"Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. We are now approaching our final destination, Eden. Please ensure that your seatbelts are securely fastened and your tray tables are stowed as we prepare for landing. The weather in Eden is a balmy 25 degrees Celsius with clear skies, providing a warm welcome for all our visitors. We kindly ask that you remain seated and refrain from using any electronic devices until we have reached the gate. Thank you for choosing American Airlines, and we hope you've enjoyed your flight." As the pilot's voice faded away, Aron, sitting on the window seat, turned his head to gaze outside to see the airport they would be landing.And there it was, the country's one and only international airport. Its small size almost deceived him into believing it was a mere airstrip for smaller planes. However, what set it apart was its expansive runway, designed to accommodate the landing of large aircraft, and a handful of gates capable of welcoming and servi
"If you're aware of someone attempting to assist you, then it means that you were the one who exposed the dirt on Rottem, right?" Felix asked, wearing a smile as he recalled how the news about Rottem had been made public."Yes, I thought you were already aware of that," Aron replied."Assuming something and hearing it directly from you are two different things," Felix responded, indicating that although he had suspected it was Aron, it reminded an assumption as he had not received confirmation directly from him."I had to repay him for what he had done to me, and even go beyond that. He tried to ruin my future, and I ruined his. However, I will handle things differently from him," Aron stated in a neutral tone."How?" Felix asked, curiosity evident in his voice as he sought clarification on what Aron meant by handling things differently."I will ensure that he remains down. Currently, I'm waiting for him to gather himself and rise up again, only to swiftly bring him crashing back down
The next day.Aron removed his virtual reality headset after Nova informed him that it was time for him to start preparing for his visit to the generals for his little unannounced meeting.After placing the headset back in the bag, Aron activated the protection rune on it and proceeded to the bathroom to freshen up. He washed himself before changing into a fresh set of clothes.He took the elevator to the lobby where he found John and Walter waiting for him. They had been there for over half an hour, patiently waiting for his arrival."Let's go," he said as he reached them, before heading towards the car that Felix had left for his use.John and Walter followed him without complaining or mentioning the wait of more than half an hour."Allow me to take the wheel, sir," Walter offered when he noticed Aron approaching the driver's door. Being the lowest-ranked among them, he felt it was his duty to take on the driving responsibilities.Aron nodded and made his way to the back door to boa
Aron had been silently observing the heated exchange between the generals, accompanied by John and Walter, who were also relishing the experience of being in a room and listening to people without their knowledge.When the air force general burned the shit out of the other generals "Wow, that was impressive," Aron exclaimed, materializing out of thin air and applauding. The sudden appearance of Aron caught the attention of the generals, leaving them frozen in their seats, a mixture of surprise and fear etched on their faces as they tried to comprehend how someone could appear out of nowhere."Who are you?" the Army general shouted, his and the other generals' hands instinctively reaching for their hips where their guns would typically be. However, they quickly realized that they had surrendered their weapons before entering the room, a testament to the lack of trust among the generals."I'm Aron and you guys are?" Aron introduced himself and returned the question to them as he was en
"Both of you playing dead, get up," Aron commanded, addressing the generals who were attempting to feign death, despite being wounded only in non-critical areas such as their hands and other parts of their bodies."If you don't wake up by the count of three, I'm going to kill you for real," Aron threatened, his voice carrying a sense of discontent. He began the countdown, "One... Two..." However, before he could reach the count of three, the generals abruptly rose from their positions where they had been pretending to be lifeless, instantly snapping back to alertness."Since you tried to deceive me, each of you will suffer the punishment of a broken bone," Aron declared, causing John, Walter, Nathan, Ethan, and Christopher to freeze in their places. John and Walter stood motionless, their disbelief evident on their faces, as they had never witnessed this sadistic side of Aron before. Up until this point, they had only experienced his more benevolent nature. While they knew Aron wa
The generals, now left alone after enduring a series of unimaginable events within a few hours, sat in silence. They were still processing the astonishing turn of events and the speed they took place. Half an hour had passed since Aron and his group departed, and during that time, not a word was exchanged between the generals.The only remnants that served as a constant reminder that their recent experience was not a dream were their tattered clothes and the broken items scattered around the room. "I'm going to my office to thoroughly examine the contract. It's important for us to understand their contents in order to avoid any inadvertent violations, preventing a repeat of what we just experienced.Given his ability to swiftly heal us, any potential punishment from him would likely be more severe and could potentially last for hours, without the concern of us succumbing to blood loss or serious injuries," Nathan declared as he rose from his chair."We can't hide either, considering
A week later.Aron strolled alone, making his way into the hotel, his steps purposeful as he approached the reception area. He carried a bag in his hand, having entrusted his car in the hands of the hotel's valet for him to go and park the car."Welcome, Mr. Aron," Alexander exclaimed, rising from the comfortable chairs in the hotel lobby. He had been patiently waiting for Aron's arrival, to accompany him to the meeting room they had scheduled."Oh, Alexander," Aron replied warmly, extending his hand for a handshake."How have you been?" Alexander asked, his tone filled with genuine interest."Quite well, although your regional leaders have been the only ones causing some mischief," Aron responded in a playful manner. Over time, their frequent calls had brought them closer, fostering a light-hearted banter between them."I apologize for that," Alexander replied, a hint of embarrassment creeping into his voice. Although he knew Aron was merel
Once the meeting concluded and they found themselves alone in the room, Alexander asked, "Are you absolutely certain that no one would be willing to exchange information with Adolf in exchange for financial gain?'"Aron posed the question, "Do you genuinely believe the greedy Adolf would be willing to offer monetary compensation to anyone solely for acquiring information?"After giving it some thought, Alexander responded, "I highly doubt it. He would likely make false promises of payment, but once he obtains the information, he would promptly proceed to apprehend the individual as well.""While that may be true, there could be individuals who perceive themselves as exceptional and entertain the notion that they can successfully demand payment from Adolf in exchange for the information." "Indeed," Alexander agreed. "Rest assured, I will receive immediate notification and swiftly resolve any such attempts before they even materialize. You need not worry. In the meantime, you need to
“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