Fantasy Realm [One Piece] [Harry Potter] [Naruto] - [Progression] [LitRPG]

Chapter 32: Exploring the Streets of Alexandria, and a Red-Haired Thug!

Alex, after unexpectedly unlocking a hidden quest that offers him at least a slight chance to join the Knights of Pluto, is in an unusually happy mood.

He deeply reflects on the encounter, realizing that while he had acted more or less calculated, until he felt a strange feeling coming from his newly acquired necklace: [Commander Shepard's Dog Tag]. Before encountering the Fantasy Realm, Alex had always been a passive guy, rarely taking the initiative and preferring to stay in the background.

However, the recent events have changed him somewhat. Enhanced by the necklace, he felt a strong sense of certainty, a belief that if he acted in a certain way, things would go his way. And they had. His gamble paid off, and he had unlocked a side quest right after arriving in Alexandria.

As he walks through the bustling streets, Alex reflects: "That was risky and insane! Throwing a grenade into the air—never mind the explosion—but the damn shrapnel could have killed someone!" He knows the necklace influenced that event. The more he thinks about it, the more he questions how such a crazy stunt had even worked. The power of the item he had purchased for just 4500 FC becomes clear to him. Without it, pulling off something as wild as that would have been impossible.

Still, Alex knows he needs to be cautious. "I'll rely on it when necessary," he decides, "but I'll control my emotions and carefully consider the consequences. I refuse to be the slave of a damn necklace; I'll use it to my advantage!"

Alex continues exploring Alexandria, and he is just shocked. In the game, the city already seemed quite large, but it ultimately consisted of only 10 to 15 major screens. However, the Alexandria that now stretches before him, although similar to the game version, is on an entirely different scale!

While his start at the southern town gate felt almost too familiar—eerily similar to the game—everything else is drastically different. The "main street" that took mere seconds to cross in the game now takes Alex nearly half an hour to fully explore in reality.

Attempting to be clever, Alex searches various places for items. In the game, treasure seemed to be everywhere—hidden under beds, tucked inside chests, or waiting in random corners. However, in this real-world version created by the Fantasy Realm, that is simply not the case. And Alex knows that if he starts entering random homes and picking up anything he finds, he'd be nothing more than a common thief. The guards would undoubtedly arrest him, which could ruin his entire mission and lead to disastrous consequences.

After having no luck in the large city square near the southern gate or the main street, Alex starts to feel frustrated. He had almost fully expected to find cards, hidden items, and piles of gil lying around... but that sort of treatment seems reserved for the main characters.

Still, Alex presses on with his exploration of Alexandria. He really just needs to fill his time for the next two days until he has a chance to join the Knights of Pluto. The hidden quest he unlocked earlier, though, nags at him. The fact that it didn't specify a reward raises his suspicion. "It's probably not going to be as simple as I hope..." he mutters to himself.

He plans to at least work on an emergency plan. If he fails to join the Knights of Pluto, he needs to prepare an alternative now, not in two days. Four weeks may sound like a lot of time, but for Alex, this is time he desperately needs to make a good start on his mission.

Leaving behind the chaotic brightness of the main street, Alex finally notices something—or rather someone—interesting.

A fat hippo child, whom Alex believes to be Hippaul, appears in front of him, running through the streets near the town square. The area is filled with hotels, shops, and even the famous ticket shop that validates tickets for the Tantalus play, the event that essentially kicks off the main story of the game.