"Alright, Lily," I said, trying to sound like a seasoned mentor and not a guy who'd just been resurrected by a cosmic fluke.
"Let's get you acquainted with the art of not getting outsmarted by a cotton ball."
Lily giggled, a surprisingly bright sound that cut through the virtual forest's ambient chirps. "Okay, Sensei Max! Teach me your ways of the fluffy death-bunny slayer!"
We started with the basics. Mana Bolt. It was the simplest offensive spell for a Mage, a small orb of pure magical energy.
The trick was to aim. Lily, bless her heart, had the aiming skills of a blindfolded squirrel throwing nuts.
"No, no, Lily, not at the sky!" I chuckled as her Mana Bolt soared harmlessly over a rabbit's head, disappearing into the pixelated canopy. The rabbit, meanwhile, just twitched its nose, completely unfazed.
"Think of it like throwing a baseball. You need to lead your target."
"But they're so fast!" she wailed, her pink pigtails bouncing as she stomped her foot. "And they wiggle! How am I supposed to hit a wiggling target when I can barely hit a stationary one?"
"Practice," I said, patiently. "And maybe a little bit of 'Goblin's Keen Eyesight' never hurt anyone." I almost slipped and mentioned my extracted skill, but caught myself. My SSS-level talent was my secret weapon, for now.
We spent the next hour or so in a hilarious cycle of Lily casting Mana Bolts, missing, getting frustrated, and me offering pointers.
She'd try to whack the rabbits with her staff, then remember she was a Mage, then try to cast, then miss again. It was like watching a chaotic interpretive dance.
But slowly, very slowly, she started to get it. Her Mana Bolts began hitting more often than not.
The rabbits, once her tormentors, now occasionally popped into puffs of smoke. Each successful hit was met with a triumphant cheer from Lily that echoed through the virtual trees.
"I got one! I actually got one, Max!" she shrieked, pointing at a dissipating rabbit. "Take that, you fluffy menace! Who's the ninja now?!"
"That's it, Lily! You're a natural!" I cheered, genuinely pleased. Her excitement was infectious. It reminded me of the simple joy of playing a game, something I'd forgotten in my previous life's grim struggle for survival.
As Lily continued to practice, I kept an eye on my own inventory. It was overflowing.
Basic Slime Goo, Soft Fur, Fungal Spore Dust, Rusty Daggers, Minor Mana Fragments, Minor Constitution Fragments, Minor Agility Fragments, Minor Strength Fragments, Minor Intelligence Fragments, Slime's Resilience, Spore Burst, Quick Hop, Goblin's Keen Eyesight, and of course, the star of the show: the Lucky Rabbit's Foot.
"Hey, Lily," I said, interrupting her latest battle with a particularly stubborn mushroom. "I think it's time we took a trip to the market. My inventory is bursting, and I think we could use some upgrades."
Her eyes lit up. "The market? Really? Oh, I've heard about it! They say it's huge! Do they have, like, sparkly staffs? Or robes that make you look super cool?"
"Probably," I chuckled. "But let's focus on practical stuff first. Like, maybe a staff that actually helps you hit things."
We made our way out of the tutorial forest and into the bustling starter town of Eldoria.
The main square was a vibrant chaos of players, NPCs, and holographic advertisements. Vendors shouted their wares, blacksmiths hammered away at glowing anvils, and players in various stages of newbie gear milled about, excitedly comparing their first few items.
"Whoa!" Lily gasped, her jaw dropping. "It's even bigger than I imagined! Look at all the people!"
I nodded, taking in the familiar sights. This was the calm before the storm. In a few months, this bustling hub would be a warzone, a desperate last stand against encroaching darkness. But for now, it was just a game.
We found the general goods vendor, a grumpy-looking NPC named Bartholomew who clearly preferred counting coins to dealing with enthusiastic newbies.
"Alright, Bartholomew," I said, a mischievous glint in my eye. "Prepare to be amazed by the sheer volume of my… acquisitions."
I opened my trade window and dumped everything common I'd extracted: the slime goo, the fur, the spore dust, the rusty daggers. Bartholomew's eyes, previously half-lidded with boredom, widened slightly as he saw the sheer quantity.
"Hmph. A lot of junk, but at least there's a lot of it," he grumbled, his fingers flying across the virtual abacus. "Alright, that'll be… 50 copper coins."
"Fifty copper!" Lily exclaimed, impressed. "That's so much!"
I just smirked. "Hold on, Lily. We're just getting started."
Then, with a flourish, I dragged the Lucky Rabbit's Foot into the trade window.
Bartholomew froze. His eyes, which had been merely wide, now looked like dinner plates. He leaned closer to the holographic item, his virtual nose practically touching it.
"A… a Lucky Rabbit's Foot?" he whispered, his voice losing all its grumpiness, replaced by a tone of reverence. "From the Eldoria Forest? That's… that's a rare one! I haven't seen one of these in years! Where did you… how did you…?"
"Let's just say I have a very persuasive Mana Bolt," I said, winking at Lily, who was now staring at me with a mixture of awe and utter confusion.
Bartholomew cleared his throat, regaining some composure, though his hands were still trembling slightly. "Alright, young man. For this… this magnificent specimen of rabbit anatomy… I'll give you… 2 gold coins!"
"Two gold?!" Lily shrieked, practically jumping up and down. "Max! That's like, a million copper! We're rich!"
I smiled. Two gold wasn't a fortune in the grand scheme of things, but for a fresh Level 1 player, it was an absolute windfall. Most players struggled to get a few silver at this stage. My SSS-level Extraction talent was already paying dividends.
"Alright, Bartholomew, deal," I said, accepting the trade. The gold coins shimmered in my inventory.
"Now, Lily," I said, turning to her, "let's get you some proper gear. Something that makes you look 'super cool' and helps you hit things."
We browsed the market. I bought Lily a slightly better beginner staff that had a faint blue glow, and a set of light leather robes that offered a tiny bit of defense and looked much less like a potato sack than her starting gear. I also splurged on a basic Mana Potion or two, just in case.
"I look amazing!" Lily twirled around in her new robes, her staff held aloft like a magical scepter. "Thank you, Max! You're the best!"
"Just doing my part," I said, feeling a warmth spread through me. Helping Lily, seeing her genuine joy, it felt good. It felt right. This was what I was fighting for.
We headed back to a slightly more challenging area of the forest, filled with more aggressive Goblins and even some small, scuttling spiders.
"Okay, Lily," I instructed. "Remember what we practiced. Mana Bolt, then dodge. Don't let them get close."
She nodded, her new staff held with more confidence. We fought side-by-side, me throwing Fireballs and Mana Bolts, and Lily, now much improved, landing her own hits. She even managed to dodge a few goblin lunges, thanks to her newly acquired 'Quick Hop' skill (which I'd conveniently "found" for her in my inventory, claiming it was a lucky drop).
As we cleared a small camp of goblins, I spotted something glinting in the distance. A larger, more menacing goblin, surrounded by a faint, reddish aura. A Goblin Shaman.
My blood ran cold. Goblin Shamans were notorious for their annoying healing spells and their ability to summon small, explosive totems. In my previous life, one of these had nearly ended my career early.
"Okay, Lily, new target," I said, my voice a little more serious. "See that big goblin over there? The one with the glowy hands? That's a Shaman. They're tougher. Focus your fire on it, and try to interrupt its casting if you can."
"Got it, Max!" Lily said, her eyes narrowed in determination. She was ready.
We engaged. The Shaman immediately began chanting, a sickly green light emanating from its hands. "It's healing itself!" I yelled. "Interrupt it, Lily!"
Lily, remembering my earlier advice, launched a Mana Bolt with surprising speed. It hit the Shaman, staggering it and interrupting its spell. "Nice one, Lily!" I praised.
I followed up with a powerful Fireball, hitting the Shaman squarely. It roared, then summoned a small, pulsating totem. "Dodge the totem!" I warned, pulling Lily back just as it exploded.
We kept up the pressure, Lily bravely casting her Mana Bolts, and me unleashing a barrage of Fireballs. The Shaman, despite its healing attempts, was slowly being worn down. Finally, with a last, desperate Mana Bolt from Lily and a finishing Fireball from me, it collapsed.
[Goblin Shaman defeated! Experience gained!]
[Extraction Talent Activated!]
This was the moment. Goblin Shamans were known to drop some interesting things. I held my breath as the extraction list appeared.
[Extracted: Shaman's Staff (Uncommon Item)]
[Extracted: Greater Mana Fragment (Uncommon Attribute)]
[Extracted: Minor Healing Potion (Common Item)]
[Extracted: Shaman's Healing Aura (B-Level Skill)]
A B-level skill! 'Shaman's Healing Aura'! This was incredible! It wasn't 'Immortal Protection Shield,' but a healing skill for a Mage? That was a massive boost to my survivability, and Lily's.
But then, another line appeared, glowing with an even more intense light.
[Extracted: Fragment of Ancient Knowledge (Legendary Item)]
My eyes widened. A Legendary Item?? From a Goblin Shaman? This was completely unexpected. In my previous life, these shamans only dropped common items and maybe a C-level skill. This was beyond lucky.
Lily, oblivious to the legendary item, cheered. "We did it, Max! We defeated a Shaman! And you got a B-level skill! That's so cool!"
I looked at the "Fragment of Ancient Knowledge," then at Lily's beaming face. This game, this second chance, was already throwing curveballs I hadn't anticipated. A legendary quest item, so early on? This could change everything.