Dull visited the little thief's house, which was more like a mansion, at night as planned and discovered some intriguing things. However, the only important detail for him was confirming that the little brat is human, with a strong presence coming from his soul.

The boy is unaware of his true nature, so Dull's goal is to uncover the little thief's past identity before he enters the reincarnation cycle. This is easier said than done, but this challenge makes it more thrilling.

He even left his assistant there to keep an eye on the little thief, as the egg is more useful than just a screen. He also left the screen behind for his assistant to use in case of an emergency. Even though that egg is very tough, it can't actually defend itself.

As for the chick, who is taking care of it? Well, here's the situation...

Before they left that night, he placed the chick in a small tube. They couldn't leave the chick alone for more than an hour because it might have a seizure and die. Dull considered putting it in the inventory but preferred not to wait.

However, they also couldn't take it with them because even though the chick was asleep, it could sense the slightest movement, which would disturb its focus. Not to mention that she has already settled into the apartment and considers it her nest. If she were taken away from there, it could cause her stress therefore he could only place her in a tube.

The liquid in the tube would help keep the chick stable and fight off any issues with its cells. Dull felt reluctant to use such a valuable item on a small bird since it was expensive and could only be used once, but he had no choice. After all, he was the one who decided to bring his assistant along.

The chick is now in the tube and will remain there until it stabilizes or dies, so the assistant doesn't have any use. The assistant was only taken from the Timeless Vault to watch over the chick, but since Dull has already used his costly method to stabilize it, the assistant is no longer needed. In fact, the assistant is often annoying, so it's a relief to be rid of it.

Dull isn't concerned about the egg, his assistant, harming the little thief. Even though the egg doesn't like Dull's interest in the little thief, it wouldn't risk hurting the boy, knowing Dull is focused on investigating the brat to stabilize himself. The egg will only obey and not cause any trouble.

And that's how his apartment became peaceful.

But not his life, apparently.

A week after abandoning his assistant to the little thief's care, a coworker got him into gaming.

This coworker enjoys gaming so much that he uses half of his salary, which is what he could save after giving the other half to support his family, to spend on games, especially Gacha games featuring many female characters. Dull doesn’t completely grasp the appeal of these games, but he respects his coworker's passion.

Desi—the coworker who had helped him on his first day by teaching him how to make coffee and greet customers—dedication to gaming is similar to Dull's commitment to his research.

Here's what happened.

A few days after seeing the little thief, a man begins to follow him. After two weeks of working together, they finally have time to talk and get to know each other. Now, the man thinks they are good friends and won't leave him alone.

"Dull! Hey! Wait a minute, man!"

As Dull wrapped up his shift and was about to leave the café Desi approached him. They usually don’t work the same hours, except on Sundays. Even though he had music playing, Dull turned down the volume when he heard someone call his name, knowing it was a unique name.

"What’s going on?"

He asked, raising an eyebrow at the guy who was smiling at him.

"Want to join me at the computer café?"

"To play Gacha games?"

Dull responded with a frown. He had already told Desi multiple times that he wasn’t interested in Gacha games, with their endless luck and chance. The idea of spending hours chasing digital characters felt more like a task than a fun activity.

However, he was interested in fantasy games. He had seen the character designs in those games and was curious about how races like Elves and Gods were depicted, wondering how closely they matched human interpretations.

Desi, who he had momentarily ignored, shook his head in embarrassment. He looked around, checking for anyone listening, before leaning in to whisper.

"Please don't talk about that in public! It's one of my biggest secrets, and not many people know I play Gacha. Keep your voice down and don't bring it up again with such a calm face!"

"Why does it matter so much? What's the difference?"

Desi gave him an are-you-serious look.

"It really matters! We are guys, after all!"

Dull was confused by Desi's response but soon got the hint. He gave Desi a disapproving glance for sharing that secret, thinking it was unnecessary for him to know.

"Stop looking at me like that! Everyone has secrets, and I bet you do too."

"Well..."

He has a lot of secrets, but they are not at all what Desi believes.

"You shouldn't be embarrassed! We're both guys."

The man tried to sound comforting, even though it wasn't needed.

Desi chuckled, finding humor in his words, and then put his arms around him. He started to lead him away from his apartment, heading toward a big internet café he was familiar with. It’s towards the modeling agency he applied to earlier, located west of the cafe. The street is called Street Millan, named after a former president.

The street that begins at the cafe and goes to the public park close to his apartment building is named Junely Street.

"What are you doing?"

Dull inquired while staring intensely at the hand resting on his shoulder.

"Come with me."

"Why should I?"

"Well, there's a new game called 'Tower of Demiurge' that has just launched, where players aim to climb from the bottom to the top."

This online open-world game emphasizes survival and skill, unlike Gacha games that rely on luck. It's designed for multiplayer gameplay and targets hardcore gamers. I believe it will be very popular, and I want us to play it together.

"That's why, I would like us to play it together because it's a multiplayer game, and we can level up as a team."

Dull frowned. He wasn't keen on the idea, but since he had already agreed to Lacie and became her music buddy, he figured he might as well see if this guy enjoys games too. It wouldn't hurt to give it a shot.

This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

"At the café?"

He asked, brushing off the man's hands from his shoulders. This guy is fortunate he didn't get hurt for casually touching him without his permission.

"Isn't there supposed to be a gaming console?"

The man brought this up during one of his long talks about games when he tried to persuade Dull to join him.

Desi placed his hands in his pockets while they walked together and started to explain.

"The internet café we're heading to is not your typical place. Their computers are specially set up for gamers, featuring a wide range of popular games. Plus, it offers a safe space and is more cost-effective than buying a gaming console. A unique aspect of this café is that it has separate areas for adults and children, so adults can enjoy themselves without feeling out of place around younger guests."

"Alright then."

Dull nodded, though he didn't fully understand the concern about feeling awkward while having fun with kids. For now, he decided to accompany his co-worker.

When they arrived at the Internet Café, he saw it was a three-story building. The first floor was for children and teenagers, with supervision to manage any misbehavior. The second floor was for adults, while the third floor was a quiet study area for students, free from distractions.

'How considerate.'

Dull thought as they made their way up to the second floor.

They made a payment for three hours at the counter on the second floor and received a number that corresponded to their assigned seating. This system was put in place to prevent people from taking others' spots, as this had been a problem in the past.

Desi was excited because there weren't many people around.

When they reached their assigned computer, Desi looked at him with concern.

"What?"

"Do you know how to turn on a computer?"

"Do you think I'm an idiot? I work in a lab."

"Oh, right, my bad. I forgot you used to be a scientist, so you probably know more about tech than I do. It's just that... um..."

"Never mind, just sit down."

It's easy to see why they would think Dull can't use a computer, given how lost he seems about everything else.

After setting up an account, a loading screen appeared, and he noticed Desi gasp.

"What’s wrong?"

Dull asked, confused.

Desi didn’t answer verbally but pointed to the screen. When Dull looked, he saw a man with striking blue hair and golden eyes. It seemed Desi was on the official game page on a social media website called "OnNet," and on the screen featured this blue-haired person as a sponsor.

Before Dull could inquire about the man, Desi eagerly began to explain.

"This is Vision, the famous 'Lord of Gaming,' known for his many world championship titles. His skills are incredible; he can defeat opponents with one shot and is great at finding hidden spots, which is why he’s called 'Vision.'"

"Is that so?"

Dull is confused by Desi's decision to talk about a well-known gamer, especially since he doesn't care about the subject. Still, he lets Desi continue. The server is experiencing slow loading times because many users are trying to log in at once, so Desi's chatter is a welcome distraction.

"Yep. He was already popular but his fame really skyrocketed after the release of his personal story, detailing his journey from poverty to success. His fans are very loyal and will defend him fiercely against any criticism."

"That’s quite a loyal fanbase."

Dull commented.

"Absolutely. Plus, he’s very handsome, tall, and athletic—an ideal figure for many. If he weren’t so dedicated to gaming, he could have easily had a successful modeling career, but he chose to stick with gaming even after getting offers from top modeling agencies."

"Right."

He could sense a hint of jealousy in his voice.

Desi is attractive with his chestnut hair, blue eyes, and tall frame, but he could use some muscle since he is a bit too thin. Even if he was a looker, compared to the other guy, he falls a little short.

"He's our age, and he's already making millions from gaming and sponsorships, while I've spent a fortune on games."

He says with a dramatic sigh, expressing his annoyance.

Just then, the server finally loads. Dull felt thankful that Desi had finally quieted down.

"Don't miss the cut scene, alright? Before the game starts, there will be a backstory. It's really great, and many people enjoy this genre."

"Fine."

Dull may be impatient, but he will focus on things he finds boring if they provide valuable information. He will even sit through dramas he dislikes the most if what he can get from it is significant enough.

In the case of the little thief, the family background he learned from his assistant, who was watching everyone in the mansion, is not connected to the little thief's past identity, so it can be overlooked.

The monitor displayed the cut scene, and here’s a summary of it.

One day, a giant tower appeared from the sky, bringing monsters that caused chaos and destruction, leading to many deaths.

As the tower fell and monsters appeared, regular humans also began to "awaken." They chose different "classes," each with unique "skills." This helped them defend against the monsters while they figured out how to deal with the tower.

A year later, they concluded that the only way to eliminate the tower where the monsters originated was to enter it and discover what was going on inside. Yet, no one was willing to venture into the monster's lair because they feared for their lives.

That was the case until one person volunteered.

The first person to volunteer to explore the tower was named "Demiurge," which later became the tower's name. Sadly, Demiurge lost his life on the first floor due to the dangers of the area. However, his courage inspired others to venture into the tower and more began to follow. With more volunteers, they discovered that as more adventurers went into the tower, fewer monsters appeared outside. As a result, the government started to make people go inside.

Over time, people were regularly chosen by the government to enter the tower to reduce monster attacks and try to conquer it.

'Hold on, this story was somewhat entertaining...'

Dull thought with a glimmer of interest in his eyes.

A sudden disaster has struck the world, and ordinary people have gained the ability to fight monsters, becoming incredibly powerful. It sounds exciting. He isn't sure if this has happened elsewhere, but he plans to look into it.

Do people truly enjoy this genre, as Desi mentioned, because they wish it could happen in real life? Do they want to do cool things and gain power?

He looked over at Desi, and the man appeared very focused on the story. He was intently watching the events unfold on his computer screen.

'Hmm. That's worth considering.'

After the backstory, they had to choose a character's gender, class, and username. He picked a male character similar to himself and named him "Busy Bee," a nickname he adopted from Cache.

Desi moved closer to him while he stared at Dull's monitor.

"What are you going to choose?"

"I think I'll pick a mage."

"That sounds good. I'll go for a sword user."

In reality, Dull specializes in long-range combat and is skilled in support roles. Meanwhile, in this game, the mage and archer are the only long-range support and combat classes, which is why he made that choice.

When he glanced at Desi's screen, he was surprised by what he saw.

"Why are you picking a female character?"

He looked at Desi as if he were some kind of weirdo.

Unlike Dull's race, humans have only one gender, so it felt odd to see someone select the opposite, especially one with such noticeable features in tight clothing. Or was it a preference?

Desi turned red at the question.

"I, um, I'm a man of culture! Is that a problem!?"

He replied defensively.

"Whatever."

The more time he spent with this person, the more Dull began to question his own sanity.

As the game loaded, a vast landscape appeared on the screen. He was immediately struck by the impressive design, praising the architects behind it.

"What’s the objective of this game?"

Desi laughed at his question, finding it both funny and amusing.

"For this game, it's pretty straightforward. You need to reach the top of the tower and defeat the final lord. Actually, that's how most games end, by defeating the final boss."

"How easy."

If the only goal is to defeat the final boss, the game might get boring after a while. Unless the developers have some surprises planned, he doubts the game will last more than two years. It will likely lose its appeal, and people will eventually stop playing. If that happens without the game ever finishing, it will be shut down.

Dull then read the instructions and finished the tutorial, quickly grasping the game mechanics.