A Life Stolen, A Life Reborn
Pain.
It was the first thing Xander felt. A deep, bone-deep agony that pulsed through his tiny, fragile body. It wasn't like the sharp pain of a gunshot or the dull throb of exhaustion from working 100-hour weeks.
No, this was something worse—a sensation of absolute weakness.
His lungs burned, struggling to suck in air. His stomach cramped, a gnawing hunger clawing at his insides. His fingers twitched, barely responding to his thoughts.
He felt small. Weak. Helpless.
"What... is happening to me?"
Memories flooded his mind in a chaotic storm.
The boardroom, where he closed billion-dollar deals. The parties, where he stood above the elite. The moment of betrayal, when his closest allies smiled as they stabbed him in the back.
The gunshot.
And then… darkness.
Now, he was here. Reborn. But something was wrong. His body felt… off. Smaller, thinner, weaker.
With great effort, he opened his eyes.
And his stomach dropped.
All around him, tiny, grotesque creatures shuffled in the darkness, their beady yellow eyes glowing dimly in the murky cave. They were small, covered in wiry hair, with green, sickly skin stretched over their malnourished frames.
They were goblins.
And so was he.
"No. No, no, no. This isn't possible."
His hands trembled as he lifted them. Thin, clawed fingers. His arms—frail, bony, barely any muscle. His legs—short, weak, barely able to move.
A reflection in a puddle of dirty water confirmed it.
A goblin's face stared back at him.
Xander Graves was dead.
He was now a goblin.
---
A World of Predators
Xander's mind raced.
Goblins were vermin. Disposable cannon fodder in any medieval fantasy world. The weakest race, barely stronger than children. Hunted by humans, orcs, elves, and monsters alike.
If he was just another goblin, he was already doomed.
"No. I refuse."
He gritted his teeth. He was not just another goblin.
He had something the others didn't—his past life's knowledge.
"I built a business empire in my old world. I crushed rivals, manipulated billionaires, and mastered the art of power. If I can do that there… I can do it here too."
But first, he needed information.
Then, he needed power.
And most importantly—he needed a plan.
---
The First Challenge: Survival
His stomach growled, an ache spreading through his tiny frame. Hunger.
"Weak bodies get weaker without food."
In the darkness of the goblin den, there was only one rule:
The strong eat. The weak starve.
Looking around, he saw larger goblins hoarding scraps of food—half-rotten meat, bones, and chunks of strange mushrooms. Smaller goblins, like himself, cowered in the shadows, waiting for scraps.
Xander narrowed his eyes.
"If I can't steal food, I can make others bring it to me."
Survival in this world wasn't just about physical strength. It was about power.
And power could be taken.
---
Power Awakens: The System
A sharp ping echoed in his mind.
[SYSTEM ACTIVATED]
A strange blue interface blinked before his eyes.
---
[STATUS]
Name: Grom (Xander Graves)
Race: Goblin (Feral)
Age: 0
Level: 1
Class: None
Title: None
ATTRIBUTES:
Strength: 3
Agility: 5
Endurance: 4
Intelligence: 15 (Far beyond normal goblins)
Wisdom: 12
Charisma: 6
SKILLS:
[Goblin Instincts] – Natural survival abilities.
[Darkvision] – See in low light.
[Feral Cunning] – Higher intelligence than normal goblins.
---
Xander smirked.
"A system, huh? Now things get interesting."
If he played his cards right, he wouldn't just survive—he would dominate.
And this world would bow before him.
The System: A Path to Power
Xander stared at the glowing blue System screen hovering in his vision. It was eerily similar to the financial dashboards he had used in his past life—except now, instead of tracking corporate stocks and asset values, it was tracking his very existence.
"[System Activated. Welcome, Grom.]"
"Grom?"
A deep disgust twisted in his gut. He wasn't Grom. He was Xander Graves. A billionaire, a king of industry.
But… no one here knew that.
And if the System called him Grom, it meant that was the name assigned to this body.
"Fine. For now, I'll play along."
He focused on the Status screen, his sharp mind instantly analyzing the data.
His Strength, Agility, and Endurance were pathetic, barely enough to let him stand and move.
His Intelligence (15) and Wisdom (12), however, were far higher than any goblin should have.
"Good. That means I have the brains to outthink these animals."
The biggest surprise, however, was the System itself.
It felt… powerful, like an entity beyond the normal rules of this world.
"Did I get this because I reincarnated? Or is this world structured like an RPG?"
Either way, it was his ticket to survival.
He focused on the System screen, and a new prompt appeared.
---
[Beginner Quest: The Weak Perish]
Objective: Secure food before nightfall.
Rewards: +1 Strength, +1 Endurance, Basic Skill Unlock.
Failure Consequence: Death.
---
Xander gritted his teeth.
"So, the System doesn't pull punches, huh?"
If he didn't complete the quest, it wasn't just a loss of experience—it was death.
He needed food. And fast.
---
The Law of the Goblin Den
The cave he was in was a damp, rotting hole beneath the roots of an ancient, dying forest. The air was thick with the scent of dirt, blood, and decay.
Hundreds of goblins moved around him—some scrawny and weak, others larger and more aggressive. The bigger ones hoarded food, gnawing on bones and scraps, while the weaker ones cowered in the shadows, waiting for leftovers.
"Hierarchy. The strong dominate, the weak submit."
It was no different from corporate power struggles in his past life. The only difference?
Here, failure meant death instead of bankruptcy.
Xander's mind sharpened. If he wanted to survive, he had three options:
1. Steal food from a stronger goblin. High risk, high reward.
2. Take food from a weaker goblin. Low risk, but hardly sustainable.
3. Hunt something outside the cave. Almost suicidal, but if successful, it would give him an advantage over all the others.
"Option 3 is dangerous, but it gives me the best long-term benefits."
But first, he needed a weapon.
---
The First Kill
Xander crouched low, watching the larger goblins hoard food near the far wall. He had no chance of overpowering them—yet.
Instead, his eyes landed on a small, sickly goblin curled up in a corner, clutching a half-rotten rat carcass.
Perfect.
Xander approached slowly, careful not to draw attention. The weak goblin was so focused on gnawing the scraps that it didn't even notice.
With a sudden burst of speed, Xander lunged forward, wrapping his clawed fingers around the goblin's throat.
"GHHH—!"
The weakling thrashed, but Xander pressed harder, his small but determined fingers crushing its windpipe.
A minute later, the goblin went limp.
---
[You have defeated a Goblin (Lv. 1)]
[You have gained 10 XP.]
---
Xander exhaled, his heart pounding.
"My first kill. I just murdered something…"
But unlike in his past life, there was no guilt. No hesitation.
This was survival.
He ripped the rat carcass from the dead goblin's grasp and bit into the rancid meat. It was disgusting—rotten, crawling with maggots—but he forced himself to swallow.
A warm sensation filled his body as the System pinged.
---
[Beginner Quest: The Weak Perish - Completed]
Rewards: +1 Strength, +1 Endurance, Skill Unlock: Basic Weapon Mastery (Daggers)
---
Strength +1.
Endurance +1.
Already, he felt the difference. His frail muscles weren't as weak, his grip slightly stronger.
And now, he had a weapon—a sharp bone from the dead goblin's arm.
"This will do for now."
He wasn't just surviving anymore.
He was growing stronger.
And this was only the beginning.
---
The Hunt Begins
With his stolen meal finished and a bone dagger in hand, Xander set his sights on the cave's exit.
Beyond the goblin den was the Forest of Eternal Dusk—a cursed, sunless land filled with monsters and dangers.
If he wanted to truly evolve, he needed to do the impossible.
He needed to hunt.
He gripped his weapon and stepped forward.
The world would soon learn that this goblin was no ordinary creature.
This was just the first step toward his empire.