I rose to my feet, finally able to stand and walk. The hologram vanished, leaving the room completely empty.

"Hello?" I called out, my voice echoing in the silence.

I waited, hoping for a response, but I got no answer.

Looking at my surroundings, I found myself in the center of the same dark room with no visible exit.

"HELLO!" I shouted once more, with a hint of frustration.

I glanced at the icons at the bottom of my display. The number "1" still hovered above the inventory icon. I attempted to touch it with my fingers, but it felt as if it were embedded directly into my vision. Determined, I tried to focus on it and mentally command it to open.

Nothing happened.

Frustration, once again, surged within me.

"How was I supposed to use this inventory?" I thought.

I attempted various gestures and interactions with my HUD, waving my hands and even calling out "Inventory." But once again, nothing worked.

Growing increasingly exasperated, I shouted :

"How the hell am I supposed to access my inventory or Glossary?"

Just as I uttered those words, the term "Glossary" appeared briefly on my display before fading away. Then, to my surprise, a White Gem materialized in front of me, emerging directly from my forehead.

"Hello!" the gem spoke in the voice of a young girl.

I jumped back, surprised by the gem's unexpected voice.

"Uh... Hello?" I replied cautiously.

"I am your Glossary. I am here to assist you during your ascent of the Gem Tower. Think of me as your guide and helper. Would you like to assign me a name?"

The resemblance to the paper-clip assistant from Word, Clippy, crossed my mind. I pondered for a moment, realizing that the gem's name might be the means to call upon it.

"Can I ask a question first?" I asked, seeking clarification.

"Sure!" the gem responded, floating around with enthusiasm.

"Is your name the way to access you? To summon you?" I asked, hoping for a straightforward answer.

"Yes! You catch on quickly!" the gem replied cheerfully.

Chuckling to myself at the amalgamation of Clippy and Alexa, I thought it would be fitting to find a suitable name.

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"Okay, I would like to assign a name." I declared.

"Alright!" the gem responded excitedly, "What is my new name?"

"Calexa," I declared.

In response, the gem emitted a bright glow.

"New name recorded, I am Calexa!" it announced.

Amused by the combination of Clippy and Alexa, I couldn't help but laugh silently.

"Okay, Calexa, my first question is: How do I access my inventory?" I inquired.

"To access your inventory, simply use FOCUS," Calexa replied.

"Focus?" I echoed.

"FOCUS is an inherited ability triggered when you intentionally look at something to gain knowledge about it or activate it. FOCUS is extremely useful, allowing you to interact with your HUD and obtain information about the world around you. Try it on me!"

Pausing for a moment, I recalled my previous attempt at focusing on the icon, which had proven unsuccessful. Nevertheless, I decided to give it another try, this time focusing intensely on Calexa. To my surprise, she chuckled in response.

"No need to make this face, just relax!" she advised.

Her lively demeanor left me astonished, as if the gem possessed advanced artificial intelligence.

"How do I FOCUS, then?" I asked, feeling a tinge of frustration.

"You're asking the wrong question. It's not about how to FOCUS, but how to use FOCUS," Calexa explained, floating closer to my face.

"Look at something and think 'FOCUS'," she instructed softly, before moving back to a comfortable distance.

"Ah, so it's an ability, like in games. I've designed games before, so I can do this!" I remarked with self-confidence.

I looked at Calexa and concentrated, thinking the word "FOCUS." Instantly, a floating screen appeared above her and a white line outlining her form.

"Calexa; White Gem Category I - Bound to Simon."

Shocked by the sudden revelation, I couldn't help but exclaim :

"Holy crap!"

"Excellent job!" Calexa praised. "Before long, this will become second nature to you. You'll be able to do it effortlessly, even in the heat of battle."

Turning my attention to the inventory icon, I activated FOCUS once more. My inventory materialized in front of me in three-dimensional space, displaying only one item—Calexa. I could select her, and a description appeared on the side. To close the inventory, I used FOCUS on the icon again.

"Okay, I've got the hang of this." I thought, gaining confidence.

Calexa began to hum, waiting for me to speak.

Curiosity piqued, I asked :

"What are all the other icons at the bottom of my HUD?"

"The first one, as you saw, is the inventory. The second one is the map, and the last one is the DM or chat, if you prefer. Additional icons may appear based on unique powers or abilities you acquire," Calexa explained.

"I'm assuming the green bar at the top is my health?" I questioned, recognizing the familiar design resembling the infamous healthbar from many video games.

"Correct," Calexa confirmed.

I glanced at the map, but it remained pitch black. The chat window displayed an empty friends list and a second row labeled "Party Members," with only my name listed.

"So," I ventured. "How do I leave this place?"

"Like that!" Calexa responded, vanishing back into my forehead.

In an instant, everything turned white, and a dizzying sensation washed over me, as if I were staring into the sun. After a few seconds, my vision returned, revealing that I now stood in a room constructed of stone bricks, resembling a prison cell from a dungeon. Torches adorned the walls, casting an orange glow over everything. In front of me, a weathered wooden table featured three golden circles, while a thick wooden door occupied the wall in the same direction.

Calexa reappeared, emerging once more from my forehead.

"You've completed the first tutorial! Bravo!" she congratulated.

As she spoke, miniature fireworks erupted from her, accompanied by whimsical sounds and cheers from an imaginary crowd.

I smiled.

"So, what's next?" I asked eagerly.

Flying atop the table, Calexa activated the three golden circles, causing three gems to materialize—one red, one green, and one blue.

Intrigued, I approached.

"What are those?" I asked, curiosity getting the best of me.

"These are your options for selecting your base class as you take your first real step into the world," Calexa explained.

She floated close to my face again and whispered ;

"Welcome to Gem Tower Simon."