Kaito stepped into his private chamber, the hum of the Genesis Dome's systems a steady pulse beneath his feet. The platinum-grade cabin awaited at the center, its panel softly illuminated, interface idle and ready.
He closed the door behind him.
The interior lighting dimmed automatically, setting a calm, blue hue across the room. His AI assistant chimed in.
"Nutritional calibration complete. Next Mythic dose in 23 hours, 51 minutes."
He nodded, settled into the plush reclining seat of the cabin, and allowed the biometric scan to pass. As the visor slid down over his eyes, he whispered the login phrase:
"Enter Glory."
His body relaxed.
The world around him shattered into motes of white light.
Then—darkness.
A brief pause.
And then, light again.
He reappeared beneath the towering tree in Verdant Hollow—the same one he had sat under before logging out. The dawn sun now bathed the village in warmth, and the fog from the night before had long lifted.
His character panel materialized briefly:
[Character Panel – Raen]
Level: 10
EXP: 0 / 8000
Class: Swordsman
Title: Commoner
Honor: 10
Gold: 10,006
Silver: 110
Unassigned Attribute Points: 18
Equipment: Obsidian Fang Blade (Bronze)
He brought up his stat interface and glanced at the remaining unassigned points.
"Let's fix this first."
With measured precision, he distributed the 18 attribute points:
+6 to Strength+6 to Agility+4 to Vitality+2 to Endurance
His updated panel shimmered.
[Updated Attributes]
Strength: 16
Agility: 17
Vitality: 12
Endurance: 9
Intelligence: 4
Health: 240
Attack: 48
Defense: 14
The moment the points locked in, he felt the change. His stance felt lighter. His grip firmer. His steps carried more confidence.
He didn't waste time.
Opening his inventory, he double-checked the quest prompt:
[Quest: Test of the Village Guardian]
– Collect three Advancement Scroll Fragments
(2/3 Collected)
He narrowed his eyes.
Time to finish it.
But first, he made his way to the local forge to sharpen his Obsidian Fang Blade. A few minutes of polish, and the sword was gleaming—ready for the battle ahead.
Kaito passed through the eastern gate of the village, nodding at a few NPC guards. The route was clear—he remembered it perfectly. A forested ridge to the north-east of Verdant Hollow. That's where Barkjaw had nested.
Ten minutes later, he stepped into the dense glade—thick with moss, broken roots, and silence. The wind was still. Too still.
A warning panel flashed:
[Entering Guardian's Grove]
Caution: Boss Presence Detected
Kaito slowed his pace.
Then—a roar.
Not the guttural fury of a wild beast, but something sharper. Something intelligent.
The clearing ahead exploded as Barkjaw stepped into view.
The Silver-class guardian looked nothing like a man now. Plates of silver bone armor had fused with sinew. Hollow eyes glowed red behind a jagged metal helm. He carried no weapon—only his clawed gauntlets, pulsing with residual energy.
[Barkjaw – Silver-Class | Level 10 | Boss Unit]
HP: 18,000
Attack: High
Defense: Very High
Special Trait: Relic Corruption – Grants Resistance to Status Effects
Kaito drew the Obsidian Fang Blade.
The boss didn't wait.
With a snarl, Barkjaw charged, covering the gap in seconds. His clawed strike came in a flash—but Kaito twisted, letting it graze past his shoulder.
[Evade Successful]
Kaito countered instantly.
[Strike – 42]
[Critical – 68]
But Barkjaw's hide deflected most of the blow.
[Effective Damage: 28]
The real fight had begun.
And it would push him further than anything yet.
The boss's second swipe came faster, arcing low from the side. Kaito parried with the flat of his blade, but the sheer force behind Barkjaw's claw sent him sliding backward across the mossy ground.
[System Alert: HP -37]
He grimaced. His defense stats helped—but not enough to fully absorb a Silver-class monster's power.
"His damage output is insane…" Kaito muttered, backing into position.
Barkjaw didn't pause. The guardian launched again, closing the distance like a predator, claws flashing in the light that filtered through the canopy. Kaito ducked one strike, barely dodged another, and retaliated with a swift diagonal slash.
[Obsidian Fang – Slash]
[Weak Point Hit – 55 Damage]
Still not enough.
Barkjaw's hide pulsed with a natural armor, absorbing most attacks like blunt wind.
[Effective Damage: 22]
Kaito circled, eyes narrowing.
"Silver-class monsters… they're born to resist frontal assault. I need to chip away at his weak spots."
A brief opening appeared—Barkjaw lunged, overextending one strike. Kaito slid under the boss's arm and drove his blade upward into the side of Barkjaw's abdomen.
[Critical Strike – 78 Damage]
[Bleed inflicted for 6s]
"Good," Kaito muttered, stepping back.
But Barkjaw roared and spun, his claw catching Kaito across the ribs.
[System Alert: HP -92 | Bleeding 5s]
Blood spattered the ground.
Kaito stumbled, breathing hard. His health was down to nearly half. The difference between levels had narrowed—but Barkjaw's class still gave him the edge.
"I can't let this drag out. I'll die if I get hit like that again."
He activated the sprint burst, zig-zagging behind the boss. Barkjaw tried to turn, but Kaito slipped past his massive shoulders and slashed his Achilles tendon.
[Crippling Slash – Movement Speed -20%]
The boss faltered.
This was his chance.
Kaito drew in a breath—steady, focused—channeling every strike with calm precision.
One slash to the side.
Another toward the upper thigh.
Then a reverse parry that left Barkjaw's right arm limp and oozing shadowy blood.
The system chimed.
[HP: Barkjaw – 11,270 / 18,000]
"Still too much," Kaito hissed.
Suddenly, Barkjaw howled—then slammed both claws into the earth. A pulse of silver-black energy exploded outward in a radius.
[Skill Activated: Corrupted Pulse]
Kaito was thrown back like a ragdoll.
[System Alert: HP -117 | Status: Dazed for 2s]
The ground spun.
But training took over.
The moment the daze wore off, he forced himself upright, chugged a low-grade potion from his belt, and re-entered the fray. Not ideal—but enough to steady his breath.
"You don't get to win. Not this time," Kaito growled.
He flicked his wrist. The Obsidian Fang shimmered darkly.
With every opening, he now struck with surgical precision. Legs. Joints. Exposed patches between plates. Each movement was calculated—not just attacking, but surviving.
[Bleed Reapplied – 5s]
[Dodge]
[Slash – 39]
[Counterstrike – 44]
Minutes passed like hours.
Finally—Barkjaw roared one last time. His claw dropped, breath ragged. Kaito launched himself upward—both hands on his blade—and plunged it deep into the boss's throat.
[Critical Hit – 130 Damage]
[Finisher Triggered]
Barkjaw's red eyes faded.
The towering frame collapsed into a heap of glowing ash.
Silence.
Then the system rang out.
[Boss Defeated – Barkjaw the Guardian]
EXP Gained: 5,400
Gold Acquired: 3,000
Item Drop: Advancement Scroll Fragment (3/3)
Item Drop: Silver-Tier Gauntlet Core (Unidentified)
Item Drop: Silver Monster Fang (Crafting Material)
Item Drop: Silver-Tier Sword – "Whisperfang Blade"
Item Drop: Barkjaw's Hide (Silver Tier – Armor Material)
Item Drop: Minor Regeneration Potion Recipe
Item Drop: Skill Tome – Howl of the Guardian (Beast-type Exclusive)
Item Drop: Enhancement Gem : Swiftstride (+3% Agility)
Kaito stood motionless for a moment as Barkjaw's shattered body faded into particles of light, leaving behind a generous collection of loot scattered in the dirt.
"This is what a Village Boss should drop," he murmured, surveying the rewards.
His eyes locked on the final Scroll Fragment, now the third and final piece. Quest progress updated instantly.
[System Notice]
You have acquired all three Advancement Scroll Fragments.
Please report to Village Chief Harlos to proceed with your Advancement to Town.
[System Prompt]
Would you like to announce your player name publicly?
Remain AnonymousDisplay Name (Enter Manually)
Kaito narrowed his eyes and typed without hesitation:
Genesis Raen
Just then, a bright golden alert blazed across every player's interface in Glory.
WORLD ANNOUNCEMENT]
The First Village Boss Has Been Defeated!
Player: Genesis Raen
Boss: Barkjaw the Guardian (Silver-Class)
Location: Verdant Hollow
Meirin blinked as the bright announcement scrolled across her screen.
"Genesis Raen…?"
Her friends paused what they were doing and leaned in.
"That's his studio name!" Ayu said quickly.
"And Raen is definitely Kaito's character. So that's him!" Shiori grinned.
"He already cleared the village boss?" Nozomi asked, stunned.
Meirin nodded with a small smile.
"Of course he did. That's Kaito for you."
Meanwhile, in the wilderness, Kaito glanced at the message and gave a short nod.
"This should help spread the studio's name. Recruiting top players later will be much easier."
He turned back toward Verdant Hollow and began jogging down the forest path.
On his way, he passed several players along the road—some still hunting, others just arriving. One by one, they turned to look at him.
Some offered quick nods or awkward waves. Others simply stared. A few whispered behind their hands.
Admiration. Envy. Jealousy.
Kaito ignored them all, calmly continuing toward the village gates.
As Kaito neared the village outskirts, a group of players stepped into the path ahead. Their armor shimmered with customized insignias—white-and-blue patterns shaped into a stylized phoenix crest.
He recognized it instantly.
Guild Name: Everhold Dominion
One of the three major guilds operated under the Orion Syndicate, the very Conglomerate that destroyed his studio and family in his past life.
A sharp current of anger pulsed through him, but he suppressed it.
"So the roaches are already here," he muttered, eyes narrowing slightly.
The one in front was a tall player named Rhine. In Kaito's last life, Rhine had been a loudmouth in the forums—a mid-level officer of the guild who often paraded around with a sense of entitlement. Today, that hadn't changed.
Rhine smirked as he approached.
"Hey, you. Genesis Raen, right?" He gave a slow clap. "Nice performance. You're the first player to clear a village boss. The big guys liked what they saw."
Kaito remained silent.
"You interested in joining us? Everhold Dominion is already working with some of the best players. Join us, and you'll be at the top. We don't take no for an answer."
A few of Rhine's companions laughed behind him. One of them muttered,
"Bet he just got lucky. Timing and terrain, that's all."
Kaito's gaze turned cold. His fingers twitched, ready to draw his sword. But he didn't.
He remembered: the Novice Village's PvP protection system was still active. No real losses could be inflicted yet. Even if he wiped them out here, it'd mean nothing.
"Not now," he thought, stepping past them without a word.
Rhine's voice followed him.
"Tch. Arrogant fool. Whatever. He's not worth it."
Another lackey snorted.
"Let him enjoy the spotlight. One stroke of luck doesn't make him strong."
Kaito's pace didn't slow. Even as mocking voices echoed behind him, he moved forward without glancing back, leaving Everhold Dominion's members in the dust.
We'll meet again… somewhere without restrictions. And when that time comes—
You'll see the difference between luck and skill.
The moment he stepped over the threshold of the Novice Village boundary, a soft chime echoed in his ears.
[Friend Requests: 37]
He was about to decline them all with a single swipe, but five names at the top made him pause:
ScarletRin
EchoMist
ShiruBlade
StarFlare
VeliaMoon
He smiled faintly.
Still using the same names as before… I didn't think I'd feel this warm seeing them again.
Without hesitation, he accepted all five.
Moments later, a message window opened from VeliaMoon — Aika.
"Brother! How did you know it was us? We didn't even use our real names!"
"Instinct," he replied with a calm smile.
Almost instantly, another flood of messages followed.
ShiruBlade:
"Brother! Was that really you who defeated the boss just now?! That announcement—was that you?!"
ScarletRin:
"Incredible! You didn't say anything about going after the boss!"
EchoMist:
"Please teach us! That fight must have been so hard!"
VeliaMoon:
"You've already reached Level 10… we're still at Level 6 and 7…"
Kaito smiled as he walked toward the center of the village.
"Don't worry," he replied. "You'll catch up soon. I'll help you get there."
Even though their appearances were different in the game, their personalities shone through. Their words, their tone—it all brought back memories, and reminded him why he was doing all of this.
Just then, another message arrived on his system overlay.
[Village Chief Harlos]:
"Welcome back, brave one. When you are ready, come speak with me."
Kaito narrowed his eyes, stepping onto the stone path leading toward Harlos's residence.