The sun had just dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in deep reds and purples as Ethan and his pack lounged outside their dimensional tent. His body was still recovering from the mana exhaustion caused by creating the platinum bit, but he'd regained enough strength to sit up and share a simple dinner with his companions.

  Moose lay nearby, watchful as always. Buster was gnawing on the last of the jerky Garrick had thrown in with their supplies, while Pixie alternated between chasing shadows and checking on Amelia, who was the only one already asleep inside the tent.

  Ethan stretched, enjoying the cooling evening air. "We should probably turn in soon. Big day tomorrow with—"

  Moose's head snapped up, ears fully erect. "Something's coming," he growled through the bond. "Many creatures. Small. Foul-smelling. Not human or animal."

  "The town," Ethan said, already on his feet. Through the trees, an orange glow flickered above Virestead's wooden walls.

  Then they heard someone shouting from the direction of the town gate: "Goblins! The town is under attack!"

  "GOBLINS?!" Pixie exclaimed, suddenly vibrating with nervous energy. "Like the ones on the BOUNTY BOARD? The ones with POINTY EARS and NASTY TEETH?"

  Ethan quickly gathered his pack and belt knife, hesitating over the healing potions before stuffing four into accessible pockets. "Pixie, stay with Amelia," he commanded. "Moose, Buster, with me!"

  Pixie looked torn, clearly wanting to join the fight, but nodded firmly. "I'll protect her with my LIFE! No goblin's getting past Auntie Pixie!"

  They sprinted toward Virestead. The scene that greeted them was chaos incarnate.

  Goblins—dozens of them—swarmed over and around the wooden walls. They were smaller than Ethan had expected, most barely reaching his waist, but something about them felt wrong. Their sickly green-gray skin was threaded with dark veins, and strange black-red symbols pulsed along their arms, legs, and hands—glowing faintly like hot coals beneath the surface. The markings looked burned into the flesh, twisting in unnatural patterns. Their bulbous yellow eyes gleamed in the firelight, some flickering red around the edges. They wielded crude weapons—rusty blades, spiked clubs, sharpened sticks—but what they lacked in equipment, they made up for in viciousness and unnatural aggression.

  Above their heads, Ethan saw the system interface flicker—rows of glowing red markers lighting up one after another:

  [Status: Forest Goblin – Level 5 – Hostile – Corrupted]

  [Status: Forest Goblin – Level 6 – Hostile – Corrupted]

  [Status: Forest Goblin – Level 7 – Hostile – Corrupted]

  [Status: Forest Goblin – Level 8 – Hostile – Corrupted]

  [Status: Forest Goblin – Level ? – Hostile – Corrupted]

  Ethan's stomach dropped. "You've got to be kidding me," he muttered. "Some of these are way above my level… and one of them doesn't even have a number."

  Pixie’s voice chimed in over the bond: "THAT ONE'S WEIRD! I DON'T LIKE IT! BUT I KIND OF DO! BUT MOSTLY DON'T!"

  Near the well, a woman clutched her young son, trapped between a burning cart and three goblins.

  "There!" Ethan pointed, and Moose was already moving, a blur of muscle and fur as he charged.

  Moose slammed into the first goblin with devastating force, his jaws clamping down on the creature's shoulder. As his teeth sank in, a sudden flare of red light pulsed across the goblin's skin—the glowing symbols along its arm igniting like live coals.

  The system tagged it again, just for him:

  [Status: Forest Goblin – Level 5 – Hostile – Corrupted]

  The goblin shrieked—not in pain, but fury. The wound didn't slow it. Its dagger lashed out, unnaturally fast. Moose growled: "This one's tainted. It's not fighting like a normal goblin."

  "GUARDIAN STANCE!" Moose roared, his form shimmering as the skill activated.

  "Go around! Help Moose!" Ethan shouted to Buster as four more goblins appeared.

  Buster darted right. Ethan went left—right into two goblins.

  He ducked under a swing and drove his knife into the goblin's gut. As the blade hit, a jolt ran up his arm—pressure, static, heat. His mana flared instinctively, not cast—just reacting.

  [Arcane Dissonance Detected]

  [Status: Forest Goblin – Level 6 – Hostile – Corrupted] – Neutralized

  Ethan blinked. "What the hell was that?"

  Something slammed into Ethan from behind, sending him sprawling. He rolled instinctively, narrowly avoiding the downward stab of a sharpened bone spear. Kicking out, he caught the second goblin in the knee, hearing a satisfying crack as the joint bent backward. The creature howled, dropping its weapon.

  Ethan scrambled to his feet, snatching up the fallen spear just as three more goblins rounded the corner. One had markings running from elbow to wrist—glowing like embers.

  "BODY CHECK!" Buster thundered, slamming into them from the side. Two flew. One recovered quickly and slashed at Buster with a jagged knife.

  Ethan drove the spear into its back. That same sensation pulsed through him—less intense than the first, but still there.

  [Arcane Dissonance Detected]

  [Status: Forest Goblin – Level 8 – Hostile – Corrupted] – Neutralized

  "That's the second one," Ethan muttered. "This can't be normal…"

  More shouts drew his attention. Near the well, Moose was bleeding from multiple wounds as he stood protectively over the woman and child. Five goblins circled him now, and one of them bore the flickering tag:

  [Status: Forest Goblin – Level ? – Hostile – Corrupted]

  Ethan fought his way toward them, dispatching another goblin with a desperate swing of his improvised spear. The weapon shattered against the creature's thick hide, leaving Ethan with just the pointed shaft.

  A goblin lunged at him from the shadows. He sidestepped, but not quickly enough—a serrated blade sliced along his upper arm, drawing blood. The red symbols on its forearm flared in response.

  [Arcane Dissonance Detected]

  Ethan grunted and drove the broken spear into its throat.

  By the time he reached Moose, the guardian had taken down two more goblins but at great cost. Blood matted his fur along his shoulder and side where a particularly vicious blow had landed.

  "ENOUGH!" Ethan shouted, stepping between Moose and the remaining attackers.

  One of the goblins—larger than the others, with a necklace of teeth around its scraggly neck—barked something in a harsh, guttural language. The other two moved in tandem, one darting left, one right.

  Buster arrived just as they attacked, catching the right-hand goblin in his powerful jaws. The left one slipped past, blade aimed at Ethan's exposed side.

  Ethan pivoted, catching the creature's wrist just as its weapon would have connected. With a savage twist, he broke the limb and drove the goblin to the ground, finishing it with a sharp blow to the throat.

  The leader hesitated, then turned to flee—only to run straight into a guardsman's spear. The goblin collapsed, gurgling as blood filled its lungs.

  All around them, the tide was turning. The element of surprise lost, and facing unexpectedly fierce resistance, the remaining goblins began to scatter, some fleeing back over the walls, others disappearing into the shadows between buildings.

  Ethan dropped to his knees beside Moose, who was still standing but visibly struggling, blood flowing freely from the gash across his shoulder.

  "You stubborn old guardian," Ethan whispered, reaching into his pack for a healing potion. "Always putting yourself between danger and everyone else."

  "The child," Moose replied simply, his mental voice strained but steady.

  Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  Ethan uncorked the healing potion and carefully poured some of it directly onto Moose's wound. The crimson liquid glowed briefly as it made contact with the torn flesh, but the effect wasn't as dramatic as when Ethan had consumed the potion himself in the Guild hall. The bleeding slowed, but the wound didn't close completely.

  "Drink the rest," Ethan instructed, bringing the vial to Moose's muzzle.

  Moose lapped up the remaining liquid, grimacing slightly at the taste, but the effect was minimal—better than nothing, but not enough for wounds this severe.

  "It's still not enough," Buster observed, nudging closer to examine the injury. "The potion works better when you drink it, but it's like it's made for humans, not us."

  Ethan frowned, remembering how the system had amplified the potion's effects when he'd consumed it directly. An idea formed—dangerous, perhaps, but necessary.

  "Hold still," he told Moose, placing one hand directly on the wound and the other on Moose's head.

  Ethan closed his eyes and focused, trying to channel his mana—what little he'd recovered—directly into Moose through their bond. He'd never attempted this before, but the Mirror Link had to work both ways.

  At first, nothing happened. Then, as Ethan pushed harder, concentrating on the connection between them, he felt a sudden rush—like water breaking through a dam. His mana surged through the bond, flowing into Moose with an intensity that took his breath away.

  A familiar chime echoed in his mind.

  [Arcane Resonance detected! Healing effect amplified by 300%]

  [Mirror Link Effect: Healing properties distributed efficiently through the bond]

  The wound closed before his eyes.

  "It's working," Buster whispered, awe in his voice.

  But the drain on Ethan's already depleted reserves was immediate and devastating. The world tilted sideways as his vision tunneled, darkness creeping in from the edges. His legs buckled, and he would have collapsed entirely if Buster hadn't pressed himself against Ethan's side, supporting his weight.

  Through the bond, Ethan felt Moose's concern spike sharply. "Enough!" the guardian dog commanded. "The wound is closed. Stop before you kill yourself."

  Ethan pulled his hand away, breathing heavily. His status window flashed a warning:

  [MP: 7/1280 – SEVERE MANA EXHAUSTION]

  "Worth it," Ethan gasped, leaning heavily on Buster. "You'd do the same for me."

  Chimes filled his ears:

  [Combat Victory!]

  [Defeated Goblin Raiders – 10/35]

  [Bonus EXP awarded for defending settlement]

  [Bonus EXP awarded for defeating opponents above your level]

  [Level Up!]

  [Level 6]

  [3 Stat Points Available]

  A woman approached cautiously, her child clutched to her side. "Thank you," she said, her voice trembling. "They would have killed us both."

  Ethan noticed her leg was badly injured, a deep gash running from knee to ankle. Without hesitation, he fumbled in his pack for another healing potion and handed it to her.

  "Drink this," he instructed. "It will help with the wound."

  The woman's eyes widened. "But these are expensive! I can't possibly—"

  "Please," Ethan cut her off. "You need it more than I do."

  As she gratefully accepted the potion, Ethan noticed several townspeople moving through the battlefield, collecting goblin ears—presumably for bounties. He motioned to Buster.

  "Gather some of those," he said quietly. "The ears. They're worth something."

  Buster looked disgusted but complied, retrieving ears from the goblins they had killed. By the time he returned, a small crowd had gathered around Ethan and Moose.

  "You fought for us," an older man said, nodding respectfully. "You and your beasts. Not many would risk themselves for strangers."

  "All of you fought," Ethan replied, still dizzy but determined to remain upright. "We just did our part."

  The Guild hall had been transformed into a makeshift infirmary, with the wounded laid out on hastily arranged cots. Rolan moved among them, distributing healing potions and bandages.

  He looked up as Ethan entered, supporting himself on Buster while Moose limped alongside.

  "Ethan," Rolan said, nodding in recognition. "I'd say I'm surprised to see you in the thick of things, but somehow I'm not."

  "We brought these," Ethan said, holding out the goblin ears. "For the bounty. But I want it to go to her." He gestured toward the woman they had saved, now being tended to by a healer.

  Rolan nodded. "A generous gesture." He paused, eyeing Ethan more carefully. "You look completely drained. Mana exhaustion?"

  Ethan nodded weakly.

  "Wait here," Rolan said, disappearing behind the counter. He returned moments later with two small vials filled with a shimmering blue liquid. "Mana potions. Three times the price of healing potions, but worth every bit in your condition."

  "Mana potions," Ethan thought to himself. "Of course there are mana potions. Why wouldn't there be?"

  "How much?" he asked aloud.

  "Two silver bits and four copper pieces each for the standard. I've also got two high-quality ones at one silver piece each."

  Without hesitation, Ethan pulled out the necessary currency. "I'll take all four, and any healing potions you can spare."

  Rolan raised an eyebrow but didn't comment. "The high-quality mana potion should restore about 150 points of mana—more than enough for most adventurers."

  Ethan purchased a dozen healing potions as well, immediately distributing most of them to the wounded townspeople. The gratitude in their eyes was worth far more than the currency he'd spent.

  As Rolan finished packing up the vials, Ethan hesitated. "Do you have anything... else? Like different kinds of potions?"

  Rolan raised an eyebrow. "Different how?"

  "I mean—healing, mana... sure. But what about stamina? Or resistance? Or something weirder?"

  "They exist," Rolan said, setting aside the ledger. "Stamina restoratives. Antitoxins. Sleep-resist tonics. Minor resistance brews. We don’t keep a lot of each, but I’ve got a few in the back."

  He returned a minute later with a small tray of vials in various colors—muted greens, deep purples, a cloudy gold.

  Ethan leaned forward. “And what about potions that raise stats? Even temporarily?”

  "You're thinking of elixirs," Rolan said. "Magical elixirs are rare, expensive, and usually not sold at all unless you know the right people. Even a minor elixir that raises a stat temporarily will run you gold. The permanent ones? Those are platinum-tier, and I've never seen one in person. We don’t stock them here.”

  Ethan nodded, quietly filing that away.

  He bought a few of each available potion—enough to experiment later, even if it took a decent bite out of one of his gold pieces. Rolan packed them carefully, wrapped in straw and sealed with waxed twine.

  “Thanks,” Ethan said, collecting the pouch.

  "You're something different, Ethan Cross," Rolan said. "Just be careful. This world doesn’t always handle different well."

  Rolan's gaze lingered. "Speaking of which, what level are you at now? Your registration showed Level 2 just days ago."

  Ethan hesitated. "Level 6 now, actually. Just leveled up from the goblin fight last night."

  Rolan's eyebrows shot up. "Level 6? In less than a week?" He let out a low whistle. "Even accounting for the wolves and that giant boar, that's... remarkable progression."

  He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Though I suppose the experience needed at those lower levels is much less than what I’m used to seeing. Most folks who register here are already past Level 15 when they arrive in town. But if you’ve been fighting enemies above your level..."

  He nodded slowly. "That explains it. The system gives bonus experience when you're up against stronger opponents. Always has."

  He smiled slightly. "Still, four levels from one goblin raid is impressive by any measure."

  “It’s been a busy few days,” Ethan replied with a shrug.

  "Indeed it has." Rolan’s expression softened slightly. "I’m almost sorry to see you leave so soon. We've had little chance to properly become acquainted, but I suspect we could have been friends, you and I."

  He straightened, his professional demeanor returning. "Just be careful who knows the extent of what you can do. Talent like yours draws attention—not all of it welcome."

  As they made their way back to their tent in the deep of night, Ethan uncorked one of the high-quality mana potions and drank it in a single gulp. The effect was immediate—a cool rush spreading through his body, like diving into a mountain spring.

  A familiar chime echoed in his mind.

  [Arcane Resonance detected! Mana recovery amplified by 300%]

  His vision cleared. His muscles stopped trembling. His status window updated:

  [MP: 521/1340 – RECOVERING FROM MANA EXHAUSTION]

  "Interesting," Ethan murmured. "That was... way more than it should've restored."

  He blinked, then grinned. Arcane Resonance again. But this time with mana, not healing. So it really does work with more than just health potions...

  His tired body buzzed with a sudden burst of energy—not from the potion, but from curiosity. He looked down at the pouch of assorted potions he'd bought from Rolan.

  "I can't wait to test the rest of these," he said quietly. "If this keeps working... I might be able to amplify anything."

  "Another anomaly," Moose observed, moving more easily now that Ethan's healing magic had mostly closed his wounds.

  "Maybe it's not just how much mana I have," Ethan mused. "Maybe it's... different somehow. Special."

  Buster snorted. "Everything about you is turning out to be 'special.' Next you'll be sprouting wings."

  When they finally reached the tent, they found Pixie waiting anxiously at the entrance, her usual boundless energy now tinged with pride.

  "You're BACK!" she exclaimed, bouncing around them. "Three goblins tried to sneak up on our camp and I QUICK STRUCK them ALL! They're piled over there!" She gestured to a small heap of goblin bodies at the edge of the clearing.

  "You fought them alone?" Ethan asked, both impressed and concerned.

  "They never even GOT CLOSE to Amelia!" Pixie declared proudly. "I was TOO FAST! And they were TOO SLOW! And now they're TOO DEAD!"

  Ethan knelt to examine her closely. "You're not hurt?"

  "Not even a SCRATCH!" Pixie pranced in a circle. "I'm the BEST AUNT AND GUARD EVER!"

  "You certainly are," Ethan agreed, ruffling the fur between her ears.

  Amelia remained curled in her nest of blankets, still asleep despite the night's commotion. Ethan settled onto his bedroll, feeling the weight of three unspent stat points and three level-ups from the battle.

  "We'll deal with those tomorrow," he murmured, already drifting toward sleep. "Right now, I just need rest."

  "You overextended," Moose said, his mental voice a mixture of gratitude and concern as he settled beside Ethan. "Again."

  "Couldn't let you die," Ethan mumbled, reaching out to rest a hand on Moose's newly healed shoulder. "You're family."

  The last thing he registered before sleep claimed him was the soft weight of Amelia, who had woken just enough to crawl over and curl against his side.

  Through their bond, Buster's voice reached him one last time before consciousness faded. "Sleep, Alpha. You've earned it."