Shiny
He wasn't alone.
Kuma crouched, pressing a hand to the damp earth. Claw marks raked across a nearby tree, fresh and uneven, as if something had tested its strength against the bark. Broken twigs and scattered leaves told a story—a small creature had passed through recently, moving erratically. More importantly, the distinct metallic glint of something out of place caught his eye near the undergrowth.
His heart rate slowed as he crept closer. The object was nestled between the roots of an old tree, partially buried beneath leaves. But that wasn't what held his attention.
A goblin.
The creature was no taller than his waist, its wiry frame hunched over, long fingers clawing at the dirt as it tried to retrieve the buried item. Its skin was a mottled green-brown, blending into the forest, but its eyes—small, beady, and hungry—shimmered with something deeper than instinct.
Curiosity? Greed?
Kuma inhaled slowly, his grip on his spear tightening. This was the first intelligent humanoid he'd encountered. He had to be careful.
He activated Analyze.
GOBLIN - SCAVENGER CLASSThreat Level: Low (Alone) / Moderate (Group)
Note: Prefers ambush tactics. Agile. Deceptive. Highly territorial.
It wasn't an immediate threat—not yet. But its behavior was strange. The goblin pawed at the object like it was the most important thing in the world. Kuma's mind raced. What could it be? A tool? A weapon? A trinket from another fallen player?
He decided to test something.
Kuma shifted his weight intentionally, stepping on a twig. The snap was sharp in the heavy silence. The goblin's ears twitched. Its entire body froze for half a second before its head snapped toward him.
Kuma raised a hand slowly, showing his empty palm. A universal sign of peace.
The goblin stared, its grip tightening around the object. Its lips curled back, revealing sharp, yellowed teeth.
Kuma took a slow step forward. He gestured toward the object, then toward himself, then mimed a trade by showing the knife strapped to his belt.
The goblin blinked.
Then it smiled.
A chill crawled up Kuma's spine. The expression was wrong. Too wide. Too knowing.
He didn't have time to react.
The goblin moved in a blur, lunging forward, claws aimed straight for his throat.
Kuma barely dodged, throwing himself backward as sharp nails slashed past his cheek. The goblin landed with unnatural agility, twisting midair to swipe at him again.
Fast. Too fast.
Kuma rolled, bringing up his spear just as the goblin lunged again. It went low, grabbing a handful of dirt and flinging it at his face. Kuma flinched as grit stung his eyes, but he fought through the distraction, thrusting his weapon forward. The goblin twisted—
—but not fast enough.
The spearhead buried itself into its shoulder with a wet, sickening sound. The goblin let out a shriek, but its claws still scraped against Kuma's arm before he wrenched the weapon free, sending the creature stumbling backward.
Kuma steadied himself, adjusting his stance. The goblin panted, glaring at him with pure hatred. Blood dripped down its arm, but it wasn't done.
It darted forward again—
Kuma didn't hesitate this time.
He sidestepped, gripping his spear with both hands and thrusting upward with all his strength. The tip pierced the goblin's chest, sinking deep. A choked sound escaped its lips. The goblin's fingers twitched, grasping at empty air before its body went slack.
Silence.
Kuma let out a slow breath, shoving the goblin's corpse off his spear. His hands trembled—not from fear, but from adrenaline, from the sharp clarity of knowing how close he'd been to making a fatal mistake.
He activated Analyze.
GOBLIN (DECEASED)
Drops: Unknown
Kuma crouched, wiping his blade clean against the dirt before inspecting the body. There, clutched in the goblin's stiffening fingers, was the object it had fought so desperately to keep.
A shiny, rusted medallion.
It was old—far older than anything a goblin should have. The metal was worn, but faint engravings lined the edges. Kuma turned it over in his palm, frowning. There was something off about it, an energy that felt… misplaced.
He pocketed it for now. Questions could come later. Right now, survival took priority.
Kuma worked quickly, breaking down the goblin's remains. Waste nothing. Teeth for crafting. Bones for trap reinforcement. Meat as bait. The practical side of his mind took over, cataloging resources, ensuring nothing was left to rot.
But something gnawed at him.
The goblin had been alone. That wasn't normal. Goblins traveled in groups. If this one had been desperate enough to fight for a piece of metal, what did that mean?
He glanced toward the trees, toward the unnatural stillness in the distance.
Then he saw it.
Tracks.
Not goblin.
Something bigger. Something watching.The sensation crawled over Kuma's skin like an unseen hand, pricking at the edges of his awareness. Instinct screamed that he wasn't alone. He had faced danger before—creatures with claws, teeth, and hunger—but this was different. This wasn't a beast hunting for food. This was patience. Observation. A presence hidden just beyond the veil of the forest's tangled shadows.
With a sharp breath, Kuma retreated to his campsite, his mind racing with possibilities. If something was watching him, he needed to be ready. He gathered materials swiftly—branches, leaves, vines, and even the goblin's remains. He wasn't just preparing for food anymore. He was setting the stage for a test of his own ingenuity.
His fingers worked fast, weaving, tying, setting up his defenses with an energy bordering on obsession. This wasn't just about survival. This was a game of wits. Would his traps be clever enough? Strong enough? He had to know.
Analyze Output:
Snare Trap: ~ This trap has a good chance of catching a medium-sized animal, provided it is placed in a location where the animal is likely to pass through. The branches and leaves used to construct the trap may help to camouflage it and make it harder for the animal to detect.
Kuma had spent hours perfecting it, making sure the tension in the vines was just right. He envisioned a creature stepping in, the loop tightening around its leg, the sudden snap pulling it upward. He grinned at the thought.
Pit Trap: ~ This trap has a good chance of catching a medium-sized animal, provided that it is well-concealed and the animal steps on it. The pit should be deep enough to prevent the animal from escaping.
Sweat dripped down his forehead as he studied his work. Digging the pit had been grueling, but he made sure it was just wide enough, just deep enough. The false ground above—cleverly disguised with leaves and loose dirt—looked undisturbed. Perfect.
New Deadfall Trap: ~ This trap, unlike the previous deadfall trap he has made, has a good chance of catching a medium-sized animal. The weight of the trap should be enough to kill or seriously injure the animal, but care should be taken to ensure that the trap is not triggered accidentally.
This one was his masterpiece. He had stacked stones, balanced them with a delicate precision. The goblin's bones, hollowed and sharpened, were hidden in the kill zone. One wrong step from an unsuspecting creature, and it would be over in an instant.
Spring Trap: ~ This trap has a good chance of catching a medium-sized animal. The spring mechanism made of carefully woven ropes and branches should be strong enough to hold the animal.
He tested the tension one last time, a rush of satisfaction flooding him as the mechanism snapped into place with a satisfying twang. This one, he was particularly proud of. If something tried to approach his camp tonight, it might just find itself swinging upside down before it realized what had happened.
With everything in place, Kuma stepped back and let out a slow breath. His heart pounded—not with fear, but with exhilaration. His traps were set. His defenses were ready. And now… now he would wait.
He grinned to himself, his exhaustion forgotten in the face of anticipation. What would he catch? A scavenger lured in by the scent of goblin remains? A predator testing its luck? Or maybe—just maybe—whatever had been watching him in the dark?
Kuma settled in for the night, his eyes gleaming in the firelight. The thrill of the unknown coursed through his veins. Sleep could wait.
Tomorrow, he would wake to answers. One way or another.