Chapter 1
Chapter 1
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 1
Chapter Title: Golden Goblin
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"I'll be back."
Stepping out of the empty house with no one inside, I mutter the words out of habit, letting them hang emptily in the air.
Emerging from the damp, musty underground, I tap the sword at my waist in a familiar rhythm until I arrive at a massive portal.
"This is getting old..."
365 days a year. For a full ten years without missing a single day—this place is practically my love-hate workplace.
"Commencing entry!!!"
The Abyss. About two hundred years ago, it appeared alongside a cataclysm called the Great Catastrophe—a realm from another dimension.
The world changed overnight with the Abyss's arrival.
Infinite hordes of monsters within the Abyss, knowledge from other dimensions encountered through it, constellations watching from afar as they crossed between the Abyss and other realms, and countless treasures slumbering inside...
From that day, dubbed the Fifth Industrial Revolution, the era of great hunters dawned—and I became one of them.
Though just a bottom-tier [F-] Rank Hunter.
As I line up to enter the Abyss, I quietly summon my status window.
A status window that's downright pathetic, nothing more to say.
I've barely managed to acquire two out of the four basic stats—strength, agility, stamina, endurance—but after ten years, I'm still stuck at [F-] rank, a total nobody.
My unique ability? Who even knows if it exists.
In short, I just have no talent as a hunter.
Staring blankly at the status window while waiting my turn, it finally comes around.
I hand my hunter license to the entry inspector.
"[F-] Rank Hunter, Shin Juha confirmed. You may enter."
With a quick check, I step forward.
Without hesitation, I throw myself into the massive swirling black hole of a portal. An alien sensation hits, followed by a brief floating feeling.
The status message pops up as my vision shifts completely.
"Hey~! Shin Juha~! Right on time for work again! Here's a canned coffee."
"Ah! Thanks."
Upon arriving in Tutorial-11 Zone, I'm greeted by Park Joo-cheol, another [F-] Rank Hunter stuck in the same rut as me.
Is it because our situations mirror each other? Or shared misery?
Among those scraping by at the bottom, he's the only one I'm close to.
I'm a ten-year vet of this life, he's only three years in, but that common denominator made it easy to bond, and we hit it off quick.
Not that it amounts to much—just meeting up before hunts in the same zone for a casual coffee and chit-chat.
Neither of us has cash to blow on drinks or meat after hunting.
He's got sick parents to care for; I've got a sick little sister.
"Heard the news?"
"What news?"
As I crack open the cool can and gulp it down, Park Joo-cheol lowers his voice.
"Zone 7, Bald Mr. Moon—you know him?"
"Ah! That friendly bald guy. Of course, we hunted together a few times right after awakening."
He was a bottom-dweller just like me.
Never escaping [F-] rank, stuck in the tutorial zones forever.
Hunter pay keeps you fed, but it's no great life.
"So what's up with Bald Mr. Moon? Something happen? Don't tell me..."
For hunters, news means one of two things.
Dead, or struck it rich.
Extremes—but in this godforsaken tutorial bottom, the latter's impossible, so my mind jumps to the former.
But what came out of Park Joo-cheol's mouth was shocking.
"You don't watch the news? Bald Mr. Moon caught a Golden Goblin and turned his life around! Auctioned off at least ten unique-grade treasures and retired on the spot!"
"What!!!"
My eyes nearly bulge out.
"He really found and killed a Golden Goblin?"
"Yeah, guy's got luck. Only four ever in the world... now he's sold all the loot, bought a building in Gangnam, and built a mansion in the countryside."
I down the rest of my coffee, smacking my lips.
Jealous. How great would it be if that luck hit me?
In this life of pure misfortune, just once...
As if reading my mind, Park Joo-cheol chuckles and slaps my shoulder.
"Hey, hey! Dream on. Luck like that's a luxury we wretched souls can't even fantasize about. Come on! Let's get today's hunt done. Fifteen kills will be a grind! Got everything?"
"Yeah, been doing this long enough."
"Good luck!"
I watch him pat my shoulder, wave, and vanish, forcing a hollow laugh as I stand.
He's right. Folks like us don't get miracles like that.
"Time to make some money!"
Tutorial-11 Zone is a forest. Just three monster types.
Horned Rabbits with horns on their heads. Poison Snakes with paralyzing venom. And goblins, the little imps.
Goblins are the strongest, then Poison Snakes, then Horned Rabbits.
And as a rotten veteran, my prey is goblins. Sure, I'm way short on raw skill to take them head-on, but...
They pay the best, so I risk my neck anyway.
I weave through the forest—familiar enough to navigate blind—to my secret hunting spot.
Susus!
Perfect timing: a goblin respawns as I arrive.
Light gathers in the air with the system message, forming the goblin. Its green, murderous eyes lock onto mine.
-Kieeeek!!!
True to its lowliest monster nature, it charges without a word, dagger raised.
"Here we go!"
I draw my sword from my waist in response.
Goblins—the monster I've killed more than any other in ten years.
Fighting them is etched into my body, beyond mere memory.
Kang!
But the gap in physical stats can't be bridged, so I'm always on the defensive.
"Ugh! You little green runt!"
Average goblin stats hover F- (40~50).
Near 40 is manageable, but this one's attack feels closer to 50—a strong one.
"Nngh, you think I'll give up?!"
Experience covers stat gaps.
Plus, stronger goblins drop bigger mana stones—more cash—so no quitting.
I've faced this risk hundreds of times.
-Kieeek!!
Maybe annoyed that a weaker human keeps blocking? The goblin roars, eyes rolling back.
Low intellect, easily enraged—racial trait. Rage Burst skill activated.
Red aura coats its body, stats rising. I back off immediately, out of its range.
"Whew, thought my arm would snap."
If it uses Rage Burst, half the goblin strategy's done.
"Now for this."
I pull a blood-soaked chicken chunk wrapped in plastic from my bag and toss it at the raging goblin.
-Kyaaak!!!
It goes berserk, slashing the fallen meat with its dagger.
"Phew, luck's on my side today."
Now, just wait out Rage Burst.
It's a Common-F skill with a clear penalty: after 10 minutes, 1 minute of debuff: lethargy.
Ten minutes fly by. The chicken's unrecognizable mush.
-Kiruk...
Skill ends; the green body collapses.
"Heh..."
Sensing its end? It lets out a pleased chuckle? No—fear as I approach, flailing in panic.
"Just cough up the mana stone and die!"
My sword claims its neck; it vanishes.
What it left: a purple coin and a small mana stone.
"Oho~! Strong one, huh? High purity, good size."
Jackpot on the first hunt. Now, gather herbs till the next respawn.
"Every penny counts~~"
Not much from herbs, but it's nice side cash for me.
I pull out my gathering tools and move.
Back then, hyped from a good hunt, I had no clue I was walking into the tiger's maw.
"Hm~ hm~ hm~"
Lucky day. I hum, hugging the box overflowing with herbs—nearly double my usual haul.
"Jajangmyeon for dinner tonight."
With my insane hospital bills, it's near impossible unless the sky falls—but today was golden.
"Yeah~ Birthday treat, why not."
Still humming, I pack the tools, head back for goblin respawn.
Convinced it was a lucky day, clinging to joy to forget harsh reality.
That was my mindset.
But heaven wouldn't grant me even this tiny fortune.
Rustle! Rustle!
Sudden bush shakes, presence detected.
Sword out on reflex, I scan warily.
Tutorial or not, this is Abyss—monsters and death everywhere!
No rookie mistakes like complacency.
'Please, nothing...'
Poised to bolt, I glare at the forest.
Rustle! Rustle! Rustle!
Something charging. Seconds later, a blood-soaked figure tumbles from the brush like a ragdoll.
Thud!
It rolls, crashes headfirst into a tree root.
"Gah! Cough! Cuugh! Sh... Shin... Ju... ha."
"Hey! Park Joo-cheol! What the hell?!"
The figure? Park Joo-cheol—left arm severed, covered in blood.
"Ru... n..."
Gasping like death's door, struggling to speak.
"What? What're you saying? What happened...?"
"...Run!!!"
His final desperate shout, then his body goes limp.
"Huh?"
Panicking, I check him—no breath.
Shaking, slapping—no response.
Obvious death.
I've seen plenty, but my closest friend dying right here...
"Urk!"
Stomach churns, head spins.
"R... Run?"
Lucky day? Good day? Happy birthday?
Erased. Only fear of death remains.
Heaven denied me even a scrap of luck today.
"R... Right, gotta... run!"
As I force my shaky legs...
Rustle!
Too late. A figure emerges from the bushes.
Twice a normal goblin's size, eyes red with bloodlust and madness.
An F+ Field Boss Hob Goblin.
"Wh... Why's a field boss in the tutorial...?"
Death. Death incarnate before me.
Shiver!
Body trembling beyond control.
Time crawls; senses sharpen with death's scent.
-Kiaaaak!!!
Furious at its broken toy, but spotting a new one, eyes gleam as it charges.
"Haaack!!"
No time to hesitate.
Before reason drowns in terror, I scramble up and flee opposite the Hob Goblin.
-Krakaak!
Too slow?
Shwoosh!
Its massive axe flies at me.
Splash!
The axe severs my left arm.
.........!!!!!
Pain crumples my running body.
Silent scream—my arm rolls like trash.
-Kyakyakya!!
Thrilled at prey falling, showing off strength?
Shwoosh! Crunch!
Another axe smashes my body.
Ah... Dying like this?
Miserable life. World too cruel, no happiness for me.
Crunch!
Left arm, right leg, left eye, half my gut—gone like toys under its axe.
Death looms. Truly the end.
'Ah... Don't wanna... die.'
Daily hopeless grind; once thought death might be easier. But now, facing it, survival instinct explodes.
Drag remnants like the goblin I killed, thrashing.
Crawl desperately away. Crawl and crawl.
-Kickickik!
Not hunting—playing, amusing itself.
I stop under a massive tree.
-Keeek!
It ends the fun.
Axe plummets toward my head.
But my hand touches the tree first.
A black vortex swallows me instantly.
Crunch!
My dying body vanishes; the axe cleaves empty ground.
-Kieeek!!!
Thus, rage-filled roars echoed through Tutorial-11 Zone's goblin forest from the boss that lost its toy and meal.
Nothing feels real.
Vision half-dark, nose full of metallic blood, ears ringing nonstop.
In fading sight, a cavern of countless items and golden lifeforms.
Unconsciously, I reach with my last strength toward the message.
-Kieek?
-Keeek!?
-Krak!
Click!
Something grasped, pressed. That was it.
Time allotted to me ends; my body slumps, life extinguished.
Beep!
But my final struggle births a miracle.
Beep beep beep!!
-Kieek!
-Keeek!
Golden Goblins freak out, fleeing far. Too late.
The bomb in my hand—their terror's source—detonates.
KABOOM!!!
The cavern annihilated utterly.
Golden Goblins there. My corpse. Bloodstains. All gone.
Snapped time resumes. Stopped clock rewinds.
My life restarts.
Flash!
"Gasp!"
Thus, I regressed to ten years ago—my first day awakened.