Ethan’s legs burned as he sprinted through the chaotic streets. People screamed and scattered in all directions, as if the very air itself was trying to swallow them whole. His heart hammered in his chest—each thud a reminder that the world he knew was disintegrating right in front of him. The familiar cityscape had turned alien, filled with dust and destruction, where there was once order and comfort.
He had to get to his parents. He couldn’t think of anything else.
But as he turned a corner, something stopped him dead in his tracks—a shape, small and quick, darting between the wreckage of a collapsed building. Ethan squinted, trying to make sense of it.
A figure was moving too fast, too erratically. It was humanoid but hunched, its greenish skin shining with a sickly hue, and its face was twisted in a grotesque grin. Its wide, bloodshot eyes locked onto him, and a wicked sneer crossed its sharp, jagged teeth.
A goblin.
Before Ethan could react, it charged, faster than he could’ve anticipated. The goblin’s shrill screech echoed in the air as it closed the distance between them, its bony hands reaching for him with claws that seemed unnaturally long.
Ethan barely had time to react. He dodged to the side, stumbling over debris as the goblin’s claws scraped the air just inches from his face. His heart pounded as he regained his balance, looking for any kind of weapon—anything to defend himself.
The creature didn’t give him a moment to think. It lunged again, aiming straight for his throat, and this time, Ethan couldn’t avoid it. The goblin's claws raked across his arm, cutting through his jacket and drawing blood.
“Shit!” Ethan hissed, clutching his bleeding arm as he backed away, his mind racing. “What the hell is this thing?”
He couldn’t afford to waste time asking questions. It wasn’t just any creature—it was something far worse. And if he didn’t fight back, it was going to kill him.
Ethan glanced around in desperation. His eyes landed on a nearby fire hydrant, its metal casing battered from the explosion that had rattled the city earlier. He sprinted toward it, the goblin hot on his heels, its guttural growls filling the air.
The hydrant had a thick, heavy steel pipe sticking out from it, a perfect makeshift weapon. Ethan grabbed it, swinging it hard at the oncoming goblin. The pipe connected with a sickening crack as it struck the goblin’s head, sending it staggering back.
For a brief moment, the goblin faltered, but its yellow eyes gleamed with rage. It wasn’t finished yet. It charged again, faster this time, and Ethan knew he had to act quickly.
As the goblin leapt toward him, Ethan sidestepped and swung the pipe down, striking it across the back. The goblin let out a furious screech, its body twisting in mid-air as it crashed to the ground. It writhed in pain but immediately tried to get up, its claws scraping across the pavement, preparing to launch another attack.
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Ethan couldn’t let up. He kept his distance, watching the creature closely. Every movement it made seemed calculated, its vicious grin spreading across its face as it started to circle him, looking for an opening.
“Think, think...” Ethan muttered to himself, trying to ignore the panic creeping up his throat.
The goblin lunged again, but this time, Ethan was ready. As it soared toward him, Ethan dodged to the left, grabbing a piece of broken concrete from the street. He hurled it straight at the goblin’s face, and it struck with a loud crack. The goblin howled in agony, momentarily blinded by the debris.
Ethan seized the opportunity. He dove toward the fallen goblin, slamming the steel pipe down onto its skull. The blow landed with a sickening crunch. The creature twitched once, then went still.
For a long moment, Ethan just stood there, panting, his chest heaving with effort. His hand shook from the adrenaline and the shock of the battle, but he couldn’t afford to stop. The goblin’s lifeless body sprawled on the ground, its twisted face frozen in a grimace. He’d done it. He’d actually killed it.
But the weight of it hit him like a freight train. A monster. A real, living monster. He had just fought for his life, and somehow, he’d won.
As the city around him continued to burn, the world felt different now. It felt like it was falling apart, and he was left to pick up the pieces.
Then, something strange happened.
A soft hum filled the air, and the world seemed to slow. Ethan’s heart skipped a beat as his vision blurred for a moment. A sharp, tingling sensation raced down his spine, and his head throbbed as if the world itself was rewriting itself.
Then, the blue screen appeared.
Status Unlocked
[Ethan Walker]
Age: 22
Level: 1
Strength: 10
Dexterity: 10
Vitality: 10
Wisdom: 10
Intelligence: 10
Stat Points: 0
Skills
Perfect Replication [Lvl. Max]
Skill Points: 0
Ethan stared at the glowing screen before him, his mind struggling to process what was happening. Status Screen? he thought. He reached out, his fingers brushing the text. The feeling was strange, like something was clicking into place in his brain, but the screen disappeared as quickly as it had appeared.
“What the hell was that?” he muttered, feeling lightheaded.
The weight of the situation crashed back into him. His hands were still trembling from the fight, and now, a whole new world of possibilities seemed to have opened up. His head throbbed as if it was trying to make sense of the new information. His mind raced, trying to understand what just happened.
A skill? He had unlocked a skill after killing the goblin? Perfect Replication?
Before he could think too much about it, the ground shook beneath him. The rumble was deeper this time, and the sounds of destruction were growing louder, closer. There was no time to figure out what had just happened.
Ethan snapped back to reality, his instincts kicking in. He needed to find his parents. He needed to survive.
But now, the world had changed.
And so had he.
