As Alex returns to his room, he checks his new status:
Alex Kerber: Lvl 3
HP: 207/207, MP: 167/167
STR: 11 (+3), AGI: 11 (+2), PHY: 11 (+2), SNS: 11 (+1), CHA: 11 (+5), MNA: 11, INT: 11 SPR: 11 (+5), LUK: 11
Available Stat Points: 0
Innate Skills: Genius Conjurer lvl 3, Statistical OCD lvl MAX
Free Skill Slots: 0/3, Free Basic Skill Slots: 0/8
Basic skills: Basic Close Combat Prowess lvl 3, Basic Footwork lvl 3, Basic Endurance lvl 3, Basic Long-Range Combat Prowess lvl 3, Basic Eloquence lvl 3, Basic Concentration lvl 3, Basic Meditation lvl 3, Basic Mana Control lvl 3
Passive Skills: Pistol Proficiency lvl 3, Alexandrian Royal Swordsmanship lvl 3
Active Skills: Annihilation Grenade lvl 3, Sealions Icewing Embrace lvl 3, Black Magic (Fire-Blizzard-Thunder-Series) lvl 3, Sword Magic lvl 3
Fantasy Coins: 65,200 Soul Crystals: Small x5
Current Weapons: Mr. 5’s Revolver (Deep Blue), Sword of Pluto (Deep Blue)
Current Equipment: Commander Shepard’s Dog Tag (Deep Blue), Sealion’s Might (Deep Blue), Shield of Pluto (Deep Blue), Armor of Pluto (Blue), Visor of Pluto (Blue), Cuisses of Pluto (Blue), Gauntlets of Pluto (Blue), Sabatons of Pluto (Blue), Nimbus Cloak (Light Purple), Champion Belt (Blue)
Miscellaneous Items: Navalia Wolf Jerky x3 (Gray), Healing Potion x5 (White), Gotcha Pork Roast (Light Green), Miso Ramen with Extra Pork (Green), Antidote (White), Energy Bar x5 (Gray) Jack’s Spare Silvery Mask (Light Green), Frost Essence (Green)
Special Items: Pluto’s Ceremonial Blessing (Deep Purple), Baroque Works Invitation (Purple), Player Contract (Tereza Řezník), Destiny Supporter Token (Purple), 285th Hunter Exam Application (Gray)
Alex notices that his HP only increased by a flat 20. It seems like Basic Endurance only boosts the HP gained from permanent stat points, similar to how the increase in Max HP from his armor provides only a flat bonus. A bit disappointing, but it makes sense, or so Alex thinks.
Still, seeing his STR at 14 and both AGI and PHY at 13 fills him with pride. These stats are incredibly high for such an early stage in the Fantasy Realm, even for someone focusing solely on physical attributes. And when he adds in his other strong stats, Alex knows he’s a serious force to be reckoned with.
“I did it! My build is exactly how I planned it. I’m not one of those fools chasing after two different roles at once, only to end up with both half-baked. No, I merged two paths into one seamless playstyle. My spells work well enough on their own, but now I can use them with my swordsmanship, amping up both my physical and magical damage. My conjuration boosts my melee combat, and even casting a simple spell enhances my speed and evasion.”
Alex feels a rush of satisfaction. He’s created his own unique combat class—a fusion of magical and physical combat. He lies awake in bed, still buzzing with excitement even though it’s late. “Damn, I’m nervous… I guess that’s to be expected. Failing the Hunter Exam usually means death… I could back out, but I doubt the system would just let me ‘give up’ during the mission.”
Suddenly, a message pops up on his screen:
[Tereza: Open the door]
"What the hell? It’s this late already… is she trying to kill me with sleep deprivation before the mission?"
As Alex opens the door to his personal room in the Fantasy Realm, Tereza storms inside without a word, heading straight for his bed.
“What is it?” Alex asks, a bit uneasy, not quite in the mood for her usual teasing.
Instead of replying, she grabs him by the collar and pulls him down onto the bed, mounting him before he has a chance to react. She kisses him fiercely, and for a moment, Alex is caught off guard.
“What the hell is she doing?” he wonders, stunned and confused. But Tereza isn’t giving him time to think. She rips off his clothes, discarding them in a flash, and does the same with her own. When he starts to speak, she presses her hand over his mouth, her voice low and commanding, “No more talking.”
Taken aback but unable to deny the intensity of the moment, Alex lets himself be pulled into the passion of the night, a role reversal that leaves him wondering who’s really in charge.
7 hours later, Alex wakes up to find Tereza asleep beside him, her arm draped possessively over him. Not used to this kind of closeness, he immediately feels his face heat up, remembering everything that happened.
To his surprise, Tereza stirs, and instead of awkwardly getting dressed, she slides her hand under the blanket until she finds his morning wood. “Good morning,” she purrs with a smirk. “Looks like you’re not quite satisfied yet. Guess I’ll have to take care of you again.”
She disappears beneath the blanket, making Alex feel as if he’s caught somewhere between a dream, reality, and an erotic film. “Is this really happening? I thought things like this only happened in porn games,” he thinks to himself, his thoughts quickly silenced as Tereza shows off her “oral arguments” with undeniable skill.
Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
An hour later, they head to the shower in Alex’s room together, kissing passionately under the warm water. Alex can’t help admiring her toned physique and feeling incredibly lucky for this unexpected turn of events. “Maybe I should take a page from her book,” he muses, “and stop being so passive. I could end up missing out on things like this.”
Once they finish and get dressed, they make their way back toward the Center Square.
“We should’ve slept a few more hours,” Tereza grins, nudging him. “You still have time before the mission, don’t you? What are you doing up so early? I thought you finished all your preparations.”
“Yes, I did, but I still want to check out the trading hub, maybe there’s a last-minute deal I can make. And besides, I got a hint yesterday... I need to change how my gear looks! Just look at me—I’m walking around in full plate knight armor with this massive champion belt and a magical cape that looks like it belongs in a fantasy parade. In Final Fantasy 9, it fit right in. In The Purge world, no one cared because it was dark, and I was just using a basic cloak over everything. But if I enter the Hunter Exam dressed like this, people will think I’m a total idiot. Some might even target me just because they think I’m an over-geared nerd!”
Tereza laughs, playfully biting his left ear while clinging to his arm. “Wouldn’t they be right?” she teases.
Alex blushes, thinking, “This woman’s as aggressive outside of combat as she is in it. I need to get used to this—I’m completely defenseless against her!”
They enter one of the few shops available in the tutorial section. It’s a place he only visited once at the beginning of his journey, a shop that mainly sells generic, white-quality equipment. This time, though, he’s here for a specific purpose—altering his current items.
After a long discussion with the shop owner about his needs, they customize his outfit. His plate armor is compacted, now with cloth woven into its design to give it a sleeker, more understated look. The weight remains the same, but visually, it no longer appears bulky. The massive champion belt is modified to blend in better, appearing smaller and designed to match his armor seamlessly. And the cloak? Alex has it shortened to look more like a draped scarf hanging casually over his shoulder, only revealing its true form when he casts a spell to activate its effect. This modification also helps him track the cloak’s duration visually.
These subtle, mostly cosmetic adjustments, plus minor repairs, cost Alex 5,000 FC. Even though the price is steep, he pays it willingly, relieved that he’ll blend in better and look less out of place. The changes also make him feel more agile, as though his armor doesn’t slow him down at all.
As they continue through the marketplace, they spot Rishi, who greets them warmly.
Feeling a little indulgent, Alex decides to do something he’s always called wasteful and frivolous: he invites both Tereza and Rishi to one of the tutorial section’s rare restaurants run by Realm workers.
Alex spends nearly 200 FC on food and drinks, tipping the rest to the workers.
“I have to say, Roja wasn’t exaggerating. The food and drinks here are incredible… and I actually feel rejuvenated. Maybe this wasn’t such a waste after all!” he admits.
“Sooo good,” Tereza says, still savoring her dessert: a giant ice cream sundae topped with exotic fruits, especially a few pink, heart-shaped berries scattered on top. Watching her suck on those berries and slurp down the whipped cream with her perfect lips is driving Alex to distraction. Despite last night and their earlier “encounter,” he feels himself stirring, unable to help it.
Rishi nods in agreement. “This is dangerous… Now that I’ve tasted it, I’ll crave it all the time. I’m not sure this was such a good idea.”
As the time draws near according to Alex’s mission item, they make their way toward the trading hub, specifically to the replacement goblin merchant handling the Hunter Exam applications.
[285th Hunter Exam Application]
Quality: Gray
Type: World Item / Quest Item
Effect: Allows the player to enter the World of Hunter x Hunter as soon as every last ticket is sold. If not all tickets are sold in 0 Days - 1 Hours - 2 Minutes, the mission will begin regardless.
Requirements: Level 1-4
Note:
Monsters and beasts
Vast riches… Hidden treasures
Evil haunts… Unexplored frontiers
The mysterious unknown
Those captivated by those words are called Hunters
Note: This item cannot be traded, discarded or sold. It will disappear after the effect activates
To Alex’s complete shock, there are only two papers left on the merchant’s table.
“He actually managed to rope in a few more idiots! Unbelievable,” Alex mutters, glaring at the goblin salesman.
“Greetings, player. I’ve heard what you did to the previous merchant here, and I must thank you. Thanks to you, I landed this cozy job,” the goblin says with a sly grin.
“Well, you’re welcome, Merchant. You certainly seem sharper than your predecessor. Congrats on getting a few more players killed,” Alex replies with a smirk.
“Kekeke, it feels good to be appreciated. Care to deposit your items in my personal player bank? I’ll even give you a handsome interest... if you manage to return, that is. Kekeke.”
“I wish I could take that bet and make you eat your words, goblin,” Alex snaps, turning away, done wasting his time on the goblin’s taunts.
To Alex's surprise, he manages to find a last-minute item he could actually use:
[EP Charge]
World: Zemuria (Kiseki/Trails Franchise)
Quality: Green
Effect: Recovers 20 MP
Note: An orbal energy-filled capsule. Due to conversion to MP, a lot of its effect is diminished.
Alex buys the [EP Charge] and willingly spends the 2,000 FC the merchant asks. “EP or MP… I always thought they were basically the same. Guess there’s a difference,” he mutters, disappointed. “What a shame. I’d love to visit the Trails world and buy a ton of powerful Quartz!”
With their preparations complete, the group finally walks toward the large portal at the center of the Realm. They pass clusters of visibly nervous players, many with familiar, panicked faces Alex recognizes from a few days earlier, the ones who’d been crying at the goblin’s stall.
To his utter shock, he spots two more familiar faces in the crowd. “Patricia, Eirini… is that you?” he asks, surprised, while Tereza, eyeing the two anxious women with clear disdain, turns to him with a raised brow. “You actually know these useless crybabies?”