After the court incident, Nav-Yuga's reputation plummeted, and it quickly became infamous, widely referred to as the 'Nav-Yuga Scandal.' The conspiracy against the enterprise extended its reach to numerous news channels, which relentlessly exaggerated the so-called fraud, turning their coverage into a coordinated campaign to bring the company down.
Day by day, it seemed as though these media outlets had made it their singular mission to destroy the name of Nav-Yuga. Public opinion spiraled downward until it hit rock bottom, leaving the enterprise with a reputation so tarnished it appeared irreparable.
In the weeks that followed, the damage became painfully clear. Most of Nav-Yuga's employees quit, unwilling to be associated with the scandal. Only a handful of loyal staff remained—those who had unwavering belief in Jay's grandfather and the work he had done.
While the situation looked grim, Kay had been working on a plan of his own. He covertly placed hidden cameras and managed to capture confession slip-ups from a few individuals who had given false testimony against Nav-Yuga.
He also gathered crucial evidence related to the hacker attack that had wiped their donation records. Although they had these confessions and proof in hand, the evidence wasn't substantial enough to force a retrial. Legally, most of the materials they had collected couldn't be used in court.
However, Kay saw an opportunity to sway public opinion, which had become the major obstacle. He took matters into his own hands, releasing the videos and evidence across several social media platforms.
The confessions and proof quickly gained traction, going viral and forcing people to reconsider their stance on Nav-Yuga. The tide of public opinion began to shift, and the enterprise, which had been on the verge of bankruptcy by the year's end, barely managed to stabilize amid the chaotic financial storm.
Despite the glimmer of hope, Nav-Yuga was no longer the large, powerful enterprise it had once been. The financial blow had reduced it to a small-sized operation, a shadow of its former self.
Before they could fully stabilize, new challenges arose. The costs of medication for Jay's siblings' physical conditions and the ongoing medical expenses for their grandfather, who remained in a coma, were becoming overwhelming.
Jay, driven by a desire to support his family, wanted to contribute in any way he could. However, he knew that running an enterprise wasn't where his strengths lay.
He had never been the academic type, barely scraping through high school, struggling to graduate by the skin of his teeth. He often thought of himself as "dumb" when it came to schoolwork, but where he lacked in academics, he more than made up for in his uncanny ability to quickly master any physical activity.
Not only could he learn sports and martial arts in record time, but he also had a surprising knack for teaching others. That came to light by accident in the 9th grade when he taught Rownak, his childhood friend, swimming techniques.
To his amazement, Rownak picked up the techniques pretty fast, especially considering the average person's learning speed, though not as quickly as Jay himself.
Upon realizing that, Jay, who had always struggled with schoolwork, found his true passion in training others. He began to see potential in turning his talent into a career, focusing on teaching and honing his craft in various physical disciplines. As he grew older, the idea of training others in sports and martial arts became more than just a hobby—it became his mission.
Eventually, Jay found work as a Mixed Martial Arts ⧼MMA⧽ trainer at a local training center. While he wasn't as physically strong or resilient as some of the more experienced MMA fighters, his technical knowledge was second to none.
Jay had learned from a top national-level fighter, mastering advanced techniques in boxing, wrestling, judo, jiu-jitsu, karate, Muay Thai, and other combat disciplines. Despite his expertise, the fighters at the center initially looked down on him. To them, Jay was young, and his lack of raw physical strength made him seem less credible.
But that perception quickly changed after a few sparring matches with the trainees. His mastery of advanced fighting techniques became undeniable, and those who once doubted him soon recognized his skills. Slowly but surely, many of them began training under his guidance.
Typically, it would take an amateur fighter two to three years to gain a solid grasp of Mixed Martial Arts, and for someone completely new to fighting, it could take over five years to reach an advanced level.
But under Jay's instruction, amateurs were transforming into advanced fighters in just six months, and complete beginners were reaching impressive skill levels in a little over a year. The fighters he trained were surpassing the usual standards, mastering techniques far faster than anyone expected, their abilities surpassing those of typical advanced MMA fighters.
Over the years, Jay's reputation as a trainer grew. By 2021, he had established himself as one of the top MMA trainers in the area, a testament to both his talent and his dedication.
At the same time, the family's enterprise, Nav-Yuga, remained a small-sized company, but it was far more stable than it had been after the near-collapse years ago. It wasn't the powerhouse it once was, but it had found its footing.
However, some things hadn't changed. Even after six long years, Jay's grandfather was still in a coma, with no signs of recovery.
As for Kay, he officially became a contract lawyer in November 2021. After the fall of their enterprise, he had enrolled in law school with a clear purpose.
During his studies, he worked relentlessly, and with the help of a private detective, he gathered all the necessary evidence to reopen the class action settlement case that had crippled their family. He was determined to see justice served, and his focus on the legal system gave the family hope.
Meanwhile, Qew had found her own path. She became a critic for movies and novels, a career where her extraordinary thought-processing abilities truly shone. With her enhanced cognitive skills, she could analyze stories with incredible depth and speed.
While it may not have been the most ambitious career for someone with her high potential, it was something she loved—and who wouldn't enjoy getting paid to watch movies and read novels all day?
Jay had recently begun to realize that Qew's fast processing wasn't just intelligence; it was as though her time perception was naturally faster than that of an average person.
After experiencing the heightened abilities granted by his increased Spirit Attribute in the Trial World, Jay suspected that both of his siblings had cognitive enhancements similar to the effects of an elevated Spirit Attribute.
It made Jay wonder—'What would their initial Spirit Stats be when the System assimilated with Earth in another 18 months?' When Jay had first entered the Trial World, he only had 8 Stats in Spirit Attribute. Though he wasn't intellectually gifted as Kay or Qew, the idea that their abilities might also be tied to something deeper intrigued him.
Those thoughts, however, quickly gave way to more immediate concerns. The timing pressed heavily on Jay's mind. The court case, crucial to the future of his family and the potential to restore their reputation, was set to begin on January 2, 2022—just a day after Jay had been teleported to the Trial World.
With Day-1 of the Trial Program nearing completion, he expected to return to Earth around midnight on January 2nd, assuming that time flowed the same in both worlds.
As those thoughts circled in his mind, the 1-minute countdown reached its end. In the blink of an eye, the familiar surroundings of the Trial World vanished, and Jay found himself teleported back to his room on Earth.
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Author Note:
I'm thrilled to share that I'm taking a big leap forward! Alongside Earth's Alpha Prime, I've launched the first sub-book for EAP.
ALTER REALITY: Online (Full-Dive VR LITRPG)
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