Zero, Karma, Victor, and Xavier continued their journey, battling countless monsters along the way. Thanks to Karma’s role as a healer, they managed to survive each encounter and reached level 10. Eventually, they spotted a building in the distance.

Xavier: "Hey, look! There's something over there... looks like a castle or something!"

Zero: "Yeah, it’s like a brownish castle. Let’s check it out, maybe we’ll find some help getting out of this game."

The group agreed and followed Zero toward the mysterious structure. Suddenly, they froze mid-step, unable to move. Confusion set in as their spirits were yanked out of their bodies, plunging them into a strange abyss. For a moment, they thought they were leveling up, but it was just the game doing a cinematic camera pan.

From above, they could see their bodies still walking toward the castle, as if on autopilot. The camera swooped behind them, rising above the castle to reveal massive glowing letters: "Welcome to The Nebula Territory."

Snapping back into their bodies, the group exchanged bewildered glances. Zero, more experienced with these kinds of things, explained it was a standard RPG feature to introduce a new area. Before Zero could finish his explanation, an NPC approached them with an overenthusiastic grin.

NPC: "Hello! Welcome to The Nebula Territory! You’re new here, right? Come with me, I’d love to show you around!"

Still confused but curious, the group followed the NPC. The area was lively, with music, cheering, and children playing. The NPC gestured toward a shop.

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NPC: "Over there is The Woreazan, our international shop! You can buy weapons, healing potions, tools, level-up materials, and more. Just make sure you have some gold first!"

The group instinctively checked their pockets, finding not a single coin among them. The NPC frowned for a moment but quickly perked up.

NPC: "Say... you look like warriors! What are your classes?"

Zero: "My class is Aggressor."

NPC: "A fighter! Good, good... And you, miss?"

Karma: "I’m a Healer."

NPC: "Ah, healers are indispensable, keeping the team alive is no small feat! And you, purple-haired guy?"

Xavier: "Uh… my class is Survivor."

NPC: "A Survivor? That’s rare! You’re agile and can take a hit, very useful. And you, tall guy?" (referring to Victor).

Victor: "I’m Range."

NPC: "Ah, the classic Range class, keeping enemies distracted from a distance while the fighter delivers the finishing blow! Hahaha!"

The group cringed at the NPC’s awkward attempt at humor but thanked him for the tour. Without gold, they decided their best option was to seek help from whoever was in charge. After searching the castle, they entered the main hall, where a figure sat on a grand throne.

???: "Who dares enter my domain?"

The group froze, unsure how to respond. The figure leaned forward, scrutinizing them.

???: "Ah, the newcomers I’ve heard about. I assume you’ve come to ask how to earn some gold?"

They nodded eagerly, pleading for any opportunity. The figure removed his mask, revealing himself as Lorin, the King of the Nebula Territory.

Lorin: "We do have a problem. A monster lurks beneath this castle, and even our strongest warriors have failed to defeat it. If you can slay the beast, I’ll reward you with 500,000 gold."

The group was stunned. Such a huge reward for defeating a single monster? It was too good to pass up. They accepted the quest without hesitation. Lorin provided instructions: they were to leave the castle grounds, locate a hidden hole, and jump in. That would lead them directly to the creature. With a mix of determination and nervous excitement, the group set off, ready to face whatever awaited them in the depths.