The first thing I noticed when I woke was the smell of herbs.
The second thing was the fact that I wasn't glowing anymore.
I sat up in the simple Nerulian hut, a woven blanket sliding off my bare chest. Outside, children laughed laughter that hadn't been there last night.
"…I'm alive." I muttered, still half in disbelief.
[Observation: Correct. You are alive. Barely. With an 11% chance of tripping over yourself again and dying in an even more humiliating way.]
"Advisor, you really know how to ruin the moment."
---
Elira sat across the room, sharpening her twin daggers with calm precision. Her silver hair shimmered in the light peeking through the window.
"You're awake," she said flatly.
"Yeah." I scratched my head. "So… thanks for, uh… not letting me get eaten."
Her eyes flicked to me. "You were reckless. Sloppy. And indecent."
"I had just been born into a human body! Cut me some slack!"
A faint smirk tugged at her lips. "At least you fought with heart. That much… I'll acknowledge."
Was that… a compliment? From her?
My face heated. "T-Thanks."
"Don't misunderstand," she added quickly. "It doesn't mean I like you."
Great. Classic tsundere energy.
---
A glowing screen popped into existence before me.
Status Update
Level: 6 (↑)
HP: 180/180
MP: 320/320
Strength: 20 (↑)
Agility: 22 (↑)
Endurance: 18 (↑)
Intelligence: 24 (↑)
Unique Trait: Shared Growth (Allies linked to you gain partial stat growth)
[ Your physical form can change back to spirit form if your HP gets too low]
"Wait… my stats jumped!"
[Confirmation: You leveled up from defeating the Corrupted Alpha. Additionally, allies in proximity experienced partial growth.]
Elira blinked, glancing at her hands. "…Strange. My strikes feel… sharper. My balance lighter."
I grinned. "Looks like hanging out with me has perks."
Her face reddened. "…Don't say it like that!"
---
Later, the Nerulians gathered in the village square. The chief raised his voice.
"This spirit, reborn into flesh, fought with us when he could have fled. He stood against the Alpha and with the silver warrior at his side, he saved us all."
The villagers cheered. Children ran circles around me, laughing. Women offered baskets of bread and fruit. Men clasped my shoulders, calling me Protector.
Bran muttered from the crowd, "Protector? More like accidental exhibitionist…"
"HEY, I HEARD THAT!"
Laughter rippled through the Nerulians. For the first time, the fear in their eyes had turned to hope.
---
That night, as the militia celebrated, I drifted toward the outskirts with Elira. The moon bathed the fields in silver light.
"…Why are you really here?" I asked softly.
Her daggers were sheathed, her arms crossed. "I hunt corruption. Wherever it spreads, I cut it down."
I hesitated. "That's… heavy. Doing it alone?"
Her gaze slid to me, cool and piercing. "…Not anymore, apparently."
I blinked. "…Wait, are you saying you'll.."
"Don't get the wrong idea." She looked away, cheeks faintly pink. "I simply can't leave an idiot like you unattended. You'd die in a ditch."
"…That's fair."
[Observation: New companion acquired. Probability of survival increased from 23% to 31%.]
"ONLY 31?!"
---
But as I laughed, the forest loomed beyond the fields.
And deep within the darkness, unseen by us, a shadow stirred. A cloaked figure crouched by the remains of the Alpha, dipping gloved fingers into its ichor.
"The corruption spread well," a voice hissed. "But a variable has appeared… a spirit reborn into flesh."
The figure raised its hand, black energy swirling.
"No matter. All will kneel to the Abyss soon enough."
The forest swallowed their laughter, cold and hungry.
***