The city pulsed like a living organism. Neon signs flickered under thick fog. Skyscrapers carved into the clouds shimmered with secrets. Down below, alleyways twisted like veins, hiding everything from underground fight clubs to luxury vice lounges. Nymeris wasn't on any map—it was a city built for the invisible class: hackers, smugglers, rogue investors, fallen billionaires, and dreamers lost to the system.
Julian arrived in silence.
A black armored vehicle dropped him at the gates of the Iron Flare Tower, headquarters of Velcore Inc., one of the ten mysterious corporations that secretly fund Zenith University's elite programs.
His reward from the Heartbeat Core had come with a cost—he had been drafted into a corporate competition more brutal than any exam or arena.
---
"Julian Vale," a voice echoed from a dark corridor. "Follow me."
The woman was tall—late twenties, chocolate skin, braided hair dyed midnight blue. Her name tag read Celestia Dawn, Head of Operations. She wore a sharp black suit, slit high at the thigh, her heels clicking with elegance and warning.
"This way, Mr. Vale. Time is currency here."
Julian followed her into a chrome-walled boardroom.
Five executives in half-masks sat at a round table. They represented rival companies in an unspoken war. Names like Drahkin Systems, Onyx Legacy, and Gilded Core flashed on the wall.
"This is where school ends," said the man in the center. His mask was crimson, voice robotic. "This is business. Each of you has a product. A mission. A reputation. We're watching your every move."
Julian took his seat. Others joined—former students, rich heirs, and young innovators.
His task?
Develop and present a product that can revolutionize either education, entertainment, or weaponry within 72 hours.
Penalty for failure: Reputation annihilation and full academic erasure.
Reward: Level 4 Access. 1.5 billion credits. Ownership of a luxury estate in Elouran Hills.
---
Back at Zenith University
Word of Julian's victory had spread like wildfire.
Leila Winters, a wealthy final-year fashion student with flaming red curls and full lips, watched his replays over and over. "He's… not even trying. That's the scary part."
She had refused countless rich boys. But Julian was different. Untamed. Mysterious.
"He looks like he'd break you… but fix you in the same breath," she whispered, biting her lip.
Beside her, her best friend Mila Chang, an international student from Seoul with violet lenses and perfect skin, nodded. "He's the kind of storm you don't survive. But girls like us… we crave that kind."
---
He returned from Nymeris to find two letters slid under his door.
One was soaked in perfume. No name.
The other was plain, stamped with the university's golden seal.
The first read: "I saw you fight. I want you. Room 602. No names. Just need."
The second was more alarming:
Dear Mr. Julian Vale,
You have been selected for a new live-streamed competition: The Legacy Trials. Participation is mandatory. Your performance will decide which corporation takes ownership of your academic contract. Good luck.
---
Mr. Langston, wearing a white shirt unbuttoned at the neck, spoke in hushed tones with Miss Estelle.
"He's being hunted by every side now. He's no longer just a student. He's a commodity."
"I know," Estelle sighed. "But I feel something darker is pulling him. I've seen this before... long ago, in another student we lost to madness."
Langston raised an eyebrow.
"Who?"
She paused. Then whispered, "Julian's father."
---
Julian arrived, greeted by Axel Vance, a 22-year-old genius mechanic with grease-stained jeans and chains around his neck.
"I saw what you did to Connor, bro," Axel grinned. "You ever thought of joining the Midnight Run?"
Julian raised a brow.
"What's that?"
"Secret auto race under the city. Winner takes 10 million. Loser… well, you don't want to lose. You drive?"
Julian smirked. "I do everything."
They walked past stunning girls in leather crop tops, guys working engines like artists, and neon-blue muscle cars lined up like war machines.
---
The grand ballroom shimmered with chandeliers.
Leila Winters walked in, head high, in a tight golden gown with a slit up her thigh. On her arm was Darius Kane, heir to a real estate empire—but her eyes kept searching the room.
Julian entered wearing a black turtleneck, layered with a designer coat, rugged boots, and no tie. Heads turned. Girls whispered.
Even the professors froze.
And then came Selina Maskara—the most mysterious student. No one knew where she came from. Always wore a sleek silver mask. Rumor said she was from the richest family in Elouran, hiding her identity from fame and danger.
She walked straight to Julian.
"Dance?" she asked.
He offered his hand.
Every other girl's heart shattered in silence.
-
Selina removed her mask only slightly. Just enough to whisper, "You're not the only one with secrets, Julian. Keep winning. Or you'll lose more than grades."
She leaned in.
Kissed him.
And vanished into the night.
---
Task Unlocked: Survive the Gala Without Falling for the Trap
Status: Success
Reward: One Secret Allowed to Be Buried Forever
Penalty Averted: Viral Scandal on Social Media
---