Chapter 30: The First Real Battle

The Hobgoblin Captain grinned, his yellowed fangs glinting in the dim cave light. His crude iron sword rested casually on his shoulder, but his eyes—deep red and filled with cruel amusement—were locked onto me.

"You're not afraid?" he asked, tilting his head.

I wasn't.

Not because I was stronger—I wasn't.

Not because I had a plan—I didn't.

But because I could see them.

Their stats. Their weak points. Their movements before they even made them.

I exhaled slowly. "Rhia, stay close. Follow my lead."

She hesitated—just for a moment—but then nodded.

"Let's do this."

The Hobgoblin's grin widened. "Kill them."

The raiders charged.

[Combat Engaged!]

[Enemy Detected: Goblin Raider Lv. 7][Enemy Detected: Goblin Archer Lv. 6][Enemy Detected: Goblin Warrior Lv. 8][Enemy Detected: Hobgoblin Captain Lv. 10]

[Analyzing Weaknesses…]

- Raider: Slow reaction speed. Poor balance.- Archer: Weak against sudden movements. Poor accuracy under pressure.- Warrior: Reckless attacks leave openings.- Captain: Strong but overconfident. Prefers playing with prey.

The Fight Begins

The Goblin Warrior reached me first, his crude axe swinging toward my head.

But I had already seen it.

I ducked, feeling the air rush above me, and slammed my fist into his ribs.

CRACK.

The warrior stumbled back, gasping. He hadn't expected me to be that fast.

I didn't give him time to recover.

I grabbed a loose rock from the ground and smashed it into his temple.

[Goblin Warrior - Stunned!]

The Goblin Raider lunged next, but I sidestepped easily. He had no balance, just like the system said. One quick kick to the knee, and he collapsed.

Two down.

But the Goblin Archer was already drawing back his bow.

I saw the trajectory before he even fired.

I twisted, barely dodging the arrow, and grabbed the stunned Raider's body—

Using him as a shield.

The arrow pierced his chest instead of mine.

He let out a choked gasp before falling limp.

Three down.

The Archer's hands trembled. He hadn't expected that.

I didn't let him get another shot.

I dashed forward, grabbing his bowstring before he could release another arrow, and yanked.

SNAP.

His weapon was useless.

I smashed my fist into his face.

Four down.

But then—

A shadow loomed over me.

The Hobgoblin Captain.

His massive hand grabbed me by the throat before I could react.

"Not bad," he chuckled. "But you're still weak."

And then he slammed me into the ground.

A True Monster

Pain exploded through my body. My vision blurred, the impact rattling my skull. I gasped, trying to move—

But he was already on top of me.

His foot pressed down on my chest, keeping me pinned. "Your tricks won't work on me, runt."

I gritted my teeth, my hands clawing at the dirt—

But I couldn't move.

He was too strong.

Rhia rushed forward, her silver hair flashing in the dim light. "Get off him!"

Her dagger slashed toward his exposed side—

But the Captain caught her wrist mid-swing.

"…Pathetic." He twisted, and Rhia screamed as he flung her aside like a doll.

She hit the wall hard, collapsing to the ground.

Something snapped inside me.

A new screen appeared.

[System Override Detected!]

[Emergency Awakening Sequence Initiated][Warning: Instability Detected]

My vision darkened.

I felt something inside me, writhing like a beast breaking free from its chains.

The Captain raised his sword. "Time to—"

I grabbed his ankle.

His eyes widened.

And then I squeezed.

Awakening: Devourer's Grasp

The shadows inside me burst forth, wrapping around his leg like living chains.

The Captain roared in pain as the dark tendrils sank into his flesh.

His strength—his very essence—was being drained.

"What… what are you—?!"

I ripped my hand back, and his body lurched forward involuntarily.

I rolled out from under him, rising to my feet as my system glitched violently.

[New Skill Unlocked – Devourer's Grasp]

[Effect: Absorbs a fraction of the target's strength temporarily. Can only be used on weakened enemies.]

The Captain staggered, his grip on his sword trembling.

He wasn't laughing anymore.

I clenched my fists, feeling his strength now flowing through me.

My red eyes locked onto him.

"My turn."