A Year That Changed Everything
The morning sun reflected off steel frames and rising pillars when Keith stood beside his grandfather, staring at the construction site.
"The headquarters will be completed within a year," Darius said calmly.
Keith turned sharply.
"…A year?"
Even with Runcandel resources, Keith knew the truth.
The Runcandel Vision HQ—a single integrated complex housing technology, medical research, entertainment, finance, fashion, gaming, and logistics—should have taken five to seven years at minimum.
Materials.
Security.
Infrastructure.
Underground layers.
Everything about it screamed time.
Darius smiled knowingly but said nothing more.
Keith looked back at the site, realization settling in.
"…Great-grandfather."
Karasuma Renya.
The only man alive who could bend global supply chains, rare materials, and black-budget technology without leaving a ripple.
Keith clenched his fist lightly, warmth spreading through his chest.
"So… you really are watching over me."
For the first time since his rebirth, Keith felt something unmistakable.
Loved.
A Personal Goal
That night, Keith stood alone in the training hall.
A black wooden stand rested in front of him.
On it—
Yamato.
Keith placed his hand on the hilt.
"One year," he said quietly.
"One year to be ready."
This year wasn't for expansion.
Not for politics.
Not for enemies.
This year was for foundation.
Master Yamato completely Push swordsmanship beyond human limits Perfect the Ope-Ope no Mi Develop techniques no one in this world had ever seen
And only after the headquarters stood complete…
He would summon them.
Not before.
"Strength before empire," Keith murmured.
The Year of Growth
The year passed like a sharpened blade cutting through time.
Swordsmanship
Keith trained every day—sometimes with instructors, often alone.
Yamato moved as if it were part of his body.
Slashes became silent.
Footwork erased presence.
Each draw of the blade felt inevitable.
Observers whispered a single thought:
This isn't talent.
This is destiny.
Ope-Ope no Mi
Under Great Sage, Keith explored the fruit beyond canon limits.
ROOMs expanded without loss of precision.
Surgical control reached molecular levels.
Spatial manipulation blended seamlessly with swordplay.
He began creating hybrid techniques—
Sword strikes that cut space itself.
Even Rum, watching footage from afar, went silent.
"…This boy," he muttered, "is becoming something dangerous."
Creation, Not Destruction
Despite relentless training, Keith never stopped creating.
Using rewards and his own genius, he quietly developed:
Advanced cosmetic formulas that slowed cellular aging Medical compounds capable of repairing nerve damage Treatments that would later redefine modern healthcare
All were locked behind encrypted systems.
Not released.
Not yet.
"This world doesn't deserve them yet," Keith said calmly.
Monthly Sign-ins — Silent Accumulation
Keith never missed a sign-in.
Over the months, rewards piled up:
Massive capital injections Shares in rising global companies Movie scripts guaranteed to become blockbusters Licenses to several future hit games
But two rewards stood above all others.
Red Queen — The AI That Watched the World
One quiet night, the system announced:
System Reward:
Artificial Intelligence — Red Queen
Keith stared at the interface in silence.
An AI capable of:
Real-time global data analysis Predictive economic modeling Cyber warfare and defense Autonomous R&D assistance
"…So this is your answer," Keith said softly.
He sealed Red Queen immediately.
Not connected to the internet.
Not activated publicly.
A queen waits for her board.
The Smartphone Technology
Another sign-in delivered something deceptively simple.
System Reward:
Complete Smartphone Technology Blueprint
Keith laughed under his breath.
"This alone could collapse industries."
Portable computing.
Touch interfaces.
App ecosystems.
The modern world wasn't ready.
Neither was the market.
He locked it away with Red Queen.
"Later," he promised.
"When the stage is perfect."
End of the Year
As the year drew to a close, Keith stood once more overlooking the construction site.
Now, it was no longer a skeleton.
It was alive.
Glass, steel, underground sectors, landing pads, labs, studios, data centers—
all unified into a single, overwhelming presence.
The heart of an empire.
Keith closed his eyes.
One year of restraint.
One year of preparation.
Soon—
His company would be born His summons would arrive His name would reshape the world again
And this time…
He wouldn't just be reacting to fate.
He would be writing it.