I felt a slight dizziness, as if the world around me was beginning to fade. Within seconds, I was no longer in my apartment. I stood in a dense, vibrant forest filled with towering trees and gleaming leaves. The air was fresh, carrying sweet scents of flowers and ripe fruit—a magical place I had never seen before. The sight of such a wondrous, lively forest made me feel deeply relaxed.
I looked around, trying to orient myself. The forest was beautiful, but it also made me uneasy. I knew there was some kind of evil or problem here, and I had no idea what I might encounter.
As I walked deeper into the forest, I moved with complete stealth, my footsteps silent thanks to my Stealth ability. The further I went, the darker everything became, patches of black creeping over the woods.
At some point, I heard the sound of something being gnawed. I quickly hid behind a tree and looked in the direction of the noise. What I saw left me speechless: a grotesque creature with black, scaly skin, glowing red eyes, and sharp claws. It looked like a cross between a wolf and a reptile, its breath heavy and ragged.
[Side Quest Available: Corruptor Elimination
Description: The Corruptors are dark monsters that feed on the forest's energy. Eliminate 10 of them to uncover the source of the corruption.
Reward: 50 points
Accept?
[YES] [NO] ]
Seriously? You show up *now*? Well, I guess I have to try and clear this quest. I pressed Accept, but the real problem was—I had no weapons. The few fights I'd had in my life were just against school bullies, and I barely managed to defend myself. I was sure that fighting some random thug wouldn't help me kill a creature that looked like it crawled straight out of hell.
So I searched around for anything I could use as a weapon. At this point, even a rock would do—as long as it was big enough to deal some damage. I spotted a large branch on the ground. Not a sword, but better than nothing. I picked it up carefully, making sure not to make noise, and prepared to attack.
The Corruptor seemed distracted, sniffing the air for something—hopefully not me. I used that moment to sneak closer. When I was close enough, I raised the branch with all my strength and smashed it into its eye. The Corruptor roared in pain and turned toward me, its remaining eye burning with fury. It wasn't enough to kill it, but at least I had wounded it.
The creature thrashed, shaking its head violently as it tried to dislodge the branch stuck in its eye. Its rage was palpable, its claws slashing wildly, tearing everything around it. I knew I couldn't stay still—if I wanted to survive, I had to move fast.
I dodged to the side, barely avoiding its claws. The monster was faster than I expected, and its fury made it even more dangerous. Seeing an opening, I backed away and hid behind the trees again, grateful that only this one Corruptor was here.
After a moment, the creature seemed to calm slightly. It stopped, sniffing the air, trying to find me. Its growls were low and constant, like it was tracking my scent—and getting closer.
I quickly found a large rock and gripped it with both hands. When the Corruptor was just inches away, I lunged from my hiding spot, slamming the rock into its head over and over. Blood splattered my face, but I didn't stop until I saw the damned monster collapse, motionless.
I sat beside the lifeless Corruptor, trying to calm myself. It seemed my Calm Mind ability kept me composed, but it didn't stop me from feeling panic. The blood on my face even made me a little sick.
[Achievement Unlocked: First Otherworldly Creature Slain.
Reward: [Title: Neanderthal Slayer]
[Neanderthal Slayer: Deal more damage when attacking with sticks and stones.]
What a ridiculous title. If I'd known the system had achievements, I might've thought twice about how I killed that wolf.
I stood up slowly, my body protesting from the effort. Nine more Corruptors remained, and I couldn't afford to rest for long. I scanned the area for another weapon. The branch I'd used earlier was broken, but maybe I could find another.
After a few minutes of searching, I found a thicker, sturdier stick. Not a sword, but better than nothing. I gripped it firmly, feeling its weight in my hands. With the [Neanderthal Slayer] title, at least I had an edge in the next fights.
I walked slowly, conserving energy. The earlier battle had startled me, leaving me a bit tired—but at least I now had a rough idea of how to kill these things. And with my new damage-boosting skill, the job would be easier.
Minutes later, I heard a familiar sound: the low growl of another Corruptor. I froze, holding my breath. The noise came from my left, growing closer. I hid behind a tree and waited, watching carefully.
The Corruptor emerged from the bushes, moving slowly. It was smaller than the first, but no less dangerous. Its red eyes gleamed with ferocity, and its claws scraped the ground as it advanced. It seemed to be searching—probably for me.
I waited until it was close enough. When it passed right in front of me, I lunged and smashed the stick into its skull. The monster roared but didn't retreat—instead, it charged at me, claws ready to tear me apart.
I barely dodged, and my next strike aimed for its legs. The Corruptor stumbled, and I seized the moment, beating it relentlessly until it stopped moving.
After defeating the second Corruptor, I stood still for a moment, catching my breath. I couldn't rest long—eight more remained, and the forest was still dangerous. With the sturdy stick and [Neanderthal Slayer], I felt a bit safer, but not safe enough to let my guard down.
I moved carefully, slipping between trees. The woods were eerily silent, as if all creatures had fled or hidden. The Corruptors were nearby, and I didn't want to be ambushed again.
Soon, I found the third one—alone, sniffing the air. I crept closer, using [Stealth] to stay silent. When I was in range, I swung the stick down hard on its head. The monster roared, but before it could react, I struck again—this time at its neck. It collapsed.
Without pause, I pressed on. The fourth Corruptor wasn't alone—two more stood with it. I hid behind a tree, assessing the situation. Fighting three at once would be suicide, so I used the environment to my advantage.
I grabbed a rock and threw it away from me. The sound drew their attention, and they moved toward it. Seizing the moment, I sneaked up on the nearest one and struck it down before it could react. The other two turned, but it was too late—one by one, I finished them off.
The fifth Corruptor was tougher—bigger, stronger, and seemingly aware of my tactics. After a grueling fight, I finally took it down.
The next three were scattered farther apart. I picked them off one by one, using [Stealth] to ambush them. Each fell, but exhaustion weighed on me. My arms ached, my breath grew ragged—yet two more remained.
The ninth Corruptor lurked near the heart of the forest, where the corruption was thickest. The air was heavy, hard to breathe, the ground covered in black ooze. This one was more aggressive, as if guarding something. I struck its head, but it wasn't enough—it turned on me in fury. I dodged its claws, barely surviving, until I landed several critical hits. Finally, it fell.
I had to be grateful the last Corruptor was like the first—an easier fight. The larger one had nearly skewered me with its claws. Even with Calm Mind, the fear of death couldn't be erased.
[Quest Complete: Corruptor Elimination
Reward: 50 system points (automatically added to your store balance)]
I didn't even need to collect them. Honestly, I should check if these quests are worth it—I don't even know what's in this "system store."
I stood in the corrupted clearing, breathing heavily. My arms trembled, my body drenched in sweat and blood—mine and the monsters'. But I couldn't stay long. Night was falling, and I was starting to feel hungry. I needed to leave this world soon.
After walking for a while, I reached a clearing. At its center stood a massive, twisted tree—its branches blackened as if burned, its leaves deep red like blood. At its base was a dark hollow, pulsing with malignant energy. The source of the corruption.
I approached cautiously, grip tight on my stick. I couldn't lower my guard—if something was guarding this, it'd be worse than any Corruptor.
Suddenly, the ground shook. The hollow widened, and a figure emerged—an enormous creature, far larger than the Corruptors. It resembled a wolf, but its body was covered in black spines, its eyes blazing crimson.
Maybe it wasn't smart, but this had to be the final boss—the guardian causing the forest's corruption.
The Guardian roared, the sound like thunder. Its gaze locked onto me, filled with hate. No time to think—it charged with terrifying speed.
I barely dodged, rolling aside and scrambling up. My muscles screamed, but I couldn't stop. The Guardian turned, claws slicing the air. One hit would be fatal—I doubted I could survive a direct attack.
I tried using [Stealth], but it was useless—I was in an open area, and the Guardian had me in its sights. It lunged again, and I barely leaped away. The impact left me breathless, but I forced myself up, gripping my stick.
I counterattacked, smashing its leg. The creature roared but barely flinched. It turned, eyes burning, claws shredding the ground as I barely escaped.
At this rate, I'd run out of energy—when that happened, it'd be over. I needed a new strategy. The cowardly tricks I'd used on the Corruptors wouldn't work here. I wasn't even scratching it.
Desperate, I looked toward the tree the Guardian had emerged from. Dark energy pulsed from it. With no other options, I sprinted toward the tree—thankfully, the wolf couldn't catch me yet. But it could enter, so I hurried inside, scanning the area.
Then I saw it—an altar, holding a **purple heart**.
*Seriously? Could it be any more obvious?*
The ground rumbled, but I didn't look back. I grabbed my stick and started smashing the heart.
"RAAAAAAAAAARGH!"
The Guardian's shriek echoed as it writhed—each strike to the heart seemed to hurt it directly.
"HAHAHA! IT'S WORKING!"
I kept hitting it, the Guardian weakening with every blow. It tried to reach me but grew slower, its roars weaker.
Finally, with one last critical strike—the heart explode in a burst of dark energy, sending me flying into the tree's wall.
I looked at the Guardian—it wasn't moving. The dark energy around it dissipated. I sighed in relief as exhaustion took over. I'd purified the forest's heart.
The system chimed softly, a message appearing:
[Quest Complete: The Enchanted Forest
Description: A magical forest is being corrupted by a dark force. Purify it and uncover the source.
Time Taken: 1 day/hour
Reward: 100 system points, choice of basic weapon.]
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