Chapter 15: Awakening Part 1

Morning sunlight, soft as whispers, filtered through the inn's curtains, coaxing Alex awake. Refreshed, he bathed and donned fresh clothes, the faint scent of Ms. Lana's delicious breakfast still clinging to him. Stepping out of the Moonlight Inn, the bustling air of the Adventurer's Guild beckoned.

Pushing open the doors, he joined a throng of adventurers scanning the quest board. Goblin subjugation, again. This time, after a brief chat with the ever-efficient Leena, Alex ventured forth, heading back to the familiar shadows of the forest.

Deeper he went, leaving the sunlit edges behind. He paused, pulling up his status screen. Level 4, 100XP. Three more goblins meant advancement, the familiar thrill of growth sparking in his chest. Suddenly, two hulking figures emerged from the undergrowth. With lightning reflexes, Black Betty's flew, finding their mark. Swiftly claiming their ears, he checked his XP bar. 200. Disappointment gnawed at him. Yesterday, each goblin yielded 120XP. Were diminishing returns setting in? Perhaps a new monster, maybe those pesky poison frogs, was needed to diversify his leveling?

Lost in thought, he almost missed the lone goblin lurking nearby. In a blur of motion, Alex closed the distance, Razor singing a deadly song. A flicker of steel, a spray of crimson, and the goblin's head tumbled to the forest floor. Victory, but a hollow one. He needed a new challenge, a way to reignite the thrill of progress.

A prickle of unease pricked Alex's skin. His Presence Detection had pinged, then vanished. Yet, an icy feeling wormed its way down his spine, whispering of unseen danger lurking in the dimness. Razor gleamed in his right hand, a Black Betty poised in his left, his stance tense with watchful anticipation.

From the tangled undergrowth, a blur erupted. Reflexes honed to a razor's edge, Alex met the projectile with a deadly X of steel. The object, severed in two, sputtered a dark red goo against a nearby tree trunk. It wasn't a snake, not quite. A long, fleshy strip, it sent a tremor of doubt through him.

His answer arrived promptly. A hulking amphibian, easily reaching his knees, lumbered out of the foliage. Its skin glistened with a viscous crimson, mirroring the severed "tongue." Emotionless eyes locked onto him.

Expletives danced on his tongue. Luck had turned sour. The F-rank quest board flashed in his mind – Poison Frog subjugation. This monstrous amphibian matched the description perfectly. Panic gnawed at him. No antidotes. One bite, one touch of that poison, and it was game over. He recalled its listed agility, its powerful leaps.

As if on cue, the frog launched itself, propelling its bulk through the air with surprising athleticism. A geyser of venomous spittle arced towards him. With a practiced dodge, Alex leaped back, the poison splashing harmlessly behind him.

A feral grin stretched across his face as the frog hung momentarily in mid-air. "Your turn is over, amphibian."

Six Black Betty's flashed silver in the sunlight, each one finding its mark with deadly precision. A guttural croak, followed by a heavy thud, announced the creature's demise.

The chime echoed in his head, announcing his ascension to Level 5. Yet, exhaustion gnawed at his bones, a heavy cloak settling over him. He fought the urge to slump, forcing himself upright. The fallen amphibian held the key to survival, and he wouldn't succumb to fatigue yet.

With gritted teeth, Alex approached the Poison Frog. Razor carved expertly, extracting the precious resources: the venomous tongue, pulsating poison sac, and powerful hind legs. Each movement was a struggle against the encroaching drowsiness, a battle waged within.

"What's happening?" he muttered, shaking his head to dispel the fog. His hand brushed against something unexpected - a magic stone, pulsating with an energy far exceeding the goblins'. This hulking beast held a treasure beyond anticipation. Every monster held a piece of its power within, he remembered.

He continued his grim harvest, the two hind legs finally severed. These weren't mere materials, but delicacies in the right hands. Butchers specialized in handling monster meat, removing the poison and transforming it into a high-priced culinary marvel. The poison sac, however, held a different purpose. In the hands of skilled pharmacists, it could be distilled into an antidote, a crucial safeguard against its own lethal touch.

"Antidotes next time," he promised himself, a grim humor twisting his lips. The frog's tongue, prized for its potency in bow crafting, lay discarded near the tree. He retrieved it, adding it to his growing collection.

Finally, the webbed right forefoot - the grim proof of his conquest. With trembling hands, he stored everything in his item box, the goblin ears and magic stone joining their macabre companions.

Leaving wasn't a choice, it was a desperate necessity. Each step back towards the city walls was a war against the tide of sleep threatening to engulf him. He stumbled near the watchful gaze of the guards, his vision blurring.

"Sleepy," he rasped, a final plea before succumbing to the darkness. The world dissolved into swirling colors, the forest replaced by the embrace of sleep, a temporary respite from the dangers that lurked ahead.