Marcus trudged through the Whispering Woods, muttering under his breath as the ridiculously shiny boots squelched with each step. They weren't exactly practical for long walks through muddy trails. He should have just stuck with his trusty old sandals.
*Ding!*
**New Area Discovered: Whispering Woods! Beware of wild goblins and rogue squirrels!**
"Rogue squirrels? Really?" Marcus mumbled. He eyed the trees nervously, half-expecting a squirrel to leap out and mug him for his lunch.
The System, however, was far too cheerful to acknowledge his sarcasm.
**New Skill Unlocked: Inventory Management! You can now access your Hero Inventory! Say 'Open Inventory' to view items.**
Marcus groaned. "Can't I just reach into a bag like a normal person?"
*Ding!*
**No. Use the command, Marcus. Don't be difficult.**
Rolling his eyes, he gave in. "Fine. Open Inventory."
A golden window popped up in front of him, displaying a ridiculously cluttered collection of items. Among the random things in his inventory were:
- **Hero's Sword (Basic)**
- **Beginner's Cloak (Itchy)**
- **A Really Shiny Pair of Boots**
- **5 Pieces of Moldy Bread**
- **An Empty Potion Bottle**
- **Turnip Seeds (???)**
- **Random Assorted Junk**
Marcus frowned at the screen. "Why is half of this stuff in my inventory? I didn't put any of this here!"
**It's starter gear! Everyone gets it when they become a Hero. Very generous, really!** the System chimed in.
He poked the empty potion bottle suspiciously. "And the moldy bread?"
**Free food is free food, Marcus. Beggars can't be choosers.**
Marcus sighed, deciding not to argue with a magical text box. "Well, at least I have my turnip seeds."
**Hero Marcus!** The System chirped suddenly. **You are about to encounter your first enemy! Prepare yourself for combat!**
Marcus froze. "What? Enemy? No, no, no, I'm not prepared—"
Before he could finish his sentence, a tiny, scrappy goblin leaped out of the bushes with a high-pitched screech. It was about the size of a large cat, with ragged clothes and a chipped wooden spear that looked more like a sharpened stick.
The goblin jabbed its spear at Marcus, who yelped and stumbled back.
*Ding!*
**Tutorial: To attack, swing your sword! To dodge, move! To block—well, just try not to die. Good luck!**
"Not helping!" Marcus yelled, fumbling for his sword. His hands were shaking so much that the blade slipped through his fingers and landed with a *thunk* in the mud.
The goblin blinked, surprised, then looked up at Marcus, unimpressed.
"Uh… truce?" Marcus offered.
The goblin snarled and lunged at him again. Instinctively, Marcus ducked, narrowly avoiding the goblin's attack.
*Ding!*
**Dodging successful! Well done, Hero Marcus!**
"Yeah, thanks," he muttered, his heart racing. He desperately grabbed the sword from the mud, swinging it wildly without any sense of technique or control. "Stay back! I'm warning you—I'll turn you into a kebab!"
To his utter shock, the goblin tripped over a root and fell face-first into the ground. Marcus blinked in disbelief, then cautiously poked the goblin with his sword. It groaned, clearly out cold.
*Ding!*
**Congratulations! You have defeated your first enemy!**
"I didn't even do anything…" Marcus said, breathing heavily.
**Victory is victory! You've gained 10 EXP!**
"Well, that's great, but I think I need a break now," Marcus mumbled, sitting down on a nearby log to catch his breath. He stared at the unconscious goblin, still clutching his sword awkwardly.
Before he could even fully relax, another *Ding!* rang in his ears.
**Level Up! You are now Level 2!**
Marcus blinked. "Wait, seriously? I leveled up from that?"
**Yes! That's how it works. Small victories count! Now you can spend your skill points!**
"Skill points?" Marcus scrolled through the system menu that popped up, displaying various options like *Strength*, *Endurance*, *Luck*, and oddly enough, *Farming*.
"Why is there a 'Farming' skill for a hero?" Marcus asked, incredulous.
**Well, it's your background, isn't it? You were a farmer, and now you're a Hero. We believe in nurturing all of your skills. Besides, Farming is essential! You never know when you'll need to grow crops on the battlefield.**
Marcus sighed, rubbing his temples. "This system is insane."
After a moment of internal debate, he reluctantly allocated a few points to *Endurance* and one point to *Farming*—just in case.
*Ding!*
**You have improved your Farming skill! You can now grow crops 10% faster!**
"Great," Marcus muttered. "I'm sure that'll come in handy while fighting goblins."
Just as he was about to gather himself and continue on, a rustling sound came from the bushes. Marcus groaned, tightening his grip on the sword. "Oh no, not more goblins…"
But instead of goblins, a rogue squirrel jumped out, chittering angrily at him.
Marcus stared at it. The squirrel stared back.
"You've got to be kidding me."