The goblin’s knife gleamed as it plunged toward her. Emily couldn’t move. Her magic had fizzled out. This was it.
Then—
Boom!
A fireball ripped through the air, colliding with the goblin mid-leap. Flames erupted, engulfing the creature in a blinding blaze. Nearby goblins shrieked in agony as the fire spread like a living thing, devouring everything in its path.
Gasping, Emily turned toward the source.
From the shadows, a pair of burning eyes emerged—amber and alive with power. A massive lion stepped into view, its mane a living inferno. The creature radiated heat and dominance with every step.
“A... a flame lion?” she whispered, stunned. “No way…”
The goblin general snarled, bellowing commands in its guttural tongue. In an instant, the goblins charged.
The flame lion roared—a deafening, primal sound that shook the trees. From the darkness, other beasts answered its call.
A panther cloaked in shadows flickered into view, its body pulsing with void energy.
A cheetah, crackling with blue lightning, darted forward.
Overhead, a massive crow circled, its eyes glowing crimson.
The panther leapt—silent and deadly—swallowing the first wave of goblins in a swirl of darkness. Their bodies vanished without a sound.
Then twenty more collapsed, their forms twisted in unnatural shapes.
Emily’s allies stood frozen.
“A lion commanding other beasts… What is this?” one knight whispered, tightening his grip on his sword.
Before anyone could answer, the crow beat its wings, releasing a silver dust. Goblins beneath it stopped mid-motion, paralyzed in place.
Then came another lion—this one wreathed in darker, more chaotic flames. It burst through the smoke, its claws cleaving through the immobilized goblins in a single burning arc.
The horde was crumbling.
The cheetah became a blur, its strikes so fast they left afterimages. Goblins fell where they stood, reduced to smoking heaps.
Emily stood frozen, wide-eyed. “What… are they?”
Nate
At the center of it all, Nate stood in his beast form—the flame lion.
Power coursed through him. His body blazed with heat, every heartbeat synced with the rhythm of fire and fury.
[System Alert: Defeat the Goblin General to unlock its power.]
That meant transformation. Command. New abilities. The system was evolving again.
The goblin general roared and charged, its massive axe raised high.
Lightning flashed. The cheetah intercepted, slamming into the general with thunderous speed. The impact cracked the goblin's armor and sent it reeling.
But it wasn’t over.
With a snarl, the goblin smashed its axe into the dirt, raising a cloud of dust. A blind strike followed—a desperate, powerful blow.
The fist connected.
The cheetah flew backward, rolling before skidding to a stop.
Nate growled. That was enough.
Skill Activated: Blazing Body
A second surge of heat rippled outward. Flames intensified, wrapping his body in molten light. The very air shimmered with pressure. The ground beneath him cracked and steamed.
The goblin swung its axe—
It melted before impact.
Nate lunged.
Claws ignited, he tore through the goblin’s chest. Flesh, bone, armor—none stood a chance. The general choked, then collapsed into a heap of scorched flesh.
[System Alert: Goblin General Defeated]
Level Up: 13
Title Unlocked: Goblin Slayer
New Beast: Goblin Knight
Skin Unlocked: Goblin General
Nate stood over the body for a moment, flames still dancing across his mane.
Only the beginning, he thought. There’s more to uncover. More to become.
He turned—then stopped.
The adventurers.
Weapons drawn. Faces pale. They had witnessed everything—and they were terrified.
To them, he wasn’t a hero. He was something unnatural.
Nate sighed, letting the fire dissolve from his body. The transformation faded, revealing his human form. Pale skin. Silver hair. Eyes glowing faintly with power.
Gasps broke the silence.
“He’s… human?”
The young woman in pink robes stepped forward. Unlike the others, she didn’t shake. Her gaze wasn’t filled with fear, but curiosity.
“You saved us,” she said quietly. “Thank you.”
Nate nodded once and turned to leave.
“Wait,” she called. “Don’t you want the spoils?”
He shook his head. “I don’t need them.”
“Then… at least tell us your name.”
He paused, glanced over his shoulder.
“…Nate Williams.”
Before another word could be said, his form shimmered again. This time, he became the cursed crow. Wings spread wide, and with a single beat, he took to the skies.
The other beasts slipped into the shadows, fading one by one.
Only the crow remained, soaring high, its crimson eyes watching the world below.
Athena
Magic cracked through the training grounds like thunder.
Athena stood alone, sweat beading her brow. She raised her staff again—
Nothing. The spell fizzled out.
“Damn it…”
No matter how hard she tried, the power slipped from her fingers. Every failure dug deeper. She was supposed to be strong—royal blood, noble lineage, blessed by the stars.
Then why couldn’t she control her own magic?
A figure approached behind her. She turned.
A knight in radiant gold armor knelt, eyes cast low.
“Your Majesty, the king has summoned you.”
She exhaled sharply, brushing sweat from her face. “Very well. Tell him I’m on my way.”
As she walked past, she felt the knight’s eyes linger.
They all knew what she was trying to do.
They all knew she had something to prove.
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