The silence in the cave was tense, broken only by the steady footsteps of three survivors. Ronin, Kara, and Leroy walked with grim purpose, no formation or strategy—just muscle memory guiding their limbs. Leroy led with his spear in hand, Kara followed in the middle, eyes alert, and Ronin brought up the rear, quiet and focused.
Ronin trailed behind, eyes half-lidded but mind racing. He needed to feel it again—what pulsed inside him now. He took a breath and let his mana flow. It coursed through his veins like wildfire, unrelenting but smooth. Not burning, not foreign. Just… his.
He smirked. The mana felt clean. Pure. Every limb it passed through responded like coiled springs, energy flooding every muscle fiber. This wasn't like any magic he'd ever studied. It was raw, primal—and it obeyed him.
Ahead, Kara turned around suddenly, her eyes widening. "Your eyes," she whispered.
Ronin froze. "Goblin?"
Leroy turned too, instantly tense. "Where?!"
"No," Kara breathed, still staring at him. "Ronin… your eyes are glowing. Yellow."
He blinked, confused. "What?"
Leroy leaned in slightly. "She's right. Looks like your soul's on fire or something."
Ronin took out a small shard of metal and used it like a mirror. His eyes, once dull brown, now burned a deep, molten yellow. He focused inward again, pulling the mana back down. The glow faded.
"Probably just an effect from... whatever the hell I did back there," Ronin said with a shrug. "Experiment went sideways. Almost died. You know, the usual."
Leroy scoffed. "You're insane."
Kara didn't respond. She just stared a few seconds longer before turning to follow Leroy.
Their path opened into the clearing again—the place where their nightmare began. And as expected, it waited for them.
The goblin stood there, human clothes hanging loosely over its wiry frame. There was a hole burned clean through the hoodie it wore, right over the chest. A leftover scar from Ronin's last desperate attack. Yet, it stood unbothered, uninjured. Watching.
Ronin let his mana flood in again. Leroy planted his spear in front of him. Kara raised a flaming hand. The air around them tensed.
The first move came from Kara—fast, deliberate. A massive fireball flew across the clearing and exploded into the goblin's position. A blast of smoke and flame roared, and for a moment, nothing moved.
Then—blurred motion. The goblin burst forth from the smoke, faster than last time, but this time Ronin could track it. Barely. It closed the distance to Leroy in a heartbeat.
Leroy held his ground. The goblin's fist struck the side of his spear, launching him backward, his boots scraping stone. Ronin surged forward, mana flooding his legs. He shot toward the goblin and swung his dagger.
The goblin looked surprised. It twisted, trying to dodge—but too late. Ronin's dagger slashed toward its throat.
Clang.
Like hitting steel. The blade bounced off, leaving no mark.
"What the—"
The goblin's fist lashed out, but Ronin raised both arms just in time. The impact launched him like a ragdoll, rolling across the stone floor. He groaned, but his grin was wide.
He felt it. He had exchanged blows with the creature and didn't die. He was stronger now—he could fight.
As Kara launched another barrage of fireballs, Leroy staggered back to assist. The goblin swatted their attacks aside like flies.
Ronin was already moving again.
The goblin struck Leroy hard in the ribs, and he flew back with a sickening twist. Kara screamed, and the goblin grabbed her by the throat, lifting her off the ground. She flailed wildly.
Before it could crush her, Ronin arrived.
His mana-infused fist slammed into the goblin's jaw. A crunch echoed as its head twisted unnaturally. It dropped Kara immediately.
Ronin didn't stop. Another punch, and another. Forget the dagger—trash weapon. His fists were all he needed.
The goblin ducked and swept low, catching Ronin's legs. He crashed hard. It reared back to finish him—until it erupted into flame.
Kara's fireball hit squarely, forcing the creature back.
Leroy, bloodied but standing, charged in and thrust his spear at the dazed goblin. The monster caught the shaft mid-air. It raised an arm to strike—but Ronin was already moving.
A brutal blow smashed the side of the goblin's head, sending it flying into the cave wall.
Breathing heavy, Ronin felt the mana inside him settle, as if it approved. His control was growing sharper. Stronger. Before, he could only twist the goblin's neck. Now, he launched it.
Leroy's voice rang out. "RUN!"
They didn't need to be told twice. They turned and sprinted toward the exit portal at the far side of the cave. They were close now. So close.
Ronin glanced back. The goblin was still getting to its feet, slowly, shakily. They made it.
They won.
But…
He stopped.
Kara and Leroy were yelling. Telling him to come. Begging him not to be stupid. But he stood still, facing the goblin.
His first real fight. His first taste of power.
And he was going to run?
No. That wasn't him.
He turned to them and called out. "You two go."
"What?!" Leroy shouted. "Ronin—"
"I'm finishing this."
Kara stepped forward, desperate. "You're insane! You'll die!"
Ronin smiled.
"Then I'll die proving I wasn't weak."
He turned away from them and walked toward the goblin, his footsteps echoing like war drums. The goblin, halfway to standing, locked eyes with him—and grinned.
It wanted this as badly as he did.
Ronin clenched his fists, mana surging. You've got something I want, he thought. And I'm gonna take it.