The room was quiet, too quiet for a man who had danced with death.
White curtains swayed softly beside the hospital window, letting in slivers of gold morning light. Machines hummed in rhythm with Jackim's heartbeat — steady, unbroken, alive. His right hand, bandaged like a warrior's badge, rested over his chest. His eyes opened slowly, staring at the ceiling that had witnessed too many dreams of the broken.
For a brief second, he didn't remember the pain, the blood, or the cold metal taste of survival. Then it all came flooding back — the assassins, the blade, the fight under the city lights, the System's cold voice whispering Emergency Healing Activated.
Jackim exhaled.
He was alive. Again.
A knock came at the door.
Kelvin peeked in, holding a bag of mango juice and a worried face. "You look like someone who just finished a boxing match with a train."
Jackim smiled faintly. "And the train lost."
Kelvin laughed, shaking his head. "Man, you scared the life out of us. Lina was crying all night. Ariana nearly fought the nurses when they said visiting hours were over."
Jackim turned his head toward the window. "I'm fine now. Just… tired."
Kelvin sat down. "Bro, tired is what you say after jogging. You got stabbed by people who looked like they came from a Marvel villain convention. You're not fine."
Jackim's smile faded slowly. "That's why it's time to change everything."
Kelvin raised an eyebrow. "Change what?"
"Everything," Jackim said softly, eyes cold now. "No more playing defense. No more waiting for people to attack me. It's time I build something that protects not just me—but everyone around me."
Kelvin frowned slightly. "You're talking about security?"
"I'm talking about power," Jackim said. "The kind that doesn't beg for safety. The kind that writes its own rules."
Later that day, when everyone had left and the city had started its evening heartbeat, Jackim sat alone. The room was bathed in the glow of the setting sun, painting the walls in orange and gold. His System interface flickered faintly before his eyes.
> [SYSTEM NOTICE: Host recovery complete. New Feature Unlocked – Organization Management Mode.]
He tilted his head. "Organization Management Mode?"
The System's voice was smoother now, less robotic — almost proud.
> [You've reached Level 3, Host. From this point, the world doesn't just need your bragging. It needs your empire.]
Jackim chuckled weakly. "Empire, huh? You really think I'm ready for that?"
> [You bled for survival. Now build for dominance.]
For the first time, Jackim didn't argue.
"System," he whispered. "Let's build one."
> [Name your organization.]
He thought for a moment. His mind wandered to the alleyway fight, the dark suits, the shadowed enemies. Then he smiled faintly.
"BLACK ACE."
> [Confirmed. BLACK ACE established.]
Suddenly, his vision filled with lines of data—recruitment options, financial allocations, training facilities. It was like running a real-life strategy game, except this time, the stakes were life and death.
> [You may assign Vice-Captain.]
Jackim didn't hesitate. "Kelvin Otieno."
> [Vice-Captain Assigned.]
He leaned back against the pillow, feeling the first spark of something greater than revenge—purpose.
Two weeks later, he walked out of the hospital. The world outside looked sharper, cleaner, louder. His black suit fit him like destiny. The cameras that once hunted him were gone; the paparazzi had switched stories. But Jackim knew they'd return, as they always did when power rose from ashes.
Kelvin drove up in a matte-black SUV. "You look like a politician who just escaped a corruption case."
Jackim grinned. "And you look like my driver who's about to get a raise."
Kelvin laughed, handing him a tablet. "I've been working with your assistant on the company merger documents. BragTech Hotels, BragAuto, BragMedia—they're all under one umbrella now."
Jackim scrolled through the files, his eyes narrowing at the numbers. "Good. Let the world see BragTech Global Holdings."
Kelvin smirked. "You're merging faster than politicians change promises."
Jackim chuckled. "Because promises are cheap. Power isn't."
They drove silently for a while, city lights glowing outside like distant dreams. Then Kelvin asked, "So, BLACK ACE. You serious about this secret-ops group thing?"
Jackim nodded. "Completely."
"Like, actual people with training and skills?"
"Exactly. I've already arranged initial funding. We'll start with six operatives. Handpicked. Background checks, loyalty tests, the works."
Kelvin let out a low whistle. "And I'm the vice-captain?"
Jackim glanced at him with a small grin. "Unless you'd prefer to go back to arguing with cafeteria ladies over chapati prices."
Kelvin laughed so hard the car almost swerved. "Nah, I'll stick with being your right hand."
Jackim looked out the window again. The world seemed endless, but for the first time, it also seemed conquerable.
Night fell over his villa — the same place where blood once stained the marble floor. Now, it was alive again. A low hum of computers filled the room. Screens displayed real-time feeds of financial markets, security systems, and communication networks.
Kelvin walked in, wearing a casual hoodie but looking more like a field operative than ever before. "Meet the first three recruits," he said, handing Jackim a folder.
Jackim scanned through.
Lydia Tan: Former cybersecurity expert, fired for hacking her boss's system "for fun."
Kento Lee: Ex-military, skilled in hand-to-hand combat, discharged after punching a superior officer.
Moses Kimani: Private investigator, obsessed with puzzles and coffee.
Jackim smiled. "Interesting bunch."
Kelvin shrugged. "They all failed normal life. Maybe they'll pass in yours."
Jackim leaned back. "Perfect. The best soldiers are the ones who've already lost everything."
He stood and faced the window, city lights reflecting in his eyes. "Kelvin, I want BLACK ACE to be invisible but everywhere. If The Wheel breathes, I want to know what air they used."
Kelvin nodded. "Got it, boss."
"Don't call me that," Jackim said softly. "We're brothers. Not hierarchy."
Kelvin grinned. "Then what should I call you?"
"Just Jackim," he said, turning back toward the screens. "But when I start bragging, call me sir."
They both laughed, the kind of laugh that felt like freedom.
A few days later, Jackim stood in his private study, staring at a large digital map. Pins dotted several locations—Sue City, Nairobi, Hong Kong. Each pin was a business, a connection, a seed of his empire.
"BragTech Global Holdings," he whispered, tracing a finger along the map. "From hotels to technology, from cars to media. It's time the world sees who really owns it."
> [SYSTEM UPDATE: Empire Construction Progress—7%.]
> [Tip: A true empire needs loyalty, structure, and control.]
Jackim nodded slowly. "Then let's build loyalty first."
He clicked a button on his desk. A holographic display of the System appeared with new options: Recruitment Drive, Training Facility, Intelligence Network.
He smirked. "You're giving me tools to build a dynasty."
> [Correction: You're giving yourself permission to rule.]
"Touché."
His phone buzzed. A message from Lina:
Heard you're finally out. I made soup. Don't ignore it like last time.
Jackim smiled. "Even emperors need soup."
He texted back: Only if it's not hospital-flavored.
Her reply came instantly: Don't worry, this one tastes like forgiveness.
He chuckled quietly, shaking his head. "She really doesn't know how to give up."
Kelvin walked in with files. "New data from our sources—The Wheel is recruiting fresh hackers. They're planning something."
Jackim's expression hardened. "Then we're one step ahead. Always."
Kelvin hesitated. "You ever wonder why they keep coming for you, man? Like, it's more than money."
Jackim's gaze drifted toward the skyline. "Yeah… I've started to think so too."
---
Later that night, after everyone left, Jackim poured himself a glass of wine. The System interface shimmered faintly.
> [Host, you've begun building something unstoppable. But beware—the stronger your brag, the deeper your enemies hide.]
Jackim swirled the glass lazily. "Let them hide. I'll light up the whole world if I have to."
> [BLACK ACE loyalty level: 92%. Trust level with Kelvin: 100%. Empire morale: Rising.]
He took a sip, eyes narrowing at the stars outside. "Let it rise. Let everything rise."
There was a knock on the door. Kelvin poked his head in again. "Yo, I brought pizza. Don't act rich now. You still owe me from that time we split a mandazi in first year."
Jackim smirked. "Fine. But I get the bigger slice."
Kelvin raised an eyebrow. "You own seven companies. You can afford your own pizza."
"Yeah," Jackim said, grabbing a slice. "But this one tastes like friendship."
Kelvin shook his head, laughing. "Bro, you're impossible."
Jackim grinned. "That's what makes me unstoppable."
The two men sat there, eating pizza and planning world domination between bites. The room smelled of melted cheese and ambition. On the big screen behind them, the BLACK ACE emblem glowed—a black spade with a single red streak through it.
And outside, the city pulsed under the night sky, unaware that a new empire had just been born in silence, in laughter, in scars.
> [SYSTEM NOTICE: BRAGTECH GLOBAL HOLDINGS—PHASE ONE COMPLETE.]
> [NEW OBJECTIVE: DEFEND YOUR EMPIRE.]
Jackim stood, walking to the window one last time before sleep.
"Defend it?" he whispered. "No… I'll make sure no one dares touch it."
He placed his hand on the glass, looking down at the sprawling city that once mocked him.
Now, it was his.
And for the first time in a long time, he smiled—not out of arrogance, not out of revenge, but out of peace.
Because the boy they laughed at was gone.
The man they couldn't stop had just begun.