Emotion Hunter: System Awakening.

Riven staggered out of the cavern, the air sharp and metallic as it scraped down his throat. His legs wobbled beneath him, his chest heavy with every breath.

A heavy, unnatural quiet, like the air itself was holding its breath.

The cave behind him had gone still, shadows frozen in place.

His chest heaved, his lungs desperate for air that seemed too thick, too stagnant.

His palms still burned from the jagged rock, the taste of copper lingering in his mouth.

The exhaustion finally caught up.

The [Survive the First Night] notification still hovered in front of him, burning into his eyes.

"First night? Are you kidding me… what the hell was that swap back there? I should've been a goblin pancake, if not...whatever that was."

He stopped, replaying the moment in his mind.

The hiss, the club swinging down, the panic clawing at his throat....then the sudden lurch, the world twisting, his body not where it had been a heartbeat ago.

He flexed his hands. They were shaking. Not from fear this time, but from something else.

Exhaustion.

A new panel blinked awake.

[Hidden Trait Activated]

[Instinctive Loot: Spatial Displacement]

Riven froze. "…Spatial what-now?"

More text scrolled across the emerald glow.

[When survival instinct spikes beyond threshold, system forcibly loots an anchor of "Position."]

*

[Result: Spatial Displacement – Target and User positions swapped.]

[Can only be used twice a day]

Riven blinked. Once. Twice. Then his jaw dropped.

"Wait. Wait, wait, wait. Did I just loot a spot on the ground? Is that even legal?!"

The panel faded, leaving him with no answers, just more questions.

He rubbed his temples, groaning. "Great. So I can swap with monsters, rocks, maybe air? What's next, looting gravity? Looting oxygen?!"

He let out a strained laugh, half-mad, half-excited.

But beneath the sarcasm, a thought gnawed at him.

If his system could loot emotions… and now even positions… then what were the limits?...but It did give him a limit though...i used one when I fought that goblin....so one down I guess.

I wonder what limits the others that got their systems have.

Before he could spiral further, the ground trembled.

Not softly this time. Not like before.

From the shadows deep inside the forest that laid before his eyes, more shapes stirred.

Their growls crawled through the stone, vibrating against his ribs.

The goblin had been only the first.

Riven clenched his fists, his system window still faintly glowing in the corner of his vision.

"…Alright, then. Round two. But this time, I'm not running in blind....even though am still exhausted...looting takes it's toll".

And then he saw movement....a pack of shadowed figures, low and fast, too many for him to count. Rank F monsters...he hoped, there was more goblins,that also had no concept of fear...

Riven froze. Every instinct screamed fight or die. But the system pulsed at him again.

[Target Detected: Rank E goblin pack]

*

[Approximate Count: 4]

[Task Reminder: Survive the First Night]

[System Suggestion: Utilize Spatial Displacement strategically]

Riven's mind raced.

The goblin's emotion he gained before gave him strength and resilience, but he was still new to it....and plus the time set for it ended minutes ago.

He couldn't fight all four. He needed to survive. He needed…a trick.

One of the goblins ran so fast it's seems like it teleported behind him.

He looked behind,with a horrid look on his face. He couldn't even find the goblin...it went into the cave.

T-they're fast!!!...so these are E class monsters!!!.

He turned his attention back to the other three goblins in front of him.

The three had different weapons but they all wore only a black rag that was barely doing anything to cover their nakedness just like the one he killed in the cave.

Among the three there was one that stood out more.

It was a head taller than the rest and it also had a Burly build that would put most men to shame with a chipped axe resting on it's shoulder.

While the other two were looking identical to the one he had killed.... except they had different weapons compared it

One carried a mace...compared to the one carrying the axe, this one looks like a child carrying a giant lollipop ....but It looked like it got no problem waving it around.

While the other one was with a leather sling.

"Argggghhh" a Hoarse shriek broke the silence before the the storm.

Riven looked behind him again only to find the source of the shriek.

The forth goblin came out of the cave dragging a body, with a short sword in it's right hand. It also wore a red rag instead of a black rag like the others.

T-that seems to be the leader...he couldn't help gulp down his saliva..It might be a step away from the D rank.

The other goblins also cried out after seeing the body of their brethren.

His system's [Suggestion] flashed before him.

"Damn...I was scared silly to the extent I forgot I am not as helpless as before"

He glanced at the pile of jagged stones . Then at the narrow crevice close to the cave to his left.

And then the panel blinked, as if it was tired of reminding him of it's [Suggestion].

Riven's mind raced. He remembered that his fear gave him reflexes and speed but he didn't have fear in him right now...at least not as much as his first encounter with the goblins.

He couldn't fight all four them...especially with the sling shot goblin around.... He won't survive the fight at this rate.

"Dammit, am gonna get jumped....even If I used Emotion looting, I am already at my limit...System please don't let your host to die by E rank monsters!!...where's the dignity in that?...I can't die here!!!" He cried out in his mind.

And then the panel blinked again, as if it knew what he was thinking.

[Sub Skill Unlocked]

[Sub Skill : Emotion manipulation]

[Tip: Emotion Manipulation Enhances Combat Efficiency]

He didn't even check the details.

Riven grinned, "Thank you system" he cried out after seeing "Enhances Combat Efficiency".....he cracked his knuckles. He focused his gaze on the leader. The fear lingering in himself was gone.

[Emotion Detected: Rage]

[Target: Goblin warriors]

[Do you wish to Loot this Emotion?]

But the rage…oh, the rage! He looted the goblins own fury, amplifying he's aggressive instincts.

The system flashed before him again but he wasn't even looking at it's panel anymore...

[Emotion Manipulation Activated]

*

[Fear (Self) Looted: +Reflex Surge Extended]

*

[Rage (Goblin Warriors) Looted: +Attack Strength]

*

[Warning!!!...Strength multiplied by four opponents!!]

[Current Body stat can't support Strength!!!]

But Riven didn't even glance it...he stood sideways to get a better view at the monsters on either side.

His limbs moved before thought.

He darted forward, almost teleporting to the goblin with the sling shot, with his speed being even more superior than the leader's.

Hitting the goblin with a right hook to the gut, knocking it into the trees....The goblin was hit with a punch so powerful that its body was launched into two trees, destroying them.

Another goblin lunged and swung it's mace with fury... Riven ducked and rolled away

His fast reflexes and superior speed guided him perfectly.

Then, the unthinkable....or thinkable....since he's not even thinking straight with rage clouding his judgements.

The Burly goblin with it's chipped axe...came into view with it's axe swinged in a wide vertical motion....if it connects it's over for Riven.....

But his Reflexes, instincts, and system-enhanced movement merged into one motion....the Spatial Displacement was Triggered.

[Emergency Spatial Displacement Triggered: by Veil creature.... Initiated by User]

In the blink of an eye, Riven's vision shifted.

He dizzying vertigo of displacement....not yet used to the feeling of getting appearing and disappearing, he appeared by the cave entrance, glowing faintly violet under the purple moon light.

"Argghhh"

"Am gonna end you all!!!!!" He yelled into the dark sky that had a purple moon in the background.

[Ting]

*

[Emotion Detected: Fear]

[Target: Host/Goblin Warriors]

[Do you wish to Loot this Emotion?]

"Loot!!!" What he didn't know was, when he barely escaped death he felt fear...he looked death in the eyes....and the same goes to the goblin warriors looking at him right now.

He dashed from the entrance of the cave to the leader with a speed even higher than when he one shot the goblin with a slingshot.

Riven didn't hesitate.

Survival instincts now combined with the system boost, reflexes, and rage.

He smashed the leader's skull to a floor with a right hook before it can even react....he wasn't done either....he slammed two haymakers on it's head easily crushing it, each hit precise, each movement fuelled by rage.

The other two goblins recoiled in terror...their leader was killed so easily.

Riven attacked the Burly goblin first.

"Die you worm!!!" He dashed out again with his fist out to the goblin's gut....he obliterated it's abdomen.

"Eee-Eee" the third one squealed with terror while backpedling...it's mace was no longer in it's grasp....

It started sprinting back to the forest...but to the rage full Riven it felt like it was crawling.

He appeared behind it and slapped it's head....its neck got swiped clean off.

[Emergency deactivation]

[Emotion Looted will be forcefully ejected]

"W-wha?!" He yelled.

[Body Condition Critical]

Then it hit him...the pain.

The draw back.