The goblin didn't stay down for long.
It hissed, dragging itself off the wall, a dark smear of blood marking the stone behind it. Its jagged teeth were bared, spitting as it hit the cold floor.
Leo adjusted his stance.
"Alright, buddy," he muttered. "Round two."
The creature screeched and bolted forward, faster than anything that size should move. It swung a crude dagger — a rusty thing that looked like it had been pulled from a junkyard.
Leo's body reacted before his brain caught up.
A step to the left. A twist of the hips. His palm connected with the goblin's wrist. Bone cracked.
The dagger clattered to the ground.
Leo didn't stop moving — his other hand shot forward, gripping the goblin by the throat. The creature thrashed, clawing at his arm, but it was like trying to bend steel.
"Man," Leo said through clenched teeth, "I could get used to this."
With one brutal motion, he slammed the goblin's head into the wall. Once. Twice. The third time, the skull gave way with a sickening crunch.
The system chimed instantly.
──────────────
[Goblin Soldier Defeated]
+50 EXP
──────────────
Leo's breath was ragged, but his hands were steady.
No shaking. No panic.
Just a cold, steady hum in his chest.
So this is what power feels like.
He bent down and picked up the dagger. It was ugly, but better than empty hands.
The moment his fingers wrapped around the hilt, the system flickered again.
──────────────
[Item: Rusted Goblin Dagger]
Attack: +3
Durability: 14/30
──────────────
"Huh." He smirked. "Guess beggars can't be choosers."
A noise echoed from deeper in the tunnel — heavier footsteps. Several of them. And the faint, wet sound of growling.
Leo's grip on the dagger tightened.
"Guess your friends heard about the party."
They came into view moments later — three goblins, each bigger than the one he'd just killed. Two had spears, one had a crude axe. They didn't charge blindly; they spread out, circling him like hyenas.
"Smart little bastards."
He backed toward the wall, not wanting to be flanked. His brain raced.
If this is the tutorial, this is the warm-up. The real boss is gonna be worse.
The first spear jabbed at him. He sidestepped, caught the shaft, and yanked hard. The goblin stumbled forward, and Leo's dagger punched into its chest.
The second goblin lunged from the side. Leo ducked low, swinging the dying one into its path. They collided in a tangle of limbs.
That left the axe.
The goblin swung wild — a heavy overhead chop. Leo stepped inside the arc, driving his shoulder into the goblin's gut. The air left it in a wheeze.
Then his dagger found its throat.
The last one tried to crawl away, but Leo caught it by the ankle and dragged it back. He didn't say a word. One quick thrust ended it.
The system chimed in rapid succession.
──────────────
[Goblin Soldier Defeated]
+50 EXP
[Goblin Soldier Defeated]
+50 EXP
[Goblin Soldier Defeated]
+50 EXP
──────────────
──────────────
Level Up!
──────────────
Leo exhaled slowly. His heart was pounding now, but it wasn't fear.
It was adrenaline. And… something else.
Excitement.
He glanced at the corner of his vision — the timer for the quest was still ticking.
54:37
He had less than an hour to "Eliminate the threat."
And somehow, he knew that didn't mean killing goblins.
As he moved deeper into the dungeon, the air grew heavier. A faint orange glow flickered ahead.
Leo slowed, pressing himself against the wall. He peeked around the bend.
A chamber opened up — wide, with jagged stone pillars reaching toward the ceiling. In the center, on a crude stone throne, sat something far larger than the goblins.
Its skin was pale gray, stretched tight over muscle. Two curling black horns jutted from its head. A massive, chipped greatsword rested against the throne.
The Goblin Chieftain.
Leo swallowed.
Okay… D-rank or not… that's not a friendly handshake waiting to happen.
He remembered reading forum posts about bosses like this — higher stats than a player's, unpredictable swings, capable of killing C-ranks if underestimated.
His brain whispered one thing: Run.
But the system in front of him disagreed.
──────────────
[Primary Objective: Defeat the Goblin Chieftain]
──────────────
Leo chuckled under his breath.
"Figures."
He crouched lower, gripping his dagger tightly.
If he was going to survive this…
He'd have to do something Sung Jinwoo did better than anyone.
Fights way above his weight class.
---
A/N: How is the system interface? Is it good? I'm trying my best to keep it simple yet unique.