《The World Turned Into A Video Game》 Chapter One Damian gripped the steering wheel, his mind adrift as the sun dipped below the horizon. He had just graduated early from Yale, a milestone he hadn¡¯t yet shared with his family. Instead of heading straight to his parents¡¯ home in Dallas, he decided to spend some time with his Aunt Mary and Uncle Ben on their farm in West Texas. He wanted the Fourth of July to be a memorable surprise, the perfect moment to tell his parents about his achievement. The drive had been long, hours of endless highway stretching before him, but as the familiar silhouette of Uncle Ben¡¯s farm came into view, Damian felt a surge of warmth. The small farm, with its neatly kept fields and weathered barn, had always been a haven for him as a child. Summers spent here were filled with lessons in farming, hunting, and even blacksmithing¡ªit was where he learned the value of hard work. He pulled into the gravel driveway, exhaustion threatening to pull him under, but the thought of surprising his aunt and uncle brought a tired smile to his face. Stepping out of the car, he walked to the front door and knocked. No answer. Frowning, Damian pulled out his phone and called his aunt. After a few rings, she picked up. ¡°Damian?¡± Aunt Mary¡¯s familiar voice was warm but tinged with worry. ¡°Hey, Aunt Mary. I hate to bother you, but I wanted to surprise you and Uncle Ben. I¡¯m at the house, but no one¡¯s here. Where are you guys?¡± ¡°Oh, Damian, I¡¯m so sorry! Your uncle was bitten by a feral rabbit earlier today while checking the crops. We had to take him to the clinic to get checked for rabies.¡± ¡°What?¡± Damian¡¯s voice rose in disbelief. ¡°Feral rabbits? What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°There¡¯s been a sudden surge of strange animal sightings in the area,¡± Aunt Mary explained. ¡°The rabbits are particularly aggressive. The clinic needs a sample to test for rabies. If you see any of them, please be careful¡ªand if you can, catch or kill one for the test.¡± Damian sighed, his relaxing weekend plans dissolving into a strange new reality. ¡°Alright, Aunt Mary. I¡¯ll see if I can find one.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Hanging up, Damian muttered to himself, ¡°Guess I¡¯m hunting rabbits now.¡± He headed to the shed, where he remembered Uncle Ben keeping his compound bow. After a quick search, he found it, along with a quiver of arrows. It had been years since he¡¯d used a bow, but the muscle memory came back quickly. The sun was still high, its heat bearing down as he trudged through the fields. The farm was quiet, save for the rustling of the crops in the wind. After a while, Damian spotted movement near the edge of the vegetable patch. His breath hitched. The rabbit he saw wasn¡¯t normal. It was the size of a house cat, with sharp teeth and a small horn protruding from its forehead. It tore through the vegetables with an unsettling ferocity. ¡°What the hell is this?¡± Damian whispered, his disbelief giving way to wariness. He nocked an arrow, keeping his movements slow and deliberate. Remembering his uncle¡¯s likely mistake of using a gun and startling the creatures, Damian stayed silent as he drew back the bowstring. The arrow flew true, piercing the rabbit¡¯s chest. The creature let out a guttural screech before collapsing in a twitching heap. Damian approached cautiously, his eyes wide as he examined the beast. Its weight was surprising, and the sharp fangs and horn confirmed this was no ordinary animal. ¡°This thing isn¡¯t from here,¡± he muttered, dragging the carcass back to the shed. As he worked to skin the creature and remove its head for the clinic, something strange caught his eye¡ªa small, glowing crystal nestled where its heart should have been. He held it up, its light pulsing faintly in his hand. Curiosity got the better of him. Without thinking, Damian placed the crystal in his mouth. It dissolved instantly, sending a jolt of energy through his body. A glowing blue window appeared before his eyes, filled with floating text: ¡°Congratulations! You¡¯re the first to awaken. Please choose a reward.¡± Damian froze, staring at the options that appeared below the text: ? Beginner Fire Magic ? Beginner Earth Magic ? Beginner Wind Magic ? Beginner Water Magic ? Beginner Healing Magic ? Beginner Enhancement Magic It looked like something out of a video game. Rubbing his eyes, Damian tried to make sense of what he was seeing, but the surreal events of the day made him hesitate. ¡°Well, if this is real, I¡¯ll need something practical,¡± he thought, selecting Beginner Healing Magic. The moment he focused on the choice, a surge of knowledge flooded his mind. It was as if he¡¯d known the spell his whole life. He stumbled back, dropping the rabbit in shock as a new line of text appeared: ¡°Congratulations! You have learned Minor Heal. Congratulations! You have leveled up.¡± Damian stared at the glowing window, his jaw slack. ¡°What the hell is going on?¡± Chapter Two Flustered and filled with worry, Damian jumped into his car and sped toward the clinic where his aunt and uncle were staying. His mind raced, replaying the events of the day¡ªthe strange rabbit, the blue floating window, and the unsettling discovery of the crystal. But above all, he was worried about Uncle Ben. The sight of that bizarre, horned creature had shaken him, and the thought that it might have infected his uncle made his chest tighten. He gripped the steering wheel harder. Rabies from a rabbit? It was rare, but seeing the kind of rabbit that had attacked his uncle had turned a small worry into a growing fear. Time was not something he could afford to waste. The clinic came into view, a small, modest building nestled in the center of town. Damian parked and hurried inside, his boots clacking on the tiled floor. ¡°Hi, I¡¯m looking for Benjamin Park,¡± Damian said to the nurse at the front desk, trying to keep his voice calm. ¡°Is he here?¡± She glanced up from her paperwork and smiled warmly. ¡°Ah, you must be Ben¡¯s nephew. He mentioned you¡¯d be coming.¡± Her tone turned more businesslike. ¡°Do you have the animal¡¯s body?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Damian said, pulling a wrapped bundle from his bag. ¡°I already split it for easier examination. I hope that helps.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine. Just hand it over, and we¡¯ll get it checked,¡± she replied, taking the bundle from him. ¡°Your uncle is in Room 5, talking with Dr. Smith.¡± Damian hesitated for a moment, then asked, ¡°This might sound strange, but¡­ has there been an increase in sightings of these creatures today?¡± The nurse frowned slightly. ¡°Yes, actually. It¡¯s been quite unusual.¡± ¡°Have any of them tested positive for rabies?¡± ¡°No, fortunately not,¡± she said, her tone relieved. ¡°But I have to admit, we¡¯ve never seen anything like these animals before.¡± Damian hesitated again, his curiosity outweighing his nerves. ¡°By any chance¡­ have you noticed anything strange inside these creatures? Like, I don¡¯t know, a rock or crystal near their hearts?¡±Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. The nurse¡¯s eyebrows shot up in surprise. ¡°Yes! That¡¯s been the most puzzling thing about them. Every single one has had something like that.¡± ¡°Could I¡­ have those crystals? I¡¯m trying to learn more about what attacked my uncle,¡± Damian asked cautiously. She tilted her head, considering for a moment, then nodded. ¡°We don¡¯t need them for testing, and we¡¯ve been setting them aside. I can give you a jar of the ones farmers have brought in.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Damian said with genuine relief. The nurse disappeared into the back for a few moments and returned with a small jar, filled with about thirty glowing, faintly pulsing crystals. Damian couldn¡¯t hide his amazement as he carefully placed the jar into his backpack. ¡°Thank you so much,¡± he said again, offering the nurse a grateful smile before heading toward Room 5. Inside, Uncle Ben was laughing heartily with Dr. Smith, a familiar scene in the small, tight-knit community. With a population of fewer than three thousand people, it wasn¡¯t surprising that the town doctor was also an old family friend. ¡°Damian, my boy!¡± Uncle Ben called out, his voice booming with enthusiasm. Damian smiled awkwardly. ¡°Hey, Uncle Ben.¡± ¡°I told you he¡¯d find that rabbit bastard!¡± Ben said triumphantly, slapping Dr. Smith on the back. Dr. Smith chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m just saying it doesn¡¯t hurt to be cautious, Ben. We¡¯ve had reports of these creatures all over the area today.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± Ben replied with a wave of his hand, his grin unwavering. Aunt Mary greeted Damian warmly, clearly relieved to see him. Damian caught them up on the day¡¯s events, omitting the strange blue window and the inexplicable abilities it had offered him. Instead, he focused on reassuring them that he had taken care of the rabbit and was there to help however he could. Both Aunt Mary and Uncle Ben beamed with pride when Damian mentioned graduating early, their worries momentarily forgotten. Before long, Dr. Smith confirmed that Uncle Ben was in the clear¡ªno sign of rabies. The wound just needed to be disinfected over the next few days to prevent infection. Relieved, Damian hugged his aunt and uncle before taking the spare key and heading back to the farm. The drive back was quieter, but Damian¡¯s mind wasn¡¯t. He couldn¡¯t stop thinking about the jar of crystals in his bag or the strange blue window that had appeared earlier. What had he gotten himself into? Once inside the farmhouse, Damian sat at the kitchen table and placed the jar in front of him. The crystals seemed to pulse faintly, almost alive. His fingers hovered over the lid, his heart pounding with anticipation. ¡°What kind of surprises am I about to get into now?¡± Damian muttered to himself. He unscrewed the lid and leaned in closer, the glowing stones casting strange shadows across the room. Chapter Three Damian sat at the kitchen table, his eyes fixed on the glass jar filled with glowing stones. The faint pulse of light from each one seemed to beckon him, as if urging him to uncover their secrets. There has to be more to this, he thought, picking up one of the stones and holding it between his fingers. It was cool to the touch, the soft glow illuminating the lines of his palm. Despite its strange appearance, nothing about it seemed particularly special. And then, it happened again. A glowing blue window materialized in front of him, accompanied by the now-familiar sound of a soft chime. ¡°You have learned the Identify Skill.¡± Damian blinked, his heart racing. ¡°Identify Skill?¡± he muttered aloud, staring at the floating text. The window shifted, revealing more information: Identify LV1 - Displays standard information of items. His pulse quickened. Maybe this can help, he thought, focusing on the stone in his hand. ¡°Identify,¡± he muttered. The text shifted again, this time displaying the details of the stone: Inferior Mana Stone - A Magic Stone filled with a minor amount of mana. Damian¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°A magic stone?¡± he whispered, the words feeling foreign yet thrilling on his tongue. The pieces were starting to come together¡ªthe strange creature, the healing ability, the crystals¡ªit all made sense now. That means I can use magic too.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. His thoughts raced back to the healing spell he¡¯d learned earlier. At first, he thought it had been a hallucination, but now the evidence was undeniable. This was real. He stared at the stone in his hand for a moment longer before a wild idea took root. Holding his breath, he gently placed the stone in his mouth. The cool surface dissolved almost instantly, leaving behind a faint, refreshing sensation as it vanished. Nothing happened. Undeterred, Damian picked up another stone and repeated the process. One by one, the stones disappeared into his mouth, their faint glow extinguishing with each swallow. Then, after the twentieth stone, the now-familiar chime echoed in his ears. Ding! Another window appeared: ¡°Congratulations! You¡¯ve leveled up!¡± Damian sat back, his heart pounding in his chest. He stared at the notification, his mind racing. This isn¡¯t a dream. This isn¡¯t some trick. A grin spread across his face, one that grew wider as he spoke the words he had only dreamed of saying. ¡°Status.¡± A new window appeared, listing information that made Damian¡¯s stomach flip with excitement: Damian Park Race: Human Strength: 6 Agility: 5 Dexterity: 9 Mana: 0 Status Points: 10 Skills: Minor Heal, Identify Damian¡¯s eyes widened as he absorbed the information. Strength, Agility, Dexterity, Mana¡­ These were numbers he¡¯d only ever seen in video games, but now they were real¡ªhis life was being measured and quantified like a character in an RPG. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ living the dream,¡± he whispered, his grin unwavering. But the thought was bittersweet. If this was happening to him, what was happening to the rest of the world? Those creatures, those strange rabbits¡ªthey weren¡¯t natural. If they were roaming freely, this could be bigger than anything he could imagine. His excitement gave way to determination. ¡°I need to look into this more.¡± Damian glanced back at the jar. He still had some stones left. Taking a deep breath, he continued consuming them, watching each one vanish in his mouth. After finishing the last stone, he paused, waiting for another notification. But nothing came. He frowned. I guess leveling up gets harder each time. I probably need more stones now. He leaned back in his chair, his mind buzzing with questions. If he could gain strength through these stones, others might be able to as well. Or worse, someone¡ªor something¡ªelse might already know how to use them. Pulling out his laptop, Damian opened a browser and began searching around. As he looked for any mention of strange animals, glowing stones, or anything that might explain what was happening Chapter Four Damian sat hunched over his laptop, scrolling through countless articles and forums. After several minutes of searching, he sighed in frustration. Aside from a handful of news posts warning about sudden feral animal sightings, there was nothing concrete. ¡°I don¡¯t think people have learned anything about the mana stones,¡± Damian muttered, scratching his chin. The faint glow of his screen illuminated his furrowed brow. ¡°If they don¡¯t know, maybe I can get ahead of whatever is coming. This isn¡¯t normal¡ªand it¡¯s going to get worse.¡± He had seen enough apocalypse shows to recognize the signs. If this was the beginning of something big, preparation was key. Lost in thought, Damian¡¯s concentration shattered when he heard a strange noise from outside. A faint rustling, almost imperceptible, broke the silence. Then the house went dark. The hum of electricity stopped abruptly, leaving him in complete silence. Gripping the edge of the table, Damian glanced toward the window. What caused the power outage? he wondered, though deep down, he already suspected the answer. His mind raced. Another creature might be lurking outside. He needed to prepare. Pulling up the status window once more, Damian¡¯s gaze landed on the remaining 10 unspent status points. If he was going to face another one of these creatures, he needed an edge. Without hesitation, he allocated five points into Agility, reasoning it might help if he needed to outrun something. As the points distributed, a warm sensation surged through his body, but he couldn¡¯t pinpoint any immediate change. He hoped it would be enough. Moving quickly, Damian rummaged through the closet for a weapon. The bow was still in the shed, which was too far to risk fetching in the dark. Instead, he made his way to his aunt and uncle¡¯s bedroom, searching for his uncle Ben¡¯s K5 pistol. He remembered using it at the gun range a few times before and felt confident he could handle it. With the gun secured and a flashlight in hand, Damian descended the stairs cautiously, his ears straining for any sound. He scanned the dark corners of the house, using his flashlight to pierce the shadows. Everything seemed still¡ªuntil another noise came from outside.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. A loud crash echoed through the yard, followed by the unmistakable sound of something rummaging through the trash cans. Carefully, Damian stepped outside, his heart hammering in his chest. What he saw froze him in place. A rat, unlike any he¡¯d ever seen, was tearing into the trash. Its glowing red eyes glinted in the darkness, sending a chill down his spine. The creature was the size of a large dog, its matted fur clinging to its muscular frame. Damian held his breath, his hands trembling as he gripped the gun. This wasn¡¯t like the rabbit he had encountered earlier. This was far worse. It¡¯s huge, he thought, swallowing the lump in his throat. Fear threatened to paralyze him, but he took a deep breath, forcing himself to steady his aim. If he didn¡¯t act now, things could spiral out of control. He squeezed the trigger. The gunshot echoed through the night, the sudden flash of light illuminating the rat¡¯s monstrous form. The creature reacted instantly, dodging the bullet with a speed that defied its size. ¡°Damn it!¡± Damian cursed, firing again. The rat lunged toward him, its movements unnervingly fast. It weaved through the darkness, using the shadows to mask itself. I can¡¯t lose it, Damian thought, adrenaline surging through his veins. ¡°Where are you going?!¡± he shouted, firing wildly into the night. Finally, a shot connected. The rat let out a blood-curdling screech before collapsing to the ground with a heavy thud. Its massive body twitched, blood pooling beneath it. Breathing heavily, Damian approached the fallen creature, his gun still raised. It was still twitching slightly, its glowing eyes dimming. To be sure, he aimed at its head and fired one last bullet. The creature went still. Damian stood over the massive corpse, his legs shaking. The rat must have weighed roughly sixty pounds, its hide unnaturally thick. This was no ordinary animal¡ªthis was something out of a nightmare. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I just did that,¡± Damian muttered, his voice trembling as he caught his breath. He glanced at the gun in his hand. Two bullets left. These things aren¡¯t easy to kill. Dragging the enormous rat to the shed, Damian prepared to investigate further. Using a knife, he carefully searched the creature¡¯s chest. Sure enough, embedded near its heart, he found what he was looking for¡ªa mana stone. But this one was different. It was larger than the stones he had seen earlier, its glow brighter and more intense. ¡°Identify,¡± Damian muttered, holding the stone up. Mana Stone - A stone filled with mana. His eyes widened. This wasn¡¯t an Inferior Mana Stone like before. This was something stronger. Without hesitation, Damian placed the stone in his mouth. It dissolved almost instantly, and a surge of energy coursed through him, filling him with warmth. Then came the sound he had been waiting for. Ding! ¡°Congratulations! You¡¯ve leveled up!¡± Damian smiled, his exhaustion momentarily forgotten. Whatever was happening, he was getting stronger. But as he glanced back at the rat¡¯s corpse, a shiver ran down his spine. If creatures like this were becoming more common, he would need all the strength he could get. Chapter Five After the intense encounter with the oversized rat, Damian¡¯s exhaustion overtook him, and he slept deeply through the night. The following morning, he awoke feeling unusually invigorated. As he prepared a hearty breakfast, the news caught his attention: ¡°Today, a wild boar several times larger than average was killed after causing havoc in the city. Several police officers were at the scene; five were injured, and one has died after an intense fight broke out.¡± This alarming report confirmed Damian¡¯s suspicions: the anomalies he had encountered were not isolated incidents. The world was changing, and these dangerous creatures were becoming more prevalent. Determined to assess the situation, Damian donned his running gear and set out for a run to see if he encountered any other animals. In college, a five-mile run would leave him winded, but today, he completed the distance effortlessly. His stamina had increased remarkably, a testament to the increased agility he had invested into. Upon returning home, Damian noticed his uncle and aunt¡¯s car in the driveway, accompanied by vehicles belonging to the local sheriff and a game warden. Approaching them, he greeted them, ¡°Hello, is something wrong?¡± Uncle Ben introduced the officials, ¡°Damian, this is Sheriff Robert and Game Warden Billy.¡± The sheriff spoke up, ¡°Son, we received reports of gunshots last night. You¡¯re not in trouble, but given the recent wildlife incidents, especially with Ben¡¯s injury yesterday, we have some concerns.¡± Damian explained the previous night¡¯s events, ¡°There was a wild animal that caused a power outage. I had to defend myself. You can check inside; the power was cut. I¡¯ve already contacted the electric company too about it.¡± He led them to the shed, revealing the carcass of the massive rat. The sight left the officials in disbelief. The game warden, visibly unsettled, examined the creature. Damian shared his observations, ¡°I¡¯ve noticed that these creatures have gemstones in their chests. It seems connected to the recent feral animal attacks. I was scared for my life and hoped to prevent this creature from harming anyone else.¡± The sheriff and game warden exchanged glances, then nodded appreciatively. ¡°You did the right thing,¡± the sheriff acknowledged. They informed Damian and Uncle Ben about a recent incident in Dallas involving a large boar causing havoc in the city, resulting in injuries and a fatality among police officers. Additionally, they warned both Damian and his uncle of a dangerous stag sighted at Richard¡¯s Farm, described as having sharp teeth and a small horn on its forehead. The stag had reportedly killed and eaten a cow on his farm. ¡°There¡¯s a bounty of $1,000 on this stag,¡± the game warden stated. ¡°But I must repeat, do not engage unless you¡¯re properly armed. It¡¯s extremely dangerous.¡± Damian¡¯s mind raced at what type of Mana stone it could¡¯ve . The world was becoming increasingly perilous, but with his abilities, he felt he could handle it. As the officials departed, he couldn¡¯t help but consider the opportunity of earning a bit of money. Damian stood in the doorway, watching the sheriff and game warden drive away. His uncle¡¯s voice broke his train of thought.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it,¡± Uncle Ben said, arms crossed. ¡°Think about what?¡± Damian replied, though his smile gave him away. ¡°You know exactly what. You¡¯re not going after that stag. That thing¡¯s dangerous, Damian. You heard what they said¡ªit killed a cow. It might as well be a monster, you might¡¯ve gotten lucky last both times but this isn¡¯t a game.¡± Damian sighed, trying to appear nonchalant. ¡°I¡¯m not stupid, Uncle Ben. I¡¯m not running unprepared. But you¡¯ve got to admit, if something like that¡¯s out there, someone has to take it down. And I¡¯m not just going to sit here and do nothing if it shows up.¡± Ben sighed, rubbing his temples. ¡°You¡¯ve got a point, but you¡¯ve never seen anything like this before. That rat you killed? That was one thing. A stag like that? That¡¯s a whole different ball game.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be careful,¡± Damian said, placing a hand on his uncle¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Trust me.¡± Ben shook his head. ¡°Just don¡¯t do anything reckless.¡± Damian gave a reassuring nod but already had a plan forming in his mind. That afternoon, Damian returned to the shed. The rat¡¯s carcass had been removed by the game warden, but its bloodstains remained on the floor. He sat down and opened his status window again, staring at the glowing interface. Ten points still remained unallocated. He had been cautious about using them, not fully understanding their impact, but the events of the past day had shown him he couldn¡¯t afford to hold back. ¡°Let¡¯s even this out,¡± he muttered, deciding to invest four points into Strength, three into Dexterity, and the remaining two into Mana. The moment he confirmed his choices, the now-familiar warmth surged through his body. His muscles tightened, and he felt an almost electric charge in his veins. He clenched his fists, marveling at the newfound strength coursing through him. His heart raced, not from fear but from anticipation. Whatever was happening to him, he was growing stronger¡ªand he¡¯d need every bit of it. By the time night fell, Damian was prepared. He had gathered supplies: the bow and a full quiver of arrows, a flashlight, a hunting knife, and his uncle¡¯s K5 pistol with the last two bullets still chambered. He packed everything into a small bag, careful to keep it light and quiet. As he stepped outside, the cool Texas night wrapped around him, the sound of crickets filling the air. The farm was still and peaceful, but Damian knew better than to let his guard down. If the stag was anywhere nearby, it wouldn¡¯t stay hidden for long. He started running toward Richard¡¯s Farm, keeping to the shadows as much as possible. The moonlight illuminated his path, casting long, eerie shadows across the open fields. Halfway there, he heard it¡ªa low, guttural growl that didn¡¯t belong to any normal animal. Damian froze, heart pounding, and scanned the area with his flashlight. In the distance, near the treeline, a massive silhouette moved. It was the stag. Its sharp teeth glinted in the moonlight, and its single horn gleamed like polished ivory. The creature was enormous, easily standing over seven feet tall at the shoulder. Damian crouched low, gripping his bow tightly. He nocked an arrow, pulling the string back as silently as he could. His enhanced Dexterity made the action feel effortless. The stag sniffed the air, its glowing yellow eyes locking onto Damian¡¯s position. It let out a bone-chilling roar, unlike anything he had ever heard, and charged. Adrenaline surged through Damian¡¯s veins as he released the arrow. The shot hit its mark, embedding deep in the creature¡¯s shoulder, but it barely slowed down. Damian fired another arrow, this time aiming for its chest, but the stag dodged with unnerving speed. ¡°Damn it!¡± he muttered, sprinting to the side to avoid being trampled. His increased Agility kicked in, and he moved faster than he ever thought possible, narrowly evading the stag¡¯s charge. The creature skidded to a halt, turning to face him again. Its horn glowed faintly, and for a moment, Damian thought he saw sparks of energy flickering around it. ¡°This thing has abilities too,¡± he realized, panic setting in. He had no time to think. The stag charged again, and Damian dove to the side, rolling to his feet and firing another arrow. This time, the shot hit the base of the creature¡¯s neck, drawing a pained bellow from it. It was injured now, but far from defeated. Damian could see the blood pouring from its wounds, but its eyes burned brighter, as if fueled by rage. ¡°This isn¡¯t going to be easy,¡± Damian muttered, reaching for another arrow. The battle was far from over. Chapter Six The stag¡¯s glowing yellow eyes locked onto Damian, its horn sparking with faint blue energy. Damian tightened his grip on the bow, his heart pounding. The beast was far more dangerous than he¡¯d anticipated. The stag pawed at the ground, lowering its head. Sparks danced along its sharp horn, growing brighter with every second. Damian could feel the energy in the air, the hairs on his arms standing on end. ¡°Not good,¡± he muttered, nocking another arrow. The stag charged, lightning crackling around it as it barreled toward him. Damian fired, the arrow slicing through the air and embedding itself deep into the stag¡¯s chest. The beast roared in pain but didn¡¯t slow down. Damian dove to the side, rolling to avoid the charge. He barely avoided being impaled by the glowing horn, but as he rose to his feet, the stag unleashed its power. A bolt of blue lightning erupted from its horn, arcing toward him. The lightning struck Damian square in the chest, sending him flying backward. He hit the ground hard, the breath knocked out of him as pain seared through his body. His vision blurred, and his limbs felt heavy. Struggling to stand, Damian glanced at his hands. His shirt was scorched, his skin blistered from the lightning¡¯s impact. Blood trickled from a gash on his forehead, and his legs trembled beneath him. ¡°This¡­ isn¡¯t how it ends,¡± he growled, forcing himself upright. The stag roared again, its horn glowing brighter as it prepared another attack. Damian gritted his teeth, drawing the hunting knife from his belt. He was out of arrows and nearly out of strength, but he refused to give up.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. As the stag charged, Damian feinted to the side, narrowly avoiding another blast of electricity. The beast¡¯s momentum carried it past him, giving Damian a brief opening. He lunged forward, plunging the knife into the stag¡¯s neck with every ounce of strength he had left. The creature thrashed, its glowing eyes wide with rage and pain. Damian held on, driving the blade deeper until he felt the stag¡¯s struggles weaken. With a final bellow, the beast collapsed, its body twitching as the last of the electricity crackled out. Damian fell to his knees, his body trembling. Blood dripped from his wounds, and every breath felt like a struggle. He could barely move, but he knew he had to act fast. ¡°Skill¡­ heal,¡± he gasped, activating the ability he¡¯d learned earlier. A soft green glow enveloped him, soothing the pain and mending his injuries. The gash on his forehead closed, the burns on his chest faded, and his strength slowly returned. Damian took a deep breath, relief washing over him. He turned to the stag¡¯s massive corpse, still unable to believe he¡¯d survived. Drawing his knife again, he began cutting into its chest, searching for the gem he knew would be there. To his surprise, he found not one but two gemstones. One glowed faintly similar to the others, the second faintly glowing with a blue hue . ¡°He inspected the second gemstone, which shimmered a more familiar blue hue. Without hesitation, Damian absorbed both. The first stone sent a surge of energy through him, and he felt his body grow stronger, his level increasing twice in rapid succession. But it was the second stone that truly surprised him. As he absorbed its energy, knowledge flooded his mind. Skill Learned: Blue Lightning Mana Cost: 5 points Description: Unleash a bolt of blue lightning at your target, dealing heavy damage and stunning enemies. Damian stared at his hands, feeling the crackle of energy coursing through his veins. He clenched his fist, watching faint blue sparks dance along his fingertips. ¡°I can use this¡­¡± he whispered, a mix of awe and exhaustion in his voice. His legs gave out beneath him, and he collapsed to the ground. The adrenaline faded, leaving him completely drained. But for the first time in days, Damian felt a glimmer of hope. He had survived. He had grown stronger. As his vision darkened and he drifted into unconsciousness, a faint smile tugged at his lips. For now, the fight is over. Chapter Seven The soft chirping of birds greeted Damian as he slowly opened his eyes. Every part of his body ached, but he was alive. The grassy clearing where he¡¯d collapsed was still damp with dew, and the air was thick with the metallic scent of blood. He glanced over at the stag¡¯s massive corpse, its horn cracked and its once-bright eyes dull. Damian took a deep breath, the events of the night before replaying in his mind. The electricity. The pain. The sheer desperation to survive. Shaking off the lingering fear, Damian flexed his fingers, focusing on the strange new energy he¡¯d unlocked. He extended his hand, summoning a faint spark of blue lightning. The bolt flickered and died quickly, but it was enough to confirm what he¡¯d learned from the skill stone: Blue Lightning. ¡°Unreal,¡± he muttered, staring at his palm. But there was no time to linger on the discovery. He needed to get back home¡ªand the stag wasn¡¯t going to move itself. Dragging the stag back to the farmhouse was exhausting, even with his newfound strength. Its weight tested his resolve, but Damian gritted his teeth and pushed through. By the time he reached the yard, he was covered in sweat and dirt. The sound of the news playing on the television caught his attention as he stepped inside. His aunt and uncle were seated in the living room, their faces pale with fear. ¡°Damian!¡± his aunt Mary cried, rushing toward him. ¡°Thank God you¡¯re back. Are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he said, brushing her off. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± His uncle Ben stood and gestured to the television. ¡°You need to see this.¡± Damian turned to the screen, his stomach tightening at the headlines: ¡°Worldwide Chaos: Cities Under Siege by Mysterious Creatures!¡± ¡°Portals Appear in Major Urban Areas¡ªAuthorities Struggle to Respond.¡± The footage was grim. Aerial shots of Dallas showed streets in chaos, with strange creatures rampaging through the city. San Francisco¡¯s Golden Gate Bridge was overrun by flying monsters. New York was the worst¡ªmassive, dinosaur-like beasts crushed cars and buildings as people fled in terror.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it Damian¡¯s blood ran cold. ¡°No¡­ this can¡¯t be real.¡± His uncle placed a hand on his shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s real, son. It¡¯s happening everywhere¡ªDallas, Miami, San Francisco, even overseas. London, Tokyo¡­ the whole world¡¯s under attack.¡± Damian¡¯s heart raced as a horrifying thought struck him. ¡°What about my parents?¡± he asked, his voice trembling. ¡°They¡¯re in Dallas!¡± Ben raised his hands, trying to calm him. ¡°They¡¯re fine, Damian. They¡¯re not in the city. Your mom called last night¡ªthey¡¯re in Austin visiting your sister Astrid.¡± Damian exhaled sharply, his knees nearly giving out. ¡°Thank God¡­¡± He ran a hand through his hair, his relief quickly replaced by dread. ¡°But what about everyone else? The city¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s gone, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°For now, they¡¯ve closed all travel to Dallas,¡± Ben explained. ¡°They¡¯re evacuating who they can, but the portals are still active. More of those¡­ things are pouring out. And it¡¯s not just there¡ªNew York¡¯s been hit the hardest.¡± ¡°What¡¯s happening in New York?¡± Damian asked, though he wasn¡¯t sure he wanted the answer. Ben hesitated before replying, his voice low. ¡°Dinosaurs. Big ones. Like something out of Jurassic Park. They¡¯re tearing the city apart.¡± Damian stared at him, unable to process the words. His nightmare had become reality. He¡¯d barely survived a single stag, and now the world was under siege by creatures far worse. He sank into a chair, defeated. ¡°Dinosaurs,¡± he muttered. ¡°What the hell is going on?¡± His aunt Mary placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. ¡°We¡¯ll get through this, Damian. We always do.¡± But her words felt hollow. The weight of the situation pressed down on him, suffocating and relentless. After showering and changing into clean clothes, Damian tried to rest. His body demanded it, but his mind wouldn¡¯t stop racing. He lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, replaying everything he¡¯d learned. The world wasn¡¯t just changing¡ªit was breaking. Later that day, the sound of a truck pulling up outside snapped Damian out of his thoughts. He stepped outside to find the game warden, Billy, stepping out with a small envelope in hand. ¡°Damian,¡± Billy greeted, giving him a nod. ¡°Heard about the stag. That was some fine work.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t easy,¡± Damian replied, his tone weary. Billy handed him the envelope. ¡°Here¡¯s your reward. A thousand dollars, just like we promised.¡± Damian took it, feeling a pang of guilt. The money felt insignificant in the face of what was happening. ¡°You did good,¡± Billy said, his expression serious. ¡°But you¡¯d better be ready. This isn¡¯t over¡ªnot by a long shot.¡± Damian nodded. ¡°I know.¡± As the sun set, Damian sat at the kitchen table, counting the money. It wasn¡¯t much, but it was enough to buy a new weapon. Guns just weren¡¯t the right answer. His last battles made it clear he needed to start using a sword similar to the way he did in game. If the stag was any indication, the creatures were only going to get stronger. And Damian had no choice but to get stronger by using the system. Chapter Eight
Damian gripped the steering wheel tightly, his knuckles white as he tried to navigate the chaos around him. The back roads, usually quiet and uneventful, were now packed with vehicles, all attempting to escape the madness erupting in Dallas. He could see the fear etched into the faces of other drivers, their cars filled with belongings hastily packed. He sighed, trying to calm the swirling anxiety in his chest. ¡°This is unreal,¡± he muttered to himself. Reaching for the radio, he turned it on, hoping for some sort of distraction. ¡°Hello everyone, this is your local station, 99.5 The Farm to Farm,¡± the announcer¡¯s voice came through, steady but somber. ¡°With everything going on, we want to remind everyone to stay safe and keep an eye out for any strange sightings.¡± Damian¡¯s fingers tapped nervously on the wheel as he listened. ¡°We¡¯ve got a lot of outsiders right now trying to move through our roads. If you can lend them a hand, remember, they¡¯ve just lost their homes and are probably more worried than you are, with no place to go.¡± The words struck a chord in Damian. He glanced out the window at the families sitting in their cars, some with kids crying in the backseat. For a moment, he thought about his own family¡ªhis parents in Austin, safe for now, but how long would it last? ¡°Damn it,¡± he muttered, his thoughts spiraling. Suddenly, the sound of distant screams ripped through his reverie. Damian¡¯s heart jumped as he scanned the rows of stalled vehicles, trying to locate the source of the commotion.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. He rolled down his window, craning his neck to see, but the screams were quickly drowned out by the rumbling of engines and the blaring of car horns. That¡¯s when he saw them¡ªpeople sprinting down the road, abandoning their cars and running in sheer terror. Damian¡¯s pulse quickened. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± he whispered to himself. He slammed the gear into park, grabbed his newly forged sword from the passenger seat, and leapt out of the truck. As he pushed his way through the crowd of panicked evacuees, his thoughts raced. He could feel his heart pounding in his ears, his senses heightened. Without hesitation, he called up his status window and quickly allocated his remaining stat points. +5 Strength +5 Mana The familiar warmth of the system surged through him, and he felt a fraction of his exhaustion ebb away. ¡°I hope I don¡¯t need to use my healing ability on myself or anyone else,¡± he muttered under his breath as he jogged toward the source of the screams. Damian moved swiftly between cars, shouting at people to keep moving. ¡°Don¡¯t stop! Head the other way!¡± He helped a woman lift her child over a guardrail and urged them to run. Then came the explosion. The blast rocked the ground beneath him, sending a shockwave through the air. Damian shielded his face as a plume of fire erupted in the distance. The screams grew louder, more frantic. And then he saw them. Small, hunched figures darted out from between the cars, their grotesque, green faces twisted into snarls. Their glowing red eyes burned with malevolence. Damian¡¯s mouth went dry. ¡°Goblins,¡± he whispered, the word catching in his throat. There were at least a dozen of them, their crude weapons glinting in the sunlight. One of them leapt onto the hood of a car, shrieking and slamming a rusted axe into the windshield. Another dragged a struggling man out of his car, cackling with glee. Damian¡¯s grip on his sword tightened. His heart pounded in his chest, but he forced himself to step forward Chapter Nine
Damian gripped the steering wheel tightly, his knuckles white as he tried to navigate the chaos around him. The back roads, usually quiet and uneventful, were now packed with vehicles, all attempting to escape the madness erupting in Dallas. He could see the fear etched into the faces of other drivers, their cars filled with belongings hastily packed. He sighed, trying to calm the swirling anxiety in his chest. ¡°This is unreal,¡± he muttered to himself. Reaching for the radio, he turned it on, hoping for some sort of distraction. ¡°Hello everyone, this is your local station, 99.5 The Farm to Farm,¡± the announcer¡¯s voice came through, steady but somber. ¡°With everything going on, we want to remind everyone to stay safe and keep an eye out for any strange sightings.¡± Damian¡¯s fingers tapped nervously on the wheel as he listened. ¡°We¡¯ve got a lot of outsiders right now trying to move through our roads. If you can lend them a hand, remember, they¡¯ve just lost their homes and are probably more worried than you are, with no place to go.¡± The words struck a chord in Damian. He glanced out the window at the families sitting in their cars, some with kids crying in the backseat. For a moment, he thought about his own family¡ªhis parents in Austin, safe for now, but how long would it last? ¡°Damn it,¡± he muttered, his thoughts spiraling. Suddenly, the sound of distant screams ripped through his reverie. Damian¡¯s heart jumped as he scanned the rows of stalled vehicles, trying to locate the source of the commotion. He rolled down his window, craning his neck to see, but the screams were quickly drowned out by the rumbling of engines and the blaring of car horns. That¡¯s when he saw them¡ªpeople sprinting down the road, abandoning their cars and running in sheer terror.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Damian¡¯s pulse quickened. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± he whispered to himself. He slammed the gear into park, grabbed his newly forged sword from the passenger seat, and leapt out of the truck. As he pushed his way through the crowd of panicked evacuees, his thoughts raced. He could feel his heart pounding in his ears, his senses heightened. Without hesitation, he called up his status window and quickly allocated his remaining stat points. +5 Strength +5 Mana The familiar warmth of the system surged through him, and he felt a fraction of his exhaustion ebb away. ¡°I hope I don¡¯t need to use my healing ability on myself or anyone else,¡± he muttered under his breath as he jogged toward the source of the screams. Damian moved swiftly between cars, shouting at people to keep moving. ¡°Don¡¯t stop! Head the other way!¡± He helped a woman lift her child over a guardrail and urged them to run. Then came the explosion. The blast rocked the ground beneath him, sending a shockwave through the air. Damian shielded his face as a plume of fire erupted in the distance. The screams grew louder, more frantic. And then he saw them. Small, hunched figures darted out from between the cars, their grotesque, green faces twisted into snarls. Their glowing red eyes burned with malevolence. Damian¡¯s mouth went dry. ¡°Goblins,¡± he whispered, the word catching in his throat. There were at least a dozen of them, their crude weapons glinting in the sunlight. One of them leapt onto the hood of a car, shrieking and slamming a rusted axe into the windshield. Another dragged a struggling man out of his car, cackling with glee. Damian¡¯s grip on his sword tightened. His heart pounded in his chest, but he forced himself to step forward Chapter Ten
Fueled by anger, Damian pushed himself forward. He wouldn¡¯t let these creatures escape¡ªnot after everything they¡¯d done. The sirens blared louder in the distance, punctuated by bursts of gunfire. Maybe the police were finally here, but it didn¡¯t matter to him. There wasn¡¯t any time to waste. The sword felt heavy in his hand, and his breaths came in ragged gasps. Yet, he pressed on, slashing and dodging with every ounce of strength he had left. He was new to using a sword, but his agility gave him an edge. The goblins¡¯ attacks were sloppy, fueled by primal rage, and he used that to his advantage. Fifteen grueling minutes passed, each second stretching into what felt like hours. Damian¡¯s muscles burned, and the blood pounding in his ears drowned out the chaos around him. He was close to finishing off this wave of crude, snarling creatures when he spotted the next group. A woman¡¯s screams pierced the air. His heart dropped as he turned to see the new group of goblins dragging her to the ground. She fought back, but it was no use. Damian surged forward, but he was too far. He watched, helpless, as they butchered her, their jagged weapons painting the street red. His hands trembled. ¡°No¡­¡± Before he could act, a deep roar split the air. His instincts screamed, and he turned just in time to see a fireball roaring toward him, its blazing heat distorting the air around it. ¡°Move!¡± He threw himself to the side, the fireball slamming into the ground where he¡¯d just stood. The explosion sent a shockwave that nearly knocked him off his feet, and the intense heat made his skin prickle. But there wasn¡¯t time to recover. Another fireball followed, and then another.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. Damian sprinted toward the rows of abandoned cars, weaving between them as the fireballs rained down, each one detonating with deafening force. The ground was scorched, the cars melted into warped metal husks. His chest heaved as he ran, heart hammering in his chest. ¡°What the hell is this?!¡± he shouted, panic clawing at him. These goblins weren¡¯t supposed to be capable of such tactics. He ducked behind an overturned truck, the heat from a nearby fireball scorching the air above him. He couldn¡¯t keep this up. His stamina was nearly gone, and he hadn¡¯t been able to collect a single mana stone from the fallen goblins. ¡°Damn it!¡± he growled, slamming his fist against the truck. Then his eyes caught movement. The group of goblins that had killed the woman was still nearby, clustering together as they searched for more prey. An idea struck him, wild and reckless. With a grim smile, Damian bolted from his cover, heading straight for the group. The goblins turned, their cruel eyes narrowing as they readied their weapons. But before they could react, another fireball roared toward Damian. ¡°Perfect,¡± he muttered under his breath. At the last moment, he veered to the side, leaving the goblins directly in the fireball¡¯s path. Their screeches filled the air as the explosion engulfed them, their bodies disintegrating in the fiery blast. Damian stumbled to a halt, panting heavily. But his momentary relief was short-lived. A deep growl echoed through the flames, and from the smoke emerged a larger, copper-skinned goblin. Its eyes glowed with a sinister light, and its clawed hands crackled with fire. ¡°So you¡¯re the one,¡± Damian muttered, gripping his sword tightly. The copper goblin grinned, its jagged teeth gleaming. It raised a hand, summoning another fireball that hovered ominously above its palm. Damian steadied his breath, his body screaming for rest. The flames around him flickered and roared, the heat stifling, but he couldn¡¯t afford to falter now. ¡°Come on, then,¡± he growled, raising his sword Chapter Eleven
The air burned, thick with the acrid smell of melted steel and ash. Damian¡¯s heart thundered in his chest as he faced the copper-skinned goblin, its molten eyes locked onto him with murderous intent. Smoke curled around the creature¡¯s clawed hands, where embers crackled and pulsed. The faint hum of magic radiated from its body, an oppressive presence that filled the charred battlefield. Damian¡¯s sword trembled in his grasp. His knuckles were white from the strain, sweat dripping from his forehead and stinging his eyes. He forced himself to steady his breathing. This wasn¡¯t just a fight¡ªit was survival. The goblin snarled, raising one clawed hand, and a fireball blazed into existence, the flames twisting like a serpent. It hurled the fiery projectile with terrifying speed. Damian dove to the side, the fireball exploding behind him, sending heat and debris across his back. ¡°Damn it,¡± he hissed, pushing himself to his feet. Before he could recover, the goblin closed the distance. Its claws slashed toward him, and he barely brought his sword up in time to block. The impact rattled his arms, the force nearly knocking the weapon from his hands. The goblin¡¯s claws scraped along the blade, throwing off sparks. With a desperate cry, Damian countered, slashing at the creature¡¯s midsection. The goblin twisted, evading the strike, and retaliated with a vicious kick to his ribs. The impact sent him sprawling to the ground, his vision swimming. Gritting his teeth, Damian rolled to avoid the next strike¡ªa flaming claw that gouged the ground where he had just been lying. He scrambled to his feet, raising his sword in a defensive stance. ¡°I won¡¯t die here,¡± he growled, channeling every ounce of determination he had left. The goblin responded with another guttural laugh, its molten eyes gleaming with sadistic pleasure. It raised both hands, summoning a massive fireball. Damian¡¯s pulse quickened. This was different¡ªlarger, more concentrated. He couldn¡¯t dodge this one.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. Summoning every ounce of focus, Damian called out his Blue Lightning ability. The familiar surge of energy coursed through his body as electric currents danced along the blade of his sword. He charged forward, meeting the goblin head-on. The fireball launched just as Damian closed the distance. He swung his sword with all his might, releasing the lightning-infused energy in a desperate arc. The electricity collided with the fireball, detonating in a deafening explosion. The force hurled Damian backward, slamming him against a car. His ears rang, his vision blurred. Pain radiated through his body, his burns searing. He could barely lift his head as the copper goblin emerged from the smoke, its steps slow and deliberate. Damian struggled to his feet, his sword cracked and blackened. The goblin grinned, licking its charred lips as it prepared to finish him off. With a roar, Damian lunged, swinging his broken sword . The goblin dodged, but the blade grazed its shoulder, leaving a shallow cut. It retaliated with a claw swipe that tore into Damian¡¯s side, blood spilling onto the ground. He staggered, his breaths coming in ragged gasps. His vision narrowed, while the edges of his sight darkened, but he refused to give in. Summoning the last of his strength, Damian activated Blue Lightning once more. The electricity surged through him, his body screaming in protest. He dashed forward, thrusting his broken sword into the goblin¡¯s chest with a primal scream. The blade pierced its copper skin, sinking deep into its heart. The goblin¡¯s eyes widened, its molten glow dimming. It let out a cry before collapsing, lifeless, to the ground. Damian fell to his knees, blood pouring from his wounds. His vision blurred as he crawled to the goblin¡¯s corpse, his hands trembling. He clawed at its chest, tearing through the flesh to retrieve the mana stone. With a final burst of strength, he swallowed the stone, absorbing its energy. The familiar warmth coursed through him, replenishing his mana all while ignoring the several notifications. He immediately activated Heal, the skill immediately began to heal his wounds stopping the bleeding too. Exhausted and trembling, Damian collapsed beside the goblin. His last thoughts before losing consciousness were whose voices were calling for him Chapter Twelve The first thing Damian noticed when he opened his eyes was the sharp scent of a hospital room. He groaned softly, his body aching with a dull throb that reminded him of the copper-skinned goblin, the searing pain of his injuries, and the desperate crawl in order to find the mana stone. His eyes fluttered open, and he scanned the unfamiliar room. The pale white walls, the faint beeping of a heart monitor, and the hard bed he lay on told him everything he needed to know. He was in the hospital. His breathing quickened as panic set in. Where was his sword? Where was his gear? What happened to him after he collapsed? ¡°Where the hell am I?¡± he muttered, his voice hoarse and weak. Before he could fully grasp his situation, the door creaked open, and a nurse walked in carrying a tray of medical supplies. Upon seeing him awake, she gasped, her hands trembling as she dropped the tray, the clattering echoing in the small room. ¡°Doctor! He¡¯s awake!¡± she shouted before darting out of the room. Damian stared after her, baffled and increasingly uneasy. Moments later, a man in a white coat rushed in, his expression a mix of relief and urgency. ¡°Mr. Park, you¡¯re awake,¡± the doctor said, pulling out a small flashlight to check Damian¡¯s pupils. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± ¡°Sore¡­ confused,¡± Damian replied, wincing as he shifted slightly. ¡°What happened? How did I get here?¡± The doctor didn¡¯t answer, instead focusing on his examination. He checked Damian¡¯s vitals, examined the burns and wounds on his body, and jotted notes on a clipboard. Every time Damian tried to ask a question, the doctor deflected, leaving him in a frustrated silence. When the doctor finally left, Damian slumped back against the pillows, staring at the ceiling. His mind was racing with questions. Where was his sword? What had happened to the goblin¡¯s corpses? ¡ªhad someone taken them while he was unconscious? The sound of a knock at the door snapped him out of his thoughts. ¡°Excuse me,¡± a deep voice called from the hallway. ¡°I hate to bother you, Mr. Park.¡± Damian turned his head to see three men entering the room. The one in the lead was tall and imposing, a muscular black man with a sharp gaze that seemed to pierce through him. He wore a crisp black suit, and the two men behind him¡ªwho looked more like bodyguards than colleagues¡ªwere similarly dressed.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. Damian¡¯s stomach sank. He had a feeling he knew why they were here. ¡°Who are you?¡± he asked, feigning ignorance even as his mind raced. The man in front stepped forward, extending a hand. ¡°Agent White. We¡¯re with the NSA. These are my associates,¡± he said, gesturing to the men behind him. ¡°We have a few questions about your recent¡­ incident.¡± Damian hesitated, then nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t know how much I can help, but go ahead.¡± Agent White pulled out a chair and sat down next to Damian, his expression calm but serious. ¡°Let¡¯s start from the beginning. What exactly happened during your incident?¡± Damian took a deep breath, piecing together a story that sounded believable but left out any mention of the system. ¡°It all started with my uncle. He got bit by some kind of mutated rabbit a while back. That¡¯s what set everything off. After that, I started noticing these creatures showing up¡ªanimals that weren¡¯t¡­ normal. And after what happened in Dallas, I figured I¡¯d need something stronger than a gun to defend myself. So, I got a sword.¡± Agent White raised an eyebrow. ¡°A sword?¡± Damian nodded, leaning into his explanation. ¡°Guns don¡¯t seem to work well on these things. Bullets wouldn¡¯t inflict much damage, but a blade or an arrow? Those seem to work just fine.¡± He continued, recounting the events leading up to his battle with the copper goblin but carefully omitting any mention of the system or his abilities. He painted himself as an ordinary man caught in extraordinary circumstances, doing his best to survive. By the time he finished, Agent White¡¯s expression had shifted to one of quiet disbelief. Even the men behind him looked shocked. ¡°You¡¯re telling me,¡± White said slowly, ¡°that in this rural area, you¡¯ve been dealing with creatures like this for the past week?¡± Damian shrugged. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say a week, but yeah. It¡¯s been happening. I thought I was alone in this, but judging by what¡¯s happening in the cities, I guess I¡¯m not.¡± Agent White exchanged a glance with his associates before leaning forward. ¡°Have you encountered any¡­ unusual humans? People with abilities similar to these creatures?¡± ¡°Abilities? You mean like that goblin using fireballs?¡± Damian asked, feigning ignorance. White nodded. Damian shook his head. ¡°No, I haven¡¯t seen anything like that. But at this point, I wouldn¡¯t rule it out. Nothing seems impossible anymore.¡± Agent White studied him for a moment, his sharp eyes searching for any sign of deceit. Damian held his gaze, keeping his expression neutral, it wasn¡¯t like he was lying anyway he hadn¡¯t met anyone else regardless. Finally, White sighed and stood up from his chair. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Park. We appreciate your cooperation.¡± As the agents turned to leave, Damian called out, ¡°Wait. No one has answered anything since I woke up. Where am I? What happened to me after I fell unconscious ?¡± White hesitated before answering. ¡°You¡¯re at a private Military hospital in Austin, Texas. You¡¯ve been in a coma for two days. And yes, things have gotten worse. But your family is safe, if that¡¯s your concern.¡± Damian nodded slowly, the weight of White¡¯s words settling over him. As the agents left, he stared out the window, his mind racing. The system, the mana stones, the creatures¡­ It was all spiraling out of control, and he had a feeling the worst was yet to come as he heard Agent Whites words seep in Chapter Thirtheen
Damian leaned back in his hospital bed, his body still sore from the burns and bruises that hadn¡¯t completely healed. He sighed, letting the weight of the last few days press down on him. The memories of fire, blood, and pain lingered at the edges of his mind. Yet, despite everything, he was alive. He glanced around the room, trying to distract himself. The white walls and sound from the television playing in the background offered a little comfort. The thought of his belongings¡ªhis sword, his phone, even his melted truck¡ªmade him grimace. Couldn¡¯t they have salvaged at least some of my stuff? he thought bitterly. I get that half my clothes were burned, but they didn¡¯t even try to find my phone or my truck keys. Not that his truck would be of much use now; he had seen it melted into a heap of scrap during the battle. Still, the thought stung. ¡°Dammit,¡± he muttered under his breath. He shook his head, trying to focus on anything positive. He had survived, hadn¡¯t he? That was something. He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. Then he remembered something¡ªa faint notification he had ignored during the fight. His mind sharpened. ¡°Status,¡± he muttered quietly, careful to avoid drawing attention. He knew this was a military hospital, and there were probably cameras in the room. For now, he needed to keep calm and endure the aches in his body, even if his mana had fully recovered. The familiar blue window appeared before him, and he scanned it quickly. Damian Park Race: Human Level: 09 Mana Points: 10/10 Strength: 10 Agility: 10 Dexterity: 12 Mana: 2 Status Points: 30 Skills: ?Minor Heal Lv 2 ?Identify Lv 1 ?Blue Lightning Lv 1 ?Beginner Blacksmithing Lv 1 ?Beginner Sword Mastery Lv 9Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ?Iron Skin Lv 1 Damian¡¯s eyes widened. His breath caught as he stared at the screen. ¡°Thirty status points?¡± he whispered in disbelief. He read through the notifications and realized he had leveled up four times during the fight with the copper goblin. On top of that, he¡¯d completely forgotten about the ten unused points he¡¯d saved after the stag battle. ¡°Idiot,¡± he hissed, anger bubbling up at himself. If he¡¯d used those points earlier, maybe the fight wouldn¡¯t have been so close. He shook his head, trying to let the frustration go. What was done was done. Instead, he focused on the new skills he had gained. Sword Mastery Lv 9 Iron Skin Lv 1: A defensive skill that hardens the user¡¯s skin like iron. ¡°This is useful, but the mana cost was steep¡ªfive points per minute. At my current level, I could only maintain it for about two minutes at most.¡± Damian frowned. His mana pool was far too low for a skill like that. He¡¯d have to allocate his points carefully. He couldn¡¯t afford to waste any. He remembered the copper goblin¡¯s resistance to his Blue Lightning ability. ¡°Could it have been some kind of magic resistance?¡± he muttered. He¡¯d have to be better prepared for enemies like that in the future. Taking a deep breath, Damian began assigning his points. He added: 15 points to Agility to increase his speed and reaction time. 10 points to Strength to enhance his physical power and 5 points to Mana, knowing he needed to sustain his abilities longer. The changes were immediate. His body felt lighter, stronger. He clenched his fists, marveling at the subtle difference in his strength his body has cleary gone through a physical change he had grown slightly and his body small amount of fat had disappeared replacing by a chiseled body. ¡°Not bad,¡± he muttered. He wasn¡¯t where he wanted to be yet, but this was progress. Just as he was deep in thought, there was a knock at the door. ¡°Come in,¡± Damian called, startled. The door creaked open, and his heart nearly stopped when he saw who was standing there. ¡°Astrid?¡± he whispered. His younger sister stood in the doorway, her wide eyes filled with concern. She looked exactly as he remembered¡ªher dark brown hair tied back in a loose ponytail, her face pale with worry. Before she could speak, Damian was out of bed, crossing the room in a few quick strides. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a tight embrace. ¡°Astrid,¡± he choked out, his voice breaking. His emotions hit him all at once¡ªthe fear, the loneliness, the constant struggle to survive. For the first time in days, the weight he¡¯d been carrying crushed him. He cried, the tears falling freely as he held his sister. He hadn¡¯t realized just how much he needed this. Astrid froze for a moment, stunned by her brother¡¯s sudden outburst. But then she softened, wrapping her arms around him and holding him tightly. ¡°Damian,¡± she said gently, her voice filled with warmth. ¡°It¡¯s okay. You¡¯re safe now.¡± He pulled back slightly, his eyes red and swollen. ¡°I thought¡­ I thought something happened to you. To Mom and Dad. I¡¯ve been so concerned over you three.¡± ¡°We¡¯re fine,¡± Astrid assured him, her voice steady. ¡°The hospital called us when you were admitted. Mom and Dad wanted to come, but they thought it be best they try to salvage whatever was left of your belongings and check on Uncle Ben and Aunt Marry would be better . They¡¯ve been worried sick about you, since the hospital called.¡± Damian nodded, wiping his eyes. He felt raw, vulnerable¡ªbut for the first time in a while, he also felt relief. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said quietly. ¡°For worrying you all.¡± Astrid shook her head. ¡°Don¡¯t apologize. You¡¯ve been through hell, Damian. You¡¯re allowed to feel like this.¡± He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. For now, he¡¯d take this moment. He¡¯d let himself feel the relief of knowing his family was safe. But soon, he¡¯d be back on his feet Chapter Fourteen Relief washed over Damian as he looked at his sister, Astrid. For the first time in what felt like forever, he let himself smile¡ªreally smile. It was a small, tearful thing, but it was genuine. He hadn¡¯t realized how much stress he¡¯d been holding onto until this moment. Astrid noticed his smile and returned it with a light laugh. ¡°Now that you¡¯re okay, are you ready to go? The hospital called me earlier. They said besides some burns and bruises, you¡¯re good to go.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Damian blurted out. He was desperate to leave this place and get back to some kind of normalcy¡ªor at least as close as he could get. ¡°By the way, do you have an extra phone I can borrow? Most of my stuff got turned into charcoal.¡± Astrid laughed, her shoulders shaking as she reached into her bag. ¡°Yeah, Mom figured you¡¯d need one. She dug up one of Dad¡¯s old smartphones and got the service reconnected. It¡¯s not the latest model, but it works.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Damian said, awkwardly scratching the back of his head. ¡°And I brought you some clothes,¡± Astrid added, handing him a small duffle bag. ¡°The front desk said you didn¡¯t have much left. I figured as much.¡± Damian sighed as he opened the bag. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect anything to survive, but they could¡¯ve at least tried to recover my stuff. Sloppy work.¡± After getting dressed, the two of them walked out of the hospital together. Damian made sure to thank the staff as they left, though he couldn¡¯t help but feel relieved that the government had covered his bills. At least that was one less thing to worry about. The drive back to their uncle¡¯s house was quiet at first, with the low hum of the car engine filling the silence. Damian stared out the window, watching the world blur past. It looked normal¡ªtoo normal, considering everything that had happened. Finally, Astrid broke the silence. ¡°So¡­ what actually happened?¡± she asked, a sly smirk creeping onto her face. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Damian replied, feigning confusion. ¡°You know what I mean,¡± she said, glancing at him. ¡°How did you get into this situation? You don¡¯t just end up in a hospital with burns and bruises for no reason.¡± Damian sighed, his tone shifting. ¡°I don¡¯t really want to get into it.¡± Astrid gave him a side-eye. ¡°You¡¯re not getting off that easy, Damian. You¡¯re not usually the type to let your emotions show like that. Something big must¡¯ve happened.¡±You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. After a long pause, Damian relented. ¡°It¡¯s a long story,¡± he began, ¡°but it started when these creatures began showing up near Uncle Ben¡¯s town. One thing led to another, and I ended up getting involved. This last incident was¡­ different. People were dying,Astrid. The whole situation spiraled out of control, and I got caught up in something way bigger than I ever imagined. Now I¡¯ve got these weird¡­ magicalabilities.¡± Astrid slammed on the brakes, pulling the car to theside of the road. She turned to face him, her eyeswide with disbelief. ¡°Wait, what? Magical abilities? Are you serious?¡± Damian nodded, his expression somber. ¡°I know it sounds crazy, but it¡¯s real. And I didn¡¯t want to tell you because I knew you¡¯d think it was insane.¡± Astrid leaned back in her seat, trying to process what he¡¯d just said. ¡°Magic isn¡¯t real, Damian,¡± she said, her voice tinged with both skepticism and fear. ¡°This isn¡¯t some movie. This is real life.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Damian said firmly. ¡°That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t want to tell you. But it¡¯s the truth. Uncle Ben and Aunt Mary know a little about what¡¯s been going on, but even they don¡¯t know the full story.¡± Astrid shook her head, her shoulders slumping. ¡°This is insane. But¡­ it¡¯s also kind of amazing. Wait¡ªwhat kind of magic?¡± Her curiosity finally got the better of her. Damian hesitated before replying, ¡°I know a few, but the least dangerous is probably my healing ability.¡± Her eyes lit up. ¡°Wait, you can heal people? Show me!¡± Damian glanced around to make sure they were alone. ¡°Fine, but don¡¯t freak out.¡± Closing his eyes, he muttered Heal under his breath and activated his healing skill. A faint glow enveloped his hands as he ran them over his arms and chest, the burns and bruises disappearing with each use. By the time he was done, he felt completely restored. Astrid stared at him in shock, her mouth hanging open. ¡°That¡­ was amazing!¡± she shouted, bouncing in her seat. ¡°How did you do that? Can you teach me? Do I have magic too?¡± ¡°Calm down, Astrid,¡± Damian said, raising his hands to stop her barrage of questions. ¡°I¡¯ll explain more later. For now, can you just drive me to the nearest sporting goods store? I lost my weapon back there, and I need to replace it. We¡¯re not risking driving around without protection.¡± They arrived at Richard¡¯s Sporting Goods after a short drive. Astrid, still buzzing with excitement, followed Damian into the store. ¡°So, what are we getting?¡± she asked eagerly. ¡°A few combat knives, some survival blades, and any other gear we might need,¡± Damian replied, scanning the aisles. Unfortunately, the shelves were mostly bare. Guns and ammunition were completely sold out, which didn¡¯t surprise Damian. Most people hadn¡¯t even encountered these creatures yet, but fear alone was enough to cause a panic. Astrid frowned. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we get a gun, though? Just in case?¡± Damian shook his head. ¡°Guns are useless against these things. I once emptied an entire magazine into one, and it barely left a scratch. But a sword? A bow? Those work. I don¡¯t know why, but it¡¯s like the rules of physics don¡¯t apply to them the same way.¡± Astrid tilted her head, processing his explanation. ¡°So, it¡¯s like a video game?¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Damian said. ¡°I don¡¯t fully understand how it works, but that¡¯s how it feels. And if I¡¯m still alive, it¡¯s because I¡¯ve learned to adapt.¡± They grabbed what they could¡ªknives, camping gear, and a basic survival kit¡ªbefore heading back to the car. Damian felt better knowing they were at least a little more prepared. As they drove toward their uncle¡¯s house, Astrid glanced at Damian. ¡°You¡¯re really something else, you know that you¡¯re handling this a lot better than I would.¡± Damian chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m just trying to survive, Astrid. That¡¯s all we both can do.¡± Chapter Fifteen A few days had passed since Damian left the hospital, and life had settled into an uneasy calm. Astrid remained curious about the system and his newfound abilities, but Damian kept her at arm¡¯s length, not wanting to drag her further into his dangerous world. His parents, on the other hand, were still anxious. The news continued to focus on the chaos in the larger cities, but in smaller towns, the attacks seemed to have stopped for the most part. The creatures that had wreaked havoc remained contained within the urban large cities , leaving a fragile sense of peace for those in the countryside. On this particular morning, Damian woke up before sunrise, lacing up his running shoes for a jog around the neighborhood. After everything he¡¯d been through, he was determined to regain some semblance of a routine. Running had always been his way to clear his mind, and now, with his enhanced body, it was exhilarating. Since awakening his new abilities, his body had undergone dramatic changes. He¡¯d grown to a solid six feet tall, and his once-average build had transformed into something out of a fantasy novel¡ªa chiseled body honed like a superhero. Every time he caught his reflection in the mirror, he couldn¡¯t help but smile. When Damian returned home, sweaty but in a bright mood , he went straight to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. Pancakes were his favorite, and Damian figured it was a good way to start the day. As the smell of syrup and butter filled the air, he joined his father in the living room, where the news was running the daily coverage on what had been going on the past two weeks. ¡°This is Ericka McGuire with Channel Four News,¡± the reporter announced. ¡°Today, we have breaking footage from Dallas. Our drones have captured what can only be described as¡­ a lizard man wielding a spear. Take a look.¡± The screen displayed shaky drone footage of reptilian creatures marching through the streets. ¡°In the past few days, drones had captured glimpses of what¡¯s left in the invaded cities,¡± Ericka continued. ¡°The death toll remains staggering, and while the creatures haven¡¯t spread beyond their zones, the loss of life has devastated countless families.¡± Damian¡¯s dad shook his head, muttering, ¡°Where did these things even come from?¡±This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°I don¡¯t know, Dad,¡± Damian replied, sitting on the couch beside him. ¡°But there isn¡¯t much we can do except be ready for anything.¡± His dad turned to him, frowning. ¡°Listen, I know you¡¯re feeling like you can do anything now, but this isn¡¯t your fight. Leave it to the government, the military¡ªanyone but you. I don¡¯t need you getting caught up in something bigger than you can handle.¡± Damian sighed, crossing his arms. ¡°Dad, I¡¯m not sitting on the sidelines. If I don¡¯t get stronger, worse things could happen. My gut is telling me this is the right thing to do.¡± ¡°Your gut, huh?¡± His dad grumbled but finally relented. ¡°Fine. But don¡¯t come crying to me when things go south.¡± ¡°Want some pancakes?¡± Damian asked, deflecting the tension. ¡°Three,¡± his dad replied gruffly, though a faint smirk tugged at his lips. After breakfast, Damian drove to Rodger¡¯s shop, where he¡¯d been spending most of his days. In the past week, he¡¯d thrown himself into blacksmithing, learning to craft weapons and armor. His first few attempts had been laughably crude, but with practice¡ªand plenty of guidance from Roger¡ªhe was finally making progress. He now owned two decent swords, one with an attack rating of 15 and the other at 17. They weren¡¯t rare by any means, but they were reliable. The system graded them as ¡°Normal,¡± but they were far better than the scrap he¡¯d started with. Rodger had also crafted a basic leather armor set and bracers for him. Though Damian hadn¡¯t made them himself, the system still recognized them as useful gear, offering modest protection. His blacksmithing skills had leveled up five times in the process, but it had come at a steep cost. The resources he¡¯d burned through were no joke, and his funds were running low. Still, there was more to learn, and Damian was determined. His next goal was to gather more mana stones, which he needed to strengthen his abilities. Over the past few days, Damian had been watching live streams online. A leaked clip of someone casting a fireball in the middle of an evacuation had gone viral, sparking a wave of theories about how to awaken abilities. Most people agreed that intense stress¡ªlife-or-death situations¡ªwas the key. Damian¡¯s own experiences seemed to confirm this. He hadn¡¯t learned his Blue lightning spell through training; it had happened after eating a skill stone. But awakening powers without the mana stones seemed like a dangerous gamble, often leaving people dead from what he could tell. He¡¯d also seen a few streams about people witnessing more creatures by a refinery near Irvin, about two hours away, where numerous creatures had been spotted. It was risky, but if he wanted to level up and find more mana stones, it was his best lead. By late afternoon, Damian had packed his gear, camping supplies, and plenty of rations. He¡¯d borrowed his uncle¡¯s truck, giving a vague excuse about visiting a friend. Most roads near Irvin were closed off, but he was confident he could find a way through. As he pulled out of the driveway, he glanced back at the house. His family didn¡¯t understand the scale of what was happening¡ªbut Damian knew that if he didn¡¯t act, the rest of the world would and he be left behind. Chapter Sixteen The sun dipped low on the horizon as Damian pulled into a small gas station on the outskirts of town. He parked by the pump, hopped out, and began filling the truck¡¯s tank. He had told his parents he was visiting a friend in Austin¡ªa convenient excuse that kept them from asking too many questions. But Astrid? She wasn¡¯t buying it. Sitting in her car a block away, she watched him carefully. Astrid knew Damian¡¯s circle of friends was small, and most of them were still finishing up their degrees. Whatever he was planning, it wasn¡¯t a casual visit. After everything that had happened at the hospital, Astrid had secretly enabled his location sharing on his phone. She didn¡¯t trust him to stay out of trouble, not with how protective¡ªand reckless¡ªhe¡¯d become. She tapped the screen of her own phone, watching the small blue dot that represented Damian slowly move away from the station. ¡°Where are you going?¡± she muttered, gripping the steering wheel. She trailed him at a safe distance, keeping just far enough back to avoid raising suspicion. As the miles rolled by, her unease grew. The open highway stretched before them, and familiar landmarks disappeared as they ventured farther away from home. When they passed a weathered sign that read ¡°ROAD CLOSED AHEAD,¡± a cold shiver ran down her spine. ¡°What the hell are you up to, Damian?¡± She had spent hours poring over videos online¡ªterrifying clips of people battling ugly creatures, news reports detailing strange occurrences, and posts from survivors talking about ¡°awakening abilities.¡± The idea that Damian was running headfirst into danger filled her with dread. And yet¡­a small part of her was curious. She had seen the way his body had changed, the quiet confidence in his movements. Whatever he had become, it wasn¡¯t normal. Inside his truck, Damian was oblivious to her pursuit. His phone was stashed in the center console, a playlist playing his favorite song as he sang along without a care in the world. The distant chaos of the world seemed miles away for the moment.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. But when he neared his destination, the sight of military trucks blocking the main road snapped him back to reality. The refinery loomed in the distance, its skeletal framework stark against the darkening sky. Large flood lights cast eerie beams across the grounds, illuminating clusters of guards stationed at the perimeter. Damian parked his truck just off the road, far enough from the barricades to avoid detection. He grabbed his gear¡ªa backpack stuffed with essentials and his newly crafted weapons¡ªand set out on foot, weaving through the brush for cover. ¡°Military,¡± he muttered under his breath, squinting at the uniforms. ¡°They¡¯re locking the place down. Has the death toll really gotten that bad?¡± He scanned the area, noting patrol patterns and possible blind spots. He was about to press forward when a faint sound caught his attention¡ªa faint crunch of footsteps on the gravel behind him. His body reacted instantly, the system¡¯s heightened senses firing on all cylinders. Damian whirled around, drawing his sword in one fluid motion. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± he barked, his voice low but sharp. A figure emerged from the shadows, illuminated faintly by the moonlight. Damian steadied his stance, ready to strike¡ªuntil he recognized the silhouette. ¡°Stop!¡± the figure shouted, their voice trembling. ¡°It¡¯s me, Astrid!¡± Astrid stumbled forward, gasping as she realized just how close she had come to being struck. Her brother¡¯s reflexes had turned him into something almost unrecognizable¡ªswift, precise, deadly. Damian¡¯s jaw tightened as he lowered his weapon. ¡°What the hell are you doing here?¡± She managed a weak smile, brushing off the dirt from her jacket. ¡°Uh¡­surprise?¡± Damian stared at her, dumbfounded. ¡°Astrid, do you realize how stupid this is? You followed me here? Are you insane?¡± ¡°I could ask you the same thing,¡± she shot back, her voice shaky but defiant. ¡°You told Mom and Dad you were going to Austin, but you¡¯re out here sneaking around a quarantine zone. What are you up to?¡± He groaned, running a hand through his hair. ¡°This isn¡¯t the time for a heart-to-heart, Astrid. This place is dangerous. You need to leave¡ªnow.¡± ¡°No way,¡± she said firmly, planting her hands on her hips. ¡°I¡¯m not leaving until you tell me what¡¯s going on. I¡¯m tired of being left in the dark, Damian.¡± For a moment, he said nothing, his gaze darting between her and the refinery. He sighed, finally relenting. ¡°Fine,¡± he said, his voice low. ¡°But if you¡¯re coming with me, you do exactly what I say. No questions, no arguments. Got it?¡± Astrid hesitated, then nodded. ¡°Got it.¡± Damian gestured for her to follow, his mind already racing by his decision. Chapter Seventeen Astrid followed closely behind Damian, quietly trying to avoid making any noise. The space around the refinery was quiet, there were only faint sounds of machinery long dead adding to the unsettling atmosphere. Damian suddenly stopped and turned, his piercing gaze towards hers. ¡°Here,¡± he said, pulling his compound bow from his shoulder and handing it to her along with a quiver of arrows. ¡°You¡¯re going to need this if you¡¯re coming with me.¡± Astrid blinked, momentarily surprised, before taking the bow. She ran her fingers along the string, testing the tension. ¡°You still practice every day, right?¡± Damian asked. Astrid smirked. ¡°Am I still better at using the bow, you mean? Then yes. All the trophies back home are proof.¡± Damian rolled his eyes. ¡°Okay, no need to rub it in. This is going to be similar to hunting with Uncle Ben and Dad. Follow my lead, and I don¡¯t want to repeat myself¡ªdo not hesitate. Whatever we kill is not from this world.¡± The seriousness in his tone sent a shiver down her spine. She nodded, her smirk fading as she fell silent. Damian moved ahead, his sword drawn and a small shield strapped to his back. His movements were completely different then his usual self, his eyes had already adjusted to the dark. Astrid followed behind with her bow in hand, her eyes struggling slightly to adjust to the dim light. But this wasn¡¯t her first time hunting in the dark. She steadied her breathing and focused, drawing on memories of countless nights in the woods with her family. ¡°Stop,¡± Damian muttered, freezing mid-step. Astrid nearly bumped into him, her heart skipping a beat. ¡°What? What¡¯s wrong?¡± she whispered. ¡°Get down,¡± Damian hissed, crouching low. ¡°Before they see us.¡± ¡°What is it? The military?¡± she asked, her voice barely audible. ¡°No.¡± Damian¡¯s voice was cold. ¡°Worse¡ªgoblins.¡± Astrid¡¯s stomach twisted as she peered over his shoulder. In the distance, three small, hunched figures moved erratically through the shadows, their glowing yellow eyes scanning the area. ¡°Identify,¡± Damian muttered, his eyes narrowing as translucent text appeared in his vision. Goblin Scout ¨C Lv 5 Goblin Scout ¨C Lv 3 Goblin Scout ¨C Lv 4 ¡°There are three of them,¡± Damian whispered. ¡°Astrid, aim for the short one in the middle. He¡¯s the weakest. Don¡¯t miss it. I¡¯ll handle the other two.¡± Astrid swallowed hard, gripping the bow tightly. Her hands trembled as she knocked an arrow and drew the string back. She inhaled deeply, steadying herself the way she always had during hunting trips. ¡°You can do this,¡± she murmured to herself, exhaling slowly as she released the arrow. The arrow flew through the air with a faint whistle, striking the goblin square in the head. It let out a guttural scream before collapsing to the ground. But Astrid¡¯s brief moment of triumph was shattered as the remaining two goblins moved with startling speed, closing the distance in an instant. Her heart leaped into her throat as she fumbled to knock another arrow, her vision darkened as she closed her eyes in panic. Before she could react, Damian was on them. His sword cut through the air with deadly strength, slicing through the first goblin before slamming his shield into the second. The creature staggered back, hissing, but Damian didn¡¯t hesitate. With a swift, brutal swing, the second goblin fell. The silence that followed was deafening. Astrid stared at the carnage, her breath coming in short, ragged gasps. Blood splattered on her clothes and the metallic smell made her stomach turn. She clenched her jaw, forcing herself not to throw up. Damian wiped his blade on the grass, his expression unreadable. ¡°Good shot,¡± he said, smirking back at her, and kneeling beside the fallen goblins. Astrid watched in stunned silence as he began cutting into the creatures, pulling out small, glowing stones from their chests. The sight of him working so methodically, so unbothered, made her stomach turn again. ¡°What¡­what are you doing?¡± she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Damian stood, holding one of the stones out to her. ¡°Take it.¡± Astrid stared at the glowing gem in his hand, then back at him. ¡°What do you want me to do with it?¡± ¡°Eat it,¡± he said bluntly. Her eyes widened. ¡°What?! Eat it? Are you crazy? That came out of that! There¡¯s no way¡ª¡± ¡°Astrid,¡± Damian interrupted, his voice sharp. ¡°You said you¡¯d do whatever I told you. So eat it.¡± Her stomach churned as she looked at the stone again. ¡°If I get sick, I¡¯m going to come back and haunt you,¡± she muttered, snatching the stone from his hand. ¡°You won¡¯t,¡± Damian said, a small smirk playing at the corner of his lips. ¡°Now eat it.¡± With a deep breath , Astrid placed the stone in her mouth. The moment it touched her tongue, it dissolved, vanishing completely. She froze, her eyes wide as a strange warmth spread through her chest. ¡°What¡­what just happened?¡± she stammered, clutching at her chest and the warm sensation. Damian grinned, his confidence almost smug. ¡°That, little sister, was your first step to awakening.¡± Astrid¡¯s eyes darted around as the warmth intensified, her body trembling followed by the familiar floating text. ¡°Damian, what is this?¡± Her voice trembled looking at the floating text. ¡°It¡¯s the power that¡¯s going to save your life,¡± he said, his voice calm. ¡°Now let¡¯s see what you¡¯ve got Chapter Eighteen The Streamer Chapter: The Streamer ¡°Whaaaat? Why did you eat that?¡± a voice shouted, startling both Damian and Astrid. Before either of them could respond, a man tumbled from the branches of a nearby tree, landing in an awkward heap on the ground. Damian spun around, sword raised, while Astrid quickly knocked an arrow, aiming at the man now groaning on the ground. ¡°Stop! Stop! Please!¡± the man gasped, raising his hands to surrender. ¡°I¡¯m human! Don¡¯t shoot!¡± Damian didn¡¯t lower his blade. ¡°Who are you, and why are you spying on us?¡± The man coughed, trying to catch his breath. ¡°I¡­ My name¡¯s Miles Robinson! I¡¯m a Metuber! I make videos¡ªstream stuff, you know? Mostly gaming stuff , but now I stream awakening content¡­¡± Damian¡¯s eyes narrowed, his grip tightening on the hilt of his sword. ¡°A Metuber? You¡¯re recording?¡± Miles flinched at the edge in Damian¡¯s voice. ¡°Well, uh, yeah¡­ I mean, that¡¯s kind of the point. But hey, don¡¯t worry! I wasn¡¯t going to post anything bad¡ª¡± ¡°Delete it,¡± Damian ordered, his tone icy. ¡°What? Why? Look, I¡¯ve recorded worse things than someone eating a weird rock,¡± Miles stammered, confused but nervous. ¡°Delete. It.¡± Damian¡¯s voice was low but threatening. ¡°Okay, okay!¡± Miles waved his hands frantically. ¡°My camera¡¯s over there¡ªby the spot I fell. Just grab it and delete it yourself!¡± Astrid retrieved the camera, handing it to Damian. He quickly erased the footage before glaring back at Miles. ¡°You¡¯ve seen too much.¡± Miles gulped. ¡°Okay, fair. But can you untie me now? Please? I¡¯m not trying to cause trouble.¡±The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. Damian ignored him and turned to Astrid, whispering, ¡°What do we do with him? He saw everything.¡± Astrid hesitated. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know. This wasn¡¯t supposed to happen. How did we miss him? You¡¯re always on edge, and even I should¡¯ve noticed something.¡± Damian nodded, his jaw tight. ¡°It doesn¡¯t add up.¡± He turned back to Miles, his expression dark. ¡°We¡¯ll let you go, but you need to explain how we didn¡¯t sense you before you fell.¡± Miles squirmed under Damian¡¯s gaze. ¡°That¡¯s, uh, a little complicated¡­¡± ¡°Then simplify it.¡± Damian¡¯s voice was cold. ¡°Or I will break your camera.¡± ¡°Whoa, whoa! Chill, man!¡± Miles whined. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll explain!¡± Miles sighed, glancing between Damian and Astrid. ¡°I was in Dallas when¡­ you know, everything happened. I was visiting family. Barely made it out alive. Had a near-death experience, and boom¡ªI awakened. My ability? Stealth. I can turn invisible. That¡¯s why you didn¡¯t see me. But I can¡¯t hide my presence completely, so when I fell, you heard me.¡± ¡°Invisible?¡± Astrid¡¯s eyes lit up with excitement. ¡°You¡¯re saying you can actually turn invisible? That¡¯s freaking amazing! Show us!¡± Miles hesitated but, seeing Astrid¡¯s genuine curiosity, decided to oblige. With a smirk, he activated his ability. In the blink of an eye, he vanished. Or, almost. The ropes binding him were still visible, floating awkwardly in midair. Astrid gasped in amazement. ¡°That¡¯s so cool!¡± Even Damian raised an eyebrow, though his expression quickly hardened again. ¡°Impressive. But that doesn¡¯t explain why you¡¯re here.¡± Miles reappeared, his smirk fading under Damian¡¯s intense gaze. ¡°Look, everyone¡¯s been streaming this area. It¡¯s a hotspot for awakenings and monster activity. The military¡¯s been snooping around, trying to figure out how to awaken people. But it¡¯s not going well for them.¡± Damian frowned. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Miles shrugged. ¡°They¡¯re trying to fight the goblins, but it¡¯s a mess. Bullets barely work here, and the goblins are too dangerous. They¡¯ve been experimenting, but¡­ no luck.¡± Damian¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°And you? Why aren¡¯t you leveling up?¡± Miles hesitated, looking genuinely confused. ¡°I¡¯ve tried. I¡¯ve killed a few goblins, but my level doesn¡¯t go up. It takes forever to take one down, even with my ability. And I don¡¯t have much mana to keep it going.¡± Damian nodded slowly, piecing things together. ¡°Makes sense. You¡¯re stumbling around in the dark, just like I was at first.¡± Miles blinked. ¡°Wait, you know how to level up?¡± Damian smirked, stepping forward to cut the ropes binding Miles. ¡°Yes. And I¡¯ll help you. But there¡¯s a catch¡ªyou¡¯re going to help us.¡± Miles¡¯s eyes widened with excitement. ¡°Deal! Whatever you need!¡± Astrid raised an eyebrow, smirking. ¡°You¡¯re way too eager.¡± ¡°Are you kidding? I¡¯ve been trying to figure this system out ever since I awakened!¡± Miles exclaimed. ¡°If you know the secret, I¡¯m all in!¡± Damian grinned, his mind already working on how to use Miles¡¯s abilities. ¡°Good. Let¡¯s go.¡± Chapter Nineteen The Hunt Begins Chapter The Hunt Begins
The forest surrounding the refinery was eerily quiet, save for the occasional rustling of leaves. The dim light from the setting sun filtered through the trees, casting long shadows across the ground. Damian led the group deeper into the woods, his sharp eyes scanning every movement, every subtle shift in the underbrush. Astrid followed close behind, her compound bow drawn and ready. Miles trailed them, gripping a dented aluminum baseball bat with both hands, his eyes darting nervously around. ¡°You¡¯re sure there are goblins in this area?¡± Astrid asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Miles nodded. ¡°Definitely. I scouted this whole place before. The goblins have turned the abandoned refinery and the nearby warehouses into their base. The forest is crawling with scouts. Trust me, they¡¯re here.¡± Damian stopped suddenly, holding up a hand to signal silence. His gaze locked onto a faint rustling sound ahead. ¡°Here we go,¡± he muttered, his grip tightening on his sword. Three goblins emerged from the shadows, their hunched forms clutching crude weapons. Their yellow eyes glowed faintly in the dark as they sniffed the air, chattering among themselves. ¡°Identify,¡± Damian whispered. Goblin ¨C Lv 5 Goblin ¨C Lv 5 Goblin ¨C Lv 6 ¡°They¡¯re low-level,¡± Damian said quietly. He turned to Astrid and Miles. ¡°This is perfect for you two. Astrid, take the one on the left. Miles, you¡¯ve got the one in the middle. I¡¯ll take the one on the right. Don¡¯t hesitate.¡± Astrid nodded, steadying her breathing as she raised her bow. ¡°Got it.¡± Miles swallowed hard. ¡°Middle one¡­ okay,¡± he muttered, gripping his bat tighter. Astrid drew her bowstring and released an arrow. It zipped through the air, striking the goblin on the left in the chest. The creature let out a screech and staggered back, clutching at the arrow. Before it could recover, Astrid knocked another arrow and fired, the second shot piercing its throat. The goblin collapsed with a gurgle. Meanwhile, Miles charged forward with a shaky yell, swinging his bat wildly. The middle goblin snarled, dodging the first swing and countering with a rusty dagger. Miles yelped, stumbling back, but managed to recover. He swung again, this time connecting with the goblin¡¯s head. The creature stumbled, and Miles brought the bat down with all his strength, finishing it off with a sickening crack. The final goblin lunged at Damian, but it was nocontest. With a single, precise slash, Damian cleaved the creature in two. Miles leaned against a tree, panting. ¡°Okay¡­ that wasn¡¯t so bad,¡± he said, though his trembling hands betrayed him. Astrid smirked. ¡°Not bad for a rookie.¡± Damian crouched over the fallen goblins, pulling out mana stones from their chests with practiced efficiency. He wiped the blood off on the grass before holding one out to Astrid and another to Miles. ¡°You know what to do,¡± Damian said simply. Astrid didn¡¯t hesitate this time. She popped the mana stone into her mouth, wincing as it dissolvedinstantly. Miles, on the other hand, stared at the glowing gem with a mixture of fascination and disgust.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. ¡°You¡¯re really going to make me eat this?¡± he asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Damian replied, his tone leaving no room for argument. Grimacing, Miles swallowed the stone. A moment later, his eyes widened as warmth spread through his body. ¡°Whoa¡­ that¡¯s insane!¡± ¡°That¡¯s the sensation of gaining experience points,¡± Damian said, standing. ¡°Keep at it, and you¡¯ll level up in no time.¡± As the group moved closer to the refinery, Milesexplained what he had learned during his earlierscouting trips. ¡°The military¡¯s been poking around here a lot,¡± Miles said, keeping his voice low. ¡°I¡¯ve seen them trying to figure out how to awaken people, but they¡¯re clueless. They¡¯ve even brought in someone who can use fire magic, but I couldn¡¯t get a clear view of them.¡± Damian frowned, his mind racing. If the military couldn¡¯t figure out how to awaken, it meant they were fighting at a massive disadvantage. And if someone else had already awakened¡­ there was more to this than he¡¯d thought. For now, though, Damian focused on helping Astrid and Miles. The two quickly adapted, each killing enough goblins to reach level 3. Astrid¡¯s precision with her bow improved with every encounter, and Miles grew more confident with his bat, using his stealth ability to land surprise strikes. Once Damian was satisfied with their progress, he left them behind to scout a little farther. ¡°Stay close to the clearing,¡± he told them. ¡°Don¡¯t go looking for trouble.¡± Astrid gave him a mock salute. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Miles just nodded, still catching his breath. Damian moved quickly through the forest, his senses sharp. He had already eaten several mana stones and could feel himself approaching another level-up. All he needed was one more good fight. That¡¯s when he heard it¡ªthe unmistakable sound of padded feet pounding against the forest floor. He turned to see a goblin riding a massive gray wolf, the two moving as one. The goblin carried a long spear, its gleaming tip catching the last rays of sunlight. Damian¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°A goblin rider¡­¡± The wolf growled, its sharp teeth bared as it charged toward him. Damian barely had time to react, diving to the side as the spear grazed his shoulder. He rolled to his feet, drawing his sword and preparing for the next attack. The rider circled back, the wolf snarling as it leapt over a fallen tree. Damian swung his sword, but the wolf dodged, its agility far surpassing that of anyenemy he¡¯d faced before. The chase began. Damian sprinted through theforest, dodging trees and leaping over roots as the wolf closed in. Every time it lunged, he countered with a quick slash, forcing it back. Finally, the goblin made a mistake. It overcommitted, thrusting its spear too far. Damian sidestepped the attack and slashed upward, the blade cutting deep into the goblin¡¯s side. The rider screamed, falling from the wolf¡¯s back. The wolf howled in rage, lunging at Damian, but he was ready. He ducked under its jaws and drove his sword into its chest, the beast collapsing with a final whimper. The goblin tried to crawl away, but Damian didn¡¯t hesitate. With one swift motion, he ended it. As Damian caught his breath, he leaned on his sword for support, sweat dripping down his brow. The adrenaline in his veins was finally beginning to subside. He stared at the goblin rider¡¯s lifeless body and the massive wolf lying beside it, both now still in the moonlit forest. But then, something strange happened. A soft golden glow appeared above the goblin¡¯s corpse, shimmering faintly at first. Damian froze, his exhaustion momentarily forgotten as the light grew brighter, coalescing into a distinct shape. ¡°What the hell¡­¡± he whispered, his voice barely audible. The object floated in the air, spinning slowly as its brilliance lit up the dark forest. It was mesmerizing, almost hypnotic. Damian took a cautious step forward, his heart pounding in his chest. ¡°An item¡­? An actual item drop?¡± he muttered, unable to believe what he was seeing. His mind raced. He¡¯d only thought it might have been possible like they were in game item drops in countless games, but he could¡¯ve never dreamed about it actually happening ¡ªbut this was real life. This was actually happening. His hands trembled as he reached toward the glowing object, hesitating for a moment as if it might vanish if he got too close. The bright light reflected in his eyes, and for the first time in what felt like forever, a grin spread across his face. Not a small, reserved smile, but a wide, uncontainable expression of pure joy. ¡°This¡­ this changes everything,¡± he whispered, his voice filled with awe. The weight of exhaustion lifted, replaced by a surge of excitement and anticipation. Damian didn¡¯t think it could be possible but it was the same item drops similar he knew from games he played. His heart raced as he extended his hand, fingers trembling with exhilaration wanting to know what type of item was dropped. And just as he was about to get close enough to see it clearly he couldn¡¯t stop himself from laughing softly, almost disbelieving. ¡°An item drop¡­ a real item drop¡­¡±
Chapter Twenty Lessons in Survival Chapter: Lessons in Survival The glow from the floating item faded as Damian plucked it from the air. It was a small ring, plain and unimpressive at first glance. But Damian knew better. He clutched it tightly, excitement bubbling inside him as he muttered, ¡°Identify.¡± Goblin Ring Rank: Uncommon User gains night vision and an additional 5 + Agility. Damian¡¯s grin stretched from ear to ear as he jumped for joy, his excitement bursting forth in a rare display of emotion. ¡°This is incredible!¡± he muttered to himself, slipping the ring onto his finger. In the distance, the sound of hurried footsteps snapped him out of his celebration. Astrid and Miles emerged from the trees, their breaths ragged and faces flushed as they sprinted toward him. ¡°Wait! Wait up!¡± Miles wheezed, hands on his knees as he came to a stop. ¡°Yeah, hold on, Damian!¡± Astrid called, leaning against a nearby tree to catch her breath. Damian smirked, his confidence renewed. ¡°You two need to exercise more often,¡± he teased, laughing at their exhausted expressions. ¡°Real funny,¡± Astrid shot back, smirking despite herself. Miles, still bent over and panting, waved a dismissive hand. ¡°Not¡­ funny¡­ at all¡­¡± Damian turned his attention back to the goblin rider¡¯s corpse. He crouched down, expertly retrieving the mana stone from its chest. Without hesitation, he popped it into his mouth, feeling the familiar warmth spread through his body. The system¡¯s notification followed: You have leveled up! Damian quickly allocated his new status points, adding five more to increase his agility. ¡°Status!¡± he muttered, and the translucent window appeared before him. Damian Park Race: Human Level: 10 Mana Points: 25/25 Strength: 20 Agility: 30 (+5) Dexterity: 12 Mana: 5 Status Points: 0 Skills: Minor Heal Lv 2Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. Identify Lv 5 Blue Lightning Lv 1 Beginner Blacksmithing Lv 5 Intermediate Sword Mastery Lv 1 Iron Skin Lv 2 Damian couldn¡¯t help but smile as he closed the window. He was growing stronger, and it showed. ¡°Okay,¡± he began, turning back to Astrid and Miles. ¡°Let¡¯s¡ª¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Miles interrupted, his voice almost a shout. Damian raised an eyebrow, clearly annoyed. ¡°What now?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to loot the body?¡± Miles asked, his tone incredulous. ¡°What do you mean? I just did,¡± Damian replied, confused. Miles groaned, rubbing his forehead. ¡°No, you didn¡¯t. You haven¡¯t even checked its pockets!¡± ¡°Pockets?¡± Damian¡¯s confusion deepened. Miles stared at him like he was the biggest idiot in the world. ¡°You¡¯re telling me you¡¯ve been killing all these goblins and not checking their stuff? All their gear is part of the system! They carry items, coins, sometimes potions¡ªuseful things!¡± Realization hit Damian like a brick. ¡°You¡¯re telling me I¡¯ve been leaving loot behind this whole time?¡± Miles smirked. ¡°Yep. Rookie mistake, buddy.¡± Damian cursed under his breath, immediately turning back to the goblin rider¡¯s corpse. He picked up the spear, inspecting it with his Identify skill. Goblin Spear A spear made from Magic Metal, weakened by impurities during forging. Fragile but usable. ¡°Magic Metal Ore!,¡± Damian muttered, setting the spear aside before thoroughly searching the goblin¡¯s remains. He found a small pouch, and when he opened it, his eyes widened. Inside were several coins and a red vial. The coins had an intricate design, a small sphere encircled by three rings, almost like Saturn. Damian held one up, examining it closely. ¡°Miles, what are these?¡± Miles shrugged. ¡°Not sure. I¡¯ve found a few myself, but I don¡¯t have Identify, so I can¡¯t tell. Same with those vials¡ªI¡¯ve seen red ones and yellow ones, but I¡¯ve been too scared to use them.¡± Damian used Identify on the vials. Paralysis Potion: Causes temporary paralysis when applied or ingested. Minor Healing Potion: Heals small wounds and restores vitality. ¡°Fortunately you didn¡¯t drink any, the yellow one would have made you a vegetable,¡± Damian said, pocketing the items while smirking. He stood, brushing dirt off his hands. ¡°But now we need to backtrack. There¡¯s probably a ton of gear I left behind.¡± Astrid and Miles exchanged glances, unsure if Damian was joking or serious. ¡°Okay, Captain Treasure Hunter,¡± Astrid said, rolling her eyes. Before Damian could lead them back, a series of gunshots rang out in the distance. All three of them froze, the sharp cracks echoing through the trees. ¡°What now?¡± Astrid muttered, her grip tightening on her bow. Damian¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Let¡¯s move. Stay close.¡± They ran toward the sound, keeping low and quiet. When they reached the source, the sight before them made Astrid gasp. A massive green goblin, nearly seven feet tall and rippling with muscle, wielded a giant mace as it tore through a group of soldiers. The men fired their rifles in desperation, but the bullets barely seemed to affect the creature. ¡°What are these idiots doing?¡± Damian hissed, crouching behind a tree. ¡°They¡¯re bringing all the agro right to us!¡± The goblin warrior let out a deafening roar, its mace crashing into the ground and sending one soldier flying. The sight of the carnage was too much for Astrid. Without thinking, she knocked an arrow and let it fly. The arrow struck the goblin in the eye, causing it to howl in pain. ¡°NO!¡± Damian shouted, his voice cutting through the chaos. ¡°What are you doing?!¡± ¡°We have to help them!¡± Astrid yelled back. Damian clenched his fists. ¡°We can¡¯t help anyone if we¡¯re dead!¡± He activated Identify, his heart sinking as he read the details. Goblin Warrior Level: 17 Damian, cursed under his breath. ¡°This thing¡¯s practically a boss,¡± Damian muttered, his mind racing. ¡°Astrid, Miles, listen to me. Get the survivors out of here. I¡¯ll handle this.¡± ¡°What?¡± Astrid protested. ¡°You can¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°Go!¡± Damian barked, his tone leaving no room for argument. Reluctantly, Astrid and Miles grabbed two injured soldiers and began retreating. Damian turned back to the goblin warrior, his sword gleaming Chapter Twenty One Witness to Real Strength Chapter: Witness To Real Strength ¡°Retreat!¡± a desperate voice rang out through the chaos. Squad leader Howard wiped the sweat from his brow as he shouted to his men. ¡°Garcia! Miller! Help Anderson get Johnson out of here, now!¡± Bullets cracked through the air, each one aimed with precision at the goblins that swarmed like a tide. Howard¡¯s years of fighting allowed him to land headshot after headshot, but it was like trying to drain the ocean with a bucket. For every goblin that fell, another took its place. ¡°Damn it,¡± Howard muttered under his breath, his grip on his rifle tightening. His eyes flicked to the towering monster leading the charge¡ªa hulking, seven-foot goblin wielding a massive mace. Its muscles bulged, and its roars fueled the goblins¡¯ frenzy. ¡°If only that thing hadn¡¯t shown up,¡± Howard growled. His team was in shambles. Johnson wasn¡¯t breathing, Anderson was barely conscious, and the goblins were closing in. Howard¡¯s men were seasoned specialblack ops soldiers, but against these creatures, they were outmatched. ¡°Firebolt!¡± Howard bellowed, thrusting his palmforward. A small, fiery orb erupted from his hand, streaking toward the goblins. The flames exploded on impact, scattering the lesser creatures andsending a few flying. But it wasn¡¯t enough. The hulking goblin emerged from the smoke,unscathed, its mace dragging against the ground. Its yellow eyes locked onto Howard, filled with anger and bloodlust. Howard stumbled back, his breathing ragged. ¡°Damn it¡­ this isn¡¯t working,¡± he muttered, firing another round of bullets. The goblin didn¡¯t even flinch as the rounds ricocheted off its thick hide. The Squad leader¡¯s heart pounded in his chest. This was it. This was how it ended. But then, an arrow whistled through the air, piercing the goblin¡¯s eye. The creature roared in pain, turning its head toward the source. Howard¡¯s eyes darted to the treeline, where three figures emerged from the shadows. Leading them was a young man with dark brown hair, wielding a sword and shield that gleamed in the dark. Beside him was a young woman with reddish-brown hair holding a bow, and a black young man clutching a dented baseball bat. ¡°Who the hell are they?¡± Howard muttered, his voice a mix of shock and confusion.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. The young woman and her companion rushed toward the injured soldiers, helping them retreat. But the young man¡ªhe was different. There was a sign of bloodlust in his eyes, a presence Howard hadn¡¯t felt before. ¡°Blue Lightning!¡± the young man shouted. A crackling surge of electricity erupted from his hand, arcing toward the goblin. The bolt struck the creature square in the chest, forcing it back a few steps. The air smelled burned, and the ground beneath the goblin¡¯s feet were scorched. The young man charged, his sword flashing as he swung with brute force. The goblin roared, swinging its mace in a wide arc. The sheer force of the blow sent shockwaves through the air, but the young man ducked and rolled, his movements swift and deliberate. Howard watched in awe¡ªand fear. ¡°Who is this kid?¡± he whispered. Damian¡¯s sword clashed against the goblin¡¯s mace, sparks flying as the weapons collided. Each swing of the goblin¡¯s weapon was heavy and deliberate, aiming to crush him. But Damian¡¯s agility allowed him to weave through the attacks, striking when openings appeared. ¡°Blue Lightning!¡± he shouted again, another crackling bolt surging from his hand. It struck the goblin¡¯s leg, forcing it to kneel. Damian seized the opportunity, driving his sword into the creature¡¯s thigh. The goblin howled, swinging its arm wildly and grazing Damian¡¯s side. The force of the hit sent Damian stumbling, blood seeping through his shirt. ¡°Not yet,¡± Damian growled, clutching his wound. He placed his hand over the injury and whispered, ¡°Heal.¡± A faint glow emanated from his palm as the wound closed slightly, enough to stop the bleeding but not enough to fully recover. The goblin charged, its mace raised high. Damian barely had time to block the strike with his shield, the impact sending shockwaves up his arm. His knees buckled under the force, and he was thrown backward into a tree. The bark splintered on impact as Damian hit the trunk with a sickening thud. He coughed violently, blood splattering the ground. His vision blurred, but he forced himself to his feet, using his sword for support. ¡°Is that all you¡¯ve got?¡± he spat, his voice defiant despite the pain. The goblin roared, closing the distance with frightening speed. Damian¡¯s grip on his sword tightened, his mind racing. His mana was runninglow, his body was battered, but he couldn¡¯t stop now. He reached into his pouch, pulling out the small red vial he¡¯d found earlier. ¡°Let¡¯s see if this works,¡± he muttered, uncorking the bottle. Howard¡¯s Perspective From his position, Squad leader Howard watched the fight unfold, his heart pounding. He had seen bravery before¡ªhad even fought beside men who gave their lives to protect others¡ªbut this was something else. This young man was fighting a monster that had nearly wiped out his entire team, and he was doing it alone. ¡°That kid¡­ he¡¯s insane,¡± Howard muttered, clutching his rifle. But there was something else¡ªhe was inflicting actual damage compared to him who had been a rifle using up until and even had used magic he had awakened with. ¡°Come on, kid,¡± Howard whispered, his fists clenched. ¡°Don¡¯t give up now.¡± The goblin roared, its mace coming down with earth-shattering force. Damian sidestepped at the last second, thrusting his sword upward and slicing through the goblin¡¯s arm. The creature howled, staggering back as dark blood poured from the wound. Damian panted, his vision swimming. ¡°Just a little more,¡± he muttered, his voice barely audible. With the vial in hand, he stared down the goblin Chapter Twenty Two A Battle For Survival Chapter: A Battle for Survival Damian uncorked the vial in his hand, tipping its contents into his mouth. A soothing warmth spread through his battered body as his wounds began to heal. Exhausted, he staggered to his feet, gripping his sword for support. His breathing was ragged, his stamina nearly gone. The goblin warrior towered before him, its hulking frame overwhelmed him. It growled loudly, hefting its mace with ease against him. Damian glanced around¡ªAstrid and Miles were nowhere to be seen, and the only other figure nearby was the downed soldier, staring blankly at the carnage. ¡°This is a losing battle,¡± Damian muttered to himself. ¡°I¡¯ve got maybe one Blue Lightning left in me.¡± He had been relying on Iron Skin to absorb the brunt of the goblin¡¯s devastating attacks, but it was draining his mana fast. His shield lay shattered on the ground, a useless pile of splinters. Every strike had been a desperate attempt to survive, and despite his efforts, the goblin seemed nearly untouched. He took a deep breath, readying himself for one last push, when a loud shout pierced the silence. ¡°Bullseye!¡± A pair of arrows flew through the air, striking the goblin warrior in its other eye. The beast howled in pain, its massive hands clutching at its face as it stumbled back. ¡°Oh yeah!¡± Miles¡¯s voice rang out, followed by Astrid¡¯s laughter. Damian turned to see them emerging from the shadows. Miles was waving his bat triumphantly, while Astrid was already knocking another arrow. ¡°You guys need to work on your timing,¡± Damian muttered, though a smirk tugged at his lips. Miles grinned. ¡°You¡¯re welcome!¡± In the brief moment of hesitation , Damian rushed to the soldier, who was still frozen in place. Grabbing him by the shoulders, Damian shook him violently. ¡°Get up! We have to move!¡± The man blinked, finally snapping out of his stupor. ¡°I¡­ I can¡¯t leave. That thing killed my men! I have to take it down!¡± ¡°You¡¯re level one!¡± Damian snapped. ¡°You¡¯re no match for it. I¡¯m way higher, and I can barely scratch it!¡± The soldier¡¯s eyes burned with anger, but before he could argue, Damian cut him off. ¡°Listen to me. That thing isn¡¯t just strong¡ªit¡¯s using a skill to paralyze you with fear. You¡¯re not frozen because you¡¯re scared. It¡¯s an ability. Do you understand?¡± The man hesitated, then nodded. ¡°Good. When I give the signal, use whatever ability you used earlier. We¡¯re going to end this, but I need you focused. Got it?¡±Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°Got it,¡± the man muttered, though his voice trembled. Damian turned to the shadows where Astrid and Miles were hiding. ¡°Astrid, Miles, I need you to shoot behind its knees. As many arrows as you can, as fast as you can. We need to cripple it.¡± ¡°On it!¡± Astrid called, already drawing her bow. Miles gave a thumbs-up, gripping his bat tightly. The goblin warrior roared, tearing the arrows from its face. Its empty eye sockets glowed with rage as it swung its mace, the sheer force of the motion sending shockwaves through the ground. Damian charged, his sword flashing as he slashed at its legs. The blade bit into the goblin¡¯s thick hide but didn¡¯t cut deep enough to slow it down. The beast retaliated with a wide swing, forcing Damian to activate Iron Skin. The impact sent him flying, his back slamming into a tree. Gritting his teeth, Damian staggered to his feet, ignoring the blood dripping from his lip. ¡°Not done yet,¡± he growled. The goblin roared again, lifting its mace high. ¡°NOW!¡± Damian shouted. Astrid loosed a flurry of arrows, each one finding its mark behind the goblin¡¯s knees. The beast faltered, its massive legs buckling under its weight. ¡°Firebolt!¡± the soldier screamed, launching a fiery blast at the goblin¡¯s chest. The creature stumbled, its movements sluggish as the combined attacks began to take their toll. ¡°Blue Lightning!¡± Damian roared, channeling his remaining mana into a crackling bolt of electricity. The bolt struck the goblin square in the chest, forcing it to drop its mace as it howled in agony. With a final burst of strength, Damian sprinted forward, dodging the creature¡¯s flailing arms. He leapt onto its back, driving his sword into the base of its neck. The goblin let out a guttural roar before collapsing to the ground, its massive body shaking the earth as it fell. Panting, Damian climbed off the goblin¡¯s corpse. His limbs ached, and his vision swam, but he was alive. He didn¡¯t waste time. Kneeling beside the body, he used his sword to cut into its chest, pulling out a mana stone. The stone glowed brighter than any he had seen before. ¡°Identify,¡± he muttered. Rank 1 Mana Stone Contains a large reserve of mana. Without hesitation, Damian swallowed the stone. The surge of energy hit him instantly, warmth spreading through his body as the system¡¯s notifications flooded his vision. You have leveled up! You have leveled up! You have leveled up! You have leveled up! Damian called up his status window, quickly allocating his new points. Damian Park Level: 14 Mana Points: 50/50 Strength: 25 Agility: 40 (+5) Dexterity: 12 Mana: 10 Status Points: 20 The warm sensation of strength returning to his body was almost overwhelming. He placed his hand over his wounds and cast Heal, the magic knitting his injuries together. Astrid and Miles appeared moments later, cheering as they high-fived each other. ¡°That was insane!¡± Miles shouted. Damian let out a weary laugh. ¡°We survived. That¡¯s what matters.¡± Miles rummaged through the goblin¡¯s belongings, pulling out a gleaming sword. ¡°Damian! Look what he dropped!¡± Damian¡¯s eyes lit up as he ran over, taking the sword from Miles. Its polished one handed sword. ¡°A drop¡­ an actual drop!¡± he exclaimed, laughing as he held it high. Astrid chuckled at their excitement. ¡°You two look like kids in a candy store.¡± Meanwhile, Howard stood frozen, watching the group with wide eyes. He couldn¡¯t believe what he had just witnessed. ¡°Who are you people?¡± he asked, his voice trembling. Damian smirked. ¡°Classified,¡± he replied, mimicking Howard¡¯s earlier tone. Before Howard could press further, his mind snapped back to his men. ¡°My men!¡± he shouted, running toward Miles. ¡°Where are my men?!¡± Damian¡¯s smirk faded as he watched Howard¡¯s panic. The battle was over, but he had forgotten this man had just been on the brink of dying along with his men Chapter Twenty Three Time To Face Reality Chapter: Time To Face Reality The forest had finally grown silent, the chaos of battle replaced by the distant chirping of crickets. Captain Howard stood motionless, his rifle dangling from his grip as his mind raced. His breathing was heavy, and his chest ached¡ªnot from wounds, but from the weight of his failure. ¡°Please!¡± Howard turned to Miles and Astrid, his voice trembling. ¡°Where are my men? You both carried them away! Tell me where they are!¡± Astrid stepped forward, her expression calm but empathetic. ¡°Sir, your men are okay,¡± she said, her voice steady. ¡°Miles and I treated them. They¡¯re a little bruised up, but overall, they¡¯re fine.¡± Howard¡¯s legs nearly gave out as her words registered. Relief washed over him like a tidal wave, and he fell to his knees, his head bowed. Emotions he had buried not knowing if his men had made it surging to the surface¡ªguilt, gratitude, and the overwhelming realization that his men had survived. ¡°How¡­ how is that possible?¡± he stammered, looking up at her with wide, tear-filled eyes. ¡°They were too injured to move. Some of them couldn¡¯t even breathe!¡± ¡°That was likely the Fear skill the Goblin Warrior used earlier,¡± Astrid explained. ¡°It causes paralysis, and since your men aren¡¯t awakened, they probably felt the effects much harder than you did.¡± Howard nodded, the pieces falling into place. ¡°That makes sense,¡± he muttered, wiping his eyes. Damian approached Astrid, his expression a mix of relief and frustration. ¡°What were you thinking?¡± he demanded, his voice sharp. ¡°You should¡¯ve given me a few more seconds to plan!¡± Astrid frowned, her shoulders slumping. ¡°I couldn¡¯t just stand there, Damian. They were being slaughtered. I had to do something.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have power, Astrid,¡± Damian snapped. ¡°Not yet. You barely leveled up. I don¡¯t even have power compared to that thing. We were kids playing at war, and we got lucky.¡± Astrid¡¯s face fell, and Damian sighed, running a hand through her hair. ¡°I get it,¡± he said, his tone softening. ¡°You wanted to help. But there¡¯s a reason I¡¯ve been taking this slow. The world is changing, and I don¡¯t have all the answers. That¡¯s why I¡¯ve only told Mom, Dad, Uncle Ben, and Aunt Mary the basics. I can¡¯t risk anyone else until I know more.¡± Astrid looked up at him, her eyes glistening. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she whispered. Damian placed a hand on her head, a faint smile tugging at his lips. ¡°You¡¯re okay. That¡¯s what matters. We¡¯ll take it slow from now on, I promise.¡±If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Astrid hugged him tightly, and Damian hesitated for a moment before wrapping his arms around her. Miles, wiping away a tear, suddenly leaped into the hug. ¡°You guys are amazing!¡± he said, grinning through his sniffles. The moment of levity was short-lived as Howard cleared his throat, his expression a mix of confusion and determination. ¡°Excuse me,¡± he said, his voice shaky. ¡°Did you say¡­ leveled up?¡± Astrid nodded, meeting his gaze. ¡°Yes. I leveled up.¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible,¡± Howard said, his jaw tightening. ¡°We¡¯ve been fighting these things for a week and haven¡¯t figured out how to do that. How did you¡ª¡± Miles opened his mouth to explain, but Damian clamped a hand over it. ¡°Sorry, that¡¯s classified,¡± Damian said with a serious tone. Miles mumbled something incoherent, looking annoyed, but Damian ignored him. Howard¡¯s hands curled into fists. ¡°Do you have any idea how many lives could be saved if you told us? How many people are dying because we don¡¯t understand this?¡± Damian¡¯s smirk faded. ¡°I do,¡± he said quietly. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m not telling you. Knowledge is power, Captain, and in the wrong hands, power gets abused. I don¡¯t know you, and I don¡¯t know your motives. For all I know, you¡¯ll take this information and turn it into a weapon against the wrong people.¡± Howard¡¯s shoulders sagged. He wanted to argue, but he couldn¡¯t deny Damian¡¯s logic. ¡°So¡­ what now?¡± he asked. ¡°For now, we take the spoils,¡± Damian replied, gesturing to the battlefield. Reunion and Awakening Damian and his team led Howard to his men, who were lying on the ground. As they approached, one of the soldiers, Garcia, sat up, his eyes wide with excitement. ¡°Captain!¡± Garcia called out. ¡°We¡¯re¡­ we¡¯re all awakened somehow!¡± Howard¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡°What?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know what happened,¡± Garcia continued. ¡°After we passed out, we woke up fully healed¡ªand awakened!¡± Howard turned to Astrid, his face a mixture of shock and suspicion. ¡°What did you do to my men?¡± Astrid smiled faintly. ¡°To be honest, they were dying. Since they weren¡¯t awakened, the strain on their bodies was too much. Miles and I used healing potions to stabilize them. We had to trigger their awakening however for them to work a bit better.¡± ¡°Healing potions?¡± Howard asked, his voice barely above a whisper. Astrid nodded, holding up a small vial. ¡°Red ones like these. I¡¯m surprised you haven¡¯t figured out what they do.¡± Howard frowned. ¡°We¡¯ve only identified the yellow ones. They cause paralysis from what we were told.¡± Astrid laughed softly. ¡°That¡¯s because you haven¡¯t been looking at the red ones properly. They heal wounds. Not by much, but enough to make a difference.¡± Howard¡¯s mind reeled. Everything was changing¡ªhis men were now awakened, and he had more questions than answers. As Howard gathered his men to leave, Damian approached him. ¡°Be careful out there,¡± Damian said. ¡°Next time, there might not be someone to save you.¡± Howard nodded, extending a hand. ¡°Thank you. My name is Captain Howard Smith. If you ever need help with the government giving you a hard time find me. You have my word, I¡¯ll assist you.¡± Damian shook his hand but remained cautious. ¡°Appreciate it, Captain.¡± By the time they finished collecting mana stones and looting the battlefield, the sky was beginning to lighten. Exhausted but victorious, the team decided to stay at a nearby hotel in the next city to rest. As Damian lay in bed, his mind raced with everything that had happened. The battle against the Goblin Warrior wasn¡¯t a joke he needed to prepare for worst enemies. Chapter Twenty Four Breakfast Chapter: Breakfast Damian stirred on the couch, the faint morning sunlight streaming through the curtains of their hotel room. The air was filled with the snoring of Miles, sprawled across one bed, and the soft, peaceful breathing of Astrid on the other. Damian stretched, his muscles sore but his mind sharp. He couldn¡¯t blame them for sleeping in. Last night had been grueling¡ªthe kind of battle that could leave a person shaken for days. Damian remembered his first big fight; he had slept for ten hours straight afterward. It was no wonder Astrid and Miles were completely out of it. Rising carefully, Damian made his way to the small table where they had piled their loot from the previous night. His eyes swept over the collection: a sizeable haul of mana stones, coins, potions, and weapons. He sighed in relief. It had been worth it sorting through the items, the mana stones were the most valuable find. Next were the potions: a half-dozen minor health potions and several paralysis potions that Astrid could use with her arrows. Then there was Miles¡¯s new mace, and a system made sword for Damian, lastly several weapons forged from magic steel.Originally poorly crafted, but Damian had a plan tosmelt them down and reforge them into something far better. And finally, the Tower Coins. Damian picked up one of the strange coins, inspecting its intricate design¡ªa sphere encircled by three rings, like Saturn. He rolled it between his fingers, wondering what purpose they served. ¡°We¡¯ll figure it out,¡± he muttered, setting it aside. By the time Miles and Astrid woke up, yawning and stretching, Damian had already sorted everything. ¡°You¡¯re finally up,¡± he teased, glancing over his shoulder. Miles groaned, rubbing his eyes. ¡°Man, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever been this tired. I feel like I fought amarathon.¡± ¡°You mean ran a marathon,¡± Astrid corrected, smirking as she climbed out of bed. Damian chuckled. ¡°I get it. My first big fight knocked me out for half a day. Anyway, come on, let¡¯s get to work.¡± After a quick explanation, Damian handed out the mana stones. Each of them absorbed the stones one by one, the familiar warmth spreading through their bodies as they leveled up. By the time they were done, Miles and Astrid had reached Level 7. Miles jumped up and down, throwing a few punches in the air. ¡°I feel amazing! This is insane!¡± Astrid, however, examined her hands thoughtfully. ¡°It¡¯s weird. I feel stronger, but it¡¯s not overwhelming. It¡¯s¡­ gradual.¡± ¡°That¡¯s how it works,¡± Damian said, tossing a mana stone into his mouth. As he leveled up again, he opened his status window and allocated the new points into Agility. Status Update Damian muttered, ¡°Status,¡± and the translucent screen appeared before him. Damian Park Race: Human Level: 16 Mana Points: 50/50 Strength: 25 Agility: 50 (+5) Dexterity: 12 Mana: 10 Status Points: 0 Skills Minor Heal Lv 2 Observe Lv 1 (Evolved from Identify) Blue Lightning Lv 5 Beginner Blacksmithing Lvl 5You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. Intermediate Sword Mastery Lv 2 Iron Skin Lv 6 Damian marveled at the numbers. His agility was now unmatched, and his Iron Skin and Blue Lightning skills had advanced significantly. He noticed that his Identify skill had evolved into something called Observe. ¡°Observe?¡± he muttered, tapping the new skill. Nothing seemed different at first glance. ¡°Guess I¡¯ll have to test it out later.¡± Satisfied, he closed the window and grinned at his team. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s grab some breakfast.¡± The trio drove to a small diner called Pancake House, the smell of fresh Pancakes and syrup hitting them the moment they stepped inside. They were seated quickly, and soon the table was covered in plates of pancakes, waffles, sausages, and eggs. ¡°God, this is amazing,¡± Miles said, his mouth full of syrup-drenched pancake. Astrid laughed, passing him the butter. ¡°Slow down. You¡¯re going to choke.¡± As they ate, the conversation turned to their next move. ¡°So, what¡¯s the plan, Damian?¡± Miles asked, taking a bite of sausage. Damian chewed thoughtfully, then swallowed. ¡°We¡¯re going to fight another Goblin Warrior.¡± Miles and Astrid froze, their forks hovering in mid-air. ¡°WHAT?!¡± they shouted in unison, nearly spitting outtheir food. Damian smirked. ¡°You heard me. We¡¯re going to find another Goblin Warrior.¡± Astrid stared at him, her eyes wide. ¡°Are you crazy? That thing almost killed us last night!¡± ¡°We barely survived!¡± Miles added, his voice rising. Damian leaned back in his chair, his expression calm. ¡°And that¡¯s exactly why we need to do it. If we want to get stronger, we have to face tougher enemies. Running away won¡¯t help us when the real enemycomes.¡± Astrid sighed, running a hand through her hair. ¡°I getit, but¡­ it¡¯s just a lot to take in.¡± Miles groaned. ¡°You¡¯re going to get us killed, man.¡± ¡°Not if we plan properly this time,¡± Damian said, asmall smile playing on his lips. ¡°Trust me. We¡¯ll beokay The trio continued eating, the clatter of silverware and soft murmurs of other diners filling the room.Plates were nearly empty, but the conversation wasfar from over. Miles wiped his mouth with a napkin and leaned forward. ¡°Damian, I¡¯ve been meaning to ask¡­ how did you awaken?¡± Damian paused mid-bite, his expression thoughtful. He set his fork down, gathering his thoughts. ¡°Well, it¡¯s a bit different than yours,¡± he began. ¡°It all started when I was staying at Uncle Ben¡¯s farm. Something had attacked him¡ªa feral rabbit, completely out of control. At first, I thought it might¡¯ve had rabies, so I was trying to get it to a vet. But things¡­ went sideways.¡± Astrid and Miles listened intently, their plates forgotten. ¡°I ended up killing the creature,¡± Damian continued, his voice lowering slightly. ¡°And then something strange happened. There was this¡­ pull. I can¡¯t explain it, but it felt like I was being drawn to the mana stone. Before I knew it, I ate it. It wasn¡¯t a choice¡ªit was like an instinct.¡± Miles¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You ate it without knowing what it was?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Damian said with a rueful smile. ¡°Back then, I had no idea what was happening. It¡¯s been almost a month since then, and honestly, I¡¯m still figuring all of this out. Everything keeps changing¡ªnew abilities, stronger enemies¡­ it¡¯s like the rules of reality are being rewritten.¡± Astrid leaned forward, her brow furrowed. ¡°It¡¯s insane to think about. The military guys we met¡ªthey didn¡¯t know anything, did they?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± Damian confirmed. ¡°They¡¯re dying justtrying to gather intel. And that¡¯s here, in a small, controlled area. Imagine what¡¯s happening in places like Dallas or New York. The creatures there¡ªthose UC¡ªmust be on a completely different level.¡± The table fell silent as they absorbed his words.They¡¯d seen the news, the shaky footage on Metube, and the horrifying stories. But hearing Damian lay it out so plainly made the reality hit harder. ¡°We¡¯ve got time,¡± Damian said finally, his voicesteady. ¡°But not much. We need to learn everything we can before these things spread everywhere.¡± ¡°Anyway,¡± Damian said, reaching into his pocket,¡°there¡¯s something else I wanted to talk about.¡± He placed one of the Tower Coins on the table, its intricate design catching the light. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s one of those coins,¡± Miles said, tilting his head. ¡°What about it?¡± Damian tapped the coin with his finger. ¡°Back when I first found one, I tried to use Identify on it. It didn¡¯t tell me much¡ªjust the name. But now that my ability has evolved, it says this is currency for something called The Tower of Eden.¡± ¡°The Tower of Eden?¡± Astrid repeated, her curiosity piqued. ¡°Yeah,¡± Damian said. ¡°It got me thinking¡ªwhat if these creatures are from that place?¡± Astrid and Miles exchanged a glance before bothmuttered, ¡°Aliens?¡± The three of them stared at each other for a beat before saying it again, louder this time: ¡°Aliens!¡± Damian burst out laughing. ¡°Nah, probably not aliens,¡± he said between chuckles. ¡°But this tower has to be connected somehow. It¡¯s the only lead we¡¯ve got.¡± He leaned back, popping a piece of pancake into his mouth. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen any tower myself, but maybe it¡¯s out there somewhere. Maybe that¡¯s how these creatures are getting here.¡± Astrid nodded thoughtfully. ¡°It¡¯s not impossible. If those coins are real, then the tower must be, too.¡± Damian set his fork down and looked at his teammates. ¡°So,¡± he said, ¡°have you invested your points like we talked about?¡± Miles nodded eagerly. ¡°Yep! I put most of mine into strength, since I¡¯m using a mace. I also bumped up my agility a little for better movement, and I threw a few points into mana so my Stealth skill lasts longer.¡± ¡°Smart,¡± Damian said, nodding. ¡°Especially now that we know you can move more than one person with that skill. Good thinking.¡± Astrid chimed in next. ¡°I focused on agility and dexterity¡ªthey¡¯re pretty high now. I also added one point to mana, just in case I unlock a skill later. My Basic Archery Mastery skill is at Level 9 now!¡± She beamed, clearly proud. Damian couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°That¡¯s impressive. It¡¯s probably because you already knew how to use a bow. Your skill must¡¯ve leveled faster because of that.¡± Astrid¡¯s grin widened. ¡°Guess I have Uncle Ben to thank for all those summers of practice.¡± ¡°Absolutely,¡± Damian said. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s wrap this up. We¡¯ve got a lot to do tonight¡± Chapter Twenty Five Rematch Chapter: Rematch The truck rumbled down the dirt road, the refinery looming ahead in the horizon. Astrid sat in the passenger seat, clutching her bow, while Miles leaned forward from the back, his Mace resting across his knees. ¡°Are you really sure about this?¡± Miles asked, his voice tight with worry. ¡°We¡¯re going to fight another Warrior Goblin? That thing nearly killed us last time.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Damian replied firmly, his eyes focused on the road. ¡°We¡¯ve gotten stronger, and we need moremana stones. If we want to keep leveling up, we can¡¯t afford to back down.¡± Miles sighed, leaning back. ¡°This feels insane.¡± ¡°It might be,¡± Damian admitted. ¡°But the government probably knows how to level up by now, anyway.¡± Astrid turned to him, her brow furrowed. ¡°What do you mean? How could they know?¡± ¡°Captain Howard saw me eat a mana stone during the fight,¡± Damian explained. ¡°I didn¡¯t have a choice¡ªI was too injured and needed mana to use Heal. If he¡¯s smart, he¡¯ll put two and two together.¡± Astrid and Miles exchanged wide-eyed looks. ¡°Then why were we being so secretive about it?¡± Miles asked. Damian shrugged. ¡°Because every moment theydon¡¯t know is a moment we can get stronger. But if they figure it out, this place is going to get a lot more crowded.¡± Astrid nodded slowly. ¡°So we¡¯re on borrowed time.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Damian said. ¡°We need to make the most of it before we lose our advantage.¡± It didn¡¯t take long to find their target. A small group of goblins, led by a Warrior Goblin wielding a massive mace, patrolled the outskirts of the refinery. ¡°There,¡± Damian whispered, crouching behind a rusted pipe. ¡°Miles, Astrid, stick to the plan. Take out the smaller ones first, then focus on the big guy. Don¡¯t hold back.¡± Astrid knocked an arrow, her eyes narrowing. ¡°Got it.¡± Miles gripped his Mace tightly. ¡°Let¡¯s do this.¡± Astrid released her first arrow, striking a goblin in the throat. The creature gurgled before collapsing,alerting the others. Damian surged forward, hissword flashing as he cut down another goblin in asingle strike. Miles followed close behind, his Mace smashing into the skull of a third goblin with a sickening crack. The remaining goblins swarmed, their crude weapons slashing through the air. Damian activated Iron Skin, deflecting a blade aimed at his chest before countering with a quick thrust. Astrid fired arrow after arrow, each one finding its mark, while Miles used his agility to weave between attacks, delivering devastating blows with his Mace.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. It was chaotic but controlled¡ªthe team workedtogether seamlessly, their coordination overwhelming the goblins. Within minutes, thesmaller creatures lay dead. The ground shook as the Warrior Goblin charged, its mace swinging with terrifying force. Damian narrowly dodged the first strike, the weapon smashing into theground and sending shards of concrete flying. ¡°Astrid, aim for the knees!¡± Damian shouted. Astrid fired two arrows in quick succession, both striking the goblin¡¯s legs. It roared in pain, staggering, but it wasn¡¯t enough to bring it down. ¡°Blue Lightning!¡± Damian yelled, a crackling bolt of electricity surging from his hand to strike the goblin in the chest. The creature stumbled back, its skin smoking, but it still stood. Miles took the opportunity to dart in, swinging his Mace at the goblin¡¯s head. The blow landed with a dull thud, dazing the creature long enough for Damian to close the gap. With a roar, Damian drove his sword into the goblin¡¯s chest, the blade piercing its heart. The creature let out a final, guttural cry before collapsing. The team barely had finished collecting the mana stones and weapons from the goblin corpses, when a faint whistling sound filled the air. ¡°Get down!¡± Damian shouted, instinctively tacklingAstrid to the ground. A massive arrow slammed into the ground where they had stood, the impact creating a small crater. ¡°What the hell was that?¡± Miles yelled, scrambling for cover. Damian¡¯s eyes scanned the distance, his heart pounding. In the shadows of the refinery, a Goblin Archer stepped forward, its bow drawn. The creature was far larger than the goblins they had faced before, and its arrows were closer to spears, each one capable of obliterating anything in its path. ¡°That¡¯s not just a Goblin Archer,¡± Damian muttered. ¡°That¡¯s a damn sniper.¡± The archer released another arrow, the projectiletearing through a nearby structure like it was paper. Damian cursed under his breath. ¡°We need to split up,¡± he said. ¡°Astrid, Miles, get out of here. Find cover and don¡¯t stop moving.¡± ¡°What about you?¡± Astrid asked, her voice trembling. ¡°I¡¯ll handle it,¡± Damian said. ¡°Go!¡± Damian sprinted toward the archer, his agility barely allowing him to dodge the incoming arrows. Each one struck with the force of a cannon, sending debris flying. The goblin was fast, but Damian was faster. He closed the distance, his sword ready, but before he could strike, an arrow pierced his shoulder. Pain exploded through his body, and he stumbled, nearly dropping his weapon. The archer drew another arrow, aiming for the kill. Gritting his teeth, Damian activated Iron Skin,deflecting the shot just enough to avoid a fatal blow. He lunged forward, slashing at the goblin¡¯s bow and breaking it in half. The goblin screeched in rage, drawing a dagger and slashing at Damian. They traded blows, the fight brutal and unrelenting. Damian¡¯s vision blurred as blood poured from his wounds, but he refused to back down. With a final burst of strength, he drove his sword into the goblin¡¯s chest, ending the fight. Damian collapsed to his knees, clutching the arrow still embedded in his shoulder. His vision darkened, and he could barely make out Astrid and Miles running toward him. ¡°He¡¯s bleeding out!¡± Astrid screamed, panic filled in her voice. ¡°We need to get him to a hospital!¡± Miles shouted, grabbing Damian¡¯s arm. Together, they lifted Damian, his blood staining their clothes. The drive to the nearest hospital was a blur of sirens and desperate prayers as Astrid and Miles fought to keep him conscious. ¡°Stay with us, Damian,¡± Astrid pleaded, her voice breaking. Damian¡¯s lips moved, but no sound came out. His eyes fluttered shut as they pulled into the emergency bay, and Astrid¡¯s screams echoed through the night. Chapter Twenty Six Aftermath
Chapter: Aftermath The hospital room hummed with the soft beeping of machines. Morning light seeped through the blinds, casting long shadows over Damian¡¯s unconscious form. For two days, he had been unresponsive, his body fighting to recover from the brutal battle with the Goblin Archer. A sharp pain in his shoulder jolted him awake. His vision blurred, and his head felt heavy as if it weighed a hundred pounds. Groaning, he tried to move, only for a firm hand to press him back against the bed. ¡°Damian, stop. You¡¯ll open your wounds again.¡± The voice was unfamiliar at first, and Damian blinked hard to clear his vision. Slowly, the figure standing over him came into focus¡ªCaptain Howard. ¡°Calm down,¡± Howard said, his tone steady. ¡°You¡¯re in the hospital. You¡¯re safe.¡± ¡°Hospital?¡± Damian muttered, his voice hoarse. ¡°What happened?¡± Howard¡¯s face darkened. ¡°You were shot. That Goblin Archer¡¯s arrows weren¡¯t normal¡ªthey were laced with some kind of paralyzing and bleeding effect. We couldn¡¯t stop the bleeding, no matter how many potions we used.¡± Damian¡¯s eyes widened in alarm. ¡°Miles and Astrid¡ªare they okay?¡± Howard nodded, reassuring him. ¡°They¡¯re fine. Actually, they¡¯re right there.¡± He gestured to the couch, where Astrid and Miles were curled up, sound asleep. Damian¡¯s body ached as he turned his head, a sharp pain shooting through his shoulder. But the sight of his sister and friend, safe and sound, filled him with relief. He let out a long, shaky breath and sank back into the bed. ¡°You¡¯ve been out for two days,¡± Howard continued. ¡°The arrow¡­ it wasn¡¯t just sharp. It had some kind of curse on it. The hospital staff had to cut it out, and even then, it was touch and go. If we hadn¡¯t been in the area¡­¡± Damian winced, his stomach sinking. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you use more potions?¡± ¡°They didn¡¯t work,¡± Howard said grimly. ¡°The arrow¡¯s effect prevented healing. We used every potion we had just to slow the bleeding enough to get you here.¡± Damian¡¯s jaw tightened. For the first time, he realized that even the tools he thought were infallible had limits. Howard leaned closer, his voice low. ¡°Listen, Damian. The government is sending more teams to this area. They¡¯re trying to awaken more people to fight these creatures. Whatever you have to do, do it quickly. Your window is closing.¡±You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. Damian clenched his fists. He had gambled on staying ahead, but now, it felt like his lead was slipping away. Taking a deep breath, he whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll handle it.¡± ¡°Damian, you¡¯re still recovering¡ª¡± ¡°Heal,¡± Damian muttered. A soft green glow enveloped his body, and the ache in his muscles vanished. His shoulder stopped throbbing, and the bruises faded as if they had never been there. Howard¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°What¡­ what was that?¡± Damian smirked, rolling his shoulder. ¡°One of my skills. Comes in handy, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Howard watched in stunned silence as Damian swung his legs over the side of the bed, stretching like he hadn¡¯t just been at death¡¯s door. A Tearful Reunion As Damian rummaged through his backpack, Astrid stirred, blinking groggily. When she saw her brother standing, her half-asleep state vanished. ¡°Damian!¡± she screamed, throwing a pillow at him. Startled, Miles jolted awake. ¡°Whoa, man! Chill, we¡¯re in public!¡± Both of them rushed to Damian, their relief pouring out as they hugged him tightly. ¡°We thought we lost you,¡± Astrid sobbed, tears streaming down her face. Miles sniffled. ¡°Don¡¯t scare us like that, man.¡± Damian smiled softly, patting their backs. ¡°I¡¯m okay. Thanks to you guys.¡± Howard watched the scene from the doorway, a small smile tugging at his lips. He had never seen such a close bond even among his own team. Quietly, he excused himself, leaving the trio to their moment. Later that morning, as Damian ate a small meal, Astrid brought up something that piqued his interest. ¡°We found something during the fight,¡± she said, placing a glowing book on the table. Damian¡¯s eyes widened as he stared at the item. ¡°A skill book?¡± Miles grinned. ¡°I figured you¡¯d know what it was. I didn¡¯t want to mess with it until you woke up.¡± Damian used Observe on the book. Skill Book: Bloodshot Rank: Rare Description: Grants the user the skill Bloodshot. This skill allows arrows to inflict a bleeding effect and partial paralysis on the target for as long as the arrow remains lodged in the body. Mana Cost: 5 per use. Effect Duration: 30 seconds. Cooldown: None. ¡°This is the skill that the bastard was using,¡± Damian muttered. ¡°No wonder I couldn¡¯t heal properly.¡± He handed the book to Astrid. ¡°Here. You should learn it.¡± Astrid hesitated. ¡°But you killed it. Shouldn¡¯t it be yours?¡± Damian shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t use a bow. It¡¯s better for you.¡± Nodding, Astrid opened the book. A bright light enveloped her, and she gasped as knowledge of the skill flooded her mind. Miles handed over the mana stones they had collected, including the Rank 1 stones from the Goblin Warrior and Goblin Archer. Damian absorbed them one by one, feeling the familiar warmth of leveling up. ¡°Status,¡± he said. Damian Park Race: Human Level: 19 Mana Points: 75/75 Strength: 30 Agility: 65 Dexterity: 12 Mana: 15 Status Points: 0 Skills: Minor Heal Lv 6 Observe Lv 10 Lightning Spear Lv 1 (Evolved from Blue Lightning) Iron Skin Lv 9 Intermediate Sword Mastery Lv 2 His eyes went wide as he inspected his evolved skill. Lightning Spear Rank: Unique Mana Cost: 10 Description: Summon a spear of pure lightning, capable of piercing enemies at incredible speed. Deals high damage and stuns the target for 2 seconds. Cooldown: 5 seconds. Effect Duration: Instantaneous. Damian couldn¡¯t contain his excitement. ¡°Lightning Spear¡­ This is insane!¡± Astrid and Miles grinned, and smiled as Damian¡¯s spirit returned. Chapter Twenty Seven Founding A Guild Chapter: Founding A Guild The morning air was crisp as Damian, Miles, and Astrid stood outside the hospital, leaning against the truck they had borrowed for the journey. The past few days had been chaotic, but their resolve was stronger than ever. ¡°Damian, what¡¯s the plan?¡± Miles asked, worried. Miles adjusted his backpack, looking uneasy. ¡°Are we really going back to the refinery? I mean, we just barely made it out last time.¡± Damian nodded. ¡°Yes. We¡¯ve leveled up, but this area isn¡¯t going to be ours for much longer. The government will be sending more people to awaken soon. Captain Howard told me we probably have less than a week before they bring in teams to lock the area down.¡± Astrid¡¯s brow furrowed as she tried to understand what Damian meant. ¡°What happens then?¡± ¡°The world is about to change,¡± Damian said firmly. ¡°If the government doesn¡¯t make this public, we¡¯ll have to force their hand. People need to know what¡¯s coming so they can protect themselves. But before that happens, we need to solidify our position.¡± Miles and Astrid exchanged a glance. The weight of the situation was beginning to sink in. ¡°We wasted two days while I was out,¡± Damian continued. ¡°And I know you couldn¡¯t hunt alone without me. But we¡¯re out of time to take it slow.¡± Damian turned to his teammates. ¡°What are your level stats by now anyway?¡± Miles scratched the back of his head. ¡°I put almost everything into strength and agility, with about five points in mana so I can use Stealth more often. My Blunt Weapon Mastery is at level 7.¡± Astrid chimed in. ¡°I¡¯ve been focusing on agility and dexterity to improve my bow skills. I also invested five points in mana for Bloodshot. My Bow Mastery just hit Intermediate Level 1.¡± Damian nodded in approval. ¡°You¡¯re both progressing well. Your builds make sense for how you fight, but we¡¯re going to need more equipment soon. Stronger gear is going to make the difference in our next fight.¡± Forming a Guild Miles hesitated before asking, ¡°So, what¡¯s next after we clear the refinery boss?¡± Damian crossed his arms, thinking for a moment. ¡°I¡¯ve been considering this. We¡¯re ahead of the curve right now, and if we play this right, we can keep it that way. I think we should stick together and form a guild¡ªor maybe a clan, like in games. We can pool our resources, gather materials, and start earning money through what we find.¡± Astrid¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You mean, like a team? For the long haul?¡± Damian nodded. ¡°Exactly. Miles, you live on your own in Austin, right? And Astrid, you¡¯re already here with me. We can base ourselves out of Uncle Ben¡¯s farm for now. It¡¯s rural and far enough from prying eyes. We¡¯re far ahead of anyone else¡ªwe have to capitalize on that.¡± Miles grinned. ¡°I like it. Being a Metuber, this kind of content could make me the top channel on the site. Plus, I don¡¯t have much to lose. I¡¯m in.¡± Astrid smiled. ¡°You know I¡¯m with you, Damian.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Damian said. ¡°Now we just need a name.¡± Miles rubbed his chin, pretending to think hard. ¡°How about¡­ Hunters Guild? I mean, that¡¯s basically what we¡¯ve been doing, right? Hunting these things?¡± Astrid and Damian exchanged a look and smirked. ¡°Hunters Guild,¡± Damian repeated. ¡°It¡¯s perfect.¡± In that moment, the Hunters Guild was born¡ªa small, unofficial group with big ambitions. They weren¡¯t just a guild. They were becoming something more. The drive back to West Texas was long and quiet, the weight of their plans settling over the group. Three hours later, they pulled into the familiar small town, making a stop at Rodger¡¯s shop. The store was quiet when they entered, the only sound coming from the back where the rhythmic clang of hammer on metal echoed. ¡°Rodger?¡± Damian called, but there was no answer. Pushing further into the workshop, they found the man hunched over his forge, hammering away at a piece of glowing metal. Sweat dripped from his brow, and his movements were unusually precise. ¡°Rodger!¡± Damian shouted louder, finally breaking his concentration.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Startled, Rodger looked up. ¡°Damian? Thought you were out of town for the week!¡± ¡°I was,¡± Damian replied. ¡°But something came up. First, let me ask¡ªdid you awaken?¡± Rodger wiped his hands on a rag, chuckling. ¡°How¡¯d you figure that out?¡± ¡°I can see your abilities with a skill I have,¡± Damian said. ¡°But I don¡¯t remember telling you how to awaken.¡± Rodger grinned. ¡°I didn¡¯t do it on purpose. Remember all the materials you left me? I was working on treating that leather and forging some things you requested. Got so focused, I didn¡¯t even notice until this warm sensation hit me. Next thing I know, there¡¯s a status window in front of me. Says I¡¯ve got the God of Creation Blessing. Enhances my crafting skills.¡± Damian¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°That¡¯s incredible! So what did you make?¡± Rodger motioned to a nearby mannequin, where a full set of leather armor gleamed in the light. ¡°Made this from that Stag hide you gave me. Even had some left over for arm guards.¡± Damian used Observe on the armor. Lightning Stag Leather Armor Rank: Rare Description: Crafted from the hide of a Lightning Stag, this armor provides exceptional protection against magic. Effects: Magic Resistance: High Damian¡¯s heart raced. ¡°Rodger, this is exactly what we need. Your blessing is perfect for what we¡¯re doing.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Rodger asked, confused. Damian grinned. ¡°Join us. We¡¯ve started a guild¡ªa team of hunters. We need someone like you to make gear and keep us supplied.¡± Rodger laughed, shaking his head. ¡°You¡¯re serious, aren¡¯t you? Alright, Damian. I¡¯m in. But you bring me the materials, and I¡¯ll craft you the best damn gear you¡¯ve ever seen.¡± Damian clasped Rodger¡¯s hand, a wide grin on his face. With Roger on board, the Hunters Guild was finally taking shape. The heat from the forge radiated through Rodger¡¯s workshop as Damian leaned against a wooden workbench, explaining his vision for the future. Astrid and Miles sat nearby, listening intently while Rodger hammered away at a piece of scrap metal. ¡°We need to start thinking ahead,¡± Damian began, his tone serious. ¡°Right now, it feels like we¡¯re just surviving. But that¡¯s not enough. Once the world learns how to kill these creatures and harvest their materials, there¡¯s going to be a market for weapons, armor, and gear designed specifically for hunting them. And when that happens, we¡¯re going to be at the top of it.¡± Rodger raised an eyebrow but kept hammering. ¡°You¡¯re saying we¡¯re going into business?¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Damian said, grinning. ¡°Your craftsmanship, combined with the rare materials we bring back, could make us all wealthy. People will need gear that works¡ªjust like we¡¯ve learned guns don¡¯t. The stuff you make won¡¯t just be tools; it¡¯ll be lifesaving equipment. And lifesaving equipment always sells.¡± Rodger paused his work, wiping his hands on a rag. ¡°You know, Damian, I¡¯ve lived my whole life on a farm. I love working with my hands, but farming doesn¡¯t pay the bills like it used to. Most folks out here scrape by. If this could really work¡­¡± He trailed off, the weight of the idea settling in. ¡°It will work,¡± Damian said firmly. ¡°But we need to prepare now. We don¡¯t have much time before others catch up.¡± Reaching into his bag, Damian pulled out several broken and crude weapons he had collected from the goblins they¡¯d killed. The blades were jagged, the handles splintered, and the metal was brittle. ¡°I¡¯ve been saving these. They¡¯re made from magic metal, but the goblins didn¡¯t forge them properly. We can smelt them down and create something far better.¡± Rodger inspected the pieces, nodding slowly. ¡°Yeah, I can work with this. It¡¯ll take some time, though.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why we¡¯re helping,¡± Damian said. ¡°You¡¯ll need the extra hands, and I¡¯ll help speed things up.¡± Before they began, Damian handed Rodger a handful of mana stones. ¡°These are for you. Use them to increase your strength. You¡¯re going to need it to handle this workload.¡± Rodger hesitated but eventually agreed. After eating the stones, he felt a surge of warmth and power coursing through him. ¡°Status,¡± Rodger muttered under his breath, grinning as he saw his strength stat had increased to 30. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get to work.¡± The following hours followed by the sound of Rodgers'' forge roaring to life as Damian, Rodger, Astrid, and Miles worked tirelessly throughout the day. Sweat poured down their faces as they smelted the goblin weapons, hammering out the impurities and refining the magic metal. ¡°Rodger, how¡¯s that bow coming along?¡± Damian asked as he shaped the blade of a sword. Rodger held up the partially assembled bow, its frame reinforced with the antlers of the Lightning Stag. ¡°This is going to be a beauty.Astrid peeked over his shoulder, her eyes lighting up. ¡°It¡¯s incredible! I can¡¯t wait to use it.¡± Nearby, Miles was busy polishing the metal for the small armor pieces they planned to make. ¡°You know,¡± he said, ¡°I never thought I¡¯d be doing something like this. Feels like we¡¯re building gear for a video game.¡± Damian laughed. ¡°It kind of is, isn¡¯t it? But this is real, Miles. And we¡¯re making things that will save lives.¡± As the sun dipped below the horizon, their efforts bore fruit. Rodger stepped back, wiping his brow as he admired the finished products. Lightning Stag Bow (Astrid) Rank: Rare Attack: +25 Effects: Lightning Channeling: Arrows fired from this bow can carry a small shock, dealing additional magic damage. Agility Bonus: +5 Dexterity Bonus: +5 Stormbreaker Sword (Damian) Rank: Rare Attack: +30 Effects: Lightning Conductivity: Channels magic attacks, enhancing Lightning Spear¡¯s damage by 10%. Strength Bonus: +5 3. Ironhide Shield (Damian) Rank: Uncommon Defense: +30 Effects: Magic Resistance: Reduces magic damage taken by 15%. Durability: Can withstand heavy impacts without cracking. Hunter¡¯s Armor Set (Team) Rank: Uncommon Defense: +15 per piece +5 Agility As the team packed up their new gear, Damian turned to Rodger. ¡°Thank you. None of this would¡¯ve been possible without you.¡± Rodger chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t mention it, kid. Just make sure to bring me more materials. I¡¯m starting to enjoy this new line of work.¡± Damian grinned. ¡°We¡¯ll keep you busy, don¡¯t worry.¡± As they loaded the truck, Astrid walked over to Roger and hugged him. ¡°Thanks for everything, Rodger. You¡¯ve given us a real shot at surviving out there.¡± Miles gave a thumbs-up. ¡°Seriously, you¡¯re a lifesaver. We¡¯ll make sure everyone knows the best gear comes from Rodger.¡± Rodger waved them off as they drove away, the faint glow of the forge lighting up his shop behind him. In the truck, Damian looked at his team, determination etched on his face. ¡°This is it. We¡¯re ready now we hunt, we level up, and we take down anything before we lose our terf¡± Astrid and Miles nodded Chapter Twenty Eight Goblin Camp Chapter: Goblin Camp The moon hung high in the sky, casting a faint moonlight glow over the abandoned refinery. Three shadows displayed against the walls as Damian, Astrid, and Miles moved cautiously toward the center of the site. The air was heavy with the scent of blood. ¡°We¡¯ve already walked a long distance,¡± Astrid whispered, her voice low but wary. ¡°Isn¡¯t it strange we haven¡¯t encountered any goblins?¡± ¡°You think those goblins are planning something?¡± Miles muttered, gripping his mace tightly, his eyes darting back and fort . ¡°No,¡± Damian replied, his tone heavy. ¡°What probably happened is Howard¡¯s group has cleared a large portion of this area. The goblins must have regrouped deeper inside.¡± He sighed, glancing ahead at the path shrouded in darkness. ¡°This is the only way we¡¯ll progress. Hurry, let¡¯s move faster.¡± Damian¡¯s focus was unwavering as they pressed on, his mind preoccupied with what awaited them ahead. Miles led the way, his movements quiet from using. Stealth. Suddenly, Miles froze and raised a hand, signaling for the others to stop. ¡°Shhh,¡± he said, turning back to them. ¡°Give me a second¡ªI¡¯ll be right back.¡± Before either could respond, Miles activated Stealth and vanished into the darkness, the faint rustle of his footsteps the only trace of his movement. Moments later, he reappeared, his face tense. ¡°We¡¯re close, but we¡¯ve got trouble. There¡¯s one goblin Warrior and one Goblin Archer up ahead.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Damian said, gripping the hilt of Stormbreaker. ¡°We can handle it. Astrid, the second you have eyes on the Archer, use Bloodshot to pin it down. Miles, follow me and stay behind the Warrior. Don¡¯t let the Archer hit you. Once Astrid takes the Archer out, focus all your strength on the Warrior.¡± Both nodded, filled with determination to get payback. The trio crept forward until the goblins came intoview. The Archer stood perched on a broken steel beam, its glowing green eyes scanning the area as it clutched a jagged bow. Below, the Warrior prowled, its mace dragging along the ground with a low, menacing scrape. Astrid took a deep breath, steadying her aim. The moment the Archer turned its head, she released her arrow, activating Bloodshot. The arrow flew through the air, glowing faintly red, and struck the Archer¡¯s shoulder. The creature screeched, its movements sluggish as the paralysis and bleeding effects took hold. ¡°Go!¡± Damian shouted, rushing forward with Miles at his heels. The Warrior roared, raising its mace and charging at Damian. He activated Iron Skin, his body shimmering faintly as the blow crashed into his shield. The force reverberated through his arm, but he held on firmly, pushing the goblin back. Miles darted to the side, swinging his mace into the Warrior¡¯s exposed knee. The impact sent a sickening crack through the air, and the goblin stumbled, howling in pain. Astrid fired another arrow, this one piercing the Archer¡¯s leg. It tried to retaliate, but its aim was off as the paralysis slowed its movements. ¡°Keep it pinned!¡± Damian yelled as he dodged another swing of the Warrior¡¯s mace. He countered with a slash from Stormbreaker, the blade cutting deep into the goblin¡¯s side. The Warrior roared in anger, swinging wildly. One blow caught Miles on the arm, sending him sprawling. ¡°Damn it!¡± Miles groaned, clutching his arm. ¡°Astrid, finish the Archer!¡± Damian shouted. With a sharp nod, Astrid drew her bow, her fingers steady. She aimed for the Archer¡¯s head and released. The arrow struck true, embedding itself between the creature¡¯s glowing eyes. It toppled from the beam, lifeless. ¡°Done!¡± she called, turning her attention to Damian and Miles. The Warrior was relentless, its attacks heavy and unyielding. Damian activated Lightning Spear, a glowing bolt of energy forming in his hand. He hurled it at the Warrior¡¯s chest, the impact sending the goblin staggering backward. ¡°Now, Miles!¡± Damian yelled. Miles roared, swinging his mace into the goblin¡¯s side with all his strength. The Warrior fell to one knee, its grip on the mace faltering.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Damian seized the opportunity, dashing forward. With a fierce cry, he swung his sword in a wide arc, as it sliced clean through the goblin¡¯s neck. The Warrior¡¯s head hit the ground with a heavy thud, its body collapsing moments later. Breathing heavily, Damian wiped the blood from his sword and turned to Astrid and Miles. ¡°You two okay?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Astrid said, lowering her bow, her hands trembling slightly. ¡°Arm¡¯s a little sore, but I¡¯m good,¡± Miles replied, giving Damian a thumbs-up. ¡°Good work,¡± Damian said, a hint of pride in his voice. ¡°That was a tough fight, but we handled it., there levels are getting higher¡± As they began looting the goblins, Miles activated Stealth again and disappeared into the shadows to scout ahead. When he returned, his expression had completely changed. ¡°What is it?¡± Damian asked, frowning. Miles hesitated before speaking. ¡°It¡¯s Howard¡¯s team. They¡¯ve been captured.¡± Astrid gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. ¡°Captured?¡± Damian repeated, his jaw tightening. Miles nodded. ¡°There¡¯s a camp up ahead. I saw them¡ªthey¡¯re tied up and surrounded by goblins. If we¡¯re going to save them, we¡¯ll need a plan. And fast.¡± Damian¡¯s grip on his sword tightened. ¡°Then let¡¯s move¡± Damian, Astrid, and Miles maneuvered through the labyrinthine structure, picking off stragglers as they crept closer to the camp. Their blades and arrows had claimed numerous goblin lives, but the sheer number of enemies waiting ahead of the refinery was staggering. ¡°We¡¯ve already killed so many,¡± Astrid muttered, her voice strained. ¡°But it¡¯s like their numbers never end.¡± ¡°They¡¯re swarming,¡± Damian said, gripping his sword tightly. ¡°We need to figure out a way to cut through without getting surrounded.¡± Miles, leading the way, suddenly let out a sharp cry. ¡°Ahh! Something hit me!¡± ¡°Hold still!¡± Damian shouted, rushing to his side. Observe! Poisonous Dart: Inflicts temporary paralysis and severe nausea. Miles groaned, clutching his shoulder as his face twisted in pain. ¡°It feels like my head¡¯s about to split open,¡± he gasped. His legs buckled, forcing Astrid to catch him. ¡°Damian, do something!¡± she pleaded, panic creeping into her voice. Damian quickly cast Heal, green light enveloping Miles¡¯ body. The nausea subsided slightly, but the paralysis clung stubbornly. ¡°It¡¯s not working!¡± Damian growled, his frustration mounting. More goblins emerged from the shadows, firing darts and arrows against them. The trio was forced to retreat, dragging Miles along as Damian deflected incoming projectiles with his shield. The sound of goblins chittering and laughing echoed above, their figures darting across the metal frames like laughing hyenas. ¡°Damn it, this is getting out of hand!¡± Damian cursed, his breath ragged. The goblins closed in, their foul faces and distest smell giving them away. Astrid fired arrow after arrow, her Bloodshot skill turning the closest goblins into pincushions. Damian swung his sword in wide arcs, cleaving through clusters of enemies, while Miles propped against a wall. ¡°They just keep coming!¡± Astrid shouted, sweat dripping down her face. Damian gritted his teeth, stepping forward to shield her from a volley of darts. ¡°Astrid, focus on the ranged ones! I¡¯ll handle the rest!¡± Astrid nodded, her eyes narrowing as she took aim. One by one, her arrows silenced the goblin archers perched on the beams above, their bodies tumbling to the ground with sickening thuds. Damian surged forward, activating Iron Skin as he barreled into the horde. The goblins¡¯ crude weapons bounced harmlessly off his hardened flesh, sparks flying as Stormbreaker tore through them. Blood splattered across the floor, the scent of iron filling the air. Suddenly, a goblin wielding a serrated dagger lunged at Damian from the side. He twisted, bringing his shield up just in time to block the strike, then countered with a crushing blow that split the goblin¡¯s skull. ¡°Get back!¡± he roared as another wave of goblins charged. Miles, the paralysis in his legs slowly wearing off, activated Stealth and disappeared. He reappeared moments later behind a cluster of goblins, his mace crushing skulls and shattering limbs with brutal efficiency. ¡°You think you can take me down?!¡± he shouted, a manic grin on his face. Astrid, meanwhile, climbed onto a stack of barrels, using her elevated position to rain arrows down on the goblins. Her Bloodshot arrows turned the tide, pinning several goblins in place as the bleeding effects sapped their strength. ¡°We¡¯re thinning them out!¡± Astrid yelled, her voice filled with determination. Damian¡¯s focus sharpened as he noticed a larger goblin barking orders from the back, a hulking figure wielding a wickedly curved blade. ¡°That¡¯s the one holding this group together,¡± he muttered. ¡°Astrid, focus fire on him! Miles, stay close to me!¡± The goblin leader snarled, rallying its troops for a final push. Damian charged, his body a blur as he activated Lightning Spear. A crackling bolt of energy formed in his hand and shot forward, piercing through several goblins before striking the leader in the chest. The creature staggered, but it didn¡¯t fall. ¡°Finish it!¡± Damian yelled. Astrid¡¯s arrow flew true, embedding itself in the leader¡¯s eye. It let out a guttural scream, flailing wildly before collapsing to the ground. The remaining goblins, scattered terrified of Damian¡¯s group. Blood pooled around their feet, the corpses of goblins littering everywhere they looked . ¡°We did it,¡± Astrid said, her voice trembling with relief. Miles sank to his knees, his mace clattering to the floor. ¡°I thought we were done for,¡± he admitted. Damian wiped blood from his face, exhaustion weighing heavily on him. A familiar notification appeared in his vision. Congratulations! You have acquired the skill: Poison Resistance Lv 1 Reduces the effects of poison. He let out a weak laugh. ¡°Well, at least I got something out of this nightmare.¡± The group stumbled into a small office building near the edge after collecting all the mana stones and resources they could find. The walls were cracked, and the windows shattered, but it provided a temporary shelter. They avoided the remaining windows, keeping low in case of another attack. Damian slumped against the wall, exhausted while he closed his eyes to rest a few brief moments. Chapter Twenty Nine Class Advancement Chapter: Class Advancement Damian jolted awake, his breath ragged and his heart pounding. Sweat drenched his face, mingling with the blood and grime on his skin. ¡°Astrid¡­ Miles!¡± he called out in a panic, his voice echoing softly in the small, decrepit office. It took him a moment to realize where he was. Slumped against the wall, he surveyed the room. In the corner, Astrid and Miles were fast asleep, their bodies sprawled awkwardly on the dusty floor, exhaustion having overtaken them. Relief washed over him like a wave, and he slumped back against the wall. ¡°Just a dream,¡± he muttered. ¡°I fell asleep.¡± The room reeked of death¡ªgoblin blood, sweat, and the metallic tang of violence. But in an ironic twist of fate, the overwhelming stench masked their presence, making them invisible to any wandering goblins. Damian¡¯s muscles ached, his wounds still tender despite the healing potions and his Heal ability. Time was slipping through their fingers, and the weight of what lay ahead gnawed at him. Howard¡¯s team was still out there, captured, possibly tortured. Sunrise was only a few hours away, and the urgency pressed heavily on his shoulders. Sitting in the quiet darkness, Damian pulled out the mana stones they had collected from the fallen goblins earlier. The stones shimmered faintly in themoonlight filtering through the cracked windows. ¡°I don¡¯t have a choice,¡± he whispered to himself. ¡°I need to get stronger.¡± One by one, he swallowed the mana stones, feeling the familiar surge of energy coursing through his body. His breath quickened as the warmth spread, and his muscles tingled with newfound strength. Ding! A notification flashed in his vision. Congratulations! You have reached Level 30. Please choose a class. Damian¡¯s eyes widened as three class optionsappeared before him: ? Berserk (Rare): Enhance your strength and durability at the cost of control. Enter a state of rage to decimate enemies but risk turning on allies. ? Magic Swordsman (Unique): A balanced classcombining swordsmanship and magic. Enhanceagility, strength, and mana, allowing for versatilecombat styles. ? Paladin (Epic): A holy warrior with unparalleled defense and healing abilities. Protect allies withdivine power while smiting foes. Damian stared at the glowing text, his mind racing. The possibilities were tantalizing, but each class came with its own strengths and limitations. The Berserk class promised unmatched strength but at the cost of losing control¡ªa risk he couldn¡¯t afford with Astrid and Miles depending on him. The Paladin class appealed to his protective instincts, but its emphasis on defense didn¡¯t align with his fast-paced, offensive style. His gaze lingered on Magic Swordsman.The balance between his ability to seamlessly switch between melee and magic appealed to him the most. ¡°This is it,¡± Damian whispered. ¡°This is the path I need.¡± He selected Magic Swordsman, and a rush of energy enveloped him. His muscles tightened, his sensessharpened, and a surge of mana flooded his veins. The Transformation A new notification appeared, detailing his classbonuses: Magic Swordsman Selected +15 Mana +10 Strength Enhanced proficiency with both swords andelemental magic Damian couldn¡¯t help but grin. The boost was equivalent to five entire levels, a leap that could make the difference in the coming battle. ¡°Status,¡± he muttered, bringing up his window. Damian ParkThis narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. Race: Human Class: Magic Swordsman Level: 30 Mana Points: 150/150 Strength: 75 Agility: 75+5 Dexterity: 20 Mana: 30 Skills: Heal Lv 9 Iron Skin Lv 15 Lightning Spear Lv 6 Intermediate Sword Mastery Lv 7 Observe Lv 5 Blacksmithing Lv 7 Damian studied his stats, marveling at how far he had come. His agility and strength were formidable now, making him faster and deadlier than ever. However he was concerned why Iron Skin had not evolved yet. ¡°This is what we need,¡± he muttered, clenching his fists. Damian glanced at Astrid and Miles. Miles let out a soft snore, his bat resting against the wall beside him. Astrid¡¯s bow lay across her lap, her face peaceful despite the chaos they¡¯d endured. ¡°They¡¯re strong,¡± Damian thought. ¡°But are we strong enough for what¡¯s coming?¡± The memory of the goblin horde and the poisonous darts flashed in his mind. They had barely escaped with their lives, and now they were heading straight into the heart of danger. Damian stood quietly, walking over to the window. Outside, the refinery was cloaked in darkness, the distant sounds of goblin chatter were faint in the distance. The cold, stale air of the warehouse clung to their skin as Damian, Astrid, and Miles crept deeper into the goblin camp. The quiet hum of distant goblin chatter echoed faintly through the corridors, but no enemy had crossed their path since they defeated the snipers perched on the rooftops. Each step brought them closer to the heart of the camp, where Captain Howard¡¯s team was being held. Damian moved in front, sword drawn, his senses sharp. Astrid trailed behind him, her Lightning Stag Bow gripped tightly, while Miles flanked their right, his Magic Steel Mace resting on his shoulder. ¡°We¡¯re getting close,¡± Damian whispered, his voice steady but firm. ¡°Something doesn¡¯t feel right,¡± Astrid muttered, glancing over her shoulder. Miles smirked. ¡°They¡¯re scared of us, obviously. Weak little goblins can¡¯t handle¡ª¡± The words died in his throat as an overwhelming wave of bloodlust crashed over them. All three froze in place, their instincts screaming danger. A heavy thud reverberated through the air, followed by the faint clinking of chains. Out of the shadows emerged a massive figure. A hulking, grotesque troll, its grayish-green skin marred with scars, lumbered forward. Shackles bound its wrists and ankles, glowing faintly with a sinister magic. Behind it, a smaller goblin cackled gleefully, holding a jagged staff wrapped in crude charms and controlling the troll like a puppet. Damian immediately cast Observe on the beast. Weakened Slave Troll Level: 25 Description: A troll enslaved by goblin magic. Despite its weakened state, it possesses immense physical strength and rapid regeneration, making it a formidable opponent. Though its intellect is limited, its brute force and endurance compensate. ¡°This is bad,¡± Damian muttered, gripping his sword tighter. ¡°Really bad,¡± Miles added, taking an uneasy step back. ¡°Focus!¡± Damian screamed. ¡°Miles, take its legs. Astrid, aim for that goblin. I¡¯ll keep it distracted.¡± The troll let out a deafening roar and charged forward, the ground shaking with each step. Damian darted to the side just as the troll¡¯s massive fist slammed into the ground, shattering the concrete where he had been standing. ¡°Move quicky !¡± he shouted, his eyes locking onto the goblin controlling it. Astrid fired an arrow at the smaller goblin, but the troll swung a massive chain, deflecting the shot. ¡°This thing is smart enough to protect its master!¡± Astrid yelled. Miles took his chance, activating Stealth and vanishing from sight. The troll¡¯s head snapped side to side, confused, as Miles reappeared behind it and swung his mace with all his strength into thecreature¡¯s knee. The blow connected with a sickening crunch, and the troll roared in pain, stumbling forward. ¡°Nice hit!¡± Damian shouted, rushing in and slashing at the troll¡¯s exposed flank. His sword cut deep into its flesh, but to his horror, the wound began to close almost instantly. ¡°Damn it, its regeneration is insane!¡± ¡°Watch out!¡± Astrid screamed as the troll lashed out with its chains, forcing Damian to dive out of the way. The chains narrowly missed him but obliterated a support beam, sending debris crashing to the ground. Damian rolled to his feet, his breath ragged. ¡°Astrid, keep that goblin off balance! Miles, hit it again¡ªthis time, aim for its other leg!¡± Astrid nodded, drawing another arrow and muttering under her breath, activating Bloodshot. The arrow glowed faintly red as she released it, and it struck the smaller goblin in the shoulder. The goblin shrieked and stumbled, momentarily losing control of the troll. ¡°Now!¡± Damian shouted. Miles roared as he brought his mace down on the troll¡¯s other knee, collapsing it to the ground. Damian seized the opportunity, leaping onto the creature¡¯s back. The troll thrashed wildly, trying to shake him off, but Damian planted his feet and raised his sword high. ¡°Lightning Spear!¡± he screamed. A surge of electricity coursed through his arm as a glowing spear of pure lightning materialized in his hand. With a guttural roar, Damian plunged the spear into the troll¡¯s back, sending arcs of electricity crackling across its body. The troll convulsed violently, its regeneration halting as the lightning disrupted its magic. ¡°Finish it!¡± Damian shouted. Miles ran forward, swinging his mace repeatedly into the troll¡¯s skull, while Damian drove his sword into its chest. Blood splattered across the ground as the troll let out one final, ear-splitting roar before collapsing. The smaller goblin trying to crawl away, clutching its wounded shoulder, but Astrid¡¯s arrow found its mark, piercing its throat. The goblin gurgled and fell, lifeless. The team stood in the wreckage, their breaths ragged. The troll¡¯s massive corpse lay in a pool of its own blood, steam rising from the charred wounds. Damian wiped the sweat from his face and leaned on his sword. ¡°That¡­ was way harder than it should have been,¡± Miles muttered, collapsing onto a piece of debris. Damian glanced at Astrid. ¡°You okay?¡± She nodded, though her hands trembled slightly as she lowered her bow. ¡°That¡­ thing was terrifying.¡± Damian knelt by the troll¡¯s body, cutting into its chest. He retrieved a Rank 2 Mana Stone, and the team gathered a few smaller stones from the goblins they had killed earlier Chapter Thirty A Race Against Time Chapter: A Race Against Time Damian leaned back against the wall, catching his breath after the intense fight with the troll. His body ached, and his mind was foggy from exhaustion, but the adrenaline still coursed through his veins. He glanced over at Astrid and Miles, who were busy collecting the last of the loot from the fallen goblins. ¡°Damian! Look!¡± Miles shouted, his voice filled with excitement. Damian turned sharply, his eyes narrowing as he spotted two glowing books floating just above the bodies of the Troll and the Goblin controlling it. The faint shimmer around the books pulsed like a heartbeat, drawing his attention instantly. ¡°What¡­?¡± Damian muttered, stepping closer. Miles grinned, his excitement infectious. ¡°It¡¯s loot, man! Like, real loot! Those things actually dropped skill books!¡± Damian¡¯s eyes widened as he sprinted to the glowing books. He immediately activated Observe on the first one hovering above the troll¡¯s corpse. Troll Regeneration Type: Skill Book Effect: Heals wounds using a small amount of mana. Allows the user to recover from minor injuries rapidly and reduce the impact of major injuries. Mana Cost: 10 per activation. Damian¡¯s heart skipped a beat. His lips curled into a wide grin as he stared at the book. This skill was perfect for him. As the team¡¯s frontliner, he often took the brunt of the damage, and this would keep him standing longer in macetle. ¡°Holy¡­ this is insane,¡± Damian muttered under his breath, picking up the book. ¡°What does it do?¡± Astrid asked, walking over, her bow still in hand as she glanced curiously at the shimmering book. Damian smirked. ¡°Troll Regeneration. It heals wounds using mana. This is a game-changer for me. I can stay in the fight even longer now.¡± Astrid¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°That¡¯s incredible! You¡¯re practically unkillable now.¡± ¡°Not quite,¡± Damian replied with a chuckle, ¡°but it¡¯ll definitely help.¡± Without hesitation, he opened the book. The glowing text vanished into his hands, and a surge of warmth spread through his body as the knowledge of the skill imprinted itself in his mind. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s see what the other one is,¡± Damian said, turning to the floating book above the Goblin Controller. He activated Observe once again. Power Strike Type: Skill Book Effect: Channels mana into a melee attack, delivering a devastating blow with knockback and a brief stun effect. Mana Cost: 15 per strike. Damian¡¯s grin grew even wider. He picked up the book and held it out toward Miles. ¡°Here,¡± Damian said, handing it over. ¡°This is yours.¡± Miles blinked in surprise, pointing to himself. ¡°Wait, me? Are you serious?¡± ¡°Dead serious,¡± Damian replied. ¡°This is perfect for you. With your stealth ability, you can get in close and hit them with this. Boom! Send them flying. It¡¯s going to be a game-changer for you.¡± Miles hesitated for a moment, staring at the glowing book in his hands. Then, with a massive grin, he opened it. The glowing text flowed into him, and he stumbled back slightly as the knowledge filled hismind. ¡°Whoa!¡± Miles exclaimed, laughing as he steadied himself. ¡°This is awesome! I can¡¯t wait to use it. Oh man, I feel like a superhero now!¡±This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Damian laughed. ¡°Superhero, huh? Well, just don¡¯t forget that we¡¯re still just trying to survive here.¡± Astrid, watching the two of them, couldn¡¯t help but smile. The sight of her brother and Miles joking around was a welcome relief after the chaos of the last few hours. ¡°You two are ridiculous,¡± she said, shaking her head with a small laugh. ¡°Ridiculously strong,¡± Miles shot back, winking at her. Damian clapped him on the shoulder. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s keep moving. We¡¯ve still got work to do, and who knows how much more time Howard¡¯s team has left.¡± The faint glow of dawn painted the horizon, but the sun wasn¡¯t up yet. Damian, Astrid, and Miles knew they had precious little time left before the goblins stirred fully awake. The stench of blood and smoke from their earlier macetles clung to the air, a grim reminder of what awaited if they failed. ¡°They¡¯re going to kill them,¡± Damian muttered under his breath as they crept closer to the warehouse. His jaw clenched, and his grip tightened on his sword. ¡°If we don¡¯t act now, Howard and his men are dead.¡± Astrid nodded, her bow at the ready, eyes scanningthe dimly lit surroundings. Miles followed behind, his Mace hanging from his shoulder, the tension in his body evident as he glanced nervously around. The warehouse loomed ahead, its towering walls scarred by weather and time. Inside, faint goblin chatter echoed¡ªa mixture of cries, growls and sinister laughs. From the gaps in the walls, they could see faint movements: hulking figures sitting close to the leader¡¯s platform, seemingly the strongest among the goblins. ¡°They¡¯ve got guards,¡± Astrid whispered. ¡°Looks like some kind of inner circle. Definitely the strongest ones left.¡± ¡°Perfect,¡± Damian replied with a cold determination. ¡°Astrid, start picking them off. Take the high ground.Miles, circle around. Use the cocktail we brought tocause chaos. I¡¯ll deal with anyone that tries to break through.¡± ¡°You got it,¡± Astrid whispered, moving to a nearby stack of metal beams that gave her a clear view of the camp. She climbed up swiftly, her movements silent. Miles glanced at Damian. ¡°You better have my back, man,¡± he said with a nervous grin before disappearing into the shadows. Astrid took a deep breath, calming her nerves as she nocked an arrow. The first goblin warrior came into view, its hulking form silhouetted by the flickering campfire. She pulled the string back, the arrow glowing faintly as she activated Blood Shot releasing the arrow whistled through the air and struck the goblin directly in the throat. It staggered, clutching its neck as blood sprayed out. The other goblins froze, their guttural laughter turning to confusion. ¡°Bullseye,¡± Astrid muttered, already lining up her next shot. The second arrow flew, catching another goblin in the chest. This one dropped immediately, convulsing as the paralysis effect took hold. Panic erupted in the camp. While the goblins scrambled, Miles moved intoposition, his heart pounding. He gripped the glass bottle in his hand, the cloth wick already burning faintly. From his hiding spot, he lobbed it toward the center of the camp. The Molotov cocktail shattered on impact, flameserupting in a violent burst. Goblins screeched as thefire spread rapidly, licking at tents and supplies. ¡°Yes!¡± Miles whispered to himself, a triumphant grin spreading across his face. But the grin quickly faded as he heard the enraged roars of goblins who spotted him. ¡°Oh crap,¡± he muttered, gripping his mace and readying himself for the inevitable. The chaos spread like wildfire, and Damian moved in. His sword gleamed as he cut down a goblin charging toward him. He spun, activating Lightning Spear and sending a bolt of crackling energy toward another, piercing its chest and leaving it smoking on theground. A goblin lunged at him from the side, swinging a crude axe. Damian blocked with his sword andretaliated with a swift slash, cutting it down in one clean motion. ¡°Stay focused!¡± Damian shouted as he saw Miles swinging his mace wildly at a pair of goblins. One of them crumpled under a powerful Power Strike, the force sending it flying into a nearby wall. Astrid, perched above, continued raining arrows down, her precision thinning the goblin ranks further. The flames roared higher, consuming the center of the camp. Most of the goblins were either dead or fleeing into the surrounding darkness. ¡°That was too easy,¡± Astrid said, her voice uneasy as she climbed down to rejoin the others. Miles wiped sweat from his brow. ¡°Easy? I almost died twice!¡± Damian frowned. Something felt off. The goblins had panicked too quickly, and the stronger ones hadn¡¯t put up much of a fight. A guttural roar shattered the momentary calm. The three of them turned toward the flames.Emerging from the inferno were two figures: amassive goblin nearly the size of the troll they had fought earlier, its green skin marred with scars, and beside it, a smaller goblin draped in a black robe, gripping a staff that crackled with faint energy. ¡°Damian,¡± Astrid whispered, her voice shaking. ¡°What is that?¡± Damian activated Observe, his stomach sinking as the details appeared. Weakened Goblin Warlord Level: 30 Description: A towering goblin with immense strength and durability. Leads with brute force and high endurance. Special Traits: Enhanced Strength Fear Aura Goblin Mage Level: 25 Description: A goblin adept in magical arts, capable of casting destructive spells and supporting allies. Special Traits: Fireball Mana Shield Damian cursed under his breath. ¡°This isn¡¯t good.¡± The warlord let out a deafening roar, its blood-red eyes locking onto the trio. The mage beside it grinned wickedly, the tip of its staff glowing as it prepared a spell. ¡°They¡¯re pissed,¡± Miles muttered, gripping his mace tightly. Damian raised his sword. ¡°Focus. We have to take them down, or we won''t make it out of here.¡± The two enemies pointed their bloodlust toward them. Chapter Thirty One Goblin Lord Chapter Thirty One Goblin Lord The flames roared wildly around the warehouse, surrounding Damian, Astrid, and Miles, all three stared down by the two hulking figures that emerged from the smoke. The larger of the two was the goblin warlord, towering even higher than the troll they had faced before. Its muscles and large sight were covered with sweat and soot, and it carried a massive, blood-stained axe. Beside it, the goblin mage stood with its staff, the air around it shimmering faintly as mana radiated off its body. Its cruel eyes filled with malice. ¡°Stick to the plan!¡± Damian shouted, gripping his sword tightly. ¡°Astrid, focus on the mage! We can¡¯t let it cast. Miles, I need you¡ª¡± ¡°On it!¡± Miles cut him off, already sprinting around the edge of the battlefield. ¡°I¡¯ll find Howard and his team!¡± Damian nodded, his jaw clenched as he turned to Astrid. ¡°It¡¯s just us now. Don¡¯t let up.¡± Astrid took a deep breath, her hands trembling as she knocked an arrow. ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± The warlord roared, shaking the ground beneath their feet as it charged. Damian darted forward, his sword raised, while Astrid positioned herself on a stack of crates, aiming at the mage. Her first arrow flew true, striking the mage in the shoulder, but the creature barely flinched. Instead, it growled and slammed its staff into the ground, sending a shockwave of fire hurtling toward her. ¡°Astrid, move!¡± Damian yelled. Astrid leaped from the crates just as the fireball exploded, the heat licking at her heels. She landed hard, rolling to absorb the impact, and quickly scrambled to her feet, her face pale. ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡± she shouted back, already drawing another arrow. ¡°Keep that thing busy!¡± Damian didn¡¯t need to be told twice. He dashed toward the warlord, sidestepping a wide swing of its axe that cleaved straight through a metal support beam. The force of the attack sent shards of metal flying, one slicing across Damian¡¯s arm. He winced but pressed on, channeling mana into his sword. ¡°Lightning Spear!¡± he roared, hurling the electrified weapon at the mage. The spear crackled as it tore through the air, striking the mage square in the chest. It stumbled back, screeching in pain, but it wasn¡¯t enough to take it down. Damian cursed under his breath. ¡°This isn¡¯t working¡­¡± The warlord took advantage of his distraction, slamming the flat of its axe into Damian¡¯s side. The impact sent him sprawling, his body skidding across the ground. Astrid screamed his name, but her cry was cut short as the mage turned its focus on her, firing a volley of ice shards in her direction. She dove for cover behind a crate, but the shards shattered against her makeshift shield, one grazing her cheek and drawing blood. ¡°We can¡¯t keep this up, Damian!¡± Astrid called out, her voice shaking. ¡°We don¡¯t have a choice!¡± Damian growled, forcing himself to his feet. His ribs ached, and every breath was a struggle, but he couldn¡¯t let her see his fear. ¡°We take down that mage, or we¡¯re dead!¡± Astrid nodded, her hands steadying as she drew another arrow. ¡°Cover me.¡± The warlord charged again, its axe raised high. Damian braced himself, activating Iron Skin just as the weapon came down. The blow sent a shockwave through his body, but the skill held, and he used the opening to slash at the warlord¡¯s leg. The creature bellowed in pain but didn¡¯t falter, swinging its axe wildly in retaliation. Meanwhile, Miles darted through the maze of crates and debris, his heart pounding. He could hear the battle raging behind him¡ªthe warlord¡¯s roars, Astrid¡¯s arrows whistling through the air, and Damian¡¯s shouts of defiance. ¡°Come on, come on,¡± he muttered to himself, scanning the area. His stealth skill allowed him to move unseen, but it didn¡¯t make him any faster. He needed to find Howard¡¯s team before it was too late.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Just ahead, he spotted a cluster of goblins guarding a small group of bound figures. His heart sank. The soldiers were alive but battered, their uniforms torn and bloodied. One of the goblins raised a knife, and Miles felt a surge of panic. ¡°I have to move,¡± he whispered, gripping his bat tightly. But before he could act, a loud crash echoed from the battlefield, followed by Damian¡¯s voice: ¡°Astrid, now!¡± Miles turned back briefly, torn between helping his friends and saving the soldiers. He tightened his grip on the bat, steeling himself. Damian, don¡¯t die on me. I¡¯ll get them, I promise. The scene shifted back to Damian and Astrid, both on the verge of collapse. The warlord stood tall, its leg wounded but still functional, while the mage¡¯s staff began to glow with a dark, ominous light. Damian gritted his teeth, blood dripping from a cut above his eye. ¡°Astrid, whatever you¡¯re planning, do it now.¡± Astrid didn¡¯t respond, but her next arrow shimmered with a faint red glow¡ªBlood Shot. She let it fly, aiming straight for the mage¡¯s head. The goblin camp erupted in chaos as Miles raced back toward Howard¡¯s team, his chest heaving from the exertion. The group of soldiers, battered but alive, were freeing themselves from the bindings with his help. Miles handed them each a potion, watching as the revitalizing liquid gave them just enough strength to stand and move. Howard gave him a nod of gratitude. ¡°Thanks, Miles. We owe you.¡± ¡°No time for thanks!¡± Miles panted. ¡°Damian and Astrid need us¡ªnow!¡± Howard¡¯s men exchanged uneasy glances, their expressions hardening. One soldier, Garcia, gritted his teeth. ¡°We¡¯ll help. Those bastards deserve payback for what they did to us.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Miles said, pulling them to their feet. ¡°Grab whatever weapons you can. Let¡¯s move.¡± The group quickly scavenged the surrounding area, picking up goblin spears, rusted swords, and crude shields. Their equipment was subpar, but it would have to do. As they prepared to move out, Howard stopped, pointing to a nearby crate. ¡°There¡¯s someone in there,¡± he said. ¡°We need to get them out before we leave.¡± Miles glanced at the crate and then at the battlefield beyond. Time was slipping away. ¡°We can¡¯t right now,¡± he said, his voice tight with urgency. ¡°We¡¯ll come back after we finish this. If we don¡¯t take out the bosses, no one¡¯s getting out of here alive.¡± From inside the crate, a muffled voice called out. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me! I¡¯m not going anywhere. Just¡ªjust don¡¯t die, okay? I¡¯ll be here.¡± Miles hesitated but nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll come back for you. I promise.¡± With that, the group sprinted back toward the battlefield, their hearts pounding. When they arrived, the sight before them stopped them in their tracks. Damian was surrounded by a storm of lightning, his body crackling with energy as he charged the goblin lord. The massive creature swung its club with devastating force, its bloodlust visible in its glowing red eyes. Nearby, Astrid lay crumpled on the ground, motionless. ¡°Astrid!¡± Miles screamed, his voice breaking. He ran to her, sliding to his knees and cradling her limp body. ¡°Come on, come on!¡± he pleaded, pouring a potion into her mouth. The liquid trickled down, but there was no response. ¡°Astrid, wake up! Please!¡± His hands trembled as he checked for a pulse, but he couldn¡¯t find one. Panic surged through him as he grabbed another potion, pouring it desperately. Still nothing. Tears blurred his vision. ¡°No, no, no. This can¡¯t be happening!¡± His mind raced, and he remembered Damian¡¯s Heal skill. It was their only chance. Miles looked up at the battlefield. Damian was locked in a brutal clash with the goblin lord, his sword clashing against the monster¡¯s massive club. Blood dripped from dozens of wounds on his body, his regeneration barely keeping him standing. ¡°Howard!¡± Miles yelled. ¡°Help Damian! I¡¯ll deal with the mage!¡± Howard nodded, rallying his team. ¡°You heard him! Let¡¯s go!¡± Miles turned his focus to the goblin mage. It raised its staff, a fireball forming at the tip, aimed straight at him. ¡°Not today!¡± Miles roared, activating Power Strike. He dashed forward, smashing the staff into splinters and sending the mage flying. Before it could recover, he swung again, crushing its skull with a sickening crunch. Meanwhile, Damian was struggling against the goblin lord. Each swing of its club felt like an earthquake, shaking him to his core. His mana reserves were almost empty, and his movements were slowing. He gritted his teeth, refusing to fall. ¡°This ends now,¡± Damian growled, though his body screamed in protest. Suddenly, gunshots rang out. Startled, Damian and the goblin lord turned to see a group of rescue soldiers firing from the edge of the battlefield. Though their bullets barely pierced the goblin lord¡¯s thick skin, the distraction was enough. ¡°Now¡¯s your chance!¡± Howard yelled. With a roar of determination, Damian surged forward, lightning sparking faintly around his blade. He dodged the goblin lord¡¯s swing and drove his sword into its chest. The creature howled, but Damian didn¡¯t stop. He pulled the blade free and slashed again. And again. The goblin lord fell to its knees, and Damian, consumed by fury and exhaustion, raised his sword one last time, plunging it into the monster¡¯s skull. The battlefield went silent as the massive creature collapsed, its body twitching before going still. Everyone stared in stunned silence as Damian stood over the goblin lord¡¯s lifeless body. His sword was coated in blood, his clothes torn and soaked red. Lightning crackled faintly around him, and his breathing was ragged. Miles ran to him, his voice shaking. ¡°Damian, are you okay? Damian didn¡¯t answer, the sight filled him with anger leaving everyone in awe and horror. Chapter Thirty Two Hope Chapter 18: Hope Damian knelt on the ground, cradling Astrid¡¯s lifeless body in his arms. His usually joking manner with her had been replaced by eyes that were now dull, hollowed by despair. He couldn¡¯t hear Miles shouting orders to the others, couldn¡¯t see Howard frantically pressing his hands against Astrid¡¯s chest in an attempt to resuscitate her. Everything was a blur. Damian¡¯s voice cracked as he whispered, ¡°I¡­ I promised to protect you.¡± His hands trembled as he stroked her hair, the blood on his fingers smearing across her pale cheeks. ¡°Why did I let you come? Why didn¡¯t I keep you away?¡± Tears streamed down his face as he remembered all the times he¡¯d brushed off her to not be around him all the time and stay by his side. The pride he felt seeing her grow stronger, the confidence in her abilities¡ªhow foolish it seemed now. He would give anything, everything, to take her place. ¡°Damian, snap out of it!¡± Miles¡¯s voice broke through the haze, sharp and desperate. ¡°We¡¯re not giving up on her!¡± He grabbed another potion from a bag and handed it to Howard. Howard, drenched in sweat, barked, ¡°This isn¡¯t working! We need something more. She¡¯s¡­¡± His voice cracked, but he didn¡¯t stop pressing against her chest, trying to restart her heart. Damian said nothing. He didn¡¯t flinch, didn¡¯t move. It was as if the world had frozen around him. Meanwhile, Miles darted through the warehouse where Howard¡¯s team had been held, the urgency in his movements fueled by desperation. He tore through the piles of goblin corpses, kicking over crates and broken furniture in his frantic search for anything that could save Astrid. ¡°Damn it!¡± he cursed under his breath, tossing aside a splintered piece of wood. ¡°There¡¯s gotta be something here. Anything!¡± A faint, muffled voice caught his attention. ¡°Hello? Did you defeat the goblins?¡± Miles froze, whipping his head toward the source of the sound. ¡°What the¡ª?¡± It was coming from a crate tucked in the corner. Miles hurried over, nearly tripping over debris. ¡°Huh? Oh, right!¡± he muttered, suddenly remembering the person they¡¯d left behind. ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I totally forgot¡ªwait, are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± the voice replied, calm but tinged with concern. ¡°But you don¡¯t sound fine. What¡¯s wrong?¡± Miles fumbled with the latch, prying the crate open. What he saw left him dumbfounded. A large, yellow tabby cat was curled inside, bound by ropes but staring at him with bright amber eyes. ¡°Wha¡ªwhat the hell?¡± Miles stammered, taking a step back. ¡°Oh, is this your first time seeing my kind from the cat tribe?¡± the feline asked, its tone casual as if this were the most normal thing in the world. ¡°I¡¯m from the Cat Tribe. Not from this world, obviously.¡± Miles blinked, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. ¡°Y-you¡¯re¡­ a talking cat?¡± ¡°Yes, yes, we¡¯ve established that. Now, could you untie me? I¡¯d like to stretch my legs, if you don¡¯t mind,¡± the cat said, flicking its tail impatiently. Miles shook his head, snapping himself out of his stupor. ¡°Right. Sorry.¡± He knelt down, cutting the ropes with his knife. As the cat leapt gracefully out of the crate, it tilted its head. ¡°So, what¡¯s got you so worked up?¡± ¡°My friend¡ªshe¡¯s dead. We¡¯re trying everything, but nothing¡¯s working!¡± Miles blurted out, his voice cracking with emotion. The cat¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Dead? Hmm. Why not use this?¡± ¡°Use what?¡± The cat pawed at a small coin tucked away. A shimmering, silver coin fell into Miles¡¯s hand. ¡°What is this? Another one of those tower coins?¡± Miles asked, staring at it in confusion. ¡°Tower coins? No, no. This is a Second Life Coin. Haven¡¯t you ever used one before?¡± Miles¡¯s heart raced. ¡°A¡­ second life? ¡± The cat nodded. ¡°It¡¯s a rare item for newcomers but is a lot easier to obtain from the 40th and above floor of the Tower. It can bring someone back to life if used within a few minutes of their death. It¡¯s usually standard for anyone traveling into dangerous territories like this. You didn¡¯t know?¡± Miles shook his head. The cat¡¯s expression change completely surprised, then if this is your first time hurry you might be running out of time. Miles bolted back toward the others the moment the cat said that, clutching the coin like a lifeline.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. When he returned, the scene was worse than he¡¯d left it. Damian was still kneeling, silent and broken, as Howard futilely performed CPR. Astrid¡¯s body remained motionless, her face pale and lips tinged with blue. ¡°Damian!¡± Miles shouted, skidding to a stop beside him. ¡°Move! I¡¯ve got something!¡± Damian didn¡¯t react. ¡°Damian, listen to me!¡± Miles yelled, shaking his shoulder. ¡°This coin¡ªit can save her! But we don¡¯t have much time!¡± That snapped Damian out of his stupor. His eyes darted to the coin in Miles¡¯s hand. ¡°What¡­ what are you talking about?¡± ¡°Trust me!¡± Miles said, placing the coin in Astrid¡¯s hand. ¡°Just watch!¡± The moment the coin touched her palm, a radiant light enveloped her body. Warmth seemed to return to her skin, and the color flushed back into her cheeks. Then, with a sharp gasp, Astrid¡¯s chest rose. Her eyes flew open, wide with confusion and fear. ¡°Astrid!¡± Damian cried, pulling her into his arms. ¡°D-Damian?¡± she whispered, her voice shaky. ¡°What¡­ what happened?¡± Damian couldn¡¯t hold back his tears as he hugged her tightly. ¡°You¡¯re okay¡­ you¡¯re okay¡­¡± Miles, watching from the side, let out a relieved sigh, his knees buckling as the adrenaline drained from his body. Astrid looked around, still dazed. ¡°Why is everyone crying? What¡¯s going on?¡± Damian pulled back slightly, brushing her hair from her face. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. You¡¯re here. That¡¯s all that matters.¡± The tension eased as Astrid¡¯s color returned, her breath steadying with each passing moment. Damian held her tightly, his tears falling freely. ¡°I thought I lost you,¡± he whispered, his voice trembling with raw emotion. Astrid, still dazed, returned the hug weakly. ¡°I¡¯m here¡­ I¡¯m okay,¡± she murmured, though her confusion was evident. Miles stood back, letting the siblings have their moment. The sight was bittersweet, and he silently thanked the strange cat for the miraculous coin. It was a temporary reprieve, but it wouldn¡¯t erase the dangers ahead. After a few minutes, Miles cleared his throat. ¡°Damian,¡± he said softly, ¡°there¡¯s someone I think you should meet.¡± Damian reluctantly let go of Astrid, brushing the tears from his face. ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Come with me,¡± Miles said, leading him toward the warehouse. They found Meru the cat hopping frantically around the warehouse, his fluffy tail twitching as he searched through the debris. ¡°Where is it?! Where did it go?!¡± the cat muttered to himself, his movements quick and erratic. Miles hesitated but then stepped forward. ¡°Uh, excuse me¡ªMeru, right? What¡¯s wrong?¡± The cat spun around, his amber eyes wide with panic. ¡°Humans! You must help me¡ªI¡¯m running out of time!¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Damian asked, frowning. Meru stopped and took a deep breath to calm himself. ¡°Look, humans, my name is Meru. I¡¯m a merchant from the Tower. I used a random merchant gate to travel here, hoping to find a planet with a high demand for my goods. Well I ended up here, which is a blessing in disguise, but now I can¡¯t find my belongings¡ªor my return stone!¡± ¡°Return stone?¡± Miles asked, exchanging a glance with Damian. ¡°Yes, my return stone! It¡¯s what I use to teleport back to my world. Without it, I¡¯ll be trapped here until the Tower appears¡ªand who knows how long that could take!¡± Meru explained, his ears flattening against his head. ¡°The Tower, what''s that?¡± Damian asked, narrowing his eyes. Meru froze, staring at them as if they¡¯d grown a second head. ¡°Wait¡­ you don¡¯t know about the Tower?¡± Damian and Miles shook their heads. Meru groaned, slapping a paw to his forehead. ¡°Of course not. You¡¯re from a backwater planet. Listen carefully because I don¡¯t have time to explain everything. Your world has become a dungeon world. The Tower is a side effect of this transformation. It¡¯s where these creatures¡ªgoblins, orcs, and worse¡ªcome from.¡± ¡°Why is this happening?¡± Damian demanded. The cat let out a frustrated sigh. ¡°I don¡¯t have time for the full lecture! Let¡¯s just say your planet¡¯s mana levels have reached the threshold where the Tower is inevitable. It¡¯ll appear eventually, maybe a year or more, but until then, the monsters will keep coming.¡± Damian¡¯s jaw clenched. ¡°And the system? Is that part of the Tower too?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Meru said, nodding. ¡°It¡¯s surprising your planet figured out how to awaken before the Tower appeared. Most species don¡¯t unlock their system until after the Tower is active. Tell me, how did you awaken?¡± Damian hesitated but eventually said, ¡°I¡­ ate a mana stone. I don¡¯t know why, but something told me to do it.¡± Meru¡¯s eyes widened, and he sniffed the air, his nose twitching as he examined Damian closely. ¡°Ah, that explains it. You have high mana affinity. Your body must have craved it once the atmosphere started changing. That¡¯s why you ate the stone¡ªit was instinct.¡± Damian¡¯s eyes widened. For weeks, he had thought his strange act was random, even foolish, but now it all made sense. Miles, standing beside him, muttered under his breath, ¡°So you weren¡¯t just a weirdo after all¡­¡± Meru tilted his head. ¡°It¡¯s rare for someone to adapt so quickly. Most would struggle with the system even after entering the Tower. You humans are full of surprises.¡± Before Damian could ask more questions, Miles pulled out a bag he¡¯d found earlier. ¡°Is this what you¡¯re looking for?¡± Meru¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Yes! That¡¯s it!¡± The cat snatched the bag and rummaged through it, pulling out a shimmering stone. He exhaled in relief. ¡°Thank the heavens! I thought I was stranded for sure.¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Damian said, grabbing Meru¡¯s arm. ¡°I still have questions.¡± Meru shook his head. ¡°There¡¯s no time. The return stone¡¯s mana is almost depleted. If I don¡¯t use it now, I¡¯ll be stuck here!¡± ¡°No! I still have questions, wait just a bit more¡ª¡± Damian said,reaching out his hand to grab Meru, his grip tightening. ¡°Are you insane?!¡± Meru hissed. ¡°You don¡¯t know what you¡¯re asking for!¡± But before Meru could stop him, the return stone activated, enveloping them both in a blinding light. In an instant, they were gone. Astrid¡¯s POV Astrid¡¯s eyes fluttered open, the sterile white of a hospital room coming into focus. Her body felt heavy, but the warmth of the blankets and the steady beep of the monitors were a comfort. ¡°Hey,¡± a familiar voice said. She turned her head to see Miles sitting beside her, his face pale but relieved. ¡°Miles?¡± she croaked. He nodded. ¡°You¡¯re safe. You¡¯ve been out for a while.¡± Astrid tried to sit up, but a sharp pain in her chest made her wince. ¡°What happened? Where¡¯s Damian?¡± Miles¡¯s expression darkened, and he looked away. ¡°He¡­ disappeared.¡± ¡°What do you mean, disappeared?!¡± she demanded, her voice rising despite the pain. Miles hesitated, then explained everything¡ªabout the talking cat, the return stone, and how Damian had vanished in the blink of an eye. Astrid¡¯s face paled. ¡°You mean¡­ he¡¯s gone? Just like that?¡± Miles reached out, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. ¡°The cat said he¡¯d come back. And if I know your brother, he¡¯ll find a way. We just have to trust him.¡± Astrid stared at him, her hands trembling. ¡°I just got him back¡­ and now he¡¯s gone again.¡± Miles¡¯s voice softened. ¡°I know. But he¡¯s alive. That¡¯s what matters right now.¡± Astrid nodded slowly, her tears falling freely. Miles pulled her into a hug, whispering, ¡°It¡¯ll be okay. We¡¯ll wait for him together.¡± A sharp knock at the door interrupted them. ¡°Miss Park?¡± a man said, stepping inside. He wore a dark suit and carried an air of authority. ¡°I¡¯m Agent White. We need to talk about your brother.¡± Astrid and Miles exchanged a worried glance, their hearts sinking as the room filled with tension once more.