The motorcade cut through New York like a blade.
Black SUVs. Police escorts. Helicopters roaring above like iron beasts claiming the sky.
Ethan Cole sat in the center vehicle, his back straight, hands resting on his knees, his reflection faintly visible in the tinted glass. The city he had struggled to survive in now bowed around him, streets sealed, traffic halted, people pressed behind barricades holding phones aloft.
A strange calm settled over him.
Fear was still there.
But beneath it, something else had taken root.
Expectation.
The system chimed.
[Authority stabilizing.]
[Public recognition rate: 67 percent.]
[Political resistance detected.]
[Emergency resources unlocked.]
A new screen unfolded before his eyes, visible only to him.
[Emergency Asset Package issued.]
[Cash allocation: 5,000,000,000 USD.]
[Source: Federal shadow reserves.]
Ethan's breath caught.
Five billion.
Just like that.
His phone buzzed again, this time displaying secure account confirmations. Numbers rolled upward so fast his eyes struggled to track them.
"This money is real," he thought.
The woman seated across from him spoke calmly. "Mr President, the Treasury has confirmed emergency liquidity access under your authorization."
Ethan met her eyes. "You already knew," he said.
She nodded. "The system worked faster than we expected."
He stiffened. "You know about it."
Her lips curved slightly. "Enough to respect it."
The vehicle slowed as they approached the airfield. Air Force One waited on the tarmac, massive and undeniable, its presence alone screaming power.
The system spoke again.
[Daily bonus triggered by authority surge.]
[Bonus reward issued.]
[Item: White House Master Access.]
[Item: Presidential Intelligence Overview.]
[Item: Loyalty Pact Level One.]
Data flooded his mind.
Faces. Names. Power structures. Who hated him. Who feared him. Who already wanted something.
Senators. Generals. CEOs.
And beneath it all, one repeating truth.
They did not see him as a man.
They saw him as a variable.
As the plane lifted into the sky, Ethan felt the weight of it settle fully on his shoulders.
Washington awaited.
The White House was chaos wrapped in marble.
Staffers moved at a near run. Phones rang nonstop. Screens blazed with live feeds from around the world. Leaders demanded explanations. Markets trembled.
The moment Ethan stepped inside, the noise softened.
Not stopped.
Softened.
Like a room instinctively holding its breath.
[Authority effect activated.]
[Passive influence applied.]
[Room compliance increased.]
A man in uniform approached, saluting sharply. "Mr President, General Marcus Hale, Joint Chiefs."
Ethan returned the salute awkwardly.
Hale's eyes were sharp. Measuring. Calculating.
"You've inherited a nervous world," Hale said. "And a very loyal military."
The system chimed.
[Military command recognized.]
[Unit loyalty initialized.]
[Reward issued.]
[Military Asset Package Alpha.]
[Private Security Division x 500.]
[Special Operations Unit x 120.]
[Drone Wing x 60.]
Ethan felt it.
Not numbers.
People.
Men and women who would follow his orders without hesitation.
His throat tightened.
"This is real," he thought.
Another figure approached, a woman in a tailored suit, dark hair tied back, eyes sharp enough to cut glass.
"Director Evelyn Ross. CIA."
She studied him openly.
"You appeared out of nowhere," she said. "That scares people."
"Does it scare you?" Ethan asked.
A pause.
Then she smiled faintly. "No. It excites me."
The system reacted instantly.
[Romance path detected.]
[Target: Evelyn Ross.]
[Compatibility: High.]
[Reward locked pending interaction.]
Ethan forced his expression to remain neutral, but his pulse quickened.
He was starting to understand.
This system did not just give power.
It connected everything.
Money. Politics. War. Desire.
As he entered the Oval Office, the weight of history pressed down on him.
Presidents past stared from portraits on the walls.
The desk awaited him.
The moment he sat down, the system exploded with notifications.
[Office synchronization complete.]
[Presidential Sign In available.]
SIGN IN
Ethan did not hesitate this time.
[Sign in successful.]
[Day Two Reward Bundle issued.]
[Cash: 10,000,000,000 USD.]
[Company Shares acquired.]
[Stark Dynamics: 22 percent.]
[Atlas Energy Group: 15 percent.]
[Liberty Finance Consortium: 30 percent.]
[Real Estate Portfolio unlocked.]
[New York Manhattan holdings x 12.]
[Washington DC holdings x 8.]
[Los Angeles holdings x 6.]
Ethan leaned back slowly.
"This is insane," he whispered.
Markets reacted instantly.
Phones exploded again.
"Mr President," an aide stammered, "the stock market just stabilized. Investors are rallying behind you."
The system added coldly.
[Wealth influence rising.]
[Global elites taking notice.]
A sudden alert flashed red.
[Warning.]
[Hostile intent detected.]
[Target: Presidential legitimacy.]
Faces appeared.
A senator. A media mogul. A billionaire donor.
Enemies.
Before panic could rise, the system countered.
[Countermeasure activated.]
[Reward issued.]
[Political Shield Level One.]
[Media favor increased.]
[Scandal suppression active.]
Ethan smiled for the first time.
"So that's how this works."
Another notification.
[Special event triggered.]
[Romance and alliance opportunity.]
[Visitor arriving.]
The doors opened.
A woman stepped inside, tall, composed, wearing a cream colored suit that screamed money and confidence. Her gaze locked onto Ethan immediately.
"Mr President," she said smoothly. "I'm Alexandra Pierce. Pierce Global Holdings."
One of the most powerful private companies on the planet.
The system chimed almost eagerly.
[High value ally detected.]
[Romance route optional.]
[Alliance reward preview.]
[Corporate dominance increased.]
Ethan stood, extending his hand.
"Welcome to the White House."
Her smile was slow and knowing. "I think we're going to change the world together."
As cameras flashed outside and enemies whispered in the dark, Ethan felt something solidify inside him.
He was no longer reacting.
He was choosing.
The system spoke one final time.
[Heir.]
[The era of accumulation has begun.]
And far away, unseen, something ancient watched with interest.