Alex went inside the [World Association] to find Aiden, while of course ignoring the dozens of people shouting his name, since he was getting used to it.
Never could he have dreamed of being recognized in such a way in his previous life.
Though he was one of the "fighters of humanity", it was too difficult to know who was with you and who wasn't.
Which is why he never trusted anybody except those already in his team.
And even that didn't mean that there weren't traitors.
While climbing the stairs to the second floor, Alex noticed a massive crowd of players.
And once checking from above to see what it was about, he saw Daniel Thunder, AKA MartialMage, the leader of the Overlord Guild.
He was wielding a [Crimson Moon Staff], probably acquired from the event's shop.
Currently, Daniel was only level 58, around half of Alex's level, and it made sense since Alex was just too advanced for everybody else.
[Level Ranking:]
[First, FateBreaker, Unparalleled Mage, Level 114]
[First, Fallen Devil, Mythic Summoner, Level 97]
[Third, StarPillow, Star-Level Archer, Level 89]
[Fourth, Tricky, Clown Warrior, Level 80]
[Fifth, Miria, Saintess, Level 75]
...
[Ninth, MartialMage, Elemental Mage, Level 58
[Tenth, Axolly, Knight of the Sun, Level 53]
...
Except for [Fallen Devil], who just like Alex knew what he was doing without being reincarnated, everyone else just managed on their own.
But Alex couldn't afford to be reckless, because as the game advanced, [Experience Areas] would appear, allowing players to level up much more quickly.
Ignoring all the commotion below, Alex kept going up.
"Huh?" Daniel suddenly felt a chill, and as he looked up, he noticed FateBreaker, "THIS GUY-"
But after dying several times to the guy, Daniel decided that attacking him head on was stupid.
Especially because you could see in the ranking that he had [158 Prestige Points].
And also that he was at the top of the [Pets Ranking] with a [Primordial Shadow Dragon].
"But don't worry, FateBreaker," Daniel fumed, "I'll establish a city, and even hire monsters or assassin NPCs to get rid of you..."
Unbeknownst to Daniel, though, Alex was more than ready for that
...
He continued up the stairs and down the halls until he found Aiden leaning against the wall, a cigarette in hand.
To do that though, he would need to find a worthy opponent that would for sure not die if he sent a reckless attack.
And lucky him, there was one in this very house: Alera!
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With a determined expression, Alex strode into the kitchen, rolling up his sleeves.
Alera raised an eyebrow, clearly amused as Alex began helping her prepare sandwiches with surprising skill.
"Oh?" she teased. "So your hands aren't just good in battle and bed, it seems."
"M-Mom?!" and Lilith, who was the only one who didn't know about how good Alex was, spoke, flustered.
"It's fine," Alex smiled, "I'm used to cooking alone, and I'd rather finish this quickly, I need to ask you something, Alera."
"Do ask, dear," the fox tribe queen chuckled, and after a few minutes, they were completely done.
A few minutes later, with the sandwiches prepared, they all sat around the table.
Despite the remote location of the village, the furniture was surprisingly elegant.
Alex took a bite of his sandwich, savoring the flavors, but his mind was already on the conversation he needed to have.
"I want to fight you, Alera," Alex said suddenly, his tone serious.
Alera paused mid-bite, her eyes narrowing slightly as she studied him. "Oh? And why is that?"
"I want to test something new," Alex explained. "You're the only one here who's strong enough to handle it."
"In bed?" she teased again, a sly grin spreading across her face.
"No!" but Alex replied instantly, "In an actual battle!"
Alera chuckled, clearly enjoying the moment, but she didn't dismiss his request outright. "You're serious, aren't you?"
"Dead serious," Alex confirmed.
Lilith and Alice exchanged glances, unsure of how to react.
The idea of Alex challenging Alera to a fight was both exciting and nerve-wracking.
"Well," Alera said, leaning back in her chair. "If you're that eager, I suppose I can entertain the idea. But don't go crying to me if you lose."
Alex smirked. "I wouldn't dream of it."
The atmosphere grew lighter as they finished their meat.
Once the table was cleared, Alera stood and stretched, her two tails flicking lazily behind her.
"Alright, Alex," she said, her tone playful but firm. "Let's see what you've got. Meet me at the Training Square."
The Training Square was a massive open area on the outskirts of the village, specifically designed for battles and practice.
It was reinforced with powerful wards to prevent collateral damage, making it the perfect place for their sparring match.
"You ready?" Alera pulled out her [Frostborne Spear], the one she used during the demon attack.
"Yeah, but make sure not to try too hard, after all I said I just wanted to test some new powers," Alex nodded.