The numbers were staggering.
Arjun sat in his lodge in Bengaluru, the Equalizer overlay glowing across his vision. The map of the world pulsed faintly, each continent marked with green checkmarks where Aequalis Global had gained control. Twenty corporations—once symbols of modern capitalism—were now unified under one invisible owner.
Yet for all the numbers, acquisitions, and trillion-dollar valuations, Arjun felt a hollow note. Owning wasn't enough. Control wasn't enough.
If I only keep the system as it is, I've done nothing but move money from one pocket to another.
What mattered was direction. These corporations weren't toys. They were engines. They could drive humanity forward—or keep it shackled in cycles of hype and waste.
He leaned back, speaking aloud. "Assistant, prepare mission drafts for corporate realignment. Each company must be rebuilt—not just to profit, but to serve."
The Equalizer shimmered.
"Confirmed. Mission framework ready for customization."
Arjun smiled faintly. The world was about to change.
The first target was obvious.
Only a week earlier, he had watched the absurdity of the MAPL iStone 15 launch—crowds cheering for a new color and half a millimeter thinner frame.
"No more," Arjun said.
He summoned MAPL's entire executive board into a secure virtual conference. The men and women, used to polite investor calls and boardroom battles, blinked nervously as the Aequalis Global logo pulsed across their screens.
A voice filter projected Arjun's words. They didn't see his face—only heard his calm command.
"The age of incremental updates is over. The MAPL phone will be rebuilt from zero."
One executive stammered, "Sir, with respect, our customers—"
"Your customers deserve better than recycled designs," Arjun interrupted. "From now on, MAPL doesn't sell devices. It sells life platforms."
He outlined the mandate:
A modular design—every component repairable, replaceable, upgradable.
Sustainability at its core—devices recyclable, energy-efficient, lasting a decade.
Built-in diagnostics—health sensors capable of checking blood pressure, glucose, even early illness detection.
Education integration—secure portals for e-learning, textbooks preloaded free.
Identity vault—citizens could use their MAPL device as a secure ID, with blockchain-backed verification.
"And it will not be called the iStone," Arjun finished. "It will be called the MAPL iOne—because it will be the one device every human needs."
The executives hesitated. One cleared his throat. "This is… an enormous shift. It could take years."
Arjun's voice sharpened. "You have unlimited budget. Patents across industries now belong to you. I expect prototypes in six months. Launch in twelve."
Silence followed. Then, one by one, the executives nodded.
The Equalizer flashed across his vision:
"MAPL Directive Set: Project iOne."
Arjun allowed himself the smallest smile. Incrementalism was dead. Revolution had begun.
The second mandate was for Microplex, the software behemoth. For decades it had ruled office suites and operating systems. But Arjun saw it stagnating, bloated by licensing fees, trapped in old models.
He convened their board next.
"Microplex will no longer sell tools," he declared. "It will sell teachers."
Executives exchanged puzzled glances.
Arjun explained.
Every Microplex product—Word processors, spreadsheets, presentations—would now integrate an AI partner. Not a faceless bot, but an interactive collaborator.
The AI would explain formulas in plain language.
Draft documents with reasoning visible.
Generate presentations tailored to audience psychology.
Translate in real time, bridging cultures and languages.
And most important:
Microplex AI Tutors.
Every classroom in the world could access a virtual assistant—personalized, interactive, adaptive. A child in a remote African village could learn algebra with the same tutor as a student in New York.
The board chair frowned. "Sir, giving away AI tutors for free… the cost—"
"Is irrelevant," Arjun cut in. "Education is not a cost. It is an investment. And Microplex will be the foundation of global education."
The Equalizer pulsed confirmation:
"Microplex Directive Set: Project Mentor."
For the first time in years, Arjun felt something stir inside him—hope.
The third transformation was the hardest.
Chogle was a paradox—loved for its utility, distrusted for its hunger. The world whispered of surveillance, data mining, manipulation. But Arjun knew data was essential. The question wasn't whether to use it, but how.
He summoned Chogle's AI and product chiefs.
"You will admit what others deny," Arjun said firmly. "You will tell the world: yes, we use your data. And you will show them exactly how."
The room went still.
Arjun continued.
Every Chogle user would receive a Data Transparency Dashboard. They could see what was collected, why it was used, and how it benefited them.
Toggle switches let them grant or revoke permissions at will. AI results would come with explanations, not just answers: "We recommend this because you searched for X, purchased Y, and live in Z."
"Trust is not given," Arjun said softly. "It is earned. Chogle will earn it."
The executives, long accused of hiding, now faced the radical order to expose themselves. Slowly, the CTO nodded. "It… it could work."
The Equalizer confirmed:
"Chogle Directive Set: Project Glass."
The changes were seismic. And the world noticed.
Headlines blared:
"Aequalis Global Demands MAPL Scrap iStone Model.""Microplex Announces AI Tutors for Free—Elites Panic.""Chogle Admits It Uses Data—Will Transparency Work?"
Markets fluctuated wildly. Billionaire ex-shareholders screamed on television:
"This is not capitalism. This is tyranny disguised as altruism!"
Governments convened secret summits. Leaders whispered, "If Aequalis Global controls our technology, does it not control our sovereignty?"
Media narratives shifted. Once awed, now suspicious. Terms like monopoly, shadow empire, faceless overlord dominated the airwaves.
And through it all, Arjun remained invisible.
Arjun didn't argue with critics. He demonstrated.
MAPL unveiled the iOne prototype: a modular phone that self-healed cracked glass with nano-material, monitored vital signs, and lasted ten years. Tech reviewers gasped. Customers lined up not for hype, but for substance.
Microplex deployed its first AI Tutors in 500 schools across rural India. Children who had never touched a computer solved math problems with guided explanations. Videos of their joy went viral.
Chogle launched the Transparency Dashboard. Millions logged in, shocked to see the trails of their data—but empowered to control it. For the first time, people chose what to share. Trust surged.
Public opinion shifted almost overnight. Governments that had considered regulation now faced citizens demanding more Aequalis services. Politicians hesitated.
Arjun's strategy was working.
On a dusty street in Kenya, a girl opened her MAPL iOne and logged into a free Microplex classroom. She smiled as the AI tutor explained fractions.
In São Paulo, a doctor used the iOne's diagnostic sensors to identify an early heart condition, saving a patient's life.
In Jakarta, small shop owners celebrated as Amizone's logistics delivered fresh goods at half the price, supported by Aequalis rails.
And in Delhi, families marveled as Chogle showed them exactly how their search data improved local healthcare predictions.
For the first time, technology wasn't serving shareholders. It was serving people.
That night, Arjun sat alone, the city glowing below. Equalizer's voice pulsed softly.
"Transformation stable. Projects iOne, Mentor, Glass: active."
Arjun closed his eyes.
"They fear me because they cannot see me," he murmured. "But they need me because they can see the change."
He smiled faintly.
And change always wins.