The forest had grown darker, more twisted. Damien rolled cautiously under the canopy, the leaves above barely letting in any light. He could feel the tension in the air—something about this part of the forest felt… wrong.
"This doesn't feel like your average leveling zone," he muttered, his gooey form rippling with unease. "Are there cursed areas in the novel this early?"
> "Warning: You have entered a danger-class zone. Proceed with caution,"< the system chimed.
"Now you tell me."
He was about to turn around when he heard it—cries. Not animal cries, but more like… wailing. Curious and a little reckless, Damien slid toward the sound until he found the source. A group of horned wolf cubs—three in total—trapped under fallen trees. They were whimpering, eyes wide with fear. One had a nasty gash running down its side.
Damien paused. He wasn't human anymore, but that didn't mean he'd lost his humanity. "These guys are just babies."
He knew the forest's rules were cruel. A weak creature was just a meal waiting to happen. But something about this sight hit him harder than he expected.
> "Quest generated: Save the Horned Wolf Cubs. Reward: ???"<
"A quest?" Damien blinked—mentally, of course. "System, you're giving me a proper quest now?"
> "Yes. This is your first moral-choice quest. Rewards are based on outcome and actions."<
"So not just strength-based... interesting."
Without hesitation, Damien began using his body like a hydraulic jack, lifting one of the tree branches. It was slow, awkward, and exhausting—but the first cub scrambled free. The second branch was heavier, and he nearly lost his shape trying to lift it. But soon enough, all three cubs were huddled together and breathing free.
They stared at him—not with fear, but curiosity.
Then, from the shadows, a deep growl erupted. Damien turned.
From between the trees, a massive, battle-scarred Horned Wolf stepped forward. Its yellow eyes locked onto Damien, body low and tense.
"Ah. So that's Mama."
> "Warning: Elite Monster Detected – Horned Wolf Matriarch (Lv. 15)"<
Damien was only Level 2.
"I'm screwed."
But the Matriarch didn't attack.
She sniffed the air, looked at her cubs, then stared at Damien. Seconds passed. Then she lowered her head in a nod.
> "Quest Complete. Moral Path Chosen."<
"Reward: Horned Wolf Blessing (Passive – Fangs of the Forest) Acquired."<
"EXP Gained: 200. Level Up!"<
Damien nearly collapsed from relief. "You've got to be kidding me… That actually worked?"
> "Indeed. Sometimes strength lies not in devouring, but in choice."<
The wolf gave him one last nod, then vanished into the woods with her young. Damien stood there—slimy, shaken, but… proud.
"Alright. That wasn't so bad. Maybe being a good slime isn't such a bad deal after all."
> "Note: Your actions have altered a key event. Timeline deviation detected."<
"…Wait. What?"
> "The Horned Wolf Matriarch was originally supposed to die here, allowing the future protagonist to slay her cubs for a skill. That path is no longer possible."<
"Oh."
That hit Damien like a cold bucket of water. "So I really am changing things."
The forest around him suddenly felt heavier. Every choice mattered now.
"If I keep interfering like this… what else changes? Will I meet the protagonist differently? Will I become a threat?"
> "Only time will tell, Host. But from here on, the story is no longer set in stone."<
Damien looked ahead into the dark woods, a strange mix of dread and anticipation swirling in his gooey form.
"Fine. Let the story change."
"I'll write a new one."
---