"Alright, Foxy, lead the way, little furry compass!" I declared, patting my new pet on the head.
Foxy, sensing his moment in the spotlight, let out a proud little yip and trotted confidently into the deeper, mistier parts of the Whispering Woods. Lily, ever the eager adventurer, bounced along beside me, her staff held at the ready.
The "Faint Scent of Corruption" grew stronger with every step, turning from a subtle tang to something that smelled faintly like burnt toast mixed with regret.
The trees here were even more twisted, their branches forming a gloomy canopy that barely let any light through. Strange, glowing fungi clung to the bark, casting an eerie, pulsating glow on the forest floor.
"Ew, Max, it smells like someone forgot to clean out their fridge for a decade," Lily grumbled, wrinkling her nose. "And these mushrooms look like they're having a bad day."
"That's the corruption, Lily," I explained, trying not to gag at the smell. "It's like the forest is getting a really bad case of… well, badness."
We encountered a few more corrupted creatures – a 'Gloomy Goblin' that looked perpetually sad and a 'Misty Spider' that left behind trails of shimmering, sticky mist.
They were tougher than the regular versions, but nothing my Lightning Bolt couldn't handle. Lily, too, was becoming a pro at dealing with them, her Mana Bolts zapping them into oblivion with impressive speed.
"Take that, you sad sack of green!" Lily cheered, as a Gloomy Goblin dissolved. "Cheer up, buttercup! Oh, wait, you're gone."
Foxy, meanwhile, was surprisingly adept at navigating the treacherous terrain, sniffing out hidden paths and occasionally barking at a particularly grumpy-looking tree root. He was like a tiny, adorable, highly effective scout.
Finally, Foxy stopped at the edge of a large, circular clearing. The air here was thick with the scent of corruption, almost suffocating.
In the center of the clearing, bathed in the sickly green glow of more pulsating fungi, stood something truly massive.
"Whoa," Lily whispered, her eyes wide.
My jaw dropped. This wasn't just "huge." This was "I-think-it-ate-a-small-house-for-breakfast" huge. It was a monstrous, lumbering creature, easily twice the height of a grown man, covered in thick, matted fur the color of old moss.
It had massive, gnarled claws, glowing red eyes, and two enormous, twisted horns that looked like they could impale a small car. It moved with a slow, ponderous gait, dragging one of its massive feet, as if it had a perpetual limp.
"Is that… a giant, grumpy, moss-covered yeti with a limp?" Lily asked, her voice a mix of awe and terror.
"I think, Lily," I managed, my voice a little strained, "that's a Corrupted Forest Guardian. And he looks like he's having a really bad day." In my past life, these guys were mini-bosses, usually found much deeper in the woods, and they were not easy. This one was clearly corrupted, making it even worse.
The Corrupted Forest Guardian let out a low, rumbling growl that vibrated through the ground. It turned its glowing red eyes on us, and I swear, it looked even grumpier up close.
"Alright, Lily," I said, forcing myself to snap out of my awe. "New plan. This guy's tough. We're going to hit him hard and fast. Focus on his legs – try to trip him up. I'll go for the head."
"Got it, Max!" Lily said, her initial fear replaced by a determined glint. She was ready. Foxy, meanwhile, let out a surprisingly fierce bark, puffing out his chest. He was ready too.
The Guardian lumbered towards us, its massive claws tearing up the ground. It was slow, but its reach was immense.
"Mana Bolt, Lily, aim for the knees!" I yelled, already channeling my Lightning Bolt.
Lily unleashed a rapid succession of Mana Bolts, tiny blue sparks peppering the Guardian's thick legs. They didn't do much damage, but they definitely got its attention. The Guardian roared, swinging a massive claw in our direction.
"Dodge!" I shouted, pulling Lily back just in time. The claw slammed into the ground where we had been standing, leaving a deep gouge.
"He's slow, but he hits like a truck!" Lily gasped, scrambling back.
"That's why we don't get hit!" I retorted, then unleashed my Lightning Bolt.
CRACKLE!
The A-level skill slammed into the Guardian's head. It roared in pain, a sound like grinding rocks, and staggered backward, momentarily stunned. Smoke curled from its matted fur.
"Yes! Max! You totally zapped his brain!" Lily cheered.
"He's got a thick skull, Lily! Keep hitting those legs!" I replied, already charging another Lightning Bolt.
The Guardian recovered, shaking its head, then let out a frustrated bellow. It slammed its massive fists on the ground, and thorny roots erupted from the earth, shooting towards us.
"Spiky surprise!" I yelled, pulling Lily out of the way of a particularly aggressive root. "Alright, big guy, you want to play dirty? I can play dirty too!"
I unleashed another Lightning Bolt, aiming for its glowing red eyes. The Guardian flinched, its roar turning into a pained gurgle.
Lily, meanwhile, was a whirlwind of Mana Bolts, relentlessly targeting its legs. She was dodging its slow, sweeping attacks with surprising grace, her pink pigtails a blur. Foxy, not wanting to be left out, was darting around the Guardian's feet, occasionally nipping at its ankles, much to the monster's annoyance.
"Little furball! Get off my foot!" the Guardian seemed to growl, making a clumsy attempt to stomp on Foxy. Foxy, however, was too quick, easily darting away.
"He's getting angry!" Lily warned, as the Guardian's movements became more erratic.
"Good! Angry means predictable!" I grinned, channeling a Fireball. "Time for a little warmth, big guy!"
The Fireball hit its chest, leaving a smoking patch. The Guardian roared, then did something unexpected. It leaned back, and a sickly green mist began to gather around its mouth.
"Uh oh. That doesn't look friendly," Lily muttered, taking a step back.
"It's a corruption breath attack!" I yelled, recognizing the tell-tale sign from my past life. This attack dealt massive damage and applied a nasty debuff. "Lily, get behind me! Immortal Protection Shield!"
I didn't hesitate. I activated my SSS-Level skill.
A shimmering, golden barrier erupted around me and Lily, pulsating with raw protective energy. The Guardian unleashed its corrupted breath, a torrent of vile green mist that slammed into the shield. The shield shimmered, absorbed the blow, and held firm.
"Whoa! What was that?!" Lily gasped, staring at the golden barrier. "You're like, a golden bubble of awesome!"
"That, Lily, is my SSS-Level 'Immortal Protection Shield'!" I said, a triumphant grin on my face. "It makes us temporarily invincible! Now's our chance! Hit him with everything you've got!"
The Guardian, exhausted from its attack, stood there, momentarily vulnerable. Lily, emboldened by the shield, unleashed a barrage of Mana Bolts, aiming for its face. I followed up with a rapid-fire succession of Lightning Bolts, each one slamming into the Guardian with devastating force.
ZAP!.. BOOM!
The Guardian roared, its form flickering. It tried to swing its claws, but its movements were sluggish. Foxy, seeing our advantage, suddenly darted forward and, with a surprising burst of speed, bit the Guardian's already injured leg. The Guardian howled, stumbling.
"Now, Lily! Finish him!" I yelled, as my shield began to flicker.
Lily, her face a mask of fierce determination, channeled all her mana into one final, powerful Mana Bolt. It glowed brighter than any she'd cast before, a concentrated orb of blue energy.
"For all the fluffy bunnies!" she screamed, launching it.
The Mana Bolt struck the Guardian's head
THWACK!
The monster shuddered, let out a final, guttural gurgle, and then slowly, ponderously, collapsed to the ground with a massive CRUMPLE! It dissolved into motes of light, leaving behind a small pile of loot.
[Corrupted Forest Guardian defeated! Experience gained!]
[Extraction Talent Activated!]
We stood there, panting, the adrenaline slowly fading. Lily let out a whoop of triumph, doing a little victory dance. Foxy barked happily, wagging his tail so hard his whole body wiggled.
"We did it, Max! We actually beat him!" Lily exclaimed, her eyes shining. "You were amazing! And your golden bubble was super cool!"
"You were amazing too, Lily!" I said, genuinely proud of her. She'd faced a mini-boss, and she hadn't faltered. She'd grown so much.
I turned to the loot, my heart pounding with anticipation. A Corrupted Forest Guardian, especially one linked to the 'Faint Scent of Corruption,' had to drop something good.
[Extracted: Corrupted Guardian's Heart (Unique Quest Item)]
[Extracted: Greater Constitution Fragment (Uncommon Attribute)]
[Extracted: Guardian's Resilience (B-Level Skill)]
"A 'Corrupted Guardian's Heart'!" I muttered. Another quest item related to the corruption. This was definitely leading somewhere big. The B-level 'Guardian's Resilience' was a great defensive skill too.
But then, another item appeared, shimmering with an almost blinding light.
[Extracted: Ancient Guardian's Prime Fur (Legendary Item)]
My eyes practically popped out of my head. "No way," I whispered. "No. Way."
Lily peered over my shoulder. "What's that, Max? Is it, like, a really fluffy blanket?"
I stared at the description. 'Ancient Guardian's Prime Fur.' In my past life, this was a legendary crafting material, incredibly rare, used to make some of the best defensive gear in the entire game. It was worth an absolute fortune. A fortune.
"Lily," I said, my voice barely a whisper, a slightly manic grin spreading across my face. "This isn't just a fluffy blanket.
This is… this is like finding a solid gold, diamond-encrusted, self-cleaning, perpetually warm, super-fashionable fluffy blanket that also makes you rich beyond your wildest dreams!"
Lily's eyes widened. "Really?! How much is it worth?"
"How much?" I repeated, a giddy laugh bubbling up. "Lily, this fur… this fur is worth enough to buy us a small army of fluffy death-bunny pets! Or, you know, enough to buy out the entire market in Eldoria!"
My SSS-Level Extraction talent truly was a gift from the heavens. Not only was it helping me gather crucial quest items related to the encroaching darkness, but it was also making me ridiculously, hilariously rich in the process.
"We're rich, Foxy!" Lily shrieked, hugging the little fox, who barked excitedly, as if he understood the concept of immense wealth.
I looked at the 'Corrupted Guardian's Heart' and the 'Ancient Guardian's Prime Fur,' then back at the clearing, still reeking of corruption. This was getting serious, but also incredibly lucrative. The path to saving humanity was apparently paved with legendary loot and a surprisingly good financial plan.
"Alright, Lily, Foxy," I said, a new resolve in my voice. "Let's get this fur to the market. And then… then we figure out what this 'Corrupted Guardian's Heart' wants us to do.