The interior of the Oak Inn was warm and noisy, a welcoming refuge from the fresh forest air. The aroma of wood and ale mingled with that of a thick stew bubbling in a giant pot over the hearth.
Several sturdy wooden tables were occupied by sturdy-looking men and women, some lightly armored, others with farm tools.
They were adventurers and locals, all enjoying a well-deserved break.
Sayaka made her way between the tables, and Alex followed close behind, feeling all eyes on him.
Their modern clothes were a stark contrast to the others' attire.
"Elara! We have a guest," Sayaka called, addressing a woman who was pouring mugs of ale with surprising agility.
The woman turned, and Alex gasped. She wasn't quite human. Her sandy-blond hair was adorned with a pair of lynx ears that twitched slightly, alert. Her intense amber eyes had slit pupils that gave her a piercing, slightly wild gaze.
Her skin was smooth, and she was dressed in a leather apron over a simple shirt. He guessed her to be about thirty, and despite his surprise, Alex noticed a wild beauty and feline grace in her movements. A beastwoman, like in the stories.
"Sayaka! It's always a pleasure," Elara said, her voice a soft purr that made Alex's hair stand on end. Her amber eyes fixed on him, examining him with playful curiosity. "And I see you're bringing something new. Who is this handsome young man in strange clothes?"
Alex felt a slight blush. "I'm Alex. It's a pleasure to meet you, Elara."
Elara smiled, revealing slightly more pronounced fangs than usual.
"The pleasure is mine, Alex. What brings you to Oakha? You don't look like you're from these parts."
Before Alex could respond, Sayaka intervened. "Alex comes from a long way, Elara. He needs a room and something to eat. And perhaps, some pointers on how to get started here."
Elara nodded, her gaze still fixed on Alex.
"Of course. A room for an outsider, just five copper coins a night. And the stew of the day is excellent, free with the room." Her eyes twinkled. "To 'start here,' young man, you'll need to go to the Adventurer's Guild. It's the only place newcomers can find work and make a name for themselves."
Alex felt a click in his mind. Adventurer's Guild. Of course. In every isekai he'd read, it was the first step for any protagonist. And he needed money. The 50 HP he had left in his system wouldn't last forever.
"The Adventurer's Guild, you say? Where is it?" Alex asked.
"It's right off the central plaza, across from the well," Elara explained, nodding toward the interior of the village. "But to register, you'll need something valuable or the recommendation of a ranking adventurer." Her gaze returned to him, a mischievous smile on her face. "Or you could do a task for me, of course. I have a bit of a problem with giant rats in my basement. Too many for my feline liking."
[Optional Quest: Elara's Rat Problem.]
[Objective: Defeat 5 Giant Rats in the basement of the Oak Inn]
[Reward: Adventurer's Guild Commendation, 100 HP , 10 copper coins]
A quest. And it would give him the guild commendation, plus HP and real money. It was perfect.
"I accept the task, Elara," Alex said decisively. "The giant rats are no match for me. When can I start?"
Elara gave a soft laugh, a sound that was both feline and charming. "I like your enthusiasm, Alex. You can start whenever you want. The entrance to the basement is at the back of the kitchen. And here are the keys to your room, on the second floor, the first one on the right." She handed him an iron key with a small cat carved on it.
"Thank you, Elara," Alex took the key, feeling the excitement of his first real mission.
Sayaka approached him, a slightly concerned expression on her face. "Be careful, Alex. Giant rats can be more ferocious than they look. Especially to a newcomer."
There was genuine warmth in her voice, and Alex felt an instant connection. The system reminded her of her romance goal. Her Luck seemed to be working in very specific ways.
"Don't worry, Sayaka. I think they underestimate me," Alex replied with a smile, his eyes meeting hers for a moment. Sayaka's gaze softened, and a faint, barely perceptible blush appeared on her cheeks before she turned to serve another customer.
With key in hand and a quest in mind, Alex headed toward the kitchen entrance. The Adventurer's Guild and the copper coins awaited him, but first, he had a date with some giant rats.
With key in hand and adrenaline pumping, Alex headed toward the back of the kitchen. Elara had given him clear directions.
The cellar door was a heavy wooden slab on the floor, hidden behind empty beer barrels. As he lifted it, a musty, damp stench hit him, mixed with a sour, musky odor.
The darkness below was almost total, barely dissipated by a faint glow filtering in from above.
"Okay, rats, here comes the exterminator," Alex muttered, feeling a confidence inflated by his 2600 Strength and Agility.
He descended the few steps, his eyes slowly adjusting to the gloom.
The basement was larger than he expected, a maze of dusty shelves piled high with barrels, crates, and cobwebs. The sound of small scratching and high-pitched squeals filled the air. They were the noises of the giant rats.
One, the size of a small dog, suddenly appeared from the shadows, its red eyes glowing with malice. It squealed and lunged at him, its sharp, yellowish teeth ready to bite.
Alex reacted with his enhanced Agility, dodging the first attack. He threw a punch, hoping for another one-hit takedown like the goblins.
But the rat, with surprising speed, whipped its head around and its teeth sank into his leg.
"Shit!" Alex screamed, the pain sharp and stabbing. It wasn't just a scratch; the rat was holding on, biting ferociously.
He forgot for a moment that, although his base stats were low and the multiplier worked wonders, the combat experience and cunning of real animals (or those in this fantasy world) were something more.
Animals, even the giant versions, were smarter and more adaptable than he'd given them credit for. These weren't stupid video game creatures waiting for their turn to be hit.
The rat, sensing his resistance, jerked free and backed away, its beady eyes still fixed on him, as if sizing up its prey.
Another giant rat appeared at his side, and then a third, leaping out of the shadows, circled him. He'd fallen into an ambush. His initial confidence vanished, replaced by a growing panic. His HP was already down to 90/100. A simple bite had been enough to hurt him.
[Alert: Host has been poisoned by Giant Rat bite. HP slowly decreasing. Use Antidote]
Poisoned! Alex felt dizzy. The system had warned him about the rats, but his mind hadn't yet processed the real threat.
He staggered, and one of the rats took the opportunity to jump and scratch his arm. More HP faded: 80/100.
"No, not like that!" Alex growled, despair filling him. He was about to die from rats. Was his SSS skill worthless if he wasn't smart enough to use it?
He remembered the Minor Health Potion in his inventory. And the Gathering Skill he'd bought, though he didn't know what use it would have now. But the most important thing was the poison. He needed an antidote.
"System, show inventory! Do I have an antidote?" he thought desperately.
[Inventory: Minor Health Potion (1)]
—Damn it! He'd forgotten to buy one —
Alex charged forward, trying to break through the encirclement. With his enhanced Strength, a direct hit knocked down one of the rats, snapping its neck with a sickening crunch.
But the other two lunged at him, one biting his ankle, the other trying to climb up his back.
His vision began to blur from the poison. His HP kept dropping: 70/100. He needed a strategy.
"System, what can I do for the poison! Now!"
[Rat poison requires a Basic Antidote. The System Shop has Antidotes at 2 HP. Buy]
"Yes, buy! Quick!"
[Purchaseconfirmed. -2 HP (Basic Antidote). Current balance: 48 HP. Item: Basic Antidote (1) added to Inventory.]
[Warning: Host has reached 50% HP. [Life threatening!]
With a final effort of will, Alex pulled the antidote potion from his inventory and gulped it down. The liquid was bitter, but a warmth spread through his body, and the feeling of dizziness subsided.
The poison stopped.
[The poison has been neutralized]
But the rats kept attacking. 60/100 HP. He needed a weapon. He looked around frantically.
His eyes fell on a thick wooden stick that had fallen from a shelf. It wasn't a sword, but it was something. He picked it up.
With a weapon, the fight changed. His 2600 Strength channeled through the stick. A powerful swing crushed the head of one of the rats. The last one, the one that had bitten him first, tried to flee, but Alex, now enraged, chased it down and hit it repeatedly until it lay motionless.
Panting, Alex leaned against the cold basement wall. His legs trembled, his body was sweating cold, and the pain from the bites was palpable. He had just been on the brink of death. The experience humiliated and enraged him in equal measure.
This world was no easy game. Low-level monsters could kill you if you were careless.
[OptionalQuest: Elara's Rat Problem (5/5) - Completed!]
[Reward: Adventurer's Guild Commendation, 100 HP (base 1), 10 copper coins]
[You have reached Level 4]
[You have obtained +50 Attribute Points]
[Alert! New System Target Detected]
The system voice sounded again, this time with a new target.
[SecondaryRomanceTarget: Elara
Status: Affection Level: 0/100 (Indifferent) Reward for Level 1 Affection: 300 HP, Unique Passive Skill]
Alex froze, staring at the notification. Elara too? Was the system assigning him romance goals with every mature woman he encountered? The irony of his "Milf System" was more literal than he'd imagined.
He crawled over to a box, sat down, and took out the Minor Health Potion. He drank it, feeling his HP slowly return to 100/100.
He'd won the fight, but the shock had been real. He'd learned an invaluable lesson: power without caution was useless. And that rats, no matter how small, could be lethal.
Now, with 100 HP and 10 copper coins, and with Elara's recommendation, he was ready for the Adventurer's Guild. And with two "romance goals" on his list, the novel of his life was getting a lot more interesting.