Chapter 6: The Game of Kings Begins
Rain still lingered in the city air, a silver veil draped across the skyline. But for Kael Veyron, the storm had only just begun.
The campus buzzed with tension. Word of Dorian Kaine's disgrace had spread like a digital virus. Screens flickered with headlines, group chats overflowed with speculation, and students whispered Kael's name like he was an urban legend.
But Kael? He walked through it all with quiet poise, a storm cloaked in silk. His mind was elsewhere—focused on the new system alert that hadn't stopped pulsing since the day before.
> [ALERT: Financial System Signature Detected]
Signature Class: Sovereign Level
Distance: 432 meters and closing.
Then, he saw him.
A man in a tailored navy blazer stood leaning casually against the library's archway. His eyes shimmered—not with curiosity, but recognition. System recognition.
Kael approached slowly. The system buzzed like a wasp nest.
"You must be Kael Veyron," the man said smoothly. His voice was laced with elegance—danger wrapped in velvet.
"And you are?" Kael asked.
The man offered a sleek business card: Luther Cain, Sovereign Operator of the Platinum Bank System.
Kael's pupils narrowed. A system user. Higher class. Possibly older. More experienced.
> [Warning: User Luther Cain possesses Sovereign privileges. Proceed with caution.]
"Why approach me?" Kael asked.
Luther smiled. "Because you've triggered ripples, my friend. And when ripples form in a still lake, someone like me notices."
He stepped closer. "Join me. I can show you how real power works. What you have is impressive. But what I offer... is empire."
Kael said nothing. But his system chimed in silence.
> [System Decision Point Incoming.]
---
Scene 2: Layers of Deceit
That evening, Kael and Mira returned to the apartment.
She was quiet, still shaken from yesterday. Her shirt had dried, but her nerves hadn't.
"Luther Cain... He looked like someone out of a finance movie," she muttered.
Kael nodded. "He's dangerous. But useful. I might need to play along."
> [Mission Unlocked: Spy Among Kings]
Infiltrate Luther's invitation. Discover the Sovereign System's hierarchy.
Mira slumped onto the couch, legs draped over the armrest. Her skirt slid a little higher than usual, unintentionally—or perhaps not.
"You trust me, right?" she asked.
Kael looked at her. Her expression was serious despite the teasing pose.
"I do," he said. "You're not just an assistant. You're my first investment."
Her cheeks flushed. "That almost sounded romantic."
> [Relationship Progress: Mira - 47%]
New Perk: Emotional Buffer – Mira can calm or boost Kael's mental state in high-stress situations.
---
Scene 3: The Golden Auction
Kael received an encrypted invite.
> Welcome to the Golden Auction.
Location: Undisclosed. Pickup at Midnight.
He arrived in a black suit, escorted to a discreet armored car. Inside were others like him—people with systems, power glinting in their eyes.
Among them sat a woman wearing a crimson cheongsam. Elegant. Untouchable. Her eyes met Kael's, and her lips curled.
"Kael Veyron," she said. "I heard you buried a serpent."
He recognized her now. Eira's sister.
"You," he said.
"Lilia," she replied. "And I brought a gift."
She handed him a black chip.
> [Artifact Acquired: Source Core Fragment]
May repair or upgrade Goldfinger System beyond base design.
Status: Locked until compatibility check.
---
Scene 4: The Auction of Power
The auction began. They weren't bidding on items. They were bidding on opportunities:
Crippled corporations
Stocks timed for insider collapse
Secrets traded for influence
Kael leaned forward.
> [New Auction Bid: Microstartup with Hidden Patent - $50,000]
> Estimated Return: 700% if developed within 30 days.
> Accept?
He accepted.
The room watched as the system confirmed the transaction.
Kael had just played in the high leagues—and the game had only begun.
---
Scene 5: The Kiss and The Kill
Outside, the storm returned. Kael and Lilia stood under a glass dome as lightning forked across the sky.
"You're interesting," she said. "Dangerous. Unpredictable."
She stepped forward.
And kissed him.
> [System Sync Triggered: Lilia - Compatibility Detected - 22%]
Kael pulled away slowly. "Why?"
"Because your system is like mine. And soon... they'll try to delete us."
A gunshot rang out. Glass shattered.
An assassin fell from the ceiling, his head turned by a silenced bullet.
Lilia slipped a pistol back into her sleeve. "Told you. Now... shall we begin Phase Two?"
> [Chapter End]