Chapter-8:Turning Point

Edwin stood at the edge of the cave entrance, the damp air clinging to his skin. His heart raced, each thud echoing in his ears. Before him stood a towering goblin, its green skin scarred from countless battles. The beast's muscles rippled as it gripped a massive sword, its blade faintly glowing with a sinister red light. The rune etched into the metal pulsed like a living heart, emanating an oppressive aura that made Edwin's breath hitch.

The goblin snarled, yellow eyes gleaming with murderous intent.

It's now or never.

The beast roared and charged, the ground trembling beneath its heavy footsteps. Edwin tensed and dodged to the side, barely avoiding the downward swing of the sword. The impact shattered the rocky ground, sending shards of stone flying into the air. Dirt and debris clung to Edwin's face as he rolled to his feet.

"You're fast," Edwin muttered, his voice laced with frustration. "But I'm not going down that easily."

The goblin lunged again, its blade whistling through the air. Edwin ducked, feeling the wind from the swing brush against his hair. He circled the creature, searching for an opening, but the goblin was relentless. Each attack was faster, stronger, more precise.

Edwin's muscles screamed in protest as he twisted and dodged, his sword barely blocking a bone-crushing blow. Sparks flew as metal clashed against metal. His grip faltered, and he stumbled backward.

Then—Boom.

The goblin's fist collided with Edwin's chest, sending him flying. Pain exploded through his ribs as he crashed into the ground, dust billowing around him. His vision blurred, and the last thing he saw was the red-glowing blade descending toward him.

Dead.

Retry.

The world reset. Edwin stood at the entrance of the cave once more, his body whole but his mind fractured by the memory of death. The goblin was there, waiting, its yellow eyes filled with the same primal fury.

Boom. Dead.

Again.

3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Each attempt ended in failure. Death came swiftly, mercilessly, leaving Edwin with nothing but frustration and agony. His resolve wavered, but he clenched his fists, refusing to give up.

I can't die here. Not like this.

On the eleventh attempt, something changed. Edwin's mind, sharpened by countless failures, began to recognize patterns. The goblin's swings, though fast and powerful, followed a predictable rhythm.

He could see it now—the faint telegraphing of its movements, the slight shift in its stance before each attack.

Edwin dodged the first swing, then the second. His heart raced, but this time, it wasn't from fear—it was from exhilaration.

He sprinted toward a large tree and kicked off the trunk, propelling himself upward as the goblin's sword cleaved through the wood. The tree toppled with a thunderous crash, but Edwin landed gracefully on the goblin's broad back.

"Let's see how you like this," he growled.

He drove his sword into the creature's shoulder, the blade sinking deep into its flesh. The goblin roared in pain, thrashing wildly. Blood sprayed from the wound, staining Edwin's hands and face.

Suddenly, the faint red glow on the goblin's sword flared brighter. From this close, Edwin noticed something he hadn't seen before—a rune intricately carved into the blade. The glow pulsated like a living heart, emanating an ominous energy.

Before Edwin could react, the goblin jerked violently, throwing him off its back.

Boom. Dead.

Retry.

Edwin reset once more, his frustration mounting. He needed an advantage—something to tip the scales in his favor. Desperation drove him deeper into the forest, his eyes scanning the undergrowth for anything useful.

That's when he found it—a bush filled with small, grape-sized black berries. Their glossy black skin gleamed in the dim light, and when Edwin crushed one between his fingers, a faint scarlet juice oozed out.

A memory flickered in his mind.

Holcrane Berries.

These berries were mildly irritating to humans, causing nothing more than a rash at worst. But to goblins and similar creatures, they were lethal. The juice caused a burning sensation on contact, weakening their skin and making them vulnerable to physical attacks.

A grin spread across Edwin's face as he plucked a handful of the berries. He crushed them in his hand, letting the crimson juice coat the blade of his sword.

"This is going to be fun," he muttered.

When Edwin returned to the clearing, the goblin was waiting. Its eyes gleamed with savage anticipation, but Edwin felt no fear. His grip on the berry-soaked sword tightened.

The goblin charged.

Edwin repeated his earlier maneuver, sprinting toward a tree and launching himself upward. As the goblin moved beneath him, he landed on its back once more.

"Miss me?" he muttered through gritted teeth.

Without hesitation, he drove the berry-coated blade into the goblin's shoulder. The effect was immediate—the wound turned a deep, angry red, and steam hissed from the creature's flesh.

The goblin's screams echoed through the forest.

"Painful, right? That's not worse than dying, you know," Edwin growled, stabbing it again and again.

The goblin thrashed violently, but Edwin held on, fueled by rage and determination.

Then, something changed.

One of the goblin's eyes glowed a deep, ominous red. Its muscles bulged, and a terrifying energy radiated from its body.

"No way," Edwin whispered in disbelief. "It... fully assimilated with its rune?"

That shouldn't have been possible. Goblins lacked the intelligence and willpower to fully bond with rune magic.

Yet here it was—a goblin wielding the power of a rune.

Before Edwin could react, the goblin's massive hand shot up, gripping him by the throat. It lifted him into the air, squeezing with bone-crushing force.

Edwin's vision blurred as he struggled to breathe. The goblin's newfound strength was overwhelming.

It slammed him into the ground.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

Each impact drove shards of stone into his back, searing pain radiating through his entire body. Blood filled his mouth, but he refused to scream.

As the goblin prepared to deliver the final blow, a voice echoed in Edwin's mind.

[Will you give up on this quest?]

[If so, you shall never breathe again.]

The system's cold, mechanical voice cut through the agony.

Edwin's body was broken, but his spirit burned brighter than ever.

End of Chapter-8