Chapter 2: Goblin’s Trap

“Cancel! How am I supposed to survive here?!”

I screamed while hanging upside down from a tree, my legs tied, swinging helplessly.

Cooperate with monsters?

Stop the Imperial Army?

To hell with that.

They tell me to work with monsters, but those monsters are hostile to me.

How am I supposed to cooperate with something that sees me as prey?

Every time a monster threatened me, all I felt was killing intent, not teamwork.

And the funniest part?

To grow, you have to steal lives—monster or human, it doesn’t matter.

That’s the growth system the system decided on.

“Damn goblin bastard!”

[Unable to retrieve search term ‘damn goblin bastard.’]

“Shut up, you tin can! You’re annoying! Don’t you have a mute button?!”

[Search system has been deactivated. To reactivate, please call ‘Eve.’]

So you DID have mute?!

Do you know how hard this past week has been because of you popping up every time, saying you can’t retrieve some random search term I never even asked for?

And the search function can only be used three times a day, yet you jump out on your own?

That’s just evil.

I should’ve muted you sooner.

Maybe because I was hanging upside down, blood rushed to my head.

The goblin stared at its captured prey with cunning eyes.

If it came closer, I could use my free hands to attack and escape.

But goblins are smart for monsters.

It stayed at a distance and put a blowpipe to its mouth.

Pshk—

A tiny dart flew and stabbed into my chest.

The dart itself wasn’t lethal.

But that wasn’t the point.

Goblin darts are coated with herbs that cause hallucinations and paralysis.

“Dizzy……”

My eyes rolled back.

The tension drained from my body, and my arms drooped limply.

“Krk… krr…”

Thinking its prey was fully caught, the goblin cautiously approached.

It finally reached right in front of me.

As it poked me to check my condition, I counted in my head.

‘One… two… three!’

I snapped awake and twisted my body, wrapping my arms around the goblin’s neck.

“Krraaa! Krrk! Kek!!”

“I’ve been hit by your kind’s darts so many times I could pass for a porcupine. You think I wouldn’t prepare?!”

Pain taught me the easiest solution.

The hard wooden board hidden against my chest wasn’t decoration.

“Krr… krrrk…!”

A fragile goblin couldn’t overpower the grip of a grown man.

Goblins may be cunning, but a human who survived capitalism knows how to deal with them.

“This is called human wisdom.”

I snatched its dagger and cut the rope binding my legs.

“Haah…”

A translucent light leaked from the fallen goblin and flowed into me.

[Ding! You have leveled up. Please distribute your stat points.]

“Status window.”

[Shin Do-yoon (Cha Sihan)]

Level: 9

Trait: Dimensional Pocket Watch (Inactive)

Strength: F / Stamina: F / Agility: E / Intelligence: F

“I’ve grown a lot… whew.”

I was moved.

When I first opened this, my stats were below average, and I had no idea how I’d survive.

I shook my head and glared at the other flaw—the trait.

“Dimensional Pocket Watch… I don’t remember anything like this in the novel. There’s no way a small-time villain gets some insane trait…”

Did it change because I possessed this body?

Just from the name, it sounds broken.

But it’s gray. I can’t even use it.

“Is this another bug? This status window is a mess.”

As I tapped the hologram in regret, I felt something strange.

“…Vibration?”

The ground began to shake, growing stronger.

“What is that?!”

I hurriedly turned toward the source.

“That… what is that?! Eve! Eve!!”

[Search function activated. How may I assist you?]

“That vicious black monster charging at me—what is it?!”

[Scanning the monster through your field of view.

Scan complete. Official name: <Mishkentul>.

A ferocious forest predator. It toys with prey until just before killing them.

Primary habitat is—]

“Hah… haha. So… that crazy thing picked me as its prey?”

Run first. Think later.

No time even for a bitter laugh.

Trees toppled like paper as Mishkentul charged.

I ran.

“Waaaah!!”

Thud-thud-thud-thud!

A black monster as big as a two-story building came at me, baring spike-like teeth.

“Why the hell is it targeting me?! What did I even do?!”

[…Mishkentul is a born hunter.

If another creature kills its chosen prey, Mishkentul often selects that killer as its next target.

Those chosen must hide among spirit-herb piles to survive—]

It’s still explaining?!

But… this is useful.

The goblin must’ve been Mishkentul’s prey.

I killed it.

So now I’m next.

“What kind of cursed coincidence is this?”

No matter how much I grew from killing goblins, I’m no match for that thing.

“How am I supposed to—ahh! It’s right behind me! Damn it!!”

The chase continued.

There was no answer.

I couldn’t run forever.

My stamina was reaching its limit.

I could see my future clearly—

Either die now,

or be toyed with like the goblin.

“Ah! It touched me! Its teeth grazed my arm!!”

Goosebumps exploded across my skin.

I really, really hate this.

I squeezed every last bit of strength from my muscles and ran.

My mouth tasted sweet with exhaustion.

My body grew heavy.

I couldn’t tell if I was moving my body, or if my body was dragging me.

My mind blurred.

My limit was near.

Is this really how my life ends again?

“Haah—!”

I snapped back to awareness.

Before I knew it, I was at the edge of a cliff.

“Grrr…”

Mishkentul stared at me with interest.

Curious.

It was clearly enjoying watching what I’d choose.

What? You think humans are easy?

Well, yeah.

Look at your body. One flick and I’d go flying.

“Can’t you spare me?”

“Grrrk… rrr…”

True to its filthy nature, it ignored my plea and prowled around me.

Think calmly.

This is a cliff.

Either jump…

Or face Mishkentul.

With my current stamina, fighting is impossible.

And that monster won’t let me live.

“…There’s only one choice.”

Unknown odds.

But the highest chance to survive right now.

I stepped back to the very edge.

One gust of wind and I’d fall.

“Hoo… Eve. What’s the chance I survive if I fall off this cliff?”

[Unable to retrieve search term ‘chance of surviving a fall from a cliff.’]

“Consistent as ever, you damn tin can.”

I smirked and took a step.

“Eat this.”

I flipped my middle finger at Mishkentul—whose yellowed teeth clearly hadn’t seen a toothbrush in years—and threw myself into the void.

Swoooosh—

I felt weightless.

I didn’t look down.

If this was the end, I wanted excitement, not fear.

I closed my eyes and waited for the result.

Thud—

A heavy impact shook me.

Between the fall and the chase, my muscles were pushed beyond their limit.

I couldn’t move a finger.

‘Did I… live?’

The fact that I could think meant I survived.

I knew I wasn’t fully safe yet.

But I couldn’t move.

My body sagged like wet cotton.

Exhausted from impact and mental strain, I drifted into sleep.

‘I can’t fall asleep yet… I need to get up… find somewhere safe…’

I tried to open my eyes.

But my eyelids were too heavy.

‘Blue… eyes…?’

Through my fluttering vision, I saw eyes.

Blue eyes, like the universe shaped into glass.

The moment I met those deep, abyss-like eyes—

My lids fell shut.

Clinging to that fading light,

I lost consciousness.