MTLNOVEL Chapter 5: A Personal Stake
Kai Nakamura sat in The Nexus, scrolling through the Erebus System's mission log. His wealth was growing, his stats were improving, and his team was coming together. But something was missing.
"You've got that look again," Aria said, leaning against the doorway. "What's on your mind?"
Kai sighed. "I feel like we're just scratching the surface. The Syndicate's still out there, and I'm not sure we're ready to take them on."
Aria walked over and sat down next to him. "You're doing better than you think. But if you want to make a real impact, you need to hit them where it hurts."
Kai raised an eyebrow. "And where's that?"
"Their reputation," Aria said, smirking. "Take down one of their public figures, and the rest will start to crumble."
Upgrading Stats
Kai pulled up his attributes screen, noticing he had 12 upgrade points saved up.
[Current Attributes]
Strength: 8/10
Agility: 7/10
Intelligence: 7/10
Charisma: 4/10
Luck: 6/10
"Time to level up," Kai muttered. He decided to spend 10 upgrade points to boost his stats:
5 points to Charisma (bringing it to 9/10)
5 points to Intelligence (bringing it to 12/10, unlocking a bonus perk)
[Attributes Updated]
Charisma: 9/10
Intelligence: 12/10
Perk Unlocked: Enhanced Problem-Solving
"Enhanced Problem-Solving, huh?" Kai said, grinning. "That'll come in handy."
[Upgrade Points Remaining: 2]
The Next Mission
As if on cue, a notification popped up on Kai's holographic screen:
[New Mission: Expose a Corrupt Politician.]
[Objective: Gather evidence against Councilman Grayson, a Syndicate puppet.]
[Reward: $300,000 and 10 Attribute Points.]
Kai grinned. "Looks like we've got our next target."
The Plan
Lila hacked into Councilman Grayson's schedule and found that he would be attending a charity gala that evening.
"Perfect," Kai said. "We'll hit him where he least expects it."
Aria raised an eyebrow. "And how do you plan to do that?"
Kai smirked. "By crashing the party."
The Gala
The charity gala was held at the luxurious Eclipse Grand Hotel, where the city's elite gathered to show off their wealth and influence. Kai and Aria arrived dressed to impress—Kai in a sleek black tuxedo and Aria in a stunning emerald green gown.
"Try not to get distracted," Aria teased as they walked in.
Kai chuckled. "Easier said than done."
Inside, the gala was in full swing. Councilman Grayson was holding court near the champagne fountain, surrounded by admirers.
"There's our guy," Kai whispered to Aria.
She nodded. "Let's do this."
The Heist
Kai activated his time-freeze ability, freezing the room for 10 minutes.
[Time-Freeze Usage: 1/3]
With time frozen, Kai and Aria quickly made their way to Grayson's office. Lila had already hacked into the security system, so they had no trouble getting in.
Inside, they found a safe filled with incriminating documents—bribes, blackmail, and evidence of Grayson's ties to the Syndicate.
"Jackpot," Aria said, grinning as she stuffed the documents into a bag.
[Time-Freeze Deactivated.]
When time resumed, Kai and Aria slipped out of the office unnoticed, their mission complete.
The Aftermath
Back at The Nexus, Lila was waiting with a grin. "Mission accomplished. Grayson's career is over."
[Mission Complete: Expose a Corrupt Politician.]
[Reward: $300,000 and 10 Attribute Points.]
[Black Card Balance: $1,650,000]
[Upgrade Points Available: 12]
Kai grinned. "Not bad for a night's work."
A New Challenge
As they celebrated their success, a new notification appeared on Kai's holographic screen:
[New Mission: Infiltrate a Syndicate Warehouse.]
[Objective: Disrupt a major Syndicate operation.]
[Reward: $500,000 and 15 Attribute Points.]
Kai's eyes lit up. "Now this is more like it."
Aria leaned over his shoulder, reading the details. "A warehouse, huh? Sounds dangerous."
Lila smirked. "Dangerous is our middle name."
Kai stood up, his grin widening. "Alright, team. Let's gear up. This is just the beginning."
End of Chapter 4
Kai looked at his team, feeling a surge of determination. The Syndicate had no idea what was coming for them.
"To the next mission," he said, raising a glass.