The rooftop shook as another goblin slammed into the barricade.
The once-proud school campus was a war zone — windows shattered, blood smeared across lockers, screams and snarls echoing from every floor. The moon peeked from behind the clouds, casting a pale light over dozens of goblins crawling out of the darkness like rats from a nest.
And this time… they weren't the only ones who could fight back.
"INCOMING!" Rhett roared, hurling a blazing fireball down the stairwell. The explosion sent three goblins flying, their shrieks mixing with the smell of burnt flesh.
Liora twisted her hand, bone spikes ripping through the floor, skewering two more. Kael dropped from the rooftop railing like a crimson comet, slamming his fist into a goblin's chest and blowing it apart.
Arin moved through the chaos like a phantom, purple aura swirling around his body. His blade carved through necks in clean, efficient arcs.
> [Target Identified]
Name: Goblin Scout
Rank: F
Level: 6
Strength: 13
Agility: 18
Endurance: 11
Vitality: 9
Special Ability: [Shadow Sprint] – Short burst of speed when approaching prey.
Skill: [Backstab Lv.1] – Extra damage on unaware targets.
Weakness: Skull and neck area. Fragile bones.
Note: Common vanguard unit. Primitive intelligence but high mobility.
The goblin lunged—fast—but Arin was faster. He sidestepped, blade flashing once. Its head rolled across the floor.
"Shadow Sprint, huh?" Kael called out from below. "Too bad it didn't sprint away."
"Focus, comedian," Arin shot back, but the corner of his mouth twitched.
---
Across the courtyard, panic reigned. Students with newly awakened powers tried to fight, many failing miserably.
One boy screamed as a goblin leapt at him—only for Ayla to appear, freezing the creature mid-air into a jagged block of ice.
"Next time," she said flatly, "move."
Rhett torched a group of three that were climbing the fence. "Arin! We've got at least thirty more incoming from the east gate!"
Arin turned sharply. The goblins were gathering at the broken gate, howling, brandishing crude blades and sticks.
> [Target Identified]
Name: Goblin Bruiser
Rank: F+
Level: 8
Strength: 20
Agility: 12
Endurance: 20
Vitality: 18
Special Ability: [Thick Skin] – Reduces physical damage.
Skill: [Berserk Slam Lv.1] – Temporary power boost when enraged.
Weakness: Eyes and lower ribs. Slow reaction time.
Note: Sub-leader unit. Warning: Brute strength high.
A massive goblin—almost twice the size of the others—was charging at the fence with a tree trunk in its hands.
Kael grinned, wiping blood from his jaw. "Oh. Finally, someone I don't have to hold back against."
"Try not to break your other hand this time," Liora said calmly, raising a bone spear.
"That was one time," Kael muttered, before leaping straight into the Bruiser.
Their collision sent a shockwave through the courtyard. Kael ducked under the tree trunk, shadows swirling around his arms, and uppercut the goblin right in the jaw. Bone cracked. The Bruiser roared.
"COME ON, BIG GUY!" Kael laughed like a man who enjoyed this too much.
---
Liora's spikes created a barrier to funnel the goblins into narrow paths. Ayla and Rhett controlled the flanks, ice and fire in perfect deadly sync.
Arin dashed into the heart of the horde, blade flashing like a streak of violet lightning. Heads fell. Limbs flew. His movements were a storm of precision.
Even Elias—the betrayer—was fighting. His golden chains snapped around two goblins, pulling them apart like rag dolls. A smug grin crossed his face as students behind him cheered.
"Damn, he's enjoying the attention," Kael muttered between punches.
Arin's tone was low. "Enjoy it while it lasts."
---
> [Target Identified]
Name: Goblin Archer
Rank: F
Level: 7
Strength: 9
Agility: 20
Endurance: 8
Vitality: 8
Special Ability: [Quick Draw] – Fires rapidly at short range.
Skill: [Poison Arrow Lv.1] – Weak necrotic venom.
Weakness: Thin skull, low durability.
Note: Usually positioned in rear ranks.
An arrow whistled through the air. Arin caught it mid-spin with the side of his blade, snapped it, and launched a throwing knife right into the archer's forehead.
"Cheap shot," he muttered.
Ayla joined him on the front line, her ice spikes freezing goblins mid-lunge. "They're multiplying."
"I noticed."
Rhett let out a growl. "I'm running out of flame juice here."
Kael, still wrestling the Bruiser, shouted back, "Then switch to warm hugs, maybe they'll die of confusion!"
Liora couldn't help a short snort, even as she impaled another goblin. "You're ridiculous."
"I'm funny," Kael corrected, punching the Bruiser so hard its jaw dislocated.
---
Minutes bled into an hour. The first goblin horde was relentless, wave after wave crashing against them. Students were bruised, bloodied, but fighting with wild desperation.
> [GOBLIN HORDE – WAVE CLEARED]
Total Enemies Eliminated: 64
Reward: 3500 EXP
Drops: 33 Monster Cores (F Rank), 1 Monster Core (F+)
Bonus: First Wave Defense Bonus (x1.5 EXP)
Silence fell over the courtyard. Green blood covered the tiles. Dozens of goblin corpses lay sprawled across the field.
Kael collapsed against a wall, breathing heavily but still grinning. "Someone write this down… I definitely punched more than Rhett."
Rhett shot him a glare. "You punched one big one. I roasted fifteen."
"I made it look cooler."
Ayla rolled her eyes. "Children."
Liora, calmly wiping her bone blades clean, murmured, "Let them have their moment."
Arin, standing at the center of the carnage, stared into the dark horizon. He could hear them—more goblins screeching in the distance. The real waves hadn't even started.
And somewhere, Elias was soaking in the admiration of the survivors, unaware of the shadow that would one day come for him.
The system chimed softly.
> [Survival Acknowledged]
[Level Up!]
New Stat Points Acquired.
Trait Points +1.
Warning: Nightfall approaches. Prepare for the next wave.
The apocalypse had only just started.