---
# Chapter 6: A Rare Drop
The night forest was calm.
Too calm.
Ronan walked slowly between the tall trees, his eyes constantly scanning the darkness around him. The moonlight slipped through the branches above, casting pale silver shadows across the ground.
Every step he took was careful.
Earlier tonight, he had already fought several goblins. Each battle had taught him something new.
How they attacked.
How they moved.
And most importantly—
How to survive.
Ronan tightened his grip on the dagger in his hand.
The simple iron blade was already stained with dried green blood.
"Just a little more…" he muttered.
If he kept hunting, he would grow stronger.
That was the only path forward.
For someone like him.
---
### A Familiar Enemy
A faint sound echoed through the bushes nearby.
Rustle.
Ronan immediately stopped walking.
His body went still.
Then he slowly turned his head toward the sound.
A small figure crawled out from behind a tree.
Green skin.
Long ears.
Sharp teeth.
A goblin.
Ronan focused his eyes.
A transparent blue window appeared.
**[Goblin]**
**Level: 2**
Ronan nodded slightly.
"Good."
The goblin hadn't noticed him yet.
It was busy tearing apart the remains of some small animal.
Ronan crouched slightly and moved closer.
Step.
Step.
CRACK.
A twig snapped under his foot.
The goblin's head snapped up instantly.
Its yellow eyes locked onto Ronan.
"GRAAA!"
It screamed and charged forward.
Ronan reacted immediately.
The goblin swung its crude dagger wildly.
Ronan stepped aside.
The blade cut through empty air.
Then Ronan counterattacked.
Slash!
His dagger sliced across the goblin's arm.
Green blood sprayed onto the ground.
The goblin screeched in pain but continued attacking recklessly.
Ronan stayed calm.
He watched the creature carefully.
Then—
He stepped forward.
The goblin tried to stab him again.
But Ronan moved faster.
THUD.
His dagger pierced straight into the goblin's chest.
The creature froze.
Its eyes widened.
Then it collapsed.
Silence returned to the forest.
A familiar blue window appeared.
**[Goblin defeated]**
**[+50 XP]**
Ronan exhaled slowly.
"That was easier than before."
He was definitely improving.
But something unexpected happened next.
Another message appeared.
---
**[Item Drop Detected]**
---
Ronan blinked.
"An item?"
He crouched down and searched the goblin's body.
Under its ragged cloth belt, he found something.
A small ring made from dull gray metal.
The moment Ronan touched it—
Another system window appeared.
---
**[Goblin Ring – Common Item]**
Bonus Effects:
+2 Strength
+1 Agility
---
Ronan stared at the ring in surprise.
"So monsters can drop items…"
He slipped the ring onto his finger.
Immediately, he felt a slight change in his body.
His grip tightened.
His movements felt a little lighter.
The bonus was small.
But real.
Ronan smiled faintly.
"If goblins can drop items…"
Then stronger monsters probably dropped better ones.
But judging from the system message…
The drop chance must be extremely low.
Otherwise everyone would already be rich with magical equipment.
Still—
This discovery excited him.
The system had more secrets than he thought.
---
### Another Hunt
Ronan continued moving through the forest.
His senses remained alert.
The trees rustled softly as the wind passed through them.
Then—
He heard voices.
Harsh.
Ugly.
Goblin voices.
Two figures appeared between the trees.
Ronan focused his gaze again.
---
**[Goblin – Level 2]**
**[Goblin – Level 3]**
---
His eyes narrowed slightly.
The system allowed him to see their levels.
But only because they were within ten levels of him.
If they were stronger than that…
The system would show nothing.
Ronan had already experienced that earlier.
And he didn't want to repeat that mistake.
The goblins noticed him.
They grinned.
Then they rushed forward.
---
### A Tougher Fight
The Level 2 goblin attacked first.
Its dagger swung wildly.
Ronan blocked the attack with his own blade.
Clang!
The force pushed him backward slightly.
But before the goblin could attack again—
Ronan kicked its knee.
CRACK.
The creature fell to the ground.
Ronan stabbed downward.
The goblin stopped moving instantly.
---
**[Goblin defeated]**
**[+50 XP]**
---
But the second goblin was stronger.
**Level 3.**
It didn't rush blindly.
Instead it circled Ronan slowly.
Its yellow eyes were focused.
Looking for weakness.
Ronan tightened his grip on the dagger.
"Smart."
The goblin suddenly lunged forward.
Its knife flashed toward Ronan's neck.
Ronan barely dodged.
The blade cut across his shoulder.
Pain shot through his body.
Blood slowly ran down his arm.
The goblin laughed.
"GRAAA!"
Ronan's eyes turned cold.
"Alright…"
"You want a real fight."
The goblin attacked again.
This time faster.
But Ronan had already learned its pattern.
At the last second—
He stepped sideways.
The goblin stumbled slightly.
Ronan grabbed its arm.
Then he drove the dagger straight into its throat.
THUD.
The goblin collapsed.
---
**[Goblin defeated]**
**[+60 XP]**
---
A new message appeared.
---
**[Level Up!]**
**[Level 3 Reached]**
---
Warm energy spread through Ronan's body.
His fatigue faded.
His muscles tightened slightly.
Even his breathing felt steadier.
Ronan flexed his fingers.
"So this is Level 3…"
The difference wasn't huge.
But it was noticeable.
And if he kept leveling…
Those small changes would eventually become enormous.
---
### The System Window
Ronan opened the system interface again.
A transparent screen appeared in front of him.
---
Name: Ronan
Level: 3
Ability: Assimilation (Unique)
Effect:
Absorb small fragments of power from defeated enemies.
Equipment:
Goblin Ring (+2 Strength / +1 Agility)
XP: 10 / 400
---
Ronan studied the information carefully.
The experience requirement had doubled again.
Each level would become harder.
But that was normal.
Nothing valuable came easily.
Ronan closed the window.
Then he looked deeper into the forest.
For a moment…
He considered going further.
Stronger monsters probably lived there.
Better experience.
Better items.
But his instincts warned him.
Not yet.
He remembered the creature he couldn't see the level of earlier.
Something far stronger than him.
If he encountered it again—
He would die.
Simple as that.
Ronan turned away from the deeper forest.
Instead, he returned toward the outer area.
Hunting weaker monsters.
Growing slowly.
Step by step.
Because Ronan understood something important.
Power wasn't gained in a single night.
It was built.
Battle by battle.
Blood by blood.
Ronan looked down at the small goblin ring on his finger.
Then a faint smile appeared on his face.
"This is only the beginning."
And somewhere in the darkness of the forest…
New monsters were already waiting.
The hunt would continue.