Zephyr let out a laugh and nodded, while Velena also smiled at his words. Though Zephyr's earlier mood had been heavy, just this short conversation with Kaito had eased it somewhat. Velena, too, seemed more relaxed. Whatever serious matters they had in their minds earlier were pushed aside for now.
Kaito decided not to waste too much time. "Alright," he said, his tone becoming firm. "I'll chat with you both again after I finish my business here. But before that, the reason I called was because I need some gold coins."
The moment those words left his mouth, both Zephyr and Velena nodded without any hesitation.
"How much do you need, Brother Raen?" Velena asked directly.
Kaito didn't beat around the bush. "Five thousand from each of you," he said. "I'll return it as soon as possible."
When they heard that he only needed 5,000 gold coins each, both Zephyr and Velena nodded quickly. Their expressions eased at the same time, and inwardly they both breathed a sigh of relief.
If Kaito had asked them for all their liquidity, they would still have given it to him without hesitation, but in truth they would have been left feeling heavy and resentful. The game was still in its early stages, and funds were the most important thing for any guild or team. Whether it was Storm Life, Crimson Rose, or even a small adventuring party, everyone needed a large amount of funds to cover daily operations, gear, and training. The lack of funds could cripple even the strongest group.
That was why they felt relieved when Kaito asked for only a modest amount. Five thousand each was still significant, but it wouldn't cripple their own growth.
These were exactly the thoughts Kaito had in mind. He did need the funds urgently, but he wasn't the type of person to drag his friends down just to serve his own plans. He wasn't so low as to strip them of everything they had. Even if Zephyr and Velena refused him, he still had other ways to raise the gold. It would just take more time, and right now, time was the one thing he didn't have.
So, seeing them nod so readily, Kaito felt satisfied.
They chatted a little more casually, and then Kaito remembered something. "Ah also, before I forget," he said, "I'll be posting the Horror and Nightmare level guides for the Misty Palace dungeon on the forums. As for the King-level guide, I'll first send it to you both privately. After about an hour, I'll put it up on the forums as well."
Zephyr and Velena exchanged a quick glance before nodding again. They didn't say anything to oppose him, though deep inside they did feel a little reluctant. These guides were valuable especially at this stage when no one else in the game had them. But they knew very well that the guides were Kaito's property. What he chose to do with them was his decision alone.
And now that he had asked them for funds, they could also tell that this move posting the guides was another way he was securing the gold he needed.
In the end, they didn't question him. They simply nodded. Although a bit reluctant, they knew they had already benefited greatly from his guides. And since Kaito was going to give them the King-level guide, the Horror and Nightmare versions didn't matter much anymore. They had already seen the advantages of a King-level guide in the Echoing Deep dungeon, so their focus now was clear, make full use of the King-level guide for the Misty Palace and clear it as many times as possible before Kaito uploaded it to the forum.
"Alright," Kaito said once more, looking directly at Zephyr on the interface. His expression turned serious. "As for your matter, we'll discuss it as soon as we meet."
Zephyr froze for a second, then slowly nodded. He could tell that Kaito hadn't forgotten about him. Hearing that, some of the worry in his chest eased. He had been carrying the weight of disappointment and uncertainty since learning that he wasn't going to be given the president position, but knowing that Kaito had his situation in mind somewhat reassured him.
Kaito himself wanted to meet Zephyr in reality to finalize everything and bring him into Genesis properly. But at this moment, he was still in the ancestral estate. He wouldn't even be able to leave for Silvercrest City, let alone meet Zephyr in person. The only place they could meet right now was inside the game. That would have to be enough for now.
The three of them chatted for a little while longer, but soon Kaito ended the call. "I need to finish some work here," he said. "We'll talk again soon."
With that, the communication ended, and the interface faded back into silence.
With the call ended, Kaito leaned back for a moment when a new system prompt appeared before him.
[Mailbox: You have received mail from Zephyr.]
[Mailbox: You have received mail from Velena.]
Opening them, he saw that each had sent him exactly what he had requested 5,000 gold coins apiece. Without any hesitation, he instantly retrieved the funds and added them to his inventory. His total balance updated at once.
[Gold Coins: 89,474]
Seeing the number rise so high, Kaito's eyes flashed with a faint satisfaction. This amount was more than enough to secure the lands he had already decided on. But as his gaze lingered on the figure, another thought crossed his mind.
Not only did he want to purchase the prime commercial lands he had originally targeted, but he also wanted to acquire some plots in the northern region of Astralis City. These would not be for business or profit, but for other uses later as non-commercial land that could still hold long-term value. With this amount in his inventory, he finally had the confidence to push forward with both plans.
After sorting his thoughts, he didn't rush immediately to the land office. Instead, he followed through on what he had told Zephyr and Velena. Opening the forums, he quickly prepared the dungeon guides he had finished earlier.
As he had told them, he directly uploaded the Horror-level and Nightmare-level guides for the Misty Palace dungeon. But this time, he set the prices much higher than before. When he had released the Echoing Deep guides, he had kept the cost relatively low. Now, with the demand for higher-level content surging, he doubled the price.
[Horror-Level Guide for the Misty Palace – 20 gold coins]
[Nightmare-Level Guide for the Misty Palace – 100 gold coins]
The moment the guides were posted, the response was explosive.
Barely a minute had passed before Kaito's interface was flooded with constant system prompts.
[Your Horror-Level Guide for the Misty Palace has been purchased.]
[Your Nightmare-Level Guide for the Misty Palace has been purchased.]
[Your Horror-Level Guide for the Misty Palace has been purchased.]
The notifications came so rapidly that they became a distraction. With a small shake of his head, Kaito muted the sales alerts, just as he had done before. When he opened his inventory again, he saw the results.
In less than a minute, his gold coins had surged by another 10,000. And the numbers were still climbing, soon reaching 100,000 and were still increasing.
[Gold Coins: 104,780]
Kaito allowed himself a small smile. The price increase hadn't slowed down the sales at all. If anything, it only reinforced his earlier judgment. Players weren't hesitating. They were buying his guides the moment they saw them listed.
Of course, there was a reason for this. Right now, the majority of players were sprinting toward level 20. Their goal was the same, to reach Astralis City as soon as possible. And the most efficient leveling ground on the way was definitely the Misty Palace dungeon.
And many of those players had already used Kaito's earlier guides for the normal, elite, and hard modes. They had seen firsthand how effective these guides were, how much time and effort they saved. Because of that, when they spotted Kaito's guide on the forum again, they didn't even think twice before buying.
Those who had already cleared the lower difficulties were starving for the next step. They had tasted victory, and now they wanted more. To them, Kaito's guides weren't just helpful they were the fastest path forward.
When Kaito casually opened the forum to check the comments, his smile widened a little. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive.
Players were praising the guides, talking about how easy it made their clears. Many were even calling his strategies revolutionary. And, as he expected, a large number of players were already asking some even begging for the King-level guide.
Nodding in satisfaction, Kaito closed the interface. Everything was going according to his plan. His funds were rising rapidly, and his reputation in the game was only growing stronger with each guide released.
With that settled, Kaito stood up from his seat. He didn't waste any more time and began making his way toward Vice City Lord Romund's office.