Marcus had fought many battles in his life. Well, not actual battles—more like the daily skirmishes of farm life. Weeds. Chickens. Stubbornly growing turnips. But nothing had prepared him for the ferociousness of the creature now staring him down: a rogue squirrel.
It stood on its hind legs, fur bristling, with its sharp little claws tapping impatiently against the ground as if to say, *Come at me, bro.*
Marcus blinked. "Are you serious right now?"
*Ding!*
**New Quest: Defeat the Rogue Squirrel!**
"Why does the system want me to fight everything I see?" Marcus grumbled, gripping his sword.
The squirrel didn't wait for an answer. It charged at him with a high-pitched squeak, teeth bared. Marcus barely had time to raise his sword before the squirrel launched itself at his face. He flailed wildly, trying to bat it away.
"Get off! Get off!" he shouted, spinning in circles while the squirrel clung to his head like an angry fur hat.
*Ding!*
**Tip: Try using your Fireball spell!**
"Spell?! I don't even know how to—"
Before he could finish, the squirrel bit down on his ear, and instinctively, Marcus thrust his hand forward. "Fireball!"
A tiny spark of flame shot out from his palm, grazing the squirrel just enough to make it leap off his head in surprise. The creature landed a few feet away, singed but unharmed, now glaring at Marcus with even more fury in its beady eyes.
Marcus stood there, panting. "Great. Now it's mad."
The squirrel screeched again and leapt toward him for round two.
*Ding!*
**New Spell Unlocked: Minor Shield!**
"Finally, something useful!" Marcus raised his hand just as the squirrel was about to reach him again. "Minor Shield!"
A faint, transparent barrier appeared in front of him, and the squirrel bounced off with a soft *thud*, landing on its back with an indignant squeak.
Marcus, still sweating and thoroughly confused about his current life choices, pointed his sword at the dazed squirrel. "Stay down!"
For a moment, the squirrel seemed to consider its options. Then, with a final hiss of defiance, it scampered back into the bushes, disappearing into the undergrowth as if it had never been there at all.
Marcus collapsed onto the ground, gasping for air. "I… I just fought a squirrel…"
*Ding!*
**Quest Complete! You have successfully defeated the Rogue Squirrel!**
"I didn't *defeat* it. It just gave up because I'm not worth the trouble."
**Details, details. You've earned 5 EXP!**
Marcus rolled his eyes. "Five EXP? I get more for tripping over my own feet."
**Well, squirrels aren't known for their battle prowess. But good job, Hero Marcus! You're getting the hang of this.**
"Sure," Marcus muttered, dragging himself back to his feet. "If by 'getting the hang of it' you mean I almost lost to a squirrel."
As he dusted himself off, he heard the sound of something jingling. Frowning, he looked down and noticed a small, shimmering pouch lying on the ground where the squirrel had been.
"Wait, did that thing drop loot?"
*Ding!*
**New Item Acquired: Shiny Coin Pouch!**
Marcus bent down and picked up the pouch, opening it to find several golden coins glinting in the sunlight. His eyes widened. "I… I can't believe I'm actually getting paid for this."
**Being a Hero has its perks! Use those coins wisely. You'll need them for the adventures ahead.**
Marcus pocketed the coins, his mood slightly improved. "Well, at least now I can buy a meal when I reach the town."
Feeling a bit better after his bizarre encounter, Marcus continued walking, albeit more cautiously, keeping an eye out for any other "rogue" creatures that might pop up.
The System, of course, was not done with him.
*Ding!*
**Main Quest Update: You are now 5% closer to reaching the nearest town!**
"Five percent?" Marcus stopped in his tracks. "I've been walking for hours! How far is this town?"
**Approximately 95% of your journey remains. Keep going, Hero Marcus! You're doing great!**
Marcus groaned. "You've got to be kidding me."
As he walked, he started to notice something strange. The woods around him seemed to be shifting subtly. The trees were whispering, but not in the normal way trees rustled in the wind. No, these trees were *actually whispering*, and Marcus could almost make out words—though it mostly sounded like complaints about woodpeckers and sap flow.
"Okay, now I know I'm going crazy," Marcus muttered.
But then, a new sound reached his ears—a voice, soft and melodic, drifting through the trees. "Hero…"
Marcus froze. "What now?"
He looked around, trying to locate the source of the voice. "Uh, hello? Who's there?"
"Hero… you must come closer…"
Marcus hesitated. He had read enough old adventure stories to know that following mysterious voices rarely ended well. But, then again, this day had already thrown enough weirdness at him that a talking forest seemed pretty on-brand.
Sighing, he carefully followed the voice through the undergrowth, pushing past branches and ferns until he came upon a small clearing. In the center stood a large, ancient-looking tree with a face carved into its bark. Its eyes, though made of wood, seemed strangely alive.
"Hero Marcus," the tree intoned solemnly, "you have arrived."
Marcus blinked. "A talking tree? Seriously? Am I still fighting that squirrel?"
The tree's branches creaked as it leaned closer. "No, young Hero. I am the Tree of Wisdom, and I have a gift for you."
Marcus, thoroughly exhausted by the day's events, threw up his hands. "Sure, why not? A talking tree with a gift sounds perfectly normal at this point."
The tree's bark shifted, revealing a small hollow in its trunk, from which it produced a glowing orb of light. "Take this, Hero Marcus. It will aid you on your journey."
Marcus reached out hesitantly, and as soon as his fingers touched the orb, it dissolved into golden light and absorbed into his body.
*Ding!*
**New Ability Acquired: Insight of the Forest! You can now understand the language of trees.**
Marcus stared blankly at the message. "I can… understand trees now?"
The tree smiled—or at least, it seemed to. "Use your new gift wisely, Hero. The trees have much to say, if you will listen."
"Well, thanks, I guess?" Marcus replied, still unsure if this was a blessing or a curse.
As he turned to leave the clearing, he could hear the trees around him starting to chatter in excitement. Most of it seemed to be about the weather.
With a deep sigh, Marcus continued his journey, now fully aware that he was in for a lot more nonsense before this "Hero" business was done.