By the time Eren Thorne returned to Blackthorn Forest again, the fear that once twisted inside his chest had nearly disappeared. The first few deaths had been terrifying. The feeling of a blade piercing his flesh, the helplessness of being surrounded, the suffocating darkness when his life faded away—those memories had shaken him deeply at first. But after dozens of resets, something inside him had begun to change. The fear had dulled. The pain was still there, sharp and real every time he died, but it no longer controlled him. Instead, it had become something else. A lesson.
Eren stepped quietly through the twisted forest, his boots crushing dry leaves beneath them. The trees loomed overhead like dark giants, their branches blocking the fading sunlight. He already knew exactly what would happen next. The rustling bush. The first goblin stepping out. The scream that would summon the rest.
Right on cue, the bush ahead of him shook.
A goblin crawled out from behind the tree, its yellow eyes locking onto him.
Eren didn't look surprised anymore.
"You again," he said calmly.
The goblin screeched loudly.
Within seconds the other goblins appeared. Two dropped from the branches above. Three rushed out from the bushes. Another crept from behind the rocks.
Seven goblins.
Just like every time before.
But this time Eren didn't hesitate. His body moved before his thoughts even caught up.
The first goblin charged him.
Eren stepped sideways and swung his sword in a smooth arc. The blade sliced cleanly across the creature's throat. The goblin collapsed instantly, its shriek cut short as blood sprayed across the ground.
The second goblin leaped down from the tree.
Eren already knew where it would land. He stepped forward and thrust his sword upward. The iron blade punched straight through the creature's chest before it could even swing its dagger.
Two goblins down.
The remaining monsters froze for a moment, confused by the sudden deaths of their companions.
Eren's eyes were calm now.
"You guys really should try new tactics," he said quietly.
A goblin rushed him from the left.
Eren ducked under its blade and kicked its leg out from under it. The creature hit the ground with a shriek, and Eren immediately drove his sword down into its skull.
Another goblin lunged from behind.
Without even turning, Eren stepped aside and swung his blade backward. The sword cut deep into the creature's side, dropping it instantly.
Four goblins.
The remaining three hesitated.
For the first time since Eren had entered this forest, the monsters looked uncertain.
Eren slowly pulled his sword free from the corpse beneath him.
"Yeah," he said with a small grin. "That's right."
The goblins suddenly attacked together, screaming as they rushed forward.
Eren's body reacted instantly.
One blade came from the right.
He blocked it.
Another dagger swung toward his shoulder.
He twisted away.
The third goblin jumped toward his back.
Eren spun around and slashed upward, cutting the creature across the chest. The goblin fell back with a shriek.
He turned again and drove his sword through the stomach of the second goblin.
Only one remained.
The final goblin backed away slowly, its yellow eyes wide with fear.
Eren stepped forward calmly.
"Not so brave now, huh?"
The goblin suddenly turned and tried to run.
Eren sighed.
"Yeah… that sounds about right."
He threw his sword.
The spinning blade flew through the air and buried itself in the goblin's back.
The creature collapsed face-first into the dirt.
Silence returned to the forest.
Eren stood there breathing heavily as he looked around at the bodies scattered across the ground.
Seven goblins.
All dead.
For a long moment he simply stared at them.
Then he slowly laughed.
"…I actually did it."
The weakest adventurer in Drakenridge had just slaughtered an entire goblin pack by himself.
But the victory didn't feel as glorious as he had imagined. Instead, it felt strange.
Because deep down he knew the truth.
This wasn't his first fight.
It was his thirtieth.
Or maybe his fortieth.
He had died so many times that he had lost count.
Eren walked toward the body of the first goblin and pulled his sword free.
"Guess dying repeatedly is a decent training method," he muttered.
Just as he was about to leave the forest, a heavy sound echoed behind him.
Crunch.
Eren froze.
That sound had never happened before.
Slowly, he turned around.
Something massive stepped out from deeper within the forest.
The ground trembled under its weight.
Eren's eyes widened.
Standing between the trees was a creature twice the height of a man. Its skin was dark green, its muscles bulging like stone beneath its flesh. Two enormous tusks curved from its lower jaw, and in its hand it carried a massive iron club covered in dried blood.
An Ogre.
Eren blinked slowly.
"…you've got to be kidding me."
The ogre looked down at the dead goblins scattered across the forest floor.
Then it slowly lifted its head and locked eyes with Eren.
For a moment neither of them moved.
Then the ogre roared.
The sound shook the entire forest.
Eren instinctively raised his sword.
"Okay," he muttered.
"This is definitely new."
The ogre charged.
Its massive club swung downward like a falling tree.
Eren tried to dodge.
He wasn't fast enough.
The club slammed into him with terrifying force.
There was a loud crack as his body smashed into the ground.
Pain exploded through his entire body.
He couldn't breathe.
The ogre lifted its club again.
Eren coughed weakly as blood filled his mouth.
"…yeah," he whispered.
"Still not strong enough."
The club crashed down again.
Darkness swallowed him instantly.
Eren's eyes opened inside the Adventurer Guild once more.
The same table.
The same noise.
The same laughter.
He sat there silently for a moment.
Then he slowly leaned back in his chair and sighed.
"So… there's an ogre now."
A smile slowly spread across his face.
"Well," he said quietly.
"Looks like I've got more training to do."