Once Alex reappeared in his villa's bedroom, he let out a deep sigh.
The familiar surroundings of his real-world safe haven seemed almost alien after the countless hours he had spent immersed in Universal Descent.
For Alex, the villa and the real world had become little more than places to sleep before diving back into the game.
Some people at this point might call him obsessed, but they would soon realize that everyone around them would be the same too.
Simply put, this game was addicting to anyone who actually played it.
"Let's get some food going first," Alex muttered to himself, rubbing the back of his neck.
The kitchen felt oddly still as he moved around.
He wished he could bring some of the monster meat from his backpacks into the real world, but it was alas impossible currently.
He would need an artifact item like a [Item Fusion Stone], and there weren't any of them currently.
Alice wasn't currently home, and once he checked his panel, he saw that she was online.
[Friends:]
[StarPillow: Online - Mystical Forest]
[RichDad: Offline.]
Richard, in contrast to his previous life self didn't play the game much at all.
In fact, he didn't even go inside even once except to explore the cities and see what was happening.
He was confident his daughter would be safe with Alex, so there was no need to worry about items and whatnot when the man he trusted would probably give her everything at a discount or free.
Alice had access to her own VIP card, filled to the brim with money as she was given a monthly allowance.
As said before, Alice often attends meetings and takes business decisions with her dad, she wasn't jobless.
He rummaged through the fridge, pulling out ingredients for a hearty meal.
As he prepared the food, his mind wandered to the game again.
The rhythm of chopping vegetables and simmering sauces was almost meditative, giving him a rare moment of clarity.
An hour later, two plates of steaming, mouth-watering food sat on the dining table.
Just as Alex was cleaning up, his game interface buzzed to life with a message from Richard.
[RichDad: Alex, I finally catch you offline, it's becoming harder and harder these days.]
[FateBreaker: My bad, a lot is happening inside of the game, so it's becoming increasingly difficult to even lose one day of progress.]
"Do you have anything new about the game?" Alex guessed he wouldn't call him for business as he thought Alex didn't have the skills, meaning that it must be about the game.
And he would be correct.
"Look," With a snap of his fingers, he sent a file to Alex's panel.
It wasn't what Alex expected. The file contained an email exchange, and as Alex read it, his expression darkened.
[Dark Flame Family: Hello, Richard Stardust, we have noticed the feats of your daughter and also know of the fact you are personally connected with the player named "FateBreaker" in the real world, would you like to form an alliance between our two families?
We have already gathered some of the strongest families there are, like the Garden Family, Eldritch Family, Celestial Family and more.
Are you interested in collaborating? If you get FateBreaker on our side, we assure you only good things will await you.]
Alex gritted his teeth. The audacity of these people was staggering.
Alex felt a surge of gratitude toward Richard.
The man could have easily accepted the offer, securing unimaginable wealth and influence for himself and his daughter.
Instead, he had chosen to inform Alex, reaffirming his trust.
"This is troubling," Alex admitted, setting the file aside.
But now that he knew that, Alex would need to be much more careful.
Families in his previous life had formed a few alliances, but never one of this sheer size, regrouping most of the big ones.
What had changed that made them suddenly want to group into this giant entity of power?
With their money, which was almost infinite, they could buy gear for every player that joined them after all.
Acting inside of Universal Descent and even taking over entire cities wouldn't be impossible for them.
Alex knew that very well from his previous life, some of them able to level up at very high speed and acquire incredible artifact items, even with talents below B-Level.
Richard spoke, his expression serious. "They're building something big. Whatever their plans are, they'll have the resources to pull it off.
"Hm..." Alex leaned back in his chair, deep in thought. "I'll need time to figure out what they're planning. Something about this feels... off."
Richard sighed. "Do what you must. I'll continue to keep you informed."
Alex nodded, appreciating the support.
As he left the meeting room, his resolve hardened.
The game was changing in ways he hadn't anticipated, and he needed to stay one step ahead.
The stakes were higher than ever.