Last Preparations, Dangerous Mission, Dangerous Thoughts!

The next few weeks pass quickly, with Alex and Rishi visiting the trading hub nearly every day. Alex decides to spend another 2,500 FC on bullets, giving him nearly 300, which he hopes will be enough. He also buys two of the old and reliable [Healing Potions] for another 2,000 FC.

[Healing Potion]

World: Fantasy Realm

Quality: White

Effect: Instantly heals 20 HP and minor wounds. Can only be consumed once every 12 hours. May reduce the effectiveness of similar healing items.

Note: Basic healing item

Price: 1,000 FC

Alex spends another 2,000 FC on an item he remembers from his first visit to the trading hub:

[Gotcha Pork Roast]

World: Shokugeki No Soma

Quality: Light Green

Effect: Heals 100 HP over 50 minutes. Must be eaten outside of combat. The effect vanishes if the player engages in battle during the healing duration.

Note: This only contains mashed potatoes, onions, mushrooms, and bacon. Don't be fooled into thinking it's an actual roast.

Alex hopes it's not the same item, which, while still fresh, is now months old.

"Doesn't matter either way... it's nearly a full heal and will be useful if I know another battle is coming up," he thinks.

He also buys a new item, the [Basic Bandage], a white-ranked generic item costing just 500 FC.

[Basic Bandage]

World: Fantasy Realm

Quality: White

Effect: Prevents infections when applied to open wounds and speeds up wound recovery by 50%.

Note: Basic healing item

Price: 500 FC

After his purchases, he still has 69,000 FC left. Deciding to save up for future skills and his [Pluto's Ceremonial Blessing], he chooses to keep the remaining FC. He can't help but let out a silent "Nice" when he sees his current balance.

With his remaining [Potions], [Antidote], [Healing Potions], [Basic Bandage], [Gotcha Pork Roast], and his three old gray-quality [Smoked Wolf Jerky], Alex feels confident he has enough healing items to survive the next world. He refuses to waste money on unnecessary items that might end up cluttering his inventory and potentially force him to discard them, as nearly happened in the world of Final Fantasy 9.

After dealing with his financial situation in the real world, Alex even visits an attorney to ensure that, in case of his demise, his parents and family have access to his newly acquired finances. Writing a "last will" is something he never expected to do so soon, but he goes through with it anyway, spicing it up with references, memes, and jokes that only the younger generation of his family might appreciate.

To celebrate his recent birthday, Alex invites his parents and nearly all his relatives to a nice restaurant. After a pleasant evening, he feels ready for whatever lies ahead.

With the four weeks nearly up, and now at risk of being forced into a new mission by the system at any time, Alex focuses solely on the Realm. He hangs out daily with Rishi, doing intensive learning sessions where they explore the most popular movie franchises, games, anime, books, and other popular media. Alex gives Rishi a crash course on fairy tales, not the anime, but real fairy tales—while Rishi shares insights into Indian culture and Bollywood. With the massive global popularity of Bollywood, Alex is grateful the Realm leans more towards combat than culture, or he might have had to face some of the most famous Bollywood shows and plays.

One day, as they're lounging near the central square, a notification suddenly appears.

[Player Alex Kerber has been selected for a new mission. Please enter the Fantasy Realm mission gate near the central hub in 23 hours, 59 minutes, and 58 seconds or face soul destruction.]

"You got it too?" Alex asks Rishi, who nods with a smile.

"Can't be a coincidence if we both get the same notification at the same time. Looks like your vision was spot on after all," Alex says.

"I told you so, friend. My vision about this mission itself was vague... I expect it won't be anything grand like the One Piece world, Middle Earth, Gaia, or Azeroth. Those were special missions. According to most people, missions in the tutorial section of the Realm usually take just a few days or even less. Let's hope it's a place where we can use our knowledge to gain an advantage. I've also prepared several contracts so we can hire lower-level players by offering them real-world rewards to act as our henchmen during the mission."

Alex smiles. Rishi is not only smart but also ruthless and practical. He has seen how Rishi handles business—exploiting weaknesses without hesitation, looking down on most people. For some reason, he considers Alex an equal, probably due to his innate skill.

"I'm glad I don't have to face this guy as an enemy," Alex thinks. "He's like Roja, but on steroids when it comes to manipulation—and way cooler. He's probably the only true seer around the tutorial section of the Fantasy Realm."

Alex and Rishi spend their final day relaxing and getting plenty of sleep. The next morning, they arrive early at the central hub. Alex shows up four hours ahead of time, only to find Rishi already there, chatting with a few other players.

Rishi has already identified three other players, all middle-aged men in their 40s, who will likely join them in the mission. He's signed contracts with them, ensuring they won't be a problem and act as their henchmen.

"He wasted 9,000 FC on contracts... damn, he's really not messing around," Alex thinks. "I prefer solo play. This is way too much hassle for me."

Rishi approaches Alex to explain. "These three are mediocre players with no special skills, just basic abilities and white equipment. I've signed one-sided contracts with them, so don't worry. If they turn out to be useless, we'll just leave them behind. They'll still get their money, or their families will if they die. That's my only obligation. Everything else is fair game—at least for me," he adds with a devious smile that sends a shiver down Alex's spine.

"I have never seen such a good-looking guy, who could easily be the prince in a fantasy story, make such an evil face," Alex thinks, unnerved. "His sinister mind magic suits him a little too well."

"I see... I need to recover my MP before the mission. And stop spending so much FC for contracts," Alex replies, gesturing for Rishi to handle the preparations.

Rishi simply smiles, showing off an item he recently purchased:

[King Yemma's Stamp]

World: Dragon Ball

Quality: Deep Blue

Effect: If you are in a contract with another player who dies while you are wearing this ring, obtain 1 fresh copy of [Player Contract].

Note: Stamp, stamp, stamp… it never ends.

"Just bought this beauty for a few thousand FC," Rishi says with a grin. "It's quickly becoming my favorite item. You'll see why soon enough."

Alex hands Rishi five of his 12 Annihilation Grenades, now at level 2. He has conjured them early enough to last at least 13 hours each.

Duration: 5 hours base + 1 hour per level. Can spend 1 Mana to extend duration by 1 hour (up to 5 times per level).

Alex remembers Rishi's warning from a few days ago: "Alex, I'm not here to make friends, save lives, or hold onto good karma. This Realm forces us into situations that often require a ruthless mindset. If killing other players gives me rewards, I'll play by the system's rules."

Alex gulps, recalling his own heated response at the time. "I want to survive at all costs. We're comrades and won't betray each other, but as for everyone else... whatever it takes!" That answer had made Rishi smile—a smile that still sends chills down Alex's spine.

"This guy is scary... thank god I don't have to face him as an enemy," Alex thinks.

Rishi introduces the three other players to Alex. They exchange handshakes, and while the trio seems nice enough, Alex quickly dismisses any notion of friendship.

"This isn't the place to make friends," Alex thinks, observing them closely. "These three are just lambs to the slaughter." He makes a deliberate decision not to get to know them, not even bothering to ask their names. "Why learn the names of people who will likely end up as scapegoats? You don't name the farm animals you intend to butcher!" he reflects coldly.

Alex knows he would probably treat Rishi the same way if he hadn't gone to such lengths to earn his trust, and the same is true in reverse, of course. "I'm grateful I don't have to go into this alone, even if I prefer to be a solo player at heart," he muses. He acknowledges the danger in worlds where alliances form, where numbers can overpower an individual, no matter how strong. "Even with superior abilities, equipment, and stats, if I face a group in a five-on-one fight, I'd likely be overwhelmed. That's the nightmare scenario," he admits to himself. Fortunately, Rishi's preparations have significantly lessened that risk.

As the countdown inches closer, Alex bumps fists with Rishi for a morale boost, then does the same with the three new members. Strangely, they are some of the most unremarkable men he has ever seen. Alex doubts he'd even recognize them if he passed them on the street.

Suddenly, Alex's system alerts him: [Player Alex Kerber has been selected for a new Mission. Please enter the Fantasy Realm mission gate near the central hub in 00 hours, 04 minutes, and 58 seconds or face soul destruction.]

More and more players gather around, and Alex quickly counts: 18... 19. But before he can finish, Rishi, standing right next to him, provides the final number: "50, including us!" Alex feels a knot tighten in his stomach. "That's not a good sign," he thinks uneasily. He leans closer to Rishi and whispers, "I fear some of them have formed alliances. How could they have known? Is there another player out there with a unique skill for organizing groups?"

Rishi smiles. "Don't worry. They're not like us. I sense that many are just temporary allies, not truly loyal. Their Auras are tainted with deceit, selfishness, and ambition, easy and fragile targets. Remember their faces. I've identified four real threats: those two over there, the arrogant-looking woman and the meek man beside her. They seem related, and despite their differences in behavior, I can see similarities in their Aura. The twenty lackeys behind them are clearly following their orders."

"These are the two scumbags who tried to scam me the other day," Alex nearly explodes with rage, recognizing them and telling Rishi about the woman's attempt.

Rishi goes on: "The other two... one is a giant Eastern European-looking man, clearly a powerful melee fighter, and the other is a hooded woman, likely a speed-based combatant with some mystic abilities." He stealthily points toward these two in the crowd.

"Nothing a few grenades can't handle," Alex replies.

"I agree. I'm curious to see what these grenades do to a human body... shrapnel tearing through flesh, flames igniting them from the inside, and the explosion ripping their bodies apart," Rishi says with a chilling grin.

"Are they insane? Was signing this contract a mistake?" the three contracted players whisper to each other, visibly uneasy.

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