Goblin's Ascent: 5 Shocking Ways Jace Hurley Went From Loser To World Dominator

The trope of the weak underdog rising to power has captivated fantasy readers for decades, but few stories take the concept to the extreme like the Manhua *Goblin's Ascent: From Loser to Winner*. This dark fantasy series, also known by the titles *From Goblin to Goblin God* and *Goblin’s Life Simulator*, has become a viral sensation by giving a notoriously weak creature—the low-level goblin—a cheat system for ultimate evolution. As of December 2025, the series continues to draw massive attention, not just for its premise but for the ruthless, calculated journey of its protagonist, Jace Hurley, who uses every dirty trick and simulated death to achieve absolute power. This article delves deep into the man who became the Goblin God, examining his controversial biography, the mechanics of the unique Life Simulation System, and the five pivotal stages of his shocking ascent from a pitiful, disposable monster to a figure of world dominance. Prepare to discover the true cost of becoming a winner in a world that only sees you as a loser.

Jace Hurley: The Man Behind the Monster's Ascent

The protagonist of Goblin's Ascent: From Loser to Winner is not a native fantasy creature but a human soul transmigrated into the body of the weakest sentient monster: a common goblin. This is a crucial detail that defines his entire arc, blending the popular Isekai genre with dark Progression Fantasy.

• Name: Jace Hurley (Original Human Name) / The Goblin Protagonist (In-World)
• Aliases: Goblin God, World Dominator, The Ascendant, The Simulator
• Origin: Transmigrated human soul from a modern world.
• Initial State: A weak, nameless, and disposable goblin, barely capable of survival.
• Core Power: The Life Simulation Game System (Triggered upon his first death).
• Goal: Survival, continuous evolution, and ultimate dominion over the fantasy world.
• Key Characteristics: Ruthless pragmatism, high intelligence, strategic use of the simulation system, and a complete disregard for traditional morality.

Jace Hurley’s story begins with a brutal death at the hands of human adventurers, a common fate for his kind. However, this death is not an end but a beginning. The trauma of being brutally killed activates the mysterious Life Simulation System, a powerful cheat ability that allows him to "re-live" his life, learning from his mistakes and acquiring new abilities with each restart. This mechanic transforms the story from a simple underdog tale into a complex narrative of strategic leveling up and calculated risk-taking.

The Life Simulation System: The Ultimate Cheat Code

The core of Jace Hurley’s success and the source of the Manhua's unique appeal is the Life Simulation Game System. It is the engine of his goblin evolution, allowing a creature with no natural advantages to rapidly acquire power. This system essentially turns his life into a series of playable, high-stakes video game scenarios.

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How the System Works: Death as a Resource

Unlike typical systems in System Manhwa where the protagonist gains power through quests or grinding, Jace’s system revolves around death and rebirth. Each simulation run is a complete life cycle, and upon his simulated or real death, the system compiles the data.

• Simulation Mode: Jace can run a simulation of his life path, testing different choices, battles, and evolution paths without real-world consequence.
• Knowledge Retention: After each simulation, he retains crucial knowledge, skills, and sometimes even a portion of the power he acquired. This is the ultimate form of metagaming.
• Evolution Paths: The system doesn't just grant stats; it provides branching evolution options. Starting as a weak goblin, he can evolve into a Hobgoblin, a Goblin Shaman, a Goblin King, and eventually the fabled Goblin God.
• Strategic Use: Jace uses the system to predict enemy movements, avoid fatal traps, find hidden treasures, and, most controversially, to perfect his ruthless strategies, including the use of poisons and manipulation.

This endless cycle of trial and error allows Jace to bypass the natural limits of his race. He is not just a strong goblin; he is a perfectly optimized killing machine built on the failures of a thousand simulated lives. This is a fresh take on the Reincarnation Fantasy trope.

5 Pivotal Stages of the Goblin's Shocking Ascent

Jace Hurley’s journey from a "loser" to a "winner" is marked by five distinct, and often morally dark, stages of evolution and conquest. These milestones are what solidify his status as a Goblin World Dominator.

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1. The First Simulation and the Birth of Pragmatism

The first stage is defined by desperation. Having just transmigrated and been brutally murdered, Jace's first goal is simple: survival. His initial simulations are short, brutal, and end in failure. This phase teaches him the harsh reality of the fantasy world—that morality is a luxury he cannot afford. He learns to leverage his only advantage: his human intelligence and the system's foresight. He begins to use guerrilla tactics, traps, and the calculated use of poison to defeat stronger foes, a shocking departure from the typical fantasy hero.

2. The Acquisition of the First Tribe and Exponential Growth

The second stage involves establishing a base of power. Jace realizes that a lone goblin is a dead goblin. Using the knowledge from his simulations, he strategically finds a weak goblin tribe and, through a mix of cunning and brutal force, takes control. This is where the Goblin King archetype starts to emerge. He introduces concepts of organization, resource management, and military strategy to his tribe, turning them from a disorganized rabble into a formidable, though still savage, army. His evolution from a basic goblin into a powerful Hobgoblin Leader is secured during this phase.

3. The Dark Alliance and the Harem Strategy

The third stage is the most controversial and is a major reason for the Manhua's clickbait appeal. Jace begins to interact with other races and powerful individuals. The search results often mention him building a "harem," which, in the context of dark fantasy, is less about romance and more about strategic acquisition of power and influence. He uses his simulation knowledge to manipulate powerful female characters—often human or elf—into alliances, or sometimes, into becoming part of his lineage, securing his tribe's future through powerful offspring. This phase sees him evolve into an entity capable of rivaling human kingdoms.

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4. Conquering the Dungeon and Securing Divine Resources

To ascend beyond a mere king, Jace must acquire resources beyond the surface world. The fourth stage focuses on his conquest of a major dungeon or a hidden Goblin Sanctuary. The simulations are critical here, allowing him to bypass deadly traps and defeat powerful Dungeon Bosses that would instantly kill a normal adventurer. By securing an ancient artifact or a massive hoard of mana crystals, he gains the necessary power-up to undergo his final, massive racial evolution. This is the true turning point where he sheds the "loser" identity for good.

5. The Final Evolution: From King to Goblin God

The fifth and culminating stage is the final transformation. Having secured resources, a powerful army, and a network of alliances/manipulations, Jace undergoes a final, irreversible evolution, transcending the limits of his race to become the Goblin God. This transformation is not just physical; it’s a shift in his very existence, granting him domain over all goblin-kind and making him a genuine threat to the world's established powers—the human empires, the elven nations, and even other deities. His ascent is complete: the former human loser is now a divine, world-dominating entity.

Topical Authority: The Broader Context of Goblin Underdogs

While Jace Hurley's story is unique due to the Life Simulation System, it taps into a popular and growing subgenre of underdog fantasy: the goblin protagonist. Goblins, traditionally portrayed as weak, evil, and disposable fodder (or cannon fodder), are being reimagined as sympathetic or, in Jace's case, terrifyingly competent protagonists. This narrative shift is a commentary on societal outcasts and the nature of power.

Other notable entities and works that explore this thematic space include:

• The Goblin Emperor (by Katherine Addison): A more wholesome, political take on a half-goblin protagonist navigating imperial court intrigue.
• Goblin Slayer: A series that reinforces the traditional view of goblins as vicious monsters, which ironically makes Jace Hurley's ascent even more shocking by contrast.
• Goblin Quest Series (by Jim C. Hines): A humorous take on a weak goblin forced into a heroic quest.
• Progression Fantasy Novels: The entire genre, which focuses on quantifiable character growth, provides the perfect framework for a weak creature like a goblin to ascend via a "system."

The success of Goblin's Ascent proves that readers are hungry for stories where the lowest-tier creature—the perennial loser—can, through sheer will, intelligence, and a powerful cheat, not only survive but fundamentally change the power structure of the entire fantasy world. Jace Hurley's journey is a brutal, calculated roadmap for how a true underdog can become the ultimate winner.