Starting in One Piece: Fantasy Realm Multiverse

Alex smiles, fully aware of Roja's jealousy and his own LUK.

"True, I guess I am a bit lucky! But after today's events, I think we should abort this stupid plan of catching the other players' and NPCs' attention. I get why we did it, as you've explained countless times—you need to build a reputation with the NPCs. It's important that your name is known by everyone, and it doesn't even matter much what they think of you. But I think everyone knows about us now…." Alex half suggests, half begs, already tired of being recognized by every single character he meets.

At this rate, I've got a huge reputation! I can live without the infamy, though… not sure if my reputation won't end up being a huge problem, especially if that stupid heir rumor spreads.

"Trust me, Alex, what you did earlier—and even that heir rumor—will be useful. You'll see. This kind of world is packed with hidden and side missions. Even your little trip today was a huge benefit, despite it not being a mission. Trust me on this," Roja says confidently.

She can't lie to me, so I'll trust her… in this regard at least. Let's see if it actually turns out to be true.

Everyone else is silent for a moment and Menchi suddenly asks: "Is that all? I want to leave! I can't wait to experiment with all the stuff you gave me, Alex. Even the normal food looks interesting! Good job raiding the kitchen. That should be a new rule, whenever you explore a new world, you raid the kitchen. Hehe!"

She stands up, plants a quick kiss on Alex's cheek, and leaves the room. Moments later, she starts ripping out half the furniture in the kitchen to make space for her system-bought kitchenware, furniture and new pots and pans.

"I'll help!" Tereza says, trying to get up, but Roja stops her.

"Wait, Tereza… let's talk about our plans first!" Roja says firmly.

"Tssss, fine!" Tereza huffs, casting a longing glance toward the kitchen.

"So, I'd suggest we head to the forest tomorrow. We should go as a group to determine the danger level first," Roja suggests, while Perlah nods along in agreement.

"Honestly, that sounds like a waste of time," Alex says bluntly. "I'd rather go solo. Since PvP isn't allowed, what's there to be afraid of? It makes more sense to cover as much ground as possible, figure out what's there to loot, and then share the information. I refuse to believe the forest is that dangerous."

"I agree!" Tereza chimes in with a big grin, clearly brimming with confidence, thanks to her new Devil Fruit.

I guess she can just fly above the forest. Tereza will probably be the best scout and the most important member for combat and exploration.

"You can stay in the outer part of the forest if it's too dangerous. But yeah, I want to go solo too. Tomorrow, though, we should definitely visit Hagrid to see what items he wants for exchange and what he's offering," Rishi adds.

"You guys… that's too risky," Roja says, frowning, clearly unhappy that her suggestion is being ignored. She's obviously not used to having her opinions disregarded.

"Everyone… we really should stick together," Perlah says hesitantly, looking a bit uncomfortable. "I just feel like we don't know enough about the hidden dangers of this world yet."

Alex looks at his two new teammates and says, "Perlah, now's the time to cover as much ground as we can. The real dangers will show up once the tournament starts. This is our chance to explore freely."

"Besides! This shitty forest is safe! Corruption? Maybe a corrupted centaur or a damn Acromantula. Sorry, but those things are a joke. I don't see the need to be careful. Let's focus on grabbing items, secrets, ingredients, and monsters for ourselves! Oh, and don't forget to grab the meat too, Menchi can cook it up for you. She'll give you the majority of the food and only keep a small portion for herself. You won't find a better cook anywhere. This is your chance to stockpile mass amounts of Green-quality recovery items," Alex says, his tone tempting and confident.

The more food you gather, the more we get to keep as well. It's like taxes. I love collecting taxes! Praise the Menchi tax!

"It's fine. It also works with our apparent weakness—others will think we're a team that's constantly fighting," Roja finally says, shrugging.

"I'm done for today… I need to recover for tomorrow. Maybe I'll grab some stamina potions too. I can't keep this up," Rishi mutters, clearly annoyed at himself.

"Wanna go check out the village?" Alex asks Tereza.

"It's a date!" she replies with a grin.

"But first, Alex…" Tereza starts, her tone teasing.

"Shower…!" she says sweetly, batting her eyes.

Sigh, I guess I really should…

After a quick shower, Alex and Tereza walk through Hogsmeade together.

Alex feels a little self-conscious as Tereza clings to his arm. Even though they've been living together for weeks, having a beautiful woman hanging onto him so closely isn't something he's fully used to yet.

As they stroll through the village, Alex notices people staring at them. He's pretty sure a few men are throwing him jealous looks.

The pair explore every shop they come across. In a small Herbology shop, they find various White-quality herbs, plants, and plant-based products. However, the system informs them that these items can't be taken out of the world.

Despite that, Alex decides to splurge, spending 20 Galleons on herbs related to healing and strengthening the body.

At a potion shop, Alex picks up various books for another 20 Galleons, focusing on healing potions and potions that enhance physical attributes.

"Alex, I like shopping," Tereza says, tilting her head, "but don't you think you're spending too much?"

"It's called investing, Tereza!" Alex replies confidently. "And with all the loot I got, I can just sell some of it to Hagrid! Plus, did you notice that these books, ingredients, and items are all limited? It's not like a game where you can buy 99x units over and over again. Once they're sold out, they're gone. So I say we spend hard and fast!"

Tereza smiles warmly at him, her expression sincere. "I'm trusting your gut, Alex."

Her words make Alex feel unexpectedly touched, a bit of warmth rushing to his cheeks.

As they walk further into the village, they come across a trio of students who stop in their tracks and stare at Alex in awe.

Alex also freezes when he sees them, staring back in equal amazement.

Draco Malfoy, Vincent Crabbe, and Gregory Goyle!

To Alex's surprise, Draco bows before him and kicks Crabbe and Goyle until they realize what he's doing and quickly follow suit.

"Hello, Sir Alex! We are honored to meet you," Draco says with a polite smile.

"Draco Malfoy, Vincent Crabbe, and Gregory Goyle, right? Nice to meet you too!" Alex replies.

The trio exchange confused glances before Draco asks, "You know about us? How?"

"I might be from a neighboring country, but of course, I know about the most important and prestigious wizarding families in this region."

Draco's face lights up. "I see, of course! Hehe, sorry for the stupid question—of course you do," he says, clearly pleased at being recognized.

"You see, we've already heard the rumors about your abilities. To be honest, everyone knows—even people outside the school will hear about it soon. I just have to say, it's an honor to meet you. We rarely get the chance to interact with great wizards in this school, which is filled with mud-bloods." Draco leans in slightly, as if sharing a secret. "To see someone of your lineage here is a huge honor. If you ever need anything, please let me know. And greetings to your female companion—I must say, a lady of such beauty is certainly suitable for someone of your stature."

Tereza smiles sweetly at Draco, making him blush slightly.

Don't underestimate mud wizards. I know one who managed to trap dozens of police officers in a giant mud pit.

"Draco," Alex begins, his tone shifting to one of business, "I'm interested in getting to know your father. I have a small business proposal for him. If possible, I'd be honored to have the opportunity to speak with him."

"I've already written to my father!" Draco says enthusiastically. "But I'll write another letter and mention this request, he's incredibly busy these days, but I'll make sure he knows about you. Hogsmeade is connected to the Floo Network, so perhaps he'll visit you soon."

"Thank you so much, Draco. I owe you one. If you ever need anything, don't hesitate to come to me!"

"GREAT! Thank you so much!" Draco exclaims. The trio bows again, their faces beaming, before they walk away, practically skipping with excitement.

"Nice job, Alex," Tereza says, watching them leave. "It looks like Roja was right. Your reputation has already opened up a potential connection to a major story character. What do you plan to do with him?"

Alex smirks and pulls out the [Basilisk Horn] to show her. "How about a new wand—one made specifically for you? Not some cheap, stolen one like the one you're using now. You've already got some good wood; you could use that or exchange it. I've got the wand core. All we need is someone willing to work with the horn. I doubt Ollivander would, but we'll figure it out. Anyway, take the horn—it's useless to me."

Tereza's eyes widen in surprise, her cheeks flushing. She takes the horn, staring at it for a moment before suddenly pulling Alex into a tight embrace.

Before Alex can react, Tereza leans in and kisses him right there in the street, completely unconcerned about being seen by anyone.

The kiss lasts for half a minute before she finally pulls away and whispers, "You really want me to fall for you even more? Careful—I'm not planning to let go anytime soon. If you push me even further…" she trails off, still holding him tightly and staring into his eyes.

Alex, blushing furiously, barely manages to keep his gaze steady. "You don't need to let go in the first place…"

"Is that so? Good to know," Tereza says with a sly smile. She hugs him even tighter for a moment before gracefully pulling away. Sliding back into his arm, her face is bright red, glowing with happiness.

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