Chapter 56: Welcome to The Capital

Inside the cabin of the lead SUV, the hum of the engine was barely a whisper against the smooth asphalt.

In front of Evren’s eyes, the golden system interface hovered with bright, pulsing text:

[25% MILESTONE SYSTEM REWARD UNLOCKED: SYSTEM FORTUNE WHEEL SPIN!]

[WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPIN NOW? (YES / NO)]

Evren focused his thoughts and mentally selected [YES]

Instantly, the prompt melted away, replaced by a glowing golden roulette wheel covered in ancient runes.

The wheel began to spin at blinding speed, creating a blur of radiant light in his retinas.

Tick... tick... tick...

The golden wheel gradually slowed down, clicking past various colored segments... rare blueprints, sovereign elixirs, and ancient artifacts, before the needle locked firmly into a deep red slot.

[DING]

[CONGRATULATIONS! YOU HAVE RECEIVED: S-RANK COMBAT PASSIVE — KINETIC FLOW!]

[SKILL TYPE: PASSIVE COMBAT TRAIT (PERMANENT)]

[DESCRIPTION: Grants the host the ability to instinctively sense movement, weight shifts, muscle micro-twitches, and mana currents in real-time. Allows brief anticipation of enemy attack trajectories with zero latency.]

A soothing wave of warmth flowed directly through Evren’s optic nerves and deep into his nervous system.

It wasn’t a sudden burst of raw power like the Titan Body Forge. Instead, it felt like his senses had suddenly sharpened into perfect focus.

Up front, the SUV hit a small expansion joint on the highway bridge.

The slight vibration caused an open stainless steel thermal flask in the center cup holder to bounce and tip sideways.

Before a single drop of hot coffee could spill, Evren’s right arm moved.

Without even turning his head, his fingers closed around the lip of the flask, righting it in mid-air and setting it securely back into the holder.

The driver glanced over, his eyes wide with surprise. "Quick reflexes, Chairman."

Evren smiled faintly, leaning back into his leather seat. "Just getting the hang of things."

With Amber’s footwork drills from yesterday and this new passive skill, he was no longer just a wall of raw muscle. He could read the battlefield before the blow even landed.

—

In the backseat, the atmosphere was peaceful and relaxed.

Amber had already opened a small box of fresh berry pastries from the manor’s kitchen, resting it on the center armrest beside the RX-9 medical droid.

"Try the blueberry one," Amber smiled, handing a pastry to Zephyra. "Arthur makes the pastry crust with sweet almond butter. It’s the best thing in the house."

Zephyra hesitated for a brief second before reaching out. Her fingers twitched slightly, but she took the pastry smoothly without dropping it.

"Thank you, Vice-Chairman," Zephyra murmured softly.

"Just call me Amber," Amber chuckled, taking a bite of her own pastry. "Calling me Vice-Chairman is a little bit too formal for my liking. And not like you work for me; we are equals."

Zephyra nodded slightly.

"Look out your window. We’re crossing the Coastal Ridge."

Zephyra turned her head toward the tinted glass window.

Below the highway, rolling green hills stretched toward the sparkling blue ocean. The bright afternoon sun reflected off the water, and white clouds drifted lazily across the wide sky.

Zephyra gently rested her fingertips against the cool glass.

For nearly half a year, her entire world had been the damp concrete walls and iron bars of Arena #9’s underground cages. She had forgotten how big the sky was.

A quiet, peaceful breath escaped her lips, and the tension in her shoulders finally began to melt away.

Evren watched the reflection of the two women in the side mirror, feeling a quiet satisfaction in his chest.

—

Two hours later, the scenery shifted from open coastline to colossal structures of stone and glass. The three-vehicle convoy crested a final hill and approached the southern gates of the Imperial Capital.

The city was breathtaking.

Towering skyscrapers made of reinforced mana-glass rose hundreds of stories into the clouds. Maglev transit rails crisscrossed between the buildings, and faint blue defensive barriers shimmered high in the upper atmosphere.

The convoy pulled into the dedicated VIP lane at the southern gate checkpoint.

The security scanner beeped, reading the Apex Sovereign Conglomerate corporate registration, and the barrier gates lifted immediately to let them pass.

Mikay had already pre-booked their stay through the company’s VIP corporate desk before they left Veridia.

Following the pre-set navigation route on the dashboard, the driver steered the convoy through the bustling city center, passing luxury plazas and soaring corporate towers before turning onto an exclusive avenue lined with silver oak trees.

The convoy pulled up to the grand entrance of The Grand Pavilion Hotel & Suites.

The building was a stunning eighty-story marble tower with crystal fountains and a private courtyard.

Having received the arrival alert from the front gate system, the head concierge and several doormen in gold-trimmed uniforms were already waiting by the entrance.

As the SUV came to a stop, a doorman opened the door with a bow.

"Welcome to The Grand Pavilion, Chairman Crawford," the head concierge said with a deep bow, holding a gold keycard folder. "The Presidential Penthouse on the top floor has been fully prepared per Director Mikay’s booking. Your private elevator is waiting."

"Thanks," Evren said, stepping out onto the marble entryway.

Evren, Amber, and Zephyra walked into the private elevator. The RX-9 medical droid followed quietly, gliding right behind Zephyra.

The high-speed elevator shot up to the eightieth floor in seconds, and the doors opened to reveal a massive ten-thousand-square-foot luxury suite.

Floor-to-ceiling glass windows offered an unobstructed panoramic view of the entire Imperial Capital skyline. The penthouse featured a grand open-concept living lounge, a marble kitchen, a private sky terrace, and multiple adjoining master suites.

"This view is incredible," Amber said, walking over to the glass terrace doors with a smile.

"Pick whichever room you like," Evren told the two women. "Unpack, get comfortable, and rest up. We’ll head out for lunch and shopping in an hour."

Zephyra looked around the penthouse, still feeling like she was in a dream. "Thank you, Chairman."

"You’re family here, Zephyra," Evren replied with a gentle nod. "Make yourself at home. And call me Evren."

—

Meanwhile, across the avenue on the ground floor of a neighboring commercial tower, a man in a gray coat lowered a pair of high-resolution digital binoculars.

He stepped into the shadow of an alleyway, pulled a secure satellite phone from his pocket, and speed-dialed an encrypted number.

The line clicked after one ring.

"Report," a cold, aristocratic voice answered from the other end.

"Lord Varek," the spotter whispered. "Apex’s convoy just cleared the southern gate checkpoint. Evren Crawford, Amber Sterling, and the shadow duelist from the arena just checked into The Grand Pavilion."

There was a brief pause on the line, followed by a low, sinister chuckle from Lord Varek Drossian.

"So he actually had the nerve to bring my runaway property to the Capital," Varek said, his tone dripping with malice. "The High Council hearing is set for tomorrow morning at ten. Make sure our observers are in position."

"Understood, my Lord."

"Enjoy your luxury suite while you can, Chairman Crawford," Varek murmured as he ended the call. "Tomorrow, you’ll learn that the Capital is not your playground."