Minoru's conscious mind, though frantic, finally yielded to the reality of his depleted state. With 0 Magius and severe exhaustion, his corporate logic overruled the goblin panic: he needed rest to survive. He slumped against the cool, crystalline rock, pulling his arms tight against his chest, trying to conserve every last scrap of body heat. The faint blue glow of the surrounding crystals was the last thing he saw before his mind, unable to process any further trauma, simply shut down. He fell into a deep, dreamless sleep, completely at the mercy of the immense, silent cavern.
But even in sleep, Minoru's body was a battlefield. The survival instinct that had granted him Magius Skin and Gills remained an active, screaming background process. His physiology, adapted once already in death and multiple times in crisis, was now screaming at the system about the crippling Magius shortage. The ambient Magoi in the vast cavern, drawn by the unique nexus of crystalline energy and the deep pool, was rich, but Minoru's body lacked the mechanism to harness it effectively.
The Appraisal System, dormant but always monitoring, registered the profound disparity: a Unique Skill user (Goblina) existing in a high-Magoi environment with a critical Magius level of zero. The accumulated subconscious wishes for energy, coupled with the immediate, existential threat of an exhausted, wounded body, finally met the hidden criteria for a passive, systemic adaptation.
A slow, painful warmth began to radiate from Minoru's abdomen, replacing the agonizing cold. This was not the searing heat of Magius Skin, but a deep, penetrating warmth that felt like an internal fever. The energy was not being produced; it was being drawn in.
[Adaptation criteria met. Existential threat due to Magius depletion in high-Magoi saturation environment.]
[Adaptation: Magoi Siphon (Basic) granted. Allows for the passive, slow absorption of ambient Magoi from the environment (Air, Water, Organic Matter).]
The painful process of integration lasted several hours, though Minoru slept through the worst of it. The faint, rhythmic pulse of Magoi he had sensed earlier, coming from the depths of the pool, was now being subtly channeled into his dormant Magius reservoir. The Magoi Siphon acted like a tiny, specialized filter, painstakingly pulling the energy through his skin and Gills adaptation sites.
When Minoru finally awoke, it was not with a jolt of fear, but with a dull, persistent ache and a startling sensation of subtle fullness. The crushing, overwhelming exhaustion was gone, replaced by simple fatigue. He immediately focused his thoughts inward, casting Appraisal on himself.
The white text flashed before his eyes, confirming his hopes.
Name: Goblino(Unnamed Goblin Male)
Race: Goblin (Lesser Variant)
Affiliation: None
Magius: 18 / 100 (Extremely Low)
Skills:
• Appraisal (Unique Skill)
• Adaptation: Enhanced Night Vision (Novice)
• Adaptation: Enhanced Senses (Novice)
• Adaptation: Magius Suppression (Basic)
• Adaptation: Magius Skin (Basic)
• Adaptation: Gills (Rudimentary)
• Adaptation: Instinctual Self-Preservation (Basic)
• NEW! Adaptation: Magoi Siphon (Basic): Allows for the slow, passive absorption of ambient Magoi from high-saturation environments. Current rate: Approximately 3 Magius/hour.
Minoru stared at the number 18. Eighteen Magius. Enough to reactivate his core skills and, more importantly, enough to live. The Magoi Siphon, gained not through conscious wishing but through sheer, unconscious desperation, was the answer to his power crisis. He was recharging.
He was no longer a helpless ragdoll.
His first priority, however, was still survival. The rock shelf was exposed, the water was treacherous, and while the cavern seemed empty now, he knew the depths of a hidden source pool were a natural nesting ground for magic beasts. The thought of being ambushed while resting was unacceptable.
He activated his Enhanced Senses, focusing on the sounds and smells carried by the subterranean air currents. He heard nothing but the gentle drip, drip, drip of water and the faint, low hum of the massive crystalline structures. The rhythmic Magoi pulse from the deep pool was still there, but it was just a pulse, not a predator.
With 18 Magius and a functioning Siphon, he made his decision: Seek Immediate Shelter (Option 1).
He needed to find a dry, defensible space where he could continue to recover and allow the Siphon to refill his Magius to a sustainable level. He deactivated the Magoi Siphon temporarily—he couldn't afford to walk around leaking energy, even if it was passively absorbed—and spent 1 Magius to reactivate his Enhanced Night Vision and Enhanced Senses for optimal scouting.
Magius: 17 / 100
He began to crawl cautiously along the perimeter of the rock shelf, moving toward the vast wall of the cavern. The pain in his side and arm was manageable now, sealed but stiff. The sealed wounds restricted his movement, making him lean heavily to his right.
The crystals on the wall intensified as he moved deeper into the cavern, and Minoru realized the place was even larger than he first thought. The ceiling was lost in the gloom, and the air was heavy with the mineral scent of rock and ozone.
He passed several patches of purple-glowing moss that he recognized from the forest above, likely drawing their strange energy from the powerful Magoi flux in the cave.
He found what he was looking for about thirty meters along the wall: a fissure in the crystalline rock, too small for anything larger than a goblin to squeeze through, leading into absolute darkness.
He used his Enhanced Senses to confirm it: the air quality inside the fissure was dry, and the space smelled only of rock and undisturbed dirt, with no trace of animal musk or decay. It was perfect.
He squeezed through the narrow gap, the rough rock scraping against his sealed side, reminding him sharply of his injuries. The interior was a small, dry pocket, perhaps three meters wide, with a ceiling low enough that he could touch it with his hand. He was completely hidden from view.
Minoru collapsed onto the dry stone floor. He was safe. He was sheltered. Now, he could truly begin his recovery. He activated the Magoi Siphon again, focusing on the slow, steady hum of energy beginning to flow back into his body.
He leaned back against the wall, took a deep, shuddering breath, and for the first time since his reincarnation, allowed himself a moment of genuine, quiet relief. He closed his eyes, resting his hand on the painful, sealed wound on his flank. He was alive, armed with knowledge, and gaining power.
The path of the goblin was proving to be brutal, but Minoru Sato was slowly adapting to his new life.