"...Eh? Won't that be an intrusion?"
Anna's first instinct was to decline. After all, she didn't know the other party, and arriving unannounced for a meal felt entirely inappropriate.
But before she could finish her sentence, Himeko's form dissolved into a faint light. Only a soft whisper remained, echoing in the air: "Don't worry, it won't be an intrusion."
"I must not let this lady's kindness go to waste. I have to work hard from now on and get stronger as fast as I can!"
Anna stared at the spot where Himeko had vanished for a long time, her gaze growing more determined.
Soon after, her figure also vanished from the blood-soaked village, heading toward the apartment filled with hope.
[Killed F-rank Human (Giral Kingdom Soldier). Gained 58 Hunting Experience, 3 Gold Coins. (Note: Experience and Gold reduced by 99% for killing same-species targets.)]
[Detected that no tenants or employees participated in this hunt. Apartment Manager Su Mu receives all Hunting Experience and Gold.]
On the top floor of the apartment, in the observation lounge that had partially reverted to its original state, a warm golden glow filtered through the floor-to-ceiling glass windows, spilling across the dark suede sofa. Su Mu tapped his fingers lightly against the armrest, his eyes calm and unruffled as he looked at the pale blue notification boxes floating in mid-air.
Almost the exact moment Himeko had struck down those soldiers in the parallel world, this information had been transmitted to him. it confirmed his initial suspicion—those figures in the standardized armor were indeed soldiers of the Gioral Kingdom.
Whether they were regulars acting on orders or deserters running amok was impossible to distinguish for now.
But to Su Mu, there was no essential difference. It changed neither his plans nor his resolve.
As for the 99% penalty for killing same-species targets mentioned in the prompt, he took a moment to reflect on its purpose—it was likely designed to maintain a basic level of unity among the same race.
However, nothing in this world was absolute. When it was time to strike, he never hesitated.
In his view, a traitor hiding in the shadows was often more dangerous than an overt enemy from another race. Those who wore the skin of their own kind while stabbing them in the back usually dealt the most lethal blows.
"Master, the basic situation regarding the other world is more or less confirmed."
A gentle female voice rang out in the living room. Himeko stepped out from the void. The faint scent of gunpowder had not yet fully dissipated from her person, and there were a few nearly imperceptible bloodstains on the hem of her white dress. Yet, she remained upright and composed, her expression steady and professional.
"Mm." Su Mu nodded slowly and withdrew his gaze. His fingers stopped their tapping as he summarized logically: "First, the other world undergoes variations based on who enters it. Of course, if my talent weren't 'Clones,' this mechanic likely wouldn't exist. Our current situation might be an anomaly triggered by the clones themselves, but regardless of the source, the rules are clear—the world I enter is the 'Native' world, while the ones you enter are 'Parallel' worlds. Furthermore, different clones correspond to different parallel worlds. The only lingering question is whether the native world I occupy remains fixed or if it fluctuates under unknown conditions."
"I have an idea about that!"
A crisp, lively voice beat everyone to the punch. March 7th came hopping over with her arms crossed, her hair swaying with her movements. Her eyes were sparkling with confidence—she had returned earlier than Himeko and had clearly been chewing on this the whole time.
"Based on my vast experience playing RPGs, I think the word 'Exploration' is the absolute key here!"
"Exploration..." Su Mu raised an eyebrow, repeating the word thoughtfully as he looked at March 7th. "You mean, similar to the exploration modes in conventional games, there's a progress bar? And once it hits 100%, we unlock the next map?"
"Exactly! That's it!"
March 7th nodded vigorously, her eyes shining like stars, her tone full of excitement.
"If that were the case, why haven't we received any notifications regarding exploration progress despite entering and exiting the other world several times?"
Fu Hua walked slowly toward the sofa. Her posture was as upright as a pine tree, and her tone was steady and calm, reflecting her rational mindset. Dressed in simple, elegant martial arts attire, her presence was understated. Every word she spoke hit the mark, showcasing the prudence of a seasoned warrior.
"That likely has to do with the progress itself," Himeko chimed in. She pressed a finger to her chin, her expression serious as she analyzed the situation. "In most games, exploration progress only displays a numerical value once it reaches at least 1%. We've only entered the parallel worlds three times, staying for a short duration and exploring a very limited area. It's likely we are far from hitting that threshold."
"That is a possibility."
Su Mu nodded slowly. Combining their deductions with his actual experiences, he essentially confirmed this conclusion.
This meant that whether it was the world he entered or his clones entered, they wouldn't be restricted to just one world. Once the exploration progress was complete, a new world would open.
Furthermore, following the logic of conventional games, a map that had reached 100% exploration should be freely accessible afterward without being subject to the initial entry conditions. This was likely the core rule of Otherworld Exploration.
Thinking of this, Su Mu mused to himself—it looked like things were going to get busier and busier.
Setting aside the mundane tasks in reality, exploration alone would consume a massive amount of time.
Although the worlds he and his clones entered did not interfere with one another, the clones were ultimately an extension of himself. If he or any one of his clones were already in an otherworld, clicking the exploration function would result in a prompt: [You have already begun an otherworld exploration. Please do not click again.]
While the clones opened up the possibility of diverse worlds, they were still bound by the rule of sequential exploration. They couldn't push into multiple new worlds simultaneously.
More importantly, the time flow between the otherworld and reality was perfectly synchronized. Every moment spent exploring was time spent in real life.
Even so, he was secretly grateful for his 'Clone' talent. If not for it, he would have to choose between staying in reality or the otherworld each day. He would never have the current luxury of—progressing reality and an otherworld in parallel—which was essentially living two days' worth of life in one.
As his thoughts settled, Su Mu began to calculate his next steps. Exploration needed a focused target, but real-world affairs couldn't be neglected either—attracting tenants to expand the apartment, hunting outside to accumulate resources, and implementing the newly unlocked cross-regional function were all high priorities.
"Whether it's the real world, the native world, or the parallel worlds, there's no need to force a rigid plan. We can just adjust based on the tenants' situations," Himeko said with a smile, sensing Su Mu's thoughts. "Since the apartment can now go directly to other regions, why not accompany Misaki and Yui for a walk? That counts as taking care of real life. As for the other world, we can continue exploring with Anna and the others. We can do both."
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