(Hyatt Centric • 6:00 AM Arrival)
The ride from the slums to Midtown Manhattan was silent… but not the silence of fear — the silence of awe building with every mile.
The trucks turned the corner…
And the Kogane Dragons saw it.
The Hyatt Centric rose like a monument carved from glass and gold — a shining fortress towering above the waking city.
Sunlight struck its cylindrical towers, bouncing off the reflective panels until the entire building glowed like a beacon.
And up near the crown…
KOGANE blazed in brilliant gold lettering for the whole world to see.
The First and Second Division froze — jaws dropping, eyes wide, breath taken away.
First Division — Reina's Soldiers:
Hardened men who had survived the worst slum horrors suddenly looked like children seeing heaven for the first time. A few swallowed hard, unable to speak. Others stood straighter, as if this place demanded respect.
Second Division — Magnus Virel's Men:
Veterans of brutality and war instinctively sensed power. They straightened in unison, silent, disciplined… Even Magnus himself inhaled sharply.
The Commanders:
Drex Vane (Second Division Commander): A quiet curse slipped from his lips. "…This belongs to our Boss?"
Riku Zandari (Fourth Commander, visiting): "It looks like a whole other world…"
Reina Kurosawa — First Division Commander
Her reaction was different.
A slow, stunned breath. A widening of her golden eyes. Her chest tightening with emotion she had no name for.
"It's beautiful…" Her voice barely a whisper.
And then, quietly — "This is the world he built… the world he'll pull us into…"
Her eyes shone with pride.
The back doors of the head truck opened…
And Zumi Kogane stepped out.
The morning light hit him perfectly —
His long black commander trench coat flowing, gold phoenix-and-dragon emblem burning on the back.
At his side:
Bia — glowing with divine pride
Hina — fire-and-shadow aura pulsing softly
Gia — blushing, devoted, practically magnetized to Zumi
Serafina — overwhelming, ethereal, and breathtaking
The Dragons straightened instantly, instinct overriding thought.
The entire gathering bowed without being told.
Zumi lifted his hand and said calmly:
"Hold onto me. We're teleporting to my suite."
Bia grabbed his left arm.
Gia hugged his right.
Hina took his hand.
Serafina stepped behind him, resting a hand against his back.
A glow flashed from Zumi's ring—
FWOOOM
And they vanished.
They appeared inside the suite in a swirl of golden sparkles.
Serafina froze completely.
Her crimson eyes widened—
Her breath caught—
And she whispered:
"…By the Abyss… this is your home?"
She walked slowly, fingers trailing the marble counter, then the back of the leather sofa.
Her gaze lifted to the massive wall-sized aquarium — the shark gliding past in serene silence.
"A mortal world created this…? No. You created this."
Zumi smirked.
"Welcome to my sanctuary."
Bia flopped onto the sofa happily.
Hina pressed her hands to the glass of the tank, fascinated.
Gia stood close beside Zumi, eyes shining with pride.
Downstairs, the giant doors of the hotel slid open with a soft chime.
And 100,000 soldiers walked into a world they never dreamed they'd touch.
Marble floors polished like rivers of glass
Crystal chandeliers glowing with warm golden light
Velvet burgundy furniture
Security systems subtly embedded everywhere
Elite staff standing at perfect attention
The Dragons froze again.
Some whispered prayers.
Others swore softly under their breath.
Many just stared with tears in their eyes.
"Boss… really brought us to paradise."
"This place… this is luxury beyond movies…"
"No way this is our new home…"
Their voices broke with emotion.
Jonathan stepped forward to greet them —
gold card hanging from his neck, suit immaculate, posture authoritative.
"Welcome, Kogane Dragons," he announced warmly.
"My name is Jonathan Gale. I am acting manager and Zumi's representative here."
He gestured, and staff began distributing items.
"Each of you will now receive your access card."
He handed each member a black card —
sleek matte surface,
with the emblem of the Purple Eagle and Golden Dragon intertwined and Kogane in Gold letters, below the symbol.
Jonathan continued:
"This card grants you access to your assigned floors, training areas, recreational zones, and security checkpoints.
Each of you will have your own room."
Gasps of disbelief spread through the crowd.
"Commanders," Jonathan said, turning,
"You will each be granted a private suite."
Reina blinked.
"Me…? A suite?"
Jonathan smiled.
"Yes, Commander. You'll find it fitting for someone of your standing."
She swallowed hard, eyes glistening again.
Dragons began filing into elevators:
Floors 41–43: First Division
Floors 38–40: Second Division
Every member with their own private, fully furnished room
Commanders with entire luxury suites with offices, training rooms, and balconies
The aura shifted as they touched their cards against the scanners—
BEEP
And the elevators welcomed them.
As each stepped off onto their new floor—
a subtle surge washed through them.
They felt stronger.
More grounded.
More disciplined.
More… Kogane.
The uniform + the card + Zumi's authority =
a reinforced spiritual boost.
As the Dragons disappeared into their new home…
At the top floor of the hotel in the penthouse suite, he stands before the glass, overlooking the city. His coat drapes behind him. Bia leans at his shoulder.
Serafina stands to his left like a queen. Hina to his right like a flame.
Gia at his back like a shadow. The four women forming his divine and mortal guard.
And Zumi whispers:
"New York…
Your king has returned."
The penthouse was peaceful.
Outside the panoramic windows, the city glittered like a sea of stars.
Inside, the women settled around the room:
Bia curled against Zumi's left side like a loyal, affectionate cat.
Hina sat cross-legged on the floor, stretching her new divine aura.
Gia quietly leaned against the arm of the couch, watching Zumi with warm, shy devotion.
Serafina lounged elegantly on the opposite end, long legs crossed, swirling a small orb of shadow lazily between her fingers.
Zumi exhaled.
"Chat with each other for a bit," he said gently. "I need to talk to Celestia privately."
The girls nodded. Bia immediately nudged Hina, whispering something that made Hina laugh. Serafina eyed Gia with a mischievous look as if deciding how much teasing she'd be doing today. Gia squeaked and looked away.
Zumi closed his eyes.
"Celestia. Private channel."
A soft golden ring appeared in front of his vision.
" PRIVATE SYSTEM CHANNEL ESTABLISHED "
He spoke silently, mind-to-system.
The penthouse was peaceful.
Outside the panoramic windows, the city glittered like a sea of stars. Inside, the women settled around the room:
Bia curled against Zumi's left side like a loyal, affectionate cat. Hina sat cross-legged on the floor, stretching her new divine aura. Gia quietly leaned against the arm of the couch, watching Zumi with warm, shy devotion. Serafina lounged elegantly on the opposite end, long legs crossed, swirling a small orb of shadow lazily between her fingers.
Zumi exhaled.
"Chat with each other for a bit," he said gently. "I need to talk to Celestia privately."
The girls nodded. Bia immediately nudged Hina, whispering something that made Hina laugh. Serafina eyed Gia with a mischievous look as if deciding how much teasing she'd be doing today. Gia squeaked and looked away.
Zumi closed his eyes.
"Celestia. Private channel."
A soft golden ring appeared in front of his vision.
" PRIVATE SYSTEM CHANNEL ESTABLISHED "
He spoke silently, mind-to-system.
Zumi: Celestia… why can't the gods in Olympus sense me? Or Serafina? Or Bia?
A moment of silence.
Then her calm, star-like voice echoed into his mind:
Celestia: " Some information is locked behind future requirements. But I can explain what your current system authority allows. "
Zumi leaned back on the couch, eyes still closed, one arm draped lazily behind Bia as she snuggled closer.
Celestia: " The system was not created by any Supreme God. It was created by a Being above them — above Olympus, above all their hierarchy. A being who forged the Monkey King for the purpose of restoring balance. "
Zumi tilted his head.
Zumi: Someone above the Supreme Gods? Someone capable of creating… me?
Celestia: " Yes. The Supreme Gods feared Sun Wukong's power. They exiled him, hid him, limited him… So the Being who created the Monkey King forged this system. "
A soft hum vibrated through Zumi's mind.
Celestia: " It is meant to activate only when the right reincarnation appears. A reincarnation with the heart, strength, and destiny to finish what the Monkey King began. "
Zumi's eyebrow raised slightly.
Zumi: So it was inevitable… I was always going to become him.
Celestia: " Yes. You are the chosen reincarnation. The one meant to rise. "
He exhaled calmly.
Zumi: So eventually I'm supposed to take over Olympus?
Celestia paused — not hesitating, only calculating her authorization.
Celestia: " Not exactly. You are not meant to rule Olympus. You are meant to keep Olympus in check. To bring balance. To prevent tyranny. "
Zumi sat forward slightly.
Celestia: " When you gain the loyalty of four goddesses… you will be able to begin your own Pantheon. Your own divine hierarchy. Separate from Olympus. Independent. Powerful. "
Zumi felt his heart thrum with anticipation.
Celestia: " Once your Pantheon grows large enough, Once enough gods and goddesses stand under your branch… You will have the authority to override Olympus. To replace the old Pantheon with your own. "
A long silence stretched between them.
Zumi finally smirked.
Zumi: Interesting…
She continued:
Celestia: " And because the system was created by a Being beyond the Supreme Gods… it possesses the authority to block all divine perception. "
Zumi: Meaning the Supreme Gods cannot see me. Or my goddesses.
Celestia: " Correct. Your aura, your soul signature, and everything connected to you is completely hidden from Olympus. They can sense something, a disturbance… but not you. "
Zumi nodded slowly.
Everything made sense now. The chaos in the divine realm. The confusion. The fear. The silence around his presence.
Finally, he opened his eyes.
Zumi: One more thing. How many Request Values do I have?
Celestia: " You currently possess: 90 Request Values. "
Zumi's jaw tightened with a faint grin.
Zumi: Good. Then I want to use a small portion to make a special request…
He paused — and right before he spoke it aloud—
There was a sudden knock at the penthouse door.
Gia, who had been sitting beside Zumi with her legs tucked neatly beneath her, immediately stood up. She glanced toward Zumi—still sitting in quiet meditation, eyes closed, his presence calm and centered—then quietly padded toward the door.
She cracked it open—
And found Jonathan Gale and Reina Kurosawa standing there.
Reina gave a small wave.
Jonathan gave a respectful nod.
Before Jonathan could even speak, Gia grabbed Reina's wrist and pulled her gently inside, whispering urgently:
"Come in, come in—Zumi's meditating. Try not to be loud."
Reina blinked, then nodded obediently.
She entered on soft steps, her eyes already drifting across the glowing aquarium wall and dark golden decor with awe.
Gia turned to Jonathan.
"What's up?" she whispered.
Jonathan kept his voice low.
"Miss Gia… Ana, Kathy, Kasumi, Aurora, Jasmine, and Sakura have all arrived. They're in the lobby and coming up now. They wish to see Zumi."
Gia's eyes widened.
"They're here already?"
Jonathan nodded again.
"And one more thing—" He paused, gathering seriousness.
"The Queen of the Dreadmire Family contacted Clan Head Nishiki. She said she will be arriving at midnight."
Gia exhaled sharply.
That was big.
"Okay. Thank you, Jonathan."
She gave him a polite bow.
"You can return downstairs. I'll handle it."
"Of course."
He bowed to her, to Reina, and glanced briefly—respectfully—toward Zumi before leaving.
Gia shut the door quietly.
Reina raised an eyebrow.
"Dreadmire queen? She's coming here?" she whispered.
Gia nodded.
"She is. But Zumi needs a moment right now."
Gia glanced at Zumi, who still sat in lotus position, eyes closed, breathing steady—locked in deep conversation with Celestia.
She leaned closer to Reina.
"So we're going to give him time and let him finish. Let's talk, relax, hang out. He'll join us when he's done."
Reina nodded with total respect.
"Yes, of course," she said softly.
She gave Zumi a small bow of acknowledgment for his focus, then continued exploring the suite.
Her golden eyes widened as she admired the space:
The towering aquarium of glowing fish and drifting shadows
The marble flooring patterned with subtle gold
The massive panoramic windows bathing everything in warm sunrise light
The luxurious dark-gold furnishings arranged with precise aesthetic purpose
"This is… a palace," Reina murmured.
Serafina smirked from the couch.
"Fitting for our King."
Hina nodded proudly.
"Zumi's room is always stunning. Wait till you see the rest."
Reina could only shake her head in disbelief.
Suddenly—
Ding.
The elevator chimed quietly.
All the girls froze.
Gia gasped.
"They're here!"
She dashed across the room, moving with surprising grace for someone so flustered, and hurried to the door.
Before the others could even stand, she yanked it open and whispered urgently:
"Sssshhhh!
Zumi's meditating. Quiet, quiet—come in gently!"
The girls entered all at once—
Ana, regal and poised
Kathy, stylish and playful
Kasumi, stoic and beautiful
Aurora, tail swishing happily as she whispered "Hi!"
Jasmine, bright-eyed with excitement
Sakura, peeking shyly from behind the group
All of them immediately—
Stopped.
Because standing there was the woman with glowing red eyes and divine presence…
Serafina — the Goddess of Darkness.
They had seen her on video call.
But in person?
It was a whole different feeling.
She was breathtaking.
Intimidating.
Transcendent.
And she gave them a slow, warm smile.
"So you must be the others," Serafina whispered.
"Hello."
Kathy's mouth dropped.
Ana blinked rapidly.
Kasumi actually froze.
Sakura hid behind Jasmine.
Jasmine whispered:
"She's… gorgeous…"
Aurora, always the brave one, bowed politely.
"Hi, Miss Serafina!"
Serafina's smile widened—genuinely charmed.
"And you must be Aurora. The Blaze Whisperer."
Aurora puffed her chest proudly.
"Yes! I'm Zumi's!"
Serafina chuckled.
"Mm. I can see that."
Hina stepped forward, giving each girl a gentle smile.
"Welcome! Come in, sit down—we're letting Zumi finish his meditation with Celestia."
Reina approached too, still admiring the décor.
Ana looked at her and blinked.
"You must be… Reina? The one Zumi made First Division Commander?"
Reina bowed slightly, cheeks flushing with heat.
"Yes… that's me."
Kathy gasped.
"Zumi wasn't kidding—she's gorgeous!"
"Breathtaking," whispered Jasmine.
Kasumi nodded firmly.
"Very strong aura."
Aurora tilted her head.
"Pretty!"
Sakura shyly added,
"Really pretty…"
Reina's cheeks went completely red.
Serafina laughed softly from behind her.
"See? You already have admirers."
Tension melted.
Everyone smiled warmly.
Gia clasped her hands together.
"Okay! Until Zumi is done, we're going to sit, chat, get to know each other, and try not to distract him."
All the girls nodded.
Ana whispered to Gia,
"Is he okay?"
Gia smiled proudly.
"Of course. He's just talking with Celestia."
The girls nodded, taking their seats, whispering among themselves, admiring the suite.
And across the room—
Zumi sat motionless.
Eyes closed.
Aura calm.
Mind deep within the system.
Unaware that almost every woman in his life was now gathered in his suite…
Waiting for him.
Wanting him.
Loyal to him.
A king surrounded by his future Pantheon.