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
"Time to move on to the next phase of my plan," Rina declared, determined to continue with her scheme, even though she had encountered a stumbling block right from the start.However, Ava interrupted her by locking the computer and stated, {You need to rest Rina}"I need to continue, or they will just...haaaa...haaa..." Rina tried to explain to Ava, but she immediately broke down in panic and started gasping for air. She was having a panic attack from the memory of what had happened to her.Even though it might seem childish for her to break down, it was the first time she had ever been physically assaulted by someone, so it was a traumatic experience for her.Despite her initial decision to continue with her plan without pause, the sudden interruption by Ava locking her computer forced her to confront her trauma. This resulted in Rina breaking down in tears, as she was unable to suppress her emotions any longer.The breakdown continued for a few minutes, with Ava silently watching Ri
As Aron was en route to the esteemed Oxford University, his mobile device rang, and he answered it promptly."Hello Felix," Aron greeted as he picked up the call."Hello Aron, how are you doing?" Felix reciprocated."How is Eden?" Aron inquired."The atmosphere here in Eden varies greatly depending on one's location. For those of us staying in a high-end hotel, the atmosphere is rather pleasant. However, during our commute from the airport to the hotel, we couldn't help but notice that the atmosphere for others seemed quite bleak," Felix conveyed his honest impressions of Eden without sugarcoating anythingUpon hearing Felix's perception of Eden, Aron thought to himself, "Not for long...not for long," before resuming his conversation with Felix."Okay, could you give me a summary of what's been decided so far regarding the plan?" Aron inquired, eager to hear about the progress made since Nova mentioned that they were discussing it a few hours earlier."That's precisely why I called yo
A week later.(Monday).Felix and his team rose earlier than their typical routine, commencing their preparations for the meeting that was scheduled for the afternoon.In order to be perceived as sincere, Felix and his team had to arrive at the presidential palace at least an hour prior to the scheduled meeting time. This, coupled with the fact that the palace was quite a distance away from their hotel, meant that they had to leave early."Since everyone is present, let's proceed," Felix announced upon sighting the final person who would be accompanying them.Subsequently, they departed from the hotel to where the car was waiting to transport them to the palace.Throughout the journey, they rehearsed their bullet points for the 457th time, striving to ensure that nothing went even slightly amiss.After a three-hour car ride, they finally arrived at the gate of the presidential palace, where they were stopped.Their cars came to a halt as heavily armed guards approached.After the stop,
“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