In disbelief, Ms. Arman's throat juggled up and down as she stared at Kieran's departing figure.
'W-what just happened? Did I just get dismissed by a student?! Furthermore, what was that? Brushing off my touch as if I'm some sort of plague or eyesore?!'
Kieran's actions naturally attacked her pride because she had spent her life being pursued by many. Some students ogled at her, and Ms. Arman noticed this but didn't react.
She expected as much from young men with raging hormones.
Aside from revisiting Kieran's behavior, her frown deepened when recalling her own words. "It really would be a waste for him to leave now. But he is an adult, and the choice is ultimately up to him."
Once she realized she was powerless to change his mind, Ms. Arman turned to the door behind her. 'Zenith Online, was it? I'll have to test it out as well. I'll have them prepare everything for me. I wonder if it'll be as fun as they say.'
…
Outside the Administration Hall…
Kieran approached a desk staffed by a rotund, balding middle-aged man who watched a show on a tablet while eating his lunch.
After realizing a shadow was being cast from above, the man looked up while clearing his throat. "Yes?! What is it?"
"I'd like to make this visit as short as possible. I want to drop out," Kieran responded.
"Drop out?" the man's expression deflated as he shook his head while sighing. "Tsk tsk, why do you young men lack drive these days? So many of you just up and quit after feeling a little stress from college work. How will you all survive in the real world?"
"Meh. Probably by getting a job that will ultimately have nothing to do with the degree we aimed for in the first place. I mean, come on, how many people actually land jobs in the field they desire? But, just help me drop out." Kieran shrugged indifferently.
The man sputtered with widened eyes. "Holy moly! What a cynical view of the world. Are you okay, young man?"
"I'm alright, but I'd be better off when you complete the process of complete unenrollment," Kieran responded.
Kieran understood the older generation's views after interacting with many of them. However, he had no intentions of conforming to the close-minded limitation many of the older generation imposed upon youths.
The gaming industry was a truly lucrative machine of wealth if one was talented enough.
'Trusting an organization is out of the equation. They operate using universal principles, so if you know one, you know all. Instead, everything now rests on my shoulders, which is why I need to focus.'
"Alright, whatever you say, kid. I just hope you don't regret your decision in the future. You can pass me your ID if you're done," the administrator said.
Contrary to the administrator's expectation, Kieran did not hesitate to give him his ID Card. Kieran was officially done!
After inputting his information, the administrator's eyes widened in shock. "Young man, is this really what you want to do? You only need two more semesters of classes to receive your degree! Why stop now?"
"I have my reasons," Kieran responded. His tone insinuated his desire to drop the subject. Still, the fat man couldn't see how Kieran's decision was reasonable.
"Is it financial? If so, I'll personally help you resolve the problem. One or two semesters shouldn't be too expensive," the man said.
However, Kieran immediately shook his head. "I appreciate the offer, but that's not it. I have a few matters that require my full attention, so I can't focus on school anymore."
Kieran took a short pause before evaluating the man before him. He wasn't unlikeable, and his offer was genuine, so Kieran offered some advice of his own. "If you have extra money lying around that isn't being utilized, I suggest you invest in Zenith Online for the ludicrous returns later."
"Zenith Online? That new game?" the administrator blinked.
"Correct," Kieran answered.
"I don't know. I'm too old for such things. I'm at a point in life where I must know my priorities. Also, since you have terminated your enrollment, you must vacate your dorms within a week."
"That won't be any issue," Kieran answered.
Following that message, Kieran walked away from the administrator's desk with a slight wave. On the other hand, the administrator remained in a daze as he recalled the news filling all the news stations yesterday.
'Did he say Zenith Online? Is that one of the reasons he left? Maybe one of those guilds has extended an offer. I simply hope the young man's future is secured,' the administrator thought.
Regrettably, he didn't take Kieran's advice to heart.
Disregarding Kieran's advice was partly due to skepticism, but it really stemmed from the man's bad experiences with gaming. He had suffered many losses in the past despite becoming a whale. Being overgeared oftentimes failed to overcome actual skill.
After leaving the hall, Kieran shifted his attention to Zenith Online's forum. The first ten posts were filled with comments regarding his stream, especially the fight against Grifear, where he exhibited pro-level mechanics.
This feat alone resulted in many guilds leaving messages wanting to get in contact with him. Unfortunately, it was to no avail since Kieran disabled all messaging systems.
Only players on his Friend List could message him now.
However, center entities like the staff of the Gamer Republic Corporation could bypass these actions.
"I have caused a huge disturbance. I guess doing what I did on the day could be considered abnormal. But, at least I managed to achieve my intentions," Kieran muttered to himself.
The increased gossip of Zenith Online meant more people would flock to the game faster, and the game's popularity would rise. If he were one of the leading causes, it naturally wouldn't go unnoticed.
Since he decided he wouldn't rely upon any other guild, Kieran required the backing of another gargantuan entity.
After browsing through the forum, Kieran removed the Do Not Disturb mode from his phone and linked his streaming and Zenith Online accounts to his holo-phone. The moment he did this, his holo-phone buzzed nonstop for ten minutes straight.
By the time it stopped, the notification bar had read 9,999+.
"You're kidding me," Kieran muttered in disbelief.
The notifications numbered well over 9,999, but it had reached the max. The reports included increased followers, comments on his stream recording, messages on the GRC platform, and finally, sales of the Dungeon Manual.
'I suspect the manual was mostly purchased by third-class, second-class, and gradeless teams. They're the ones who would benefit from its information the most. First-class can also benefit, but that's only true if they purchased the premium information,' Kieran thought.
Once he noticed this fact, the urge to check his earnings and purchase ratio overwhelmed Kieran, compelling him to sift through the information on his streaming channel.
┌───────────────────
«Stream Analytics» -
Recent Streams (1-week duration): 1
Maximum Viewers: 72,498
Total Views: 516,905
New Followers: 84,550
New Subscriptions: N/A (0)
Stream Time: 2hrs 13 mins 49secs
Donations: 777 ($69,777)
Stream Earnings (Estimate): $270,488
└───────────────────
After reading the stream's total revenue, Kieran froze in the middle of the sidewalk. The ad revenue of the channel was insane. While it sucked that he couldn't get any subscription because he had yet to become a platform partner, his earnings from a single stream were massive!
Furthermore, Kieran hadn't even checked the breakdown of the Dungeon Manual yet!
┌───────────────────
«Miscellaneous Sales» -
Basic Version: $2,000,000
Standard Version: $2,100,000
Premium Version: $1,750,000
Total Earnings: $5,850,000
Net Earnings: $3,919,500 (Disbursement Status: Ready)
└───────────────────
Kieran almost suffered a mini heart attack. This had become a massive opportunity for him. With the sale of simple universal information, his situation changed from a nobody to a young man with considerable wealth!
If anyone learned that he generated more than $6 million of profit in less than a day of playing the game, surely minds would flip, and hearts would stop. Because no one else was confident enough to stream their content, Kieran monopolized the beginning hype!
'Selling information is a goldmine! But, if I do continue down this path, I must be wary of the information I distribute.'
Money wasn't everything. Some opportunities should be kept to himself in case of severe butterfly effects or deviations from his intended path.
Aside from amassing more than $4 million that was immediately payable to him, Kieran noticed an email that caught his eye.
[E-mail: Hello, this is the Chief Partner Advisor from the Gamer Republic Corporation. We're reaching out to you to extend the opportunity to partner with the platform. If you're interested, we can set up a virtual appointment to address any questions you may have. Otherwise, I hope to see you on the official roster of our partners! You have the potential to be great.]
After reading through the email, Kieran grinned. He was essentially a cash cow right now. How couldn't his actions garner the attention of the GRC? Kieran responded to the email and set up a meeting to happen in the coming days.
Once he finished with that, Kieran withdrew his earnings totaling over $4.25 million. Since he could no longer remain in the dorms, he needed a place that he could call his own.
Additionally, he also needed to prepare the proper medical appointments now that he wasn't in Zenith Online.
Kieran entered a nearby cafe before preparing appointments to view vacant apartments within New Metro City. As a vibrant city, people constantly moved, and the real estate industry was bustling.
Eventually, Kieran booked a few viewings with an available broker.