if the Beast continued destroying the ice, the entire group would eventually have nowhere to stand.

He smashed it down to the ground with a spear, making it screech. And then he reached his hand out toward it.

Vedas looked at him. "Arthur."

Arthur continued forward. "Hmm?"

Vedas knew exactly what he was doing. "You’re going to touch it."

Arthur smiled. "Maybe."

Vedas sighed. "Of course."

And as he touched it:

[Frostscale Leviathan]

[Species: Frostscale Leviathan]

Evolution Path

[Glacial River Serpent]

[Frozen Tide Beast]

[Frostscale Leviathan King]

[Absolute Ice Leviathan]

Arthur’s eyes briefly widened. Another species. Another completely different evolutionary branch. He said nothing.

[Evolution Paths Analyzed: 42 → 43]

[Evolution Paths Discovered: 52 → 53]

Arthur withdrew his hand before then ending it with a spear thrust.

Vedas stared at him. "You really are fearless."

Arthur looked at the enormous Beast. "It’s interesting."

Vedas shook his head. "That’s exactly what I expected you to say."

Then another Leviathan appeared and released a freezing wave.

Arthur shouted, "Move!"

Everyone scattered.

Vedas charged directly toward it, using King Aura to force the Beast to hesitate for a brief moment. He followed with Armor Piercing, striking its armored scales, and the attack actually damaged it.

Vedas grinned. "That worked."

Eden flew overhead. "Its fins!"

Athena immediately looked. "She’s right. The fins are concentrating the cold mana."

"Then that’s where we hit," Arthur said.

Eden dove and struck one of the fins. The Beast roared.

Sun and Kong attacked from the side. "Kong!"

"Coming!" Kong smashed the ice beneath the Beast, and it lost its balance. Sun fired Point Shockwave, and the impact launched it upward.

Sun grinned. "Got it!"

Kong raised his fists. "Again!"

Sun stared at him. "You’re enjoying this too much."

Kong nodded. "Yes."

Mithra kept the others protected while Melo’s illusions confused the Leviathan. "Can you keep it looking in the wrong direction?" Mithra asked.

Melo smiled. "For as long as you need." A group of illusory figures appeared across the ice, and the Leviathan lashed toward one, passing straight through.

Melo giggled. "Wrong one."

Athena used See-Through World to track the Beast’s mana, Athy flying beside her. "It’s preparing another attack!" She called out to Arthur, "It’s charging another freezing wave!"

Arthur looked toward the Leviathan. "Then let’s stop it."

The Leviathan unleashed an enormous wave. Arthur remembered the King’s Mark upgrade and activated Guardian Shield, a golden barrier forming around the group. Then he activated Guardian Conceal at the same time, and their presence disappeared entirely.

The Leviathan’s attack swept across the ice but found nothing.

Sun looked around. "Where did it go?"

Mithra realized. "No. We’re still here."

Athena looked toward Arthur, understanding immediately.

Arthur smiled. "Looks like I can do both now."

The Leviathan searched the empty battlefield in confusion. Vedas looked impressed. "That’s a useful improvement."

Arthur nodded. "Very."

The Beast finally lost track of them.

Arthur dropped Conceal. "Now."

Everyone attacked. Vedas charged first, his spear striking the weakened fin. Eden attacked from above, and Sun and Kong struck together. Athena identified another weak point while Mithra kept everyone moving, and Melo’s illusions continued distracting the Beast.

Star suddenly absorbed another wave of freezing energy, its body shimmering.

Arthur noticed. "Again?"

Star wiggled.

Arthur laughed. "You’re getting used to this."

The final combined attack hit, and a massive explosion erupted across the frozen lake. The Frostscale Leviathan crashed into the ice, and the lake became quiet.

The notifications appeared privately for Arthur.

[Level Up!]

[Goblin King]

[Level 18 → Level 19]

Arthur looked toward Vedas, who hadn’t noticed yet.

Then another notification appeared.

[Level Up!]

[Time Fairy]

[Level 21 → Level 22]

Arthur looked toward Eden. A moment later she suddenly stopped flying. "Arthur!"

He looked up. "What?"

Eden beamed. "I’m Level 22!"

Arthur smiled. "Congratulations."

Eden looked toward Vedas. "What about you?"

Vedas paused, then answered. "Level 19."

Eden’s eyes brightened. "We’re getting stronger!"

Kong raised his fist. "Stronger!"

Sun shook his head. "This is becoming a competition."

Vedas smiled. "Perhaps."

Eden pointed toward him. "I’m still ahead."

Vedas’s smile disappeared. "For now."

Arthur laughed.

After the battle they began moving again, and the adrenaline slowly gave way to the same quiet, watchful pace they’d fallen into before the Leviathan attacked.

Arthur looked across the cracked ice, and something caught his attention. A section of the lake had shattered enough to reveal something underneath. Stone. Not natural rock. A structure.

Athena approached. "That’s artificial."

Mithra looked down. "Was it buried under the lake?"

Athena nodded. "It appears so."

Luna stepped closer. "What is it?"

Arthur studied the exposed stone. "I don’t know."

Athena looked at him. "You want to investigate it."

Arthur smiled. "Obviously."

Sun groaned. "We just fought a giant lake monster."

Arthur looked at him. "And?"

Sun pointed at the ruins. "And now you want to investigate something underneath the lake?"

Arthur nodded. "Yes."

Sun sighed. "Classic Arthur."

Before they could investigate further, the compass moved. Click. Everyone looked down. The needle pointed beyond the lake.

Arthur followed the direction of the needle. Beyond the frozen lake, a massive mountain rose above the surrounding landscape. At first it looked like another part of the White Frontier. Then Arthur noticed the shape carved into its side.

It wasn’t natural.

The enormous stone face of the mountain had been cut away in several places, forming what looked almost like a gigantic entrance.

Athena narrowed her eyes. "That’s not a natural formation."

Vedas gripped his spear. "Another ruin?"

Luna remained silent. She was staring at the mountain with an expression Arthur hadn’t seen before.

He noticed. "Luna?"

She blinked. "I’m not sure."

Arthur looked back toward the mountain. The compass needle remained completely still, pointing directly toward it.

Then Luna quietly said, "...I think I’ve seen that shape before."

Arthur turned toward her. "Where?"

Luna looked at the distant mountain. "I don’t remember."

Arthur’s eyes narrowed with interest.

The compass continued pointing forward.

Arthur smiled. "Whatever it is..." He looked toward the enormous structure. "...that’s where we’re going."

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!