The court summons arrived in a crisp white envelope, delivered by a man in a dark suit who said nothing as he handed it over. Rafael tore it open at his desk, and the words leapt out at him:
HydraCorp vs. AquaPure Technologies
Claim: Patent Infringement, Unlawful Competition
Rafael's heart sank for a moment. HydraCorp had moved the battlefield exactly as the Codex predicted—into the courts, where paper could weigh more than truth.
His workers gathered nervously around as he read the summons aloud. Fear rippled through the room.
"They're saying we stole their design?" one asked, voice tight with anger.
"That's insane!" another muttered. "They copied us!"
Rafael held up a hand, calming them. "That's what they want—to scare us, bleed us dry with lawyers. But we don't panic. We fight back."
The Codex glowed faintly in his vision, projecting crisp lines of text:
"Legal Assault Confirmed. Activating Legal Strategy Module (Advanced). Functions: Case law simulation, evidence compilation, counter-litigation frameworks."
HydraCorp's legal machine wasted no time. They filed press releases alongside the lawsuit, painting Rafael as a fraud who had "piggybacked on HydraCorp's decades of R&D." News anchors repeated their talking points; glossy articles flooded social media.
Some of Rafael's new supporters wavered. "Could it be true?" comments whispered online. "Maybe HydraCorp had the idea first."
The Codex whispered back with cold clarity:
"HydraCorp's patent application filed post-AquaPure's public demonstrations. Timeline discrepancy exploitable. Recommendation: Compile documentation chain from prototype to public use. Include independent witnesses."
Rafael spent sleepless nights scanning old notebooks, purchase orders, and receipts. His workers dug up photos of early prototypes on battered tables, timestamps intact. Journalists who had covered the first demonstrations willingly provided sworn affidavits.
Piece by piece, a wall of proof took shape.
The first hearing was held in a cramped courtroom, cameras clicking outside. HydraCorp's legal team arrived in a phalanx of sharp suits, their lead counsel polished and smiling like a shark. Rafael entered with only a volunteer lawyer from a pro-bono legal group and a stack of carefully prepared files.
The judge, a weary woman in her fifties, called the session to order.
HydraCorp's counsel spoke first, their words smooth and heavy with insinuation. "Your Honor, AquaPure Technologies is a shell operation—a thief of intellectual property. Their so-called 'invention' is nothing but a diluted copy of HydraCorp's proprietary designs."
Whispers filled the gallery. Reporters scribbled furiously.
When Rafael's turn came, he stood slowly. He wasn't eloquent like the corporate lawyers, but he didn't need to be. He handed the judge a neatly bound file.
"Your Honor, inside you'll find timestamps, receipts, and affidavits showing AquaPure's design was in use publicly months before HydraCorp's patent filing. Our product wasn't stolen. It was born in a warehouse with my own hands, witnessed by dozens of people. We didn't copy. We survived."
The judge flipped through the pages, her brow furrowing. HydraCorp's counsel frowned, sensing the blow land.
Outside the courthouse, reporters swarmed Rafael. Microphones pressed forward.
"Mr. Dela Cruz, how do you respond to HydraCorp's accusations?"
He met the cameras with steady eyes. "We don't have their money or their lawyers. What we have is proof—and people who believe in us. HydraCorp can try to bury us in paper, but truth leaves a longer shadow."
The clip aired nationwide. By evening, #PaperBullets trended online, a phrase activists coined to mock HydraCorp's tactics. Memes spread showing AquaPure straws deflecting stacks of paper labeled "lawsuit."
That night, the Codex displayed a new projection:
"Legal Defense Success Probability: 61% (increasing). HydraCorp escalation expected. Counter-litigation option available: Anti-Trust and Unfair Competition Claim."
Rafael stared at the glowing words. Suing HydraCorp back sounded insane—but perhaps insanity was exactly what he needed.
He clenched his fists. "If they want war in the courts, then fine. We won't just defend. We'll strike back."
The warehouse lights flickered as workers soldered, assembled, and tested units in the background. Outside, Manila roared with its endless noise. Inside, the first sparks of a counteroffensive lit up Rafael's mind.