A sharp, gnawing hunger twisted inside its tiny stomach. The goblin stirred, its body curled against the damp, cold stone of the cave floor. Its skin was a sickly shade of green, thin and frail, stretched over bony limbs that trembled as it pushed itself upright. It blinked, its large, yellowish eyes adjusting to the dim glow of bioluminescent fungi clinging to the jagged walls.
Where… am I?
It didn't remember anything—no past, no name, only an overwhelming need to eat and survive. The cave smelled of damp earth and something rotten. A light drip echoed in the silence, water seeping from the ceiling to pool in the crevices of the stone floor. The goblin's thin fingers clenched into a weak fist. It was small, defenseless. It could feel it in its bones—if something found it, it would be nothing more than a snack.
Its stomach growled again. It needed food.
The goblin staggered to its feet, barely standing at two feet tall. Every step felt unsteady, but it forced itself to move. Its claws scraped against the rough stone as it made its way forward, sniffing the air. A faint, musky scent lingered, something organic and possibly edible. It followed the trail, deeper into the cave, heart pounding in its tiny chest.
Then, it found it—a carcass. A large rodent lay motionless on the ground, its fur matted with blood, its throat torn open by something bigger. The sight made the goblin's mouth water. It was disgusting, raw, and possibly rotten, but hunger clawed at its insides. It dropped to its knees, sharp teeth sinking into the flesh, ignoring the cold, metallic taste of blood.
[You have consumed your first meal. Basic survival instinct awakened.]
A strange sensation pulsed through the goblin's body. A system? It didn't understand, but it felt… different. Stronger. The meal, as disgusting as it was, filled it with warmth, dulling the aching emptiness inside. It wiped its mouth, licking blood from its lips as another notification flashed before its eyes.
[You have gained 1 Evolution Point.]
Evolution? The word stirred something deep inside. The goblin clenched its fists. It didn't know how, but instinct told it—this was the key. If it wanted to survive, if it wanted to grow stronger, it had to evolve.
It needed more food.
A rustling sound froze it in place.
The goblin's ears twitched, its gaze snapping toward a dark crevice in the cave wall. Two beady red eyes stared back at it. A rat—bigger than the dead one, alive, and twitching with aggression. The goblin barely had time to react before it lunged.
The battle for survival had begun.