I Can Extract Game Items

August tapped his staff against the chest, and a system notification appeared.

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[System Notification: Lockpicking Required - Successfully Unlock Chest using Extraction? (Yes/No)

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"Looks like I've got this one," August voiced with a smirk. He selected "Yes," and after a brief loading bar, the chest unlocked with a faint click.

They opened it to reveal a trove of high-tier loot—armor upgrades, rare potions, and a unique trinket that glowed with an ethereal light.

Ezran whistled. "Talk about a jackpot."

August had really been in need of new armor so this was perfect.

As they distributed the loot, they could feel their progress as a team. The lower section continued to challenge them with more enemies and various traps—swinging pendulums, hidden pressure plates, and narrow corridors filled with spikes.

They fought their way through a gauntlet of undead soldiers and cursed beasts, each encounters rewarding them with rare loot. Eventually, they found themselves at the heart of the ruins, where a massive chamber loomed ahead.

A dark aura filled the room, and a towering figure clad in tattered robes and wielding a dark, enchanted scythe stood in the center.

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[System Notification: You have encountered the Final Boss - Shadow Reaper (Level 35)]

- Warning: High-Level Enemy Detected

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The Shadow Reaper let out an eerie wail, lifting its scythe and summoning a whirlwind of dark energy around it. Shadows swirled in the air, and spectral figures flickered around the chamber.

Boris stepped forward, shielding the group as usual. "Stay on your guard."

The Shadow Reaper slashed its scythe, sending a wave of darkness toward them. August cast Arcane Shield the moment he noticed that the attack covered a wide area.

[System Notification: Aleman casts Arcane Shield - Reduces Incoming Damage by 100% for 10 seconds]

A protective barrier surrounded his friends instantly as the wave hit.

Lilo quickly took her position, zooming in with her enhanced vision as she notched two glowing arrows and launched them at the boss's torso.

[System Notification: Lilo uses Double Arrow Burst - Shadow Reaper HP -600]

The Shadow Reaper staggered, but recovered quickly, raising its scythe as it prepared a devastating spell.

Ezran chanted, unleashing a lightning bolt that crackled through the air, striking the boss directly.

[System Notification: Ezran uses Lightning Strike - Shadow Reaper HP -1700]

August activated Ethereal Storm once more to increase damage.

A furious wind whipped through the chamber, creating a small-scale hurricane around the Shadow Reaper. After the storm landed, a new effect activated.

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[System Notification: Ethereal Storm Activated - Shadow Reaper HP -2500]

- Effect: Drain - Reduces Boss Mana by 20%

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The Shadow Reaper's dark aura faded slightly.

Its magic weakened as August's spell took hold. Boris saw his chance, charging forward and slamming his shield into the boss's side.

[System Notification: Boris uses Shield Bash - Shadow Reaper HP -1200]

The Shadow Reaper let out another wail, swinging its scythe in a sweeping arc. Boris blocked the attack with his shield, absorbing the impact as Lilo fired a concentrated Arcane Arrow at its head.

The boss weakened, raising its scythe frantically when August quickly cast Ethereal Storm once more. This time, a bolt of fire rained down, engulfing the boss in flames.

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[System Notification: Aleman casts Ethereal Storm - Shadow Reaper HP -2700]

- Effect: Burn - Boss loses 500 HP per second for 20 seconds

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The Shadow Reaper wreathed in flames as the last of its HP continuously drained due to the effect.

[ -500 HP ]

[ -500 HP ]

[ -500 HP ]

[ -500 HP ]

[ -500 HP ]

...

It soon lost it all and collapsed into a pile of ashes. The chamber was silent for a moment before the system notification chimed.

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[System Notification: Lower Section of the Forgotten Ruins Cleared]

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As the dust settled, a pile of golden loot appeared in the center of the chamber. The team exchanged relieved smiles and cheers.

"Now that," Lilo said, pocketing a mana crystal, "was worth it."

August checked his stats, his XP bar was nearly full.

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[System Notification: Aleman - EXP: 550,000/827,000]

---

They gathered up the spoils of their victory—rare weapons, enchanted armor, and a few unique relics. The Forgotten Ruins had rewarded them handsomely.

As they left the ruins, they visited two other locations and successfully cleared them.

August got to level 24 this night but it was finally time for them to leave the game world.

August glanced at his friends. "Thanks for the great night, everyone."

Ezran gave him a fist bump. "I'm already looking forward to next time."

They exchanged social contacts so they could keep in touch outside the game as well, promising to return to grind together in the near future.

...

As August prepared to log out, an idea struck him. He glanced at his inventory and thought aloud, "If I can extract anything that belongs to my avatar… then what about these?"

He opened his inventory, scrolling past weapons and potions until his eyes landed on the icon for his gold coins.

His heart raced. If this worked, he could potentially extract endless amounts of gold.

He selected one of the gold coins and held his breath as a system notification appeared.

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[System Notification: Would you like to extract 1 Gold Coin to Reality?]

-[YES] × [NO]

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Without hesitation, he selected "YES."

[===== ]

A small extraction progress bar began filling up, and within seconds, the coin vanished from his inventory.

August logged out of Enders Light and eagerly checked his game pod.

There, gleaming in the low light of his pod, lay a single gold coin.

He picked it up, feeling its weight and smooth texture.

The coin shimmered in his hand, and he was stunned by the craftsmanship—it felt more real than he could've imagined. "This... could change everything," he muttered to himself, still in disbelief. "If these coins are actual gold…"

The realization of what this could mean raced through his mind, but there was no time to linger.

With a sigh, he placed the coin securely in a small box on his desk. There would be plenty of time to consider the possibilities later.

"Another day, another dollar," he chuckled, moving to get ready for work.

As he entered the kitchen, Sophia was finishing her breakfast, dressed in her school uniform. She looked up and smiled, "Morning, Auggie!"

"Morning, Soph. Ready for another thrilling day of education?" he teased while pouring himself some coffee.

She rolled her eyes playfully. "Oh yeah, can't wait. What about you? Any exciting plans?"

"Just the usual factory shift. Maybe a little business meeting afterward. Nothing too fancy," he replied, giving her a quick smile.

He took a sip of coffee and added, "Hey, don't get into trouble today, alright?"

Sophia laughed. "Me? Trouble? Never."

He grinned before ruffling her hair. "Good. I'll see you tonight then. Be safe."

"Always am," she replied, giving him a little wave as she left.

With Sophia off to school, August grabbed his work bag, and soon, he was on his way to the factory.

---

Arriving at the factory, he couldn't help but notice that Derrick was still absent. August felt more worried at this point.

Derrick had never missed so many shifts. Pushing it to the back of his mind for now, he focused on work, tackling the heavy lifting and machinery as usual.

During the lunch break, he decided to try calling Derrick's number again. After several rings, the call went to voicemail.

He muttered to himself, "C'mon, Derrick… where are you?"