Nemesis. Start on the End.

Revsha's feet crunched against the underbrush as he continued his trek through the dense forest, his mind racing with new discoveries. The recent hunting had brought him closer to the village, but there was still one mystery that pulled at him. The goblins he had seen dragging wolves into the caves hadn't escaped his attention. He had to investigate.

The sky above was a dull gray, and the forest was eerily quiet as he approached the entrance to a dark cavern. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and the faint hint of something else—something far less pleasant. The goblins were cunning creatures, and whatever they were doing in these caves, Revsha suspected it was no mere hunting trip.

He crouched low as he neared the cave entrance, the faint crackle of torchlight flickering from within. He could make out shadows moving between the rocks, their crude voices echoing off the stone walls. He felt a rush of adrenaline. Goblins weren't as simple as the wild beasts he had fought so far—they were organized, intelligent, and far more dangerous.

Revsha took a deep breath, tightened his grip on the makeshift spear he had crafted from a wolf's fang, and entered the cave.

The dim torchlight revealed the first of the goblins—two of them, standing guard, holding crude swords and torches. They were short, hunched, their skin an ugly shade of green. One of them seemed to sniff the air, eyes narrowing as Revsha crept closer. He paused, waiting for a chance.

**Elemental burst,** he thought, channeling his fire magic into his spear. The heat of the flames licked up the shaft, causing the tip to glow red.

In one swift motion, Revsha lunged, piercing the nearest goblin's chest with a precise thrust. The goblin shrieked, stumbling back. Its companion turned too late, as a **bolt of ice** flew from Revsha's hand, freezing the second goblin in place.

The ice broke with a sharp crack as Revsha advanced, kicking the frozen goblin aside. He stood over the fallen bodies for a moment, breath heavy. Goblins weren't easy, but they were predictable. Now, he had to move deeper into the caves, where more danger awaited.

The passage split into a series of narrow tunnels, and as Revsha proceeded, he could hear the distant chants of magic and the sharp, rhythmic clangs of metal. His instincts kicked in, pushing him forward with both caution and anticipation. He moved silently, the sound of his footfalls barely audible on the stone floor.

Further inside, Revsha found the next challenge: a goblin mage. The creature stood at the end of a narrow corridor, chanting something under its breath, its gnarled fingers glowing with arcane energy. The mage didn't notice him at first. Revsha wasted no time. He gripped his spear tightly and threw a **shocking grasp** at the goblin, sending a surge of electric energy into the mage's back.

The goblin spun around in shock, raising a staff just in time to deflect most of the energy. But Revsha was already moving, darting toward the goblin with his spear. The goblin raised its staff, but Revsha dodged, swinging low and striking with precision. The goblin's body jerked with the force of the blow, crumpling to the ground.

Revsha didn't stop to check its pulse. The mage's wand dropped to the floor, glowing faintly. He reached down, his fingers wrapping around the wooden staff. This might come in handy later. He slipped it into his belt as he continued deeper into the labyrinth.

He was getting closer. He could feel it.

The next chamber was a wider area, with several goblins clustered together. There were archers with crude bows, a couple of thieves lurking in the shadows, and a few fighters with shields ready to protect their comrades. Revsha could see the threat of multiple goblins coming at him from all angles, and he knew he had to be strategic.

**Vine Trap,** he muttered, channeling his earth magic. Vines erupted from the floor, wrapping around the legs of the nearest fighters, immobilizing them for a moment. With a swift strike of his spear, he dispatched one of the fighters, then turned to deal with the archers.

His heart raced as an arrow whizzed by his ear. **Focus,** he told himself, **this is nothing new.**

The goblins' archers were skilled, but they lacked the precision of humans. Revsha darted forward, using his **Ice Knife** to throw a quick distraction as he closed the distance. His spear sliced through the air, cutting down another goblin fighter. His attack was relentless, forcing the archers to retreat behind their shields.

But just as the battle seemed to slow, something caught his eye—movement from the shadows. A goblin thief, sleek and quick, emerged, rushing at Revsha with a dagger aimed directly for his throat.

With a sudden surge of power, Revsha activated **Elemental Burst**, channeling a raw wave of energy into his spear. As he swung, the thief was knocked back, stunned by the burst of elemental magic. Revsha finished the job with a quick strike, sending the thief sprawling to the ground.

The goblins were slowing down, but they were far from defeated. Revsha, now bleeding from a shallow cut on his side, pressed on. The further he ventured into the cave, the more he realized the extent of the goblins' operation. This was no mere hunting ground—it was a full-fledged outpost, with supplies, weapons, and even crude living quarters.

Finally, after a brutal series of battles, Revsha reached a small cavern tucked away deep inside the labyrinth. It was dimly lit by torches, but his eyes immediately caught something glinting in the corner—a **chest**.

He approached cautiously, scanning the area for any hidden traps. When he was certain it was safe, he knelt and opened the chest.

Inside, he found a set of **copper coins**, a handful of **arrows**, a **wooden shield**, and a variety of odds and ends—a few basic tools, some simple house-building materials, and a set of tattered maps. These could prove useful, but the shield and arrows were the real find. He had no bow yet, but the arrows were a welcome addition to his growing collection of weapons.

Revsha stood there for a moment, his mind racing. He had found what he was looking for: weapons, supplies, and enough experience to push forward. This was just the beginning. There were more goblins to face, more treasures to uncover. But for now, he had survived the nest. And that was a victory in itself.

With the chest in hand, he began making his way back through the caves. The hunt wasn't over yet.The chest had been a mistake. Revsha realized that too late. The moment he opened it, the faint mechanical click should have warned him, but his greed for loot drowned out his instincts. He'd spent years playing this game in its polished version, forgetting the raw, brutal early experience that had no safety nets. Now, the screeching alarm echoed through the cavern, followed by the guttural cries of goblins.

They came at him from every direction, their torches casting chaotic shadows on the walls. Revsha gripped the small wooden shield and his knife, his breath quickening. His mind screamed for him to act, but his body hesitated. This wasn't just a game anymore—it felt real, every movement weighted, every mistake punished.

The first goblin lunged, its rusted sword aimed at his chest. Revsha sidestepped, swinging the knife in a wide arc. The blade bit into the creature's side, but the goblin barely flinched, baring its jagged teeth as it swung again. He blocked with the shield, the impact reverberating down his arm.

Another goblin came from the side, swinging a torch. Revsha ducked, feeling the heat sear his skin as the flame passed overhead. He kicked out, sending the goblin stumbling, but the crowd around him thickened.

His breathing was ragged, his movements sluggish. The fight devolved into chaos. He landed a stab here, a slash there, but the goblins' sheer numbers overwhelmed him. A dagger grazed his side, warm blood soaking his shirt. Another club struck his shoulder, numbing his arm.

"I need to get out," he muttered through gritted teeth, dodging another blow.

He spotted an opening and ran, sprinting down a narrow tunnel with the goblins in pursuit. His body screamed in protest, his wounds slowing him down.

The sound of rushing water grew louder. The tunnel ended abruptly at a sheer drop, the underground river roaring below. He skidded to a halt, turning to see the goblins closing in.

"Not like this," he growled.

One goblin, an archer, nocked an arrow, aiming for his heart. In a desperate move, Revsha lunged forward, grabbing the archer and shoving it toward the edge. The goblin yelped, clawing at him as they both toppled into the icy water below.

---

The freezing water hit him like a wall of knives, stealing the air from his lungs. He thrashed, the current dragging him under as the goblin beside him clawed wildly before being swept away. Revsha fought to surface, gasping for air as the river carried him deeper into the mine.

He managed to grab onto a jagged rock, hauling himself onto a narrow ledge. His entire body trembled, the cold sapping his strength. The bow he'd wrestled from the goblin was still clutched in his frozen hands, his only small victory in the chaos.

For hours, he lay there, his body unwilling to move. Every inch of him ached—his shoulder throbbed where the club had struck, his side burned from the dagger wound, and his skin was numb from the cold.

"This... this is hell," he muttered, staring at the cavern ceiling.

---

When he finally mustered the strength to stand, his legs wobbled beneath him. The tunnel stretched into darkness, faint clicking sounds echoing from deeper within. He limped forward, the bow slung over his shoulder, his knife gripped tightly in his hand.

The clicking grew louder, and Revsha froze. From the shadows emerged a spider the size of a wolf, its many eyes gleaming in the dim light.

Revsha raised the bow, his hands shaking too much to nock an arrow. He tried to channel his elemental abilities, but his mind was too drained from exhaustion and the icy plunge.

The spider crept closer, its fangs glinting.

"Nope," he whispered, stumbling backward. The spider paused, as if sensing his weakness, then skittered back into the shadows.

"Great. Now even spiders think I'm not worth the effort," he muttered bitterly.

---

Hours later, he stumbled into a massive chamber. His heart sank as he spotted the hulking form of the **Goblin Boss**. The creature towered over him, its crude armor rattling as it moved. It carried a massive club, its beady eyes locking onto Revsha.

"Of course," Revsha groaned.

The boss roared, charging forward. Revsha tried to ready himself, but his movements were sluggish. He dodged the first swing, the club smashing into the ground and sending up a cloud of dust.

He jabbed with his knife, aiming for the creature's exposed side, but the boss swatted him away like a fly. Revsha hit the ground hard, his head spinning.

The fight was a desperate game of cat and mouse. Revsha dodged, rolled, and scrambled, using every ounce of his dwindling strength to stay alive. But the boss's relentless attacks left him no openings to counter.

Then, in its rage, the goblin boss overextended. It swung its club too hard, the momentum throwing it off balance. Its foot caught on a loose rock, and it stumbled forward, impaling itself on a jagged stalagmite.

The boss let out a final gurgled roar before collapsing.

Revsha lay on the ground, staring at the lifeless body in disbelief. His entire body ached, his wounds bleeding freely.

"That wasn't skill," he muttered, his voice hoarse. "That was pure dumb luck."

He limped out of the mine, clutching the bow and a small pouch of loot scavenged from the boss. As he stepped into the cool night air, he collapsed onto the ground, staring up at the stars.

"I need to be better," he whispered. "Next time, luck won't save me."