"Here you go, Noah."
Nene extended her hand, and a soft glow pulsed from her palm. The light shimmered in a gentle green hue, curling through the air like lazy fireflies.
It wrapped around Noah's body in a warm swirl, seeping into his skin with a quiet hum.
Wounds vanished. Bruises faded. His body felt lighter, steadier—like a weight had been lifted from his bones.
He blinked. His HP bar was full.
He pushed himself up from the grass-covered ground, brushing a few stray blades off his palm.
"A healing NPC in the tutorial? Now that's some five-star service."
Nene's smile carried the soft warmth of approval, like a gentle breeze after a long, tiresome run.
"You actually did it. That was kinda fun to watch."
She stepped closer, her tone light but filled with meaning, like someone who'd just watched a kid take their training wheels off.
"You know what? I think you'll be just fine out there. I don't have to hover over you like a worried hen. You're on your own now—go shake the world or whatever you adventurers do."
She turned, then paused, as though remembering something halfway through a thought.
"If you get beat up or catch fire or lose a leg or whatever weird stuff happens out there, find me at the marketplace. I'm working with Merkado now, trying to keep his business from crashing and burning."
From seemingly nowhere, she pulled out a small pouch and dropped it into Noah's hand.
The fabric was soft, worn in the way things get when they've seen more stories than they should.
Inside, four small bottles clicked gently together—two shimmering red like melted rubies, two blue like frozen moonlight.
"Parting gift. Free samples. Don't drink them all at once."
[Small HP Potion: Restores 25% of maximum HP.]
[Small MP Potion: Restores 25% of maximum MP.]
Noah took the pouch and gave it a casual toss in his hand, watching Nene bounce off like she'd just cleared a side quest and unlocked a new dance emote.
Her steps had a spring like she was made of rubber and sugar.
"And that concluded the tutorial."
His gaze swept across the wide-open grassland that stretched in every direction like a green ocean with no end.
All around, fresh-faced players flailed at monsters—tiny slimes, aggressive birds, something that looked suspiciously like a carrot with teeth. It was chaotic, noisy, and kind of adorable.
"What should I do now? Should I start killing monsters too? I mean, might as well join the whack-a-beast club."
[Ideal. I also need to inform you, once your level surpasses a monster's by even one, you won't receive any experience points or loot drops. So, do refrain from overstaying in low-tier zones unless you enjoy pointless violence.]
He glanced at the stats hovering in front of his eyes, a glowing interface that almost looked bored with him.
"So fighting monsters higher level than I am is suddenly the genius play now?"
[Yes, but there's a twist, sweetie. The moment you poke something stronger than you, it learns your moves faster and punches harder. Like, significantly harder. You sure your spine's insured?]
He let out a dry chuckle that didn't quite reach his eyes.
"This dungeon feels like it skipped hard mode and went straight to 'you die just by walking in' edition."
[You've got two paths if you want to level up quicker. First one's simple—take quests from the NPCs. They hand out experience points like candy, toss you some gold, sometimes even gear. Look around. See the exclamation marks floating over a few heads? Those folks are practically begging for help.]
"I already spotted one. Bright as a neon sign."
[Option two? Join a party. Doesn't have to be a lifelong commitment—just enough people to gang up on some mobs or knock out a boss. After that, peace out. Of course, the real pros? They've got solid guilds backing them. Makes farming and grinding way smoother. But... let's be real. No decent guild's gonna throw an invite at a fresh-out-the-tutorial rookie like you.]
"Wow. Just say you believe in me and go."
Noah's gaze snapped toward the nearest figure marked with a floating yellow exclamation mark above his head—classic quest-giver energy.
He strolled over, casual like he wasn't about to dive headfirst into whatever side quest the system had cooked up this time.
The NPC was clearly a merchant, the kind who probably charged extra just for breathing near his wares. His brown hair was slicked back like he had something to prove, and that mustache? It curled just enough to make him look like he whispered fine print in his sleep.
As Noah closed the distance, the merchant's face lit up like he'd just spotted a sack of gold with legs. He lifted his hand in a cheery wave, all smiles like they were old drinking buddies.
[NPC: Dein.]
"Greetings, player. I have sought someone bold enough to take on a task for me. Would you care to lend your ear?"
Noah gave a slow nod, his arms crossed, eyes sharp with interest.
"Alright, pitch it."
"I'm in need of a particular material."
Dein began, the weight in his voice offset by a quiet hope.
"I craft bags—not just any bags. Mine carry more than they should and never drag you down. But I've run out of wolf pelts, and those beasts… well, they don't exactly hand them over politely. I'm not built for battle. You, however, look like you could wrestle fate and win."
He paused, then added with a light flicker of excitement.
"If you can bring me two pelts, I'll stitch you a bag of your own. No catch. Fair trade, yes?"
Noah cracked a grin.
"Big pockets and no weight? Yeah, that's a sweet deal. I'm in."
With a delighted clap, Dein's shoulders eased as if a great load had been lifted.
"Excellent. I'll be right here. There's a portal nearby that'll take you straight to the other side of the floor—just step through, and you'll land right where the wolves like to roam."
•••••
Quest Name: Help for the Harried Merchant
Quest Description:
The merchant Dein dreams of crafting the perfect travel bag, but alas—his courage ends where fangs begin. The wolves near the forest edge guard their pelts with tooth and claw, and Dein dares not face them. Lend him your strength and return with what he cannot claim himself.
Quest Requirement:
• Collect 2 Wolf Pelts
Rewards:
• Experience Points
• 2 Gold Coins
• Inventory Bag (+5 item slots)
•••••
Noah followed the direction Dein had pointed out, pacing steadily through the quiet expanse until his eyes landed on a curious sight—an iridescent ring of energy suspended midair, gently rippling with a blue glow.
It hovered like a reflection on water, yet solid enough to suggest passage, its edges glimmering faintly as if stitched together by strands of light.
Large enough for a single person to step through, the portal hummed with a soft pulse, almost like it breathed.
[That is a floor portal. Players use it to hop around a floor like lazy frogs. Very convenient.]
Noah checked himself over—not physically, but the numbers that mattered.
His health, freshly restored by Nene's healing; his mana, fully recharged by auto-regeneration and ready to burn.
He gave a subtle nod to no one in particular, the decision already sparking behind his eyes.
"I'm in the mood to wreck some furry woodland nightmares."
Noah stepped toward the glowing circle, boots silent against the ground as the light reached out and pulled him in.