A week before the celebration.{Miss, they've arrived to pick you up,} Ava informed Rina. The escort from Aron had arrived outside her mansion after going through all the security checks and inspections. They were there to bring her to the airport, then onward to Eden."Sure, let's go," she said and immediately stood from her office chair. She would be taking nothing with her except her phone and the glasses she was wearing. She wasn't even packing changes of clothes.Coming out of her office, she found her secretary and the guard who had taken over for Terry already waiting for her; they would be going with her. "Let's get going," she said and walked past them. They nodded and started walking behind her."Miss, do you think it'll be fine to go with those people without any of our guards?" asked Alex, Rina's head of security."You don't have to worry about that, we'll be perfectly safe with them. Plus, I don't think a single private jet can accommo
"Wow...." Rina had finally managed to calm down over the remainder of the car ride, but was flabbergasted when she saw the plane that was waiting for her. A 'super jumbo' A380 was waiting for her in the private jet terminal at LaGuardia Airport, since there were no private airports in New York that could handle a jet of that size."When and where did he even buy it?" she asked in surprise, as she knew that it took some time for a custom plane to arrive.{He bought it from Transaero Airlines, a Russian company. They were having some financial difficulties and were forced to sell some of their Airbus A380s. He got two of them,} Ava answered after requesting the information from Nova, who allowed access to it as it wasn't a huge secret. The news just wasn't publicized, like most things about Aron.As Rina was talking to Ava, a ramp lowered at the end of the jet, revealing its massive cargo hold. The cars the group had driven to the airport made their way up into th
Terry paused for a moment, thinking of how he could explain what had happened, then said, "Sir, although I can explain, it'll be difficult to believe. So it's better if I show you what happened, instead. Can you bring my computer from the house? There's a video of the entire event." He was trying to avoid explaining at all."No need to wait—I brought them all with you," Arieh answered, then took out his phone and called someone to bring the computers that had been taken from the house.During the wait, Terry asked, "By the way, why isn't she waking up?" He tilted his head toward Katrina, whose head was still hanging down."Ah. She'll be asleep for a while, as the dosage of our tranquilizer was the same for her as it was for you. So it'll take her longer to come out of it. Don't worry, she'll wake up in a few hours... but that'll be the least of your problems if you don't give me a reasonable explanation for your failure." As Arieh was speaking, the door op
Rina had been watching the conversation between the fake Arieh and Terry, who had no idea that the Arieh he was talking to was a fake.She wasn't angry at her brother's attempt to kill her at all, but disappointed instead. She would have been angry if he had succeeded in killing someone close to her—something that would've happened if she were under the protection of her own security team at the time the attempted assassination had taken place. But now that she'd survived it and had solid evidence in hand, she was... oddly happy. With the evidence she had, the competition between the Rothschild family's potential heirs would officially be in the bag. Her brother had broken one of the family's strictest rules: never attempt to take a relative's life, especially one of the direct descendants. Competition, within strict limits, would grow the family, but killing a relative—even if said relative was the most useless waste of space ever—would be harmful to the fa
The news broadcast on Arieh's tv cut to a man in a suit behind a podium."A spokesperson for the local police department made a brief statement, saying, 'We're treating this incident with the utmost seriousness, given the unusual circumstances surrounding it. Our top priority is to bring those responsible to justice and provide closure to the affected families.'"The broadcast cut to another slow pan across the emergency vehicles blocking the LaGuardia access road."As the investigation unfolds, the shocking incident has left the city on edge, and many residents demanding answers. The motive behind the attack, if indeed it was planned, remains unknown at this time. We'll continue providing updates on this developing story as more information becomes available."..."Finally, that bitch is dead!" Arieh jumped in celebration and hugged Charlotte, who didn't even attempt to block his advance at all as he continued jumping up and down.Although
After Rina's secretary and Alex were escorted to the waiting room, Rina was left with Aron. They still had a few things to discuss, as they had postponed some of their conversation for when she arrived and they could speak face to face."So.... Are you sure you don't want therapy or something?" Aron asked to start the conversation. It was definitely an interesting beginning."Not really. I was more angry than afraid, so the fear wasn't really my main focus. And because my safety was assured, I got over it during the flight and can say with assurance that, no, I don't need one," she answered after a brief moment of contemplation to ensure her answer was sincere. "By the way, is there a maximum time that I can stay here after the celebration?" She knew she was in one of the most secret and sensitive places on the planet, but she needed time to decide her next course of action."There's no time limit. How long do you plan to stay?" he asked out of curiosity and exp
"Looks like we found our beneficiary," Aubrey said as he and his son watched the parade on a tablet given to them by his assistant. It was the same one responsible for leading the investigation on who benefited the most from their loss in Esparia.The image was the same as the one that had enraged Arieh, showing Aron and Rina conversing and smiling in happiness. It seemed like they really enjoyed each other's company."Who's that?" George asked the assistant."Aron Michael, the sole owner of GAIA Technology and Connect," the assistant answered."What connection is there between an up-and-coming billionaire and the Rothchilds?" Aubrey asked. He knew that company, thanks to the Morgans being involved in forcefully acquiring the technology from them in order to benefit from it. That said, even up until now, they had gained nothing substantial for their efforts. "Is it so he could take revenge on us for stealing his technology using the government?" he contin
"That was really impressive," Rina said as she boarded the car to leave. The public celebration had officially ended in the afternoon, although the unofficial one would continue after the lunch provided by the government. But none of the foreign dignitaries would be at any of these celebrations, which would continue until midnight. A few singers had even been booked for the night's events."I was impressed, too," Aron said as he started the car and drove toward the tallest building in Edenia.They continued chatting as he drove, and when they arrived, they got off and took an elevator to the roof, where a helicopter was waiting for them."Do you have anywhere you want to visit?" Aron asked."How about we tour the city? I want to see the projects you're working on," Rina said, some excitement showing on her face. She was very curious about what Aron was working on.He agreed and sent an updated route to the pilot's HUD. The new route would take them
“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