The night had fallen over the island, wrapping it in a thick, oppressive darkness. Jack stumbled through the unfamiliar terrain, his mind reeling from the events of the day. The memory of the goblin encounter still sent shivers down his spine. He had never imagined such creatures could exist outside of video games and fantasy novels, yet here they were, real and dangerous.

As he navigated back towards the resort, Jack's thoughts were a jumble of worry and determination. He needed to find his colleagues and ensure their safety. The water from the stream had been a temporary relief, but they needed a more secure source of sustenance and shelter. The resort, with its amenities, was the most logical place to regroup.

The journey back felt longer and more arduous in the dark. Jack moved cautiously, every rustle in the underbrush setting his nerves on edge. The forest seemed to come alive with strange sounds—whispers, growls, and distant cries that sent his imagination into overdrive. He gripped his makeshift staff tightly, knowing it offered little protection but finding some comfort in its weight.

As he neared the resort, the familiar path gave him a brief sense of relief. However, as he got closer, he noticed something was off. The usual sounds of a tropical night—crickets chirping, waves lapping against the shore—were overshadowed by a cacophony of guttural voices and screams. Jack crouched down, his heart racing. He approached the resort cautiously, using the cover of darkness and the foliage to conceal his movements.

From his vantage point behind a large cluster of bushes, Jack peered out at the resort. What he saw made his blood run cold. The resort was in chaos. Goblins swarmed the area, their small, wiry bodies moving with unsettling speed and coordination. The once-luxurious cabanas and recreational facilities were now scenes of destruction and terror.

His colleagues were scattered, some trying to fend off the attackers with improvised weapons while others were huddled together, paralyzed with fear. Amidst the chaos, Jack spotted Ben, the HR manager, a man who had always reveled in his position of authority but was now cowering inside one of the larger cabins. The door was barricaded from the inside, and Jack could hear Ben shouting orders, his voice tinged with panic and desperation.

"Stay back! Don't let them in!" Ben's voice carried through the night, trembling with fear. It was clear that Ben had locked himself in with a few of the more compliant or frightened employees, using them as a shield. Jack felt a surge of anger and disgust. Ben had always been a bully, but seeing him abandon the others in their time of need was infuriating.

Jack scanned the area, his eyes widening as he saw a group of goblins dragging several women towards the edge of the forest. The women struggled and cried out, but the goblins were relentless, their shrill laughter echoing in the night. Jack clenched his fists, the urge to help them warring with his sense of self-preservation. He knew he was outnumbered and outmatched, but he couldn't just stand by and do nothing.

He quickly assessed the situation. The goblins seemed to be focused on their captives and the commotion at the main cabin, which gave him a small window of opportunity. He needed to act fast, but rashly charging in would be suicide. Instead, he decided to try and create a distraction.

Jack looked around for anything he could use. His eyes landed on a stack of wooden deck chairs near the pool area, partially hidden by a canopy. Quietly, he crept over to the chairs and began stacking them in a precarious pile. His plan was simple: create a loud enough noise to draw the goblins' attention away from their prisoners, giving him a chance to help the captives escape.

With a final glance towards the main cabin and the group being dragged away, Jack took a deep breath and shoved the pile of chairs with all his might. The crash was deafening, the wood splintering and clattering loudly across the stone patio. The goblins immediately stopped what they were doing, their heads snapping towards the source of the noise.

Jack didn't wait to see their reaction. He sprinted towards the group of women, his heart pounding in his chest. "Run! Now!" he shouted, waving his arms to get their attention. The women hesitated for a moment, then one of them broke free from the goblin holding her and started running towards the tree line. The others quickly followed, their fear giving them speed.

The goblins, momentarily distracted by the noise and the fleeing captives, chittered angrily. A few of them started to chase after the women, but Jack, fueled by adrenaline, intercepted them with wild swings of his staff. He knew he couldn't fight them all off, but he just needed to buy enough time for the women to get away.

One goblin lunged at him, brandishing a rusty knife. Jack swung his staff with all his strength, catching the goblin on the side of the head. It went down with a grunt, but two more goblins were already closing in. Jack backed up, trying to keep them at bay, but he could feel his strength waning. The staff felt heavy in his hands, and the goblins were quick and relentless.

Just as the situation seemed dire, a loud shout rang out. Jack glanced up and saw a few of his colleagues—those who hadn't barricaded themselves in the cabin—charging towards the goblins with makeshift weapons of their own. The sudden reinforcement caught the goblins off guard, and they screeched in alarm, some of them fleeing back towards the forest.

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Jack felt a surge of relief as his colleagues helped him fend off the remaining goblins. The small creatures, realizing they were outnumbered, quickly retreated, disappearing into the darkness of the forest. The immediate threat was gone, but the resort was far from safe.

As the last goblin vanished into the forest, the ragged group of survivors gathered around the remnants of the battle. The night air was thick with tension and the acrid smell of fear. Jack leaned heavily on his staff, his breath coming in short, sharp bursts. His colleagues, bruised and shaken, looked at each other with wide eyes, still processing the surreal events.

It was Ben who spoke first, emerging cautiously from the cabin he had barricaded himself in. "Is everyone... alright?" he asked, though his concern sounded more like an attempt to reassert control than genuine worry.

Jack shot him a glare but kept silent. The others murmured among themselves, checking on each other and tending to minor injuries. As they did, a strange sensation washed over Jack, a faint tingling that started at the base of his spine and spread throughout his body. He noticed others looking around, seemingly experiencing the same sensation.

A soft, ethereal glow enveloped each person briefly, then faded. In its wake, Jack felt... different. Stronger, somehow. He looked around and saw similar expressions of confusion and wonder on his colleagues' faces. Before anyone could voice their thoughts, a translucent interface appeared in front of each person, hovering in mid-air.

Jack stared at the screen in front of him, which displayed simple stats: Strength, Agility, Constitution, and Mana. Beneath the stats was an option to choose one basic skill. The interface was like something out of a game, but this was no game. The implications were both thrilling and terrifying.

"Is this... real?" murmured one of his colleagues, a young woman named Sarah. She reached out tentatively, her fingers brushing the interface. It reacted to her touch, bringing up a list of basic skills to choose from.

Jack examined his own interface, thoughts racing. He had always been practical and strategic, qualities that had served him well in his career. But now, those same traits had to guide him in a life-or-death situation. The skills offered were varied, each one with potential uses both immediate and long-term.

His colleagues, still buzzing from the battle and the adrenaline of their newfound power, began to make their choices. He overheard snippets of conversation:

"Fireball could be useful for defense and offense..."

"I'll go with Waterball. We might need a source of water, and it could be versatile..."

"Airbullet sounds like a good ranged attack..."

"I think Airshield would be good for protection..."

"Earth Reinforcement... Maybe we can use it to fortify our defenses or build shelter..."

Jack listened, his mind weighing the options. Each skill had its merits, but they all seemed oriented towards combat or elemental control. As he scrolled through the options, one caught his eye: Space Storage. It was a simple concept—an ability to store items in a pocket dimension. It seemed mundane compared to the flashy attack or defense skills, but Jack saw its potential. They would need supplies, food, and water. Having a way to safely store and transport these essentials could be invaluable, especially if they had to move quickly or travel long distances.

Jack hesitated, pondering the immediate threat versus the long-term utility. The island was clearly dangerous, and they needed to survive each day as it came. But thinking ahead, they would need more than just combat skills to escape this place. They needed to gather resources, manage supplies, and plan their moves strategically.

He made his decision, selecting Space Storage. As soon as he confirmed his choice, he felt a slight shift in his perception, like a new compartment had opened in his mind. It was an odd sensation, but when he focused, he could sense the storage space—a small, invisible area where he could place items.

The others looked at him, curiosity mingled with confusion. "What skill did you pick, Jack?" one of them asked.

Jack straightened up, still catching his breath. "Space Storage. It lets me store items in a separate space. It might not be flashy, but I think it'll be useful. We need to think about how to survive here, not just fight."

There were nods of understanding and some doubtful glances. Ben, ever the opportunist, scoffed. "Should've picked something more practical, like a combat skill. This isn't some camping trip."

Jack ignored him. He knew Ben was just trying to assert dominance after his earlier display of cowardice. Jack focused on the interface, checking his stats and feeling the slight improvements in his physical and mental state. He could sense a small increase in his strength and agility, and there was a new, faint awareness of mana, a concept that still felt alien and abstract.

The group fell silent, each person engrossed in their own interface, experimenting with their new abilities. Small bursts of flame, water, and air flickered in the night, accompanied by murmurs of awe and excitement. It was a moment of respite, a brief distraction from the grim reality they faced.

But Jack knew this was just the beginning. They had gained these powers, but they were still stranded on an island filled with unknown dangers. The goblins had been a wake-up call, a harsh reminder that this was no longer a vacation paradise. It was a battleground, and they were woefully unprepared.

As the group settled down, weary but bolstered by their new abilities, Jack took stock of their situation. They had a rough idea of their immediate surroundings, some basic powers, and a motley collection of people with varying levels of courage and competence. It wasn't much, but it was a start.

Jack looked out into the darkness, where the goblins had fled. They would be back, he was sure of it. And they needed to be ready. He clenched his fists, feeling the weight of responsibility settle on his shoulders. He wasn't a leader by nature, but he couldn't let that stop him. They needed a plan, resources, and, most importantly, a way off this island.

As the night deepened, the group gathered what supplies they could salvage from the resort and retreated to the main cabin. Jack's mind raced with possibilities and strategies, already planning their next moves. He knew they had a long, hard road ahead of them, but he was determined to lead them through it, one step at a time