Title : Hero Of Serene City

Devin sent a message to Neil, inviting him to their apartment. Luckily, Neil had just logged off the game and was available. Devin mentioned that he had something important to discuss and suggested having dinner together. Intrigued, Neil quickly made his way over.

When Neil entered the apartment, he couldn't help but stare at Devin and Alex in disbelief. They looked different from the last time he saw them, appearing healthier and more attractive. Their features seemed more pronounced, especially their skin was glowing. They were also radiating confidence.

Neil couldn't contain his curiosity. "What's your secret? You both look incredible," he exclaimed, his gaze fixed on their faces.

Alex replied nonchalantly, "The secret is simple: skincare."

Neil rolled his eyes playfully. "You're not fooling anyone."

Devin laughed, knowing that the change in their appearance was a result of the cleansing of their bodies and their cultivation, especially with himself, the Origin aura he practices has a rejuvenating effect.

As they settled down for dinner, Devin cautiously broached the subject with Neil, unable to contain his excitement any longer. "Brother Neil, do you have any plans for a job in the real world?"

Neil shrugged playfully. "I've always been more of a free spirit, you know? Freelancing gives me the freedom to work on my own terms. Why do you ask? Do you have something in mind?"

Devin's eyes sparkled mischievously. "Oh, just a little job offer. But not in the real world, in the game."

Neil's interest was piqued. The idea of a job offer within the virtual realm seemed almost too good to be true. "Wait, are you telling me that people can actually own territories in the game?"

Devin chuckled, enjoying the moment of revelation. "Honestly, I have no idea. But guess what? Through some strange twist of fate, and completing a special task, I now own an island in the game. And I need your help with its design. You have a knack for that stuff."

Eyes widening, Neil leaned forward, captivated by the possibilities. "Wow, Devin, this is incredible! I had a feeling it was you guys, even though you both denied it," he said, laughing.

"Yeah, it's us. Get over it," Alex interjected, rolling his eyes at Neil.

"Have you two seen the latest forum? You don't know the buzz you've created, especially with your sudden skyrocketing levels," Neil exclaimed.

Devin hadn't checked his game status since his fight with Jekyll, so he was unaware of his current level. "What conspiracy theories have they come up with now?" Alex asked, his eyes filled with curiosity.

"Guys, let's stay focused. We can check the forum later," Devin said, interrupting the conversation about the buzz surrounding their levels.

"I don't mind helping with the island, but I need to see it and understand the direction you want it to develop in," Neil replied.

"Getting to the island won't be an issue. I have a connection with High Wave Business, and there is a High Wave at Meteor City that can help with your travels to Serene City. Once you get to Serene City the rest is easy," Devin assured.

"Do you even have connections with High Waves? How are you monsters playing the game? Those NPCs are proud people," Neil exclaimed in astonishment.

"Start by not seeing them as NPCs, but as real people with their own intelligence. Oasis is wired differently, and old ways won't work here. Treat it as a second world, fully immersive, and you'll realize the beauty of it. Leveling up won't be difficult," Alex explained.

"Moreover, our leveling up didn't come easy. Since we got into the game we have been completing task above our grade facing different dangers" added Devin

"You're right. The task my friend and I are currently completing is a perfect example of this," Neil acknowledged.

"What's your game ID so we can discuss things in the game?" Devin asked.

"Neil Whyte, not the usual 'White'," Neil replied.

"Okay, I'll add you," Devin said.

"I'll add you too. Just remember not to share our game IDs," Alex reminded Neil.

"I won't. I understand the importance of discretion," Neil assured.

"I know. And that's why I'm willing to share my ID with you. Not only am I a celebrity with a high bounty, but if you ever dare to share my ID, I know someone who can deal with you," Alex said, smiling mischievously.

"Who?" Neil asked, his tone teasing.

"Grandma White," Alex replied. The group burst into laughter, enjoying the moment of camaraderie.

Devin logged back into Oasis and finally checked his game status. He was surprised to see several game prompts for completing the task successfully.

[Congratulations to player Devin for defeating the powerful enemy, Jekyll, a ranked Forgotten Shadow, and preventing a disaster. You have gained 20,000 EXP, 30 Gold Coins, 50 World Reputation points, and 20 Merit points.]

[Congratulations to player Devin for destroying the magic circle that links the dark world to Serene City, saving countless lives. You have gained 30 merit points.]

Devin was intrigued by the addition of merit points, as he didn't have them in his previous life. Curious, he clicked on the Merit points and hoped the system would provide an explanation.

[Merit points are a blessing from the world. They are awarded when a player accomplishes a great feat that will affect the world's trajectory or future. Merit points hold great value and players are advised to explore their uses.]

Devin wondered if there were others in his previous life who had merit points but chose to keep it a secret.

[Player Status]

Name: Devin James

Title: Sun Haven Island Owner

Class: Unallocated

Level: 21

Race: Human

Exp: 68,000/70,000

Reputation: 130

Merit points: 50

Skills:

- Appraisal skill (Advanced)

- Origin Sutra

- Art of Medicine (Junior Apprentice Pharmacist)

Items:

- Pharmacopeia

- Storage Ring

- Eyes of Indra

- Origin full body suit including cloak

- Origin katana (weapon)

- 10 faerie plums

- 10 luminary citrus

- 10 Emerald fern Stones

- 50 iron ore

- 50 copper ore

- 20 steel ore

- 10 silver light blossom herbs

- 10 Moonstone Moss herbs

- 5 Everflame ruby and Moondust opal

- Eyes of Hyde, pelt of Hyde, Hyde's dark Core

- Treasure map (½)

- Low-grade Space Stone

Devin realized that the stone he took from the artifact was actually a space stone. It explained why they were able to open a boundary. He had truly benefited from this crisis, as space stones were rare and expensive. With this, he could set up a teleportation formation in his territory.

Devin and Alex left the room to meet with the city lord. It was time to leave the city lord mansion.

"How are you feeling, Devin?" the city lord asked.

"Thanks to your care, I am doing well now," Devin replied.

"What care? Alex provided the lotus. We were unable to do anything. After all the help you rendered in this city, you are a hero in Serene City," the city lord praised.

[Congratulations to the players! You have earned the hero title of Serene City. With this title, recruiting professionals from Serene City will become easier. Players can now enjoy a 5% discount on all purchases in Serene City. Every native of Serene City will view you as friendly], announced the system.

Devin was overjoyed with the rewards. He knew that he would need to recruit numerous professionals to help on the island, so the ease of recruitment offered by the hero title was a significant advantage.

"I was thinking of making a statue of you guys, but Muriel stopped me, saying you prefer practical things. So instead, I decided to give you two tokens of the city lord mansion, and you can take three items from the Treasury of the Kramer family," Philip informed them.

In his mind, Devin thanked Philip. Statues were not practical at all, so the tokens and access to the Treasury would be much more useful, especially in the Zephyria Kingdom.

"Thank you, City Lord. We appreciate the gesture," Devin and Alex expressed their gratitude as they bid farewell to the city lord.

"Make sure to come visit, and don't hesitate to ask for help anytime," Philip said warmly.

A guard respectfully escorted Devin and Alex to the Kramer mansion. The once vibrant mansion now appeared empty and desolate.

"Sir Devin and Alex, you can enter the Treasury. I will wait for you outside," the guard informed them.

Devin and Alex nodded, entering the Treasury. It was a substantial space filled with various items neatly organized by category.

Devin's attention was drawn to a bottle on one of the shelves. He picked it up and noticed the silver sand inside. Using identification, he discovered that it was space sand. Realizing the significance of this item, Devin quickly took the bottle as one of his three chosen items, grateful for his good luck today.

Moving further into the Treasury, Devin spotted a shelf filled with books. One particular diary caught his eye, as he recognized the familiar handwriting. Devin swiftly picked up the book and confirmed that it was Volume 2 of Senior Pharmacist Moe's diary.

[Congratulations to player Devin for finding the second part of the treasure map. The treasure map is now complete. Players can now begin their exploration.]

Devin couldn't contain his excitement. The Kramer and Covington families had bestowed upon them valuable items.

Continuing their search for the final item, Devin decided to choose a box filled with 10 high-level crystals.

Alex, on the other hand, picked a storage bag, a new light armor with high defense enchantments, and a special ore. After using identification, Devin discovered that it was meteor ore. Alex saw an opportunity to create better arrowheads with it.

Overall, they were satisfied with their findings.

Alex headed to the forest to retrieve his forge, while Devin went to see Harrington at High Wave Company.

"Devin, my friend! I am glad to see you. I visited, but they said you were still in a coma. How are you feeling now?" Harrington greeted him as he led Devin to his private office.

"Thank you, I am feeling better," Devin replied.

"Good, and I am the one who should say thank you. Not only did you save the City Lord, but you also saved the entire city. You and your brother are truly brave individuals," praised Harrington.

"We are just doing our best," Devin modestly responded. "How is the paper business?" he asked, changing the subject.

"It's going well. The only problem is the demand is exceeding the supply, so you need to increase the scale," Harrington explained.

"I haven't been back to Sun Haven, but when I get there, I will give you feedback. However, I am here for something else," Devin stated.

Devin went on to explain his need for Harrington's assistance in transporting someone from Meteor City to Serene City. Harrington readily agreed, seeing it as no hassle, as they already had monthly shipments from Meteor City.

After chatting for a while, Devin bid farewell to Harrington and headed to Kathy's inn to wait for Gary, who would take them back to the island.

"How did it go?" Devin asked Alex, who had just returned from the forest.

"It went well. I got the forge. Since it's an inheritance, I have a lot of information in my head. Thankfully, there's a spiritual power that prevents my head from exploding. The forge exists in my consciousness, and I can materialize it whenever I want. There are a bunch of rare ores and metals, but no gold coins," Alex replied, gritting his teeth in anger. "He tricked me. How can a Grandmaster be a pauper?" he questioned, frustrated.

Devin chuckled. "Technically, he didn't trick you. His knowledge and the forge itself are valuable assets," he replied.

"Well, next time I'll have to be more cautious about wordplay from these people. I should have been a pharmacist instead since they make better money. Although the forge has a history, he didn't create it himself. He obtained it from an ancient ruin. The only drawback is that I need a fire spirit to use it," Alex explained, feeling slightly frustrated.

"Spirit fires are indeed not common, but they can still be found in ruins, uncharted territories, and rarely in auctions," Devin suggested.

"I'll have to find it, or else this forge will be useless. I have a feeling that Grandmaster Byron didn't have a spirit fire and probably never used this forge," Alex mused.

"Perhaps personal spirit fires are indeed rare. Most people use fire seeds, but your artifact requirements are high, so the level might be elevated as well," Devin hypothesized.

The next day, the two of them left Serene City and returned to Sun Haven with Gary. The villagers of Sun Haven were thrilled to see their return. Devin could witness the positive changes the paper-making factory had brought to the village. The workers were now getting paid, which, in turn, stimulated the local economy. However, Devin also realized that this could lead to income disparity among the villagers.