The Genesis Dome's central hall was filled with new recruits. The excitement of registration had faded into something calmer, more grounded. They, now assigned to their dormitories, returned to the briefing space. Freshly issued wristbands glowed on their arms. Some still wore expressions of awe. Others had already steeled themselves for what was to come.
Kaito stood at the head of the chamber, arms crossed behind his back.
"Everyone's here?" he asked without turning.
KIA's voice responded from overhead.
"All one hundred recruits accounted for."
He nodded. "Good."
Turning to face them, Kaito's voice rang clear.
"Now that all of you are officially part of Genesis, it's time we talk logistics."
A few players leaned forward.
"Raise your hand if you've already transferred your character to a town."
More than two-thirds of the hands in the room went up.
Kaito nodded again, unfazed.
"And the rest are you in the novice villages?"
The remaining players slowly nodded their heads—about thirty in all.
Kaito gestured, and a transparent map appeared behind him on the holo-wall. Glowing nodes represented major cities, towns, and transmission hubs.
"I need you to check your town names. KIA," he said, "cross-reference all player towns and highlight those under Astralis City's jurisdiction."
He had already told kia some maps of glory including novice village guides and asked it to replenish the remaining map from the glory forum.
"Processing... Identified: 41 recruits are within towns governed by Astralis City."
"Good," Kaito said. "To those 41—once you're ready, move to South Glade Town. It will take time, but don't worry. You won't fall behind."
He turned toward the others.
"If your town is not under Astralis City, then don't worry just keep levelling up and Once you reach your city—you'll unlock city to city transmission settings there. From there, you can travel to Astralis City directly."
Kaito nodded. "Also don't waste your time grinding aimlessly. I have already told KIA to provide you with guides according to your situation whether you are in town or the novice village."
He had also added the trick of getting a specific town in these guides of novice villages.
"Alright," Kaito said, his gaze sweeping across the room. "Let's move on to the martial arts segment."
He folded his arms behind his back as a new holographic panel opened beside him, displaying silhouettes of training dummies, stances, and points counters.
"I've already handed the base technique to my aunt. She'll ensure each of you receives it directly. But that's after you sign a contract not to leak it and this contract is a bit special, you'll know when you get it" He was talking about the mid-sealing technique which he had already given to his aunt to perform before she gives the base technique.
His voice sharpened slightly.
"The capsules we've installed for virtual combat training now include a point-based progression system. Every member will be allocated a set of basic points to start with—but how far you go depends entirely on you."
The recruits exchanged intrigued glances.
"Don't underestimate these points," Kaito continued. "They're more than just numbers. Within Genesis, battle points are your currency for growth. Winning duels, improving your stats, completing assigned tasks—everything contributes to your score."
He paused, letting the idea settle.
"This system wasn't created to control you. It was built to motivate you. To reward effort."
With a flick of his wrist, the projected screen shifted—revealing a sleek digital mall interface labeled: Genesis Point Exchange.
"Right now, the point mall includes access to enhanced martial techniques and even basic medicinal bath sessions. But that's just the start."
He leaned in slightly.
"Over time, I'll keep adding more—like meals crafted from spiritual grains, rare supplements, and even limited-use gear. Things that will accelerate your cultivation and raise your ceiling beyond what any public dojo or guild can offer."
The recruits were fully locked in now. Kaito could see the spark of ambition beginning to ignite behind their eyes.
"In Genesis, effort won't go unnoticed. Skill won't go unrewarded. And strength—true strength—will always be earned."
"Okay then you can go get familiar with everything."
While everyone was going, he stopped two figures, they were ravenblade and his sister nina.
Kaito crossed his arms and looked at Ravenblade. "You know the rule—I'm only assigning personal cabins to elite members. So for now, both of you will use the general dormitory." He paused, letting that settle for a moment before continuing. "But I've seen how you fight, Ravenblade. You're not far from hitting elite status. Once you cross that line, the cabin's yours."
He turned slightly to Nina. "Same for you. You've got talent—you just need polish. And since you're also under Astralite's region, you'll probably end up in South Glade Town soon enough. When that happens, I want both of you already prepared. Don't waste time."
Ravenblade gave a small nod. "Understood." already acknowledging Kaito.
Kaito clapped him on the shoulder. "Good. I'm counting on you."
Then, Kaito stopped by the lounge where Mei Rin and her ten friends were still grouped. Some of them had awe in their eyes; others still looked uncertain.
"Alright," Kaito said, addressing the group, "I hope you've all settled in. From today onward, you'll begin structured martial arts training under my aunt's guidance."
A few of the girls straightened instinctively.
He continued, "You'll also be logging into Glory today. Since most of you will be starting from novice villages, make sure to follow the beginner guide I've prepared. Don't skip it—it'll help you catch up faster. "
Marin gave her friends a thumbs-up from the side.
...…..
After everyone had dispersed to their dorms, Kaito made his way toward his fourth aunt, who stood quietly near the observation deck, arms folded, already assessing the recruits' performance.
He approached with a respectful nod. "Aunt, I'm officially handing these people over to you."
She raised an eyebrow, amused.
Kaito smirked. "If you notice any particularly talented individuals among them, feel free to appoint them as squad leaders. We'll need structure as we grow."
She gave a slight nod, eyes drifting back toward the training hall.
"And when you start playing the game later today," he added, "go through the guide I've prepared. It'll help you breeze through the novice phase quickly."
His voice lowered slightly as he continued, "I'll need your help again once you reach South Glade Town."
A new thought had begun to form in his mind—a strategic layer beyond training and combat.
He was already considering establishing a second guild—a life-skill guild, focused on logistics, alchemy, production, and internal supply chains. His aunt, with her firm hand and disciplined nature, was the perfect person to lead it.
With her managing operations, Genesis could build a self-sustaining support network. No need to rely on overpriced markets or external craftsmen. Everything from potions to gear repairs could flow from within.
And if done right, this wouldn't just be a support wing.
It would be a gold mine.
...…
While Kaito immersed himself in Genesis Studio's affairs—assigning dormitories, uploading training modules, and overseeing infrastructure expansion—the outside world had already begun to tremble.
Exactly two hours ago, KIA had executed the first phase of Protocol: Featherfall.
Anonymous whistleblowing forums, curated feeds, and select high-traffic social networks began releasing the suppressed black files related to Velthorn Industries. Bribery, arms smuggling, human trafficking linkages through proxy vendors, and falsified financial statements—each piece released with just enough redaction to protect the source, but not enough to shield the company. The documents were staggering. And damning.
Inside the Ren Group's flagship headquarters in Silvercrest City, a polished boardroom bathed in blue skyline light buzzed with quiet, controlled urgency. Luther Ren, Kaito's father, dressed in a tailored steel-grey suit, sat at the head of the table while several analysts relayed the latest market dip data.
"The Velthorn Logistics index is down 12% already. It's only been ninety minutes," one aide reported.
Kaito's father nodded calmly. "Initiate strategic acquisition. Begin sweeping positions in Ren's name and three anonymous shells. Prioritize logistics branch acquisitions—especially their southern corridor sectors."
"Yes, Chairman."
Meanwhile, just a few kilometers away at a high-end rooftop restaurant—The Sky Flame Lounge—a dinner gathering of seven influential family heads from the Silvercrest elite was disrupted by a surprise arrival.
The tall, lean figure of Bane Velthorn stepped into the candle-lit circle with strained politeness.
"My apologies for the intrusion," he said, voice strained behind a smile. "But I believe you all are aware of the situation."
One woman—Lady Yun of the Yun Finance Syndicate—looked up with a passive smile. "Yes. It's all over the feeds. Quite the tragedy."
Bane's lips twitched. "This isn't a game. Someone is trying to burn us from within. I came here to ask for assistance."
The oldest gentleman at the table— Malcolm Vire—lifted his wine glass and said softly, "Even our best teams couldn't stop the spread. This AI's staggered release algorithm is too decentralized."
"You don't understand," Bane hissed, his composure slipping. "Velthorn can't afford this. We'll lose billions."
"Then perhaps," Malcolm Vire mused, "you should've stayed clean."
He didn't mince his words because Velthorn with or without this tragedy was nowhere near their level.
Bane gritted his teeth but said nothing further. A single bead of sweat trickled behind his ear As he left the room with his hunched back.
As Bane went away, Malcolm turned slightly to one of his aides seated nearby. He didn't raise his voice.
"Gather intel on who's behind this. Quietly. I want names, digital signatures, footprints—anything. Whoever lit this fire may bring it to our doorstep next, and I'd rather see the smoke before it hits my curtains."