Reborn As The Goblin King

Kael's POV

The subway smelled like sweat, rust, and exhaustion.

I stood near the train doors with my head resting against the cold metal wall, trying not to fall asleep on my feet. My entire body ached from another fourteen-hour shift at the restaurant.

Grease still clung to my sleeves.

My fingers smelled like soap and dirty water no matter how much I washed them.

Around me, people stared at their phones like mindless machines. Nobody talked. Nobody smiled. Everyone looked dead inside. Maybe I looked the same.

The train rattled violently as it sped through the underground tunnel, and I let out a slow breath, rubbing my burning eyes.

Another day over. Another paycheck that would disappear before the week ended.

Another reminder that surviving wasn’t the same thing as living.

My phone buzzed in my pocket. At first, I ignored it. Then it buzzed again.

And again.

Frowning slightly, I pulled it out.

The moment I saw the sender’s name, my chest tightened.

Daniel. My best friend.

Or… at least, I thought he was. I opened the message.

Bro… don’t try looking for me.

I’m sorry, but I used the money.

I had no choice.

For a moment, my brain stopped working.

I stared at the screen blankly. Then I reread it. My hands started shaking.

No. No no no… Not the savings.

Not the account. Not the money I spent six years building. Another message appeared before I could even breathe.

You were never going to succeed with it anyway.

At least one of us can finally live well.

Something inside me cracked. Six years.

Six whole years of endless shifts. Skipping meals. Sleeping hungry. Pretending I wasn’t tired. Pretending I wasn’t falling apart.

Gone. Just like that.

I laughed quietly under my breath, but there was no humor in it.

Of course. Of course this would happen to me. Because nothing in my life ever stayed good for long.

“Watch where you’re standing.”

A man shoved past me roughly, slamming his shoulder into mine.

I stumbled slightly before catching myself.

“Sorry,” I muttered automatically.

The businessman scoffed like I disgusted him and walked away without another word. I stared at the floor silently afterward.

Disposable. That was the story of my life.

No matter how hard I worked… No matter how much I endured… I was always disposable.

My phone buzzed again. This time it was my landlord.

Rent overdue.

Pay this week or get out.

I closed my eyes slowly. I was so tired.

Tired of struggling. Tired of losing. Tired of trying.

Across from me, a little girl sat beside her mother, hugging a stuffed rabbit against her chest. She noticed me staring and gave me a small innocent smile.

I blinked. Then looked away awkwardly.

Kids smiled so easily. I wondered when I forgot how.

The subway lights flickered suddenly. The train jerked violently beneath my feet.

People looked up in confusion.

Then came the sound.

SCREEEEEECH!!!

The entire subway shook violently.

Screams erupted instantly. The lights exploded overhead, showering sparks everywhere as the train tilted sharply sideways.

“What the hell?!”

“Oh my God!”

“HELP!”

Bodies slammed into each other as the train screeched off its tracks.

I grabbed the nearest railing desperately while metal screamed around us.

The sound was unbearable. Then everything exploded.

BOOOOM!!!

The impact threw me across the compartment. Pain shot through my shoulder as I crashed against the floor.

Glass shattered around me while smoke filled the subway instantly.

People were screaming everywhere.

Some cried for help. Others cried for family.

The emergency lights flickered dim red through the smoke, revealing blood, twisted metal, and shattered seats.

The tunnel had partially collapsed.

Concrete debris blocked half the train.

My ears rang painfully as I forced myself upright.

Then I heard crying. Soft. Terrified.

I turned toward the sound immediately.

The little girl.

She was trapped beneath a steel bar near the damaged doorway while her mother lay unconscious several feet away.

Dust rained from the cracked ceiling above them.

The entire compartment groaned dangerously. People were already rushing toward the emergency exit behind me.

Nobody stopped for the child. Nobody even looked at her.

My feet moved before I could think.

I stumbled toward her.

“H…Hey…”

The little girl looked up at me with tear-filled eyes.

“Mister…”

“It’s okay,” I said quickly, though my voice shook. “I’ll get you out.”

I grabbed the steel bar trapping her leg and pulled. It didn’t move.

The ceiling cracked loudly overhead.

“Hurry up!” someone shouted behind me. “The tunnel’s collapsing!”

I ignored them and pulled harder. Pain burned through my arms. The little girl whimpered softly.

Then finally, the steel shifted slightly.

“Go!” I shouted.

She crawled free immediately, clutching her rabbit tightly. A violent tremor shook the subway again. My eyes widened.

The ceiling split apart above us. The girl froze in terror.

Without thinking, I shoved her toward the emergency exit.

“RUN!!”

CRAAAAASH!!

Something massive slammed into me. Pain exploded through my body as concrete and twisted metal crushed me into the ground.

Everything went silent for a second. Then distant screams returned faintly.

I couldn’t move. Warm blood filled my mouth.

My vision blurred badly.

Through the rubble, I barely saw rescue workers dragging the little girl away while she cried hysterically.

Alive. Good.

At least someone made it out. A weak laugh escaped my lips.

How pathetic. Even at the end… I was still trying to save people. My chest burned painfully. Breathing became harder.

Darkness slowly crept into my vision.

And strangely… I wasn’t scared. Just empty. My whole life had been nothing but suffering for another miserable tomorrow.

Work. Endure. Trust someone. Get betrayed. Disposable.

Tears burned my eyes unexpectedly.

“What… was the point…?”

Nobody answered. My fingers twitched weakly beneath the rubble before slowly curling into fists. Hatred rose inside me.

For this world. For people. For weakness.

For myself.

If there really was another life after this…

I wouldn’t live like this again. Never.

I would never be weak again.

The sound of groaning metal echoed above me one last time.

Then darkness swallowed everything.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

A horrible smell filled my nose. Rotten meat. Blood. Mud.

My consciousness slowly returned.

Pain throbbed through my body.

I frowned weakly.

Hospital…? No.

This didn’t smell like a hospital.

A low growl echoed nearby. My eyes snapped open instantly.

Darkness surrounded me. Cold stone pressed against my skin. Then another growl came. Closer this time.

My breathing stopped.

Several glowing yellow eyes stared at me from the darkness.