Chapter 7: The Trio

Felix, arms crossed, looked focused, his gaze fixed on the top of the tower. His thoughts were sharp — now was not the time for doubts.

"What's next?" Kyle asked, glancing at his companions, but his voice betrayed his concern.

Jake stood slightly apart, his face marked by exhaustion. He couldn't take his eyes off the mysterious glow of the tower. It was as if every corner of this place held a secret, as though the tower itself was a living entity, ready to reveal something.

"We need to wait for the signal from Diego… Or maybe not wait at all. It all depends on how we use this opportunity," Felix replied, not breaking his gaze from the tower.

Thoughtfully, he added:

"If he wins, we'll have to act fast. If not — we'll find another way."

Marcel disappeared, just like Diego, and Kim found himself in an unknown place. Shadows of tension wrapped around the space, and everything felt like a trap with no way out. The three guys — Felix, Jake, and Kyle — stood on the verge of a decision that could change everything. Their choice was difficult, but it was the only option available.

The Circle accepted their offer, and they agreed to work as double agents. Their new goal was to be at the heart of the game, but not on the side they had started. They promised to act within the Circle, passing along information and carrying out tasks against Diego, but they also had to remember their true objective — to outsmart those behind it all.

Now, they had a choice — to return to the game and be the ones to help the Circle eliminate Diego, or to keep their true intentions hidden and hope they could predict the next move in this insane chess match.

The Circle always had a plan. Their calculations were impeccable, and their goal was clear: to find and destroy Diego. To do this, they used their best resources and technology, and manipulated those who were close to the goal. But the path to victory was not as straightforward as it might seem at first glance.

Felix, Jake and Kyle became an important part of this plan. On the surface they looked like ordinary allies, but in reality they were double agents.

Their mission was clear: gather information about Diego's location, and also expose him by luring him into a trap. At the same time, they had to create a network of false trails to confuse not only Diego, but also his associates. As long as the Circle was in control, they could afford to use their disinformation.

However, this was not the only tool the Circle had. They used advanced technology that allowed them to track not only Diego's physical movements, but also any of his actions in another world. Special nanite networks, magical tracking systems - all these tools allowed the Circle to monitor his location, regardless of whether he was hiding in this world or in another dimension. Their tracking system, which resembled a huge holographic map, analyzed Diego's every move and predicted his actions. Algorithms tuned to Diego's behavior calculated his every move, comparing it to previous decisions, and with each new piece of information, the picture became easier to piece together.

The Circle also knew how to use psychological pressure. They used mind manipulation to extract information from everyone who had ever been close to Diego. Images from the past, false memories that distorted reality - all of this served one purpose. To make those close to Diego split, to reveal his intentions and his plans. Using this tactic, the Circle tried to make Diego's allies believe that their lives were in danger, that Diego would not be able to intervene in time to protect them.

Additionally, the Circle's plan involved creating chaos in areas that could be linked to Diego. Unpredictable events, destruction of key facilities, attacks on specific locations—all of these would distract and undermine any resistance Diego might be able to make. These actions might not be strong enough to destroy him directly, but they could create conditions in which he would be forced to act impulsively, breaking his own strategies.

But they overlooked one crucial detail — Diego wasn't alone. His alliance with the Ootsoro clan was hidden, and that turned out to be the decisive mistake. The Ootsoro clan, a dark and powerful faction, of which the Circle knew only a surface-level understanding, had made their moves. With the help of these mysterious and powerful beings, Diego was able to strengthen his position, seemingly becoming invincible.

The situation changed dramatically when Diego found himself in battle with Rene Argent's rebels, who were determined to destroy not only the Ootsoro clan but anyone associated with them. It was a clash of titans — one side backed by the power of the clan, the other driven by the resolve of the rebels. But unexpectedly, Diego died in that battle. His death came as a shock not only to his allies but also to the Circle. It was a twist no one could have predicted.

The Circle and the Dome, despite their vast resources, had stayed out of this fight. They preferred to remain in the shadows, watching as events unfolded, thinking that eventually, victory would be theirs. But with Diego's death, everything changed. The plans of the Circle began to crumble. Instead of cornering Diego, they found themselves facing an unexpected outcome, and now, they stood before a new problem: without Diego, everything became more complicated, and they didn't know what to do next.

Felix, Kyle, and Jake were now focused on training. After deciding to work for the Circle, their lives had changed. Every day, they dedicated themselves to physical and mental development, strengthening their bodies and honing skills that could prove useful in combat. Felix trained in stealth, becoming nearly invisible in any situation. Kyle focused more on strategy, analyzing each move of the opponent as if they were part of a game. Jake became a master of close combat, enhancing his reflexes and strength, preparing for any surprise. They knew their role in this story would be crucial, and every move they made had to be perfected to an ideal level.

Meanwhile, the Ootsoro Clan made an unusual proposal to the Circle. They offered cooperation, but with one condition: the Circle must capture the remaining sons of K. L. alive. This demand made the Circle pause. The Ootsoro were not people to be taken lightly, and their request meant that the situation would become even more complicated.

Felix, Kyle, and Jake understood that their lives were now even more intertwined with K. L. and his heirs. Their task had become more complicated — now they had to find and capture the remaining sons of K. L., each of whom was part of a larger game. The Ootsoro's request meant they would have to act carefully and strategically. But in their eyes burned a fire of determination: they were ready to do whatever it took to achieve their goals and earn their place among the most influential figures in this complicated world.

Their training grew more intense, and every thought they had was focused on one goal — to complete the mission and succeed without yielding to pressure.

Felix, Kyle, and Jake had become almost unrecognizable from their former selves. The once carefree trio now faced a world far darker and more complex. As part of their new role working with the Circle, they had started training in the heart of a cyberpunk city, surrounded by neon lights, holograms, and towering skyscrapers. The atmosphere buzzed with the sound of flying cars, distant advertisements, and the steady hum of tech that filled the air. Here, in the underbelly of this concrete jungle, their training took on a different edge — one of survival, precision, and, above all, secrecy.

Felix, who had once been a fast talker, now focused on blending into his environment. He was learning to move like a shadow, using augmented reality to enhance his stealth. His eyes were implanted with AR lenses, allowing him to track movements in real-time and adjust his positioning without detection. He spent hours in simulated environments, navigating through alleyways and crowded streets, dodging cameras and evading detection from artificial intelligence patrols.

"Remember, Felix," a voice crackled through his comm, the voice of his instructor, Carmen. "The moment you step into the spotlight, your whole life becomes a target. Blend, adapt, and disappear. Every step you take needs to be calculated. No mistakes."

Felix nodded, his fingers flying across his wrist interface as he activated a cloaking device. His body shimmered, barely visible, as he moved through the dense crowd, invisible to the AI surveillance that constantly scanned for threats.

Kyle, on the other hand, was buried in strategy and analysis. He had integrated cybernetic implants into his brain that allowed him to process vast amounts of data at once. Every battle tactic, every city map, and every piece of intel was now available to him instantly. He could predict movements before they happened, calculate the probabilities of success with chilling precision.

Sitting in front of a large holographic display, Kyle muttered to himself, scrolling through tactical maps of the Ootsoro Clan's strongholds, trying to find weak points. "We have to be smart about this," he said, his voice barely audible. "The Ootsoro will be expecting brute force, but if we hit them strategically, we might be able to neutralize them without a direct confrontation."

The map flickered, displaying layers of security codes and encrypted pathways. His fingers tapped the air, sending commands to his augmented reality system. He felt the cool, metallic touch of his cybernetic arm as it extended, typing out a few more instructions, then pausing, staring at the hologram in silence.

"We can use their confidence against them," he said, his voice gaining a quiet determination. "Make them think they control the game. Then strike when they least expect it."

Jake had always been the most physically oriented of the three, but now, his training had evolved into something far more dangerous. He spent hours in a combat arena designed to push his body to its limits. With cybernetic muscle enhancements, he fought through simulations of various enemies: rogue AI soldiers, bio-engineered beasts, and heavily armored mercenaries. His moves were faster than ever, each punch and kick augmented by his neural implants, allowing him to read the opponent's movements before they even made them.

After a particularly brutal round in the combat ring, Jake took a break and wiped the sweat from his brow, the neon lights from the city casting a glow on his face. His breathing was heavy as he leaned against the wall.

"You're getting stronger," Carmen's voice echoed in his earpiece. "But strength is nothing without control. Focus on precision. You're not just smashing enemies; you're eliminating them efficiently."

Jake clenched his fists, the sound of his cybernetically-enhanced joints clicking as he flexed his fingers. He spoke aloud to no one in particular, his voice carrying an almost haunting calm, "I used to think I'd just throw punches and win… But this is different now. I need to be a weapon, not just a fighter. I need to make every hit count."

Later, the three met in their safehouse, a dimly lit room with metal walls and a large digital map of the city. Holographic displays hovered in the air, showing the intricate layout of Ootsoro Clan territories, their patrol routes, and security measures.

Felix leaned back against the wall, his hands folded across his chest, his eyes focused on the city map.

"You know," he began, looking at Kyle and Jake, "they think we're just pawns in their game. But I don't plan on playing by their rules. We need to turn the tables on the Circle and the Ootsoro. But first, we need to find the rest of K. L.'s sons."

Jake cracked his knuckles, the sound loud in the otherwise silent room. "The Ootsoro want them alive, but we're not exactly in a position to just hand them over. We need a plan to get close to them, without them knowing we're playing both sides."

Kyle tapped a few commands into his wrist console. "I've been tracking K. L.'s sons. They're scattered, but there are patterns. If we can isolate them one by one, we can take them out of the equation before the Ootsoro even realize what's happened."

Felix shook his head. "But that's what they expect. If we do that, we're just doing their dirty work. We need to disrupt everything they think they know. Leave them confused. That's how we'll win."

As the night wore on, their training became more intense. Each one of them felt the pressure mounting. They were no longer just playing the game. They were in it, fully immersed in the web of manipulation, deception, and cybernetic warfare. The Ootsoro might have offered the Circle cooperation, but Felix, Kyle, and Jake had their own plans — plans that would change everything. The future was uncertain, but one thing was clear: they would carve their own path, no matter what it took.

And deep in the neon-lit shadows, their training was only the beginning.

To be continued...