Emily
The goblin's knife gleamed in the dim light as it lunged toward Emily. Her body refused to move. Her magic had failed. This was the end.
Then, in an instant, a fireball tore through the air, colliding with the goblin mid-leap. Flames erupted, swallowing the creature whole. The searing heat spread, setting nearby goblins ablaze, their agonized shrieks piercing the battlefield.
Emily gasped, her wide eyes darting toward the source of the flames. From the shadows, a pair of glowing eyes emerged, burning like embers in the night. A figure stepped forward—a beast unlike any she had seen before.
A lion.
Its mane crackled with flames, each flickering strand illuminating the battlefield. The sight of it sent a shudder through her. A magical beast? Or something more?
"The hell…?" she breathed.
The goblin general snarled, barking commands in its guttural tongue. At once, the remaining goblins charged, their weapons raised.
The flame lion let out a deep, thunderous roar. From the darkness, more creatures answered its call. A panther materialized from the shadows, its form flickering like smoke. A cheetah emerged next, lightning arcing along its sleek body. Overhead, a massive crow with glowing red eyes circled, watching with an eerie stillness.
The first goblin to attack vanished into a swirling mass of darkness. It was as if the panther had swallowed it whole. In the same instant, twenty more goblins collapsed, their bodies consumed by the void.
A knight beside Emily gripped his sword tighter. His voice wavered. "A flame lion commanding other beasts… How is this possible?"
Before an answer could be spoken, the crow flapped its wings, scattering a shimmering dust across the battlefield. The goblins beneath it froze mid-motion, their bodies locked in place.
A second lion—this one wreathed in darker flames—emerged from the shadows. With a single sweep of its claws, a scorching wave of fire engulfed the paralyzed goblins, reducing them to cinders.
It all happened in mere moments. The once-overwhelming goblin horde had been decimated. Only the goblin general and a handful of minions remained.
The flame lion—the leader—moved forward, its heavy steps scorching the ground beneath it. The remaining goblins lunged in desperation, but before they could land a hit, streaks of lightning lit up the air. The cheetah blurred past them in a flash, leaving nothing but smoking bodies in its wake.
The battle was over.
Emily's breath came in short gasps. "What… are those creatures?" she whispered.
Nate
Standing before the goblin general, Nate had taken on the form of the flame lion. His muscles burned with raw power, his body wreathed in searing heat.
The system's notifications echoed in his mind.
[System Alert: Defeat the Goblin General to unlock its power.]
That meant he would be able to transform into it. Even summon goblin knights.
The goblin general let out a guttural snarl, tightening its grip on its axe. Then it charged.
Before it could close the distance, a streak of lightning flashed across the battlefield. The cheetah struck, slamming into the goblin general at full speed. The impact sent the monster stumbling, its armor cracking from the sheer force.
But the goblin was quick. It recovered, slamming its axe into the ground, kicking up a thick cloud of dust. A diversion.
Nate narrowed his glowing eyes. Smart.
A second later, the goblin lashed out blindly, and despite the obscured vision, its fist connected—striking the cheetah mid-dash. The beast was sent flying, rolling across the battlefield before it skidded to a stop.
A deep growl rumbled in Nate's throat. That was the last mistake the goblin would make.
He activated Blazing Body.
Heat surged through him, and flames erupted across his form, intensifying until his entire body glowed like molten lava. The very air around him warped with the sheer intensity of the heat.
The goblin general swung its axe down—only for the weapon to melt before it could even touch him.
With a single bound, Nate lunged forward. His flaming claws slashed through the goblin's chest, searing through armor, muscle, and bone. The monster let out a final, guttural choke before collapsing in a smoldering heap.
A familiar chime rang in his mind.
[System Alert: Goblin General Defeated.]
Level Up: 13
New Title: Goblin Slayer
New Beast Unlocked: Goblin Knight
New Skin Unlocked: Goblin General
Not bad. But this was only the beginning. There was still so much he had to learn about this system—and this world.
As he turned to leave, movement caught his eye.
The adventurers.
They were still here, weapons drawn, hands trembling. Fear was written all over their faces.
Of course. To them, he wasn't a savior. He was a monster.
Nate sighed and allowed his body to shift. Flames flickered before fading entirely, revealing his human form—silver hair, pale skin, and piercing eyes.
The adventurers froze.
"H-He's human?" one of them whispered.
A young woman in pink robes stepped forward. Unlike the others, she didn't tremble. Her gaze held something else—curiosity.
"You saved us," she said, her voice steady. "Thank you."
Nate turned, preparing to leave.
"Wait," she called after him. "Will you not take your spoils?"
He shook his head. "I don't need them."
"At least tell us your name."
For a moment, he hesitated. Then, glancing over his shoulder, he spoke.
"Nate Williams."
Before anything else could be said, he shifted again—this time into the cursed crow. His wings spread wide, and with a powerful flap, he soared into the night.
His beasts followed from the ground, their dark forms slipping back into the shadows. The crow, however, stayed with him, its crimson eyes glowing against the dark sky.
Athena
The clash of magic echoed through the royal training grounds.
Athena stood alone, sweat trickling down her brow as she cast the spell once more—only for it to fizzle out. Her frustration burned hotter than the magic she failed to control.
"Damn it…" she muttered under her breath.
No matter how much she trained, she couldn't master it. And every failure felt like a weight pressing down on her shoulders.
Would she ever get this right?
A presence approached from behind. She turned to see a knight in golden armor kneeling before her, his polished plates gleaming under the afternoon sun.
"Your Majesty requests your presence," he announced, his voice deep and respectful.
Athena exhaled sharply, forcing herself to regain composure. "Very well. I'll go at once."
As she stepped past him, she could feel his gaze linger.
Everyone already knew what she was trying to accomplish here. It was no secret.
She had something to prove.