Kaito leaned back slightly, arms still folded as the murmur of the tavern floor ebbed beneath the warm glow of lanterns. Zephyr and Velena waited, both calm on the outside, but he could see it—the flicker of calculation behind their eyes, the curiosity thinly veiled by diplomacy.
He had expected this moment. In fact, he had prepared for it.
"So that's why you're here," he said, echoing his own thought aloud.
Their question hung in the air—quiet, simple, yet laced with consequence.
Do you have the strategy?
He hadn't forgotten the day he cleared the King difficulty run of Echoing Deep.
The victory hadn't been glorious. It had been exhausting. A storm of blades, a maze of corridors, the final chamber soaked in blood, fire, and system prompts that wouldn't stop flashing. But when it was over, when the EchoFlame Sovereign crumbled into ash and the rewards had poured in, Kaito had uploaded the guides for normal and elite levels.
He hadn't uploaded anything above.
Not Hard. Not Horror. Not Nightmare. Certainly not King.
He knew this day would come. He knew the higher difficulty levels would bait interest from every major guild, all drooling for shortcuts, ready to throw gold at strategy.
But gold was meaningless to him.
Gold was what everyone offered.
He wanted what only guilds could provide.
And now… they were here.
.....
Kaito's voice broke the silence, smooth and deliberate.
"Yes. I have the strategy. For Hard… and everything beyond."
Zephyr's brows rose a notch. Velena stayed silent, her eyes narrowing subtly.
Zephyr leaned forward, fingers steepled. "Alright. What do you want?"
Kaito didn't flinch.
"I'm not interested in gold."
Zephyr blinked. "Not even a little?"
Kaito shook his head.
"I want resources."
He paused, letting the silence frame his words.
"First—fire-infused ore. From Blackstone Ridge. As much as you can get your hands on."
Velena finally spoke. "You're a swordsman. Why would you need ore?"
Kaito's eyes flicked to her. "I'm more than that."
Zephyr gave a low whistle. "You're diving into life skills?"
Kaito nodded once.
"And I don't need scraps. I need high-quality ore—enough to refine alloys. You have logistics teams. You know how to gather."
Velena gave a slight nod, though her lips were pressed thin. "What else?"
"A herb," Kaito said. "Called Silverleaf Bellroot. It grows only on rain-bathed slopes east of the Twinrock Plains. Same I need as much as you can gather."
Zephyr frowned slightly. "Why do you need herbs."
Kaito gave a faint smirk. "I do potions too."
Velena exhaled. "Of course you do."
Kaito wasn't finished.
"Lastly—every life skill drop your guild receives during the first three dungeon runs. Recipes. Design scrolls. Crafting templates. I want them all."
The temperature at the table shifted.
Velena's fingers tightened around her crossed arms.
Zephyr didn't hide the frown this time. "That's a steep ask, Raen."
Kaito nodded. "It is."
Velena's voice was quiet but sharp. "That's bordering on guild infrastructure. You're asking us to give up our crafting future."
"No," Kaito said. "I'm asking you to trade it for something equal."
Neither replied.
He leaned forward slightly, voice low and even.
"The Hard tier will start breaking players. Horror will bury guilds. Nightmare? King? Only a handful in will even clear it in the next month, that too by using their members to find the way, I've already done it. I know what's waiting."
"If not for me you can only follow them, use your members to find the way for you."
Zephyr was silent.
Velena's silver gaze didn't blink.
"And what if we still refuse?" she asked.
"Then you go in blind," Kaito said. "And bleed for it."
No threat. Just fact.
Still, he saw the edge in their postures. Tension. Hesitation.
So he added softly,
"I'll guide you myself."
Zephyr raised a brow. "You'll guide?"
"One run," Kaito said. "You can choose the difficulty—Hard to King. I'll walk you through every mechanic, every pull, every boss phase. Live."
Velena looked away, lips tightening.
She didn't like needing help.
Neither did Zephyr.
But this was different.
Still, her voice came out cold.
"How do we know your strategy works?"
Kaito smiled faintly.
"Try it. Pay me after."
Silence.
For several long seconds, no one spoke. Only the low clatter from the tavern floor below filtered in.
Zephyr finally leaned back, exhaling.
"Alright."
Velena's nod was slower. Controlled. "We'll discuss it with our people."
Kaito rose to his feet.
"I'll be waiting."
The tavern door swung shut behind Kaito with a soft clunk, the sound muted by the bustle downstairs. For a long moment, neither Zephyr nor Velena moved.
A soft breeze stirred through the open window. The streets of South Glade beyond were beginning to calm, but the heat of the confrontation still lingered.
Zephyr leaned back and rubbed his jaw. "Well… he's not subtle."
Velena turned away from the window, her expression unreadable. "He's dangerous."
Zephyr's brow rose. "Because he beat Everhold?"
"No," she said softly. "Because he's making us need him."
They stood in silence for a moment longer.
Then Velena crossed her arms. "You believe his strategy works?"
Zephyr gave a small snort. "I believe anyone who can beat a King-tier dungeon knows what he's talking about."
Zephyr tilted his head. "You doubt it?"
She didn't answer.
Instead, she walked toward the window again, eyes scanning the square. "He wants fire ore, herbs, crafting designs. All non-gold. All permanent-value resources."
Zephyr followed her gaze.
"Kaito's not building for a temporary lead," Velena said. "He's playing the long game."
Zephyr grinned faintly. "Aren't we all?"
Velena finally turned, silver hair catching the lantern glow. "The difference is—he's already ahead of us."
...….
Downstairs, the tavern floor buzzed with light banter and low guild chatter. Muffled laughter mixed with the sound of clinking mugs and clattering equipment as Genesis members prepared for what lay ahead.
Raven Blade stood by the far wall, arms crossed, his eyes scanning the updated guild roster flickering across his interface. Recruits were gathered in clusters—checking weapons, trading stamina potions, and passing around repair talismans. They were no longer a ragtag group of newcomers. They looked ready.
Then the sound of footsteps on wood caught his attention.
Kaito descended the staircase, cloak trailing faintly behind him. His eyes swept over the room like a quiet command. Conversations slowed. Recruits straightened.
Raven Blade took a step forward. "Boss?"
Kaito gave a single nod.
"It's time to move."
He looked over the room, then gestured toward the main cluster of recruits.
"You'll be dividing into teams of ten. Each team will have a captain—someone who's already been through the Echoing Deep dungeon at least once."
He glanced toward Meirin, Aika, Daichi, Hiroto, Kaede, Suzune, and the others who had accompanied him through battle and fire.
"You'll be leading them."
The core team nodded, stepping forward.
Kaito approached them directly and lowered his voice.
"I've already sent each of you the Hard-tier strategy guide for Echoing Deep. Review it quickly. Make sure they follow it step by step. Take them through it personally."
Meirin nodded crisply. "Understood."
Aika tilted her head. "What about Everhold? From the looks of it, they might be waiting for us just outside the town."
Kaito's gaze darkened for a moment, then steadied.
"Don't worry about them. I'll handle it."
He gave a faint smile.
"You leave on my signal."
Aika exchanged glances with Daichi and Kaede. They all nodded.
But Kaito's mind was already moving ahead.
He couldn't afford a full-scale war with Everhold right now. Not yet. Not until his team was fully equipped… until everyone had completed their class advancements… until they were strong enough to hold the field without fear.
He turned back to the gathered 41 recruits watching in anticipation.
"Until then," he said, "I want all of you to focus on your advancement quests. Your level, your gear, your class—upgrade everything."
Raven Blade raised a brow. "What about the Hidden classes?"
Kaito gave a small smirk.
"Yes. In fact... Raven Blade. Nina. I've sent you both detailed guides for acquiring known hidden jobs. Use them."
A few of the nearby recruits leaned in, listening with growing interest.
"Those who want a hidden class," Kaito continued, "go to them for advice. They'll show you how to trigger the questlines. But move fast—these jobs are limited. Once a hundred players get them, they're locked out permanently."
That got their attention.
Several recruits exchanged excited whispers.
Once the briefing ended, he moved to the far table in the corner where a handful of storage crystals lay. His inventory was full. Overflowing, even.
Time to organize what I gained from the treasure hunt.
He activated the interface and began sorting the materials: ores, potion ingredients, blueprint fragments, enchanted scrolls, and dozens of high-quality monster drops. His eyes flicked over each tag, mentally categorizing them by use: forging, alchemy, auction resale, dungeon prep.