The reaction to GAIA Tech's launch was enthusiastic, and online orders started pouring like there was no tomorrow. Since Aron could produce as many as he wanted, he didn't set an amount of them to be sold in the first batch and allowed anyone to order as many as they wanted. Scalpers, who thought there would be a limited number of them, were initially especially thrilled... but would soon learn their mistake as it became apparent that there was no limit to the orders that would be accepted.
Aron and Rina entered the presidential suite of the hotel and logged in to VR to hold a meeting with Ryan and Sarah, the latter of whom was still in Eden, to discuss their tasks.
Rina immediately went and hugged Nova, then turned to Aron and said, "The patent application was approved an hour ago, but as you asked, they'll only make it public a week from now."
Aron smiled.
"But why'd you want me to delay the patent being made public for a week?" she asked.
Aron couldn't help but look at the dinner table with surprise, since the table was filled with enough to feed more than fifteen people and there were only four of them. Although he was rich, he hadn't reached a ridiculous level of extravagance, since his parents hadn't changed at all and only cooked enough for the people in the family. There was no excess at all, so he wasn't used to the scene in front of him.Still, he acted like he was used to it and took a seat. Rina took the seat next to him, facing her mother, who was on the other side of the table. Her father sat at the head on their right."When did you two first meet?" Virginia asked, her tone carrying curiosity and excitement, something Rothschilds normally didn't show much of."About two years ago," Aron answered, trying not to be too specific since that will make her feel weirded out. But for him, ever since the day he woke up after the system assimilation he'd had an eidetic memory. He might forget t
Vladimir was inside an office in the Kremlin with a few documents on his desk and one on his hand. He had become a team leader and was responsible for leading a team that reports directly to the president of Russia, a team that was a result of the president not trusting everything from the FSB, since no powerful leader that's afraid of being overthrown would. Thus, he had separated the powers of the different agencies and was the only one maintaining overall control over everything in the country.After looking at the file for a few seconds, he closed the folder and moved to the next one. That process repeated until all the folders on his table had been read through, even if only for a few seconds.He adjusted his glasses, then leaned back in his chair and settled into a comfortable position before closing his eyes."Here to report and ask for support, ma'am," he said the moment he opened his eyes in a less decorated, but still dignified room where a stunning wo
"What?" all three people at the table asked in unison, but in different decibels befitting of their personalities."Yes, just flip the board since you can't win," Aron said without missing a beat."I understand you think that Clinton can't win, but why ask us to support their candidate?" Rina asked."We all know that they have a plan, and will do nothing but cause you troubles in the future. So by secretly supporting their candidate by the time they realize what's happening, they'll have no choice but to continue supporting him. After all, he'll be the only candidate they have that still has a chance of winning. But at the same time, they'll be hesitant and their trust in him will wane since they'll be sure that you aren't doing it out of charity, but for a deeper plan."With the trust between them already hanging by a thread, it'll provoke internal conflict," Aron explained. He truly thought it would be the best move to avoid unexpected upsets in the fut
Aron had now officially removed himself from American politics after handing the responsibility to his girlfriend's father. Or in other words, he had passed it on to Rina. And after spending more than a week in the US, he finally left the Rothschild compound and headed back to Eden, this time by himself since Rina had to stay back and deal with overseeing some things before she could come to Eden once again.During that time, changes had been taking place in Eden. The US, which had sent a low level member of the government when they were invited to the celebration parade, had sent their deputy secretary of state, William Burns, to Eden in order to foster diplomatic ties. He had promised a swift approval process in the FDA, as well as beginning negotiations for a trade agreement that would bring oil from Eden to America, bringing the countries closer than they'd been before. If it weren't for the fact that the current US Secretary of State was, at that very moment, on a campai
"We're in the final steps of sealing a deal with South African Airways, Air India, and Alitalia airlines. And as you expected, they didn't make it too difficult for us since they're in very difficult financial situations, making the negotiation process smoother," the aircraft acquisition manager of Icarus Airlines reported."And when are our first orders of new planes going to start arriving?" Robert asked after nodding his head to show that he had heard the report."Since we bought the planes that were about to have their orders cancelled due to lack of demand, we'll start receiving them in six months, but the A380s should start arriving by the end of the year. However, those will be coming in one large batch," the acquisition manager answered."The ones we buy from those airlines should be enough for domestic use and a few intercontinental flights, since the domestic market is being dominated by Hermes' rail network. So our only use for them will be flights fr
Aron could be seen sitting with his eyes closed, the veins of his forehead were pulsing as they bulged, indicating that he didn't want to lose even a single second of his focus.His surroundings were serene, with a vast, flat, heavenly ground stretching for kilometres, which was surrounded by mountains of varying heights.If someone was gazing at this scene for the first time, they would think Aron was practising the runic knowledge his clones had been training which he was assimilated with while he was receiving the treatment in the pod. Although this was partly true, it didn't hold the same meaning as they might think. Shortly after, Aron immediately opened his eyes but what followed it in the sight of the observer was the sudden vanishing of Aron's figure.With his disappearance, the flat, tranquil grassland returned to its serenity which had once been there. However, the calmness didn't last for long as moments later, a flash of light, capable of blind
"Wow, it's so huge," Henry exclaimed as his eyes remained fixed on the massive square warehouse-like buildings in front of him. Aron quietly followed behind him, allowing his brother to do whatever he wanted to while they were in the observation room.From the room, they had a clear view of nearly a quarter of the massive port in front of them."Brother, what is inside those?" Henry, who was very enthusiastic, thanks to having rightfully earned the opportunity to attend the event after acing in his test, asked excitedly."Those are dry docks that are used to construct ships before they are launched into the waters and put into service," Aron answered without moving his gaze from the view in front of him. Although he had already seen what was going to be unveiled today with the help of the VR, he couldn't help but still feel excited to see it getting realized in the real world."So, there are ships inside them?" Henry asked."Yes, and today, you wil
Inside the compound of the Morgans' mansion.The air within the compound carried a hint of happiness, a feeling that was felt by most of the inhabitants, causing the atmosphere to be permeated with the same feeling."We finally once again have someone in the position of leadership after eight years of not having one. This calls for a celebration," remarked George, his eyes fixed on his father, who was sporting a smile on his face, something that would rarely happen, only when he was greatly satisfied with something, a sight which at the moment, had been rare throughout the year."Good job," Aubrey complimented his son's contribution."We should prepare a celebration befitting the occasion," he added, agreeing with his son, but also added, "It would serve as the day we have the first meeting with him, during which we will finally be presenting him the complete plan of what we expect from him in return for our support for him," indicating that h
“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