Krad's boots scuffed against the uneven dirt road as he left Ustina City behind. The path to the Kingdom of Luntian was long and difficult, winding through thick forests, misty valleys, and rocky trails.
His minimap pulsed with a glowing marker, guiding his way. The faint chirping of birds and the rustling of leaves were the only sounds accompanying him. Until...
A piercing scream shattered the stillness.
"Help me! Please!"
He froze, his senses sharpening. He quickly ducked behind a large tree, his eyes scanning the shadows for any sign of movement.
The scream echoed again.
"Help!"
His heart pounded. This could be a trap. In this game, danger hid in unexpected places, and not everyone could be trusted.
But someone sounded genuinely terrified.
"Dammit," he muttered under his breath, slipping silently toward the source of the sound.
When he reached the clearing, the sight before him made his blood boil. A beautiful Elf lay sprawled on the ground, her white robes torn and muddied. Surrounding her were four ugly goblins with sickly green skin and jagged claws. Their guttural laughter echoed in the night as they closed in on their prey.
His HUD flared to life:
[Enemy Detected: Level 5 Goblins | HP: 300 each]
His fist clenched. "Let her go!"
The goblins turned, sneering at the intruder. One snarled, saliva dripping from its fanged mouth.
Without waiting for their response, he activated his Evade skill. He vanished in a blur, reappearing behind the nearest goblin. His punch connected with the creature's back, sending it hurtling into a tree. The goblin disintegrated into ash on impact.
The remaining three roared in rage, their red eyes gleaming with fury. They moved with unnerving coordination. Two from the front, one circling behind.
Krad's heart raced. Stay calm. Read their movements.
He ducked under a wild swipe, twisting smoothly into a spinning kick that smashed the goblin into glowing particles.
Suddenly, the remaining two goblins began to change. Black veins spread across their skin, muscles bulging and claws sharpening into deadly points. Their snarls turned into deep, savage roars, echoing through the forest.
What's happening to them?" he whispered, his forehead slick with sweat.
[Warning: Mutated Goblins | HP: 500 each]
The first mutated goblin lunged, its claws slicing through the air. He barely dodged, the tip grazing his side. Pain flared as crimson stained his blue shirt. The second goblin struck from behind, its claws raking across his back. He stumbled, gasping as his HUD blared a warning:
[Status: Poisoned | Paralysis Imminent]
Krad's limbs grew heavy. The world tilted as he dropped to one knee, blood pooling beneath him. The mutated goblins closed in, their grins twisted with malice.
The Elf's desperate voice broke through the haze. "Please, don't kill him!"
Her plea fell on deaf ears as the goblins raised their claws for the killing blow.
His mind raced, searching for a way out, but his body refused to cooperate. He knew the paralysis from the goblins' claws would last exactly sixty seconds---sixty agonizing seconds while death loomed ever closer.
Each second was a cruel reminder of how close he was to his end. His HP drained rapidly from the poison seeping into his wounds.
Consciousness began to slip as the world around him darkened. Was this truly the end?
On the verge of surrender, a strange voice whispered in his mind,
"Sometimes, the bravest thing you can do is to protect others."
Something snapped inside him. Adrenaline surged through his veins, burning away the poison paralysis. His body screamed in protest, but he forced himself to stand. Blood dripped from his wounds, but his resolve burned brighter.
The first goblin lunged. He met it head-on, his fist crackling with raw energy.
"Get out of my way!" he roared, driving his fist through the goblin's chest. The creature exploded into ash.
The final goblin hesitated, its red eyes flickering with doubt.
Krad didn't give it a chance to flee.
"You're done."
With a powerful leap, he soared into the air, descending with a devastating kick that shattered the goblin's skull. The force of the impact cratered the ground, and the creature disintegrated into nothingness.
Merciless Hit!
Silence returned to the clearing, broken only by his ragged breaths. His vision blurred, but he forced himself to stay upright.
The Elf, still trembling, gazed at him in awe.
"You… saved me."
He managed a weak grin. "Yeah, yeah. No problem." He clutched his stomach as it growled loudly. "But seriously, you got any food? I'm about to die of hunger here."
The Elf blinked, bewildered. "You just fought mutated goblins and nearly died… and you want food?"
He nodded vigorously, his stomach growling loudly as if on cue. "Look, I don't ask for much, just something to fill the void. You know, a small snack, maybe a roasted boar, or an entire banquet… your call."
The Elf chuckled softly despite herself. "I am Hanan, by the way. An Elf, I owe you a debt."
"Cool, I'm Krad. Introvert by default, extrovert when I'm starving."
Hanan laughed, her emerald eyes sparkling. "Very well, Master Krad. As thanks for saving me, I'll invite you to our village. We'll prepare a grand feast in your honor."
Krad's eyes lit up. "A feast? I'm in!"
But Hanan's smile faded as she glanced at the glowing green chains binding her wrists and ankles.
"But first... these chains. You have the key, don't you? The one from defeating the goblins?"
He blinked. "Oh, right. The key." He rummaged through his inventory, scrolling past various loot: Emergency Flare, Goblin Gems, Chicken Poop… and finally, Goblin's Key.
"Here we go."
With a sharp clink, the chains fell away, and Hanan's aura flared, her magic restoring. She closed her eyes, chanting softly as pink light swirled around her hands.
A radiant portal blossomed before them, shimmering with warmth and a faint floral scent.
"This will take us directly to Kubo," Hanan explained.
Krad hesitated for a moment, peering into the swirling pink circle energy. "So… this thing is safe, right? I'm not gonna end up in, like, a volcano or a dragon's den?"
Hanan sighed. "It's perfectly safe Master. The only danger is if you stand here debating until the spell fades."