Chapter 3: The Foundation of Power

The month passed in a blur of work and relentless planning. Aiden Zayyan had thrown himself into the grind, delivering pizzas by day and plotting the future by night. Each delivery brought him closer to his goal, each tip added to the growing sum he was meticulously saving. By the end of the month, he had amassed enough capital to take the first significant step toward his plan.

He sat in his cramped apartment, the glow of his computer screen illuminating the room as he transferred the funds into his trading account. The data on Medigenix had been sparse, but his memories of 2078 were crystal clear. His comrade's words echoed in his mind—how the company's stock had surged in mid-2024, only to crash overnight. The timing was crucial, and Aiden was nothing if not precise.

With a steady hand, he placed the buy orders, watching as the numbers on the screen shifted, reflecting the transactions. He had bet everything on this move, trusting his knowledge of the future. The waiting was the hardest part, but he knew the payoff would be worth it.

Days passed, and just as he had anticipated, Medigenix's stock began to rise. The market buzzed with rumors of new developments, of groundbreaking research that promised to revolutionize medicine. Investors piled in, driving the price higher and higher. Aiden waited until the stock reached its peak before he sold, cashing out just before the inevitable collapse.

When the dust settled, Aiden found himself with over a million dollars in his account. The sum was staggering, far more than he had ever possessed even at the height of his power as a Hunter. But this was just the beginning. Money was a tool, and he would use it to carve a path to survival.

Aiden leaned back in his chair, his eyes drifting to the large corkboard he had set up against the wall. It was covered in maps, notes, and timelines—his meticulous planning for the events to come. The red strings connecting various points on the map told the story of a world on the brink of chaos.

His gaze settled on the most critical information: the locations where the zombie apocalypse would first begin and the sites of the earliest dungeon openings. He knew these places like the back of his hand, their significance seared into his memory from countless battles fought in his previous life.

New York City, USA. The first dungeon would open here in January 2025, and almost simultaneously, the zombie outbreak would begin—a government experiment gone horribly wrong. From there, the chaos would spread like wildfire, engulfing the world in a matter of months.

Aiden's jaw tightened as he considered his next move. The knowledge he possessed could save countless lives, but it could also make him a target. If he warned people, the timeline might shift in unpredictable ways, and those who had betrayed him once could do so again. The thought of trust felt foreign to him, a distant concept buried beneath layers of bitterness and anger.

But he couldn't do this alone, not entirely. The scale of what was coming was too great for one man to handle, even with his knowledge and skills. He would need a team—a group of individuals he could trust, or at the very least, control.

Aiden's thoughts turned darker as he considered the inevitable betrayals that would come. He had learned the hard way that trust was a fragile thing, easily shattered. If he were to build a team, he would need a way to ensure loyalty—a means to eliminate any threats before they could strike.

A poison. The thought came to him cold and clear. He would concoct a poison, something undetectable, something that would only activate if they betrayed him. It was a ruthless move, but Aiden was no longer the man who believed in honor and camaraderie. He was a man reborn in fire, tempered by betrayal and loss.

Decision made, he turned back to the map. Valora was situated perfectly in the center, a hub that connected to major regions around the world. From here, he could deploy teams to other countries, striking at the heart of the apocalypse as it began to unfold. But to do that, he needed a base—a place where he could gather his resources, train his team, and plan his operations without interference.

His eyes settled on a spot by the coast of Valora, a derelict industrial area that had been abandoned years ago. It was remote enough to avoid unwanted attention, yet close enough to the city to be accessible. With the money he had just earned, purchasing the land and beginning construction would be possible.

But first, he needed to find the right people—those who could help him build and fortify the base, and those who would form the core of his new team. They had to be skilled, resourceful, and most importantly, they had to understand the stakes.

Aiden grabbed his notebook and began to make a list of potential recruits—people he remembered from his past life who might be valuable assets in this one. He would approach them carefully, testing their loyalty before bringing them into the fold.

The foundation was being laid, brick by brick, plan by plan. Aiden Zayyan was no longer just another forgotten man in Valora. He was a man with a mission, a man who would stop at nothing to prevent the apocalypse and ensure that this time, the world would know his name—not as a hero, but as a force of nature.

The road ahead was long and treacherous, but Aiden had already made his choice. He would do this alone, at least for now, and when the time was right, he would strike with a vengeance that would echo across time.