8:00 AM – St. Monarch University, Hall of Tactics
The air inside the classroom was heavier than usual.
Dean Kellerman stood at the head of the room, polished and smug.
Damon? Back row. Black sweater, diamond-studded pen spinning in his fingers. Calm. Deadly.
Elina sat beside him, legs crossed, not speaking.
Nova two rows ahead — cold shoulder locked tight.
Arielle? Ignoring everyone.
Sasha? Watching. Always watching.
System Passive Activated: "Empire Mind – Tier I"
→ Social battlefield optimization engaged
→ Political pressure and romantic interference tracked in real time
Lecture Assignment: "The Crown Simulation"
Dean Kellerman turned to the class.
"Today's challenge: Choose a partner. Run a simulated empire. The best duo earns VIP campus privileges and full control of a temporary university fund. But—only one leader survives the final scenario."
Gasps. Smirks. The room shifted.
Lucien Black Jr. grinned across the hall.
"I know who I'm taking down."
Damon stood slowly, eyes fixed on the board.
"System," he whispered, "give me the setup."
Simulation Started: Crown Duel – Elite Mode
– Choose: Partner
– Assign: Strategy, Loyalty, Sabotage Risks, Hidden Enemies
Damon selected his partner:
Elina Raine.
Meanwhile – System Store Activated
Flash Offer: Academic Domination Bundle
– "Battlefield Insight" (Rank B Skill): See weakness in real-time conversations
– "Power Play" (Passive): Add intimidation to verbal commands when challenged publicly
– "Black Card Bluff" (Skill): Insert false leads into enemy strategies for 24 hours
Purchased: $250,000 (Returned as $1M from 3 triggered influence deals)
During the Simulation
Lucien's empire crashed in the first stage due to a "rogue currency trade" — one Damon's system had silently inserted the night before.
Another team folded after Elina slipped a logic trap into their diplomacy path — coded by Zeke and auto-fed into the sim server.
Damon's empire?
– Grew 132%
– Absorbed 4 rivals
– Executed a loyalty purge in Stage 3 that made the class gasp
Dean Kellerman blinked.
"That… wasn't in the script."
Damon stood. Calm. Smiling.
"Neither was your Virelli payment, Dean."
Kellerman froze.
System Broadcast Triggered: "Warboard Threat Reveal – Stealth Leak Active"
12 anonymous students received a file that included offshore deposits tied to the dean and Virelli shell companies
Later — Dean's Office (Sealed)
The lights flickered.
Damon sat across from him.
No bodyguards. Just silence.
"Leave me alone," Kellerman whispered.
Damon leaned in.
"The difference between you and me?"
"You play school politics."
"I play revolution."
"You taught me something today…
That fear doesn't need a grade.
Just a name."
He stood and walked out.
Behind him?
The dean's resignation letter slowly printed from his own desk.
Back at the Tower – That Night
Sasha waited.
Black dress. Wine. A fake excuse to talk about class.
She tried questions. Probing.
He answered none.
But then?
He stepped close.
No heat. No kiss.
Just this:
"Tell your handler I don't destroy pawns."
"I recruit them."
Her heart skipped.
And the System pulsed again.
Agent Sasha Maren – Internal Loyalty Disruption at 62%
Emotional Compromise Detected
Mission Threatened
New Trait: "Falling For the Ghost"