"Ugh.."
"Where.. am I?"
Ryu's eyes flickered as his eyes open, clutching his head which was lightly dull throbbing paining pulsed, it felt like someone had taken a hammer to his skull.He groaned slightly.
Blinking few times, he looked around. An iron bar vaging him all around. From the gap he found himself inside a cage, which was inside a tent.
It didn't took him long to realise where he was.
A cage.
The space was barely wide enough for him to stretch. Under the dimlight, a torchlight faintly flickering at the end outside.And beyond those bars....
His body froze.
A tall, green skinned creature stood at the end. Its body bulky, muscles taut under the dim light. The creatyres yellow eyes glowed faintly.
Ryu's heart skipped a beat.
'A goblin...?' he thought but denied it.
'No- its bigger... maybe a hibgoblin?'
A cold chill ran down his spine. The sharp stench of blood lingered in the air. He didn't need anyone to tell him what kind of place this was.
Then slowly the memories began to surface.
"....A trap," he whispered under his breath, realising dawning like a cruel joke.
He clenched his fists, his breathing quickening as panic clawed at his chest.
'I came here just to train… to get stronger… and now this?'
He pressed his back against the cold bar, forcing himself to breathe. His heart pounded so hard he could hear it in his ears.
'Calm down, Ryu… think. You're not dead yet. You can't die here. Not like this…'
But even as he tried to convince himself, the fear gnawed deeper. The memory of the creature's gaze, its eyes like that of a predator watching its next meal which refused to leave his mind.
'Damn it,' he cursed inwardly. 'I thought I was prepared… but I underestimated everything. This world isn't forgiving. Not even a little.'
He gritted his teeth, cold sweat dripping down his neck.All he wanted was to survive but for the first time since reincarnating, he truly felt what this world meant when it said:
The weak don't get second chances.
Ryu calmed down his emotions. Years of struggle and betrayal taught him, that panicking would only make it worse.
'Think Ryu,' he muttered, forcing himself to focus. He started hatching plan to escape from his predicatement.
Ryu watched, as the bulky hobgoblin was asleep, likely in a deep sleep.
'Thats my chance...'
Thinking of it as an opprtunities he quickly started searching for something or anything to open the damned cage.
Racking his brain, he found a small metal pin. A idea sparked in his mind like a light bulb in the darkness. Bringing his hand to get the metal pin located inside the tiny crack until holding it and started twisting it.
In his previous life in addition to neing a programmer he was master of puzzles, opening lock without keys It wasn't much, but it was enough.
He bent the pin between his fingers, twisting it into a shape that might work. Hands steady now, he eased the improvised pick into the lock and began to turn it, careful not to make a sound or wake the goblin.
Every second felt long as a knife. He kept his face calm, listening for any change in the goblin's breathing, for any sign of danger, as the lock slowly gave way.
'Eureka!!'
Ryu whispered under his breath as the lock clicked open, the faint sound of metal yielding to his skill. He exhaled softly, pushing the cage door just enough to slip through without making a noise.
Step by step, he crept out, his eyes scanning the dimly lit cave for anything that could serve as a weapon. Then he saw it — a familiar sword and his worn leather bag resting atop a wooden barrel. His belongings.
'Finally.'
Silently walking to the sword, while the goblin eyes was shut close.
'Gotcha!'
Moving like a shadow, he approached the barrel, his heartbeat steady despite the danger. The hobgoblin remained sprawled on the ground, snoring like thunder — until fate decided to mock him.
Snap!
Ryu froze. His gaze dropped to find a broken twig beneath his boot. Cold sweat trickled down his temple as he slowly turned his head toward the source of the sound.
Two blazing yellow eyes glared back at him through the darkness.
"…Heh. Nice weather, isn't it?" he muttered weakly.
Ryu said whatever came to his mouth.
Goblin, who didn't understand a single bit, seeing the slave outside roared.
KUKKEKEKEU!!!!
A hard roar was echoed in the surrounding, Ryu's instincts kicked in; he grabbed his sword and slashed horizontally toward the beast. He knew that he fucked up, so best course of action was to make the first move.
Slashing horizontaly at the hobgoblin prompting the goblin to defend with its spear.
CLANG!!
Steel met steel as the hobgoblin parried with its crude spear, the impact sending a violent shock through Ryu's arms. The sheer force drove him back several steps, his grip trembling.
'Damn it… his strength's on another level!'
He gritted his teeth, realizing brute force wouldn't win this fight. The creature towered over him, muscles taut and rage burning in its eyes. A direct assault would be suicide — but running wasn't an option either.
'Think, Ryu. You've been in worse.'
Then a idea came to his mind. When the goblin brought its spear to strike him down, his hand quickly bend down and threw the mud over the goblin making it to blink and twitch.
"Now, DIE!!"
Exclaiming again, he swung his sword, making an arc of blade, slashing at the goblin's chest.
"Kuuukeksske..."
The pain brought the goblin back to its senses. It staggered back and fell down.
'I need to end this fast.'
Gritting his teeth, Ryu dashed forward and plunged the sword onto the skull of the goblin.
The goblin's body twitched before lying motionlessly.
[You have killed a monster, Hobgoblin.]
[+20 Evolution Points gained.]
[Ding!]
[Host has learned a new skill "Slash".]
[System detected the host learned the first skill by its own.]
[+20 Evolution Points gained.]
A familiar system sound chimed in his mind, but Ryu's gaze was on the body.
Without any moment of waiting, he dashed outside the tent, only to find himself surrounded by a horde of goblins.
"W-what—?"
He stammered back, seeing the goblins had surrounded him.
'Shit!! The previous battle sounds and roar must have alerted them.'
Ryu thought, but he was not going down without a fight. His eyes blazed with an unseen fire. Adrenaline rushed through his whole body.
Gripping his sword, he faced the goblins in front of him and roared like thunder.
"Come on, pieces of green shit!"
Kukekeke!!!
Kusekskkeue!!
Kussekue!!
Seeing a single human charging at them, the goblins, enraged, also charged at him.
Ryu gritted his teeth, feeling the blood rush through his veins as the first goblin lunged at him, screeching like a wild beast. He sidestepped and slashed horizontally.
Slash!
The sword cut clean through the goblin's neck, spraying green blood across his cheek. The head rolled to the ground with a dull thud.
[You have killed a monster, Goblin.]
[+5 Evolution Points gained.]
'No time to rest!'
He ducked instinctively as another goblin swung its woodenclub, the wind from the swing brushing past his hair. Ryu countered, thrusting his sword straight through its gut. The creature screamed and fell backward, writhing.
'These things aren't strong individually… but in numbers—'
His thought was cut short as two more came from behind, one swinging a dagger while the other pounced barehanded. Ryu twisted, blocking the dagger with the flat of his blade, but the second goblin tackled him, both crashing onto the dirt.
"Get off me!" he growled, headbutting the creature. Bone cracked, and the goblin reeled back shrieking.
Panting heavily, Ryu pushed himself up, sweat and blood mixing on his face.
'They are keep on coming... huh...huh...'
He grabbed his sword tighter, his knuckles turning white. Another goblin lunged. This time, Ryu met it halfway—his blade flashed, slicing through its chest in one clean motion.
Clang!
The blade clashed with another weapon, sparks flying as a larger goblin stepped forward, snarling viciously. Its muscles bulged, and its jagged teeth glistened in the moonlight.
Ryu staggered back slightly, breathing raggedly.
'Damn it… that one's stronger.'
The leader charged, thrusting its spear forward. Ryu twisted his body just in time, feeling the tip graze his shoulder. He grunted in pain but didn't hesitate—he spun around and delivered a heavy slash, cutting deep into the goblin's arm.
The creature roared in agony, swinging wildly in retaliation.
Ryu barely dodged, rolling across the ground, dirt scraping his skin. He rose, his chest heaving.
He dashed forward again, letting out a low growl. The goblin raised its spear to block but it was too late.
Shhhkk!
Ryu's blade pierced through its heart. The creature froze, then slumped lifelessly to the ground.
[You have killed a monster, Hobgoblin.]
[+20 Evolution Points gained.]
Ryu stood among the fallen corpses, chest rising and falling violently, blood dripping from his sword's edge.
The air was thick with the stench of blood. The surrounding goblins feeling the murderous aura from him stepped back.
Just as Ryu thinking of it over a low growl echoed from behind.
Grrrrr....
Ryu's eyes widened. "What—?"
Before he could react, something massive appeared in front of him. A huge, bulky goblin birst from the trees, its crimson eyes blazing with fury.
BOOM!!!
The creature's punch connected squarely with Ryu's chest.
"GAHH—!!"
The force sent him flying like a ragdoll, crashing hard into a large rock. The impact shook the ground, embedding his body into the stone.
"Kh…! Urgh…"
Pain shot through every fiber of his being. His ribs screamed, his vision blurred, and a blood filled his mouth.
"Ah… damn it…"
He tried to move, but his arm laid limped. The bone was broken.
His legs trembled weakly, refusing to obey.
'This… hurts like hell…'
The hulking goblin stomped closer, its heavy footsteps rumbling through the ground. Each step sounded like the countdown to his death.
Ryu's mind raced, panic clawing at his thoughts.
'No… not like this… I just started… I can't die again… not when I finally got a second chance…'
But no matter how much he willed it, his body wouldn't move. The pain was unbearable. The world around him felt distant, muffled—like he was sinking into cold water.
Despair crept into his heart like a shadow.
'Is this it? After all that struggle… again?'
The goblin's grotesque grin stretched wide, drool dripping from its jagged teeth. It raised its massive club high into the air.
Ryu's breath hitched as he watched it descend toward him.
Time slowed.
'Is this the end....?'
[Ding!!]
[Awakening initiated....]