Suddenly, Marvin blinked and found himself in an entirely different place. The cold, sterile walls of the lab were gone, replaced by trees, cobblestone paths, and open fields bathed in twilight. He spun around, disoriented, feeling the soft grass under his feet and the cool breeze on his face.“Where am I?” he asked, his voice was a whisper, and his eyes darted around in confusion.Just then, Mr. Christopher appeared a few steps away, glowing softly as before, but this time, his eyes turned normal. “You are in Westwood, Marvin.”Marvin’s heart jumped. “Uncle!” he gasped. “I thought we were in Neovalle just a few minutes ago.”Mr. Christopher nodded calmly. “Yes, we were. In fact, we still are,” he replied, his voice was smooth and untroubled. “Our bodies are still in Neovalle. But with the help of the synapticore force, our souls are now here, in Westwood.”Marvin’s eyes widened in awe. “You mean…soul travel is possible with the synapticore force?”“The ultra mega synapticore force,
Marvin looked at Mr. Christopher, his eyes filled with a quiet pride as he prepared to explain himself.“You see, Uncle,” he began, “I’ve loved technology for as long as I can remember. Even when I was a kid, I’d spend hours tinkering with old gadgets, taking them apart to see how they worked, then putting them back together. That curiosity never faded.”He paused, a small smile crossing his face as he recalled those early memories. For a moment, the weight of his recent betrayal faded, and he felt a glimmer of the same excitement that had driven him all his life. “All through high school, I studied tech with a great passion. I read every book I could find, joined every tech club, and even won a few competitions. By the time I reached college, I knew exactly what I wanted to do. I majored in engineering, graduated with honors, and went on to complete a doctorate in advanced technology systems. I didn’t just study—I lived and breathed tech.”Mr. Christopher listened intently, clearly i
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