I didn't expect my first battle to be against a mushroom.
Yes, you read that right—a walking, squeaky, oversized mushroom with angry eyes and a leaf as a hat.
Patch floated beside me, arms crossed like a coach watching his least talented player. "Okay, listen closely, newbie. That thing? It's called a Sporeling. Weak, slow, basically a punching bag with legs. If you lose to that, I'm logging out of your life permanently."
I narrowed my eyes at the little creature waddling toward me.
It was maybe three feet tall, making pitiful "boing boing" noises with each step. Its glowing red eyes tried to look intimidating, but honestly, I'd seen scarier stuffed animals.
I gripped the wooden sword tightly.
"No problem," I said confidently. "I've played Mobile Legends for years. This'll be easy."
Patch snorted. "You played the game. That's different from actually being in it. Let's see how well you dodge without a joystick."
The mushroom suddenly let out a high-pitched squeal—and jumped.
Straight at my face.
"AH—!"
I stumbled backward, barely swinging my sword in time to deflect it. The thing bounced off like a rubber ball, landing with a thud and shaking its head.
Okay. That was faster than I thought.
"Don't just stand there looking pretty!" Patch yelled. "Hit it before it jumps again!"
I lunged forward, swinging clumsily. The wooden sword smacked against the mushroom's side with a weak thunk.
[Damage dealt: 7]
[Sporeling HP: 23/30]
The mushroom let out an angry screech and spun toward me.
I blinked. "Wait, it spins—?"
Too late.
The Sporeling headbutted my stomach, sending me flying backward into a bush.
[Damage received: 9]
[HP: 91/100]
"Ow," I groaned, sitting up with leaves in my hair. "Did I just get bodied by a plant?"
Patch floated above, slow-clapping. "Oh, this is going in my mental highlight reel."
"Not helping, Patch!"
I scrambled back to my feet, breathing hard. My hands were shaking. Not because I was scared—okay, maybe a little—but mostly because it was real. The pain, the impact, the noise... This wasn't like tapping buttons in a match. It was like fighting for your life with a stick and no skills.
The Sporeling waddled again, angrier than before.
Alright. No more messing around.
I exhaled, focused, and watched its movement. Just like in ranked games—you don't panic, you predict.
It jumped.
I sidestepped.
The mushroom flew past me and hit the ground hard.
"NOW!" Patch screamed.
I swung hard—once, twice—landing two solid hits.
[Damage dealt: 9, 8]
[Sporeling HP: 6/30]
The creature shook violently. One more hit would do it.
But just as I raised my sword again—it suddenly puffed into a cloud of green spores.
I coughed. "What the hell?!"
[Status: Poisoned – HP drains over time]
[HP: 85/100]
"Why is it poisonous?! It's a mushroom!"
Patch was wheezing with laughter. "Nature's revenge, baby!"
"Shut UP—!"
But it was too late. The Sporeling had recovered and was charging again. I had no time to dodge.
So I didn't.
I ducked low, let it leap over me, and used the momentum to spin and slam the wooden sword right on its back.
[Critical Hit! Damage dealt: 10]
[Sporeling Defeated!]
The mushroom exploded into glowing particles, leaving behind a small glowing stone and… a mushroom cap?
I fell onto my back, breathing hard, sword still in hand.
Victory. Painful, humiliating, but still victory.
[EXP +15]
[Item acquired: Mushy Cap]
[Status Effect: Poison fading…]
Patch floated down, mock-impressed. "Well, that was… pathetic. But hey, you didn't die. Progress!"
I glared at him. "Remind me why I can't uninstall you."
"Because I'm adorable and full of knowledge. Also, I have your inventory access."
I sat up and inspected the glowing stone.
[Minor Soul Shard]
Description: "Collect these to unlock Skill Fragments. Required to build your own set."
"So this is how I get skills?" I muttered.
Patch nodded. "Yep. Defeat monsters, gather soul shards, and once you collect enough, the system lets you form your own skills. Think of it like crafting your own build from scratch. No freebies here."
"And how many shards do I need for one skill?"
"Ten. And you've got one. Congrats!"
I groaned. "So I need to beat nine more mushrooms?"
Patch pulled out a tiny trumpet and blew it. "Welcome to the grind!"
I rubbed my face, still aching. "I miss losing games from lag. At least then I wasn't covered in mushroom juice."
We continued down the path as the forest thickened. More glowing creatures lurked nearby. My sword was getting worn, my hoodie was stained, and I had never felt more under-leveled in my life.
But somehow… a part of me was excited.
Because this wasn't just a game anymore.
This was mine to build from scratch. No roles. No rules. No limits.
And maybe—just maybe—I'd become more than just a hot-headed player with sarcasm issues.
Maybe I'd become the first Unbounded legend.