My Free Will System: Transmigrating Into My Favorite Immersion Game

Elias, Margo, and Sarah wandered through the quaint, bustling village of Morin, a place nestled between rolling hills and a winding river that sparkled under the afternoon sun. They had stumbled upon the village by chance, deciding to rest and gather supplies before continuing their journey.

The village was alive with activity, filled with lively music, the scent of roasting meats, and cheerful chatter of villagers preparing for an upcoming harvest festival.

Elias scanned the bustling marketplace, taking in the colorful stalls overflowing with fresh produce, handmade crafts, and all sorts of peculiar items. He was about to suggest they stock up on essentials when a loud, grating voice caught their attention.

"Step right up, folks! Potions for every need! Strength! Speed! Charm your way out of anything! Guaranteed to work or double your trouble!" shouted a small, animated figure standing on a crate.

It was a gnome, barely reaching Elias's waist even with his added height from the crate, with wild green hair and a long, bushy beard. His beady eyes darted between potential customers, eager to make a sale.

"Looks like we've found the village eccentric," Sarah muttered, smirking. She nudged Elias. "Bet you a crown he's a fraud."

Margo shrugged. "Or maybe he's just bad at his job. Either way, could be fun."

Elias, always cautious but curious, approached the gnome's stall. The tiny merchant's table was covered in a bewildering array of brightly colored potions, each in a different shaped bottle. Labels ranged from "Strength of Ten Giants" to "Unmatched Agility" and even "Irresistible Charm." The gnome's sales pitch was relentless as he waved his hands theatrically over his wares.

"Ah, I see you've got the eye of a discerning customer!" the gnome exclaimed, fixing his gaze on Elias. "Name's Gurbel, master alchemist and purveyor of all things magical! What's your pleasure today? Need to lift a boulder? Outspeed a horse? Impress a lady friend?" Gurbel's eyes twinkled mischievously.

Elias glanced at Margo and Sarah, who both shrugged, clearly amused by the gnome's enthusiasm. "We could use some potions," Elias admitted. "But we're looking for quality. Can you guarantee that these actually work?"

Gurbel puffed out his chest. "Guaranteed to work or double your trouble!" he repeated with a grin. "But don't worry, these are the finest brews in Morin!" He leaned in closer, lowering his voice conspiratorially. "I've got a reputation to maintain, you see."

Elias hesitated but decided to test his luck. "Alright, we'll take a few samples. What do you recommend?"

Gurbel rubbed his hands together gleefully. "For you, my discerning friend, I'd suggest the 'Strength of Ten Giants'! Perfect for a warrior like yourself. And for the lovely lady—" he gestured to Margo, "—'Unmatched Agility!' It'll have you dodging blows like a whisper in the wind!" He turned to Sarah. "And for you, I've got just the thing: 'Reflex Booster'—a must-have for any seasoned fighter!"

Margo eyed the potions with suspicion. "And these are all safe, right? No weird side effects?"

"Safe as can be!" Gurbel assured, though his grin seemed a bit too wide. "Just a few drops, and you'll be feeling invincible!"

With some trepidation, the group exchanged glances and decided to go ahead. Gurbel handed each of them a small vial, and they downed their potions simultaneously, bracing for the effects.

At first, nothing seemed to happen. Elias waited, feeling a slight warmth spreading through his chest, but then the potion kicked in. His muscles began to bulge and swell uncontrollably, his arms growing thick and heavy like boulders. Within moments, his body had transformed into a grotesque parody of a strongman, his muscles so oversized that he could barely move without hitting something.

"What the fuck?" Elias grunted, struggling to keep his balance as he accidentally knocked over a stall of apples, sending them rolling into the street. He tried to bend down to pick them up, but his massive arms only made things worse, knocking over more stalls in the process.

Margo burst into laughter but quickly stopped when her own potion took effect. She opened her mouth to say something, but instead, words started pouring out at lightning speed, her voice a rapid, unintelligible blur. "—thingisallwrongwhat'shappeningIcanspeakreallyfastthisissoweird—"

Sarah, already laughing at the chaos, lifted her potion to her lips. "Well, if you two are having that much fun—" she said, tipping the vial back. Within seconds, her limbs began to move independently of her control. Her right arm swung out, smacking a passerby in the face, while her legs jerked her into an awkward, stumbling dance.

"What the hell?!" Sarah shouted, trying to stop her limbs from flailing. She kicked over a barrel of fish, sending it crashing into Elias's legs, which knocked him sideways into another stall. Villagers started to shout, dodging the unintended havoc as Elias, Margo, and Sarah stumbled through the market in a trail of chaos.

Gurbel watched, his eyes widening as the scene devolved into utter bedlam. "Uh, maybe I should… uh, I'll just…" he muttered, scrambling to find the right antidotes. He fumbled through his potion bottles, tossing out various mismatched brews, each one only adding to the mess. One potion exploded into a cloud of pink smoke, turning a nearby cat into a pig, which squealed and bolted through the crowd.

As Elias bumbled around, his overgrown muscles knocking over crates and vendors alike, he spotted Gurbel frantically trying to reach them with the antidotes. "You… better… fix… this!" Elias grunted, his massive arms flailing as he tried to reach for the gnome but only managed to knock over more merchandise.

Gurbel finally reached them, thrusting a handful of antidote vials into their hands. "Quick, quick! Drink these before you level the whole village!" he pleaded.

The trio downed the antidotes and, thankfully, the effects reversed almost immediately. Elias's muscles shrank back to their normal size, Margo's rapid speech slowed to a normal pace, and Sarah's limbs stopped their rebellious dancing. They all took a moment to catch their breath, standing amidst the chaos they had created.

Villagers stared, a mix of amusement and irritation on their faces. Elias, now back to normal, sighed deeply and rubbed his temples. "So… what did we learn today?"

"That Gurbel's potions are definitely double the trouble," Margo said, still catching her breath.

Sarah, hands on her hips, glared at the gnome. "And that we should never trust a potion seller who claims to have 'a reputation to maintain.'"

Elias let out a defeated sigh, he had given up on these two and it hasn't even been a week yet. They might actually end him quicker than the demon kings at this rate.

Gurbel, sweating nervously, offered them a sheepish grin. "I, uh, I'm really sorry about that. Let me make it up to you! Free potions for life! Or… maybe just… a free lunch?" He laughed weakly, clearly trying to defuse the tension.

"We'll pass on that"

Elias crossed his arms, still frowning, but Margo nudged him with a smirk. "Come on, Elias. At least it was entertaining. Besides, we could use a good laugh now and then."

Elias finally cracked a reluctant smile. "Alright, fine. But next time, let's just stick to basics. No more weird potions."

Gurbel, eager to get back in their good graces, nodded vigorously. "Oh, absolutely! No more funny business! I'll even throw in a charm for good luck!" He reached under his stall and handed them a small, glittering amulet. "This one's on the house—guaranteed to keep you safe and sound on your travels!"

Margo took the amulet, examining it with a raised eyebrow. "You sure this isn't cursed or something?"

"Not cursed!" Gurbel assured. "Just… maybe a little… temperamental. But hey, it's better than nothing, right?"

They all shared a laugh, the tension finally breaking as they started to see the humor in the absurdity of their situation. They bid Gurbel farewell, with the gnome waving enthusiastically as they left the marketplace, the villagers slowly returned to their own business, shaking their heads at the strange travelers who had brought a whirlwind of chaos to their quiet village.

As they walked away, Elias turned to his companions. "Well, that was an interesting stop."

Margo grinned, pocketing the amulet. "You have to admit, it was fun. Besides, it's a good reminder that not everything has to be about battles and prophecies, you know "

Sarah chuckled. "Yeah, sometimes it's just about not getting turned into a walking disaster by a gnome with questionable potions."

Elias smiled, feeling a lightness he hadn't felt in a long time. "Alright, let's keep moving before we stumble on another weird character"

"When you say let's keep moving, where exactly is our destination?" Sarah asked

Elias feigned a cough, "Umm… it's over there." He said pointing to nowhere in particular

"Where?" Sarah asked, "Doesn't it have a name?"

Elias chuckled nervously, "We better start moving before night falls,"

Margo palmed her face, "There's no destination, is there?"

"I didn't hear a thing you said," Elias said as he increased his pace