The countdown hit zero, and reality dissolved.

  One moment, Sid was standing in the sterile white room; the next, the floor vanished beneath his feet. His stomach lurched into his throat as gravity took hold.

  "Whoaaaaaaaa!"

  He was plummeting through the air. Above him stretched a vast, mocking blue sky, and below—rushing up to meet him at terminal velocity—was a dense, sprawling forest that practically reeked of danger.

  SPLAT.

  He didn't hit the ground with the grace of a superhero. He crashed through a canopy of leaves, bounced off a thick branch, and face-planted into a patch of mossy earth.

  Sid groaned, peeling his face off the dirt. He patted his chest, then his legs. "How in the world did I survive that fall? Was that supposed to be an illusion? Or did my 'Enhanced Body' actually do something?"

  He dusted off his clothes—which had transfigured into a basic adventurer's tunic and trousers—and looked around. So, what am I supposed to do here?

  Before he could even take a step, a crimson window materialized in front of him, dripping with digital menace.

  [TUTORIAL TASK INITIALIZED]

  Objective: Kill the Elder Goblin.

  Quest Reward: Varies based on performance.

  Failure Condition: Player Death OR Elder’s death due to reasons other than the Player.

  Upon Failure: DEATH.

  "Oye, oye, oye," Sid muttered, staring at the bolded word 'DEATH'. "What do you mean? No one told me I could die for real. Well... not that I’m technically ‘alive’ back in the real world either, but still."

  He dismissed the window with a swipe of his hand. "Alright. Kill the Elder Goblin. Simple enough on paper. But where can I find a specific Elder in this jungle? Normal goblins are common mobs, but if we think logic—"

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  Snap.

  His ears twitched. It was faint, but his [Sixth Sense (Rank -F)] managed to pick it up—distant chatter and the thud of footsteps.

  "I knew there were 99 other people, but to encounter someone so soon?" Sid whispered, crouching low. "And there are at least three of them. I should hide first and observe."

  He activated [Silent Steps (Rank -F)]. He tried to move gracefully behind a thick bush, but ended up stepping on a dry twig. Crack. Thankfully, the wind masked the sound.

  He peeked through the leaves. Emerging from the treeline were three small, green-skinned humanoids with pointed ears and ragged loincloths.

  Goblins.

  They were arguing, their voices guttural and sharp.

  "What are we going to do?" the smallest goblin whined, kicking a stone. "The Chief ordered us to bring sacrifices for the Elder’s meeting. If we couldn't find anything, the Chief will kill us!"

  "Hey, don't say such things!" the second goblin hissed, looking around fearfully.

  "But... what should we bring?" the third asked, scratching his oversized nose.

  Sid blinked. Wait. I can understand them?

  He watched them bicker. A plan began to form in his mind—a risky, insane plan, but one that solved his navigation problem. I need to find the Elder. They need a sacrifice to bring to the Elder. It’s a win-win.

  I’ll help them find a sacrifice... namely, me. I get a free escort to the boss room, and they keep their heads. For now.

  Taking a deep breath, Sid stepped out from behind the bush.

  "Hey, you three."

  The reaction was instant. The goblins jumped in the air, screeching. They scrambled backward, pointing shaky fingers at him.

  "HUMAN!" they yelled in unison.

  Sid raised his hands, palms open, trying to look as harmless as possible. He channeled his inner anime protagonist.

  "Come down, I'm a good human," Sid said, flashing a friendly smile.

  The goblins blinked, confused by the lack of aggression.

  "About that sacrifice you were talking about," Sid continued, keeping his voice smooth. "Do you mind if I help you?"

  The three goblins looked at each other, stunned.

  "The hum... The human can talk," the first goblin stammered.

  "And understands Gobza," the second replied, eyes wide.

  "Human... help? Why?" The third goblin squinted suspiciously, tilting his head. "Human good? No. Human bad."

  "I want to meet your Elder," Sid said, dropping the smile slightly to show he was serious. "You help me meet him, and I help you with your sacrifice problem. I'll go willingly."

  The goblins huddled together, engaging in a furious whispering session. They glanced at Sid, then back at each other, weighing their fear of the human against their fear of their Chief.

  Finally, the leader of the trio turned back to Sid.

  "You kill Elder?" the goblin asked, a glint of cunning in his eyes. "We tell Chief... Goblin and Human friend."

  Sid suppressed a smirk. So they hate the Elder too. Perfect.

  "Then are you taking me to the Chief?" Sid asked.

  The goblins nodded vigorously. "Follow us. No kill friend."

  "Deal," Sid agreed.