The world outside felt slower now—not because it had changed, but because Titan Grant had. After speaking with the System directly, he no longer saw life in the same light. The clamor of the New York streets, once overwhelming and chaotic, now seemed like background noise in a strategic simulation. Everything had patterns, probabilities, and profit potential.
Still, no amount of insight could change one unavoidable fact: Titan Grant didn't legally exist.
At least, not in any way that would hold up under scrutiny.
No social security number. No real bank account. No driver's license. As far as the system that governed America was concerned, Titan Grant was a ghost with a laptop.
That needed to change.
The System had issued a new quest:
Main Quest: Establish Legal Identity and Corporate Front
Time Limit: 72 hours
Objectives:
Create verified identity
Register a business entity
Open a business bank account
Minimum capital: $5,000
Reward: Black Card (Unlimited System-Linked Account), Real Estate Tree Unlock, Identity Lock (permanent untraceability)
Titan pulled the hood over his head and made his way toward the Bronx. He hadn't been back to that part of the city in years—not since his days bouncing between youth shelters and scamming vending machines for quarters.
There, buried between pawn shops and check-cashing joints, was an old internet café called Binary Beasts. Most people didn't know it existed. Those who did, knew it wasn't about coffee or Wi-Fi.
It was about access.
Inside, the café was dimly lit, the smell of burnt plastic and cheap pizza lingering in the air. Ancient gaming chairs lined the walls, and near the back sat a man with gold-rimmed glasses and a chain thicker than his neck.
"Dynamo," Titan said, approaching the man.
The hacker turned slowly. "No way. I thought you were dead."
"Not yet. I need the full package. Identity, documentation, everything."
Dynamo scratched his beard. "That's expensive. And risky. The feds cracked down on this last month."
"I'll pay double," Titan replied.
Dynamo raised an eyebrow. "With what, MetroCards and Subway points?"
Titan transferred $10,000 in crypto on the spot.
The hacker's eyes widened. "You're serious."
"I want a legit identity," Titan continued. "Not just fake papers. Something that can pass through federal databases. Background, degrees, employment records—all of it. I want to be real."
Dynamo leaned in. "That's the 'Ghost Protocol.' It'll cost you a lot more than ten grand."
Titan's System interface lit up silently:
"Ghost Protocol" accepted. Processing efficiency bonus… Negotiation success. Discount applied. Remaining balance: $3,000.
Three hours later, Titan walked out of the café with an encrypted USB, two keycards, and a digital wallet holding access to a brand-new identity.
Name: Titan Alexander Grant
Age: 27
Education: MIT, Computer Science (Graduated 2020, Magna Cum Laude)
Employment: Former cybersecurity engineer at "SentinelData Inc." (Defunct)
SSN: Verified
Passport: Issued
Driver's License: Issued
Everything was linked to legitimate databases through backdoors, aliases, and wiped entries from real, deceased identities. Titan Alexander Grant had just become officially real.
With identity in hand, Titan moved to the next step: establishing a business front.
The System guided him again.
"Suggested Entity: Delaware C-Corp. Recommended Name: TitanCore Holdings. Industry: Investments & Technology. Tax Rate: Optimized."
He used an online legal service that catered to high-speed business formations and, thanks to his new ID and digital documentation, registered TitanCore Holdings Inc. within the hour. The business address? A luxury virtual office in Manhattan that came with reception, mail handling, and a downtown zip code—no questions asked.
The final hurdle: the bank.
He booked an appointment with a high-tier banker at a private branch of NorthAtlantic Bank. The kind of bank that didn't care if you wore a hoodie—as long as you had six figures in your account and a legal structure to show for it.
Inside the glass-walled office, Titan sat across from Mr. Charles Levy, a polished banker with salt-and-pepper hair and a tailored suit.
"Mr. Grant," Levy said, scanning the documents. "Everything appears in order. MIT graduate. Formed a corporation two days ago. Here to open a business account with an initial deposit of…"
He paused as Titan wired in the money.
"…$25,000. Impressive."
Titan smiled slightly. "I like to keep things simple."
"I see," Levy said. "We can issue a corporate debit card today. Your online banking credentials will be emailed within the hour. Would you like a business credit line?"
"Soon," Titan said. "Let's build a relationship first."
Levy nodded approvingly. "Wise approach."
As Titan exited the bank, the System exploded with new notifications.
Quest Complete: Legal Identity and Corporate Front Established
Rewards Unlocked:
Black Card: System-linked Infinite Capital Account (Private, Untraceable)
Identity Lock: Immune to tracing, background checks, and government profiling
Real Estate Skill Tree: Now Accessible
Passive Perk Gained: Legitimacy Aura – All business interactions with verified entities gain +15% trust boost.
Current Net Worth: $32,814
Tier: Silver+
In his hand now rested a matte-black card with no numbers, no brand, no chip.
Just a single line etched in silver: T.G.
It wasn't connected to any known financial institution.
But it worked anywhere.
Titan walked into a Louis Vuitton store and bought a $2,500 briefcase.
No questions asked.
Transaction Accepted. Remaining System Balance: Infinite.
Later that evening, back on his rooftop, Titan sat under the stars once again, holding the black card like it was Excalibur.
He was no longer a ghost.
He was a player on the board.
And he had just made his opening move.