System Check-In: Phantom Industries HQ – Global Finance Floor
Check-In Complete
Wealth Milestone Triggered – Liquid Shadow Funds Exceed $1B
Rewards:
– $12,000,000
– New Executive Feature: "Dracas Capital Web"
→ Create shell firms faster than federal trace cycles
→ Redirect up to 70% of illicit revenue into legitimate financial structures
System Status: Stable
Influence: Dominant
Threat Detected: None (Yet)
But ARCHAIOS whispered something unusual:
"A lull in data flow.
A shadow behind the silence.
Something's coming… but not yet real enough to see."
Scene: Campus, St. Monarch — The Rumor Begins
Whispers reach campus through a new elite student named Victor Greaves — wealthy, charming, and deeply connected in European circles.
"Phantom's too loud," Victor said in a roundtable forum.
"And the louder a king roars… the easier it is to track the pulse of his empire."
Zhenyu locked eyes with him once.
Didn't blink.
Didn't speak.
But noted the way Nova, Elina, and Arielle all watched Victor more than they wanted to admit.
Meanwhile — Global Pressure Rises
Senator Kline reopens an anti-shadow finance committee
Interpol launches "Ghost Protocol" targeting Damon's front companies
A powerful underworld alliance called "The Red Circle" begins meeting in secret
Makazi, DuMont, and The Serpent Council are all at the table.
They don't want to beat Damon head-on…
They want to starve his network.
Cut his arteries.
Then bring the bite.
System Surge: Untraceable Transaction Flagged
Origin: Unknown
Amount: $7.5M removed from Phantom Energy
Destination: A shell bank once linked to a vampire court in Romania
ARCHAIOS:
"This was surgical. Precise.
Someone… or something… just tested the armor."
Damon didn't react. Yet.
But he ordered three lieutenants to go dark.
And one whispered to Nova:
"He's preparing for war.
Not because he thinks it's coming—
But because he feels it already began."
Final Moment — Hidden Estate, Northern Forest
A being stood barefoot on snow. Eyes glowing.
No heartbeat.
Skin pale.
Cape black as sin.
Behind him: silver chains dragging werewolf corpses… still smoldering.
He looked up at the stars.
"The Dracas has awakened.
So we drink first…
Then we devour the flame."