Chapter 14: Village
Mike stopped by a small clearing, gently lowering Eli onto a patch of soft grass. The boy winced as he shifted his injured leg, but he didn't complain. Mike crouched beside him, his sharp claws digging into the dirt as he thought.
"Alright, kid, stay here for a second. I've got an idea," Mike said, standing up and cracking his neck.
Eli looked up at him curiously. "What are you going to do, Mr. Monster?"
"Shopping," Mike said with a sly grin.
"Shopping?" Eli echoed, confused.
"Yeah, don't worry about it. Just hang tight," Mike said, giving Eli a small wave as he focused inward.
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[System Interface: Shop Menu]
Mike navigated the shop menu with a flick of his thoughts, his eyes scanning the familiar list of items.
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[Shop Menu]
1. Healing Potion
Description: Restores minor injuries, heals muscle damage, and regenerates superficial wounds.
Price: 25 Evolution Points
Stock: Unlimited
2. Strength Boost (Temporary)
Description: Increases physical strength by 10% for 10 minutes.
Price: 30 Evolution Points
3. Fire Salve
Description: An ointment that grants temporary fire resistance.
Price: 20 Evolution Points
---
Mike scrolled to the Healing Potion and paused. "When I first saw this thing, I thought it was useless. 'Who needs a potion for muscle injuries? Not me,' I said. But look at me now—buying one like a responsible parent."
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[System Notification]
Item Purchased: Healing Potion
Cost: 25 Evolution Points
Remaining Evolution Points: 456.74 →426.74
---
The potion materialized in his claw with a soft, golden glow. "Alright, let's see if this thing actually works."
Mike returned to Eli, holding up the vial like he was presenting a grand treasure. "Ta-da! Magic juice, guaranteed to fix your leg."
Eli's eyes widened in amazement. "Where did you get that?"
Mike smirked. "Let's just say I've got connections. Now drink up."
Eli hesitated before taking the vial. With a cautious sip, the boy's face scrunched up. "It's… weird."
"Yeah, well, medicine's not supposed to taste good," Mike said with a chuckle. "Keep going."
Eli finished the potion, and a faint golden light enveloped his leg. The boy gasped as the pain faded, and his leg straightened.
"It worked!" Eli said, his voice filled with awe.
"Of course, it worked," Mike said, crossing his arms. "I don't shop for junk."
---
Heading to the Village
After Eli tested his healed leg, they continued their journey.
"Alright, kid, where's this village of yours?" Mike asked, glancing down at him.
Eli pointed ahead. "It's that way. But… it's far."
"Far, huh?" Mike muttered. "Alright, hop back on. Let's make this quick."
As they moved, Mike activated his detection skill to scout the area.
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[Skill Activated: Predator's Sense]
The forest around him lit up in faint outlines, and ahead, Mike saw movement. His eyes narrowed as the system chimed in.
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[System Notification]
New Creature Identified: Barbed Raider (Lv. 5)
Description: A semi-intelligent monster with a sharp hide and a tendency to enslave weaker creatures.
---
Mike's pace slowed. His eyes caught sight of several cages guarded by the creatures. Inside the cages were humans, scared and battered.
"Well, that's not good," Mike muttered.
"What's wrong?" Eli asked, his voice small.
"Trouble," Mike replied. "Your village got attacked by these guys, right?"
Eli nodded, his face pale.
Mike's gaze lingered on the cages before the system pinged again.
---
[System Notification: Warning]
High-Level Threat Detected
Troop Leader: Onyx Fang Commander (Lv. 10)
---
"Great," Mike grumbled. "They've got a boss."
"Can we save them?" Eli asked, his voice trembling.
Mike hesitated before shaking his head. "Not yet, kid. That leader's out of my league right now. But don't worry. We'll get them back—I just need to level up a bit first."
Eli's expression fell, but he nodded. "Okay… I trust you."
Mike patted his head. "Good. Trust me, when I'm ready, those monsters won't know what hit 'em."
With that, they turned away, heading back into the forest to prepare for the battles ahead.