NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 3: Building the Foundation
Kai Nakamura stood in the middle of the street, the Syndicate thugs glaring at him but clearly unsure of what to do next. Aria Sinclair, the woman he'd just saved, stepped forward, her eyes narrowing as she studied him.
"Who are you?" she asked again, her voice sharp but curious.
Kai smirked, trying to play it cool. "Like I said, someone who's about to change your life."
One of the thugs lunged at him, but Kai was ready. He activated the time-freeze ability, and the world around him came to a halt.
[Time-Freeze Usage: 3/3]
"Alright, let's make this quick," Kai muttered, disarming the thug and positioning him in a way that would make him trip when time resumed. He did the same with the other two, making sure they'd be too confused to fight back.
[Time-Freeze Deactivated.]
The thugs stumbled and fell, their weapons clattering to the ground. They scrambled to their feet, shooting Kai one last glare before running off.
Aria stared at him, her expression a mix of awe and suspicion. "What… what just happened?"
Kai shrugged, trying to look nonchalant. "Let's just say I've got a few tricks up my sleeve."
The First Upgrade
As the thugs disappeared, a notification popped up on Kai's holographic screen:
[Mission Complete: Protect Aria Sinclair.]
[Reward: $100,000 and 5 Attribute Points.]
[Black Card Balance: $1,100,000]
[Upgrade Points Available: 5]
Kai grinned. "Not bad for a day's work."
He pulled up his attributes screen:
[Current Attributes]
Strength: 5/10
Agility: 5/10
Intelligence: 7/10
Charisma: 4/10
Luck: 6/10
"Hmm," Kai muttered, tapping his chin. "I could use a little more strength and agility if I'm going to be taking on Syndicate thugs."
He allocated 3 points to Strength and 2 points to Agility, bringing them up to 8 and 7, respectively.
[Attributes Updated]
Strength: 8/10
Agility: 7/10
Kai flexed his arm, feeling a surge of power. "Nice."
Small Missions Begin
As Kai and Aria walked away from the scene, another notification appeared:
[New Mission: Help a Local Business.]
[Objective: Save a struggling café from Syndicate extortion.]
[Reward: $50,000 and 2 Attribute Points.]
Kai raised an eyebrow. "A café? Really?"
Aria glanced at him. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," Kai said, grinning. "Just got a little side quest."
The Café Mission
They arrived at a small, rundown café called Bean Dream. The owner, a middle-aged woman named Mrs. Park, was arguing with two Syndicate enforcers.
"You've got until the end of the week," one of the enforcers said, slamming his fist on the counter. "Pay up, or we shut you down."
Kai stepped forward, his new strength and confidence evident. "Problem here?"
The enforcers turned to him, sneering. "Stay out of this, kid."
Kai activated his time-freeze ability, quickly disarming the enforcers and tying them up with a rope he found in the corner.
[Time-Freeze Usage: 2/3]
When time resumed, the enforcers were left confused and helpless. Mrs. Park stared at Kai, tears in her eyes.
"Thank you," she said, bowing deeply. "You've saved my business."
[Mission Complete: Help a Local Business.]
[Reward: $50,000 and 2 Attribute Points.]
[Black Card Balance: $1,150,000]
[Upgrade Points Available: 7]
Kai smiled. "Just doing my part."
Aria watched him, her expression softening. "You're full of surprises, aren't you?"
Kai shrugged, trying to hide his grin. "You have no idea."
Establishing the Base
With Aria's help, Kai found an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of Eclipse City. It was rundown and covered in graffiti, but it had potential.
"This place is a dump," Aria said, wrinkling her nose as they stepped inside.
"It's perfect," Kai replied, grinning. "No one will think to look for us here."
He pulled out his black card and swiped it, transferring $200,000 to a contractor he'd hired to renovate the place.
[Black Card Balance: $950,000]
"Alright, Erebus," Kai said, addressing the system. "Let's make this place a fortress."
A New Ally
As they were inspecting the warehouse, a familiar face appeared at the door. It was Lila Nakamura, Kai's cousin and a skilled hacker.
"Kai?" she said, her eyes widening. "What are you doing here?"
Kai grinned. "Long story. But I could use your help."
Lila crossed her arms, smirking. "Depends. What's in it for me?"
"How about unlimited funding and a chance to stick it to the Syndicate?"
Lila's smirk turned into a grin. "I'm in."
End of Chapter 2
Kai stood in the middle of the warehouse, Aria and Lila by his side. For the first time since his rebirth, he felt like he was building something real.
"Alright, team," he said, clapping his hands. "Let's get to work."