"With this our agreement has been officially formalized," Aron stated as he signed his name on the second contract.Aron seemed happy, the same could be said for Alexander, but he was having another thought in his mind as he had experienced an odd sensation, as if something had briefly embraced him when he finished signing the contract.The sensation that Alexander felt was not unfounded. To those with the ability to perceive magic, a luminous golden aura would have been visible, enfolding and permeating Alexander the instant he concluded his final signature.The radiant glow was a result of the runic contract, which had been established to keep a watchful eye on Alexander and alert the other party should he ever violate any of its terms.Aron had also experienced the same illumination, but being the enforcer, he had the ability to annul the contract on his end, leaving only the one on Alexander still in effect."I am curious, Aron," Alexander asked as he shook his hand, "why enter in
The next day, Aron logged out of the virtual reality feeling refreshed. He completed his daily quest before cleaning himself up and preparing for his meeting with Sarah. After double-checking that he was fully prepared, he grabbed his phone and watch and headed where his car, driver and bodyguard was, ready to take him to the company."Good morning," Aron greeted Donald."Morning," Donald greeted back as he opened the car door for Aron to get in, and then closed it behind him.He then took a seat in the front of the car before the driver started the engine and they began their journey to GAIA technology......Rina Rothchild's Manor.Rina could be seen sitting inside her office.It has been three days since she met and had a talk with Aron who had given him Ava.Ava was still decrypting the encrypted backed up data and still had 4 more days before she completed this process.Despite Ava's ongoing work with decrypting the data, Rina still had plenty to do. Ava was actively intercepting
Next day.In the morning as he was doing his daily quest which had become a habit for him and he was not doing it to just complete the quest he received a phone call.He paused his activity and retrieved his phone to discover that his friend Felix was on the other end of the line. Without hesitation, he answered the call.After placing the phone to his ear, he greeted Felix with a simple "Hello"."How are you doing?" inquired Felix, addressing Aron."I'm doing well, how about yourself?" replied Aron."I'm doing good too," echoed Felix."Why did you call me?" Aron inquired immediately after their exchange of greetings."What? Am I not allowed to call my friend anymore?" Felix asked, feigning offense at Aron's question."Don't play dumb, you know exactly why I asked. Why are you calling me in the morning when you're supposed to be at work? Do you want me to report you to Sarah?" Aron teased Felix, with a hint of humor in his tone."I am working right now, actually. Sarah selected me as
3 Days later.Rina Rothchilds mansion.Rina arrived at her work room earlier than she typically did as today marked the final day for Ava to finally complete the task of decrypting and analyzing the encrypted data that had been backed up."Ava, is it done?" She asked, as she was eager to find out the identity of the person who had betrayed her and start the process of cleaning up.{A few more hours Rina.} Ava replied back softly while showing a makeshift progress bar on her computer screen to indicate the expected completion time and ease Rina's anxiety."Okay," Rina said, as she sat down on her chair, her eyes glued to the screen, waiting for the completion of the task. She felt a mix of anticipation and nervousness, hoping that everything would go as planned and they could access the crucial data she needed....…."So, you guys are leaving for Eden today?" Aron asked Felix, who was on the other end of the phone."Yes," Felix explained his reasoning over the phone to Aron. "We need t
Upon reading several individuals profiles on the list, he ultimately deduced that it would take him a couple of months to thoroughly read every profile in its entirety.Therefore, he resolved to simplify the list, but for that, he had to wait for Nova to complete the list which continued to expand during the half-hour that he spent reading through some of the profiles.He patiently waited and waited, but time seemed to pass sluggishly, and before he knew it, an hour had elapsed, followed by two, and then three.Realizing that it would take longer than anticipated, he resolved to utilize his time productively and resumed practicing his runes to prevent wasting his time idly.A few hours later, still going.One day later, Finally it was done.{Sir, the list is now complete,} Nova informed Aron, who had just finished activating a rune."Why did it take that long?" Aron asked, as he was quite surprised that It took that long despite her using a quantum computer for the task.{Sir, you may
1 hour later.It took them nearly an hour to travel from their hotel to the city of Cambridge, and they arrived there with just thirty minutes to spare before midnight.Upon arrival in the city, Aron directed the driver to drop him off at the University Arms Hotel, which was conveniently located in close proximity to both Cambridge University and the surrounding community."We have arrived, sir," the driver informed him."Thank you. And please find a place to rest as I won't be returning until morning before we head back," Aron said, as he handed the driver a thousand-dollar to spend for his rest during the waiting period.After getting out of the car, he promptly started walking towards the community located outside the University of Cambridge.As Aron approached the community, he looked for a secluded location and the moment he discovered one he immediately entered.Upon entering the secluded spot, Aron uttered the word "STEALTH," activating a rune of concealment that rendered him i
"One option could be giving it to him in installments," suggested one of the team members."Agreed, we could use that approach. It will not only keep us in the dictator's good graces but also motivate him to expedite our acquisition by wanting more payments. This seems like the best option," said Felix, nodding in approval."So, are we planning to inform him that for every telecommunication company we acquire, we'll be giving him 5 million dollars in installments? By the end of the process, we would have spent a total of 30 million dollars in bribes, including the initial 10 million we plan to offer at the meeting next week," Berry asked Felix, seeking his opinion."Yes, that should work. There are only four telecommunication companies in the country," Felix agreed."Now, let's discuss the approach for bringing up the matter without upsetting him. We need to be precise and careful in our wording throughout the entire meeting," Felix suggested."Agreed," Barry said, "We don't want to c
Terry entered Rina's office a few minutes after Chloe left to call him."Take a seat," Rina directed Terry as she motioned towards a nearby chair, her attention still fixed on the computer screen before her.Terry complied silently, settling into the chair as directed. However, as several minutes ticked by without any communication from Rina, and with her attention still riveted on the computer screen, Terry began to feel increasingly anxious.For Terry, the situation felt like the calm before the storm - an unsettling and ominous stillness that hinted at impending chaos or turbulence.However, the uneasy silence did not last much longer. Rina abruptly rose from her seat and walked over to the printer to retrieve some papers that had just finished printing. She then went and sat down across from Terry."Alright Terry, I've received a highly troubling report that you've been informing my brother about everything I do. What do you have to say about this?" Rina asked, her tone serious an
“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