Narg had always prioritized the safety and future of the clan above almost everything else. Of course, his response would lean toward practicality instead of blind loyalty.

And Gobbo…

Gobbo was similar to Dribb in many ways. To goblins like them, strength wasn't merely important—it was the foundation everything else stood on. Respect, fear, authority, survival… all of it came from power.

So naturally, he would think that way.

And if I were being completely honest with myself, in a situation where I truly became powerless, I would actually want one of the goblins I trusted to step up and lead the clan properly instead of clinging to sentimentality while everything collapsed around them.

No clan could survive under a weak leader.

At least, I had never seen one that could.

This world simply didn't work that way. Strength was what held everything together, and once that foundation disappeared, collapse usually followed shortly after.

"Watch your mouths next time," I said to the two of them before motioning for them to sit back down.

Both Narg and Gobbo immediately obeyed, though the tension around them hadn't completely faded yet.

Still, the entire scenario itself was flawed from the beginning.

If I somehow lost my powers, then it wouldn't stop with just me.

I would lose every ability I had stolen.

And more importantly…I would lose [Skill Share].

Which meant the goblins I had granted abilities to would lose those powers as well. The strength they currently possessed, the auras Caius had noticed earlier, all of it would disappear alongside mine.

They would become just as powerless as I was.

That realization once again reminded me how absurdly important Ariel had become to my existence, whether I liked it or not.

And it also reinforced something even more dangerous.

I absolutely could not afford to die—especially not to another Chosen.

Because if that happened, the damage wouldn't stop with me.

The entire clan would be dragged down with me.

If Ariel was my weakness…

Then I was the clan's weakness.

The only difference was that I was also its greatest strength.

"Now, back to the actual matter at hand," I said, shifting the discussion away from myself. "What do you all think we should do about them?"

The room fell quiet again.

Not because they lacked opinions, but because everyone understood how dangerous this decision was.

Taking in powerful outsiders wasn't the kind of thing a clan could casually gamble on, especially not a group led by someone as capable as Caius.

So before anyone answered, I decided to elaborate further on the advantages they brought.

"One of the goblins currently locked up in the dungeon is the one responsible for creating the walls around their former clan," I explained. "If he joins us, then he could construct proper walls for our own territory, and those would be far more durable and secure than the vine structures we're currently relying on."

That immediately caught everyone's attention.

Several of them exchanged looks, and I could practically see the gears turning in their heads as they imagined the implications.

Bundi especially looked shocked by the idea.

"That… that's incredibly useful," he said, his eyes widening slightly. "We'd finally be able to properly mount the siege weapons we've been building without worrying about the structures collapsing under the weight. And if he can really create walls and foundations that quickly, then it would drastically reduce the labor needed for expansion."

His voice grew more animated as he continued thinking through it.

"The speed at which we could develop the clan would increase tremendously."

I nodded before continuing.

"They also have a healer," I added. "And not just someone capable of basic treatment. She's powerful enough to regenerate lost limbs."

"Really?" Flogga gasped, genuine surprise crossing her face. "That is quite the precious skill."

Even Zarah looked mildly taken aback by that revelation.

Regenerating limbs wasn't ordinary healing.

At least not from anything we had seen so far.

"They also possess far more battle experience than most of us," I continued. "And more importantly, they have information concerning the King's Games themselves, which would no doubt prove useful."

I leaned back slightly afterward.

"So these are the things we need to consider before making a decision."

The room fell into contemplation again.

This time, the silence lasted longer.

Everyone seemed to be weighing the advantages against the risks, and honestly, neither side was small enough to ignore.

Then finally, Gork spoke.

"I think we should take them in."

The moment those words left his mouth, everyone turned toward him.

Gork straightened slightly under the attention before continuing.

"With the number of Chosen they have, we'd almost immediately fulfill the requirement concerning the amount of Chosen needed for the King's Games," he explained. "And we'd also move much closer to meeting the requirement of having one hundred goblins within the clan."

He paused briefly before adding:

"The requirement concerning twenty goblins reaching level fifty would also be nearly completed because of them. At that point, we'd only need a little more here and there before we're fully prepared."

His eyes shifted around the room.

"And that's not even including the other advantages they bring. Overall… the benefits are simply too favorable to ignore."

Narg remained quiet for a moment before finally speaking.

"But we'd also be bringing a large number of powerful Chosen into the clan despite not fully understanding their intentions yet," he muttered thoughtfully.

He didn't sound unconvinced by Gork's argument.

If anything, it sounded more like he was forcing himself to examine the dangers carefully before agreeing.

"They could swear oaths like we did," Gork suggested. "That's how most clan chiefs bring Chosen under their command in the first place."

"He's right," Flogga said with a slow nod. "It's not like we'd be handing them complete freedom the moment they join."

"But…" Narg started to argue before stopping midway.

He couldn't really refute it.

There were simply too many advantages tied to accepting Caius and his group. Even from a purely strategic standpoint, the gains were difficult to ignore.

But...

"Oaths…" I muttered, and everyone's attention immediately shifted toward me.

"Oaths aren't as...