"You’re buying... what?"
"Marcus, was that Guild Creation Token yours? Were you the one who put it up for auction?"
Marcus had been basking in the glow of his own success, replaying the scene in his head and savoring the mont he planned to unveil the news. He had fully intended to draw things out, to casually ntion the Ultra-tier VR pods and then enjoy the stunned reactions when the truth finally landed. The small fortune he had just made deserved a proper reveal. But Amber’s sudden shout of realization cut straight through his carefully prepared performance.
She had actually pieced it together. Not only that, she had guessed that her brother was the one behind the auction that had sent the entire world of Dominion into a frenzy.
"How did you figure that out?" Marcus asked, genuine surprise creeping into his voice.
He hadn’t told Amber or Lily a single word about the auction, let alone the absurd payout. He’d been looking forward to teasing them, slowly building anticipation before dropping the bombshell. Yet sohow, Amber had seen right through him.
"I just knew!" she cheered, her face lighting up. "Lily and I both knew you were the best. We’re so proud of you, Marcus. Seriously, no one else even cos close."
Before he could answer, she launched herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and planting a flurry of quick, excited kisses on his cheek.
"We knew you were the strongest," she went on, her voice half-muffled against his shoulder. "Anyone who can ta a Divine Beast like the Dark Violet Sky Dragon was bound to find a Guild Creation Token eventually. It was only a matter of ti before you beca the biggest na in the ga."
Marcus felt a wave of awkward warmth wash over him. This was pure, unfiltered admiration. In Amber’s eyes, he wasn’t just talented. He was untouchable. He looked down at her as she curled against him, her dark eyes shining with affection so intense it made her seem almost luminous. She was lively and fierce, the kind of presence that made him want to protect her instinctively, to keep her safe no matter what.
The feeling was intoxicating.
A deep sense of satisfaction swelled in his chest, his pride quietly expanding until it filled the room. In that mont, he finally understood why people chased after fa, wealth, and power with such obsession. For an ordinary man, being admired like this was a drug, one that was dangerously easy to crave.
"Marcus, you really are sothing else," Lily added, her voice soft.
She sat down beside him, leaning into his other side and resting her head against his chest. Her eyes held the sa emotion as Amber’s, though quieter and steadier, filled with trust and devotion. The man she loved was turning out to be even more extraordinary than she had ever imagined.
Pure contentnt settled over him. Marcus wrapped an arm around Lily, pulling her closer as her gentle praise seeped into him, reinforcing his growing sense of confidence.
Back in his college days, gaming with his buddies for hours, he was used to their envy. His skill ant he always snagged the rarest loot, which earned him the nickna ’The Freak.’ He’d heard "You’re unbelievable" a thousand tis, and he’d always just laughed it off. It never really ant anything.
But hearing those sa sentints from Lily now was different. It struck deeper, sending his vanity soaring in a way that left him almost dizzy.
It was a mont steeped in warmth. Amber clung to his neck on one side, her slender body pressed close as she gazed up at him with unrestrained adoration. On the other, Lily rested peacefully against him, her hand overlapping his as she leaned into his quiet strength. The world felt smaller and more complete all at once.
"So," Amber said at last, breaking the silence, "did you really make over eight million dollars? And did you actually an it when you said you’re buying Ultra-tier pods?"
"Yeah," Marcus replied, a confident smile tugging at his lips. "We’re going to enjoy ourselves."
"Marcus, Ultra-tier pods are incredibly extravagant," Lily murmured, her practical instincts surfacing. "It feels like too much to spend all at once."
"I kind of agree with Lily," Amber added, though her expression still brimd with awe. "That’s a lot of money. Wouldn’t Silver-tier be enough? We still have classes during the day, and we won’t even be logged in that much. Maybe you should be the only one using an Ultra-tier pod."
It was rare for Lily to openly disagree with him. She usually trusted his judgnt without hesitation, but now she was already thinking ahead, worrying about stability and long-term planning. Even Amber, usually impulsive, was considering their finances. The realization caught Marcus slightly off guard, but it also ward him.
"Don’t worry about it," Marcus said, leaning down to kiss each of them gently on the forehead before pulling them closer. "This ti, we’re going for the best. No compromises."
He continued, his voice calm and certain. "Dominion isn’t just a ga anymore. It’s turning into a second world, sothing woven into everyday life. If we’re going to spend our ti there, we might as well enjoy it fully. As for the money, don’t stress about it. The only thing worse than spending money is not being able to earn it. As long as inco keeps flowing, there’s no reason to live cautiously forever. The real waste is having money and never using it."
There was a subtle shift in his tone, an edge of authority that hadn’t been there before. Ever since he’d lost his job, and especially since his Human Rock technique had reached its second stage, sothing inside him had changed. He felt grounded, decisive, in control of himself in a way he never had before. He was no longer drifting through life.
And it wasn’t just because of Dominion.
At his core, he had changed. Even without the ga, with the strength and confidence he now possessed, he knew he would have succeeded in any path he chose. That certainty had settled into his bones. He was ant for more.
"Okay," Amber said with a soft smile, snuggling closer and tightening her arms around his neck. "I trust you."
"Mhm," Lily echoed quietly. She still thought the decision was extravagant, but once Marcus committed to sothing, she was content to stand by him.
"Alright then," Amber said suddenly, her eyes narrowing playfully. "What else are you hiding? You didn’t tell about the Dark Violet Sky Dragon, you didn’t ntion the auction, and you definitely didn’t say anything about eight million dollars. I think it’s ti for a full confession."
She flashed a mischievous grin. "Confess everything, or Lily and I will have to get creative with your punishnt."
Marcus sighed in defeat. He had no way out.
One story led to another as he recounted his adventures, piece by piece. By the ti Amber and Lily realized that he was ranked number one on the leaderboards, first in reputation, first in wealth, and first in pets, they were staring at him in stunned silence. It was hard to reconcile the man sitting between them with the most famous player in the entire ga.
He did keep a few things to himself. He didn’t ntion his mounts, the Violet Thunderwing Steed or the Nightmare Dragon Steed. So surprises were better saved for later.
Later that night, Marcus pulled up the official patch notes for the upcoming update, his attention sharpening as he read through them.
The equipnt system was undergoing a major overhaul. Golden equipnt, Artifacts, Divine items, and Mythic gear were all being refined to clearly separate their power levels, and a large number of new items were being added to the loot tables.
The pet system was also receiving significant changes. After the update, every player would have four pet slots. The distinction between mounts and combat pets was being removed entirely, allowing players to own any combination of the two, up to four in total. However, only one mount and one combat pet could be summoned at the sa ti to assist in battle.
Combat chanics were becoming far more realistic. The damage from Critical Hits and Lethal Strikes was being increased, but landing them would now require precision. Players would have to actively target a monster’s vital points to trigger a lethal blow.
Classes and skills were being rebalanced as well, giving each archetype clearer identity and purpose. The most dramatic change was the introduction of Elental attributes, which significantly boosted Sorcerers and positioned them as the primary damage dealers in any serious party.
The most groundbreaking change of all, however, was the introduction of the "Reality Integration" system. Through VR headsets or pods, a player’s real-world talents would now manifest within the ga. Dominion and reality were beginning to overlap. A professional dancer, musician, or craftsman would find their real-life skills naturally reflected in the ga world. These abilities wouldn’t directly affect combat stats, but they would open entirely new paths for growth and expression.
The sheer scale of the update was staggering. Nearly every aspect of the ga was being touched.
What made it even more astonishing was that the entire update had been handled automatically by the Skynet AI. Dragonfly Corp’s role was limited to monitoring and docuntation. They had no authority over the changes themselves. Unless Skynet chose to grant access, even the developers had no way to track player activity within the ga.
It was an update that promised limitless possibilities, a vast and uncharted frontier waiting for players bold enough to explore it.
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