Player: Stephen Jacobs
Health Points (HP): 100
Magic Points (MP): 15
Character Level: 3
Job(s):
* Barbarian (Level 2)
* Glitched (Level 2)
Attributes:
* Strength: 38
* Dexterity: 24
* Endurance: 40
* Intelligence: 44
* Wisdom: 34
* Luck: 25
Skills:
* Melee Proficiency (Level 4)
* Brutal Strike (Level 1)
* Glitch (Level 2)
* Overcome (Level 1)
* Adrenaline (Level 2)
* Parse (Level 1)
Titles:
* Glitched
* King Slayer
* Defier of Odds
Stephen picked himself up from the water and dismissed the status screen after reviewing the changes that had been made. It seemed that titles conferred attribute points—information he hadn’t had before. He now looked at the message about using the Glitch skill on the Frogling King. It hadn’t been so successful with the other Froglings he’d killed during the day. But surely, this was a boss—it would have to grant him something.
Critical Success! You have gained the following from the Frogling King:
* Skill Acquired: King’s Command - Level 1
* Ability: Allows the user to temporarily summon and control up to 3 Frogling minions. Duration: 5 minutes. Cooldown: 1 hour.
* Level Up: Increases the number of minions by 1 per level.
* Skill Acquired: Amphibian Vitality - Level 1
* Ability: Passively increases HP regeneration by an additional 0.5% per second when in water or damp environments.
* Level Up: Increases HP regeneration by an additional 0.1% per level.
* Attribute Bonus: +3 Endurance
* Effect: Increased HP and overall stamina.
"Whoa!" Stephen exclaimed, stunned. He had been expecting a simple attribute increase—but a Critical Success? He looked over his newly acquired skills. Summoning Froglings and Amphibian Vitality? He definitely enjoyed the thought of increased HP regeneration. He looked over the corpse of the Frogling King and looted it. In a massive puff of red and black embers, it vanished, leaving behind a large pelt, which the system labeled Frogling King Pelt, four hunks of predator meat, and two massive tusks. He then turned his attention to the Froglings, attempting to use Glitch on them as well. Three of the four succeeded. That increase to Luck seems to be paying off, he thought to himself. He scored +3 points in Dexterity from the smaller amphibians.
Stephen made his way to shore, trudging through the waist-deep water until he was on dry land again. His wounds and sores were almost fully healed at this point, no doubt due to the new Amphibian Vitality and Overcome skills. As he returned to his now cracked rock, he started a new fire to dry his bones. It was at this point that he recalled a message about quest rewards. A screen appeared in his vision.
Inventory:
* Predator meat x 5
* Frogling Pelts x 6
* Frogling King Pelt x 1
* Shadow Lion Pelt x 1
* Predator Teeth x 4
* Tusks x 12
* Massive Tusks x 2
* Frogling King Tongue x 1
* Talisman of the Frog King x 1
That last item was purple in color. Stephen understood this from the various games he’d played—it indicated a higher rarity than the other items he had collected. He thought about the Talisman, and it materialized in his palm. The talisman was small, roughly the size of a clenched fist, and appeared to be made from a dark, mottled green stone that felt slightly damp to the touch. Embedded within the stone was a single large, polished frog's eye that seemed to glisten with a faint, otherworldly light. The eye appeared almost alive, occasionally flickering as if it were watching the surroundings. The talisman was hung on a cord of braided, sinewy material that felt unnervingly organic, as though it were crafted from the very fibers of the swamp. Stephen looked at the Talisman, and a window appeared.
Talisman of the Frog King
* Item Type: Rare Artifact
* Effect:
* Sticky Defense:
* Effect: Temporarily coats the wearer in a sticky, defensive mucus that reduces incoming physical damage by 20% for 30 seconds. Cooldown: 1 hour.
* Description: The talisman channels the defensive properties of the Frogling King, providing the wearer with a temporary protective barrier that can absorb and reduce physical damage.
Flavor Text:
"Crafted from the essence of the Frogling King, this talisman oozes with protective magic, shielding its bearer from harm in the most dire of situations."
He smiled for the first time since arriving in this strange place. The effect was perfect for him, enhancing his sustainability. He watched in slight horror as the eye on the talisman moved, as if taking in its surroundings. Stephen shivered, but what else could he do? Slowly, he put it over his head, and the cool stone of the talisman felt damp against his skin. Goosebumps formed on his neck and chest as he felt it rhythmically thumping, as if it had a heart. It was unnerving to wear, but if he was to survive, he needed all the help he could get, even if it meant wearing a seemingly living necklace.
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He let out a yawn as the newly lit fire crackled. He wasn’t sure of the time, but he knew he needed to rest. Taking one last look at his surroundings, he moved a little closer to the rock and began to close his eyes.
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The Next Day
Stephen awoke, rubbing his eyes free of the crusty sleep. He stretched and yawned, smacking his lips as he did. In the blurriness of sleep, he took in his surroundings once more. The serene, peaceful stream babbled alongside his makeshift camp. Scalebucks were off in the distance, eating and drinking water, while a few Froglings hopped along the shore. He turned his attention to them.
Frogling Level - 1
* HP: 25
So they were level 1 creatures—that would explain why they seemed to die quickly when he fought them. It also explained why they didn't seem to give much experience once defeated. He stretched and rose to his feet. His sudden movement caused the Scalebucks to glance in his direction before they returned to eating and drinking. With that, Stephen turned and continued cautiously downstream in search of any sign of civilization.
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A Few Days Later
Days passed, filled with trials of Stephen's newfound abilities. Over this time, he managed to improve his skills. The whole “Barbarian thing” was becoming second nature—throwing himself headlong into danger felt almost natural now. He couldn’t tell if it was his own instincts or the influence of his Barbarian class, but he was certain that the creatures in the area were posing less and less of a threat. Well, except for the Shadow Lions. He hadn’t seen one since the first encounter, and it bothered him. They had to be in a higher-level area, and maybe, by sheer bad luck, he'd been dropped into the wrong zone. After all, he was glitched. The more terrifying possibility was that if there was a Frogling King, could there also be a Queen? The thought made him shiver.
As he continued following the stream, he caught the faint scent of smoke in the air. His heart raced—could it be civilization? Or was it another new danger lurking in the woods? Deciding caution was the best approach, Stephen veered off into the trees, sticking to the shadows as he moved quietly toward the source of the smoke.
Skill Activated - Shadow Stalk
His body shimmered into near invisibility, blending into the shadows as he crept forward. His heightened Dexterity made silent movement feel almost effortless now. The closer he got, the more he could hear—humming. It was faint, a woman’s voice. A cold sweat broke out across his forehead, and his palms grew clammy. He gulped and peered through the brush.
Ahead was a small campsite: a tent, a fire, and clothes hung to dry. His eyes scanned the area until they landed on the source of the humming—a woman bathing in the stream. She had pale pink skin and waist-length blonde hair, her back turned to him as she rinsed herself in the cool water. Stephen’s face flushed red, his heart racing. Oh no.
He quickly turned away, feeling an overwhelming sense of embarrassment. Here he was, a grown man, hiding in the shadows like a creep while a woman was bathing. But what was he supposed to do? This was the first human he had seen in days, and he needed help.
Steeling his nerves, he stood and cleared his throat, still averting his eyes from the woman in the stream.
Skill Deactivated - Shadow Stalk
“Uh... excuse me?” he called, trying to sound as non-threatening as possible. He winced, his face burning with embarrassment. This was not how he wanted to make an introduction.
The woman’s humming stopped abruptly, and he heard the splash of water as she turned toward him.
“Oh! Hello there,” she said, her voice soft and warm.
Stephen cautiously glanced in her direction, expecting her to be startled or even angry. Instead, she just stood there, still completely exposed, with no sign of alarm. His heart raced, and he quickly looked away again, trying to keep his eyes anywhere but on her.
“Uh, sorry, I didn’t mean to... I just—” he stammered, struggling to find the right words as his embarrassment grew.
The woman let out a light, carefree laugh. “You’re fine. You didn’t do anything wrong.”
She stepped out of the stream, entirely unbothered by her lack of clothing, and began grabbing a towel. Stephen could feel his face burning even hotter as he kept his eyes fixed on the ground.
“I’m Elizabeth. Nice to meet you,” she said casually as she began drying off.
“I—uh—Stephen. I’m Stephen,” he mumbled, still avoiding eye contact. “I’m, uh, from California.” He winced at his awkwardness, knowing full well that the words weren’t helping the situation.
“California?” Elizabeth tilted her head, a curious expression crossing her face as she slipped into a loose tunic. “Is that a kingdom to the east?”
Stephen blinked, taken aback by her response. “No... it’s a state. You know, like Los Angeles, Hollywood?”
Elizabeth shook her head, giving him a confused smile. “Never heard of it. Are you sure you’re okay? Maybe you hit your head or something.”
Now it was Stephen’s turn to be confused. How could she not know what California was? Was this some sort of in-character role-playing thing? He wasn’t sure how to respond.
“I—uh, no, I’m fine,” he said, trying to play it off.
Elizabeth’s eyes scanned him for a moment before she gave him a warm smile. “Well, either way, it’s nice to meet you, Stephen from California. Come sit by the fire, you look like you’ve had a rough few days.”
Stephen hesitated, his embarrassment still lingering, but he eventually made his way over and sat down by the fire. Elizabeth seemed completely at ease, and while Stephen was still rattled by the situation, he had to admit that having someone to talk to was a relief.
“Thanks,” he muttered, grateful for the warmth of the fire and the company, even if it had started in the most awkward way possible.
Elizabeth glanced at him, her expression softening as she noticed the weariness in his eyes. “So, what brings you out here? You’re not from around here, obviously.”
Stephen hesitated again, his mind racing. Should he tell her the truth? Could he trust her? He didn’t know how much to reveal just yet, so he decided to keep things vague for now.
“I’ve been lost. Trying to find... well, anything, really. It’s been a rough few days.”
Elizabeth nodded, her expression empathetic. “I can imagine. The Whispering Woods can be dangerous if you don’t know your way around. Lucky for you, I’m a Paladin, so you’re in good hands.”
A Paladin? That explained her calm demeanor. But it also made Stephen feel even more awkward for how they’d met. He shifted uncomfortably, unsure of how to respond.
“Well, I appreciate the help,” he finally said, feeling the tension in his shoulders ease slightly.
Elizabeth smiled warmly and nodded. “It’s no trouble. I wouldn’t be much of a Paladin if I didn’t help someone in need, right?”
Stephen chuckled awkwardly, feeling a mix of relief and embarrassment. Despite the strange start, it seemed like Elizabeth was genuinely kind—and maybe, just maybe, she could help him navigate this world.