Grimgoat killed!

+ 1000 Exp

Congratulations! You've just leveled up! You have +3 Assignable Points!

Congratulations! You've just leveled up! You have +3 Assignable Points!

Congratulations! You've just beaten the “The Lord of the Forest” quest. You have +15 Assignable Points!

Congratulations! You've just beaten the “Reach level 5 within 168 hours” quest. You have +10 Assignable Points!

Marshmallow's wrist trembled slightly as he scrolled through the list of newly unlocked rewards. "A thousand experience points... damn, that's a hefty bounty!" he exclaimed, barely believing his own eyes. His experience points had taken a gigantic leap, catapulting him straight to level 5.

"How long did that take, 36? 37 hours? I literally smashed that optional mission!" he said to himself, a satisfied smile appearing on his tired face.

Not to mention the myriad of rewards he had gained for all he had done. He had often heard the saying “You reap what you sow.” Marshmallow had sowed chaos, and he was about to reap a bounty of rewards. His survival in the Survivor Game was now significantly more likely.

Two level-ups, 6 points. Grimgoat's death, 15 points. The optional quest given by Ada is 10 points. Marshmallow had just racked up 31 points to spend, it was like getting 10 level-ups at once.

Great!

Was Grimgoat's death worth that much? No… it couldn't be just that. The quest was marked as a threat: high*. There was an asterisk, what did that mean? Probably the difficulty was high for him. The system decided to reward him because he had done something remarkable. If he hadn't had a past as a soldier, between the Evolveroach gallery, the Kingroach, and Queen Luminara, he would have been squashed like a bug.

He stretched, feeling the weight of the new abilities and enhancements that had just been bestowed upon him. "Now things get interesting," he murmured.

He was still lying on the ground, and the Titan Hammer, the weapon that had been decisive between his life and death, was beside him. He looked up, staring at the surrounding Ashenwood. Despite his victory, the forest remained unchanged, with the Miasma still enveloping everything. "At least the goats are free now, huh?" he commented, turning to the Goat Horse who nodded, an expression of gratitude mixed with relief on his face. "Thank you, Marshmallow," the Goat Horse said hoarsely, "You've broken the Grimgoat's yoke."

Marshmallow ran a hand through his hair, letting the reality of the moment sink in. He had done something remarkable, something that would leave a mark on the game. But there was still so much to do, and so many challenges to face. And the next one was already on the horizon.

After the battle, as Marshmallow rose from the ground, a slight headache began to throb at the base of his skull.

Oh no…

Marshmallow facepalmed. He knew exactly what it meant: it was Ada, the AI. It was activating in his mind, a digital mechanism implanted by the developers of the Survivor Game to communicate directly with players.

As expected, after a few moments, a robotic female voice began to vibrate in his mind. He didn’t know whether to be happy or not.

"Congratulations, Marshmallow. You've exceeded expectations," Ada's voice echoed in his head, cold and detached as always. There was no need for her to appear physically; her presence was a digital whisper in Marshmallow's mind.

"Finally, you make yourself heard," he replied, massaging his temples. "Where the hell were you when that Grimgoat was about to tear me apart?"

Ada's response came immediately, like an intrusive thought: "My function is to provide informational assistance and directives. Physical intervention is not within the parameters of my program."

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

Marshmallow held back a sigh of frustration. "And now, what surprise do you have for me? Let me guess, another mission?"

"Correct," Ada continued in her ever-monotonous tone. "You must head south towards the Gear Savannah. There awaits a retrieval mission: the Prismatronic Core."

"Prismatronic Core? What the heck is that? And where is South? How do I orient myself? I don't even have a compass," Marshmallow asked, though he knew Ada would offer few explanations.

Without knowing how a compass materialized in Marshmallow's hand. He was astonished.

Is Ada offering me a tool for help? Is it Christmas or something?

"The specifics of the Prismatronic Core will be revealed once the objective is reached. I am not authorized to divulge further details," Ada replied, her voice echoing digitally in Marshmallow's mind.

Resigned but curious, Marshmallow nodded, even though Ada couldn't see it. "Alright, Ada. Let's find out what this Gear Savannah has in store for us."

As expected, Ada disappeared right after, and conveniently, the headache ceased. Then the Goat Horse approached with a glimmer of enthusiasm in his eyes. "Hey, Marshmallow," he began, "can I join you on the journey to Gear Savannah? I have some skills that might come in handy along the way."

Marshmallow looked at him, appreciating the offer. "Sure, buddy. It seems we have another adventure ahead of us."

Marshmallow turned a tired but genuine smile on his lips. "Really? That's great! I think I'll need all the help I can get. And who better than you to keep any wild goats at bay?"

The Goat Horse laughed at the joke, then, with a fluid motion, transformed into his equine form. "Then, hop on. It's time to leave."

Just as the Goat Horse transformed into his imposing equine form, Marshmallow noticed something strange happening beside him. The Titan Hammer, lying heavily on the ground, began to vibrate slightly. With growing amazement, Marshmallow watched as the huge hammer was enveloped in a soft light, emanating from the amulet around his neck, the Key of Light given to him by Silvanus.

The light intensified, completely wrapping the hammer in a sparkling glow. Then, with an almost fluid motion, the Titan Hammer began to dissolve into a myriad of luminous particles, being sucked into the amulet with a slight hiss. Marshmallow remained open-mouthed for a moment, surprised and fascinated by the magical spectacle.

"Hey, check this out!" Marshmallow exclaimed, his voice tinged with excitement. "This amulet is more than I thought. Kind of a storage device for something as bulky as the Titan Hammer."

The Goat Horse looked on, impressed. "Well, that makes things easier," he commented. "You won't have to drag it around anymore."

Marshmallow nodded, smiling. "Seems like Silvanus knew what he was doing when he gave it to me. I thought he was screwing with me, but it turned out to be my best ally. Without this amulet, I wouldn't have met you, Goat Horse."

Marshmallow then looked at the Goat Horse, now in his equine form, with an expression of respect. The Goat Horse, moved by those words, was almost brought to tears. He couldn't say anything.

Before mounting, Marshmallow paused for a moment. The Ashenwood, with its tall trees and the miasma still present, had something profoundly melancholic about it. "Goodbye, old forest," he whispered, almost to himself.

Then he noticed something on the ground: a bundle he had left to collect water. Surprised, he bent down to pick it up, finding it intact. It was the bundle he had made as soon as he entered the Survivor Game. "Here's a little fortune," he commented, bringing the bundle to his lips. Is the chance of finding it still there? The water was incredibly fresh, a gulp of life flowing down his throat.

After that brief moment of preparation, Marshmallow climbed onto the Goat Horse's back. "Well, my friend, to Gear Savannah!" he exclaimed enthusiastically. The Goat Horse neighed energetically as he rose on his front legs and began to gallop.

As they proceeded through the increasingly sparse trees of the Ashenwood, Marshmallow felt the familiar headache signaling the arrival of a message from Ada. No need to see her; her voice resonated clearly in Marshmallow's mind.

"Marshmallow, the Gear Savannah you are about to explore is a territory where nature and mechanics merge in a harmonious union," Ada begun, her electronic voice vibrating in Marshmallow's head. "Here, animals are like automatons and plants pulse to the rhythm of underground gears. It is an ecosystem where every movement is perfectly synchronized."

Marshmallow listened intently, the headache becoming secondary to those fascinating words. "Automaton animals and mechanical plants? This place sounds incredible."

"Correct," Ada continued. "The Gear Savannah requires acute observation. Here, every component of the landscape, from plants to pathways, can reveal clues or hide traps. It's not just a place to traverse, but an intricate puzzle where each piece moves and reacts to your actions."

As Ada spoke, the Ashenwood gave way to a vast open landscape. Before them stretched an immense prairie, illuminated by a scorching sun, a stark contrast to the darkness of the Ashenwood.

"Wow," Marshmallow exclaimed, admiring the beauty of the landscape unfolding before them. "After all this time spent in the gray, this sun is just what we needed."

The Goat Horse responded with a joyful neigh, increasing the pace of his run on the now dry and firm ground.

"Remember," Ada concluded in Marshmallow's mind, "in the Gear Savannah, every decision you make can alter the harmony of this ecosystem of nature and mechanics. A challenge awaits where observation and ingenuity will be key to navigating its intricate mechanisms."

With a determined look, Marshmallow set his eyes on the horizon. "A mechanical ecosystem, huh?"