After some time, Aven's aunt arrived with swift, anxious steps, flanked by his first and second uncles. All their cousins followed close behind.
Not a single one of them had a smile on their face.
The mood was heavy. Silence hung in the hospital corridor like a storm cloud ready to burst.
After the emotional tide began to settle, Aven stood from his seat. His eyes, sharp and steady, swept over the gathered family members.
"We need to hold a family meeting. It's time to deal with the Veron family," Aven said, his voice calm but sharp.
"Not now," Kaelion interjected, eyes narrowing. "This isn't the time."
Aven met his gaze, unshaken. "Then let's do it at the estate."
The room fell silent.
Everyone nodded — albeit with mild surprise. His voice carried authority now. Not the voice of a boy recovering from trauma, but a leader. A force.
"I'll be taking my leave now," Aven concluded.
He turned without hesitation and left.
As the soft thump of his departing footsteps faded, William stepped forward.
"Sir," he asked Kaelion in a low voice, "should we stop the young master? What if he makes a mistake in his rush?"
Kaelion's gaze shifted to William. For a moment, he didn't answer. Then, with a voice as cold as steel, he said, "I know the difference between a man who acts recklessly… and a man who calculates every step."
No one else dared speak.
The group moved slowly toward the stairs, leaving the VVIP corridor behind. The hospital's sterile lights seemed to dim under the weight of what had transpired.
---
In the Car
Inside the vehicle, Robert sat in the driver's seat.
And even now, his hands were trembling slightly.
Not from fear… but from pressure.
From the presence seated beside him — Aven Drax.
It was suffocating.
The weight of his aura. Like standing in front of a king. Or something even more dangerous.
Robert tried to shake the memory from his head.
The tragedy.
That day.
When everything went wrong — and only one person had run.
Him.
He clenched his jaw tightly and forced the guilt away.
This wasn't the time for hesitation. Not anymore.
Beside him, Aven sat silently, staring out the window, but his mind was working like a machine.
And then — ORION's voice echoed directly into Aven's thoughts.
[Sir, the Veron family has begun to move.]
[Triggered by Valeck's reckless actions, Marza Veron is taking control.]
[They've started spreading misinformation and planting fake witness accounts across news channels.]
Aven's eyes narrowed.
"Display it," he said.
Headline on Niremo Daily Times:
"Gang Attack at Zandora University: Drax Family Member Involved in Illegal Brawl"
Subheadline:
"Eyewitnesses claim Kaen Drax initiated violence outside University Gate 2, injuring several students in a territorial dispute linked to underground gangs."
Article Snippet:
"Multiple students have reported that Kaen Drax, younger brother of the controversial Aven Drax, was seen aggressively confronting a fellow student before a firearm was discharged. While Kaen Drax was injured, early reports suggest he was the instigator. The Niremo Security Office has refused to comment."
ORION's interface activated on the screen in front of him. A cascade of headlines and fabricated reports scrolled across the glass — all expertly manipulated to misdirect public scrutiny.
Aven smirked coldly.
"Let them," he said. "They won't even realize what's hit them."
---
Arrival – Drax Estate
The gates to the Drax estate opened automatically as the sleek black vehicle approached.
Robert stepped out swiftly and opened the door for Aven.
Aven emerged with deliberate calm, his gaze sweeping across the estate like a tactician entering a battlefield.
At the front gate, the butler stood waiting.
"Welcome back, young master," the old man said with a bow.
"Elon," Aven said, "clean my training room. I'll be there shortly."
"Of course, young master."
Aven turned to Robert.
"You go with Elon. Change into training gear. Meet me there."
Robert blinked once, surprised.
Training? Now?
But he didn't question it.
"Yes, sir," he replied and followed Elon toward the estate's private facility.
Aven continued to his quarters.
---
Private Quarters – Aven's Room
The room was dark wood and steel — clean, organized, and stark. Tactical maps were spread across a desk, and the shelves held blades, blueprints, and a few relics.
Without hesitation, Aven stripped out of his formal clothes and changed into dark training gear — tight-fitting compression material bearing the insignia of the Drax family over the heart.
He walked to his desk and unlocked the bottom drawer.
Inside sat a small, reinforced case.
Aven opened it.
A vial glowed within — pulsing with blue energy, like condensed lightning in liquid form.
The serum shimmered as if alive.
This was no ordinary enhancement.
It had been prepared for one man.
Robert.
Aven stared at the vial for a long, silent moment.
This wasn't just about power. It was about control. About creating a bond that couldn't be broken. About making someone yours — mind, body, and soul.
It was how Rivan, the Underworld King, had built empires from shadows.
Not through loyalty.
But through dependence.
He took the vial and headed out.
---
Underground Training Chamber – Drax Estate
The private training chamber beneath the Drax Estate wasn't flashy.
But it was deadly.
White tiles. Steel reinforcements. Floating kinetic targets. Hidden weapons. Combat dummies. Weighted gravity zones.
A haven of war preparation.
Robert was already there, standing with Elon, dressed in training clothes.
"Sir," Elon bowed, "the bath and gear are ready."
"Good. Leave us."
"Yes, young master."
Elon exited without another word.
Aven turned to Robert.
The room felt colder now. More serious.
"Robert," he said, "do you want power?"
Robert frowned, caught off guard.
"What… what do you mean, sir?"
"I mean power beyond your limits," Aven replied. "Power that makes your enemies tremble. Power that makes your revenge real."
Robert's lips parted, but no words came out.
He swallowed once.
Then — slowly — he nodded.
"If you can give me that," he said quietly, "I'll go to hell and back. I'll do anything for you."
Aven stepped forward and revealed the vial.
"This is it."
The serum glowed in the dim light, casting eerie reflections on the walls.
"It will burn," Aven said. "It will hurt more than anything you've felt. But if you survive, you'll never be the same."
Robert took it without hesitation.
"I'm ready."
Aven watched him. Studied him. Then nodded once.
"Inject it."
Robert loaded the vial into the injector.
A breath.
A pause.
And then—
He pressed it into his arm.
---
Flashback – The Night of Fire
"Molten agony surged through his veins, dropping him to one knee. His mind cracked — then twisted backward, snapping into a memory he wished he could forget."
Pain exploded instantly, but Robert did scream.
His mind fell backward — into memory.
A burning home.
Flames licking the walls. Blood on the stairs. A broken window. The stench of gasoline and gunpowder.
His father — pinned to the wall, gurgling on his own blood.
His mother — her throat slit, her hand reaching out even in death.
And his sister.
She had been twenty-three. Bright. Fierce. Protective. She had hidden him under the floorboards that day.
He heard her screams.
He heard them laugh.
He heard her beg — and then choke.
He had watched through the cracks.
Watched until the house burned around him.
He never saw their faces. Only shadows.
Only the horror.
And then—he ran.
Ran and never stopped running.
---
Present
The pain didn't end.
Robert dropped to both knees, gasping.
His veins pulsed blue.
His hair lengthened, darkening into a streaked silver that shimmered like moonlight.
His eyes went white — pale with no visible pupil. Ghostlike.
Runes glowed beneath his skin — like living tattoos.
Aven didn't flinch. He watched.
Two hours passed.
And still, Robert endured.
He didn't stop screaming.
Didn't cry.
Only shook — and changed.
Then —
ORION's voice returned.
"[Sir. Core evolution detected.]"
[Genetic energy adapting to serum.]"
[Initial bloodline breakthrough: Grade is shifting upward.]"
"[Robert's core is evolving due to the intensity of his trauma and emotional Disbalance]