Investment

In a newly developed world, where technology had embedded itself into every corner of daily life — crafted by corporations both grand and small — one name stood above them all: the Wanye Faction.

Atop the city's tallest skyscraper, a man in a tailored, luxurious suit stood in silence, gazing down through the expansive glass window. From this height, the city below seemed almost insignificant — a kingdom beneath the feet of its ruler.

The soft click of doors opening interrupted the silence. A woman, dressed in a crisp business uniform, stepped in. Her brown hair was neatly tied into a ponytail, and her arms were full of neatly stacked documents.

Secretary Amelia: "Apologies for the intrusion, Mr. Wanye, but the head of ship management has arrived as requested. His helicopter landed moments ago."

The man turned, brushing his navy-blue hair back with a smooth motion, his sky-blue eyes drifting lazily to the documents she held.

Leon Wanye: "How many times must I remind you? Call me Leon, Miss Amelia. But thank you for the update… You're excused for the evening. Go home before the rain starts."

She gave a polite bow, stealing one last glance at him before departing, leaving him alone once more in his kingdom in the sky. With a deep sigh, Leon headed for the rooftop.

The elevator doors slid open to reveal a sky painted in hues of deepening dusk. Near the roof's railing stood a man, his silhouette framed against the horizon.

Lex Dicaprio: "Forgive me for being a touch late. The wife wanted to chat about the kids — you know how it goes, Mr. Wanye."

Lex turned, offering a crooked smile. His pale skin was highlighted by the low light, dark hair falling across one eye. His tailored dark suit, though pristine, seemed to weigh heavy on his shoulders.

Leon: "How many times do I have to say it? Call me Leon. 'Mr. Wanye' was my father."

Leon approached, hands casually slipping into his pockets. There was no hostility in his voice — only a calm that somehow made the air feel heavier.

Lex: (chuckles nervously) "Ah, yes. The famous Bruce Wanye... Working with your father was an honor, truly. But let's not dwell in the past, yes? Miss Fox mentioned you wanted to see me?"

Leon's expression remained unchanged, but the atmosphere shifted. The air thickened, tension seeping in like a fog. His eyes, once sky blue, seemed to darken just slightly as they locked onto Lex's.

Leon: "Lex… How long have you been with this company? Thirty, forty years? You've done wonders for it — a true asset. But ever since my father's passing, I've been going through the old records. There were… inconsistencies. Projects that vanished. Investments that dried up. Employees who disappeared when they started asking questions."

Leon took another step forward.

Leon: "Every time — your name appears somewhere in the margins. Every. Single. Time. And now, Project Nico's shipment has been stolen. You know how vital that project is… so tell me, Lex — care to explain?"

Lex's smile vanished, his skin growing paler as cold sweat gathered at his brow. His hand curled into a trembling fist inside his pocket.

Lex: "P-Project Nico… The blueprints, right? The new full-bodied AI system? B-But it was still incomp—"

Leon: (cutting him off) "Interesting choice of words. How would you know it was incomplete? Only one person knew that — me. You might've fooled my old man, but even he knew — snakes can only shed their skin so many times before they're caught."

Leon's gaze sharpened. "You're finished."

Lex's throat bobbed as he swallowed hard. In a burst of desperation, his trembling hand drew a gun from his coat, aiming at Leon's chest.

Lex: "D-Don't move, or I'll—"

With a single fluid motion, Leon's foot swept up, kicking the gun out of Lex's grip. His hand caught Lex's arm, flipping him over his shoulder with ease. A sharp breath escaped Lex's lungs as he hit the rooftop, Leon's foot pressing down firmly on his throat.

Leon: "You really thought I wasn't prepared? I'm wearing a bulletproof vest, you fossil. Even if you pulled the trigger, you wouldn't have won. You thought you could steal the company out from under me? Too bad — I own the ground it stands on."

The sky darkened, the air shifting as the moon hung blood-red above them. Leon's eyes flickered — crimson bleeding into sky-blue.

Lex saw the shift — an opening — and with all his remaining strength, grabbed Leon's ankle, trying to drive him off balance and towards the railing.

Lex: "First your father… now you! You Wanyes — you're all the same! Impossible to kill!"

Leon's moment of hesitation was all it took. He stumbled back, the railing biting into his back as Lex pulled him. The city lights blurred below.

Leon: "Mr. Wanye was my father…"

His grip tightened around Lex's wrist.

"But I'll see you in hell!"

As they tumbled over the edge, Leon's laughter echoed into the night sky.

Leon: "Even if I die — the company will live on. Everything will fall under Amelia's name."

The wind howled around him as he fell — but then, something changed. His heart skipped a beat. The world around him went white. His hair, once navy, turned crimson red, and everything — the wind, the fall, the city — faded into silence.

Leon found himself lying on solid ground, surrounded by blinding light.

Leon: "What the…? Where am I? Is this… heaven? No way — I was definitely hell-bound."

A soft voice rang out from behind him.

??: "This isn't heaven… nor hell. This is a calling, mortal."

Leon turned, eyes widening slightly.

Before him stood a woman of ethereal beauty. Her porcelain skin glowed faintly, her long white hair cascading like liquid silk. Each strand was laced with silver, shimmering like stardust caught in motion. Her gown flowed like liquid silver-blue, adorned with constellations that flickered and shifted across the fabric. Her deep, ancient eyes — pools of endless blue — locked onto his.

Leon: "God's a woman? Hah. No wonder Earth almost got wiped out by a virus."

The woman's lips barely twitched.

Athena: "You've got a silver tongue, just like him. How… unpleasant."

Leon: "Save the speeches. I'm just another cog in the cosmic machine, right? So cut the divine crap and get to the point — goddess, or whatever you are. This better be worth my time."

The corners of Athena's mouth curled into the faintest smile.

Athena: "It's always amusing when mortals think they have the upper hand."

Thus began the tale of a man who once ruled a world of boardrooms and backstabs — now cast into a realm where power is no longer measured in wealth, but in fate and blood.

The end of an empire.

The beginning of a legend.