"Welcome, sir."
A guard with a silver sword at his waist greeted a man and a young girl as they stepped out of the portal.
The ones emerging from the portal were Essim and Aisha. They had decided to return after completing just one mission on the first day of the event. After all, it was already 8 PM, and while it was nighttime, the city and the entire island were still illuminated, except for a few designated forest areas intentionally left in darkness.
"I've written some notes about the Guandu Realm. Please document them and pass them to the head of communications," Essim instructed, handing the guard a few sheets of paper.
As the island's owner, Essim held absolute authority and didn't need to manage everything himself.
"Yes, sir," the guard replied respectfully, taking the papers with a slight bow.
"Brother, how about we take a walk?" Aisha suggested from behind. She seemed eager to soak in the atmosphere of the city rather than using a vehicle to head straight home. Nighttime strolls were a popular activity, especially in such a vibrant city.
The night sky in the Divine Sky Realm was far more beautiful than that of Earth, with thousands of stars sparkling clearly, some glowing in radiant, colorful hues.
"Sure, let's go."
They left the square and boarded public transportation. Once they reached a quieter area, Essim and Aisha got off the bus.
"You don't need to pay, young master Essim," the bus driver said, waving off the money Essim offered.
"Take it," Essim insisted, holding out the coins.
The bus driver hesitated but eventually accepted the payment, his expression filled with admiration.
"Goodbye," Essim said as they stepped off the bus.
Aisha, standing beside the vehicle, watched her brother with a curious smile.
"Wow... How noble of you," she teased, her tone playful.
"What?" Essim responded, slightly puzzled. "Isn't it right to be kind?"
"Yes, yes, you're very kind," Aisha said, grinning. "You're like one of those princes from a novel."
"Pffft... Hahaha," she burst into laughter.
As they walked through the quiet streets, Aisha continued to tease her brother, her giggles filling the air. She found it amusing, especially since Essim used to avoid paying for public transportation back on Earth. Now seeing him act so honorably was quite a contrast.
The siblings strolled for several minutes, passing through a city park. Occasionally, they saw bus stops with people waiting. The roads were paved with rough, black stones reminiscent of asphalt, and the sidewalks were made of smooth, polished stones.
The night air was cool and crisp. Occasionally, a light breeze swept through, ruffling their hair. They walked side by side, their shadows trailing behind them under the glow of streetlights and the soft moonlight.
"Brother... thank you," Aisha said softly, her voice calm and sincere.
Essim glanced at her with a quizzical look. "What are you saying? Do you think I do all of this for no reason?" he asked with a smirk, as if the answer was obvious.
"Hahaha... Okay, okay, you really are the best brother in the world," Aisha replied, wrapping one arm around him for a brief, affectionate hug.
"By the way... you're turning 25 this year, right?"
Before Aisha could finish her thought, Essim quickly cut her off. "Enough, don't bring that up," he said, trying to stifle a laugh.
"Hahaha..." Aisha laughed heartily. "Don't worry, brother. If you ever need help, I've got plenty of connections here," she said with a wink, still teasing him.
Essim didn't bother to respond, knowing his sister was just having fun at his expense. They continued walking toward the next bus stop, the cool breeze carrying their lighthearted conversation along.
Essim's Private Storage Room
It had become a routine for Essim to check his storage area daily. He carefully prioritized which items to duplicate and meticulously planned for future developments.
Among the most significant items he had obtained today were a territory defense weapon, a golden puppet, and an Intercontinental Ship. These purchases had cost him a staggering 67 million energy crystals. Essim planned to duplicate each of these items at least once.
He also had treasures from his second visit to the Tou Pavilion—hundreds of skill books, including:
(Fast Movement - Rare)
(Steel Body - Elite)
(Strong Slash - Common)
(Eagle Eye - Elite)
(Fire Arrow - Rare)(Double Layer Shield - Rare)
(Thunder Strike - Elite)
(Mystic Barrier - Rare)
(Shadow Step - Common)
Essim intended to duplicate each skill book as well, ensuring that he would always have a copy available as a resource.
In addition to these items, he had gathered a range of valuable resources during his journey, including mid- and high-level energy crystals, an (Insight Stone - Low) to enhance sub-skills, and a silver ring from defeating the Alpha-Command Master Beast, Voirel.
Duplicating high-level energy crystals had become a routine task for him, as he knew they were essential for future transactions. With his vast supply, Essim was confident he could acquire nearly anything available in the Guandu Realm, as long as energy crystals were the currency.
The (Insight Stone) was another high-priority item, as it had the potential to unlock powerful abilities. Essim took special care in duplicating it as well.
He then examined the (Space Ring - Silver) in his hand. The question was: Could he duplicate a soul-bound ring?
A system prompt appeared.
[Duplicating (Space Ring - Silver) 10,000 times. Are you sure?]
"Yes."
A flash of white light lit up the room for a moment before vanishing. Essim couldn't help but grin.
Now, 10,000 identical silver rings sat in his ordinary storage ring.
(Space Ring - Silver)
Owner: -
Slot: 10,000 square meters
*Note: Please drip your blood to bind the ring.
"Haha..."
Essim's quiet laughter echoed in the solitude of his private storage room. How could he not be amused? He had just effortlessly created 10,000 silver storage rings in mere seconds.
He took a deep breath, reveling in the power of his (Infinity Duplication) ability. Although these items didn't directly enhance his own strength, they were invaluable tools that would accelerate his growth and empower his allies.
After organizing his latest acquisitions, Essim began to sort through his bag, carefully placing each item in its designated spot. In the past, he had used traditional storage chests, but compared to space rings, the chests seemed clunky and inefficient—unless he found a higher-tier storage chest, of course.
For now, he stored everything in golden chests, ensuring that all was in order before heading to the city hall to check the daily reports.