So this is a Gate... It looks like something straight out of a video game.
Funny. Back then, dying in one of these things was just something that happened to characters on a screen.
Now, I might actually die here.
?He has been inside the gate for about five minutes now.
?Surprisingly, he hasn’t run into a single monster yet.
?Where are they? Let me check around.
?This is an E-rank gate—the lowest possible rank. But even though it is called an E-rank, he knows better than to underestimate it.
?Especially since he isn’t even an awakened hunter. To someone with zero powers, an E-rank is still a death sentence. What kind of horrors could be hiding in here?
?He peers ahead through the dim, rocky tunnel.
?A green body comes into view right in front of him.
?A goblin.
?Its dark green skin, long pointed ears, and ugly, twisted face are unmistakable.
?Crunch. Crunch. Crunch.
?He can hear the foul creature tearing into something and chewing on it.
?I think it hasn’t noticed me yet, Wren tells himself, holding his breath. But it hasn’t stopped eating either.
?Crunch. Crunch. Crunch.
?Goblins are known as the lowest-ranked monsters. From the looks of it, this one might even be unranked a stray weakling.
?It isn’t very tall, but he remembers hearing that goblins almost always travel in packs.
?Oh, shit. Seeing a real goblin for the very first time leaves him completely frozen. How could he forget the most important rule about them?
?Wren’s eyes widen in panic, and he quickly spins around to check behind him.
?Marching straight toward him out of the shadows are four more goblins, sprinting fast.
?Shit! They saw me! Wren, what happened to all those combat lessons you read about?!
?His mind races in a frenzy, desperately searching for a way out.
?Ahead of him is the single goblin busy eating.
?Behind him are four goblins charging in for the kill.
?Taking a gamble is the only way.
?Without a second thought, Wren turns and bolts forward past the solitary goblin, sprinting deeper into the tunnel.
?He isn’t wearing his expensive designer shoes anymore—he is barefoot. The sharp, jagged stones on the cavern floor slice deep into his feet with every step, drawing fresh blood, but he doesn’t care. He doesn’t even feel the pain.
?Survive.
?That is the only word echoing inside his mind.
?Wren’s lungs burn as he runs, the raw, metallic taste of blood filling his mouth. Every step on the jagged stone floor sends sharp shocks up his bare legs, but adrenaline pushes him forward, drowning out the pain.
?Behind him, the screeching cries of the pursuing goblins echo off the damp cave walls, bouncing through the narrow tunnels like hunting hounds closing in on their prey.
?Faster... I need to run faster!
?He rounds a sharp corner, hoping to find a place to hide, but the tunnel abruptly opens up into a wide, dark room.
?And it’s a dead end.
?Wren stops hard, his hands slamming against the cold, rough stone wall in front of him. He spins around, panting heavily, his chest heaving as his golden eyes scan the dark entrance he just came through.
?A second later, the four goblins spill out from the tunnel, their ugly, grinning faces twisted with cruel delight. They spread out, blocking the only exit, holding crude stone daggers and sharpened bones.
?At the very front stands the largest of them—the one he had run past earlier, its mouth still stained with fresh, dark blood. It lets out a loud, mocking shriek, pointing a clawed finger straight at him.
?Wren’s back presses flat against the hard stone wall.
?He looks down at his own body. One of his arms is completely mangled, and deep, bleeding cuts tear across his legs from the frantic run. He has no weapon, no magic power, and no way out.
?So... this really is the end.
?The irony hits him hard. He had spent his entire life looking down on everyone else, believing he was destined to stand at the top of the world as an elite Extenguard. Instead, he had been thrown away like trash by his own family, stripped of his clothes by a common bully, and now cornered like a stray animal in a stinking E-rank dungeon.
?The lead goblin lunges forward, raising its crude stone blade high into the air, ready to strike.
?Wren closes his eyes, a bitter, sad laugh escaping his lips.
?If I’m going to die here... I won’t close my eyes like a coward.
?His eyes snap open, burning with a bright, angry gold. He glares straight at the incoming beast, refusing to look away, refusing to beg.
?Slash!
?Wren braces himself for the end, closing his eyes as he waits for the sharp sting of the goblin’s dagger to pierce his skin. He accepts his fate, knowing there is no escape.
?But the blow never comes.
?Confused, Wren slowly opens his eyes. The goblin stands right before him, its crude dagger frozen just inches from his chest. It is not just that goblin; all four of them are completely stuck, as if turned to stone. Their eyes dart wildly around, the only sign of life in their paralyzed bodies.
?What... what is happening? Wren stares, his mouth wide open, unable to understand what is going on. He scans the goblins, looking for any sign of movement, but they remain completely still like statues.
?Suddenly, a strange whirring sound breaks the quiet silence of the cave. It sounds like something rapidly flapping its wings, growing louder by the second. Wren’s gaze shifts past the frozen goblins toward the source of the noise.
?Through the dim light, he spots a small, owl-like creature flying down fast. Its feathers are a mix of brown and grey, and its large, glowing eyes are fixed directly on him. The creature moves with incredible speed, its wings beating a frantic rhythm against the air.
?It doesn’t slow down as it approaches, heading straight for Wren at an alarming pace. He freezes, not knowing if this new arrival is a friend or an enemy, his heart pounding hard against his ribs once more.