My new fic is out, I am the worlds Greatest Entertainer! Read it if your free...also today you get 2 chapters, for hitting the powerstone goal last week.
Power Stone Goals from now on: I always post a minimum of 5 chapters. Henceforth the following are the goals:
Every 150 powerstones, I upload an extra chapter.
If we hit top 30 in the 30-90 days power stone rankings, thats 1 more chapter
If we hit top 10 in the 30-90 days power stone rankings, thats 1 more chapter
If we are top 5...well lets get to that first. Happy readings!
Chapter 72: Meeting
"So... eventually all of us will have access to 'this'?" Kaiser asked, his eyes still fixed on the lingering sensation in his palm.
I nodded and slowly pulled my hand back.
He stared at his fingers for a moment longer, flexing them experimentally.
"Is that... 'that' being's energy?" he asked, clearly referring to Matatabi.
"Yeah," I confirmed with another nod.
"Wow... so you actually have access to this?"
"Yeah. It happened immediately after the transfer," I replied calmly.
He leaned back, eyes wide but thoughtful. "If the top players knew about this..."
He didn't even need to finish the sentence.
If the top players knew that tailed beasts could influence the real world, they'd lose their minds. Panic, power grabs, chaos. The Federation would probably start tracking Jinchuriki directly.
"What's our plan?" Kaiser asked.
I hesitated. The question was too big to answer with a single idea. But eventually, I spoke.
"We obviously need a player base. I know all of you inside of the Leaf are already busy with that... but I think we need to move in the open as well."
He motioned with his hand, signaling for me to go on.
"Last time, you mentioned we already had a player base somewhere else and a Vice-Guildmaster. Where are they situated in the game?"
I paused, letting my thoughts catch up. I did say that, didn't I?
Well, as far as he knew, my in-game character was currently moving toward the Mist. And that wasn't a total lie either.
It was public knowledge that I was well-versed in Water Style.
So for now, letting him continue that assumption wasn't the worst idea—especially since my soon-to-be-adopted new identity would revolve around Fire Style.
"He's in the Land of Iron. Currently going through a mission for me," I said.
Kaiser nodded slowly.
"As of right now," I continued, "we can't compare to the major guilds in terms of quantity. But we can fight them in quality... and I want to promote you, of sorts."
That caught his attention. His lips curled into a slight smile.
"You will act as the Leader of my Hidden Leaf branch of the faction. You answer only to the Vice-Guildmasters and me."
Kaiser raised an eyebrow. "There's multiple Vice-Guildmasters?"
I didn't say anything. Just took a sip of my coffee.
Man... how the hell did Klein pull off being Mr. Fool?
"I want you to recruit Ryuko Nakamura and Mio Suzuki," I said.
"Sora-sensei's disciples? Sure. Ayumi mentioned you vetting them or something. Have you finished that?"
"Not really. So I want you to take care of that as well. Make sure they're loyal."
Kaiser nodded again, this time more seriously.
This was how it had to be.
"Also... I need to know. How rich are you?" I asked.
"I have a substantial amount of ryu in-game, but how do I pass it to you? You're all the way in the Mist, right? By the way, we've all arrived in the Mist already and are looking for you."
I shook my head. "I know that already, but that's not what I meant. I mean—how rich are you in the real world?"
Kaiser looked a little embarrassed, glancing away.
"I'm... comfortable."
I deadpanned and tilted my head toward the two bodyguards.
He sighed and muttered, "My father is the Mayor of Sprouts Heaven."
I audibly gasped.
The Mayor. That was huge.
Out of the 25 major Human Settlements left on Earth—excluding the Federation's central HQ—Sprouts Heaven was easily a top five city.
And Mayors? They received direct tax revenue from their people. The Federation mandated a minimum of 25% of yearly revenue, but Mayors could adjust and reinvest as they pleased.
That meant Kaiser wasn't just rich.
He was loaded.
"Okay... this is good. I need you to open a Guild in your Heaven."
Kaiser blinked in shock. "Sprouts Heaven is under the jurisdiction of the Berserkers Guild... That's suicide! They'll be openly hostile to us from day one."
"Kaiser... who the hell is going to be openly hostile to the Mayor's son?"
He shook his head. "I'm one of four children. I'm not even involved in politics. The public barely knows I exist. If they did, I'd just be used as leverage against my father."
Hearing that... it made sense. It explained why he never brought this up.
But still—
"Kaiser. I need you to step up. I'm sorry to be so blunt, but... this is beyond you."
I looked him in the eye.
"You know how much the world is going to change—how drastic it's going to be. I need you to be one of the people that shapes that change."
Kaiser frowned, clearly conflicted.
I didn't blame him.
"Look... I know the Ten Guilds have split the 25 Heavens into zones of control, and that barely any small guilds survive. I know it's worse in Berserker territory... But this is your leverage."
I leaned forward.
"You can incentivize players in the Hidden Leaf. Use your real-world status. Offer surface access. If you do that, you'll attract C or even B-grade talent with ease. The Berserkers pay fortunes for that kind of recruitment—and think about it. Hasn't your father been encouraging you to play more? Doesn't that mean he knows? That he wants you to play?"
I held my breath.
"If he knows... then he'll support you. And this? This could be your way forward."
Kaiser stayed silent, seemingly processing everything I was telling him.
I then said, "We know that Ranger Tech promotes streaming... I think it's because this is a way they can track players unregistered with the Great Guilds through the videos. If I am not wrong, the main AI doesn't give them access to any information, but if streamers upload information into the internet for money, then obviously they can learn more about players..." I mentioned.
He nodded but then said, "While I have a substantial amount of money... it is super costly to set things up, and the Federation demands an insane amount of money for business which I cannot avoid. Especially if you want to avoid being under their direct control. So we definitely need to find a way to make money."
I nodded at that and said, "Have two separate divisions then—one for streaming and one that moves secretly. Make sure all the team leaders are kept hidden from the public eye, but the other players can be known. Make it so the team leaders are fully focused on power first, teams next."
Kaiser nodded and noted what I said.
"Kaiser, the stronger you are in the game, the stronger your body becomes in real life... I don't think it will be long before I reach the Chunin rank in the real world," I mentioned, to which he nodded at the information.
"I need you and the three other team leaders to focus... also, if possible, bring all of them from wherever they are living in the world to Sprouts Heaven the second the guild is set up."
"That shouldn't be a problem after I set up the Guild..." Kaiser scratched his chin thoughtfully.
"Remember to hide it behind the Guild being set up and thus you are recruiting strong players in the game."
He looked at me for a second, something clicking in his head. "I'll spin a story. Say it's a docuseries for competitive players trying to make it out of the underground. Make it flashy enough and the Federation won't question it...you know what, I will make it so I recruit 20-30 people. So the 3 Team Leaders just become another face in the crowd."
I smirked. "Perfect. That'll keep the eyes on the wrong people while the real team gets stronger."
Also...how rich are you dude? Depending on how far people are that might amount to a couple Hundred Thousand Credits...I swear the elites live a different life.
There was a short silence before I spoke again.
"Also," I decided to bring up a slightly more important topic, "Soon, a year will pass in game time. Which means a new cycle of fresh players. All of which will have access to more information and thus will begin getting Legacies...all of these people will be starting with bloodlines. Probably lesser known ones but still they will have bloodlines."
"Wait." Kaiser said, "Does that mean people will get 2 bloodlines?" He questioned.
I personally was not sure how the AI intended to balance this issue...after all, it said these players were not allowed to be sages. But did that mean all current players had the potential to become full sages?
Or did it simply mean these current players would be given a chance, and the others wouldn't even get that chance?
"I don't know, I guess we will see when they join the world. Make sure to recruit the best talent...and if you have any loved ones, get them to start the game as soon as possible."
He looked up at me, understanding dawning in his eyes.
He got my message, soon the real world might go through another war and we would have to be ready for that.
...
Authors note:
You can read some chapters ahead if you want to on my p#treon.com/Fat_Cultivator