Fantasy Family Simulator (FFS)

Rhett narrowed his eyes slightly as he carefully read the screen in front of him. After a moment, his eyes flickered with understanding, fully grasping the information. Although this simulation ended in death, just like the last one, he didn't mind at all.

After all, the purpose of the simulation was to serve reality. Even if he died in the simulation, as long as he gained useful information, that was enough.

Sometimes, to ensure safety in reality, certain actions wouldn't be taken. But in the simulation, he could act without hesitation to gather more valuable information.

"Last time, it was the Venomous Snakefolk; this time, it's the Night Catfolk! So now, I can be 100% certain that Gaspar has indeed allied with the Beastmen. The only question is, when did they form this alliance? Was it during this current journey to the front lines, or… even earlier?" With this firm judgment, Rhett also found himself with new questions.

However, there was no need to dwell on it for now. The year wasn't even over yet, and there were still more than six months until next July.

He made a mental note of the situation, knowing he could investigate further in the next simulation, trying different methods to uncover clues.

Besides this, the simulation also provided Rhett with a small surprise. His old friend—Makoff—had returned to Twilight City!

The last time he visited Twilight City, Rhett had searched for Makoff in the places he used to frequent but found nothing.

"And now, in this simulation, he sought me out. This means he must have heard that I was in Twilight City looking for him after my retirement!" A smile crept onto Rhett's lips.

He knew he hadn't misjudged Makoff. Given their friendship, how could Makoff ever forget him?

In his younger years, Rhett had roamed for over a decade and met many people. However, only a handful left a lasting impression and forged strong bonds of friendship.

Makoff was undoubtedly one of them!

Rhett recalled how Makoff had always been a cheerful, warm-hearted person. He still remembered the first awkward predicament he faced when he started out on his adventures—his money was stolen by a quick-handed thief, who also happened to be a level higher than him.

It was Makoff who helped him track down the thief, recover his money, and even teach the thief a lesson. That was how they became friends.

Over the following decade, their relationship deepened, and they kept in touch regularly.

Before Rhett left to join the army, Makoff even threw him a farewell party.

"Ten years ago, he was already a second-level mage. I wonder if he's managed to break through to the third level by now." Rhett gazed up at the top of the tree, where a bird swayed gently, and sighed.

The news of an old friend, one he had thought he'd lost contact with forever, lifted his spirits.

"Wow, Father, that armor looks so sturdy!" Tack's exclamation came from behind him.

Hearing the approaching footsteps, Rhett turned around with a smile. He reached out and flicked Tack on the forehead.

"Ouch!" Tack yelped, rubbing his head and grumbling, "I'm not a kid anymore, Father. Why do you still treat me like I'm little?"

The scene was strangely familiar.

Rhett found it amusing and smiled even wider. "Tack, why don't you try cutting me with your sword? Let's test the armor's defense."

"Huh?" Tack hesitated, touching his head and looking unsure. "But… I can't just hit you, Father."

"Come on! Stop being so hesitant," Rhett urged. "Besides… do you think you can hurt me?"

"Alright! Then I won't hold back!" Tack's eyes lit up, and he grinned as he drew his sword.

Rhett blinked, a strange expression crossing his face. Why did it feel like Tack had been waiting for this?

Rolling his eyes, Rhett extended his right arm. "Cut my arm. Just use your physical strength first and see what happens."

"Got it!"

Tack focused, raising his sword high before slashing it down with a light shout.

Thud!

The sound of the sword striking the armor echoed dully. Tack, feeling a strong shock from the impact, quickly withdrew his sword.

For Rhett, it felt like a mosquito bite—completely harmless.

He shook his arm slightly and said, "Now use your battle energy. Try a battle energy strike."

Tack couldn't help but admire the armor's strength. Seeing no trace of a scratch, he was impressed by its defense.

Following Rhett's command, Tack got serious. Battle energy surged in his right hand, and wisps of fire enveloped the sword's blade.

"Flame Slash!"

With a shout, Tack brought the sword down on the armor.

Boom!

A burst of fire erupted on the armor, scattering sparks everywhere. Yet, the armor remained intact.

"Haha, you're amazing, Father!" Tack sheathed his sword, clicking his tongue in admiration. "I gave it my all, but I couldn't even scratch your armor. It's insane!"

Rhett smiled faintly, feeling no sense of achievement. He thought to himself that if a fourth-level Archmage using a sixth-level defense spell could be harmed by a first-level knight, then that would be the real issue.

With a thought, Rhett dispelled the armor surrounding him and said, "Once you become an Earth Knight, you'll be able to break through this armor soon enough."

"Huh? Earth Knight? That's too far off for me. Who knows how long it'll take," Tack replied, his face falling. Then, with a sudden idea, he grinned mischievously. "Father, how about getting me a potion to boost my battle energy talent?"

Rhett raised an eyebrow, patting Tack on the shoulder as he pondered aloud, "Don't rely on potions; focus on your future."

"Focus on the future? Haha, I look forward to the future every day!" Tack laughed, not thinking too deeply about it.

After a simple breakfast of bread, jerky, and other easy-to-carry provisions, Rhett led the group southward.

Along the way, they encountered a few magical beasts, mostly first and second-tier ones, with third-tier beasts becoming increasingly rare.

After traveling for a day, the next morning, while climbing a slope, Ryleigh pondered for a moment and then said to his father, "Father, on our way here, I noticed that the number of magical beasts seemed to decrease. Could it be that we've hunted too many in recent days?"

Tales rubbed his arm, echoing the thought, "Huh? Now that you mention it… Last month, I was so busy stabbing beasts that my arm got sore. But recently, I haven't felt that tired. Maybe it's because there are fewer beasts to hunt."

Rhett paused, saying, "Magical beasts reproduce and grow more slowly than humans, so their development cycles are longer. Given our hunting speed, it's only natural that numbers are dwindling. We may need to reduce our exploration frequency in the future."

As they chatted, Rhett noticed two curved, horn-like brown rocks on either side of the slope, east and west.

"This must be Antelope Slope, right?" Rhett asked.

"Yes, once we climb the small hill ahead and walk a few hundred meters, we'll be in the deeper areas of the Darkfeather Eagle Range," Ryleigh replied.

When the group reached the top of the hill, Rhett narrowed his eyes, recalling the simulation's guidance. He quickly sensed a third-tier magical beast—Windfeather Sparrow—about 200 meters away.

The Windfeather Sparrow, covered in blue feathers and about half a meter long, was perched in a tree, its yellow talons gripping a branch. It rested its head on a tuft of soft green leaves, eyes closed in sleep.

Despite being unaware of Rhett's presence, the Windfeather Sparrow sensed the gradual approach of Tack, Ryleigh, and Tales.

The unfamiliar aura woke the sparrow, and its sharp eyes scanned Antelope Slope.

But before it could react, a sudden spike pierced through the tree, pinning it to the trunk!

The place it once rested had now become its grave.

The three brothers were startled. They hadn't even noticed the sparrow hidden in the leaves, but the strong elemental energy had alerted them. They turned toward the source and saw the bird impaled on the tree, struggling weakly before letting out a mournful cry.

"Tales, quickly!" Rhett urged, leading his sons forward.

With Whitegrip's help, Tales climbed the tree, though he wobbled slightly.

Looking down at the four-meter drop, he hesitated.

"Don't waste time! Finish it off quickly!" Rhett shouted urgently. "A fourth-tier magical beast is heading our way!"

Tales' heart raced. He gripped his spear tightly and thrust it into the Windfeather Sparrow's throat, extinguishing its last glimmer of life.

Only when the screen appeared did Rhett breathe a sigh of relief. He gently enveloped Tales in a wind elemental aura.

Surprised by the sudden lightness, Tales leaped down, feeling like a feather floating to the ground.

Since becoming an Archmage, Rhett's control over earth elements had improved significantly. His ability to manipulate other elements had also increased, though they still paled compared to earth magic. Nevertheless, they were stronger than before.

Rhett had even heard that Grandmasters could not only control various elements but also cast basic spells from other schools of magic.

When Tales landed, he was delighted by the experience and wanted to try it again. However, a clear cry from the sky brought everyone back to full alertness.

Rhett's expression turned serious. He quickly cast a Spike spell, sending a sharp spike hurtling toward the fourth-tier Windfeather Sparrow in the sky.

This Windfeather Sparrow was clearly older, with darker feathers and a body nearly a meter long. Its white eyes burned with fury.

Seeing the third-tier sparrow's lifeless body, it trembled in rage. With a powerful flap of its wings, a fierce wind howled down from above!

"Get behind me!" Rhett shouted.

The three brothers rushed behind their father, who activated his Stone Light Shield to protect them.

The wind howled, sending sand and leaves flying everywhere. Some small saplings were even uprooted and swept into the sky.

Rhett was the primary target of the Windfeather Sparrow's attack, standing at the center of the storm. However, the powerful gusts failed to penetrate the protective shield.

When the wind finally ceased, cracks appeared on the Stone Light Shield, but it held firm.

With a cold look, Rhett summoned a boulder above the Windfeather Sparrow.

The falling stone, over five meters wide, cast a shadow over the bird, making it seem as if the sky was falling.

Sensing the danger, the Windfeather Sparrow generated small currents of green energy around its body, speeding up like a comet. It narrowly avoided the boulder, leaving only a few feathers behind.

Seeing this, Rhett devised a plan. He grabbed the third-tier Windfeather Sparrow's corpse and tore off one of its wings.

"Chirp!!"

The fourth-tier Windfeather Sparrow let out a piercing cry, its fury boiling over, consuming what little rationality remained.

With an enraged screech, it dove like an arrow toward Rhett, shattering the air with a deafening boom.

But just as it neared its target, a massive boulder suddenly blocked its path.

Forced to swerve, the bird barely avoided the obstacle.

Rhett remained calm, his mind racing with strategies. When he saw a faint blue glow to the right of the boulder, he knew his chance had come.

A Spike spell quickly materialized, shooting past the boulder's edge and piercing the Windfeather Sparrow's wing.