Kane ran in the deep woods ,the goblins' shrill calls echoed through the trees, unsettling cries that danced in the air behind him. His heart hammering, legs propelling him through the dense, dark forest. He didn't know where he was going—only that he couldn't stop. His breath felt like fire in his chest, the air raw and bracing as he gulped it in.
A sudden pain shot up his leg. He looked down to find a bleeding gash—a root had sliced through his skin, leaving his foot soaked in blood. He stumbled but forced himself upright, the sounds of the goblins closing in.
Then, up ahead—a dark, gaping hole in the rock. A cave. He didn't hesitate; he threw himself into it, the shadows wrapping around him like a cold, silent embrace. Only a thin sliver of light crept in from the mouth of the cave, casting jagged patterns against the damp, uneven walls. He pressed his back to the rough stone, breathing hard, trying to listen past his own heartbeat hammering in his ears.
The air felt stale, heavy. Just as he let himself catch his breath, he heard them. Footsteps. And then, in the faint light, he saw them—green, twisted shapes lurking just outside, armed with crude wooden sticks and sharp stones. They crept closer, silhouetted against the light like creeping nightmares, their eyes glinting with malice. Kane's pulse raced. He knew he was trapped.
And then, a shadow moved. From deep within the cave, something stirred—a massive figure, red-skinned and monstrous, with muscles that seemed to stretch the skin taut across its body. An orc. His skin was a dark, angry red, his tusks jutting upward like the fangs of a beast. Scars crisscrossed his body, and he was limping slightly, one leg torn and bruised,he was heavily wounded,may be weaker than normal Orc But still lot stronger than goblins and Kane . He held a hammer the size of Kane's torso, an ancient weapon streaked with rust and old blood.
Kane barely had time to process the sight when the orc let out a low growl, swinging the hammer in a wide arc. The goblins barely had time to scream; the hammer connected with a sickening crunch, splattering the cave floor with their blood.With another swing he take down some more goblins,some goblins succeeded to run from there.
Kane flinched, feeling the vibration of the blow through the stone beneath his feet. The orc paused, his gaze shifting to Kane, eyes narrowing.
Kane's legs shook, but he forced himself to stand, gripping his dagger tightly, though it felt pitifully small in his hand. The orc took a slow, limping step toward him, teeth bared in a grimace of pain and fury. Kane moved backward, but his injured leg gave way, sending him crashing to the ground. In an instant, the orc was on him, his massive hand swinging down.
Kane raised his arm instinctively, and the hammer smashed into his forearm. Pain exploded, white-hot and blinding, sending him reeling against the cave wall. The force was enough to knock him out cold . When he opened eyes , he was lying by a narrow underground stream, somewhere deeper in the cave, with the sound of water flowing faintly nearby.His nearby was 4 goblins,2 of them barely alive and others was dead.
Disoriented, he looked around. The orc was seated a few feet away, devouring the remains of a goblin, his teeth tearing into flesh, dripping green blood onto the cave floor. The sight was sickening, but Kane couldn't tear his eyes away. The orc seemed lost in his gruesome meal, leaving Kane a brief moment of stillness to assess his injuries. Blood seeped from the cut on his leg, his left arm hung uselessly, shattered by the hammer blow. But he still had one of his dagger.
"Kill and gain," he thought, remembering the voice from the system. The idea settled in his mind like a dark thrill. He turned, his eyes locking onto the nearest goblin, its chest rising and falling in shallow breaths. With a sharp thrust, Kane buried his dagger into its neck. As its lifeblood spilled out, Kane felt a surge of power wash through him. His vision sharpened, his pain dulled, just a fraction, but enough to give him hope. It was working. He could feel it.
He killed another goblin, he felt a pulse of strength rush through him. His legs steadied, his breath evened. But he needed more. In hope he stab another goblin but nothing happened,because that was already dead.His eyes flicked to the orc, who had not noticed his presence, focused on its meal.
Steeling himself, Kane staggered to his feet. Quietly, he crept up to the orc, his fingers tightening around the dagger. He drove it into the orc's back, aiming for an old, festering wound. The orc bellowed, a deep, guttural sound that shook the walls of the cave, and Kane barely dodged as it swung its arm back, swatting him like a fly. He crashed into the stone floor, pain roaring through his entire body.Blood dripping on floor.
But he couldn't give up now. Crawling forward, Kane reached for the orc's fallen hammer, a weapon that had seemed impossible for him to lift. Yet, as his fingers wrapped around the handle, he felt a jolt of energy—the system's power flowing through him. Slowly, painfully, he lifted the hammer, feeling its weight press down on him, but still he managed to raise it high.
With a scream, he brought it down on the orc's skull. The orc collapsed forward, blood pooling beneath its massive body, but still struggling to rise. Kane stabbed it again, this time plunging his dagger into its throat, watching as the light slowly drained from its eyes. The orc's body fell limp, a dark silence settling over the cave.
Kane staggered backward, every muscle in his body aching. He collapsed to the ground, the only sound the quiet trickle of water. He could feel the power of his kills coursing through him, a dark and silent strength that left him both exhausted and exhilarated.