I stepped onto the ground floor of the magic tower, excitement and curiosity coursed through me. It was the first time I had ever set foot inside this magic tower. A grand staircase greeted me, leading to the upper levels, hinting at the adventures that awaited. The place had a mysterious vibe, and the silence was only broken by the hum of a massive Arcane Flux at its heart. I gazed up, but I couldn't see the end of the tower, as if it stretched into eternity, making me even more eager to explore its mysteries for the first time.

"Hey, Evan! Are you here?" I called out, my voice echoing through the vast space of the magic tower. The silence seemed to amplify the sound of my own voice, and I eagerly waited for Evan's response.

"Amy, use the platform!" he exclaimed. Eager to proceed, I started exploring the ground floor, and to my surprise, a magical floating platform materialized on my left side. It was as if the game had spawned it for me. "Found it!" I said, feeling a rush of excitement. With a hint of trepidation, I stepped onto the platform, not knowing what awaited me on the next level.

As the platform ascended to a higher level, my anticipation grew. When it finally came to a stop, a mysterious door materialized on the wall in front of me. With a deep breath, I stepped into the room, and what I saw inside left me utterly astounded.

"Hey, Evan, which one is you?" I called out, slightly bewildered as I gazed at the sight before me. There were five identical Evans, each engrossed in their own magical activities. The first Evan was immersed in a book, the second was busy crafting tools in the left corner, the third focused on alchemy, the fourth was practicing elemental magic, and the last Evan appeared to be fast asleep. My instincts told me that the real Evan was the one snoozing away.

"I'm here, Amy," said the real Evan, the one who was reading. I turned to him and asked, "Can you explain this situation?"

Evan chuckled, glancing at his other magical duplicates. “Sure thing. It's a magical skill called Holo-Clone, I can duplicate myself and perform various tasks, and the best part is, I can collect all the results simultaneously, which is like gaining 5x experience. Right now, I'm able to create up to 5 clones of myself, and each clone can last for about 3 hours

Evan's grin widened as he eagerly explained, "The magic tower have a total of 10 floors! Each floor is filled with unique challenges, powerful loot, and valuable knowledge. Right now, I can only access the first two floors: the Akashi Library and the Alchemy Lab. But with time and effort, I'll unlock more floors and uncover even greater rewards!"

"Wait a minute, you're telling me we have to tackle each floor like it's a mini bonus game? " I exclaimed. "So, what level are you at right now?" Evan replied with a proud grin, "I've just reached level 22!"

As Evan proudly revealed his level 22 status, I couldn't help but feel a mix of admiration and envy. Grandpa Bo and Grandma Im also boasted respectable levels of 17 and 15, respectively. “Grandpa Bo and Grandma Im too, you guys are doing great." I said. “But I find myself trapped in the realm of single digits... at level 9... Huahh”

"Don't worry, Amy. Level 9 is just the beginning, and you'll level up quickly," Evan said cheerfully. As we sat in the magical room of the magic tower, Evan's words reverberated in my mind. "I guess your point comes from the management of the kingdom since you have the King role," he said with a knowing smile. It was true; the HUD was different for me as a king. While others focused on their combat and leveling up, my responsibilities extended far beyond that. I had to strategize, build structures, manage resources, and make crucial decisions for the welfare of the entire kingdom.

Evan presented me with a peculiar-looking red gun adorned with ancient texts engraved along its body. I marveled at the intricate design and wondered what kind of power it held within. Evan's grin hinted at something extraordinary as he handed me the gun.

"Is this the upgraded version of Grandpa Bo's shotgun?" I asked, my excitement growing.

"You guessed it right!" Evan exclaimed, clearly proud of his creation. "Let's name it... hmm, magic shot? Nah, that sounds too ordinary."

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I stared at the gun, feeling its mystique and recognizing its uniqueness. "I've got it!" I proclaimed. "Let's call it the 'Aethercaster'! It's perfect for this realm of magic and wonder."

Evan's eyes lit up with approval. "Aethercaster, huh? I like it! A fitting name for such a powerful and magical gun."

With a determined look on my face, I turned to Evan and said, "Let's get down to business!"

"Huh? What business?" Evan asked, looking a bit perplexed.

I chuckled at his forgetfulness and reminded him, "Our 3rd Quest, Evan! "The Mining Quest! We have to gather 100 ores within 5 days, and now the clock is ticking, leaving us with only three days left. If we fail, the HUD will penalize us, but I have no idea what kind of penalty it will impose on us."

Realization dawned on Evan's face, and he nodded in understanding. "Right, right! How could I forget? Let's not waste any more time and get to work."

"Thanks to your incredible wizardry skills," I said with a grin, trying to sound amusing, "we now have a new upgraded van for our quest. I've already had a discussion with Grandpa and Grandma, and they have graciously agreed to hold down the fort at the base. So, it's going to be you, me, Neko, Elara, and Alex and Marcus teaming up for this exciting exploration journey to the mountain where the precious ore awaits, as the map so clearly shows!"

From the very beginning, Neko had been with me, who had been silently observing the conversation, let out a soft purr, as if agreeing with our's sentiment.

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"Whoooo, you're so fast, Midnight," I said, patting Midnight's ear affectionately. We were on our way to complete the quest, the wind rushing through my hair. Alongside me, Elara, Alex, and Marcus were seated in the van, while Evan confidently handled the driver's seat. Yes, the same little Evan who was now driving the van, thanks to his magical upgrades that made it operate with a touch of wizardry. Neko, ever the graceful companion, sat in the passenger seat, keeping a watchful eye on the journey.

As we journeyed toward the towering mountain, its peak visible from the kingdom, we felt the excitement building in the air. The mountain was our destination, and the quest that awaited us there promised challenges and rewards.

But just as we approached the mountain's foothills, a series of side quests were triggered, adding new layers to our adventure. The first side quest required us to defeat small raccoon-like monsters that appeared along the way. I couldn't help but wish for Grandpa Bo's Appraisal skill. It would have been incredibly useful in identifying the creatures we encountered and understanding their strengths and weaknesses.

The sun began to set, painting the sky with hues of orange and purple, we reached a higher elevation of the mountain. The air grew colder, and a sense of mystery surrounded us as we ventured into the unknown.

I looked through the pictures of the monsters we had encountered, the raccoon-like creature, the rock-froggy, and the fearsome rathefang, I couldn't help but wonder if there were any intelligent and friendly beings in this realm that we could converse with.

So far, the most intelligent creatures we had come across were the Goblins, but their aggressive nature made any form of communication difficult and dangerous. It would be a challenge to find creatures that not only possessed intelligence but were also willing to engage in peaceful dialogue.

we settled down near the mountain, Elara handed me a cup of warm tea. The aroma of jasmine filled the air, and I took a sip, savoring the comforting flavor. "Ah, it smells so nice," I remarked, grateful for the moment of relaxation.

Elara looked curious and intrigued. "Instant tea? I've never heard of such a thing," she said with wonder in her eyes.

I chuckled, realizing that in this fantasy world, modern conveniences like instant tea were indeed a novelty. "Yes, instant tea. You just need to pour hot water, and it's ready to drink," I explained.

Elara took a cautious sip, her eyes widening with surprise and delight. "It's really wonderful! ," she exclaimed, savoring the unique flavor.

As we enjoyed our tea, I noticed Evan setting up a protective barrier using his magic crafting tool. The barrier would provide us some safety while we rested and prepared for the challenges that lay ahead. It was impressive to see Evan's engineering skills put to such practical use in our RPG-like adventures.

Elara initiated the conversation with me, calling my name softly, "Amy."

I turned to her, a little surprised, and replied, "Yeah?"

She continued with a curious expression, "I've been wondering why sometimes you look ahead and make those weird hand movements."

"Huh?" I was taken aback. Was she talking about the HUD? "Oh, you mean this?" I gestured slightly, and the HUD appeared in front of both of us.

Elara blinked in confusion. "See what?" she asked.

I chuckled, realizing that only the four of us could see the HUD. "It's kind of an invisible magical device, only visible to the four of us," I explained.

Elara's curiosity persisted, and she continued to inquire, " Is that magic only passed down to your bloodline?"

I nodded, " Yes, that's the right explanation. It's a magic passed down through generations in my bloodline."

Elara's eyes sparkled with fascination, and she leaned in closer, eager to learn more about my tribe's magical heritage. "Tell me more about it," she urged, her curiosity piqued.

‘”Auoooooowwwww!!!” The echoing sound of a wolf's howl pierced through the night, my instincts as an adventurer kicked in. I turned to Elara with a knowing look, "That's a wolf! No mistake," I exclaimed, and ready for action. “Ping”

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Side Quest

Protect your campsite from any threats.

(5/5)

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As the ping sound echoed through the air, a familiar HUD appeared before us, signaling the activation of a new and final side quest "Looks like we've got another challenge on our hands," I said with a grin.