Garrick felt awful, the night before was an unpleasant one. He was overwhelmed by exhaustion and severe fatigue. Half the night was spent listening to hundreds of snoring, coughing, and mumbling green imps. He considered sneaking out of the sleeping chambers but the guards had actively patrolled outside.

Hrubbedbs his weary eyes, body aching from the bunk that was slowly falling apart, the fucker that slept above kept drooling on him through a hole in the bed. Every few hours he had to wipe it off. And kick his part of the bed so he would sleep on the other side.

Grub’s body was skinny but athletic, however, he noticed there was a severe toll. Disgusting as penal food was, at least he didn’t suffer from malnutrition before.

I guess this is my life now.

He wished he could keep on complaining to himself but another day of discomfort– and horrible stone hitting was about to begin.

A morning bell clangs and rings through all of the tunnels of the mine, the start of the work hours being signaled, goblins began lining up under the ever-watching eyes that were the Hobgoblin guards.

However, he noticed something was off. The guards were whispering to each other. He could vaguely make out the words ‘Human’ now and then.

The guard in charge of Garrick’s group, scuttled off, not long after, the one who told him his name Khobito, he believed. The behavior they exhibited was not too dissimilar to when he saw prison officers preparing themselves for something bad about to happen. Whether an uprising or preparation for war.

One of the other guards appointed a green goblin, a fool named Letch, as a temporary sentry, a choice that left the other goblins in an anarchic mood, and even Garrick felt uneasy. Letch was not qualified to keep things under his control, half a minute of his temporary work and he already staring at the ceiling, jaw open and saliva dripping.

As Garrick settled into his new routine, he got a feeling for the pick. Testing out different ways of hitting his stationary targets. A goblin had approached him, tapping him on the shoulder, talking silently.

“Hey grubbub. Just givin ya a head’s up. He’s lookin for ya.”

He became slightly anxious and his fists gripped tightly. Trouble, this early in the morning? Just what he needed.

“Who's looking for me?”

“Krobber said he’s comin ta finish the job.”

Garrick froze, there was no doubt about it. It was the same individual who ended Grubbub’s life.

“Ain’t he supposed to work in a different mine?”

“Guards are missing from half their posts, guess it’s our mine for the day.”

He frowned, he hoped there would be more time to prepare, he wanted to catch this person off guard. But no matter, he doesn’t plan on running. Frail as grubbub’s body is, Garrick has taken some serious beatings in his life, he would endure.

“Thanks for the warning mate,” he told the gob.

“I’d run if I was you, no escaping his fury.” The goblin said scuttling off.

Not long after, the ringleader appeared but without the complete collection of his posse.

Krobber, the hook-faced, rat-looking mother fucker.

He started looking all over for his former victim. ‘There’s no point in hiding.’ Garrick thought.

Walking up to his oppressor with a scowl on his face. Krobber sneered at him, furious and yet amused.

“Heard ya crawled out of that little hole,” Cracking his knuckles, snickering. “What a sight to behold, I saw your skull break, dunno who or what put you together but I’m going to revel in smashing that tiny skull of yours a second time.”

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

“And how will you explain my death to the overseer, ratface,” he asked him. It was logically sound, fighting was forbidden unless sanctioned by higher-ups.

“Well, would ya look at that, little grubbub has grown a spine!”

Garrick braced himself, his heart pounding like a hammer hitting a nail. Despite the fragility of his body, his mind was definitely more developed than this conniving scoundrel. He was underweight, he wagered he was about 40 kilograms, no more than a growing child was. Krobber was at least an additional half his weight. about 60 kg

He may be smaller but Krobber had balls, and balls can kicked. Eyes can be poked, and throats could be shut closed.

Every goblin in the tunnel started forming a circle around them, as the two stared each other down.

“Let me at 'em boss! I’ve been waiting a long time to hit 'em again.” the lackey said enthusiastically.

“No barknut, don’t interfere. He’s my plaything, I'm gonna work him real good.”

Krobber rushes him, a right jab aimed at his head. Garrick holds his hands up, intending to block the strike. The hit was hard but nothing he couldn’t handle, he needed to wait for the right strike.

The crowd around him cheered on the knave. It was distracting, having to analyze them constantly.

Krobber hits him again, trying to provoke him. A left jab glided along his face and stung his cheek. He did not hit back, not yet. He needed to wait for the right moment. Let Krobber gas himself out, as long as he evades a grab he was good.

Krobber’s assault intensifies, every second hit touched him, and every third hurt him. But he held his guard strong and then–time appeared to slow down. And everything darkened.

Directly in front at the back of the cave, he could partially discern a shadow casting over the general, there were flailing smaller shadows that resembled tentacles. It's the voice once again welling into his mind.

“I have taught you how to see before, now I will teach you how to hit well,” it made small humming noises. Then continued.”You need to move with the flow, when you strike, move your mana as well.

”Why was it telling him this, was it testing him or grooming him? Time sped up again, and he lowered his guard and stopped. The shadow had disappeared again, no one seemed to have noticed it, as he dwelt on it.

Krobber punches him directly in the face.

Garrick falls to the ground. His face ate dust that fell in as his mouth was open, and bloody scrapes on his arms.

How the hell am I supposed to use the mana to strike?

“Stop pretending to be a fool, it’s the life force of every living thing you see in this world. If you’re able to see it, you should be able to move it within yourself. Garrick.”

The voice echoed in his mind.

‘Who the fuck are you he thought.’

Irrelevant, focus.

Garrick did the only thing he knew that was beyond him. He activated his mana vision. The aura of the crowd blended into one. Krobber’s were fiery and large, like an unopened well. Yet when he came at him nothing came out.

“These goblins have never done any form of mana training, you have the advantage here, focus.”

Partially dazed but conscious, Garrick stood up and attempted to try at least. He imagined channeling his life force to a single point in his fist, visualizing potent energy flowing through his limbs.

He punches Krobber in the face, and the older goblin deliberately lets his guard down. Nothing happened.

“Come on, wanker is that all you got.”

Krobber countered, sending Garrick back. Garrick readies himself once more. The world outside drowns out, and he hears nothing. He moves towards Krobber, easily managing to evade his punches. Then it’s him straight in the stomach.

The goblin flew backward, the impact sending Krobber a few meters away from him and into the crowd. The crowd is silent and stunned in disbelief.

He did it!!!

Goodboy. Hahahaha

He heard the voice interject in his mind. But Garrick knew he couldn’t pay attention to it right now. He hears a sack of rocks behind him being tussled. There, where he had started mining earlier, someone was already in the process of looting his stuff. The culprit looked at him in surprise, not expecting him to pay attention to his surroundings.

The culprit holds his hands, fearful of receiving the other end of Garrick’s fury.

Garrick rushes at him, punching the opportunist in his face. The perfect target to retest this exercise. Fueled by fury and his newfound ability to Channel Mana, the thief falls backward, knocked out cold. With a single punch, the onlookers roared in approval.

He returns his attention to the main attention. Barknut being the bootlicking lackey he was stepped forward. Only to be shouted at by his boss.

.

“Fuck out of the way barknut, let me gut him.” Krobber pulled out a knife. “Let’s see how well you deal with this.”

Garrick with renewed confidence and vigor, waited patiently for krobber to come at him, he had faced guns before. What’s a knife smaller than a kitchen utility to him?

“RAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!” Krobber shouted going mad and his knife swung wildly everywhere at him.

Garrick barely dodges it, and the knife manages to scrape above his eye, making blood drip from it.

Krobber breathed heavily in exhaustion, holding his stomach where he had been punched before. Garrick used the opportunity to dash at him. Just before he manages to hit the blow.

Guards rush into the tunnel. The guards start shouting, weapons in their hands. Letch, the appointed sentry ran away hiding behind an obscured rock.

“Back to your stations maggots!” the lead guard shouted. “You two, no fights allowed in the mines, on the fucking ground.”

Both of them lay down. Awaiting punishment.

“This isn’t over Grubbub!” Krobbler said.

“No, it isn’t and my name isn’t grubbub, rat fucker.”

Krobbler's eyes went wide.

Garrick struggles to catch his breath as one of the guards grabs him holding him down. Another guard starts lashing him.

They held absolute power here, and who was Garrick to contest? Hitting them with his mana punches will definitely have him executed.

“Come on, you’re going to the overseer’s office, he’s been waiting for you to fuck up.”

At least Khobito wasn’t here, he’d hate to ruin the start of his friendship with the hobgoblin.

He noticed that they had taken Krobber somewhere else. Why did he receive different treatment?

As he is pulled through the corridors, his mind races. The shadow had saved him once again, taught him something, to what end. What exactly did he want from him? Did it see him as an amusement or perhaps a tool? How much longer will he survive if these incidents keep happening?