Preparing for the Unknown

As the sun set and the day gave way to night, the forest teemed with the frenzied activity of goblins. Five of them darted in all directions, attempting to hunt for their meal. Some struggled to climb the trees in search of swift rodents, but the small animals always seemed to narrowly escape, leaving the goblins grunting in frustration.

Other goblins grabbed sticks or sharp stones along the way, preparing to injure their prey and render them unable to escape. Their hunting instincts guided them, despite their intelligence, and they did their best to secure a substantial dinner.

Time passed, and night was about to fall. Most of the goblins had already returned home with their bellies full, bringing back small catches to share with others. They were content with the results of their hunt.

However, one particular goblin wasn't as fortunate. His belly rumbled loudly, and he had only managed to catch a distracted little squirrel as his meal. He continued to wander the forest in search of an unwary prey, and that was when he noticed a bear cub, completely unaware of what it was about to face.

Hungry and oblivious to the danger, the goblin advanced towards the bear cub, which, frightened, ran to the corner of a tree, cornered and vulnerable. The goblin, ready to feast on the banquet, didn't notice the danger approaching from behind.

ROOOOOAR!

With a deafening roar, a huge and furious mother bear appeared. With a swift movement of her powerful claw, she tore the goblin apart, leaving him to die with an empty belly.

While the other goblins returned triumphantly to their home, the males displayed their catches and offered them to the females in the hope of winning them over, demonstrating their strength and hunting skills. The competition was fierce as each goblin tried to impress the females with their achievements.

The goblin who had caught the rabbit earlier in the day lay down, satisfied and exhausted. He rested beside a female goblin, surrounded by a large pile of small animals he had hunted. His success in the hunt was evident, and the other goblins looked at him with envy and respect, recognizing him as the strongest among them.

Ariana continued to observe the goblins as the days passed. She noticed that one of the goblins had died, but not due to natural causes; in this world, it was a harsh reality where some needed to die for others to survive.

She also observed the progress of the goblins over time. The female goblins were pregnant, indicating that goblin babies would be born soon. The rate of reproduction and growth of the goblins was surprisingly rapid, and in no time, the cave was about to house new inhabitants.

The goblins had made improvements in the cave. They had constructed a simple and rudimentary fence made of wood, a series of wood chips placed side by side. They also used leather from the animals they had hunted to cover their bodies, providing some protection against the harsh environment.

The goblins' weapons were small and fragile, made of stone and twigs, but they were learning to use these tools to survive.

In the humans' camp, progress was evident. Safira was becoming increasingly familiar with her new abilities and was growing more skilled in water manipulation. Noah, using the sword created by Ekiles for training, made significant progress and finally unlocked the System. This breakthrough brought joy and hope to everyone in the camp, as they now saw the possibility of developing their own powers.

[Name: Noah]

[Power Level: 1 [Beginner]]

[Age: 1 Year]

[Mana: 30]

[Strength: 27]

[Intelligence: 22]

[Magic: 8]

[Abilities: [Fencing Lv1]

Aqua, already recovered from her illness, went out every morning with Aurora to harvest fruits and vegetables, taking advantage of their time together to walk through the fields and talk.

Safira, on the other hand, was determined to enhance her abilities. While studying and gaining a better understanding of her power, she managed to evolve it to a new level, making her even more powerful.

Noah, excited about his new abilities, decided to test them against Safira. However, his attempt didn't last a second. In his first charge towards Safira, a massive jet of water shot in his direction and tossed him away. They both burst into laughter, enjoying the experience.

Safira's abilities proved to be extremely useful for the group. She used her magic to create a small well outside the house, eliminating the need to go to the river whenever they needed water.

Aqua was relieved by this change, as for some unknown reason to the rest of the group, she was uncomfortable with fetching water from the river. Whenever someone mentioned this task, her face turned completely red.

She kept to herself the reason for her aversion. One day, when Aurora instructed her to fetch water for cooking vegetables, Aqua stumbled upon Noah taking a bath completely naked near the river. As her eyes wandered down his defined body, she grew increasingly embarrassed. That day, she fled back to the house, blushing intensely and without the water she was supposed to have collected.

Ariana watched with amusement the interactions of the humans, enjoying the playfulness and dynamics that unfolded among them.

A few days later, while the boys Noah and Theo were out hunting, they encountered a peculiar situation. A strange grunt filled the air, putting them on alert.

"Is it a bear again?" Noah questioned, preparing to defend himself.

Theo was equally cautious, but he replied, "Of course not, bears don't make that sound."

The strange grunting continued to grow in intensity, and they looked around, ready to face any threat. The leaves of the nearby bushes rustled violently, suggesting that something was moving quickly among them.

Suddenly, a small green body emerged from the bushes. It was a goblin. The two young humans and the small goblin stared at each other in a tense moment. Then, the little goblin emitted a shrill cry and darted into the forest at high speed.

Noah and Theo were perplexed, not knowing exactly how to react to the unexpected appearance of the goblin. While Theo grabbed his bow, ready to shoot the small being, Noah held his arm, advising, "Don't do that. We still don't know if it's hostile."

Theo, on the other hand, was alarmed by the goblin's appearance and argued, "Did you see how that creature looks frightening? I'm sure it's hostile."

When Theo and Noah returned home, they shared their experience with the group. After a discussion, everyone agreed that the world of Arcadia was still full of secrets and unknown creatures. Therefore, it was not surprising that new creatures, like the goblin, appeared. The decision was to prepare for defense if necessary and to continue exploring the world with caution.

In the following days, Theo also unlocked the System, obtaining the ability of [Mastery with Bow Lv1]. Aurora developed healing abilities, which pleasantly surprised the entire group. Aqua, on the other hand, acquired an unexpected skill, control over plants, with [Plant Manipulation Lv1]. The surprise on the faces of her companions was evident. Finally, Ekiles gained the skill of [Fencing Lv1].

Daily training had become an essential part of the human group's routine in Arcadia. Each of them invested time in honing their newly discovered abilities. Safira continued to explore her water manipulation skills, seeking ways to enhance her control and efficiency. Noah, equipped with his archery skills, improved his accuracy and speed. Aurora, with her healing gift, practiced her abilities to make them more effective. Aqua, the mistress of flora manipulation, deepened her knowledge of plants and how to use them to her advantage. Ekiles, with his fencing training, refined his combat techniques.

The little goblin, alarmed, grunted frantically, trying to convey what he had seen to his fellow goblins in the cave. His rudimentary language and frenzied grunts made it clear that something new and unknown was out there.

The goblins' camp had grown significantly since the humans arrived in Arcadia. Now, the cave was more fortified, and the goblins' weapons had been improved, making them more formidable. The goblin who had proven to be the strongest had evolved and was now a hobgoblin, an authoritative figure in the camp.

[Name: Hobgoblin]

[Power Level: 1 [Beginner]]

[Age: 3 Months]

[Mana: 0]

[Strength: 24]

[Intelligence: 17]

[Magic: 0]

[Abilities: [Rage Lv1]

This hobgoblin exercised dominion over the other goblins, using his strength to maintain control. When he was hungry, he ordered the other goblins to bring him food. Those who disobeyed were severely punished, sometimes beaten or even losing their lives.

Ariana watched with surprise the rapid evolution of the goblins in her world of Arcadia. In a short period of time, the goblin camp had grown substantially, with dozens of new members, and the encounter between humans and goblins had occurred earlier than expected.

Despite the surprise, Ariana wasn't too concerned about the situation. After all, the humans were also progressing and developing their abilities remarkably. Facing the goblins might not be an insurmountable challenge for them, and she was eager to see how both groups would evolve in their world.