Rhia and I sat in the dim corner of the cave, away from the other goblins. Our conversation had confirmed something important: we were both different. Stronger. Smarter.
But that didn't mean we were strong enough.
If we wanted to survive—no, if we wanted to rise above the weak goblins in this cave—we needed to hunt.
Choosing Our Prey
"We can't keep hiding forever," Rhia said, her violet eyes gleaming in the torchlight. "The others will start noticing we're different. We need to get stronger fast."
I nodded. She was right. But we couldn't just start killing every goblin we saw. If the stronger ones—like the Hobgoblin enforcers—took notice, we'd be dead.
"We need a target," I said, thinking. "Something weak enough to kill, but strong enough to make us stronger."
Rhia smirked. "Good thing I already found one."
She gestured toward the deeper tunnels of the cave. Unlike the goblin dens, where dozens of us were crammed together like rats, the deeper tunnels were less populated. Only the brave—or the desperate—went that way.
"There's a Fang Rat Nest nearby," she explained. "They're vicious little things, but if we kill them, we can get some decent boosts."
Fang Rats. I'd seen them before. Small, rodent-like creatures with razor-sharp teeth and a tendency to swarm their prey. They weren't the strongest monsters, but for a goblin… they were deadly.
It was a risky hunt.
But if we pulled it off…
"I'm in," I said.
Rhia grinned. "Then let's go."
The Hunt Begins
The deeper tunnels were darker, colder. The damp air smelled of mold and rot. Our bare feet barely made a sound against the stone as we crept forward.
Rhia stopped suddenly and raised a hand. I froze.
A low, chittering noise echoed through the tunnel ahead.
We found them.
Peering around a jagged rock, I spotted them—four Fang Rats. Each about the size of a house cat, with dark gray fur and yellowed fangs. Their red eyes glowed faintly in the darkness as they gnawed on something.
A corpse. A goblin corpse.
I clenched my fists. These things were killers. If we weren't careful, we'd be their next meal.
The Battle Plan
"I'll take the first one," I whispered. "You use your skill to lock one down, and we'll deal with the rest together."
Rhia nodded. "Sounds like a plan."
I tightened my grip on a jagged rock I had picked up earlier. No weapons. No armor. Just instincts.
This was what it meant to be a monster.
The First Kill
I took a deep breath and moved.
My first target didn't even notice me until I was already on top of it. My rock came down hard, cracking its skull.
The Fang Rat screeched in pain, twisting its body to bite me, but I was faster. I slammed my foot down on its throat and twisted.
CRACK.
[You have defeated Fang Rat (Lv. 3)]
[Absorbing essence…]
[Strength +1] [Agility +1]
One down.
The other three whirled toward me, hissing. One leaped—
But stopped mid-air.
Rhia's violet eyes glowed faintly as the rat froze, held in place by her Mind Shackles.
That left two.
I rolled to the side just as one lunged for my leg, but it wasn't fast enough—I grabbed it mid-air and slammed it against the cave floor.
Again.
And again.
Until it stopped moving.
The last one leaped at Rhia—but she was ready. Dodging to the side, she grabbed another rock and drove it into the rat's eye.
It screeched, thrashing in pain. I rushed forward and finished it off.
The final Fang Rat was still locked in place. Rhia's breathing was ragged, and I could tell her skill wouldn't hold it much longer.
I didn't waste time.
I grabbed its twitching body—and bit into its throat.
Warm blood filled my mouth. The rat spasmed—and went still.
[You have defeated Fang Rat (Lv. 3)]
[Absorbing essence…]
[Strength +1] [Vitality +1]
[Skill Acquired: Sharp Bite (F)]
I wiped the blood from my lips as my heart pounded in my chest. We did it.
We killed four Fang Rats.
And we survived.
More Than Just Goblins
I turned to Rhia. She was panting, her hands shaking slightly from exertion.
"Not bad," I said, grinning.
She smirked. "You too."
We weren't just goblins anymore.
We were hunters.
And this was just the beginning.