Chapter 5 : The Bonds We Forge
After a restless night in the Adventurer's Guild, Karma was up early, determined to make enough money to purchase the **Intermediate Tamer's Guide**. He stretched his arms, wincing at the soreness from sleeping on a hard bench, and glanced at his companion, the monster rabbit he had affectionately named **Shiro**. The small creature had slept soundly by his side, its white fur softly glowing in the early morning light.
Karma stood up, shaking off the remnants of fatigue, and made his way to the quest board. Maria, as usual, was already manning the front desk, giving him a friendly nod as he approached.
"Morning, Karma. Ready for another day of adventuring?" she asked with a grin.
Karma returned the smile. "I need the coins, so yeah, I'm ready to take on another quest. I need that Intermediate Guide, and I'm getting it today."
Maria chuckled. "Well, the board is updated. There's a new request from the nearby town. Should be simple enough for you."
Karma's interest piqued as he stepped up to the board. Sure enough, there was a new quest pinned right in the center:
**Quest: Scavenger Slime Infestation**
- Rank: D+
- Objective: Eliminate at least 10 scavenger slimes in the nearby town's food storage
- Reward: 90 copper coins
- Time limit: 1 day
He frowned. **Scavenger slimes** weren't particularly dangerous, but they were a menace. Known for sneaking into storage areas and devouring food supplies, they could destroy entire town stores in a matter of hours if left unchecked.
"Perfect," Karma muttered, pulling the quest notice from the board. "Quick and easy. Shiro and I can handle this."
He returned to Maria, showing her the quest. She stamped the approval and handed it back to him. "Good luck out there. The storage facility is just outside the western gate of the town."
With a nod, Karma left the guild and headed west, Shiro hopping along beside him. The sun was just beginning to rise over the horizon, casting a golden glow over the town and its surroundings. The cool morning air was refreshing, and Karma couldn't help but feel optimistic. Today would be the day he finally made enough to buy the Intermediate Tamer's Guide.
---
**At the Storage Facility**
Arriving at the storage facility just outside of the nearby town, Karma met with the town's overseer, a gruff-looking man named **Barlow**.
"Are you the one sent by the Adventurer's Guild?" Barlow asked, eyeing Karma skeptically.
Karma nodded. "That's right. I'm here to take care of your slime problem."
Barlow snorted. "Good. Those damn scavenger slimes have been ruining our supplies for weeks now. If you can get rid of at least ten of 'em, I'll consider the job done."
Karma smirked, feeling confident. "I've got this."
Barlow gestured toward the large wooden doors leading into the storage area. "They've burrowed inside. Careful, though. They're tricky little bastards."
With that warning, Karma entered the dimly lit storage facility, Shiro close at his heels. The stench of rot and spoiled food hit him immediately. The slimes had clearly been feasting for a while.
"Alright, Shiro," Karma said, glancing down at his rabbit companion. "Time to put your skills to use."
He cast **Skill Share**, a unique spell that allowed him to temporarily borrow Shiro's abilities. In an instant, Karma felt his hearing sharpen, and his muscles tensed as the heightened agility of the rabbit's **High Jump** flowed through him.
His ears twitched as he listened intently for the slimes. A faint squelching sound echoed from behind a stack of crates. Gotcha.
Karma moved quickly, darting toward the sound. Sure enough, several small, slimy creatures were feasting on a sack of grain, their translucent bodies glistening in the dim light. They were about the size of a large dog, their jelly-like forms undulating as they consumed the food.
"Shiro, let's finish this quickly," Karma whispered. Shiro's ears twitched in response.
With a sudden burst of speed, Karma leaped high into the air, using the enhanced agility from **Skill Share**. Shiro followed, its small horn glowing faintly. As they descended, Karma swung his sword, slicing through the nearest slime, which dissolved into a pile of goo.
Shiro, not to be outdone, charged at the other slimes, using its horn to pierce through their gelatinous bodies. The slimes let out faint gurgling sounds before collapsing into piles of mush.
Within minutes, Karma and Shiro had dispatched ten scavenger slimes. Wiping the goo from his sword, Karma grinned.
"Well, that was easier than I thought," he muttered, patting Shiro on the head. "Good work, little guy."
---
**On the Way Back to the Guild**
Karma and Shiro left the storage facility, their task completed. With 90 copper coins awaiting him at the guild, Karma felt confident that he was just one step away from purchasing the guide. As they made their way back to town, the sound of rustling in the bushes caught Karma's attention.
"Shiro, wait," he whispered, stopping in his tracks.
Peering into the bushes, Karma's eyes widened as he saw a small, grey-furred creature lying on the ground. It was a **grey fox cub**, and it looked badly injured. Deep gashes marred its sides, and its breathing was labored.
Karma's heart sank. "What happened to you?"
He knelt beside the cub, carefully inspecting its injuries. It had likely been attacked by a larger predator, possibly a wolf or a larger monster. The fox was young, barely old enough to fend for itself.
"We can't leave it like this," Karma murmured. He gently scooped the fox into his arms, cradling it against his chest. The cub whimpered but didn't resist.
"We've got to get you to a healer," he said, glancing at Shiro. The rabbit hopped along, seemingly understanding the urgency.
---
**At the Adventurer's Guild**
Karma rushed into the Adventurer's Guild, the injured fox in his arms. Maria looked up in surprise as he entered.
"Karma! What happened?" she asked, concern in her voice.
"I found this grey fox cub on the way back. It's hurt badly. Is there a healer here?" Karma asked, his voice tight with worry.
Maria nodded quickly. "Yes, one of our guild healers is available. Follow me."
She led Karma to a small room in the back where a middle-aged woman, the guild's healer, sat reading a book. As soon as she saw the injured fox, she sprang into action, clearing a table and instructing Karma to lay the cub down.
"This will take a few minutes," the healer said as she began her work, her hands glowing with healing magic.
Karma watched anxiously as the woman tended to the cub's wounds. He wasn't sure why he felt such a strong urge to help the little creature, but something about its helplessness stirred something inside him. Maybe it was the fact that he, too, had been weak once, and only through the help of others had he grown stronger.
After several minutes, the healer stepped back, wiping her brow. The fox's wounds had closed, and its breathing was steady. The cub slowly opened its eyes, glancing around the room before letting out a soft yip.
"It'll be fine," the healer said with a kind smile. "Just needs some rest."
Karma let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you. How much do I owe you?"
"20 copper coins should cover it," the healer replied.
Karma handed over the money without hesitation, happy to have helped. As the cub regained its strength, it stood up, wobbling slightly on its legs before nuzzling against Karma's hand.
Maria, who had been watching from the doorway, smiled. "You've got a soft spot for animals, don't you, Karma?"
Karma chuckled. "I guess so. I just couldn't leave it there to die."
As the fox continued to nuzzle him, Karma felt a sudden idea take root in his mind. "I wonder…"
He raised his hand, muttering the incantation for the **Taming** spell. A soft glow surrounded the fox as the spell took hold. For a brief moment, the cub seemed unsure, but then it yipped again and rubbed its head against Karma's leg.
"Well, looks like I've got a new companion," Karma said with a grin, scratching the cub's head.
Maria laughed. "A grey fox, huh? You're building quite the team, Karma."
With Shiro at his side and the newly tamed grey fox in tow, Karma finally felt like things were falling into place. He had earned enough coins from the slime quest to buy the **Intermediate Tamer's Guide**, and now he had another monster companion to help him grow even stronger.
"I think I'll call you **Kuro**," Karma said to the fox, which wagged its tail in approval.
With his new companion and newfound determination, Karma approached Maria at the desk.
"One last thing," he said, sliding over the coins he had earned. "I'd like to buy the **Intermediate Tamer's Guide**."
Maria handed him the book with a smile. "You've earned it."
Karma took the book, feeling its weight in his hands which was heavier and had more pages then beginners tamer guide so he decided to learn the spell tommorow and call it a day.