Both groups began to walk toward each other, meeting in the middle of the courtyard. Marvin watched, eyebrows raised, as his father reached out his hand with a friendly smile. Evander Velcan took it firmly, and they exchanged a few words, their faces were polite but tense.Marvin’s eyes widened in shock. “What is going on here?” he muttered, as his voice was full of disbelief. “My father… being friendly with Evander Velcan? That man has always been one of his rivals. It seems my father is beginning to be careless in making friends.”Mr. Christopher’s eyes narrowed, and they began to glow a bright, sky blue. He stood silently for a moment, clearly using his synapticore abilities to study the situation.“It’s an alliance,” he said finally, his voice was low and serious. “Both families have been severely affected… by the things the results of decisions you took out of revenge, Marvin. They’re upset about the power that Tariq Khyber now holds in Westwood—power he only gained all thanks
Suddenly, they were back in Mr. Christopher’s secret chamber, with their souls settling back into their bodies. Both men took deep breaths, filling their lungs with air as they returned to the world of the living.Marvin opened his eyes, feeling the familiar weight of his own body, but with a new understanding of the power he might one day hold. Mr. Christopher breathed deeply beside him, his eyes no longer glowing, but watching Marvin with a quiet confidence.Mr. Christopher placed his palm on the fingerprint sensor at the base of the cocoon. As soon as his hand touched it, he could feel the energy inside of him flowing back into the cocoon. The soft, sky-blue light that represented his synapticore energy pulsed back to life within the device, filling the room with a gentle glow.The air grew calm, and Mr. Christopher turned to Marvin. "Let's go over to the lab. I could run some tests on you," he said with a faint smile.Marvin nodded, still filled with curiosity and a growing se
Three days after Marvin’s intense encounter with his uncle, Mr. Christopher Richmond, he began the grueling training to awaken the Ultra Mega Synapticore Force Grade 3 within him. This force, dormant and enigmatic, would be the key to his rise in a world teetering on the edge of conflict. While Marvin pushed his limits, far away in the heart of Westwood, a different storm was brewing.The heads of the eight most powerful families in Westwood arrived one by one at the imposing Westwood Grand Dome. This summit, known as WG-8, wasn’t an ordinary meeting. It was a chessboard of power, where the families who controlled vast portions of Westwood’s technology, energy, and wealth gathered to decide the fate of the newly discovered crystal: Astralyte.The first to arrive was Elias Orion, stepping out of a sleek black vehicle that seemed to hum with an otherworldly energy. The insignia on his forehead glowed faintly, the mark of his Cosmic Affinity. He could draw power from the stars themse
Mr. Richmond’s sharp voice echoed through the grand dome, cutting through the heated debates. “Tariq Khyber,” he began, leaning forward, his eyes locking onto the head of Khyber Technologies, “let’s address the elephant in the room. We all know why you’re here—and it’s not for Astralyte’s benefit or for the good of Westwood.”The other family heads turned their attention to Richmond, intrigued by his sudden shift in tone.“You already control Diamond Bank, the largest financial institution in Westwood,” Richmond continued. “With it, you’ve gained an iron grip on the financial veins of our society. Every major transaction, every corporate deal—it all runs through you. And now, you want Astralyte. Why? To consolidate even more power? To ensure no one can ever oppose you again?”Tariq Khyber’s faint smirk faltered for the briefest moment. “Richmond,” he replied coolly, “you speak as though control and leadership are crimes. My bank provides stability. Without me, the financial sector of
Tariq leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table as if sharing a secret. “Why not speak, Richmond, about the cannabis business you’ve been quietly operating in Neovalle? Or, better yet,” he added, his voice dropping lower, “the secret drug war you’ve been waging with the Bowen family. The same war that cost Daniel Bowen’s first son his life.”A sharp intake of breath rippled through the room. Daniel Bowen, one of the family heads whose towering figure with a reputation for both power and ruthlessness, froze. His expression shifted from suspicion to utter shock. “What?” he thundered, his voice was trembling with anger and disbelief. “A drug war? My son—”Tariq leaned back in his chair, with satisfaction gleaming in his eyes as the room erupted into murmurs and gasps. Richmond opened his mouth to respond, but no words came out, his expression was caught between denial and fury.“Daniel Richmond's hands clenched into fists, the betrayal cutting deeper with every word Tariq spoke.
Tariq Khyber stood up, his movements were slow and deliberate, commanding attention in the room. With an air of confidence, he collected the thick folder from his assistant and opened it. From within, he retrieved a small flash drive, holding it up for everyone to see before passing it to the person in charge of the projector.“My fellow family heads,” he began, his voice was steady and measured, “the numbers don’t lie. Allow me to explain.”The projector screen lit up with charts and graphs as Tariq clicked a remote to begin his presentation. The first slide displayed a summary of Richmond Tech’s profits over the past five years, a consistent fifty billion dollars annually. Then the next slide appeared, showing the Richmond family’s total assets, which had mysteriously surged by five hundred billion in the same period.“As you can see here,” Tariq said, gesturing to the screen, “Richmond Tech’s official profits are accounted for. Fifty billion a year—very impressive for any compa
Daniel Bowen’s heart felt like it stopped for a moment. His hand trembled as he gripped the phone tighter, pressing it closer to his ear. “What did you say, Marcus?” he whispered, his voice cracking.“I am sorry, boss,” Marcus replied with a heavy sigh. “Yes, your son Leo is dead.”The words hit Daniel like a hammer to the chest. He staggered slightly, leaning against the wall for support. His throat tightened as he tried to breathe, but the air felt thick and suffocating. For a moment, the noise of the world around him faded, leaving only the echo of Marcus’s voice.“For about a week now,” Marcus continued, cautiously, “we’ve been investigating what led to your son’s death.”Daniel swallowed hard, trying to keep control of his emotions. His voice was low and heavy. “What did you find out?”Marcus hesitated, as if searching for the right words. “I’m very sorry, boss,” he said finally. “He was murdered. Killed in cold blood. We’ve been digging into it, trying to uncover who was behin
Daniel Bowen still in the conference room, had his chest still heaving with fury. His hand gripped his phone tightly as he scrolled through his contacts. Finding the name he wanted, he pressed the call button. His mind was set.“Hello,” came a calm voice on the other end.“Hello, Hans,” Mr Bowen said, with a voice that was steady but filled with cold determination.“Uncle,” Hans replied, respect was clear in his tone. “What can I do for you?”“I have some new directives for you,” Mr Bowen said firmly, with a voice that left no room for argument. “And I want you to carry them out with the utmost urgency.”“Whatever you say, boss,” Hans replied, instantly alert.Mr Bowen took a deep breath and continued. “Effective immediately, I want you to withdraw all of my investments in Richmond Tech Group. Every single cent. No delays.”Hans paused for a moment, then said, “Understood, Uncle. Consider it done.”“And that’s not all,” Mr Bowen added, his tone hardening further. “Any Richmond Tech s