Inside the Aethrion Titan LX RV, the low, steady hum of the twin Helio Core engines resonated faintly through the polished flooring. Outside the reinforced windows, the scenery rolled past in streaks of muted greens and dusty browns, the highway cutting like a silver blade through the countryside. Every so often, the vehicle's suspension gave a smooth, weightless dip as it glided over a curve in the road, the engineering so refined that even cups of tea on the table in the lounge barely rippled.
The Ren family's chatter filled the air in relaxed waves—discussions about the ancestral estate, idle speculation about what awaited them there, and the occasional laugh when someone recalled an old memory. Yet, in the midst of this warm atmosphere, Kaito's mind was already half-immersed in another world entirely.
After some time when everyone dispersed to their rooms, In his private room—one of the Aethrion Titan's modular rooms reserved solely for him—Kaito sat back against the plush seating, his gaze flicking to the wall-mounted holographic clock display. The digits glowed faintly in the soft cabin lighting, and as they ticked over, he let out a small breath.
It's time.
Rising fluidly from his seat, Kaito stepped toward the full-dive chamber pod integrated in the room with capabilities equal to a bronze chamber cabin. The chamber was more than just a gaming pod—it was a custom-built interface room designed for sustained immersion, complete with isolation panels and biometric synchronization systems. The polished bronze alloy of the reclined interface seat gleamed under the low lights.
He settled in, letting his body sink into the memory-foam contouring. With a flick of his hand, the activation panel lit up, bathing the interior in a soft azure glow. The capsule's canopy slid shut with a smooth hiss, sealing out the faint sounds of the RV beyond. The lights dimmed automatically, and a series of synchronization protocols began their quiet, methodical sweep through his body's neural patterns.
A familiar static-like tingle coursed along his skin as the connection deepened.
[Synchronizing neural link…]
[Stabilizing sensory calibration…]
[Logging in…]
His breath slowed. The cabin's interior dissolved into darkness, and then—like a rising sun spilling over the horizon—the vivid brilliance of Glory surged into view. The real world fell away.
…..
The vivid brilliance of Glory sharpened around him as his consciousness fully anchored in the game world.
But this time, it felt different.
The moment his boots touched the familiar cobblestones of South Glade Town, a subtle shift in his senses washed over him. The air felt lighter, yet every detail seemed sharper—the crisp rustle of merchant banners overhead, the faint tang of iron drifting from the blacksmith's forge, even the minute texture of the stone beneath his feet.
He paused for a second, realizing the change. His martial rank advancement in the real world had carried over in ways he hadn't expected. Now that he was a Rank 1 martial artist, his perception felt as if someone had instantly poured an extra +10 attribute points into it.
And it wasn't just a passive improvement. His reflexes felt sharper, his balance steadier. Movements that had once required painstaking precision now flowed naturally, as if his body responded before his mind even finished issuing the command. Even the tricky combo of Wind Veil Steps chained into Mana Steps—a sequence that used to demand absolute focus—no longer threatened to throw him off balance.
Shaking himself out of his brief amazement, Kaito refocused. There was work to do, and not much time to do it. In roughly five hours, they would reach the ancestral estate, and he might have to log out.
The last time he had forged, he had only managed to produce seven Shadow Fangs—sleek, silver-rank one-handed swords with blades that shimmered faintly along their razor edge. That was nowhere near enough to fulfill Silvera's order. He needed at least twenty before he could even consider moving on to his other objectives.
He straightened his stance and set his direction immediately: Forging Life Guild.
But just before he could head out, He saw in the corner of his interface.
[Second Uncle: Online]
Kaito's lips curled into a small smirk. Perfect timing.
Opening his messaging panel, he quickly composed and sent the list he had been preparing since yesterday—a roster of several renowned pharmacists, tailors, and blacksmiths from his previous life in Astralis City. This wasn't just random talent; each name carried weight.
…..
The list included:
Evelyn leaf, Garrick Iron, Lyra Stone, Bren Wood, Sharon Night
…..
Individually, they might not all have been the most famous names in the game, but they had one unshakable common trait: once they found an employer or guild that treated them well, they never left. They built their careers and reputations without betraying those who gave them trust. In this world of cutthroat guild poaching and high-stakes competition, that loyalty was worth more than any rare recipe or blueprint.
Along with the list of secondary profession candidates, Kaito also forwarded two additional names to his second uncle—players who weren't tied to any guild, but had already made a name for themselves in the Astralis region. By sheer luck, both of them were currently in South Glade Town.
In his previous timeline, they had gone on to become well-known experts, the kind of players whose presence could raise a studio's standing overnight. Until now, Kaito had been too busy to handle the studio himself, but with his second uncle here, he could finally delegate the task. These two, once secured, would be invaluable assets to Genesis's future growth.
Message sent, Kaito closed the panel and changed course toward the bank vault.
The heavy double doors of the South Glade Bank opened with a muted creak, and the cool, climate-controlled air inside wrapped around him. The scent of polished stone and parchment hung faintly in the air. Passing through the security check—an NPC-run mana scan that flickered over his body like a thin mist—he stepped into the vault room and keyed in his private storage code.
The reinforced vault doors swung open, revealing the collection he had amassed: neatly stacked ingots, jars of rare alchemical powders, tightly wrapped bundles of herbs, and small crates of monster cores. Among them were the materials the NPC stall had been quietly collecting for him since his last visit.
He took a slow walk along the shelves, mentally noting what was still in short supply.
Before starting work, he made a detour to the Auction House. The sprawling, multi-level building buzzed with both NPC and player merchants, the air thick with the murmured hum of deals being struck. Kaito scanned the listings with quick precision, purchasing several batches of forging materials, along with the appreciation items.
His purchases secured, he returned to the bank vault to store the bulk of his acquisitions, keeping only what he needed for the day's forging run.
...
The Forging Life Guild loomed ahead—its stone facade carved with detailed reliefs of legendary smiths at work. Stepping inside, the soundscape shifted to the rhythmic clang of hammers on metal, the hiss of quenching, and the low murmur of craftsmen trading advice.
He approached the counter, paid the fee, and rented an Intermediate Forging Room. The door sealed shut behind him, cutting off the outside noise, and the warmth of the forge immediately washed over his skin. The air smelled faintly of heated metal and mineral dust.
With practiced hands, he began the process of producing Shadow Fangs—melting, shaping, tempering, and cooling each blade until he heard the system chime of completion.
But Kaito didn't stop there. Once the Shadow Fang production was underway, he also learned the several other blueprints he had obtained earlier:
Bronze-rank Titan Guard Plate set – Heavy, reinforced armor with a faint gold sheen.
Bronze-rank Fire Twin Blades – Lightweight dual weapons wreathed in a faint ember glow.
Mysterious Iron-rank Dancer's Tread boots – Footwear designed for extreme agility, with a whisper-light step.
Bronze-rank Ring of Vitality Surge – A ring imbued with steady regeneration properties.
and many other that were collected by his team during their dungeon runs.
…..
While Kaito immersed himself in the focused rhythm of forging, his second uncle received the earlier message.
Sitting in the corner of a busy South Glade tavern, his second uncle leaned back in his chair, pulling up the player list on his interface. As his eyes scanned the names, recognition flickered across his expression. This was indeed the list Kaito had mentioned before—the "secondary player recruitment" candidates.
One by one, he checked their profiles. His brow furrowed when he realized that several of them weren't even in South Glade Town. Recruiting them would require time, travel, and careful coordination.
How the hell does he even know about these people? the thought crossed his mind, but he quickly brushed it aside. Kaito always had his secrets, and pressing for answers rarely got results.