"The Voice of the World maintains balance." Treyni said. "When a species nears extinction, all Goblins worldwide receive a blessing."

This blessing wasn't location-specific; Goblins globally would rise simultaneously.

"Weak monsters multiply during Magicule tides."

"Strong ones birth rare kings."

Treyni popped the last potato chip into her mouth, her face beaming with bliss.

"Perhaps that's the world's mercy."

Sipping tea, the Dryad mused, "When a race hits rock bottom, hope for resurgence emerges."

"So, Goblins are perfect for farming!"

If their numbers swelled, Damien could dominate millions, reaping unimaginable Magicules... a fortune.

But Treyni, seeing through him, doused his dreams. "Soul totals are finite."

As a Dryad, little in the forest escaped her.

Damien's rapid rise was no secret to her.

Still, she didn't dislike him.

Her duty was to protect the forest's ecosystem, and an allied leader could strengthen the Jura Forest's unity.

"Are soul totals tied to race?"

"Exactly."

Treyni explained, "All monsters have an invisible racial existence value."

Racial potential stemmed from souls. Damien's Leader skill shared followers' soul energy, fueling his growth.

But Goblins had a capped existence value.

The more numerous, the lower each Goblin's quality.

Thus, Rimuru's approach... taming a few thousand Goblins... allowed them to evolve into Hobgoblins.

Millions, even tens of millions, of racial blessing condensed into thousands.

Each became one-in-a-thousand, or one-in-ten-thousand.

"The more of a race, the lower their individual potential."

"Your Kijin, at around 300, are well-balanced." Treyni noted. "If their numbers grow, they'll lose their status as the forest's strongest."

"What?!"

Shuna, Shion, and the Kijin gasped at this revelation.

"So, each race's ceiling is predetermined?"

"Yes and no."

Treyni paused, giving Damien a look.

He caught on, signaling for more chips.

Satisfied, she thought him a perceptive leader.

Her early investment wasn't wasted.

"Racial existence value caps at A-rank."

Treyni crunched a chip. "Beyond that, it's about individuals."

Once an individual transcended, their race took pride in them, not vice versa.

"When a monster race births a Demon Lord Seed, its existence value rises."

If the Voice of the World was the heavens, breaking racial limits to become a Demon Lord Seed was a path to ascension.

Pioneers paved the way, easing the journey for others.

"But weak monsters like Goblins have never produced a Demon Lord Seed."

This made it nearly impossible for Goblins to evolve that far.

They lacked a reference, forced to forge their own path.

"That's why Goblins are so weak."

A thriving Goblin population meant lower individual potential.

To become a king, a Goblin would first need to cull its kin.

Quantity versus individual strength.

This highlighted the edge of rare races.

"So, naming is a superior uplifting the weak?"

"Exactly."

Treyni nodded. "No path exists, but a strong hand can make it simple."

The strong set the rules.

In the original story, Rimuru turned thousands of Goblins into Hobgoblins, boosting their racial existence value.

Those Hobgoblins diverged from other Goblins, no longer sharing the same value.

"How many Goblins are in the western forest near us?"

Damien couldn't cross the forest to recruit scattered southern or northern villages.

He'd start with the west.

"About 8,000."

"Not bad."

Damien liked that number.

He wasn't fond of weak Goblins, but Hobgoblins, akin to World of Warcraft's green-skinned Orcs, were more appealing.

"Miss Treyni, can you guide us to their camps?"

Shuna offered another bag of chips as thanks.

"Of course."

Treyni, softened by gifts, was firmly in Shuna's grasp.

The expedition team was small: Treyni as guide, plus a few named Kijin.

Leading was Sakurako, a gentle priestess.

Trained by Shuna in diplomacy, she was joined by a ninja and two melee-focused Red Ogres.

Four A-rank Kijin warriors.

Before Damien's arrival, this force could've conquered the western forest, not just recruited Goblins.

Benimaru and Hakurou's teams also set out, targeting the Tengu mountains to deliver Damien's goodwill.

If possible, he wanted the Tengu to bolster his air forces.

Two days passed.

"Lord Damien."

That night, Souei contacted him.

"You're there, Souei?"

Damien asked, "How's it looking?"

"It's bad."

Souei was sent to scout the Orcs.

In the original story, the Orcs, starving, saw their leader... later the Orc Lord... seek hope elsewhere.

Notably, the Orc leader had the Unique Skill Hungerer before Gelmud named him.

Hungerer, like a curse, spiked the docile Orcs' appetites, exhausting food stores and driving them to cannibalism.

***

Bonus Chapter:

100 Power Stones = 1 BC

300 Power Stones = 2 BC

500 Power Stones = 3 BC

700 Power Stones = 4 BC

1000 Power Stones = 5 BC

***

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