Froggy: At last…
He curled up between a burning rock tall enough to cover him. His body trembled, the air burned with an infernal heat, and in the distance, the roars of furious titans echoed. He hadn't lost them by luck… but by sheer misfortune.
During his escape, he had stepped on unstable ground, which sent him falling straight into an underground cave, landing beside a lake of lukewarm water. Maybe it wasn't the best way, but in the end, it still counted as a victory, Froggy thought to himself.
He let himself drop to the ground and released a long sigh. He leaned his back once more against the hot stone and closed his eyes.
For a moment, he tried to remember his past life, but it was blurry. The championship, the games, his friends… even the sound of the keyboard while playing felt distant, almost like a dream.
He couldn't remember. Maybe that was the price of having this stupid knife. He looked at its dirty blade and saw his reflection among the rust of his weapon.
Froggy: So now I'm the hero, Froggy Green… From pro gamer to a bad joke.
He approached the water and drank a little, cupping it with both hands. The water slid down his throat with a metallic taste, but it was water nonetheless.
[You have consumed water]
You have gained +0.5 vitality.
Current HP: 85.5/100
For the first time since he arrived, he allowed himself to relax.
Froggy: Perfect. Now, the priority…
Froggy smiled widely.
Froggy: The ultimate base.
He pulled out his knife and examined the rock. He nodded decisively.
He began digging, making a hole where he could improvise a shelter. A notification suddenly appeared.
[SYSTEM WARNING]
You have pressed your legendary weapon too hard.
[Rusty Knife SSR]
"New trait acquired: tetanus."
Froggy: Seriously? Thanks, system. You really know how to make me feel special.
He muttered with irony.
The system didn't respond. It only emitted a faint, cheerful vibration, almost with pride.
And so time passed. A couple of hours of hard work. The ultimate shelter was taking shape. He had carved an uneven hollow into the rock, using his knife as a shovel. In the end, it had been useful after all…
Each movement released dust and ash, and his hand was already trembling from the effort—perhaps influenced by the tetanus he had acquired.
Even so, he smiled proudly at the beautiful sight before him.
Froggy: Not bad…
He said while looking at his survival hole.
Froggy: It has ventilation, a hidden entrance, and a rock as a chair. It's perfect—almost a penthouse.
He thought maybe it was missing a bed or a sheet to complete it, but you couldn't have everything in this life.
Froggy: Now, the important part.
He was sure of it. Once the base was established, he had to explore, search for valuable items. He couldn't stay still under any circumstances. That was a guaranteed game over. He would start with the cave.
He stepped into the underground lake, walking forward until the water reached his shoulders.
Froggy: Let's hope there are no sea monsters…
[WARNING!]
"A lifeform has been detected."
Froggy: Sea monsters!?
He gripped his knife tightly, but far from a monster, on the other side of the lake there was a figure. It looked human, though short in stature. It was striking the cave wall with a pickaxe.
Froggy: Is that… a dwarf?
He hesitated to approach… As far as he knew, dwarves were known for being stubborn or headstrong. But having one as a companion wasn't so bad. It could help him with equipment or even obtain unique runes. It was either that or go back to his half-finished shelter.
[New quest available]
"Befriend the mining dwarf."
Difficulty: SS
Description: [Locked]
Interact first.
Froggy: Alright.
It was simple—approach in a friendly way, greet him, and build a friendship. What could go wrong? With this system… everything.
He walked slowly, trying not to scare him. Slow… slow… moving stealthily through the water. The dwarf didn't seem to notice; he kept mining absentmindedly.
The water was already starting to recede. He thought about how to approach him. Hello? No… too simple. What's up, anything new? Maybe too casual… Then an idea came to him: "Nice to meet you, I'm the hero." Presenting himself in that pretentious but effective way was the best option. The dwarf didn't seem like a demonic soldier or anything like that.
He only wore light armor and a helmet—maybe a soldier or a lone miner.
On his way toward the miner, he felt a sharp sting in his left foot. He had stepped on a jagged stone.
Froggy: AHHHHH!
He couldn't bear the pain. He fell, splashing and thrashing water everywhere. The dwarf suddenly turned and saw the water churning violently, with hands flailing from side to side. Froggy regained his composure. They both looked at each other.
Froggy: Uh… hi… peace? …friendship?
His knife began to glow intensely. He quickly hid it.
Froggy: Nothing dangerous. Don't worry.
The dwarf let out a sharp scream and started running.
Dwarf: Grumtagh vaf-nor fel grom!
He dropped his pickaxe and ran as fast as he could deeper into the cave.
Froggy: Well. My social skills are still intact…
He walked to where the dwarf had dropped the pickaxe. Next to it was a small red stone. He quickly picked them up. He was a professional player; resources were never wasted.
"You have obtained mysterious stone."
"You have obtained battered pickaxe."
He stored them in his inventory. A second later, the system flickered.
[MORAL ALERT]
"You have stolen a mysterious stone and a pickaxe from a poor dwarf."
[MORAL UPDATE]
"Your morality has changed to evil."
[New achievement unlocked]
"The Evil Hero."
Description: From now on, everyone will consider you a being associated with evil.
Reward: None. (None)
Froggy sighed so deeply that its echo resonated throughout the entire cave.
Froggy: I swear I'm going to kill this system someday.