Mind Flayer’s Legacy

Lucian, now a Mind Flayer, must grow stronger to survive. He takes control of a small goblin group and discovers an armory guarded by Hobgoblins. Too weak to take it, he decides to capture them one by one or train his goblins. As his army grows, so does his power.

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Goblin Lucian assigned a few goblins to guard the nursery cave, where his main body was located. With that settled, he took his goblin form outside to hunt.

Stepping out of the main cave entrance, he was met with towering trees stretching endlessly into the distance. Is this deep within a forest? Or just the outskirts? Lucian wondered. I need to explore to know for sure.

However, he quickly realized that if he entered the jungle alone, his fragile goblin body would likely perish. Instead, he decided to form a small hunting team of six male goblins. After some thought, he also commanded the other goblins to form similar groups, increasing their survival rate. He couldn't afford to waste resources by losing goblins needlessly.

As Lucian gave his orders, a few Hobgoblins nearby took notice. Seeing a goblin giving commands—and other goblins actually obeying—left them stunned. At first, they thought it was a new evolution of goblins, something rare and valuable. If this strange goblin survived and grew stronger, it could become a powerful force, one that might aid them in future raids for their goblin tribe.

After giving his small army their orders, Lucian led his own team deeper into the forest. Before departing, he had instructed all goblins to collect anything that could be used as a weapon—stones, sticks, or even makeshift clubs—to increase their chances of survival. Now, the goblin squads had split up, each venturing into different parts of the forest, following his command.

The dense forest surrounded them with towering trees and thick undergrowth. Sunlight barely pierced through the canopy, creating an eerie, shadowed world. The air was damp, filled with the scent of wet earth and wild creatures.

As Lucian moved cautiously with his team, his sharp goblin eyes caught sight of a rabbit-like creature in the distance. However, this was no ordinary rabbit. A single, curved horn protruded from its forehead, gleaming dangerously in the dim light.

[What the hell is that?] Lucian thought, narrowing his eyes. [A one-horned rabbit? Seems like a weak monster, but appearances can be deceiving.]

Before he could analyze it further, the rabbit charged at them without hesitation.

[Wait—it's attacking us?!] Lucian was briefly stunned, expecting it to run like a normal prey animal. But instead, it dashed forward at incredible speed, its sharp horn aimed straight at them.

A wide, eerie grin spread across Lucian's goblin face, making him look unnervingly sinister.

[Heh. A kill-or-be-killed world, huh?]

The one-horned rabbit lunged at a goblin who had just stepped forward onto the battlefield. Reacting on instinct, the goblin hurled a stone—just as Lucian had ordered them to carry some form of weapon. However, the rock missed its target, sailing past the rabbit harmlessly.

Just as the rabbit was about to strike, another goblin leaped forward, tackling the creature mid-air. It was a lucky grab, but luck was all they needed.

[Nice!] Lucian smirked. [Now let's finish it!]

"Kill it! Use your stones!" he commanded, his raspy goblin voice cutting through the air.

The goblins, following his orders, rushed forward, pummeling the rabbit with sharp-edged stones they had collected. The creature let out a piercing screech, struggling under their combined assault. Lucian had made sure they picked the sharpest rocks, knowing that goblins weren't naturally intelligent enough to think of it themselves.

[Don't worry, my boys. In a few days, you'll all evolve through killing... and with my skill, that process will be even faster.] Lucian smirked, his glowing goblin eyes scanning his minions.

The one-horned rabbit was finally dead, its body sprawled lifelessly on the ground. The goblins stood around it, blood-stained stones still in their hands, waiting for further instructions. However, with his psionic power, Lucian could sense their true thoughts.

[They're hungry. They want to eat it...]

Lucian grinned, flashing his sharp goblin teeth. "Alright, listen up! Today, I'll show you all how to cook and eat properly!"

The goblins looked at him in confusion—cook? They had only ever eaten raw meat like starving animals.

"Go gather small sticks! Now!" he ordered.

Without hesitation, the goblins scattered into the forest, quickly returning with handfuls of dry twigs and branches. Lucian then demonstrated how to strike stones together, creating small sparks. After multiple tries, a tiny flame flickered to life.

The goblins stared in awe, their yellow eyes wide. Fire was something they feared and admired.

[Primitive minds. They've probably never seen fire made intentionally before...] Lucian thought, shaking his head.

With the fire burning, he skewered pieces of rabbit meat on sticks and roasted them over the flames. The scent of sizzling meat filled the air, making the goblins fidget anxiously. When the food was ready, he handed out the meat to his minions.

The goblins tried to devour it instantly but yelped as the scorching-hot meat burned their mouths. Lucian chuckled, demonstrating by blowing on the meat before eating. The goblins quickly copied him, blowing furiously before taking careful bites.

[This still lacks flavor... No seasoning, no spices… but at least it's better than raw meat.] Lucian sighed inwardly. [In the future, I'll make sure we get proper food. This is just the beginning.]

After finishing their meal, Lucian decided to continue hunting. With his goblin team at his side, they ventured deeper into the forest, searching for more prey.

Their efforts proved successful, as they managed to kill five more one-horned rabbits. However, the hunt was not without losses—two goblins died due to their own stupidity.

[Idiots. They just stood there, frozen, even after seeing the enemy charge at them...] Lucian sighed, watching the lifeless bodies of his fallen minions.

But unlike normal leaders, he felt no sadness—only opportunity. Without hesitation, he absorbed their consciousness into the hive mind, making them nutrients for his main body. Their experience, instincts, and battle knowledge were now his to claim.

[Even in death, you still serve me.] Lucian thought, a sinister grin forming on his goblin face.

With the remaining goblins carrying their kills, Lucian led the team back toward the cave. The sky had begun to darken, and the air grew colder.

[No matter what world you're in, forests at night are always dangerous.] He wasn't about to take unnecessary risks—especially not when he had so much more to accomplish.