"Faint Scent of Corruption," I repeated, staring at the shimmering item in my inventory. Lily, bless her innocent pink-haired soul, was still beaming about our victory over the Dire Wolf.
She had no idea how much that one little phrase could make my stomach do a nervous flip-flop.
"Corruption? What's that, Max? Is it, like, a bad smell? Did the wolf eat too many old socks?" she asked, wrinkling her nose.
I chuckled, trying to mask the slight tremor in my voice.
"Something like that, Lily. It means there's… something not quite right around here. Something that shouldn't be." In my past life, 'corruption' was the keyword for the encroaching darkness, the stuff that turned cute forest animals into terrifying abominations.
Finding it this early was… concerning. But also, potentially, an opportunity. If I could nip it in the bud, maybe I could prevent some of the future horrors.
"Well, let's find it then!" Lily declared, her new staff held aloft. "We'll sniff out the stinky corruption and zap it with your super awesome lightning!"
Her enthusiasm was contagious, and it helped push away the creeping unease. "That's the spirit, Lily! Let's explore. Keep your eyes peeled for anything unusual. And try not to accidentally zap any more trees."
We ventured deeper into the Whispering Woods. The trees here were ancient, their gnarled branches reaching like skeletal fingers, and the mist seemed to thicken, giving everything an ethereal, almost ghostly feel.
The monsters were indeed tougher. We encountered more Dire Wolves, larger, more aggressive Goblins, and even some giant spiders that dropped surprisingly sticky webs.
My Lightning Bolt became my go-to for quick, decisive strikes, turning larger threats into smoking piles of loot. Lily, meanwhile, was becoming a proper little Mage.
Her Mana Bolts were now consistently hitting their targets, and she was even starting to anticipate enemy movements, dodging and weaving with surprising agility. Her cheers after each successful kill were still just as loud and joyful.
"Take that, you eight-legged freak!" she shrieked, as her Mana Bolt sent a giant spider spiraling into the virtual dirt. "Who's sticky now?!"
I smiled. She was growing, not just in levels, but in confidence. It was rewarding to see.
As we pushed further, the faint scent of corruption seemed to grow stronger, a subtle, almost metallic tang in the air. It led us to a small, secluded clearing bathed in an eerie, dim light. In the center of the clearing, something small and brown was huddled beside a gnarled tree root.
"What's that?" Lily whispered, clutching my arm.
I squinted. It was a fox. A tiny, adorable fox with soft, reddish-brown fur and a bushy tail. But it was whimpering, and one of its paws was bent at an unnatural angle. It was hurt.
My heart, which had been hardened by years of brutal survival, softened instantly. This wasn't a monster. This was just a creature in pain.
"It's a fox," I whispered back, slowly approaching. "It looks injured."
The fox whimpered again, trying to pull its injured paw away, its eyes wide with fear.
"Oh, the poor thing!" Lily gasped, her battle-ready stance crumbling instantly. She rushed forward, but I stopped her with a hand.
"Careful, Lily. It's scared. Let me try something."
I knelt down, slowly extending my hand. The fox flinched, its tiny body trembling.
I remembered the B-level skill I'd extracted from the Goblin Shaman: 'Shaman's Healing Aura.' It was a passive healing skill, but I could activate it.
"Hey there, little guy," I murmured, my voice soft. "It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you."
I gently placed my hand near its injured paw, and activated 'Shaman's Healing Aura.' A faint, green glow enveloped my hand, spreading towards the fox.
The fox's eyes widened, but it didn't pull away. Instead, it let out a soft sigh as the green light touched its paw.
Slowly, miraculously, the bent paw straightened. The whimpering stopped. The fox tentatively put weight on it, then gave a tentative shake. It was healed.
The fox looked up at me, its small, intelligent eyes blinking. Then, to my utter surprise, it nudged its head against my hand, a soft, purring sound emanating from its tiny chest.
[Fox has formed a bond with Player Max!]
[New Pet Acquired: Forest Fox (Common)]
"No way!" Lily shrieked, clapping her hands. "You just… you just made friends with a fox! And it's your pet now! That is so cool, Max! Can I get a pet too? Can I get a fluffy death-bunny pet?!"
I laughed, feeling a warmth spread through me. A pet. I hadn't even thought about pets in my previous life; there was no time for such luxuries. But this little guy… he was cute. And he was mine.
The fox, now fully recovered, rubbed its head against my leg, then playfully nipped at my boot. It was like having a tiny, furry shadow.
"Alright, little buddy," I said, gently scratching behind its ears. "Welcome to the team. We'll call you… Foxy."
Foxy barked happily, then scampered off a few feet, looking back at us as if urging us to follow.
"He wants us to go somewhere!" Lily exclaimed. "Maybe he knows where the corruption is!"
"Could be," I mused, a new sense of purpose guiding me. With Foxy leading the way, we continued our exploration, the "Faint Scent of Corruption" growing stronger with every step.
We emerged from the dense woods into a slightly more open area, still shrouded in mist, but with faint outlines of ancient ruins in the distance. And that's when we saw them. Other players.
A group of three, all decked out in slightly better gear than us, were battling a particularly large and ugly Forest Troll.
They were struggling, their attacks glancing off its thick hide. One of them, a burly Warrior with a ridiculously oversized axe, was yelling curses as the troll swatted him aside.
"Look, Max! Other players!" Lily whispered, excited. "Maybe they need help!"
I hesitated. In my past life, other players were often as dangerous as monsters. But these guys looked genuinely in trouble. And my goal was to protect humanity, starting with the small things.
"Alright, Lily, let's give them a hand," I said, channeling mana. "Focus your Mana Bolts on the troll's head. It's a weak spot."
We joined the fray. My Lightning Bolt crackled through the air, slamming into the troll's head with a satisfying CRACKLE-ZAP!.
The troll roared, momentarily stunned, giving the other players a chance to regroup. Lily's Mana Bolts followed, peppering its face.
The burly Warrior, whose name I now saw was 'AxeMaster99,' looked over, surprised. "Hey! Thanks, newbies! Didn't expect backup!"
"No problem!" I called back, dodging a swipe from the troll.
With our combined efforts, the troll quickly fell. AxeMaster99 and his two companions, a Rogue named 'ShadowStalker' and a Healer named 'BlessedHands,' approached us.
"Thanks for the assist, guys," AxeMaster99 grunted, wiping sweat from his brow. "That thing was a pain." He looked at me, then at Lily, then at Foxy, who was now playfully nipping at my boots. "Nice pet, dude. And that lightning spell… pretty flashy for a newbie."
"Just got lucky with a skill drop," I said, trying to sound casual.
ShadowStalker, a lean, quiet type, eyed me suspiciously. "Lucky? That was an A-level spell. You're not a typical newbie, are you?"
Before I could answer, another player swaggered into the clearing. He was a Rogue, too, but with an arrogant smirk plastered on his face and slightly fancier gear than ShadowStalker. His name above his head read 'BladeEdgeLord.'
"Well, well, what do we have here?" BladeEdgeLord sneered, looking at the defeated troll. "Looks like you guys finally managed to take down a troll. Took you long enough, AxeMaster. Still as slow as ever, I see."
AxeMaster99's face flushed. "Mind your own business, BladeEdgeLord. We handled it."
"Oh, I'm sure you did," BladeEdgeLord scoffed, then his eyes landed on me. "And who's this fresh meat? And what's with the flashy lightning? You think you're hot stuff, kid?" He took a step closer, his hand resting on the hilt of his dagger. "This is my hunting ground. You newbies should stick to the tutorial zone."
My eyebrow twitched. This guy. I remembered players like him from my past life. All swagger, no substance, and a penchant for bullying weaker players. My protective instincts, especially with Lily beside me, flared.
"There's no 'your' hunting ground, buddy," I said, my voice calm, but with an edge of steel. "This is a public zone. And we just helped these guys out. Maybe you should try being less of a… well, a BladeEdgeLord."
He bristled. "Oh, a wise guy, huh? You think that little sparkler of yours makes you tough? I'll show you tough." He drew his dagger, its blade glinting ominously. "Care for a little PvP, newbie? Just to teach you some manners."
Lily gasped, stepping back. AxeMaster99 and his group looked uncomfortable. PvP, Player versus Player, was allowed in certain zones, but usually, it was reserved for higher levels or agreed-upon duels.
This was clearly a challenge from an arrogant bully.
I looked at BladeEdgeLord, then at Lily, who was looking worried. This was a chance to make a statement. To show that I wasn't to be trifled with. And to protect my new friend.
A small, mischievous grin touched my lips. "Sure, BladeEdgeLord. I'm always up for a little… shocking lesson."