I stood frozen in place, my hands tightening into fists until my knuckles turned white.


    In front of me was a group of sixteen goblins, including a Goblin Mage, wildly waving its tattered wooden staff.


    A part of me burned with the urge to charge in and fight. But logic screamed that I had no chance.


    My mana reserves were too low to keep casting spells, and my stamina would not last in a prolonged battle. If I joined in, I would only become a burden to Erwin.


    "Go, Cedric," Erwin repeated, his voice firm and unwavering. "I can hold them off long enough for you to reach Raydell."


    I grit my teeth. Running away was the last thing I wanted.


    But if I stayed… what could I even do?


    Erwin tightened his grip on his sword, scanning the goblin horde with sharp eyes. "I’m not sure if I can take them all down, but I can at least buy us some time."


    The Goblin Mage suddenly slammed its staff into the ground. A crimson glow pulsed from its tip, and instantly, the entire horde let out a feral roar, their eyes flaring with a dangerous light.


    "Damn it," Erwin muttered. "It’s enhancing them!"


    My stomach twisted. A single goblin wasn’t terrifying, but one empowered by magic would be faster, stronger, and far deadlier.


    "Cedric, go now!" Erwin shouted as the goblins charged.


    My fingers curled into my palms, frustration swelling inside me.


    Run or fight?


    Whoosh!


    A goblin swung its crude wooden club at Erwin, but he sidestepped swiftly and countered with a precise horizontal slash. His sword sliced through the goblin’s throat, sending dark green blood spraying through the air. The creature crumpled instantly.


    But the others weren’t deterred.


    Four goblins flanked Erwin from different directions. One lunged from the left, another aimed straight for his back.


    They were too fast!


    Yet Erwin still reacted in time. He pivoted sharply, cutting down the goblin rushing in from the left while slamming the hilt of his sword into the one closing in from behind.


    I could see the sheer gap in skill between Erwin and the goblins. His movements were fluid and precise, every attack calculated.


    But skill alone wasn’t enough against overwhelming numbers.


    Even someone as strong as Erwin couldn’t fend off an entire horde forever.


    I stepped back, preparing to run just as Erwin had told me. But as I turned away…


    Did I really want to flee?


    Abandon the person who had helped me?


    Frustration welled up inside me. If I truly wanted to grow stronger, I couldn’t keep running from danger.


    But if I stayed, what could I even do?


    I narrowed my eyes, assessing the situation again. Erwin was gradually being overwhelmed, and in the back of the horde, the Goblin Mage stood firmly, waving its staff non-stop to strengthen its allies.


    The goblins were becoming more aggressive, lunging at Erwin from every direction. No matter how skilled he was, he could not keep this up forever.


    I clenched my jaw.


    If this continued, Erwin would not last. I wanted to help, but if I recklessly charged in without a plan, I would only make things worse.


    I needed a different strategy.


    I took a step back… then another.


    "Damn it…" I whispered, my voice trembling as I feigned panic. Turning sharply, I bolted down the path leading out of the forest.


    The Goblin Mage spotted me running and let out a shrill, mocking laugh.


    "KEEEH-HEHEHEHEHE!"


    It sneered at me, as if my retreat was the most natural thing in the world. To it, I was nothing more than a weak, rookie mage who had fled at the first sign of real danger.


    Not just the goblin, but even Erwin saw me running.


    He cut down another goblin, his gaze flickering toward me.


    For a split second, I caught the disappointment in his eyes. But he did not seem angry. Instead, he gave a small nod, as if he had expected this.


    "It’s okay, Cedric… you can’t do anything in this situation."


    Maybe he thought I was making the right choice. I wasn’t strong, I had no battle experience, and if I stayed, I would only drag him down.


    Sorry, Erwin… but I am not running away.


    I hadn’t actually left the battlefield.


    I was only pretending to.


    The moment I disappeared behind the trees, I immediately changed course, circling back from a different direction.


    The dense foliage concealed my presence as I crouched low, moving carefully to avoid making any noise.


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    I returned to the battlefield from behind the Goblin Mage.


    At that moment, it was still cackling, oblivious to the fact that I was still nearby.


    I held my breath, observing closely.


    The mage was entirely focused on enhancing its allies, continuously swinging its staff to maintain the buff.


    This was my chance.


    I curled my fingers into a tight grip, summoning mana into my palm.


    I had only one opportunity. If I failed, everything would be over.


    Lowering my voice, I murmured the incantation.


    "Fireball…"


    A flickering orb of fire ignited in my hand. It wasn’t huge, but it was strong enough to deal damage.


    I held it steady, waiting for the perfect moment.


    Erwin was still fighting. He hadn’t noticed that I had returned, which was exactly what I wanted. I needed to deceive even him.


    The second the Goblin Mage lowered its staff, pausing its chant for just a moment, I knew this was it.


    I burst out from the bushes and hurled the fireball straight at its back.


    "Fireball!"


    Boom!


    The flames erupted against its ragged cloak, scorching the fabric and sending it writhing in agony.


    "GRRRRAAHHHHH!"


    The Goblin Mage collapsed, rolling on the ground in a desperate attempt to put out the fire.


    But I wasn’t going to let it recover.


    Pouring the last of my mana into another fireball, I launched it directly at its face.


    Boom!


    The impact sent the Goblin Mage flying backward, its charred body twitching as its yellow eyes widened in shock.


    It was still alive, but it was no longer capable of using magic.


    This time, I wasn’t going to let it escape.


    I rushed forward, grabbing a dull knife from a fallen goblin and drove it straight into the mage’s throat.


    The goblin convulsed, its body writhing in agony before finally going still.


    The Goblin Mage was dead!


    The moment it died, the remaining goblins lost their magical enhancement.


    The ones attacking Erwin suddenly became sluggish, their movements slowing down noticeably. Their once fierce aggression faded, replaced by confusion and fear.


    "Well…" Erwin chuckled, raising his sword. "Looks like someone just did us a big favor."


    Without wasting a second, he took advantage of the opening.


    He dashed into the disoriented goblin horde, his sword flashing as he struck them down with swift, precise slashes. Weakened and without their magic boost, the goblins stood no chance against him.


    In less than three minutes, Erwin had eliminated the remaining enemies.


    The few survivors scattered in a panic, fleeing into the depths of the forest, their will to fight completely shattered.


    Finally…


    The battle was over.


    I gasped for breath, my body utterly drained. My mana was completely depleted, and my muscles ached from the intensity of the fight.


    Erwin approached, staring at me.


    I swallowed hard, bracing myself for the scolding I was about to receive for deceiving him.


    But instead of anger, Erwin let out a loud laugh.


    "I thought you had already run for your life," he said.


    I scratched my head. "Well… I needed them to believe that I did."


    Erwin shook his head, but there was a glint of approval in his eyes.


    "Not bad. You actually used your head instead of charging in like an idiot," he admitted. "I was a little disappointed at first, but in the end, you did well. Not only did you create a distraction, but you also took out the mage, something I wouldn’t have been able to do without you."


    I gave a weak smile. "So I was actually useful?"


    Erwin clapped a firm hand on my shoulder. "More than expected. But don’t think you’ll always get lucky like this. Next time, make sure you have enough mana to last through a real fight."


    I nodded. I understood exactly what he meant.


    I had succeeded this time… but if the battle had lasted any longer, I would not have been able to hold out.


    If I truly wanted to become stronger, I could not rely solely on tricks. I needed real power.


    After gathering some loot from the goblin corpses, mostly copper coins and a few cheap pieces of equipment, we resumed our journey toward Raydell.


    I was exhausted, but deep inside, I felt a sense of satisfaction.


    For the first time, I was no longer just someone who ran away.


    I had fought.


    I had won.


    And this was only the beginning of my journey to becoming a true adventurer.


    I glanced at Erwin, who seemed relatively unaffected by the battle. He walked at a steady pace, occasionally glancing my way to make sure I wasn’t completely exhausted.


    After some time, Erwin pointed ahead.


    "Let’s take a break. There’s a small river nearby where we can get some water."


    I nodded, realizing how dry my throat had become after the fight.


    We stepped off the main road, following a narrow trail winding through dense trees. The sound of flowing water grew clearer with each step, bringing a sense of calm after all the tension earlier.


    Finally, a small river came into view. The water was crystal clear, reflecting the soft orange hues of the setting sun. Large moss-covered rocks lined the banks, and in the distance, a few birds swooped down to drink.


    Erwin knelt by the river and scooped up a handful of water, drinking it with satisfaction. "It’s pretty clean. You can drink as much as you want."


    I crouched at the riverbank and dipped my hands into the cool water.


    I had never felt a world this vivid before.


    Every little detail, the mist rising from the river, the sun’s shimmering reflection on the surface, and the rustling of branches swaying in the breeze, felt so incredibly real that it took my breath away.


    I leaned forward, gazing at my reflection in the water…


    And for the first time, I saw my own face in this world.


    Back in my old world, I had never paid much attention to my appearance. But now, staring at the image in the water, I couldn’t help but feel surprised.


    Soft brown hair, slightly messy from battle. Striking blue eyes that almost seemed to glow under the evening light. A youthful face, smooth and unblemished, with no scars or roughness.


    I wasn’t tall, standing at only about 5’3”. It was a noticeable difference compared to Erwin, who was nearly 5’10”.


    I touched my cheek, feeling the smoothness of my skin. I looked so young…


    Then it hit me. This body was only sixteen years old.


    I frowned slightly. I was used to the image of my former self, but now I was staring at a completely different person.


    I didn’t just have a new name.


    I had truly become someone else.


    Erwin noticed me staring at my reflection and chuckled. "What’s wrong? You not used to your own face?"


    I flinched, snapping out of my thoughts, and quickly shook my head. "It’s nothing, I just… didn’t expect to look like this."


    Erwin stretched, resting his hands on his hips. "I guess you never paid much attention before. But I have to admit, you look pretty decent. If you don’t want to be an adventurer, you could always pretend to be a noble and make a living scamming people."


    I blinked. "Is that supposed to be a compliment or an insult?"


    He laughed. "Both."


    I shook my head, but despite myself, I couldn’t stop a small smile from forming.


    After drinking some water and resting for a while, we resumed our journey.


    The sun had begun to dip behind the distant mountains, and the sky slowly deepened into a rich purple hue.


    We still had a long way to go before reaching Raydell, but I knew one thing for sure…


    This was only the beginning of a long and challenging journey.