“Thanks,” Emmy said, breaking the silence that had lingered since they left the gym an hour ago.

  “Hmm?” Dante said, drawn from his thoughts.

  Damn, we are already almost at their house.

  Time felt like it flew by.

  Honestly, in that time, I figured out at least three ways I could have handled that fight better. Also, so many ways I could have stopped Emma from getting hurt.

  The truth is my senses have gotten dull.

  I doubt I will see Pablo again, though.

  Maybe I should ask father to throw me back into the arena…

  Damn it, I hated that place so much. But, it really is better to be prepared just in case.

  Anyway, thanks… oh, she must be talking about helping her with Pablo.

  To be honest, I wasn’t going to interfere in the first place. I lost my cool after he escalated it, so her thanks are unnecessary.

  Still looking at her like that. I guess she would feel better if I just accept it.

  “Oh, you mean for that guy? Don’t worry about it, it was nothing,” Dante responded.

  “How’s your arm, Emma?”

  The smart recovery sleeve looks like it’s working, she looks less in pain.

  Dante looked at Emma, her arm wrapped in the smart recovery sleeve that was softly lit with a soft blue glow as it delivered the cooling therapy and anti-inflammatory medicine directly to the injured tissue.

  Luckily, it’s the newest model. The last one was faulty, and honestly, I’d have just used ice if that was all they had.

  “It’s better now. Are you really taking the gym?” Emma asked.

  “Ah, that’s right. I heard you don’t have the best relationship with your father. Will you be troubled for picking a fight with the Carlota family?” Emmy gave Dante a worried look.

  “No, it will be fine. My father will be thrilled I’m throwing my weight around. And believe it or not, my family is much stronger than you think. A whale in the fitness industry is nothing more than a fish when compared to my family.”

  Plus, if I use my desire to get stronger and go back into the arena as a tool...

  Manipulate my father into thinking I’m willing to do it if he throws the family weight around.

  While he might not show it, I’m sure he will be thrilled.

  I wonder how many of my siblings still continue it.

  “Dante?”

  “Dante, did you hear what I said?”

  Hmm?

  Emma’s voice pierced through his thoughts.

  “What?” Dante asked.

  “I asked what you were going to do with the gym.”

  “Oh that. I’ll just give it to Emmy.”

  “Huh? Why me?” Emmy stared at Dante in surprise.

  “You’ll use it more than me.”

  Dante yawned as they stood in front of a simple house. Dante’s eyes glancing at a dark vehicle in the corner of the street.

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  “Well, here we are. I would honestly love to keep hanging out with you girls, but I have to get home now.”

  “Oh and Emmy, keep up the work you’re putting in and I have no doubt you’ll be as good as Pablo in another year or two.”

  Dante said as he walked to the car.

  “Bye Dante! Message me later on HoloX!” Emma called.

  “I’ll hit you up on Chaosstar later instead, we can try that new online game maybe.”

  “Ok!”

  With that, Dante stood in front of the dark ride as the sides opened upward. He went inside and sat down.

  “I hope you had an enjoyable time, young master,” the chauffeur in the front said.

  “Oh, just lovely. Did dad’s gathering start?” Dante asked.

  “Not yet sir. Right now, no one is home—you will be the first. Young lady Samantha is on her way, but her drive is much further than yours.”

  “I see, ok then—let’s leave. I’ll be reading more novels.”

  “Very good, sir.”

  Samantha... probably the only person in the family that can be called family.

  …

  …

  20 minutes later

  The car moved closer to the large golden gates.

  Next to the gate stood security, a single man. A scan from the gate commenced, and once it had washed over the car, the security guard spoke on his watch.

  The gate opened up immediately. Driving through the smooth road, on both sides was fresh green land. On the left, a forest with too many trees to tell what was beyond. On the right, a lovely garden with fountains and even a golf course.

  Dante looked at a large watermill in the middle of the golf course.

  I wonder who is on sniper duty today.

  He thought as he tried to see the far-off windmill.

  The thought was fleeting as Dante stared at the Mercier lands. Subtle guards hidden in what seemed to be nothing more than the grounds’ ornamental features.

  Hmm?

  New bodies?

  Dante watched as a group of men and women—a half dozen in total—jogged on the lands, an instructor in front of them, her mouth wide open as she yelled at them and jogged with them.

  “We have new guards?” Dante asked the chauffeur.

  “No sir, the master of the house is having legal troubles with one of his buildings and so he brought the men and women that were meant to train over there here instead.”

  “Ah, you mean that security firm he made? The mercenaries? So we are training mercenaries here too, huh. Why not—it’s not like our hands aren’t in enough businesses already.”

  I bet he has his legal team all over that. Honestly, why does he need this? His security team is top notch.

  Neural enhancement chips that increase situational awareness. A single glance and the brain will register everything, no need for a second look. It will also tag anything of potential danger.

  Those chips are registered to an observation screen so if there is abnormal stress or anything else, it will be known. Making it pointless to force them to do anything.

  Then there is NGI15 flowing through their bloodstream. Enhancing their muscle fiber so that it is always performing at top condition. Also increasing recovery speed by nearly 500%.

  That’s just the damn security. Each one of them is worth more than a common person can make in a lifetime.

  But now he is trying to build a small army?

  Though I can’t say I’m surprised, considering the arms dealership he has been doing. If anything, I’m surprised he didn’t set this up sooner.

  ...

  I do remember seeing something in one of his folders.

  Lazarus.

  It had a note something about the forces in it were elite now they needed to gain numbers to stretch out the arms or something.

  If I’m going to re-enter the arena, I might as well do some investigating.

  “Young master, we have arrived,” the chauffeur said.

  “Ah thank you, Jerred. I was lost in my thoughts.”

  Dante exited the vehicle and looked up at the manor in front of him. Every time he looked at the building, he wondered.

  Why, out of everything, is this the only thing that looks outdated?

  Strange priority for a man who puts neural chips in his security guards.

  Sure it’s kept pristine, yet why has father never enhanced this? The manor has been in our family for centuries. It’s large, but it looks like it belongs to a time period of swords and horses.

  Well

  ...

  Dante looked to the side to see the horse ranch only a mile away.

  Horses before cars were a thing anyway.

  The massive stone manor stood imposing with its towering spires and arched windows, four stories of elegance surrounded by perfectly maintained gardens. Stone gargoyles perched at strategic points along the roof line, their weathered faces watching the grounds with eternal vigilance.

  Dante walked and opened the doors.

  It feels strange sometimes. Nearly every door is automated now, so it’s almost amusing to have to do it myself. Feels like I entered a bygone era.

  Dante entered the manor, already unbuttoning his uniform and preparing for the Mercier family’s gathering.