The helmet hissed as it released its locks, disconnecting from Kaito's temples with a soft click. A chill settled against his skin as the immersion faded, and the familiar ceiling of his room slid into focus above him. The real world felt heavier now, like gravity had returned all at once.
His limbs were drained, his nerves fatigued—full-body sync always left a trace of exhaustion, even for him.
With slow, practiced steps, he stood up and moved toward the storage recess beside his chamber wall. A simple swipe brought the chilled panel open with a muted pulse of light.
Inside sat a single glass vial.
Colorless. Clear as crystal. And glowing ever so faintly from within.
Kaito's fingers closed around it as reverently as if handling a priceless artifact. He uncorked it with care and took a single sip.
Warmth surged through his core—clean, potent, invigorating. The fatigue in his muscles melted like frost before the sun. His pulse steadied. His breathing normalized. His thoughts became razor-sharp once more.
He exhaled slowly, holding the bottle at eye level.
Mythic Grade.
The highest-tier potion in existence—according to the records sealed within the ancient ruins his family had excavated.
This was no mere recovery item.
It was a relic.
A single sip each day was enough to replenish even the deepest strain on the body, provided it followed rigorous physical exertion. Unlike modern concoctions, there was no bitterness. No burn. No lingering aftertaste. Just clarity.
And the terrifying realization that the world had been deceived for generations.
The Ren family had long believed they were fortunate just to afford Grade B potions—far out of reach for average households. Even the wealthy elite struggled to access Grade A. But when they uncovered the alchemical manual from the ruins, the truth shook them to their core.
Grades A - D, it turned out, were never meant for human use at all.
They were residue byproduct left behind during failed attempts at synthesizing the higher grades designed for raising spirit beasts and poultry mostly—ingredients in ancient beast-taming regimens. As the impurities within them were a flaw that could play a major role in destroying a talented martial artists talent.
The company responsible for manufacturing every officially licensed potion on the market was known as Vireon Biotech. From Grade D to the highly coveted Grade S, they were the sole producers, holding exclusive patents and government-sanctioned rights across continents. Headquartered in the floating medical arcologies above the Global Core Sector, Vireon wasn't just rich—it was untouchable. Their influence extended far beyond medicine. They were one of the key collaborators in building the neural-integration cores for next-gen VR cabins. To the public, they were pioneers. To Kaito, they were gatekeepers—guarding diluted remnants of a forgotten legacy. But the manual made everything clear. And what his family found stored below those ruins—sealed in temperature-controlled cryo-capsules—proved it.
There were two grades above S:
EX-Grade — Essence Refined, almost no impurity
Mythic Grade — Absolute purity, perfectly stable
His grandfather had quietly divided the family's stock.
Kaito had been allotted 100 Mythic vials—enough to sustain him through both the real world's training and his future inside Glory. The EX-Grade would be diluted and discreetly distributed to loyal guards, stewards, and the 28 martial trainees the family had begun nurturing.
As for the S-Grade potions?
Kaito had asked his grandfather to store them away—for future studio members.
They would never know. He would simply provide them diluted versions, labeling them as "A-grade." That way, they'd feel privileged while still improving safely—without ever realizing they were only tasting the third rung of a forgotten hierarchy.
He took another sip of the Mythic potion and felt every cell in his body hum.
This was no shortcut.
This was reclaiming what the world had lost.
He sealed the vial and returned it to its padded chamber, the soft glow dimming as the fridge locked with a gentle hiss. He stared at it for a moment longer before turning away.
One sip. That was the limit.
Even the Mythic Grade potion had boundaries. At his current level, a second sip could cause severe internal backlash. Only cultivators at Rank 3 and above could withstand more than one per day. And to drink the entire vial in one go?
That was something only a Rank 7 martial artist could hope to endure.
With the restorative energy still circulating in his body, Kaito moved to the open space beside his bed and slipped into the first of the basic martial stances his third uncle had taught him days earlier. The positions were fundamental—anchoring posture, channelling balance, activating joint tension—but with the Mythic energy inside him, each pose resonated more deeply.
He adjusted his footing and focused on his breathing.
Inhale. Steady. Expand.
Exhale. Release. Control.
He followed the breathing rhythm described in the Skyshatter Eternity Manual, designed to gradually break open the body's dormant channels and forge them anew.
Every cycle made his limbs feel lighter. Stronger. More precise.
He stayed in motion for nearly twenty minutes, shifting between stances, letting the purified energy settle into his veins. No shortcuts. Just quiet progress.
Finally, a low rumble from his stomach reminded him that dinner was due.
He changed into a fresh tunic and headed toward the dining hall.
By the time Kaito reached the villa's dining hall, the table was already half full. His cousins were gathered on one side, casually chatting while swiping through their holo-tabs. Aika waved him over with a grin.
"You're finally back! How was it?" she asked, shifting her plate to make space beside her.
Kaito took a seat and poured himself a cup of soup before replying. "Not bad. The interface's smoother than I expected. Completely immersive—no lag, no calibration errors."
Daichi leaned forward, eyes gleaming. "Come on, tell us more! What did it look like? Was it like that old trailer?"
Kaito nodded slightly. "Better. Way better. Think hyper-real—weather effects, lighting, NPC reactions. Even the birds in the village react when you walk too fast. I started in Verdant Hollow. Lots of trees, a quiet river… decent questline for early-game farming."
Kaido snorted. "You started already and we're still here with nothing but training gear."
"I told you," Kaito said, chewing slowly. "Tomorrow I'll sort it out. Just wait a little longer."
One of his younger cousins chimed in, "Was there combat already? Did you fight anything?"
"A few monsters," Kaito said with a small smile. "Low-level stuff. It'll get better once you're all in."
They continued chatting through dinner, the atmosphere easy and light. Kaito didn't mention the hidden quest, or the honor points, or the Ravager.
No need to overwhelm them yet.
After clearing his plate, Kaito stood and nodded to the group. "Get some rest tonight. Once the gear's ready, we'll begin the real prep."
Aika gave him a curious look. "You're not staying up to plan builds again, are you?"
He just smiled and headed to his room.
The hallway lights dimmed behind him as his door slid shut. The silence was welcome.
Kaito collapsed onto his bed, staring at the ceiling, letting his thoughts settle. The events of the day blurred together—the hidden quest, the breakthrough, the perfect swing against the Ravager…
But his mind wasn't on gameplay now.
Tomorrow, things would move.
The public servers were about to explode with new traffic. And the news was scheduled to break at 9 a.m. sharp: over 2 billion active players within the first 24 hours.
The three companies Kaito had invested in—Sol-Tek, LumeCore, and Cryonix Constructs—will soar beyond projections. Their stock prices will explode by margins that would shake financial historians for decades to come.
Sol-Tek, backed by a series of exclusive alloy patents, will shoot up by 120-fold. LumeCore, which manufactured the nutrient circulation systems for immersive cabins, will surge by 90-fold. And Cryonix Constructs, the quietest of the trio, will stun everyone with a 110-fold leap after announcing a surprise partnership with a major VR chipset vendor.
By then Kaito would have sold his holdings and his original 10.8 million credits will transform into 1.02 billion.
This single move would give him everything he needed.
Funds to repay his second uncle and settle the factory's transfer. Enough to reimburse Mei Rin for her support and effort. Enough to fully outfit the Genesis Studio—cabins, helmets, training systems, long-term upgrades.
The rest could go into expansion. Investments for the family. A foundation for what came next.
He exhaled slowly and let the tension drain from his shoulders.
Everything was moving in place. Quietly. Efficiently.
And tomorrow, when the world looked toward the numbers on a screen, Kaito would already be ten steps ahead.
His eyes closed.
Sleep came easy.