Tensura: Reincarnated as a Goblin with a Cheat

I took a deep breath, the sensation of goblin lungs filling with air still strange to me. Everything about this body felt off, it was shorter and weaker. But I didn't have time to dwell on it. Staying in this village wasn't an option. I needed to grow stronger, fast, or I'd rot away here like the rest of them.

Stepping out of the hut, the cool night air hit my skin. The village was quiet, lit only by the pale glow of the moon. A few goblins shuffled around, aimless and oblivious. None of them gave me a second glance. Good. The less they noticed me, the better.

I started running. My legs were awkward at first, unsteady on the uneven ground, but I adjusted quickly. With each step, I felt my body syncing with my thoughts. The night seemed sharper somehow, clearer. I could see the contours of the ruins, the distant treeline, even the glint of dew on the ground. Low Light Vision. It wasn't just a skill; it was an edge. I moved through the shadows like they were mine to command.

The outskirts of the village were a mess of overgrown weeds and broken structures, but they offered something the village didn't, an opportunity. I crouched low, scanning for signs of life. A twitch of movement caught my eye. A rodent, small and quick, darted between the rocks. My stomach growled. Instinct kicked in.

I pounced. The kill was fast, almost automatic. I stared at the lifeless body in my hands, a pang of disgust rising for just a moment before hunger overpowered it. Survival didn't care about feelings. Without hesitation, I sank my teeth in.

The taste was foul, the texture worse, but I forced it down. Each bite felt like a battle, but as I swallowed the last piece, something strange happened. My body hummed with energy, a faint warmth spreading through me. It wasn't just food, it was fuel for something deeper. I could feel it in my bones, in the muscles of this unfamiliar body. It was adapting.

This was how I'd grow. Not through pity or waiting for help, but by clawing my way forward, one step at a time.

By the time I returned to the hut, the fire in the village centre had burned low. The goblins snored and muttered in their sleep, their dreams as hollow as their lives. I stared into the dying flames, thinking about my next move.

I knew what I had to do next. I had to find a way to leave this village, to find others reincarnated like me, or perhaps even stronger people like demon lords. However, I gave up on that thought almost immediately. They wouldn't take me seriously, not as I was now. The idea of gaining a name from someone like Valdora seemed laughable. But even if I wanted to aim that high, I'd have to survive something like a labyrinth first. That alone felt impossible in my current state.

Staying here meant wasting away like them. Leaving meant risk, probably death. But what was the alternative? Waiting? Begging? I wasn't about to let this second chance go to waste.

As dawn broke, painting the ruins in dull shades of orange and gray, I stood up. My legs ached, my stomach churned, but I felt sharper, more focused. This village wasn't my home. It was a cage.

Without looking back, I stepped into the unknown.

This wasn't just survival anymore. It was the start of something bigger.