When the world announcements flashed across the system, Kaito froze for a moment. Eternal Dawn, Iron Blood Brotherhood, Celestial Vanguard, Evernight Guild… They were the pillars of power in the Astralis region, guilds Genesis had once looked up to, guilds so far beyond his reach in his previous life that they might as well have existed in another world. And yet now, those very giants were lowering themselves to request information from him.
Before he could even sort through his feelings, his communicator pulsed. A system notification lit up.
[Incoming Group Call: Zephyr, Velena]
Kaito accepted, and two familiar voices filled the channel almost instantly.
"Brother Raen!" Zephyr's tone carried a mix of disbelief and admiration. "Congratulations on yet another monstrous feat!"
Velena followed close behind. "Congratulations, Raen. We just saw the announcement, unbelievable!"
Zephyr's words were betraying the thoughts rushing through his mind. When the earlier announcement about the hidden boss had appeared, he had assumed Raen must have stumbled across it deep inside the Misty Valley. Everyone believed that if a Level 15 dungeon existed, it had to be hidden there somewhere. Perhaps Raen had gone scouting like the rest, found the Yellow Weasel Demon, and brought it down. That much had been believable.
But this... this was different. The Misty Palace itself? Even the major guilds hadn't uncovered it yet. This wasn't like the elite or special elite information Raen had shared before. Zephyr was astonished, even unsettled, by the kind of channels Raen seemed to command.
Kaito listened calmly, understanding their shock. He had lived through a lifetime where knowledge like this had shattered guild hierarchies and redrawn entire regions. To Zephyr and Velena, such information wasn't just surprising, it was dangerous in its implications.
But he also knew the call wasn't about praise. Their words carried expectation, the unspoken weight of a request they weren't sure how to voice. He decided not to waste time circling around it.
"Don't worry," he said evenly, cutting through their hesitation. "I'll send you the directions to reach the dungeon entrance, along with a detailed guide for navigating the mist. You'll also get strategies for clearing the Normal, Elite and Hard level difficulties of the Misty Palace before I release anything publicly on the forums."
A silence followed, brief but telling. Then both voices exhaled at once, the weight of their concern lifting.
Zephyr's relief was plain, his gratitude almost tangible. He couldn't deny it, they had been hoping for this outcome all along. Ever since signing the contract with Raen, they had trusted in the foundation it gave them, believing it strong enough to lean on in moments like this. Still, hearing him commit so directly put their hearts at ease. Velena felt the same. She would never take such favors for granted, but knowing Raen would share his guidance with them before the wider world meant more than words could capture.
The call lingered for a moment longer, their relief and respect now unmistakable. For them, Raen was no longer just an ally. He was becoming a cornerstone, a figure whose actions had the power to shift the balance.
….
Kaito wasted no time. He first sent Zephyr and Velena the guides he had already prepared, the full walkthroughs for clearing the Normal, Elite and Hard level difficulties of the Misty Palace, along with a detailed set of instructions for navigating the Misty Illusion Formation within the valley.
In addition, he uploaded the Misty Valley guide directly to the forums. It included the crucial detail of using Lumina Sight Potions to cut through the mist. The price he set for the guide was a single copper coin nothing more than a token fee. For Kaito, this wasn't about profit; it was about ensuring the information spread to the widest audience possible.
Once that was done, he opened a private channel to his second uncle. He then notified him not to rush into selling the Lumina Sight Potions immediately. Instead, they would wait. Once the guilds entered the Misty Palace and encountered its oppressive mist firsthand, only then would they recognize the potion's true value. And when that happened, the price they could command would rise far above its current worth.
…
The moment the guide went live, the forums exploded. Comments flooded in faster than anyone could scroll.
Iron Fang: Great God Raen, I bow to you! Who else would share such priceless knowledge for just a single copper coin?
Silent Sparrow: Finally… finally I can walk into the Misty Valley without feeling like a blind chicken. Thank you, Brother Raen!
Frost Petal: My mother walked past me and asked why I was kneeling in front of the screen with my helmet on. I showed her the forum. She knelt beside me too… we are now a family of Raen believers.
Stone Lotus: Unbelievable! I thought this info would be locked behind thousands of gold or sold only to guilds. Raen is literally saving us casuals.
Shadow Pike: Great God Raen, please accept me as your disciple! This is knowledge worth kingdoms, yet you sell it for one copper…
Bright Thorn: Kneeling! Absolutely kneeling! Never thought I'd see the day when a player outshines the guilds this hard.
Silver Orchid: This guide is so clear that even my little sister could follow it. Great God Raen, you've earned our eternal respect.
Dark Ember: Heh. If he was really such a Great God, he'd have made it free. Why bother charging a copper? Greedy is greedy, no matter how small the price.
Cloud Stride: Shut up, the one above. One copper is nothing, it's a joke price. He clearly just wants everyone to be able to access it.
Azure Fang: Exactly. Without Raen, we'd still be wandering blind in the mist. Pay the damn copper and show some gratitude.
The thread spiraled, half the forum practically worshipping Raen, while a few sour voices tried to stir discontent. But the overwhelming majority were united in awe, never before had a player dismantled the unknown so swiftly and laid it bare for everyone else to follow.
….
Kaito smirked as he skimmed through the flood of forum comments, casually brushing aside the few complaints demanding he release the guide for free. His attention shifted back to the Misty Palace entrance, where his teammates had gathered. They were resting, drinking mana recovery potions and minor regeneration potions, waiting out the cooldown of the Lumina Sight Potion. Now that the cooldown had finally ended, Kaito rose without hesitation and strode toward the dungeon's entrance, after once again downing the lumina sight potion.
[Team Registered: Genesis Team]
Please select dungeon difficulty: [Normal] [Elite] [Hard] [Horror] [Nightmare] [King]
[Dungeon Difficulty Selected: King]
As Kaito confirmed the King-level difficulty, the palace entrance shuddered violently. A deep rumble rolled through the misty valley as the towering gates blazed with a dangerous black light. The radiance throbbed like a heartbeat, pressing heavily against their chests, a suffocating reminder of the peril that awaited within.
A crisp chime followed.
[System Notification – The Misty Palace: King Mode Selected]
You have chosen to enter The Misty Palace at King-level difficulty.
Warning: Death Penalty Increased by 100% upon death, item loss and durability decay will be doubled. Proceed with extreme caution.