As Alex approaches his teammates, they step into a quiet corner near the exit.
"Took your sweet ti, didn’t you?" Rishi says, arms crossed, looking slightly annoyed.
"Huh?! I may have checked out the lower floors and had to smooth-talk my way out of a recruitnt attempt from the ‘Seeker’ guild, but other than that, I didn’t waste any ti," Alex defends himself, though he does look slightly confused. "I talked to 1337 a little, but that shouldn’t have taken long."
"That doesn’t add up. We’ve been waiting for at least two hours," Tereza points out, frowning.
Alex blinks. "Wait… what? But that only felt like a few seconds."
A sudden realization hits him.
"1337… how long did it take to heal my wounds?"
[Exactly 2 hours, 12 minutes, and 47 seconds.]
Alex stares blankly. "But—it felt like seconds!"
[To ease the process for Host, ti perception may be altered during certain events.]
Alex groans. "Great. So while I was blissfully unaware, you two were just standing here twiddling your thumbs? I feel kinda bad for you."
He sighs, rubbing the back of his head. "I’m sorry… I had more damage than I thought, so I went for the 10,000 FC recovery option. Apparently, that took over two hours."
Rishi and Tereza exchange looks, their expressions shifting.
"It’s okay. At least we learned sothing new," Tereza says with a shrug, while Rishi simply nods, still looking slightly surprised.
"That Thornback Matriarch gave a nasty bite… but hey, the Realm can heal anything for the right price," Alex adds, explaining what he learned.
To his surprise, neither Rishi nor Tereza had sustained any injuries serious enough to require system treatnt.
"Interesting," Rishi mutters. "The treatnt cost seems unusually high, and there’s no price scaling for different levels. That’s weird. For a level 20 player, 10,000 FC is pocket change, but for a level 5 player, that might be everything they own. It’s an odd system."
Alex nods, but his thoughts shift to sothing else entirely.
"Anyway, we should focus on rescuing nchi and Jewel. Especially Jewel—she’s… clingy. I hope she’s not panicking right now. She didn’t leave my side for months."
With that, the group finally steps out of the tower.
The scene before them is nothing short of breathtaking.
A massive, sprawling city stretches out in every direction. Unlike the structured environnts of the Tutorial Realm, this place is an intricate fusion of styles, heavily inspired by ancient mythology. At least, how people in the past imagined ancient, godlike civilizations to look like.
"This is insane," Alex mutters, taking it all in.
"As expected, the Realm’s aesthetics are always about a thousand or two thousand years behind," he adds dryly.
Tereza scans the skyline, her brow furrowing. "Yeah, but sothing’s off. I can see what look like skyscrapers in the distance, and the city layout is… strange. Way too neat. It certainly has modern influences."
She pauses, then glances down. "Even the ground this tower is built on is elevated. From up here, we have a clear view of almost everything. But the city center… it looks nearly empty. I can’t make out what’s there."
Alex narrows his eyes. "Wait…"
Focusing, he activates Gyo, enhancing his vision. His pupils dilate slightly as he hones in on the central area.
"It’s a cluster of portals," he announces. "In the dead center, there’s a much larger one. A lot of players are gathered around it. If I had to guess… that’s the portal leading to other worlds, similar to the one in the Tutorial Realm."
"It was just a single portal back there," Tereza muses, tightening her grip on Alex’s arm as they walk. "Everything’s bigger here, huh?"
As they casually stroll through the bustling city, Alex’s attention shifts to the towering structures lining the streets. He squints, trying to make out movent.
"I see people inside these buildings," he says. "Should I check them out with En? That’s allowed, right, 1337?"
[The Realm does not expressly forbid it. However, this system would like to remind Host that peeping or spying on others is generally considered rude in human society.]
Alex snickers and shares the response with his teammates.
Rishi smirks. "Worth a try. If the Realm doesn’t forbid it, we’ve got nothing to lose. Even if soone notices, you can just deny it."
Alex grins and expands En, his aura stretching outward to scan the nearby buildings. The outlines of people beco clearer in his mind.
"I can’t tell if they’re players or Realm workers…" he mutters.
As they walk, he continues calling out his findings.
"That looks like a shop!"
"This… almost looks like a damn office?"
"A warehouse? Just why?"
"A restaurant!"
"Wait… there's an audience in that building. Could it be… a theater?!"
Alex, looking increasingly desperate as they blindly navigate the massive city, finally gives in and asks, "1337, any help? Where the hell is the Pet-Hub?"
[I’m not permitted to answer this specific question, but as a general rule, the most important facilities are located near the center of the city.]
"1337 says it’s close to the center!" Alex announces with a grin.
Rishi gives him a skeptical look. "Alex… your system has been acting strange for a while now. My questions always get ignored or answered with the bare minimum, but yours is… helpful. Too helpful. It’s honestly disturbing."
"Not really a problem, right? Let’s be thankful 1337 is a bit more liberal regarding information," Alex says with a shrug.
As they head toward the city center, a rather petite young man suddenly approaches Alex, looking alard.
"You there! Are you using a scouting skill?" he asks urgently. "Please stop right now! You’ll get in serious trouble with the veterans! They’re under constant stress, and the last thing you want is to piss them off."
Alex imdiately cuts off his En and raises a brow. "Oh. Well… thanks for the heads-up. How’d you even notice?"
The man smirks slightly. "Let’s just say I’ve invested in the SNS stat."
"Good to know," Alex replies.
"Anyway, be careful. There’s a small event for new players in two weeks. They’re held twice a month on the first floor of the Player Tower," the man adds.
Rishi steps in. "Thanks for the tip. If you don’t mind asking, why do you care so much about us newbies?"
"I’m part of a group that handles various problems in the Realm. The major guilds usually donate to our cause, so we do a lot of volunteer work," the man explains, clearly proud of his role.
What a clown
Alex barely suppresses a scoff.
Look, this might sound noble and all, but let’s be real—this world, just like the real one, is built on self-interest. No one offers help without expecting sothing in return. And why would the big guilds sponsor them for nothing? That just doesn’t add up.
A quick glance at Rishi and Tereza confirms they’re thinking the sa thing.
Rishi, ever polite, nods. "Thanks for the info. If we need help, where can we find you?"
The young man pulls out a map of the city and points to a spot on the outskirts of the city.
"Swing by anyti! We’ll even give you a free map," he says with a grin before heading back to his building.
As soon as he’s out of earshot, Tereza sighs. "Yeah… I’ve got a strong feeling we won’t be visiting."
Rishi nods with a casual expression, a hint of a smile visible.
As they continue toward the city center, a sudden voice—frightened, desperate—rings in Alex’s mind.
Princess Jewel is scared… Where is her Soulmate?
Alex freezes.
Jewel?! Is that you?! Where are you?!
Dearest Soulmate ❤️❤️❤️
Finally, Princess Jewel is reunited with her Dearest Soulmate! Please pick up Jewel as soon as possible. She feels extrely lonely and is housed in a cage, treated like a common peasant… no, a peasant criminal!
We’re coming. Stay calm!
Alex sighs, "never a mont of peace."
"I found Jewel. Follow !" he says before breaking into a jog, instinctively navigating toward her. The exact location remains unclear, but the bond they share allows him to sense the general direction.
The group darts through the crowded streets until they arrive in front of a massive building.
"She should be inside," Alex says, determination burning in his eyes.
They step inside, imdiately overwheld by the vast hall before them.
It’s a bizarre mix between a zoo and a traveling circus, filled with hundreds—no, thousands—of creatures.
Alex’s gaze sweeps across the room, spotting all sorts of familiar beings:
A Chocobo from Final Fantasy.
A Massiff from Star Wars.
A massive frog—probably from Naruto.
And countless other creatures he can’t even begin to na.
As they push further into the store, Alex’s eyes lock onto a small area near the counter.
A single cage stands there.
Inside, a large, purple-colored spider rests, her iridescent purple skin reflecting the light, her deep red eyes glowing softly.
Well, she’s indeed housed like a criminal. Let’s get her out!
"Jewel!" he shouts as he approaches the counter.
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