An Empire From Chaos [ 2 ]

"But before you dive into these plans, I need you to meet some key players," Arthur continued, a sly grin spreading across his face.

Just then, the massive metallic door slid open with a soft hiss.

Seven figures clad in matte-black tactical armor entered silently, their faces hidden behind tinted visors.

They moved like a well-oiled machine, fanning out to form a protective semicircle around Ethan.

The lead operative removed his helmet to reveal a scarred face and piercing gray eyes.

"Ethan," Arthur said smoothly, "meet Commander Gunnar of Aegis-7."

Ethan raised an eyebrow in surprise and turned back to Arthur. "Boss, since when do we have our own private military company?"

"Since we decided to rebuild a war-torn nation," Arthur replied nonchalantly while pouring aged red wine into two delicate crystal glass from an ornate cabinet.