[ The Fourth Wall wiggles… ]
Ron frowned.
"What? The Fourth Wall? Where were you all this time? We were friends remember?"
No answer. Only static silence.
Then another window appeared—larger, darker, more unstable:
[ Name: Ron
Age: ■■ (33 physically)
■■■■■■■■ : "???"
Attributes:
→ (All attributes of "??" are censored.)
Overall:
• Strength – Above Human
• Durability – Above Human
• Ki – 50th Grade Black Sorcerer
Fables:
→ (All Fables of "??" are censored.)
More information is censored. ]
The window vanished after a few seconds.
Ron's eye twitched.
"You've got to be kidding me. What is this? Why is it treating me like I am in a story and why is everything hidden?"
Bruce stepped beside him, brushing dust from his coat. He placed a hand on Ron's shoulder and said quietly,
"Let's head to another base."
Ron smiled faintly, the exhaustion fading from his eyes.
"Yeah." Bruce started walking ahead, Ron followed after him.
Both men stepped into a narrow, dimly lit alley. The air felt heavy — silent, except for the distant hum of city life fading behind them.
At the end of the alley stood a wall. Old, cracked bricks. A metallic sign hung crookedly across it:
NO ENTRY.
Bruce didn't hesitate. He walked forward with calm confidence, and as his palm brushed the surface, the solid wall shuddered — then split open down the middle like a glowing gateway.
"Carter and the others are already here," Bruce said, his tone casual, almost as if this was routine.
Ron followed him through the gateway.
Before them stood a massive elevator platform — large enough to carry twenty men at once. The metallic floor gleamed faintly with embedded runes and faint blue circuitry. Bruce pressed a button, and the elevator began to descend smoothly, the walls folding and sealing them in.
As they went lower, faint vibrations rippled under Ron's boots. Then—light flooded in.
The elevator opened into a breathtaking sight.
A vast spherical chamber, its walls glowing with rotating holograms and mechanical veins that pulsed like living light. The air carried the faint scent of ozone and oil. On one side of the floor, strange circular footprints shimmered, as though waiting for someone to step onto them.
Ron turned to Bruce, whose eyes glinted with quiet pride.
"This," Bruce said, walking forward and pulling a small lever shaped like an ornament, "is my Mini House."
The lever clicked.
The walls around them rumbled, shifting, unfolding.
A section opened up like the grand gates of a castle, revealing a luxurious interior — glowing corridors, floating staircases, and softly humming machines that moved like servants.
"It has every facility you can imagine," Bruce continued. "More advanced than any hospital, hotel, or mansion on this planet."
Ron exhaled. "Wow."
He wasn't easily impressed — but this place felt alive.
Bruce gestured toward a spiral staircase of glass and steel.
"Go upstairs. First room on your left. It's the medical unit — go get a checkup."
Ron nodded and climbed the stairs. The steps lit up under his feet, guiding him forward. The room he entered looked empty at first — until a chair slid out from the wall and positioned itself in the center.
Before he could react, the chair turned and locked his wrists and ankles gently in place.
From the walls, a dozen robotic doctors emerged — sleek metallic frames with glowing blue lenses for eyes. They surrounded him silently and began their examination, projecting scans of his blood, nerves, and energy flow into the air.
Meanwhile, Bruce made his way back toward the main hall. As he passed a side corridor, his eyes caught a brass nameplate:
Ms. Coullins
He paused — expression unreadable — then turned away and opened the next door.
Inside, Carter sat with his family and Rocky around a wide glass table, plates of steaming food set before them. Warm laughter filled the air. For a moment, Bruce just stood there — a rare softness passing through his eyes.
"Where's Ron?" Rocky asked, noticing him.
Bruce smiled faintly. "He's getting a checkup. Please, enjoy your meal. Don't mind me."
He walked to the wall and pressed a loose brick.
The section of the wall shifted — and behind it, a hidden door opened, revealing a shimmering portal. Beyond the frame, waves of blue water floated in the air like a sea suspended in space.
Ron entered just then, wiping sweat from his forehead.
"Ron," Bruce said, turning toward him, "have a seat. Eat as much as you want."
Rocky quickly pulled a chair for him, grinning. "You better eat before I finish everything."
Carter stood, followed by his mother and two of his sisters. They bowed in gratitude toward Ron, Bruce, and Rocky. The warmth of the moment spread through the room, easing the tension that had followed them for weeks.
As they sat, Bruce nodded toward the glowing portal.
"After you walk through that, you'll arrive directly on Carter's ship. One of your sisters is already waiting there."
Ron looked around in awe. "Damn, Jake Jacobs… this place is insane."
Bruce chuckled. "You haven't even seen all its secrets yet."
Ron leaned forward. "So how did you even build this?"
"It wasn't built," Bruce said quietly. "It was gifted to my father — by an agency where my he once worked."
Ron's tone softened. "Sorry… I didn't mean to bring up the past."
Bruce waved it off. "Don't worry about it."
Rocky leaned back in his chair. "So what now?"
Carter crossed his arms. "We do nothing for now."
Bruce nodded. "Exactly. We stay quiet. Hidden." Then his gaze sharpened as he turned to Carter. "If you want to save your family, listen carefully."
Carter met his eyes and nodded.
"You'll need to change their identities. Stage a scene that makes it look like they died. Then marry your sisters into powerful, trusted families. Your mother will need a new identity too — I'll send her somewhere safe."
Rocky nodded approvingly. "That's actually brilliant."
"It'll take time," Carter said.
"I can help," Rocky replied, pulling out his phone. "I know someone who can make it official." He stepped into the next room, already dialing.
Ron, meanwhile, vanished — teleporting back to check on the girl, in the hospital, near his home .
Moments later, Rocky came back. "Bruce, check your email."
Bruce opened a holographic display from his wristband. The files were already there. Together, he and Carter confirmed the changes and sent the data back to Rocky's contact.
"All done," Bruce said. "Everything's official now."
"Then who will they marry?" Carter asked, half-relieved, half-worried.
Bruce looked at him. "You have three sisters. I have three candidates — Ron, Jacky, and Akira."
Carter blinked. "Ron?"
Before he could protest, Bruce continued, "Marrying Ron will make her safe. Naturally. He's an understanding man. If you tell him it's for protection, he'll do it — no questions asked."
Carter hesitated, then slowly nodded.