The small, green-skinned Goblin stood silhouetted against the dim light spilling from the back door of The Rusty Mug, its glowing yellow eyes burning with a malevolent triumph. The crude, rusty dagger in its gnarled hand twitched, a silent, confident threat in the narrow confines of the alleyway. The guttural chittering that emanated from its throat was a sound of alien victory, a stark and terrifying counterpoint to the familiar, mundane noises of the world Era had known just moments before.

  Era’s mind was a whirlwind of fear and a desperate, primal urge to survive. The searing pain in her arm where the Goblin’s rusty dagger had grazed her was a stark reminder of the very real danger she was in. Her eyes darted frantically around the narrow alley, taking in the overflowing dumpsters, the graffiti-scarred brick walls, the oppressive darkness punctuated by the eerie, pulsating blue light that cast long, distorted shadows, making it impossible to discern any potential escape routes or hidden dangers. Her gaze fell back to the heavy cast-iron skillet clutched in her trembling hands. It was a crude weapon, unwieldy and heavy, but in this desperate moment, it was all she had.

  The blue interface remained stubbornly fixed in her vision, the Goblin’s stats a constant, unwelcome reminder of the disparity in their apparent power. Level 3. More than twice her health. It was small, but its movements were quick and its posture exuded a chilling confidence, the confidence of a predator that had found its prey.

  [Goblin (Hostile)]

  [Level: 3]

  [HP: 170/210]

  The Goblin took another skittering step forward, its small, cwed feet clicking against the uneven asphalt of the alleyway. The fetid air was thick with the smell of stale garbage and the metallic tang of her own blood. The whimpers of the trapped patrons inside The Rusty Mug were a distant, muffled sound, leaving Era feeling utterly alone in this desperate confrontation.

  She knew she couldn’t afford to hesitate. This creature wasn’t going to negotiate; its glowing yellow eyes spoke only of malice and violence. It was between her and any sembnce of safety, her only potential path to survival blocked by its small, menacing form.

  With a surge of adrenaline that momentarily eclipsed the fear, Era lunged forward, her movements fueled by a desperate, instinctive fury. She swung the heavy cast-iron skillet in a wide, clumsy arc, putting all her weight behind the blow. The solid metal connected with the Goblin’s head with a sickening thwack.

  The Goblin shrieked, a high-pitched, grating sound that echoed off the brick walls of the alley, making Era wince. It staggered backward, its glowing yellow eyes widening in a mixture of surprise, pain, and a flicker of something akin to fear. Its rusty dagger cttered to the ground.

  [Goblin (Hostile)]

  [Level: 3]

  [HP: 135/210]

  A significant chunk of its health gone. The heavy skillet had done more damage than her earlier desperate swings with the spatu. A sliver of hope flickered within Era’s chest.

  Before the Goblin could fully recover, Era pressed her attack. She swung the skillet again, aiming for its torso. The heavy iron connected with a dull thud, and the Goblin let out another piercing shriek, its small body convulsing.

  [Goblin (Hostile)]

  [Level: 3]

  [HP: 90/210]

  It was weakening. Its movements were becoming less certain, its guttural chitters now ced with pain and a growing desperation.

  The Goblin, its eyes bzing with a furious intensity, scrabbled for its fallen dagger. Era knew she couldn’t let it regain its weapon. She moved quickly, her nimble footwork, a skill she hadn’t consciously appreciated before, allowing her to shift her weight and close the distance rapidly despite the uneven ground.

  Before the Goblin could grasp the rusty bde, Era brought the heavy skillet down again, this time with a focused downward swing, aiming for its head. The impact was brutal, a sickening crunch that made Era’s stomach churn.

  The Goblin’s small body went limp, its glowing yellow eyes dimming and then fading to a dull, lifeless amber. It slumped to the ground, its limbs twitching once before going still. The guttural chittering ceased, repced by a heavy, unsettling silence.

  [Goblin (Hostile) Defeated!]

  [Experience Gained: +35]

  The blue text fshed in Era’s vision, the words stark and undeniable. Experience. She had gained experience for… killing it? A wave of nausea washed over her. She had just taken a life, however monstrous it appeared. But the primal relief of survival warred with the sudden weight of her actions.

  Her own stats updated on the screen.

  [Era (Unregistered)]

  [Level: 1]

  [HP: 92/100]

  [MP: 75/75]

  [Strength: 14]

  [Agility: 15]

  [Dexterity: 13]

  [Constitution: 12]

  [Intelligence: 15]

  [Wisdom: 13]

  [Charisma: 12]

  [EXP: 35/100]

  She was still level 1. Only 35 experience points. The fight had been brutal and terrifying, but the reward felt… minimal. Yet, the fact that there was a reward, that this system was tracking her actions, sent another shiver of unease down her spine.

  Era stood over the lifeless form of the Goblin, the heavy skillet still clutched in her trembling hands. The adrenaline that had fueled her desperate attack was beginning to recede, leaving behind a profound exhaustion and a lingering sense of disbelief. She had killed something that wasn't human, but it had been intelligent, malevolent. What did this mean for the world now? What other horrors lurked beyond the shattered doors of The Rusty Mug?

  The pulsating blue light in the alley seemed to dim slightly, and the subtle distortions in the air lessened for a moment. The silence was broken only by Era’s ragged breathing and the distant, muffled sounds from inside the bar.

  She looked down at her injured arm, the shallow cut still bleeding sluggishly. The pain was a dull throb now, a constant reminder of her vulnerability. She needed to tend to it, but the immediate threat was gone. For now.

  A sudden thought struck her. The Goblin. Had it dropped anything? She cautiously nudged the small, green body with the toe of her worn-out sneakers. The rusty dagger y beside its outstretched hand. It looked crude and dangerous, probably carrying all sorts of unknown contaminants. Era decided to leave it.

  But then she noticed something else, clutched tightly in the Goblin’s other hand. It was small and leather-bound, its surface worn and scratched. Curiosity overriding her caution, Era knelt down and carefully pried it from the Goblin’s stiff fingers.

  It was a small pouch, tied shut with a thin piece of frayed string. Era hesitated for a moment, a sense of unease washing over her. What could a dead Goblin possibly have that would be of any use? But the instinct to scavenge, to find any advantage in this terrifying new reality, was strong.

  She untied the string and cautiously peered inside. The pouch contained a few small, tarnished coins made of an unfamiliar metal, and a single, smooth, grey stone that pulsed with a faint, internal luminescence.

  [Crude Goblin Coin]

  [Value: Unknown]

  [Faint Mana Stone]

  [Description: A small stone that radiates a faint amount of ambient Mana.]

  Mana Stone? Era instinctively reached out a finger and touched the smooth surface of the stone. A faint warmth spread through her fingertip, and she felt a barely perceptible tingling sensation, a faint echo of the Mana she had sensed in the atmosphere.

  This was it, wasn't it? This was the new reality. Monsters, experience points, loot. It was like stepping into one of her old fantasy games, but the stakes were terrifyingly real.

  Era stood up, the heavy skillet still in one hand, the small pouch clutched in the other. The alleyway was still dark and menacing, the unknown dangers lurking beyond its confines a heavy weight on her mind. But for the first time since the world had fractured, a tiny spark of something other than pure fear flickered within her. A spark of grim determination. She had survived her first encounter. She had killed a monster. And she had gained something from it.

  The world had ended, but perhaps, just perhaps, Era was beginning to find her footing in the strange, terrifying new ndscape. The silence of the alley was broken only by her own determined breathing, the heavy skillet a silent promise in her hand. The fight was over, but the struggle for survival had just begun.