In a dimly lit chamber, the flicker of torchlight cast dancing shadows across the walls as three men and a woman sat around a wooden table, the air thick with tension.

"Victor may have given you my address," a 60-year-old man with white hair said, his voice calm but distant. He looked toward the young man with long brown hair. "And while Victor is a friend… as you can see"—he gestured to the man seated beside him, possibly in his thirties clad in white with short black hair neatly trimmed and a scar cutting clean across his right cheek— "I'm already helping someone else."

Jack fixed the old man with a cold stare.

"We've had this conversation more than once, Hollis. You gave me your word—you said you'd send some of your people to manage a few of my shops in exchange for Gold coins. That was days ago. And now, when it's time to seal the deal, you try to back out with a pathetic excuse… and you bring some random guy to the table like this is a joke?"

He leaned in slightly, voice low and sharp.

"Tell me, Hollis—do you really think you can play games with me?"

"Now, now," Galen said calmly, cutting in before Hollis could speak. His gaze settled on Jack, lips curled into a faint, knowing smile. "Hollis simply made the smarter choice between us. No need to get upset over it. Besides… you had a promise—nothing binding. Isn't that right?"

Amelia, seated beside Jack, cast a cool glance at Galen "This isn't your place to speak unless spoken to," she said, her tone icy. "Remember that going forward."

Then, turning to Hollis and gesturing toward Galen, she added sharply, "And you—are you really willing to break your word… for him? I'd think twice, if I were you."

"What's th—" Galen opened his mouth to respond but stopped abruptly.

A thin red line opened across the old scar on his cheek, fresh blood welling along the edge, the abruptness of it left him frozen for a moment.

Jack finally turned to face him and said flatly "That was a warning."

Witnessing the exchange, Hollis swallowed hard. Only now did he fully understand—the young man he'd casually negotiated with over the past few days wasn't just some random young man with a few connections. He was someone that he should've taken seriously from the start.

Stuck between a rock and a hard place Hollis let out a weak cough, trying to ease the growing pressure in the room. He forced a smile, voice slightly trembling he said while looking at the three people in the room "Come now, there's no need for things to escalate. We're all reasonable people. Let's just talk this through and make sure everyone leaves satisfied."

Turning to Jack he said "You wanted some of my men to help run your shops—I'm still open to that. But," he added, glancing at Galen, "I've also made another arrangement. So I won't be able to spare too many. I hope that's… acceptable?"

Jack didn't blink. His cold eyes locked onto Hollis's.

"Enlighten me," he said, voice sharp, "why the fuck should I care about a deal you made behind my back?"

Hollis straightened his robes, regaining a sliver of composure. His smile returned, more confident this time—almost sly.

"Because this could be an opportunity. For both of us."

"And what's this opportunity?" said Jack, the intensity in his eyes could've burned holes straight through Hollis.

As Galen opened his mouth to chime in, Hollis threw him a single glance, signalling him not to talk. Clearing his throat he then leaned forward slightly, his sly smile still present on his face.

"Galen works for people who—pardon my honesty—we can't afford to cross. Not you. Not me." His voice lowered, as though the walls themselves might be listening. "And those people… they're preparing to take over Earth."

Jack's expression didn't shift as he kept listening.

"They have nothing now" Hollis continued, clearly warming to his pitch. "No allies, no solid foothold. If we support them early, we might earn more than just influence—we could become very rich."

Then, with a smug little smirk—as if he'd just revealed a winning hand—he added, "Interested now?"

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Sitting beside him, Galen looked at Jack as he straightened his back after Hollis finished his pitch, confidence returning like a mask sliding into place.

Looking at the two of them acting like they had everything planned out Jack couldn't help but chuckle as he turned to Amelia, who also wore a similar amused smile.

"Did you hear that?" he said, voice laced with dry sarcasm. "They're planning to conquer Earth. And if we lend a hand, we might get a few crumbs from the table. Tempting, isn't it?"

"A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," Amelia echoed, her voice tinged with amusement. She watched the expressions on Hollis and Galen's faces—tight, sour, humorless—and it only made her composure harder to maintain. Laughter danced behind her eyes, threatening to break free.

She turned her gaze to Galen, struggling to keep her tone level.

"Tell me—can you even speak for your group? Or are we sitting here wasting our time?"

The comment landed hard.

Hollis and Galen's faces darkened, drained of any trace of smugness.

"I can arrange a meeting with my leader" jaw clenched, Galen spat out his response.

Jack glanced at Amelia. She gave a slight nod—subtle, but clear.

Turning back to Galen and Hollis, Jack spoke with a calm authority that brooked no argument.

"Three days. If your leader doesn't show within that time…" He turned his gaze on Hollis. "Then you, old man, will send all your people to run my shops."

He let the silence stretch for just a moment, then added with a cold smile "And I'll pay you half of what we previously agr—" he paused, letting the word linger like a taunt—"talked about."

"That's all for now," Jack said, rising from his seat. Amelia stood with him, her movements smooth as they turned toward the exit.

Just before stepping out, she cast a fleeting glance over her shoulder at Hollis and Galen—cool, unreadable—then looked away without another word. The door creaked open and closed behind them, leaving the room in heavy silence.

Still seated at the table, Hollis leaned toward Galen, desperation flickering in his eyes.

"Can't you do something about them?" he whispered urgently. "Maybe ask your leader to make them disappear—we have to act before it's too late."

Galen slowly turned his head toward the older man. The glare he gave could've frozen fire.

"If you didn't hold influence in this city," Galen growled, voice low and venomous, "I would've slit your throat right here."

"Now shut up. I'll report everything to my leader. Whether you live or die after stirring up this mess… that's no longer up to me." He leaned in slightly, his tone dropping to a dangerous murmur."

Then, without another word, Galen stood abruptly, his chair scraping loudly against the floor. He stormed out, every step sharp with restrained fury—staying even one more second might've ended in blood.

Left alone in the quiet, Hollis sat frozen for a moment. His skin had gone pale, and the weight of everything finally settled on his shoulders like a crushing stone. Slowly, he stood—legs unsteady, breath shallow—and shuffled into a nearby room. He collapsed onto a worn sofa, his body heavy with dread.

After a long silence, a glint returned to his eyes. A spark of desperation.

"I need to do something," he muttered to himself. "Or I'm finished."

////////////

Out in the lamplit streets of Altura, the mood was a world apart. The soft glow of fire lanterns lit the cobbled path as Jack and Amelia walked side by side, their pace unhurried.

"Do you think what Galen said was true?" Amelia asked, her voice curious as she glanced at Jack's face, now calm and unreadable again.

He was quiet for a moment, his eyes scanning the streets ahead. Then, he calmly replied "Maybe. To be honest, I don't know. But the way he said it... like it was already decided?" He shook his head slightly. "That kind of certainty makes it worth considering."

Then he smiled at her "Don't worry. We'll be fine."

Amelia returned the smile, warmth filled her eyes. She tilted her head up, gazing at the night sky above them where stars were blinking and a full moon hung up high.

"So beautiful," she whispered, halting for a moment to take it in. The moonlight giving her blond hair a silvery-white color.

Jack's gaze never left her. When she spoke, he didn't look up.

A single thought ran through his head.

Indeed.

////////////////

Pit-pat pit-pat.

Seated at the center of his room, Nova was absorbed in studying the intricate patterns of arrays. His eyes flicking over the runes, but then the sound of rain striking the glass window broke his concentration.

Lifting his head, his gaze shifted to the window. Dark clouds churned in the sky, gathering in a thick mass. The wind howled as it whipped through the air, sending a chill that made the window tremble faintly under its pressure.

A slow grin spread across Nova's face, growing wider by the second. His hands moved automatically, storing the Array Basics booklet back into his Inventory. Rising from his seated position, he stepped away from the array and opened the window.

The wind rushed in, tugging at his black hair, which had grown long enough to brush against his shoulders.

He tilted his head back, eyes meeting the darkening sky, and his grin stretched even wider—uncontainable.

Gripping the edges of the window frame, Nova hoisted himself up, his body moving with practiced precision. As he crouched on the edge, his eyes gleamed with anticipation.

"Finally..." he murmured, the word barely audible over the rising wind.

With a swift push, he sprang upward like a coiled spring, his momentum carrying him effortlessly to the roof. As he landed, he reached into his Inventory and withdrew his spear.

Closing his eyes, he tuned into the ambient Mana swirling around him. He felt it—shifting, pulsing—his senses attuned to its every fluctuation. He began tracing the familiar patterns on the rooftop, writing the Rank 1 Mana Gathering array with practiced ease. This time, the process was smooth, almost instinctual, and within minutes the array was complete.

A sense of satisfaction washed over him. His progress had been swift, and he couldn't help but nod to himself.

With a flick of his wrist, he returned the spear to his Inventory and stepped inside the array, the runes glowing faintly beneath his feet. The storm above had intensified, distant flashes of lightning illuminating the sky.

Nova lifted his gaze, his eyes narrowing as the winds howled around him. The electric charge in the air crackling as he shouted, spreading his arms wide.

"MY STORM."

RUMBLE

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