Morning arrived quietly.
Sunlight slipped through the apartment window, illuminating the old wooden World Gate standing against the living room wall.
Mario opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling.
For the first time in years…
He didn’t feel anxious about tomorrow.
Bills.
Deadlines.
Unexpected emergencies.
They were still real.
But no longer overwhelming.
He sat up slowly and stretched his shoulders.
“…One step at a time.”
That had always been his way.
Even now, after obtaining something that defied common sense, he refused to let excitement dictate his decisions.
Power was useful.
Planning was indispensable.
After a quick breakfast of bread and instant coffee, Mario returned to the farmhouse.
The familiar scent of fresh grass greeted him.
He walked straight to the dining table and placed a magical apple in front of him.
Yesterday, he had tested the Estate’s Asset Exchange through a bank transfer.
Convenient.
Too convenient.
That convenience also came with a problem.
He tapped the table thoughtfully.
“If millions suddenly appear in my account…”
“The bank will ask questions.”
“And if the bank asks questions…”
“Government agencies won’t be far behind.”
His previous life had taught him something important.
Money always left a trail.
The more money involved…
The brighter the trail became.
Mario wasn’t afraid of paying taxes.
He was afraid of explaining something that couldn’t be explained.
He looked at the apple once more.
“Let’s see if I have another option.”
He activated the Estate Authority.
A translucent panel appeared before him.
Asset Exchange
Select payout method.
Electronic Transfer Physical Currency
Mario’s eyebrows rose.
“…There’s a choice.”
He selected the second option.
Physical Currency.
The apple disappeared.
A heartbeat later…
A neatly bundled stack of Philippine peso bills materialized on the wooden table.
No flash.
No explosion.
It simply…
Appeared.
Mario picked it up.
Still warm.
The crisp texture felt no different from money withdrawn directly from a bank.
He counted it.
Five thousand three hundred eighty pesos.
Exactly the same value as yesterday.
He couldn’t help smiling.
“This…”
“…is much safer.”
He immediately updated his notebook.
Asset Audit
Asset Exchange
✔ Electronic Transfer
✔ Physical Currency
Preferred Method: Cash
Reason:
Avoid unnecessary financial attention.
He closed the notebook.
“I’ll only use bank transfers when I actually have a legitimate source of income.”
Everything else…
Cash.
Simple.
Clean.
Quiet.
Mario leaned back in his chair.
“Now…” This chapter is updated first at g.com.
“How much money do I actually need?”
He wasn’t interested in luxury.
A sports car?
Meaningless.
A mansion?
A burden.
Expensive watches?
Pointless.
What he needed was security.
He wrote another page.
Immediate Objectives
Purchase a detached house.
Quiet neighborhood.
Large enough lot.
High walls.
Garage.
Extra room for future projects.
His apartment had become too small.
More importantly…
It wasn’t suitable for hiding a doorway leading to another universe.
The World Gate deserved a permanent home.
Somewhere private.
Somewhere no landlord could unexpectedly inspect.
Somewhere entirely under his control.
His thoughts wandered further.
Not just a house.
Land.
Lots of land.
He closed his eyes and searched his memory.
Road projects.
Expressways.
Commercial centers.
Entire districts that, in twenty years, would become some of the most expensive properties in the Philippines.
Back then…
Nobody wanted them.
Empty fields.
Unused farmland.
Quiet provinces.
But Mario knew better.
He had already lived through their transformation once.
He smiled faintly.
“I don’t need to buy expensive land.”
“I need to buy tomorrow’s expensive land.”
That single realization changed everything.
Owning land wasn’t simply about wealth.
It was about positioning.
One expressway announcement.
One new shopping mall.
One government infrastructure project.
The value could multiply several times over.
He grabbed another notebook.
This one would be dedicated solely to investments.
Across the first page, he wrote in large letters.
Future Prime Locations
Below it, he began listing places he remembered.
Areas that would one day explode in value.
Not because of luck.
Because history had already proven it.
Mario wasn’t predicting the future.
He was remembering it.
Then another memory surfaced.
His pen stopped moving.
“…Bitcoin.”
He leaned back.
A quiet laugh escaped him.
“Right…”
“This timeline hasn’t reached that point yet.”
Most people would think of buying Bitcoin.
Mario didn’t.
He wanted to mine it.
The original way.
Back when ordinary home computers could still participate.
Mining meant freshly created coins.
No purchase history.
No exchange accounts.
No explaining where he had acquired them.
Only one problem.
Hardware.
Mining software.
Wallet security.
Operating systems.
Mario rubbed his forehead.
“I’ll have to study.”
Fortunately…
Time was something he possessed in abundance.
Thanks to World Travel, he could spend months learning without losing even a second on Earth.
He added another page.
Long-Term Project
Bitcoin Mining
Requirements:
Computer Hardware Mining Software Linux Knowledge Secure Wallet Storage
Status:
Research Required.
He closed the notebook with a satisfied nod.
One more objective added.
His gaze drifted toward the Dimensional Vault.
Inside rested countless monster materials.
Enough to exchange for a considerable amount of money.
Enough to buy several houses, perhaps.
He remained silent for nearly a minute.
Then…
He shook his head.
“No.”
Not all at once.
That would be another mistake.
Instead…
He began calculating.
House.
Furniture.
Emergency fund.
Living expenses.
Initial investment capital.
He estimated everything as carefully as possible.
Only after reaching a total did he finally speak.
“I’ll exchange only what’s necessary.”
The rest would remain safely stored.
There was no expiration date.
No urgency.
His greatest advantage wasn’t infinite wealth.
It was patience.
As the afternoon sun lowered over the magical garden, Mario walked outside.
The crops swayed gently in the breeze.
Beyond the fence…
The ancient forest remained silent.
Yesterday’s battle replayed in his mind.
A Level 500 monster.
Killed with a single arrow.
The legendary relics truly lived up to their reputation.
Yet Mario felt no arrogance.
That victory belonged to the weapon.
Not to him.
Without it…
He would have died before even understanding what attacked him.
He still had a long road ahead.
Levels.
Magic.
Combat experience.
All of it mattered.
Money alone wouldn’t keep him alive.
Neither would powerful equipment if he lacked the wisdom to use it.
He looked toward the endless forest.
“I need to grow.”
“Not just stronger.”
“Smarter.”
His eyes slowly narrowed.
“And richer.”
Because every level he gained…
Every monster he defeated…
Every peso he earned…
Brought him one step closer to owning the future itself.
The empty fields everyone ignored today…
Would someday become the beating heart of thriving cities.
And Mario intended to own as many of them as he possibly could.
The grind had only just begun.
End of Chapter 14