The forest blurred into streaks of green and brown as Minoru moved. Hunter's Stride was not just a speed boost; it was a fundamental rewriting of physics relative to his body. He didn't push off the ground so much as he glided over it, his powerful legs eating up distance with terrifying efficiency. The wind rushed past his ears, but his new Hunter's Sense dissected the chaos, isolating specific frequencies: the rustle of a squirrel three trees over, the scuttle of a beetle under the bark, and the frantic, rhythmic pounding of hearts.
Human hearts.
Minoru skidded to a halt, his obsidian claws digging deep furrows into the loam to arrest his momentum. He wasn't winded. He wasn't even sweating. His new body was a machine designed for this.
"Analysis," he muttered, crouching low.
"Multiple heat signatures detected," True Appraisal's voice echoed smoothly in his mind. "Two hundred meters North-East. Conflict in progress. Metallic resonance suggests armed combatants."
Minoru crept forward, engaging Void Cloak. A shimmer of distorted light wrapped around his green skin, and he vanished from the visual spectrum, becoming nothing more than a heat-haze in the forest air. It drained his Magius rapidly, but with a pool of 650, he could afford the luxury.
He climbed a massive oak tree with the ease of a spider, perching on a thick limb to observe the clearing below.
It was a massacre in slow motion.
A group of four humans—adventurers, by the look of their mismatched leather and chainmail were formed in a desperate, collapsing defensive circle. Surrounding them were six creatures that looked startlingly similar to Minoru, though smaller and far uglier.
"Hobgoblins," True Appraisal confirmed. "Standard variety. Average Magius: 120. Intelligence: Low. Aggression: High."
Minoru frowned. These were Hobgoblins? They were about five feet tall, thick-muscled, and grey-skinned, wielding crude iron clubs and jagged swords. They looked powerful compared to the Lesser Goblins he had been yesterday, but looking at them now, Minoru felt... unimpressed.
He shifted his gaze to the humans. There was a large man with a shield, a rouge-like dagger user, a young man with a bow, and a woman in the center wearing white and blue robes, clutching a staff.
"Appraisal," Minoru commanded, sweeping his gaze over the entire group.
Targets: Human Adventuring Party (Rank D)
• Warrior: Magius 85. Status: Exhausted.
• Rogue: Magius 60. Status: Injured (Leg).
• Archer: Magius 70. Status: Panic.
• Cleric: Magius 110. Status: Magoi Depletion.
Targets: Feral Hobgoblin Pack
• Leader: Magius 145.
• Grunts (x5): Magius 100 - 120.
Comparative Analysis: All targets classified as WEAK. Threat level to user: Negligible.
"Weak?" Minoru repeated internally, stunned. "You're classifying an entire squad of adventurers and a pack of monsters as negligible? Yesterday a single wolf nearly turned me into lunch."
"Yesterday you were a glorified snack," True Appraisal retorted. "Today you are a Predator Class entity. Your Magius capacity is 650. The strongest fighter down there is the Hobgoblin Leader at 145. You could physically dismantle them without using skills. They are ants, Minoru."
Minoru watched as the Hobgoblin Leader smashed its club against the human warrior's shield. The human buckled, his knees hitting the dirt. The rogue tried to lunge, but another hobgoblin backhanded him, sending him sprawling.
"I shouldn't get involved," Minoru reasoned, the corporate survivalist in him taking over. "I'm a monster now. If I save the humans, they'll just try to kill me the moment the goblins are dead. It's a lose-lose scenario. I should just steal their supplies after they lose."
He prepared to turn away, to leave them to the cruel fate of the forest. It was the logical, goblin thing to do.
Then the cleric screamed.
One of the grunts had broken the line, grabbing the woman by her white robes and dragging her backward. She flailed, her staff falling from her hands, her hood slipping back to reveal her face.
Minoru froze. The breath caught in his throat.
She had short, black hair. She had wide, terrified brown eyes. The shape of her face, the way she held her hands up in defense... it was her.
It wasn't her, of course. Logic told him that. Ms. Kawamura was alive in Tokyo, probably filing reports or going on dates with men who didn't work in beige cubicles. She hadn't died. But the resemblance was uncanny. It was like seeing a ghost of his humanity screaming for help in the dirt.
"Dammit," Minoru hissed.
"Emotional spike detected," True Appraisal warned. "Illogical attachment to prey species noted. Advising caution. You are a goblin. They will not see a savior. They will see a bigger threat."
"I know!" Minoru snapped mentally. "I know they'll hate me. But I can't just watch her die. Not again."
He stood up on the branch. He dropped the Void Cloak. There was no need for stealth anymore. He wanted them to know he was there.
He activated Magius Armament.
The dark, metallic energy swirled around his arms and legs, forming gauntlets and greaves of crackling power.
He made an explosive leaped.
Hitting the center of the clearing like a meteor. The impact was heavy enough to shake the ground, sending a cloud of dust and leaves billowing outward. The combatants froze, turning to look at the new arrival.
Minoru stood up from his crouch, towering over the humans and the hobgoblins alike. His emerald skin gleamed in the sun, his Magius armor pulsed with a terrifying hum, and his eyes burned with a predator's focus.
The Hobgoblin Leader, confused by this new challenger, roared—a guttural, wet sound meant to intimidate. It raised its iron club and charged.
"Slow," Minoru thought. It looked like the creature was moving through molasses.
Minoru didn't dodge. He stepped inside the swing, his movement a blur of Hunter's Stride, and drove his Magius-armored fist into the creature's chest.
BOOM.
There was no crunch of bone. There was simply a wet explosion. The Hobgoblin Leader was launched backward with the force of a cannonball, slamming into a tree ten meters away with enough force to snap the trunk. It slid down, motionless. Dead instantly.
The clearing fell into a stunned, terrified silence. The five remaining hobgoblins looked at their leader, then at Minoru. The humans looked at the green giant who had just one-shot a monster they had been fighting for ten minutes.
One of the grunts shrieked and lunged at the Cleric again, perhaps thinking a hostage would save it.
Minoru was there before the creature's hand could close on her robe. He grabbed the hobgoblin by the head. His grip was iron. He squeezed, just a little. The creature shrieked, its legs kicking uselessly in the air. Minoru tossed it aside like a ragdoll, sending it crashing into two of its comrades.
"Leave," Minoru growled. He tried to speak the goblin tongue, but it came out as a deep, reverberating roar that shook the leaves on the trees.
The surviving hobgoblins didn't need a translator. They scrambled over each other in a panic, dropping their weapons and fleeing into the undergrowth, their morale shattered by the overwhelming difference in power.
Minoru stood alone in the center of the clearing, surrounded by the four trembling humans. He turned slowly to face them.
The Warrior raised his shield, his hand shaking uncontrollably. The Archer had an arrow nocked, but he looked like he was about to vomit from fear.
"Monster..." the Warrior whispered, his face pale. "A Variant... High Hobgoblin..."
Minoru ignored him. He turned his gaze to the Cleric. She was on the ground, staring up at him with wide, watery eyes. The resemblance to Ms. Kawamura was still painful, but up close, he could see the differences. Her eyes were a different shade, her jawline sharper. She wasn't her.
But she was safe.
"Don't eat us!" the Rogue yelped from the ground, clutching his dagger.
Minoru rolled his eyes. Eat you? You look like you haven't bathed in a week.
"True Appraisal," Minoru thought. "I need gear. That warrior. His pants and chest piece. Analyze."
"Target: Human Warrior," the voice replied. "Equipment: Reinforced Leather Greaves and Chain vest. Quality: C-Rank. Material: Treated Wyvern Leather and Steel. Durability: High. Cleanliness: Acceptable. Fit: Compatible with current physique."
Perfect.
Minoru knew he couldn't ask nicely. If he spoke, they might realize he was intelligent, which would make him a high-priority target for the Kingdom or Guild or whatever governed this world. Intelligent monsters were kill-on-sight. Savage beasts were just hazards.
He needed to be a savage beast.
He stomped forward, stopping inches from the Warrior. The man flinched, closing his eyes, expecting death.
Minoru reached out and tapped the man's chest armor with a clawed finger. Clink. Clink.
Then he pointed to the man's legs. Then he pointed to himself.
He grunted, a low, demanding sound, and made a "gimme" gesture with his hand.
The Warrior opened one eye. "What?"
Minoru sighed internally. Humans are so dense.
He pointed at the pants again, then mimed taking them off. He growled louder, flexing his Magius-armored arm to emphasize the threat.
"He... he wants your pants, Garen," the Rogue whispered, sounding bewildered.
"My pants?" the Warrior squeaked.
Minoru nodded aggressively. "Hmph!"
"And the armor," the Cleric added, her voice trembling but observant. "He wants your gear."
The Warrior looked at Minoru, then at the dead Hobgoblin leader embedded in the tree, then back at Minoru. He dropped his sword and shield immediately.
"Take it! Take it all! Just let us go!"
The man frantically unbuckled his armor and shimmied out of his leather greaves and trousers, leaving him standing in his tunic and undergarments, shivering in the breeze. He kicked the pile toward Minoru.
Minoru scooped up the bundle. He inspected the pants. Good stitching. Pockets. Finally, pockets.
He looked at the humans one last time. He wanted to say something cool, something heroic, but he knew he couldn't. He settled for a dismissive snort, turning his back on them with absolute confidence.
"Wait!" the Cleric called out.
Minoru paused, glancing over his shoulder.
"Thank you," she whispered, confusion warring with fear in her eyes.
Minoru felt a pang in his chest. He gave a single, curt nod, then activated Hunter's Stride. He vanished into the treeline, a green blur carrying a bundle of stolen laundry.
Minoru stopped by a small stream a mile away to dress. The leather pants were a bit tight around his new, muscular thighs, but the leather had give. The chain vest fit surprisingly well, though he had to rip the sleeves off the tunic to accommodate his biceps.
He looked at his reflection in the water. He didn't look like a goblin anymore. He looked like a green-skinned mercenary. A professional.
"Fashion upgrade complete," True Appraisal noted. "Defense increased by 15%. Dignity increased by 100%."
"Shut up," Minoru muttered, adjusting the belt. "It feels good to not be naked. Now, we need to figure out where the nearest town is, avoid it, and find a—"
THUMP-THUMP.
The sound didn't come from the forest. It didn't come from his ears. It came from the base of his skull, a psychic shockwave that nearly brought him to his knees.
A red warning icon flashed in his vision, pulsing violently.
[ALERT! ALERT!]
[Bonded Object: Prismatic Egg]
[Status: CRITICAL DISTRESS]
[Proximity Alert: Foreign Magius Signature detected in Cavern Sanctuary.]
[Threat Level: HIGH]
Minoru gasped, clutching his head. The connection to the egg was screaming. It wasn't just data; it was emotion. Fear. Pure, infantile terror radiating from the dormant being in the pool.
"Someone found the cave," Minoru hissed, his eyes narrowing into slits.
"The Magoi Siphon trace," True Appraisal analyzed rapidly. "When you evolved, you pulled a massive amount of Magoi from the environment. It likely created a vacuum effect that acted as a beacon to sensitive creatures."
"They're touching my egg," Minoru growled. The playfulness of the pants-stealing encounter vanished instantly. The Guardian was here.
"How far?" Minoru demanded.
"Two miles. Calculating optimal route."
"Forget the route," Minoru snarled.
He activated Magius Armament, coating not just his arms, but his legs and chest. He poured power into Hunter's Stride, overclocking the skill.
Magius: 580 / 650.
He launched himself back toward the ravine. He didn't glide this time. He tore through the forest, smashing through brush and leaping over fallen logs, a missile of green fury. The humans were safe, but his future, his ticket out of this monster life, was in danger.
And Minoru Sato, the man who died saving a coworker, found that he was perfectly willing to kill to save his new family.
"Hold on," he whispered to the pulsing icon in his vision. "I'm coming."