Rina staggered back, eyes widening as a short, green goblin shuffled out of the darkness. A jagged knife gleamed in its filthy hand; he was wearing a rag of torn clothes.
"Meat… eat…" it growled, snarling words half-garbled in some unrecognizable language.
"D-Don't… don't come any closer!" Rina waved her hands, hoping to make him back off, then spun around and bolted down the rocky passage.
"Graaaarh!" The goblin shrieked seeing her back, bounding after her with uneven leaps, waving his knife randomly in the air.
"Huff… huff…" Rina's breath grew ragged as her footsteps echoed down the endless stony tunnel. Cold sweat drenched her back, soaking her clothes.
"Tap… tap…" The goblin's footsteps grew louder, the sound getting Closer.
"Oh no, no no--ahhh!" she whimpered, squeezing her eyes shut as she pushed her legs harder than ever, her muscles straining.
"Graaa! Hijhon!"
Pain flared across her arm as the goblin's knife slashed through her sleeve. Blood seeped from the cut.
"Aghh!" Rina groaned, clutching her arm. Her teeth clenched as tears welled in her eyes. "Y-You little bastard!"
The goblin only grinned, jagged teeth glistening with saliva, his eyes mocking her. Step by step, it cornered her against the stone wall.
Behind her was only the hay-filled chamber she'd landed in, and the other way she was running, the goblin was walking toward her.
Rina's vision blurred with rage. Her teeth ground together, her eyes bloodshot from pain. "You think I'll just die here without fighting back? I'll break your damn pointy nose first!"
The goblin cackled—"Bahahaha!"
Her face burned red with fury. "Do you think I'm joking?!" she roared, driving her fist straight into its face.
Crunch!Bang!
The goblin's skull caved under her punch. Its body collapsed lifelessly to the ground.
Rina blinked at her blood-smeared hand, chest heaving. Her first kill in her life, her hand starts trembling.
[Congratulations! First Kill: Level Up!]
A glowing screen appeared before her eyes, but she could barely focus. Her stomach churned, and she groaned as the pain in her arm throbbed again.
"Tch… I'm covered in blood. System, where the hell did you throw me?!" she snapped, snatching up the goblin's rusty knife for protection.
A mechanical voice answered her:
[Host, this location is part of your starter gift. Here, you can gain levels by killing enemies.]
Rina's jaw dropped."Gift?! I nearly died! What kind of sick gift is that?!"
[Correction: The goblin is the weakest creature available. Even a dog could kill one. Frankly, I didn't know you were weaker than a dog.]
Her eye twitched."…What did you just say?!"
[Exp +14/50 → Next Level]
"Ha… ha… is this some kind of game? Tch." Rina rolled her eyes sarcastically, not in the mood to argue, as her pain was growing.
With her injured arm gripping the rusty knife and her other hand pressing down on the wound, she staggered deeper into the cave. Blood soaked through the torn sleeve of her pink sweater.
Minutes dragged by. After what felt like forever, a sudden flash of light pierced her vision.
"Ah—!" She raised a hand to shield her eyes, a relieved smile on her lips."Finally… out… huff… I'm so tired…"
But the relief didn't last.
Swoooosh—
A blast of icy wind swept through, chilling her to the bone. Her teeth chattered as she clutched the rocky wall for balance.
Cautiously, she peeked outside. Her eyes widened.
Everything was white. Snow and ice blanketed the world below, stretching endlessly under the pale sky. She was standing on the edge of a mountain, with only a narrow carved path leading down its side.
"What… is that…?"
Her gaze locked onto movement in the distance---tiny dark figures trudging up the path. As they drew closer, her blood ran cold.
Goblins. Dozens of them. More than fifty.
Some carried crude weapons. Others hauled a massive wooden cage, inside of which huddled frightened humans.
Her breath caught. The captives wore strange clothing, flowing white robes like ancient cultivators from a novel, while others clanked in armor like medieval soldiers.
And then a sudden screen pops up, breaking her focus.
[Time Remaining: 5… 4… 3… 2… 1… Initiating Transfer.]
"Wait--what's happening there---?!"
Before Rina could finish, her vision blurred. The icy mountain and the goblins, the cage---it all vanished.
She gasped and bolted upright. She was back on the plush pink bed.
Her panicked gaze darted to her arm. No wound. No blood. Her skin was flawless again.
But when she tugged at her sleeve, her stomach sank.The fabric was still torn. Proof that it wasn't just a dream.
"I… I never want to go back there again…" she whispered, clutching the blanket, getting pictures of that goblin's scary eyes.
The system's voice echoed in her head:
[Host, if you don't wish to level up in the dungeon, there is another way.You may also gain strength through popularity, as an idol or actress.]
"Heh, whatever, I don't want to go there.....huh, idol me." She put her hand on her chest, hazel eyes looking confused.
[host! It's the best choice to become an idol, and your body has the talent to become an idol. Your voice is beautiful and captivating.]
"Wait, wait, wait." Rina narrows her eyes. "Are you trying to cheese me up to say yes?"
She got no reply again, getting ignored, instead of an answer, a glowing screen unfolded before her eyes:
=======
Age: 19
Strength: 7/10
Speed: 6/10
Stamina: 8/10
Charisma: 9/10
Exp: 35/50
Level: 1
========
[One more gift has been unlocked from your First Kill. Do you wish to open it?]
A sealed letter materialized in front of her, a glowing lock marking the wax seal.
A wry smile tugged on her lips; she looked suspiciously at the letter, her body fully alert.
"Are you sending me to that world again? I swear if you do that, I won't do anything even if you offer a gift, money, or other things."
[worry-free host, I cant send you without your will now, the first time I had to make you experience that world, that's why I send you.]
Rina's breath calmed down slightly. With trembling will, she commanded it to open.
[Congratulations. You have obtained the memories of the body you now reside in.]
Her vision blurred as a flood of memories crashed into her mind.
—A towering man in military uniform, his gaze stern, his words sharp. Her father is a decorated army general.
He was strict with her siblings because they are tough, but toward her--the youngest-- his rules were gentler because of her soft personality.
—A graceful woman at business meetings and galas, her mother. A self-made millionaire with deep connections across industries, powerful and untouchable.
—Her brother, sweat-soaked and bruised, training endlessly under their father's commands. Already a squad captain, his life revolved around harder and harder missions.
—And her sister… a mystery. She had more than enough money to spoil Rina with anything she wanted, yet she was gone most days.
To the family, she was "unemployed." To Rina's mother, she was allowed her secrets. Nobody knew what she really did.