The morning sun over Sue City felt different that day—warmer, brighter, almost celebratory. But maybe it wasn't the sun. Maybe it was Jackim's world finally catching up to his rhythm.
He stood on the balcony of his penthouse, coffee steaming in his hand, phone buzzing endlessly with alerts.
BragTech Global Holdings was trending. Again.
"Sir," Kelvin's voice came through the intercom, serious yet proud. "We've just been approved for market entry in Hong Kong. The numbers are insane. You might want to—"
"Say less," Jackim replied with a smirk, tossing the phone onto the couch. "Let the numbers brag for me."
Kelvin chuckled on the other side. "You're impossible, boss."
"That's what they said before I bought their company."
Jackim sipped his coffee, staring down at the skyline. The city used to look intimidating—giants in suits, flashing cars, boardrooms filled with snakes pretending to smile. But now? He owned half those buildings. The rest were waiting to be renamed.
BragTech Global Holdings.
It sounded arrogant—and he liked it that way.
***
By noon, the boardroom was buzzing with executives from three continents, some joining virtually. Jackim walked in wearing a deep grey tailored suit, not loud, just dangerously confident. The kind of confidence that made silence follow him like a bodyguard.
"Gentlemen, ladies," he said casually, sliding into his chair at the head of the table, "let's talk about taking over the world."
That sentence alone sent a chill across the room. Kelvin grinned like a proud brother. Lina was there too, now head of International PR, radiant and composed, though her eyes occasionally lingered on Jackim more than she should.
A massive digital globe glowed on the main screen. Dots blinked in red across cities—Hong Kong, Dubai, New York, Nairobi, and Milan.
Each dot represented a branch, a deal, a foothold.
"Hong Kong," Lina began, "the government approved our license. We're negotiating with PhoenixTech for a 40% shareholding."
Jackim leaned back. "Tell them we'll buy fifty—and rename the company."
There was a pause. "Rename?" Kelvin asked, amused. "To what?"
Jackim smiled. "Phoenix rises from ashes. We don't. We burn brighter. Call it BragTech Asia."
Laughter erupted around the table. The kind of laughter that came from fear disguised as admiration.
***
Later that day, the private jet sliced through clouds like a silver dagger heading east. Jackim leaned against the leather seat, laptop open, reviewing global stock tickers. The numbers danced in his favor.
Up. Up. Always up.
Lina sat beside him, hair tied, sharp suit matching his energy. "You ever get tired of winning?" she teased.
He turned to her, eyebrow raised. "You ever get tired of breathing?"
She laughed softly. "You're impossible."
"Impossible makes me rich."
She looked out the window, voice dropping. "Sometimes I miss when it was simple. Just you, me, and a crazy dream."
Jackim looked at her quietly. For a second, the confident tycoon faded, replaced by the boy who once slept on cold hostel floors.
"It's still that dream," he said gently. "Just… with better Wi-Fi."
That made her laugh again—real, heartfelt. The kind that reminded him why he kept her close.
***
Hong Kong.
Neon lights, skyscrapers like digital towers, streets alive with ambition.
Jackim walked out of the black Rolls-Royce as photographers swarmed. Cameras flashed like lightning.
"Mr. Ochieng! How does it feel bringing your company to Asia?"
Jackim adjusted his cufflinks. "I didn't bring my company," he said, calm and charming. "I brought opportunity."
The crowd roared.
The event was televised across business channels. BragTech banners lit up every screen. Reporters fought for interviews, influencers went live, and online forums exploded with hashtags:
#BragTechGlobal #YoungBillionaire #SystemKing
Inside the gala, wealthy investors waited in tuxedos, smiling too politely, whispering too quickly. They wanted to study him. But Jackim knew how this game worked.
They weren't studying him—they were calculating him.
Kelvin leaned close. "Boss, word is The Wheel's subsidiaries are trying to undercut our stock by manipulating foreign accounts."
Jackim didn't flinch. "Then buy their manipulation."
Kelvin blinked. "What?"
"Short their stocks before they collapse. When they panic-sell, we'll own the ruins."
Kelvin grinned. "You're not just playing chess, are you?"
Jackim smiled thinly. "Chess is for gentlemen. I play demolition."
***
That night, he addressed the crowd from a glass stage overlooking Victoria Harbour. The skyline shimmered behind him, his reflection blending with the city lights.
"I was told global expansion is risky," he began, voice echoing across the hall. "They said markets are cruel, and dreams get crushed under competition."
He paused, looking around.
"Maybe they were right. But I'm not here to dream. I'm here to brag."
The audience erupted. Cameras flashed. Even the translators couldn't keep up.
He continued, "Every empire starts with a name people laugh at. BragTech was born from an insult—and today, it's a global declaration.
We don't whisper success. We broadcast it."
It wasn't just a speech—it was war poetry.
Even Victor Han of The Wheel, watching from afar, smashed his glass when he saw it on live TV.
***
Two weeks later—Dubai.
Luxury cars, gold towers, the air smelling of oil and money. Jackim's convoy rolled through Sheikh Avenue, escorted by security drones and tinted SUVs. The System had evolved—he could now view business analytics in his contact lenses.
A notification blinked in his vision:
System Upgrade Complete. Level 4 – Continental Mode Activated.
> New Function: Automatic Skill Fusion
Merge compatible abilities for higher-tier efficiency.
Current Skills: Business Negotiation Lv.5 + Emotional Insight → "Corporate Intuition" unlocked.
He blinked twice, and the data vanished.
Corporate Intuition. The ability to read a boardroom like an open book.
Perfect.
Inside a skyscraper meeting room, twenty Arab investors sat waiting, faces unreadable. Jackim entered without notes, without slides. Just his presence.
One man asked coldly, "Why should we trust a man whose company name sounds… arrogant?"
Jackim smirked. "Because arrogance only hurts when it's wrong."
Silence. Then—laughter.
The deal closed in thirty minutes. BragTech Middle East was born.
***
That night, alone in his Dubai suite, Jackim poured himself a drink. The city lights glowed below like scattered diamonds.
He raised his glass toward the horizon.
"To every person who called me a show-off," he said quietly, "you were right."
He drank, smiling faintly. But deep down, something itched—an unease he couldn't name. The System's calm hum in his head suddenly flickered.
> [System Notification: Unknown Data Access Detected.]
[Trace Source: New York.]
Jackim's smile faded. "So, the Wheel isn't done."
***
New York.
The BragTech acquisition of Luminous Energy hit the news like a bomb. The company, a multi-billion oil distributor, had been under Wheel control for years.
Now? Owned by Jackim Ochieng.
The business world lost its collective mind.
Stock analysts screamed "impossible."
Social media screamed "iconic."
The Wheel screamed nothing—but their silence was louder than war.
Inside BragTech's new Manhattan office, Kelvin slammed a report on the desk. "Boss, you've got global CEOs losing sleep. You're trending in six continents. Even politicians are name-dropping you for popularity."
Jackim grinned. "Good. Let them brag my name."
Ariana entered mid-laughter, tablet in hand. "You've got fan pages now. One calls you The Billionaire with the System Smile."
He groaned. "Please, no."
"Too late," she teased. "They're selling shirts."
Kelvin burst out laughing. "Boss, you've gone viral again!"
Jackim shook his head, half annoyed, half amused. "I just wanted to build an empire. Not a fashion line."
Ariana smirked. "Empires get merch now."
***
But beneath all the laughter, trouble brewed.
Jackim's financial advisor in London called with urgent news: "Sir, there's movement in offshore accounts tied to your family's old trust."
Jackim frowned. "My family's dead."
"Not entirely, it seems. Someone's transferring assets under the name A.Ochieng Foundation."
He froze. That name—his mother's.
"Track it. Quietly."
"Already on it, sir."
The call ended, leaving him staring out the window as Manhattan glittered beneath him.
His reflection looked powerful, unstoppable. But in his chest, that unease grew heavier.
***
Three nights later, the top executives of BragTech gathered at a luxury rooftop restaurant to celebrate the global expansion. Fireworks bloomed over the Hudson River. Champagne flowed like victory.
Kelvin raised his glass. "To the man who turned an insult into an empire!"
"To Jackim!" everyone echoed.
Lina smiled across the table, eyes warm. Ariana was there too, stunning in a red dress, stealing glances when she thought he wasn't looking.
Jackim smiled faintly but didn't toast. He stood, looking out over the city instead. The wind tugged at his coat, his hair, his thoughts.
"Success is funny," he said quietly, voice barely above the music. "It makes you feel like you're flying… until you realize how high you've gone."
Kelvin asked, "You worried about falling?"
Jackim turned to him, smile returning. "No. I'm worried about what's waiting at the top."
The group went silent, the mood shifting slightly. Then he grinned again. "But until then, let's brag a little louder."
The laughter returned. The tension melted.
They partied till dawn—friends, partners, and dreamers bound by ambition and chaos.
***
When the night was over, Jackim stood alone on the balcony.
The city hummed below.
The System glowed faintly in his vision.
> [Mission Complete: Establish Continental Presence.]
[Reward: Global Ownership Access + Strategic Skill Fusion Unlocked.]
He exhaled slowly, feeling the weight of victory and something deeper—destiny.
"System," he whispered. "What's next?"
> [Warning: Data breach attempted from unidentified satellite.]
[Unknown Entity Accessing BragTech servers.]
Jackim's jaw tightened. "The Wheel again?"
> [Affirmative.]
[Counterattack Protocol Suggested.]
He smirked darkly. "Good. Let them come."
He poured himself another drink, watching the first light of dawn rise over the city that now belonged to him.
"Global expansion," he murmured. "Phase one complete. Time to brag to the world."