Back at Genesis Studio, Kaito stood beside the login capsule, ready to return to Glory when KIA's calm voice interrupted.
"Administrator. Attempted data suppression detected. External influence attempting to override anonymous streams."
Kaito's eyes narrowed. "Do we know who?"
"Working… traced to a cluster of entities tied to two corporate alliances and four political families. Shall I compile?"
"Do more than compile," Kaito said coldly. "Gather their dirt. If they've tried to play hero, let them share the stage with Velthorn."
He paused for a moment, then added, "Also inform my father and second uncle—they can begin acquiring shares or leverage in these families' subsidiaries. Transfer another 100 million credits to the family fund for this phase. Tell them to move anonymously. Velthorn was an easy target; if we start swallowing others too quickly, people might start watching."
"Acknowledged. Upload queue expanded. Stealth acquisition protocol initiated."
An hour later, panic began to spread not just through Velthorn's subsidiaries, but through the boardrooms of allied families. Several emergency board meetings were held. At least two governors disconnected their calls mid-negotiation.
By the end of the third hour, a shocking newsflash aired across every federal channel:
[EARTH FEDERATION INVESTIGATION TEAMS LAUNCH ARREST OPERATION ACROSS MULTIPLE CITIES]
Live footage streamed in—black-suited enforcers marching into high towers, securing ledgers, freezing assets.
From rooftops to parking basements, they seized evidence. Several known associates of Velthorn and even a few anonymous whistleblower-silencers were handcuffed and dragged out.
Panic set in for those who had quietly dipped their fingers into Velthorn's pocket.
By the time the public realized what was happening, it was too late to sever ties.
Too many hands were burned.
Kaito, meanwhile, descended into his cabin, eyes still cool.
"Let the world learn," he muttered. "You touch the fire—you burn."
And with that, he logged back into Glory.
[Login: Confirmed. Welcome back, Raen.]
...
Across the Ren family estate, a secure message was routed to Kaito's second uncle. The moment he read it, his brows lifted slightly in surprise.
"A hundred million?" he muttered.
Then came the AI message—KIA's smooth voice relaying Kaito's instructions with perfect clarity. Without hesitation, he rose from his study and headed straight for the logistics division.
At Ren Logistics HQ, Luther Ren was already deep in talks with analysts, overseeing the Velthorn stock sweep. The tension in the room thinned when Daelen Ren, Kaito's second uncle entered.
"Kaito wants us to expand beyond Velthorn," he said without preamble. "Start eyeing the other implicated families. Their subsidiaries. Their supply chains."
Luther raised an eyebrow. "Already?"
"He sent 100 million. He wants us to move anonymously."
Just then, the main console's lights flickered, and KIA's voice filled the room—now routed through the AI module in the office.
"Recommended targets prepared. I've analyzed vulnerabilities across financial, pharmaceutical, and transport sectors linked to the four families. Shall I assist in real-time acquisition execution?"
Luther gestured toward the lead analyst. "Give her access."
One by one, terminal permissions were authorized, and KIA's virtual presence synced with the acquisition algorithms.
"Adjusting entry points… Dividing stock acquisition across shadow funds Alpha, Delta, and Sigma. Estimated leverage: 6.4% control per target group achievable within 48 hours."
"Impressive," Luther murmured.
"My algorithms don't sleep."
Together, Luther and Daelen exchanged a knowing glance.
t was then that Daelen spoke again, his tone darker. "Call our third brother. If there's a move to make, it must be now."
Within the hour, the third uncle arrived—clad in black, his demeanor sharper than ever. No need for pleasantries.
"They won't last long," Daelen said. "The Federation has already started their sweep. Once they're in custody, it's over. We need to strike now—cleanly."
"I'll prep the team," third uncle said curtly. "No noise. No traces."
KIA's voice rang through the conference speaker once again.
"Target movements synchronized. Weak points identified. I've uploaded timed patrol routes and internal staff logs for the Velthorn estate."
Third uncle glanced at the tablet handed to him. "Excellent. We'll move then."
...….
Kaito's vision stabilized as the digital mist cleared. The faint hum of the Glory servers resonated through his neural link. He opened his eyes to the familiar interface of the world he knew best—South Glade Town, still quiet under the early morning system cycle.
[Login: Confirmed. Welcome back, Raen.]
His boots touched down softly on the cobbled main path near the Adventurer's Plaza. A faint breeze rustled the virtual banners. He instinctively checked the time: he had about three hours before the players he'd summoned from the Astralis city's towns would arrive. Even with the 15% movement boost from the main roads, the distance between the towns took time to cover.
"Plenty of buffer," he muttered to himself. "Enough for some treasure hunt."
There was something he'd forgotten in the flurry of expansion and recruitment—the treasure chests. Glory's massive open world was dotted with hidden rewards, and South Glade alone had ten bronze, three silver, and one gold treasure chest, all tucked away in corners no one had reached yet. Most were located deep in the monster-grinding zones, and even the most adventurous players hadn't ventured there yet. These treasure chests will not only give skills but also weapons, rare props and even rare materials depending upon their rank.
He opened his custom-marked map overlay—marking each chest with a small glowing rune. He had memorized the locations from his past life.
"Let's get the collection done before the they arrive."
Just then, a bright pulse rang through his interface [Team Message Received].
He tapped the alert.
[Aika]: Brother! We've got a problem. There's a guild occupying the area we scouted.
[Daichi]: They're calling themselves 'Everhold Dominion.' They've blocked off the entire zone entrance and aren't letting anyone through.
[Mei Rin]: They claim they've 'reserved' the area. Even had the nerve to mock us for arriving late. [Kaede]: Their main party is camping at the crossroads blocking everyone.
Kaito's eyes darkened slightly, he exhaled slowly,
[Raen]: Don't engage yet. Just hold your position. I'll be there.
Now he can only postpone the treasure hunt.
It didn't take long for him to reach Blackstone Ravine. From the top of the ridge, Kaito scanned the scene. Half of Everhold Dominion's members were currently fighting off a wave of Scorchgnaw Ravagers, their axes clashing against the monsters' stone-plated limbs. The other half stood between the Genesis squad and the open area, weapons drawn.
Aika, Kaede, Hiroto, Daichi, Meirin, and Suzune were arrayed defensively, eyes wary.
As Kaito approached, the fighting squad finished up and began making their way over, clearly intending to surround Genesis from behind.
Rhine stepped forward as the last of the ravager fell.
"Was wondering when the 'hero of Echoing Deep' would grace us with his presence," Rhine said mockingly. "Or did you take a detour to grab some flowers?"
"Well whatever it is , this place is now reserved by our Everhold Dominion, Scram from here."
Kaito didn't rise to the bait. "You're blocking a public zone. Step aside."
Rhine laughed, loud and long. "Step aside? You're hilarious. This is first-come-first-serve. You're late. That means we're already inside. You want it, challenge us."
Kaito walked calmly to the center, not even raising his weapon. "Funny. Last I checked, scavengers didn't get to decide who owns the battlefield."
Rhine's eyes narrowed, his smile turning sharp. "I thought you were a planner. Guess you're just another spoiled brat pretending to be a commander."
Kaito tilted his head slightly. "Say that again, but louder. Maybe your entire team will realize how outmatched they are before we start."
The air thickened.
Without another word, Rhine moved.
He stepped forward and slammed his shoulder into Kaito, activating a low-tier knockback skill that triggered a system alert.
[System Prompt: You have received a direct attack from Rhine of Everhold Dominion. HP -14%.]
[System Prompt: You have been illegally attacked. You may engage in retaliatory PvP for the next 30 minutes with no penalty. All combat will be considered defensive.]
Kaito didn't budge. He looked up slowly, eyes sharpening.
"You just triggered the wrong event."
He turned to his team. "Don't hold back."
The battlefield was set.