After almost getting wrecked by a mushroom, I thought I deserved a break. You know, maybe a nice bench, a soda, and a "Congratulations, you survived your first monster" cake. But instead, I got more walking. And trees. And weird birds that looked like they wanted to peck my face off.
"Where are we going again?" I asked, dragging my wooden sword behind me.
"To the next training zone," Patch said, floating lazily above my head. "And by 'training,' I mean 'more things trying to kill you until you get good.'"
"Wonderful. Just what I wanted."
The path got narrower as we walked. The trees leaned in closer, like they were eavesdropping. The light coming through the leaves gave everything a greenish glow. Peaceful? A little. Suspicious? Definitely.
After a few more minutes of walking, we reached a small clearing.
"This is it," Patch said, spinning in the air. "Zone Two: Whispering Weeds."
I squinted. "That sounds peaceful."
Patch gave me a look. "That's how they lure you in."
I took one step into the grass.
It hissed.
Yes. The grass hissed.
"Uhhh… is it supposed to do that?"
Patch grinned. "Nope. Good luck!"
Before I could ask what that meant, the ground under me moved.
The grass literally came to life.
Green vines shot up, wrapping around my legs and yanking me off balance.
"WHAT THE—!?"
I hit the ground with a thud. Something slimy brushed past my ankle.
A leafy creature crawled out of the grass. It looked like a small plant, but with teeth. Real, pointy, sharp-looking teeth.
[New Monster Discovered: Snatchroot]
Danger Level: Annoying
Weak Spot: The glowing mouth thing
"Why do plants have teeth here?!"
Patch floated above the fight like a sports commentator. "Because this is the wild zone, and you are the weakling. Don't die too fast."
The vine monster lunged at me. I rolled to the side just in time and swung my sword. Missed.
It came again. I dodged. Swung. Missed again.
My wooden sword hit nothing but air.
"Stop panicking and aim!" Patch yelled. "Hit the glowing mouth, not the grass!"
"You hit it then!" I shouted back.
"I don't have hands!"
The Snatchroot hissed and tried to bite my leg.
I jumped back and gritted my teeth.
"Alright, plant boy. Let's dance."
This time, when it lunged, I ducked under and slammed my sword right into its glowing mouth.
[Critical Hit! Damage dealt: 11]
[Snatchroot HP: 4/15]
The creature screeched and tried to run, but I wasn't letting it go. One more swing, and it burst into green sparkles.
[EXP +10]
[Item acquired: Vine Fiber]
[Soul Shard: +1]
[You now have 2/10 Soul Shards]
I stood there, breathing hard, covered in dirt and plant juice.
Patch floated down slowly. "See? Wasn't so hard."
"You say that like you did something."
"I gave moral support."
I rolled my eyes and checked my status screen.
[Player Name: Ren Takahashi]
Level: 1
HP: 82/100
Soul Shards: 2
Skills: None
Weapon: Wooden Sword (Durability: 63/100)
I looked at Patch. "So, when do I actually get skills? Something to make this easier?"
"When you collect 10 soul shards, you'll unlock your first skill option. But remember," he said, floating upside down, "you're Unbounded. You don't get skills based on roles. You build your own."
"Right. So I can mix tank and assassin stuff later?"
"Exactly. But first you need to survive long enough to earn it."
Wonderful.
I wiped my face with my sleeve. "How many more training zones are there?"
"Five total. You're in the second one. Each has tougher monsters, and every zone gives better loot. Finish all five, and you unlock the real game."
I groaned. "You mean this isn't the real game yet?"
Patch snorted. "You're still in the 'Tutorial For Dummies' stage. But hey—you're doing better than I thought. Only mildly terrible."
"Thanks. I'll cry about it later."
We kept walking, avoiding patches of suspicious-looking grass. Every now and then, something rustled, and I'd freeze with my sword ready. I wasn't taking chances anymore.
"Hey, Patch?"
"Yeah?"
"Back in my world, when I played MLBB, I was kind of a big deal. Top 100 assassin player."
"I know," he said. "That's why you got pulled in."
I blinked. "Wait—what?"
Patch turned slowly in the air, his tiny face suddenly serious.
"This world... it's connected to players who go beyond just playing. People who breathe the game. When someone like you reaches a certain point, the system notices."
I stared at him. "So I got sucked into a game because I was too good?"
"Basically. You were on fire. And when that happens, this world calls you."
I didn't know whether to feel proud or terrified.
Probably both.
"Okay," I muttered. "If this world thinks I'm that good… then I better prove it."
Patch smirked. "That's the spirit. Just don't get eaten by grass again."
We moved deeper into the zone, the sounds of wild creatures echoing all around.
No turning back now.
The grind had just begun.