[Chapter 4 - Deadly Aura]

Something extraordinary had happened, Kenji despite his pitiful stats, did something unexpected: he had leveled up.

His status screen, still a joke compared to anyone else, now read:

Strength: 1.1

Agility: 0

Speed: 1.1

Stamina: 1.1

A faint glimmer of hope flickered in his chest. It wasn’t much, but it was something. He’d earned the level by sheer accident pushing over a sharp rock that managed to kill an ant. It was a humiliating win but he wasn’t going to complain about small victories.

The flicker of hope dimmed as heavy footsteps approached. Goblin 1, the leader of the gang, walked towards the cage, his twisted grin stretching from ear to ear. He kicked Goblin 5 aside without a second thought, snarling, “Useless trash.”

Goblin 5 whimpered and fell, and Kenji couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy. He was clearly the punching bag of the group. Kenji knew the feeling.

The leader stopped in front of the cage, gripping the rusty bars with his clawed hands. “The Goblin King wants to see you,” he rasped.

Kenji’s faint hope vanished. “Uh… can I respectfully decline?” he asked, trying to cover his panic with sarcasm.

Goblin 1’s laughter echoed through the cave as he swung the cage door open. “Move, human. Or do I have to drag your weak body myself?”

Meanwhile, at the King’s Castle...

The sound of explosions echoed through the castle training grounds as Kenji’s former classmates showcased their abilities. They had been at this for hours, testing their powers against wooden targets and growing stronger with every passing hour.

Reagan, the class clown turned fire mage, stood proudly in the center of the field. “Watch this!” he shouted, summoning a blazing fire beam. The moment it struck the target, it erupted into a fiery explosion, scattering pieces and ash across the field.

The king, observing from a balcony, stroked his beard in approval. “They seem to be making excellent progress,” he mused.

“Indeed, my king,” replied a cloaked woman standing beside him. Her face was covered by a veil, her eyes the only visible feature. “These students will be valuable in the coming war.”

Her gaze shifted to one figure on the field: Yumi. The woman’s voice softened slightly. “But there is one who stands above the rest.”

Yumi, the top student, stood a few meters away from a fresh target. Her face was calm and focused. She raised her hands, and a frosty blue glow began to radiate from them. “ICE SPIKE!” she shouted, channeling her magic.

The ground before her froze instantly, huge spikes of ice erupting one after another. Each was larger and sharper than the last, until the final spike loomed and completely obliterated the target. The ice spikes stood beautifully as its surface reflected the sunlight, shining brightly at everyone in its presence.

The students stared in awe. Even the king, once a powerful warrior, couldn’t hide his amazement. “Prepare the hunt,” he ordered, his voice laced with anticipation. “They are ready to face the beasts outside. Let them gain more experience.”

Yumi exhaled heavily, her breath visible in the cold air. She stared at her creation, her mind oddly detached. “I can do better,” she muttered, even though the destruction she’d caused was nothing short of extraordinary.

“Yumi!” Reagan called as he approached, attempting to strike up a conversation. “You’re progressing really fast.”

“Thanks,” Yumi replied politely, though her tone was distant. “But I still have a long way to go.”

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Reagan opened his mouth to say more, but a booming announcement cut him off. “Heroes, prepare yourselves! You are going to the forest to hunt beasts and further your training.”

Hearing this, Yumi turned and walked away, leaving Reagan standing there awkwardly.

Reagan’s friends arrived moments later, laughing as they slapped him on the back. “Nice try, man,” one said, smirking. “She’s way out of your league.”

“Did you really think you had a chance?” another teased.

Reagan clenched his fists, his gaze locked on Yumi as she walked away. “Just watch. I’ll make her mine,” he declared.

His friends burst into laughter again, mocking his confidence, but Reagan ignored them.

Back in the Castle…

As Yumi walked through the hallways toward the dormitory, her thoughts drifted. She was at the top of her class, excelling in every way that mattered in this world. She should have felt proud, confident.

Instead, her mind wandered to Kenji.

“The king said he gave him money, a job, and a place to live,” she thought, trying to reassure herself. “He should be fine… right?”

But no matter how much she tried to push the thoughts away, she couldn’t help but worry. “I wonder how he’s doing,” she murmured softly.

Little did she know, Kenji was being dragged into the depths of a goblin stronghold, about to face a king of his own.

____________________________________________________________________________

Kenji followed quietly behind Goblin 1, his bare feet scraping against the cold, uneven floor. The air was thick, carrying the stench of decay and something almost metallic. Every now and then, the torches mounted along the walls cast just enough light for him to make out disturbing details: rocks shaped like claws, pools of dark green water, and worst of all, the occasional glint of movement as creatures slithered through the shadows.

His stomach turned when a snake slithered across his path, its yellow eyes almost glowing in the dim light. “Lovely,” he muttered under his breath, shrinking back instinctively.

The cave system seemed to stretch endlessly, its tunnels going in every direction. It reminded him of a horror game, one where every wrong turn led to something far worse than a jump scare. What made it worse was the feeling of countless eyes on him. Every goblin they passed, some squatting on the ground, others peeking out from dark corners, grinned at him with the same twisted smile as Goblin 1.

“Great. Just great,” Kenji thought, avoiding eye contact. “It’s like being the only human in a zoo, except I’m the exhibit.”

After what felt like an eternity of walking, the dimly lit tunnels began to brighten. The walls grew wider, and the air felt heavier, oppressive. Kenji’s feet nearly stopped moving when the path opened into a big cave.

It was… a throne room? No, calling it that would’ve been too generous. The cave was massive, but run down. Broken furniture lay scattered everywhere: a shattered table here, a collapsed chandelier there. Tattered banners and ruined paintings hung from the rock walls. In the center of it all was a long, dusty red carpet leading to a makeshift throne with a blend of bones, metal scraps, and rotting wood.

Goblin 1 walked forward confidently, stopping halfway down the carpet. Without hesitation, he dropped to one knee, his head bowed. Kenji hesitated for a second before awkwardly mimicking the pose, clumsily dropping to his knees.

They knelt in silence. At first, nothing happened. The cave was quiet, the only thing that made sound was the faint drip of water echoing from somewhere far away. Kenji’s mind started to wander. “Maybe the King’s not here?” he thought, hope appearing for a brief moment.

And then he felt it.

It hit him like a truck, a crushing force pressing down on his entire body. His chest tightened, and his breathing became shallow. His vision blurred for a moment, and his head started spinning.

“What… what is this?” Kenji thought, panic flooding his body. His heart pounded in his ears, and his stomach twisted violently, making him feel like he was going to vomit.

He gasped for air and dared to glance up. A screen appeared in front of him, its glowing text confirming his fears.

[Aura Detected: 5 Minutes to Death]

His eyes widened in horror. “Aura? Like a crushing feeling from the games I used to play that removed hp?” he muttered weakly. But this wasn’t a game. This was real.

Kenji’s entire body trembled as he fought against the overwhelming pressure. “Dammit,” he uttered out. “Simply being near this guy is killing me!”

His gaze darted to Goblin 1, who remained perfectly still, completely unaffected by the suffocating Aura.

“Why isn’t he reacting? Does Aura only affect me because of my pathetic stats?!” Kenji’s mind raced, his thoughts out of control.

The oppressive feeling only grew stronger, like invisible hands squeezing the life out of him. He clenched his fists. “Damn it… I need to find a way out. I can’t die here. Not like this. Not in front of these… things.”

His breaths came in shallow gasps as his mind looked for a plan. But what could he do? He was trapped, surrounded by goblins, and even standing up seemed impossible under the weight of the Goblin King’s Aura.

From the shadows at the far end of the room, movement stirred. The Goblin King was coming and Kenji glanced at the screen again

[Aura Detected: 4:57 Minutes to Death]