Day 12

Just another day in the woods with my bow and quiver on my back. I was out hunting like usual. That's when I heard something strange: Low growls, sharp grunts, and guttural chattering. I crouched low and quietly crept toward the noise. When I peered around a thick tree trunk, I saw them. Small creatures with leathery green skin and jagged weapons stand guard near the entrance of a dark cave.

They were straight out of the fantasy books I used to read on Earth. I watched them chatter and pace while their beady eyes continuously scanned the forest. I knew better than to get involved. These guys were trouble, and I didn't have the experience or the firepower to take them on. I slowly backed off and took a step back. *Crunch*. I just stepped on a twig.

The goblins froze. Then, all their heads turned toward me, with their grotesque faces twisting into snarls. Before I could blink, they charged, shrieking in a frenzy. "Crap..." I muttered as I bolted into the forest. My legs ran like the wind while the goblins' cries echoed through the forest. I took a quick glance behind me and saw their numbers had doubled, maybe tripled.

Nevertheless, they still were gaining on me. I couldn't lead them to Murkwell. The town wouldn't stand a chance against a goblin horde. I then made a last-minute decision before skidded to a halt and spun around. I leaped into the trees, using the branches as makeshift platforms just to stay out of their reach. My bow was in my hands before I realized it, arrows flying one after another.

Each one found its mark, and goblins fell, screeching, to the ground.

But luck was only on my side for a while. Pain exploded in my shoulder as an arrow pierced through my flesh, fired by a goblin archer hidden among the horde. I gritted my teeth, yanked the arrow out, and kept moving. This isn't a fight I was prepared for. I'm not a warrior. I'm a hunter's assistant.

My skills were in stealth and strategy, not head-on combat. I began ducking and weaving; I shifted positions, leaping from branch to branch, firing arrows to thin their ranks. I managed to take out the goblin archers, but when I reached for another arrow, my hand grasped at nothing. I was out. The goblins below snarled, waiting for me to slip.

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With no other choice, I drew my hunting knife and dropped it from the tree. My boots hit the ground with a thud, and the first goblin lunged at me. I indiscriminately kicked it as hard as I could. The goblin flew backward like a rag doll, slamming into a tree with a loud *Crash*. It didn't get up. I was surprised. My strength suddenly became... monstrous? If I could do that with one kick, what else could I do?

Confidence and adrenaline rushed through me, and I charged into the horde. My knife slashed, my fists flew, and every goblin that came near me fell. Punches shattered bones, kicks sent goblins flying, and my blade tore through them like paper. As the fight went on, I became faster, stronger, and less fatigued. By the time it was over, the ground was littered with goblin corpses, and I stood there covered in grime.

My knife dripped green blood, and my shoulder throbbed. As I wiped the sweat and filth from my face, a new theory lit up my mind. My theory is that my strength grew through battle. But that theory led to more questions. Did my power increase more when I faced stronger enemies? Or did it build incrementally with each fight, no matter the opponent? Either way, those martial arts videos on the internet did help me survive.

After the battle with the goblins, my curiosity about the cave they had been guarding intensified. There might be more goblins hiding inside—or perhaps there was a treasure. My imagination ran wild with possibilities. Either way, I couldn’t leave without uncovering what lay hidden in the shadows. As I returned to the cave, I noticed something unusual.

The wound on my shoulder, inflicted by the goblin archer’s arrow, had vanished. Not even a scar remained. I flexed my arm cautiously, and there was no pain. Does defeating foes allow me to absorb some form of vitality? If that were true, it would be a really nice perk.

Upon entering the cave, I stepped in carefully with my bow in my hand. The dim light from the entrance revealed a small chamber, and what I saw made me stop in my tracks. Young goblins and tiny babies huddled together. Their broad, frightened eyes look up at me. For a moment, I was unsure of how I would react. They posed no threat—just innocent creatures too young to defend themselves. Killing them felt… wrong.

Besides, exterminating every goblin in the area could disrupt the ecosystem. Who knew what kind of chaos that might unleash? I simply just took pity and walked past them, ignoring their tiny, anxious squeaks. Venturing deeper into the cave, I stumbled upon a larger chamber. There, illuminated by a faint glow from cracks in the cave ceiling, were heaps of bronze and silver coins stacked like forgotten treasure.

My eyes immediately fell on a treasure chest nestled among the coins. "Damn... I'm lucky," I muttered. It didn't matter that the coins weren't solid gold; they didn't have to be. It was enough to start my journey throughout this world. Yet, as soon as I had begun to fantasize about what I'd do with my newfound wealth, reality smacked me in the face: How was I supposed to carry all this through town without attracting attention?

If I walked into Murkwell dragging sacks of coins, I might as well be wearing a target. "Eh, I'll figure that out later," I said with a shrug. Right now, I have a chest to open.