Within the solemn confines of the military courtroom, an atmosphere thick with tension engulfed the air, saturating every nook and cranny and casting an ominous shadow upon the faces of the gathered spectators. The culmination of the proceedings had arrived, and the destiny of a courageous soldier, whose life had precariously teetered on the edge of judgment, now lay in the hands of the presiding judge.General Robert Sinclair, a figure of distinction adorned with graying temples and eyes that bore the weight of his responsibilities, sat upright behind the elevated bench. His gaze, a fusion of resolute determination and a profound commitment to justice, swept across the room, commanding attention from every individual in its path.The time had come for the judge's final pronouncements and the delivery of the verdict, a moment that held the collective breath of all present in suspense. Without hesitation, he commenced the delivery of his verdict. "Throughout the course of the procee
Aron pulled up his car, parking it approximately one kilometer away from John's residence. He switched off the engine, retrieved the key, and stepped out of the vehicle. With fast strides, he began his journey on foot towards John's house.When he was approximately three hundred meters away from the house, he carefully assessed his surroundings. Assured that there were no individuals nearby, he immediately activated the concealment rune. Instantaneously, he vanished from the sight of any potential onlookers or observing entities.Upon reaching the house, Aron meticulously searched for a quiet entry point. He carefully surveyed the premises, quickly spotting an unlocked window that had been closed but not secured. With a gentle push, he gradually opened the window and silently slipped inside the house, skillfully maneuvering his way through.Upon entering, Aron discovered John sitting on the spacious sofa, his face revealing signs of having just awakened from a distressing dream. Aron
As John's body began to sag, surrendering to the effects of the rune-induced slumber, Aron swiftly intercepted his fall, gently laying John down on the sofa, ensuring he was in a comfortable position, providing support for his weary frame.{You seem to be thoroughly enjoying your play as a magician} Nova remarked once she was certain that John had fallen into a deep sleep."No, I was merely assessing the extent of his depression," Aron replied, carefully lifting John's leg from the ground and positioning it on the sofa to ensure his comfort."You seem to have missed the mark. He ran out of pills today, not within your projected timeline," Aron said, playfully teasing Nova.{I said within three months, and today falls within that time period, so technically, I am correct,} Nova retorted.{However, it seems my approximation was off. He must have been using the medication at a higher dosage than previously calculated. Perhaps his body became accustomed to the normal dose, prompting him t
Inside the Universal Simulation."What are the other changes that happened to him?" Aron immediately asked after passing through the gate, wanting to know the complete extent of the changes that had taken place within John's body due to the relentless barrage of healing runes he unleashed upon him for hours on end.{Nearly every aspect,} Nova responded, conjuring a holographic representation of John's physique before delving into a detailed explanation of the remarkable changes.{In addition to healing and regenerating his limbs, the extended exposure led to meticulous fine-tuning, revitalization, and fortification of his muscles, organs, and bones, pushing them to their absolute limits. In essence, you've transformed him into a super soldier, doubling his strength compared to what it was previously,} Nova elucidated, emphasizing the profound changes that occurred within John's body."That's fantastic! Absolutely fantastic!" Aron exclaimed with great excitement upon hearing Nova's det
{Sir, he is about to awaken,} Nova informed Aron, indicating that two hours had passed in the real universe."Thanks," Aron said and immediately left the simulated universe to log out.When he logged out he stretched himself feeling refreshed as if he had slept the entire night. This was because as soon as he logged into the VR, Nova had promptly initiated the REM procedure to deceive Aron's brain into believing that he was sleeping.This allowed his brain to rest, considering he had dedicated the entire night to infusing mana into runes.Aron put the VR headset on the table and began waiting for John to wake up as he was sure he would be waking up within ten minutes....…9 minutes laterJOHN'S POVAs John awakened, he experienced a sense of tranquility, as if he had indulged in a blissful night's rest—an uncommon occurrence since his injury. As he began relishing the pleasant sensation, his mind interjected abruptly, "Hold on, wait a minute, something ain't right"Consequently, he i
Aron arrived back at his home when it was about eight in the morning in which he immediately joined his family in eating breakfast and spending time with them until noon before he left to continue the collection of his forces by having a visit to all the candidates Nova had prepared for him....…..Rina Rothchild mansion."Chloe, give me an update on our ongoing discussions with the Department of Justice?" inquired Rina."The legal team is in the final stages of negotiating with the Department of Justice, and they anticipate concluding the process by the end of this week," Chloe elaborated."Excellent. Notify the finance department to commence the search for a suitable bank that can provide me a loan of 5 billion dollars within two months," Rina instructed."For you personally? Not for the company?" Chloe asked, her surprise evident as she wondered if she had misunderstood."Yes, I require the funds for making certain investments," Rina confirmed.Chloe was taken aback by Rina's respo
As twilight descended, Aron arrived home after successfully recruiting another individual named Miles to join his forces. To his delight, he found his family engaged in the preparations for their evening meal."Come and join us," his mother beckoned, using a gentle wave of her hand, calling him to join them.Without hesitation, Aron immediately proceeded to wash his hands before joining his family at the dinner table to assist them in the preparations before they sat down and started eating the meal with them.As they indulged in the meal, they engaged in light-hearted conversation, savoring each bite. After they had finished eating and tidied up the table, Henry left at once heading to Aron's room to play PlayStation, leaving Aron and his parents in the living room."How's work going?" his father asked with genuine curiosity, clearly displaying his keen interest in his son's professional pursuits."It's going very well and we are expanding faster than before" Aron responded to his fa
A week later.Aron was behind the wheel, chauffeuring his family to the airport as they embarked on their long-awaited vacation. Accompanying them were three additional vehicles carrying security personnel, dedicated to ensuring their safety throughout the journey."Why aren't you coming with us?" Henry inquired, noticing that Aron had not packed his bag into the car."I have some unfinished work to attend to. I will join you once I find some free time," Aron explained, passing through the airport security checkpoint before proceeding to park the car."That's unfortunate," Henry said, his slight sadness overshadowed by the excitement he felt for the trip.Aron couldn't help but let out a chuckle as he witnessed Henry's fleeting moment of sadness, which promptly vanished when Henry's gaze fixed upon an airplane landing outside the window.After parking the vehicles, the group, accompanied by the security team, entered the airport and proceeded to undergo the necessary security checks.
“Seraphina,” Aron began, his voice steady but carrying an undercurrent of authority, “I’m not your enemy—unless you choose to make me one. I understand your anger, your frustration. You’ve lost control of a situation you believed was firmly under your command. But this predicament wasn’t my doing—you’re here because your leader chose to sacrifice you. What I’m offering you isn’t a chain—it’s an opportunity.”Her sharp eyes narrowed, the intensity of her gaze unwavering, but she held her silence. Aron leaned forward, his own gaze unrelenting as it met hers.“You can continue resisting, pushing the boundaries of the mana oath, and enduring needless pain. Or…” He paused, letting the words linger like a challenge. “You can choose to turn this situation into one that serves us both. Your strength, your insight—these are not things I wish to suppress. Quite the opposite. I want them refined, amplified, and put to meaningful use.”He motioned toward the table, where Nova was still doing fina
[Colosseum]Aron and Seraphina stood motionless, maintaining the same distance as at the start of their faceoff. Neither had moved, even during the spectacular fireworks show that followed Aron’s acceptance of her surrender. The only exception was Aron briefly waving to the citizens of his empire watching the broadcast, many of whom were overcome with emotion, crying in celebration of their historic victory. This event marked the first-ever interstellar combat they had participated in, and despite their lack of experience, they emerged as the sole victors.As cheers of triumph reverberated among his people and the disbelief of others lingered, the broadcast concluded. The moment Aron secured his final victory, the Arena itself was officially handed over to him as part of his reward, along with control of the AI referee. Without hesitation, the AI complied with her new owner’s first command: to end the broadcast. Aron had more pressing matters to attend to—a private conversation with a
[Meeting Room]Inside the Zelvora mental network, an oppressive silence hung over the gathered representatives around the meeting table. The events of the day had left them all stunned, their minds racing with the implications of what had transpired. These were not just any representatives—they were the ones who had signed off on the agreements, the architects of their civilizations’ participation in this contest.Now, they were confronted with the brutal outcome of their decisions.Many representatives sat deep in thought, their faces betraying various degrees of fear, frustration, and resignation. Those who hailed from civilizations steeped in selfish political traditions knew all too well the grim truth: scapegoats would be needed. Someone would have to bear the brunt of the blame for the humiliation, anger, and setbacks their civilizations had suffered.For many of them, the path forward seemed bleak. In the best-case scenario, they might lose their positions, exiled from the corr
To say Aron was surprised would be the understatement of the gigaannum. The announcement had obliterated every scenario he had meticulously crafted in his mind. In all his time spent in simulations, preparing for countless contingencies, not once had he considered the possibility of the Xor’Vaks surrendering—least of all without a fight.Their pride in their strength was legendary, surpassing even the vaunted arrogance of the Valthorins. For a race that reveled in their dominance, surrendering, especially on such a grand stage, was unthinkable. This sudden reversal of expectations hit him with such force that he could practically feel the metaphorical veins in his temple throbbing from the sheer shock of it all.The audience’s collective astonishment mirrored his own, but none felt it as acutely as Aron, whose carefully laid strategies now seemed almost laughably over-prepared in the face of this unanticipated twist.The largest part of Aron's shock wasn’t just the surrender itself bu
The minutes passed quickly for the viewers, their eyes glued to Aron as he sat unmoving in the same meditative position for over fifteen minutes. Speculation ran rampant on both sides, fueled by curiosity and tension.For those in the Empire, the consensus was that Aron was in VR, likely meeting with family or key figures. Many debated who he might be speaking with, guessing that he was either calming worried loved ones or strategizing for the next fight.On the other hand, viewers from the Astral Conclave harbored a mix of anxiety and intrigue. They questioned whether Aron was recuperating in preparation for the upcoming battle, enhancing his focus and mental clarity, or if his recovery from the previous fight was incomplete and he was still in the process of healing.But their speculations ceased to matter as Aron opened his eyes with five minutes remaining in the waiting period. Calm and deliberate, he removed the glasses from his head, placing them back into their container. His n
The moment the fight was officially declared over, Nova acted without hesitation. She immediately dispatched the collector ship, equipped with a medipod, to retrieve the Trinarian fighter's body. Simultaneously, she ensured Aron could rearm himself with a fresh set of nanomachines. For the first time, this process was being done openly, marking a significant shift.Previously, nanomachines had been classified technology, their existence kept strictly under wraps. However, that secrecy had been unintentionally broken when Nova used them to cover Aron’s exposed body during a critical moment, prioritizing his dignity over confidentiality. As a result, while the technology remained shrouded in mystery, its existence was now officially acknowledged, albeit without disclosing any further details.Aron retrieved a small canister from the ship and opened it, revealing a liquid-like substance inside. Pouring it onto his hand, the substance behaved unnaturally, defying gravity as it began to sp
"Him alive is better than dead, right? I can use his live brain data to study how they use their spatial abilities—it might even help accelerate my plans if things go as intended," Aron said as he stood over the fainting Trinarian fighter.{True, having him alive presents opportunities. But dead men cause no problems, while the living carry infinite potential for chaos—especially one like him. If our spatial lockdown isn’t enough to fully contain his abilities, he could use them long enough to cause catastrophic damage, even if it means enduring the backlash,} Nova replied, her tone laced with caution. She wanted to ensure Aron was fully aware of the risks he was inviting by sparing the fighter's life.Usually, Nova would have been in favor of keeping him alive—it meant more data for her to process, analyze, and extrapolate from. But spatial ability users were in a league of their own when it came to danger. Even a dead one would yield enough data to at least satisfy her curiosity for
“Nova,” Aron called out in his mind the moment his eyes snapped open, rapidly collecting information and orienting himself, realizing he had finally left the enigmatic place the system had sent him.“Nova,” he called again, this time aloud, his voice carrying a commanding weight as it echoed faintly in the arena. Receiving no response to his first call, his sharp gaze shifted to his surroundings. It didn’t take long for him to notice his current state—nearly naked, save for the swarm of nanomachines that had begun assembling around him.{The system had ejected me, sir,} Nova’s voice finally came through, calm but slightly delayed as the nanomachines completed their task. They prioritized covering his lower body, forming a sleek pair of trousers, as there weren’t enough surviving nanomachines to reconstruct full armor. His chiseled upper body remained exposed, glistening under the lights of the Colosseum, much to the awe and unease of the spectators.Nova’s pragmatic choice left Aron l
Following Nova's orders and the AI referee's approval, the mana stone carriers swiftly began moving toward the Colosseum. As the first ship arrived and entered, it wasted no time, promptly unloading its entire cargo of mana stones before departing to make way for the next carrier to do the same. The process was conducted with remarkable efficiency, ensuring a steady flow of mana stones into the Colosseum without any unnecessary delays.The process continued as over fifty ships unloaded their cargo of mana stones, an act many from the Conclave viewed as both excessive and wasteful. With each successive ship, the pain of the Conclave's viewers grew, particularly when the fifth ship alone had already matched the quantity of mana stones used during the Colosseum's initial construction. Yet, they didn’t stop there; instead, they went on to unload ten times that amount, as if mana stones were an endless resource, leaving the Conclave citizens bewildered and horrified by such apparent extra