Some goblins that meet specific conditions undergo an even more special change, where their very bodies transform into something different from regular goblin physiology.
Unlike ordinary goblins, which grow only to the size of children, these evolved goblins grow to nearly the size of adult humans, showing a physical evolution.
These creatures, commonly called hobgoblins, were once thought to be the fully grown adult form of goblins. However, after extensive research, it was revealed they are not true adult goblins.
Upon investigation, dissection, and comparison with regular goblins, it was found that the skeletal structure, muscle placement, and body composition of hobgoblins were clearly distinct from regular goblins.
In fact, the relationship between hobgoblins and goblins is closer to that of wolves and monsters transformed by absorbing excessive magic.
It can be assumed that goblins mutate into hobgoblins due to an overload of magical power, similar to how animals become monsters through absorbing large amounts of mana.
Various hypotheses have been proposed regarding this transformation, but research into goblin ecology revealed that for hobgoblins to appear, there needs to be an environment with abundant food and a group of around twenty or more goblins.
If food is scarce, goblin groups will exile newly matured members before reaching significant size. Likewise, even with abundant food, if the group is too small, hobgoblins won’t appear.
When a certain number of goblins maintain their group size over a period of time, one of them suddenly mutates and evolves into a hobgoblin.
Why does this happen? Though the cause wasn’t immediately clear, thanks to a magician’s suggestion, we were able to find some clues after years of research.
The proposal was to create a massive magic circle around a goblin group to visually depict the flow of magic.
Since the typical reason for creatures mutating into monsters is an excess of magic, it was theorized that the same could apply to goblins transforming into hobgoblins.
Though the idea sounded plausible, I decided to accept the magician’s suggestion despite the considerable time and money required.
The results showed surprising connections between the goblins in the group via magic.
Even though physically separate, the goblins were connected as if part of a single organism. Each goblin shared magic with the others.
While much weaker than the magic naturally flowing within living beings, the connection was definitely present.
Through this connection, as the group grew larger, the shared magic increased, and when it reached a certain amount, one goblin would transform due to this shared power.
It was like a carefully designed system where hobgoblins naturally appeared once the environment became sufficiently favorable.
If goblins were created by someone, that person must have been extraordinary.
…
With the evolution conditions of hobgoblins revealed, higher levels of goblin evolution also began to make sense.
Naturally, the larger the group grows, the stronger sub-species of goblins appear.
Among groups with dozens of hobgoblins, even more advanced goblin species emerge.
This led to one question:
If a group of dozens of goblins produces hobgoblins, then what about the legendary greenskin giant who supposedly battled the knight-king? How many goblins would need to gather to produce such a monster?
…
[Monster Encyclopedia (1): Goblins]
To humans, goblins were merely minor nuisances.
Though they caused trouble everywhere, being so small meant they rarely posed serious problems – at worst damaging crops or stealing a couple of livestock.
Hobgoblins could be problematic, but even they could be handled easily by village guards or adventurers.
Their rapid population growth adapting to the environment was somewhat annoying…
Small, quick-moving, good at hiding, and multiplying rapidly…
When you find one goblin, there are usually at least ten more nearby…
Cockroaches?
Thinking about it made me strangely uncomfortable. Ugh, cockroaches.
No matter how many you exterminate, they keep appearing somewhere, ruining your mood… Eww. I hate them.
Not to mention their appearance – oversized heads, spindly limbs, bloated bellies… disgusting.
Anyway, such goblins kept causing minor troubles around the world and were eliminated by many people.
Though not particularly useful economically when defeated…
Their skin was too soft and greasy, and their meat… no one would eat that.
At best, their bones and flesh could be ground up into fertilizer, but even that wasn’t very effective compared to the effort required.
Other materials work better for fertilizer anyway.
Thus, goblins were mostly seen as pests by adventurers and nuisances to villagers destroying crops.
Even when hobgoblins appeared, they could be easily dealt with by two or three people working together.
Because of this, humans may have become complacent.
What happens when goblin numbers swell?
What kind of monster emerges from goblin swarms spreading like mold?
Would it be correct to call such a monster a mushroom if goblins are like mold?
Ecologically speaking, it’s not that different…
…
Goblins were animals.
But they also had plant-like characteristics.
The basic green skin of goblins could perform photosynthesis, though less efficiently than plants.
This plant-like function allowed them to maintain minimal life activities with just water and light in environments lacking food.
Though this photosynthesis only provided enough energy to barely keep them alive, it allowed them to survive even in extreme environments without food.
They were heat-resistant, cold-resistant, and could endure food shortages – essentially survival-optimized organisms.
And they were creatures instinctively drawn to forming groups.
I captured one goblin and began observing it in an isolated environment.
A terrarium-like setup where trees, fruits, insects, and herbivores coexisted.
How would a lone goblin live in such an environment?
Without other goblins or predators in this peaceful setting, could the goblin suppress its monstrous instincts?
Like the bee-shaped monsters tamed by the king of Arcadia, could the goblin control its monstrous nature like a killer queen?
If the intelligent killer queen could suppress her monstrous instincts, could an intelligent goblin do the same?
Such hopes were quickly dashed.
Though only one goblin was confined in the terrarium, soon a small baby goblin was following it around, seemingly sprouting from the ground.
How could a creature suddenly appear? Is it capable of spontaneous generation?
This mystery was solved by tracing the baby goblin back in time.
The small baby goblin quietly formed in a corner of the cave where the confined goblin lived.
Like mold growing and forming mushrooms under suitable conditions.
An almost identical goblin clone emerged in the terrarium.
Seeing this, I was at a loss for words.
Are goblins some kind of fungal organism that performs photosynthesis, possesses intelligence, and reproduces?!
Is this some kind of joke? This creature seems like something a child imagined randomly!
Suppressing my rising anger, I carefully examined the area around where the baby goblin was born, enhancing and magnifying my vision.
Then I noticed something strange.
Tiny fungus-like particles scattered around where the goblin moved, sustained by the magic excreted by the goblin.
Apparently, these fungi clustering together formed the goblins.
In other words, goblins are fungal organisms possessing both animal and plant characteristics.
Seriously… what even are these things… Unlike board game orcs that are also fungus-like but don’t reproduce, these actually produce offspring between males and females!
Even more absurd was what happened next.
The newborn baby goblin initially looked almost identical to the original, but then its body began to change.
Externally it didn’t look much different, but… its… most important parts changed to female characteristics. Somehow it had switched gender to balance the sex ratio.
What even are these goblins?!
I know some creatures can change gender based on conditions – like the protagonist white snapper fish from some anime that changes gender when the largest female dies.
But this is ridiculous! There was only one goblin in the terrarium, yet fungus-like clones appeared, and it even changed gender!
Honestly, what are these goblins?! They can perform minimal photosynthesis, adapt incredibly well to the environment, meaning given enough time they could cover the entire land!
If we don’t completely eradicate the goblin-spawning fungi, they could keep appearing anywhere!
Thankfully individual goblins aren’t very strong, otherwise if they were as strong as adults or stronger…
The land might have become a goblin world. Seriously.
Ah! Hobgoblins!!
Heheh. We’re screwed.