Kaito didn't really care about the whispers or the looks that followed him when the fight ended. There were only a few hundred people here anyway. If he offended them, what did it matter? In his past life, every so-called great master had gathered not just fans, but thousands, even tens of thousands of haters. No matter what you did, there would always be people who disliked you. Some out of jealousy, some out of spite, and some simply because they needed someone to blame. Kaito had long learned not to waste time worrying about such things.
He disguised himself as a common player, keeping his name and aura plain, and walked straight out of the church. His feet took him to a familiar spot the bar. It was one of his regular resting places whenever he wanted to lie low yet stay connected to the flow of information. Tonight, however, the bar had a different purpose. He had called his father and his third uncle there, along with seven more people the very ones who had been part of his temporary raid team during the battle against the demon fanatic Elder Faelion.
By the time Kaito arrived, the group was already seated around a large wooden table. The atmosphere was warm, noisy, and filled with the scent of roasted meat and cheap liquor. His father and third uncle both had mugs of frothy beer in their hands, drinking casually with the other adults. Meanwhile, Kaito and the younger ones could only stare at them with envy. Being under sixteen, they weren't allowed to drink alcohol neither in the real world nor in the game.
Though his mind carried the maturity of an adult, his body was still only that of a sixteen-year-old. Rules were rules. Even if he wanted to, drinking in front of his elders would be seen as disrespectful. So he and the other youths contented themselves with non-alcoholic drinks, sipping them while listening to the elders' chatter.
After a round of laughter, Kaito's third uncle set down his mug and looked at him seriously.
"Kaito, your combat power inside the game really puts my old face to shame," he admitted. His voice carried no resentment, only genuine pride.
Kaito third uncle's thoughts slipped deeper. The fight against Elder Faelion was still fresh in his mind, every move of Kaito's sword etched there. Watching that battle, he finally understood why his nephew had kept insisting that Glory wasn't like any other virtual reality game.
At first, he had dismissed Kaito's words. He thought, "Stats are stats. Numbers decide everything. How can martial artists fight differently here when the system equalizes us?" Even after hearing Kaito's reasoning, he couldn't shake off the conditioned belief that martial arts skill in real life couldn't possibly translate into a digital battlefield, as he was not a noob but had also played and even dominated many virtual reality games when he was young.
But during the fight with the demon fanatic, that belief had been shattered. He had seen Kaito move in ways that no ordinary player could. The timing, the precision, the fluidity those weren't just in-game mechanics. Those were instincts honed through martial training, instincts that bled seamlessly into his swordplay.
On a whim, Kaito's third uncle had tried the same channeling his Rank 2 mid-grade martial senses into his gameplay. And immediately, he felt the difference. His control was sharper. His timing was cleaner. Every strike carried a precision he hadn't managed before. The realization had left him astonished.
"This is no ordinary game," he thought. "It's a true battlefield. A place where martial rank might really matter."
Hearing his younger brother's words, even Kaito's father nodded slowly. Pride shone in his eyes. He had long known that Kaito was admired by countless players in Glory, idolized by some, hated by others. But this was the first time he was seeing with his own eyes why that was so. It wasn't just reputation it was ability.
Kaito chuckled lightly, a bitter smile tugging at his lips. "Uncle, you're overthinking it," he said. "If it weren't for the status boosts granted by Viscount Elrick, how could I possibly have dealt such high damage? Especially against a boss several levels higher than us. Under normal circumstances, we wouldn't have even scratched him."
He shook his head and waved it off. "It was Viscount Elrick who carried that fight, not me."
He said it firmly, attributing the victory to the Viscount without hesitation. His possession of the Burst Skill Overlord's Rage had to remain hidden. That secret was one card he couldn't afford to reveal yet.
"Anyway," Kaito said, brushing away the matter. His expression shifted into a smile as he leaned forward. "Let's focus on what's important now the loot."
The others perked up immediately. Even his father's eyes sharpened with interest. Kaito reached into his inventory and, with a small flourish, laid out the spoils of battle on the table.
Nineteen items gleamed under the tavern's dim lights.
Of those, ten were skill books. Each one bore faint golden lettering across its cover. At a glance, it was clear they were tied to priest, paladin, and cleric professions. It made sense before Elder Faelion had fallen to darkness and embraced the Abyss, he had been a church elder. As an NPC, he had once given out quests and rewards to players. Now, all of those rewards had become loot dropped upon his death.
Beside the books lay six pieces of equipment. Most were unimpressive, but two were silver-grade, three were bronze-grade, and one more piece bore the faint shimmer of Gold quality. All were level 40 equipment far beyond what anyone here could use. At this stage of the game, they were little more than decorations, destined to sit in storage until their time came. Still, their future value couldn't be underestimated.
The remaining three items were special.
First was a heavy, black-iron token etched with abyssal runes, the Demon Fanatic Badge. This item could be exchanged at any major human power kingdom, empire, or dynasty for a large sum of reputation points and a generous experience reward. A prize valuable enough to raise someone's standing in the eyes of higher factions.
Second was a small glass bottle filled with swirling crimson liquid the Berserk Potion. Once consumed, it temporarily increased all attributes by 20% for five minutes. Its power was undeniable, but so was its rarity. Items like this were lifesavers in desperate moments, and everyone at the table understood its worth instantly.
Finally, there were two scrolls faintly glowing with a soft green light. Each one carried healing properties. They were first-level magic scrolls, capable of mending wounds in an instant. Not game-breaking, but in the right situation, they could mean the difference between life and death.
The group leaned in, eyes wide with anticipation.
"This…" one of them muttered, voice hushed with awe.
Kaito allowed himself a small smile as he surveyed the spread of items. "Not a bad haul," he said casually.
Kaito glanced over the spread of loot once more, then reached for the pile of skill books. There were ten in total, each tied to priest, paladin, or cleric professions. Most would be distributed later, but two in particular caught his attention. Both were cleric-based, yet stood out for their rarity at this stage of the game.
The first was a Chain Heal Spell a skill that allowed healing to jump across multiple allies at once. It was a cornerstone ability for any support team and invaluable for large-scale fights. The second was Radiant Smite an offensive spell, unusual for the cleric class. Most cleric abilities revolved around defense, buffs, or recovery, but this one channeled divine light into a concentrated strike and it might even be an advandate for aika who already had a Randiant Light Skill. Kaito smiled faintly as he examined the shimmering text on its cover. "An attack cleric skill, rare this early."
He set the two books aside carefully, already planning to let Aika learn them. The rest he left untouched. They could be sorted later.