After reaching the inner gym of the ancestral estate, Kaito quickly noticed that most of his cousins were still immersed in Glory. Their cabins glowed faintly, showing they were still connected inside the game. Only a handful were outside, either chatting excitedly in small groups or sipping on potions to recover their energy.
Kaito's eyes swept the room before settling on a row of bronze-grade gaming cabins positioned along the outer side of the cabins. Inside those cabins were Marcus, Elias, Calvin, and Lucas. Their choice of cabins ones placed closer to the edge of the hall rather than the center was proof of their eagerness to be among the first to enter the game when they had the chance.
He walked over to their section, one by one sending them a notification directly through the system. It was a simple call message, one that would reach them inside the game, informing them that someone wanted their attention outside.
Kaito didn't have to wait long. Within two minutes, the lids of the four bronze cabins slid open with a soft hiss. Marcus, Elias, Lucas, and Calvin stepped out, each looking at Kaito with puzzled expressions. Their eyes silently asked the same question, why had he called them out now?
Marcus was the first to speak, his tone slightly impatient. "Brother Kaito, what happened? Why did you call us out now? I was just about to fight the last boss of my novice village. After that, I would've been transferred directly to the town where Grandpa and the others are. Please, just tell me what you want quickly I need to go back inside."
The excitement on their faces was easy for Kaito to read. He understood their feelings completely. Glory's perfect realism made the game almost impossible to resist. Even he, in his previous life, had been the same. At that time, when he played Glory, the outside world had completely faded away. He would sometimes go hungry for an entire day just to stay connected and continue playing.
Back then, he hadn't relied on his family for financial support. He only had a basic virtual helmet, nothing as advanced as the cabins his cousins were now using. Compared to them, he had lived through much harsher conditions. The memory surfaced for a moment, pulling him back into his past, but Kaito quickly pushed it aside and returned to the present.
Looking at Marcus and the others, he said calmly, "Come with me for a while. I plan to go hunting on Grey Stone Mountain."
The four young men looked at each other. Their reluctance was plain, but in the end, they gave small nods of agreement. Every time Kaito visited the ancestral estate, a trip to Grey Stone Mountain seemed unavoidable. Hunting there had almost become a tradition.
Grey Stone Mountain stood closest to the ancestral estate. It was more than just a hunting ground it was considered the entry point for the estate's hunting teams whenever they entered the Endless Mountains. Whenever those teams set out for expeditions, they always passed through Grey Stone Mountain first.
Over the years, the mountain had almost become the estate's back garden. Every month or two, the hunting teams would cleanse it of dangerous beasts, ensuring no high-level monsters remained. After each cleansing, only rank 0 monsters were left behind. This was deliberate. The hunting team wanted the mountain to stay alive with low-level creatures while still remaining safe enough for training.
Through these repeated efforts, Grey Stone Mountain had been shaped into a controlled environment. It was lively but not dangerous, and its conditions made it perfect for the younger generation.
For the younger generation of the Ren family, hunting trips to Grey Stone Mountain were a part of their upbringing. The monsters that remained there were only slightly stronger than ordinary adults who had never trained in martial arts. For youths who had been practicing martial techniques since childhood, such monsters posed little threat. When they went as a group, defeating rank 0 beasts was an easy task. Even when facing them alone, escape was always possible.
Because of this, the elders of the family didn't stop the younger ones from visiting the mountain. In fact, they encouraged it. They didn't want their descendants to grow up as greenhouse young masters pampered, arrogant, but inexperienced. Facing the monsters of Grey Stone Mountain gave them much-needed practice.
Over time, the enthusiasm of the younger generation had also pushed the elders to become stricter in maintaining the mountain. Each cleansing was thorough, leaving behind only manageable monsters. As a result, encountering a beast above rank 0 on Grey Stone Mountain was nearly impossible. Unless one was terribly unlucky and a stronger creature from the Endless Mountains wandered in, there was no real danger.
For Kaito, however, this trip was more than just routine. He did not choose Grey Stone Mountain simply out of habit, but because he remembered something, an incident from his previous life. It was an incident that had severely damaged the ancestral estate's younger generation.
He still remembered clearly how devastated he had felt when he first received the news in his past life. Even though he only visited the ancestral estate occasionally, he treated his cousins there with utmost respect and sincerity. It was his way of reciprocating the warmth they always showed him, for they too treated him with genuine respect. That incident had left many of them injured or worse, and it had not only harmed the younger generation but also placed heavy losses on the elders of the estate.
Worse still, just after that tragedy, the call-up from the silver-ranked family had arrived, bringing one wave of trouble after another. The estate, already weakened, suffered yet another tragedy. In his heart, Kaito had decided that this time, he would not let history repeat itself. His choice to go hunting on Grey Stone Mountain was deliberate.
As Marcus, Elias, Calvin, and Lucas finally agreed to go, their reluctance gave way to quiet acceptance. To them, this was nothing more than a normal hunting trip, another chance to train and practice their martial arts together.
At this point, Elias spoke up. "Okay, brother Kaito, give me ten minutes. I'll go and freshen up."
Kaito gave a simple nod in response. Marcus and the others also added that they would change into their training clothes first, and then they would all meet him at the parking lot of the ancestral estate.
Hearing this, Kaito once again nodded and left them to prepare. He walked out of the gym and made his way toward the nearby parking lot.
The parking lot of the ancestral estate was large and well-organized. Here, all the vehicles belonging to the estate were parked, along with the RV and other cars that Kaito and others had brought with them. This facility wasn't just for parking, it was managed around the clock.
Ten personnel were assigned here as permanent drivers, always on standby, twenty-four hours a day. These drivers weren't outsiders; they were servants who had been trained within the ancestral estate itself. Just like the Ren family had trained their own family guards in Silver Crest City, the ancestral estate had also raised its own guards and servants from childhood. For most ranked powers, even unranked ones, this was the preferred method. Training loyal retainers from a young age was far better than hiring outsiders, unless absolutely necessary.
When Kaito reached the parking lot, he gave a direct order to one of the drivers. "Prepare an open-air hunting vehicle for us."
The driver gave a respectful nod and quickly moved to carry out the instruction. Soon, Kaito was taken to one of the estate's hunting jeep inside the parking lot.
This wasn't an ordinary vehicle. The open-air hunting jeep was a futuristic hover-jeep, one of the models specifically customized for the various hunting teams. Its sleek frame hovered a few inches above the ground, supported by silent repulsor drives. Reinforced plating ran along the sides, built to withstand harsh terrain and sudden monster attacks.
It came equipped with the latest tracking and navigation systems, advanced sensory scanners, and modular weapon mounts. Every piece of technology that could aid hunters had been integrated into its design. Inside the compartments, the jeep carried traps, portable barriers, and a range of modern tools suited for hunting expeditions.
More importantly, it had its own fully stocked medical kit. This was no ordinary kit it contained advanced treatment equipment and medicinal supplies that could even stabilize severe injuries on the spot. With it, hunters could be treated immediately, increasing their survival rate in the field.
This hover-jeep had been specially designed to meet every possible need of the various hunting teams. Whether it was transporting personnel, carrying resources, or responding to emergencies, it was ready for all situations.