The quiet village path ahead was bathed in the golden hue of early morning light. With steady steps, he walked past the stone fountain and rows of timber-framed houses, the sounds of NPC vendors slowly coming to life in the background. His destination stood tall at the far end—a familiar structure marked by its elevated wooden porch and traditional crimson banners fluttering gently in the breeze. The residence of Chief Halros.
As he reached the porch, the door creaked open before he could knock.
Chief Halros stood there, arms crossed, his stern gaze betraying a flicker of satisfaction. "I sensed the seal had broken," he said. "Come in."
Inside, the old wooden floor groaned underfoot as Kaito stepped into the familiar room.
Halros: "I could sense the shift in energy the moment Barkjaw fell. You've done well."
Kaito: "The task is complete, Chief. Here is the third fragment."
He stepped forward and opened his inventory, retrieving the shimmering shard. A faint pulse of light glowed from it as he handed it over.
Halros (nodding slowly as he took the fragment): "Indeed. This bears the mark of the old guardian. Not many have the courage, or the skill, to claim this."
Kaito (quietly): "I simply did what was needed."
Halros (chuckling): "A modest hero, I see. Glory welcomes warriors like you. Your journey in this village ends here, Kaito. You are now ready for the greater trials that await beyond."
The old chief extended a hand, and a light pulse shimmered outward from his palm. A translucent interface floated before Kaito's eyes:
[System Notification]
Advancement Task Completed!
Rewards:
• EXP Gained: 4000 → Stored in Advancement Pool
• Silver Coins x20
• Enhancement Stone (Silver-tier) x1
• Passive Skill Unlocked: Instinctive Awareness (Lv. 1)
(3% chance to auto-evade fatal damage every 30 minutes.)
Bonus Reward: Honor Points +20 (First Player from Verdant Hollow to Advance to Town)
Kaito's eyes lingered on the last line.
Chief Halros stepped back. "You've earned your path forward. When you're ready, place your hand upon the obelisk near the training grounds. It will open the way to the town."
"I understand."
"You may not realize it now," the chief said, his tone softer, "but the decisions you make from this point forward will shape more than just your story. They will shape the world's."
Kaito gave a small bow. "I'll remember that."
Without waiting for further ceremony, he turned and walked toward the village plaza, where the teleportation array awaited. Morning mist still clung to the fields, and distant footsteps echoed as other players milled about, unaware of the shift that had just occurred.
He approached the weathered stone obelisk that pulsed with a faint silver glow — the gateway to the next stage of his journey.
As Kaito pressed his palm against the glowing obelisk, a surge of energy rippled beneath his feet. In the blink of an eye, light swallowed his figure — and the next moment, he was gone.
[System Notification: You have reached a Town Zone – South Glade Town. Would you like to make your name public for the World Announcement?]
He tapped the interface.
[Display Player Name: Genesis Raen]
A pulse of golden light rose skyward.
[World Announcement: Player "Genesis Raen" has become the First Player to reach a Town Zone!]
Across the lands of Glory, players froze mid-motion.
In a clearing north of Embercliff Village, two duelists locked in a practice match stared at the announcement hovering above them.
"Genesis Raen again?! That fast?"
"We haven't even reached level 10 yet… Damn."
Meanwhile, in another zone, a group of armored players stood before a boss gate. Their guild banner—Obsidian Pact—fluttered in the breeze.
"He reached town already? We just triggered the boss dungeon."
"I told you, we should've rushed solo zones first."
The cloaked figure at the center chuckled. "He's setting a pace none of you can follow."
Back in South Glade, Kaito stepped forward, his expression unreadable.
The town was clean, tranquil. Merchant stalls sat unopened. Quest NPCs stood idly beneath the shade of crafted awnings. Birds chirped, and the ambient hum of early town music greeted his ears.
He knew this place well.
"Still as I remembered…" he murmured.
A few curious NPCs glanced his way as he moved past the gate, but no interactions triggered yet. He turned toward the central fountain and tapped his interface.
A call request came in.
Group Call Request – ScarletRin, EchoMist, ShiruBlade, StarFlare, VeliaMoon, Mei Rin
Kaito accepted, and their faces popped up across his panel.
"Brother Kaito!!" Meirin's voice came first, bright and eager. "You seriously reached town already?"
"You're insane, big bro," Daichi[ShiruBlade] added. "We just hit level 5 like ten minutes ago!"
Kaede[ScarletRin] asked "So what's it like there? Any shops open?"
Suzune[Starflare] gave a quiet nod. "Still waiting on your guidance."
Aika[VeliaMoon] grinned. "You're too fast. Seriously. I haven't even finished half the starter quests!"
Hiroto[EchoMist] "??"
Kaito chuckled, folding his arms.
"Enough chit chat. First, I need your current Novice Village names. Tell me one by one."
Each sibling quickly answered, listing their starting locations. Kaito input them into his mental map.
"Alright," he said. "Listen closely. I'll tell you exactly where to go in each area—zones where you can safely kite and pull monsters for fast EXP farming. Focus on clearing those before you get distracted by exploration. Got it?"
"Got it!" they chimed together.
"Also," Kaito added, "Once you hit level 10, give me a call. I'll walk you through how to beat your village boss more efficiently. No need to fumble like the others."
Aika raised a brow. "And after that, we can go to towns too, right?"
"Yes. But here's the catch." Kaito leaned forward. "After you finish your advancement task and meet the village chief—when they say they're transferring you—ask them politely to be sent to South Glade Town."
"Wait, we can choose that?" Marin asked.
"You can. But only if you're polite about it. The system won't prompt you. The NPCs in Glory aren't typical—they adapt."
Daichi whistled. "So we get to gather up in the same town?"
"If you do as I said, yes," Kaito confirmed. "Meirin—make sure your friends also follow the same process."
"Got it," she nodded. "I'll tell them."
After the call ended, Kaito glanced around Southglade. The place felt massive already—NPC guards walking formations, players spawning near the gates in growing numbers, market stalls being set up, and architecture built with a mix of steel and smooth stone, clearly futuristic but still grounded in fantasy aesthetics.
He headed toward the Town Square to register his presence and check for quests.
His mind ticked off everything he remembered:
1 Unique Quest from the monument in the center.
3 Unique Hidden Class Quests, all obscurely tied to certain NPC interactions or timed events.
A full batch of standard daily tasks like courier delivery, herb gathering, and wolf suppression.
South Glade Town was his for atleast 2-3 hours.