The world dissolved into a nauseating wave of putrid air and clammy, rough textures. Xander Graves, once a titan of finance, a man who commanded empires with a flick of his wrist, found himself staring at gnarled, green fingers. Not his fingers. Goblin fingers.
He lurched, a guttural groan escaping his throat, a sound far removed from the sharp, precise tones he was accustomed to. The cave, a damp, fetid cavern, pressed in on him, the air thick with the stench of decay and something acrid, something undeniably goblin. His body, small and wiry, felt alien, a grotesque parody of the powerful physique he had honed through years of rigorous training.
"What… what is this?" he croaked, his voice a raspy whisper. He tried to move, to stand, but his limbs felt weak, clumsy. He looked down at his reflection in a puddle of murky water, and a wave of revulsion washed over him. A small, green face stared back, eyes wide and yellow, a caricature of humanity.
This is impossible, he thought, his mind reeling. I was… I was assassinated. They… they betrayed me. The memories flooded back: the opulent boardroom, the smiling faces of his closest associates, the sudden, sharp pain in his chest, the darkness.
And then, this. This grotesque mockery of existence.
A flicker of light caught his attention. A translucent screen shimmered before his eyes, its edges glowing with an ethereal blue light.
[System Initialization…]
[Host Identified: Goblin Unit Designation: X-742]
[Welcome to the Evolutionary Ascent System.]
Xander stared at the screen, his mind struggling to process the information. A system? Like in those fantasy novels he occasionally skimmed through, just to understand the entertainment trends his companies were dealing with? He scoffed internally. This has to be some kind of hallucination. A side effect of whatever they injected me with.
He tried to dismiss the screen, to wave it away, but it remained, stubbornly persistent.
[Basic Stats:]
[Strength: 3] [Agility: 4] [Vitality: 5] [Intelligence: 12] [Wisdom: 8]
[Skills: Basic Scavenging, Crude Claw Attack]
[Evolution Points: 0]
Xander's mind, honed by years of analyzing complex financial data, immediately began to dissect the information. Intelligence 12? That's… significantly higher than the others here, I'd wager. He glanced around the cave, observing the other goblins. They were small, hunched creatures, their movements erratic and their eyes vacant. They seemed to exist in a perpetual state of fear and hunger.
This system… it's real. He realized, the cold, calculating part of his mind taking over. And if it's real, it can be exploited.
He focused on the screen, trying to understand its functions. Evolution Points… that must be the key. He tried to access the system's menu, and a new window appeared, listing various options: Skills, Inventory, Evolution, Status.
He selected "Skills." A list appeared, detailing the limited abilities he possessed. Crude Claw Attack… Basic Scavenging… useless. He needed more. He needed to understand how to gain Evolution Points, how to become more than this pathetic creature.
A sudden commotion interrupted his thoughts. A group of goblins, larger and more aggressive than the others, were dragging a small, whimpering goblin towards a dark corner of the cave. The air crackled with tension, and Xander could feel the raw, primal fear emanating from the victim.
This is a power struggle, he realized. These creatures, even in their primitive state, are establishing a hierarchy.
He watched as the larger goblins began to bully the smaller one, their crude claws tearing at its thin skin. The victim's whimpers turned into terrified squeals.
Xander's instincts, honed by years of cutthroat business dealings, kicked in. He couldn't afford to be weak. He couldn't afford to be seen as easy prey.
He stood up, his small frame trembling with a mix of fear and determination. He walked towards the group, his eyes fixed on the leader, a particularly large and brutish goblin with a scar across its face.
"Stop," he said, his voice surprisingly firm. The goblins turned to him, their yellow eyes widening in surprise.
The scarred goblin snarled, its lips pulling back to reveal sharp, yellow teeth. "What you want, runt?"
"Leave it alone," Xander said, his voice unwavering. "There's no need for this."
The scarred goblin let out a guttural laugh. "Runt think he strong?"
It lunged at Xander, its claws outstretched. Xander, despite his weak body, moved with a surprising agility, dodging the attack and using the momentum to shove the goblin off balance. The goblin stumbled, its eyes filled with rage.
Xander knew he couldn't win in a straight fight. He was too weak, too inexperienced. But he could use his intelligence, his ability to analyze and strategize.
He looked around the cave, his eyes scanning for anything he could use as a weapon. He spotted a sharp, jagged rock near the wall. He lunged for it, grabbing it just as the scarred goblin charged again.
He turned, the rock held tightly in his hand, and swung it with all his might. The rock connected with the goblin's head, a sickening crunch echoing through the cave. The goblin staggered, its eyes rolling back in its head, and collapsed to the ground.
The other goblins stared in stunned silence. They had never seen anyone stand up to the scarred goblin, let alone defeat it.
Xander stood over the fallen goblin, his chest heaving, his eyes filled with a cold, ruthless determination. He had made his first move. He had established his dominance.
[Skill Acquired: Basic Combat Instincts]
[Evolution Points Gained: 5]
The system screen flickered, displaying the new information. Evolution Points… gained through combat. Interesting.
Xander looked at the other goblins, his eyes narrowing. "From now on," he said, his voice echoing through the cave, "you follow my orders."
The goblins, their fear overridden by a primal respect for strength, nodded their heads in agreement.
Xander had taken his first step on the path to conquest. He was no longer Xander Graves, the billionaire. He was X-742, the goblin. And he would rise.