Location: Lurenhart Guild Hall – Morning, Day 22 in Atheria
The festive mood still lingered from the Spring Moon Festival. The streets were slow to wake, filled with the gentle clatter of morning stalls and the scent of toasted almond bread.
Jiwoo and his team returned to the Adventurer Guild for what they assumed would be another basic mission. But something unexpected awaited them.
At the front desk stood not just the usual receptionist, Alia—but also a tall, white-robed official with an insignia shaped like a spiraling sky rune.
"I am Envoy Haren, of the Skyway Archive," the man announced, his voice calm but firm. "A floating landmass—Isle of Aethermar—has appeared. It surfaces only once every century."
Mirae's eyes widened. "That's a myth, isn't it?"
"It was," Haren replied. "Until three hours ago."
---
The Mission: Reach the Floating Isle
The envoy explained that Aethermar was a legendary relic—a floating island powered by fragments of the original sky-core, the ancient energy that kept Atheria's skies balanced after the Sunder Era.
Recently, it had been spotted above a rift valley just west of Lurenhart.
"But only those with sky-path resonance may approach," Haren said gravely. "And that's… where you come in."
He placed a pale shard of crystal onto the desk.
It glowed the moment Jiwoo touched it.
> [Sky-Core Resonance Confirmed]
[System: Wealth Signature Match – 999 Centillion Gold Units Detected]
Everyone paused.
Even Haren stepped back. "Impossible…"
Jiwoo's system window opened silently before his eyes:
> [System Unlock – Phase II Activated]
[The 999 Centillion Gold Coins are not just currency.]
[They are anchors. Keys to Aetheria's ancient economic leyline.]
[Wealth = Authority. Access Granted: Sky-Code Command]
Jiwoo's mind stirred.
He wasn't just rich.
He was the owner of something forgotten.
Something far more dangerous than power.
---
Private Discussion
Back at their inn, the group gathered in Jiwoo's room. Noeun cast a silence barrier while Yoori warded the windows.
Baek leaned forward. "Okay. Talk to me. Did the system just say your money is tied to the planet's… magic?"
"Not exactly magic," Jiwoo said quietly. "The economy. The original leyline grid. It's not just about buying food or land."
Mirae's voice was low. "It's about access. To places, to tools… even to control over forgotten relics."
Eunsol frowned. "Then this floating island…"
"Could be a bank vault," Jihye said, her eyes narrowing. "Or a system node."
Jiwoo looked down at his wrist, where his silver charm bracelet had subtly changed. One of the charms now glowed—shaped like a tiny floating island.
---
The Journey Begins
They prepared lightly: no flashy weapons, no glowing capes—just cloaks, gear, and food for three days.
Guild permission was granted immediately, especially after the envoy insisted they were "essential personnel."
A small sky-boat awaited them at the cliffside launchpad west of the city. Unlike airships, sky-boats hovered on mana channels, requiring resonance to navigate.
The moment Jiwoo stepped aboard, the boat rose without command.
The pilot gasped. "It's flying… by itself?!"
Jiwoo nodded. "We'll take it from here."
And with a soft hum, the boat soared upward into the misted sky.
---
Arrival at Aethermar
The floating island was more fortress than landmass.
Black-silver trees spiraled like sculptures. Floating walkways shimmered with runes. Massive gates, untouched for eons, stood locked in place.
The boat docked soundlessly.
Jiwoo stepped forward and raised a hand.
> [System Authorization: Gold Key – Validated]
The gates opened.
Not with force—but recognition.
Inside was a circular platform.
In its center, a throne made of coin-shaped gears floated in stasis.
Mirae whispered, "This place… it's not a ruin."
Baek finished the thought: "It's a control center."
---
The Console of Wealth
Jiwoo sat on the gear-throne.
A holographic console appeared in front of him—ancient text translating automatically.
> Welcome, Sovereign of the Centillion Reserve.
Current Balance: 999,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 GOLD
Global Wealth Flow: Inactive
Would you like to initialize passive income streams across Atheria?
Jiwoo blinked.
"...I have passive income options?"
"Yes," the system replied. "You own 100% of all untouched resource banks tied to forgotten economic circuits."
Eunsol burst out laughing. "He's not just rich—he's pre-historically rich."
Jihye stared. "No wonder no one's allowed to win against him."
Jiwoo didn't activate anything.
Not yet.
He wasn't ready to alter the world's economy.
> For now, he just needed to understand it.
---
Final Scene – A Piece of the Puzzle
Before they left, a small panel opened on the floor.
Inside it?
A second glowing charm—identical to the one on Jiwoo's wrist.
This one bore the image of a spiral sun with eight dots around it.
Jiwoo picked it up.
> [One of Nine System Keys Acquired – Sky Sector Unlocked]
> 8 Remaining.
No alarms. No threat.
Just a growing sense that his fortune was not accidental.
It was placed.
Like a chain of safes waiting for him across Atheria.