TREVOR KING AND SYSTEM MISADVENTURES

Chapter 5: The Town's Odd Rewards and New Challenges

Trevor walked back into the small, bustling town of Draethor, his legs sore from the goblin battle, and his mind still reeling from the strange series of events. Sir Clucksalot was happily perched on his shoulder, clucking every now and then as if gloating over its fiery victory.

As they entered the town square, Trevor noticed the usual hustle and bustle of market stalls and townspeople haggling. But everything felt a little... off. Was it the weird clothes everyone was wearing? Or maybe it was just the fact that he was now a frying pan-wielding hero with a fire-breathing chicken companion.

GL1TCH buzzed from his pocket. "Well, congratulations! You just slayed four goblins, got a mana crystal, and didn't die. That’s a pretty good first day on the job."

“Right,” Trevor muttered, running his fingers through his hair. “Except I have no idea what I’m doing here, and now I have this ridiculous chicken on my shoulder that keeps catching fire. Who thought this was a good idea?”

“You’re doing great!” GL1TCH chirped. “Now, head to the quest giver. You’ll get your reward, and then we can move on to the next challenge.”

Trevor sighed, muttering under his breath about not signing up for this nonsense, but trudged forward, pushing his way through the crowd. He reached the inn where he had accepted the goblin quest earlier. The warm light from inside beckoned, and Trevor pushed the door open, stepping inside.

The tavern was filled with the usual rowdy patrons—adventurers, merchants, and locals—sipping on ale and trading stories of their most recent adventures. At the bar, the quest giver from earlier, a short, round man with a bushy mustache, waved excitedly when he saw Trevor.

“You made it back!” he exclaimed. “Did you deal with those goblins? You survived?!"

Trevor rolled his eyes but nodded. “Yeah, I took care of it. Here’s their loot.” He dropped a handful of crudely-made knives and tattered goblin clothing on the counter.

The man grinned broadly and clapped Trevor on the back. “Well done, well done! You’re a real hero, you know that? Alright, your reward is waiting for you.”

Trevor stared at the man, half-expecting to be handed a sack of gold. Instead, the man pulled out a small, glittering amulet and held it out to Trevor.

“Here’s your reward,” the man said with a wink. “A special item. It’ll help you out on your adventures.”

Trevor blinked. “Uh... an amulet? Really? I just risked my life for a necklace?”

The man shrugged. “Hey, you’ll see. It’s magic. Trust me.”

Reluctantly, Trevor took the amulet and slipped it into his bag. “Thanks... I guess.”

“Don’t mention it,” the man said. “Now, if you’re looking for more work, there’s a lot more where that came from. The goblin situation might be under control for now, but we’ve got orcs, wyverns, and—“

“Okay, okay, I get it!” Trevor interrupted, holding up his hands in mock surrender. “I’ll look into it later.”

The quest giver smiled, as if Trevor had just made the best decision of his life.

---

Later that night, after a much-needed meal and a few drinks, Trevor sat on the edge of his bed, staring down at the amulet in his hand.

“What is this thing, anyway?” he muttered. “It’s just... glowing.”

GL1TCH buzzed excitedly from his pocket. “That’s a Glyphstone Amulet. Very rare. It helps protect the wearer from magical attacks and even boosts your energy for a short time.”

Trevor raised an eyebrow. “Magical attacks? What is this, a role-playing game? How would I even know how to use this thing?”

“Hey, no need to be rude. You’re the one who didn’t ask the quest giver for instructions,” GL1TCH chirped.

Trevor sighed. “Fine. I’ll take your word for it.” He slipped the amulet on and immediately felt a warm surge of energy spread through him. He blinked. “Whoa. This thing really does work.”

“You’re welcome,” GL1TCH said smugly. “Now that you’re ready to kick some ass, I’ve got a new quest for you.”

Trevor groaned. “Do we really have to do this now?”

“Yes, we do!” GL1TCH exclaimed. “You’re not going to get anywhere by sitting around. And this quest is much cooler than fighting goblins, I promise.”

Trevor’s curiosity was piqued, despite himself. “Alright, fine. Hit me with it.”

“Go to the northern part of the forest. There’s a cave there. The cave is filled with something called Nightshade Berries, which are super rare and valuable. You’ll need them to craft a potion of invulnerability or something. It’s basically the next step in your epic journey.”

Trevor stared at the map on GL1TCH’s screen. “So, I’m supposed to go into some dark cave, get some berries, and come back to town... all by myself? Are you sure about this?”

GL1TCH gave a nonchalant buzz. “Sure, why not? You’ve got a frying pan, a chicken that breathes fire, and an amulet that protects you. What’s the worst that could happen?”

Trevor stared at the screen, then glanced at Sir Clucksalot, who was preening its feathers.

“Alright, alright. I’ll go,” he muttered. “But if I end up dead in some cave because you thought this was a good idea, I’m holding you personally responsible.”

“Deal!” GL1TCH replied, sounding way too cheerful.

The next morning, after a restless night of strange dreams involving goblins, frying pans, and some seriously questionable food, Trevor packed his gear. The frying pan was still in his hand, and he was more than ready to tackle the next adventure—even if it involved trudging through a dangerous forest to find some mystical berries.

“I’ll probably regret this,” Trevor muttered to himself, glancing once more at the small town of Draethor before heading out towards the northern woods.

“I’m going to need more than a frying pan for this one...”