(A/N: VOLUME 3 IS HERE! Akira Kagurasaki III and IV are coming next... just wanted to upload this one quickly.)
...
—US, Las Vegas, 2025—
In a world where magic was all but nonexistent, where the mundane reigned supreme, there lived a figure who once stood among the divine—Alice, Akira's first legitimate wife. She blended effortlessly into this ordinary realm, her silver hair tied back casually, as she sipped on her coffee at a local Starbucks. The hum of conversations and clatter of cups surrounded her, but her focus was on the little girl twirling nearby.
Roxanne, her daughter, giggled as she played with a napkin she'd folded into a makeshift airplane. The bright-eyed child's laughter was a spark of joy in the otherwise average café. Alice watched her with a soft smile, momentarily setting her cup down.
"Careful, Roxanne," she said, her voice warm but firm, "Don't knock into anyone."
The child beamed at her, the embodiment of innocence, her world far removed from the chaos and power that had once surrounded her parents. Alice leaned back, taking in the peaceful simplicity of the moment. For the first time in what felt like eons, she found herself at ease, her divine past just a distant memory in the backdrop of an ordinary life.
Alice lived a quiet, unassuming life, savoring the simplicity of being human. In a world stripped of magic and grandeur, she found solace in the mundane. Days were spent sipping coffee at small cafés and watching her daughter, Roxanne, embrace the innocence of childhood.
Roxanne was barely three months old, yet her growth defied all natural logic. Her mind was sharp, and her movements were coordinated far beyond her tender age. Such was the reality for the daughter of an Outer God and a Manas—an existence born from an extraordinary convergence of power.
Though her abilities lay dormant, there was an undeniable aura about her. If her power were to awaken, it would easily rival that of a Tier B god, a force capable of reshaping reality. For now, however, she remained a curious, wide-eyed infant, unaware of the cosmic potential sleeping within her.
Alice, ever vigilant, watched her daughter closely. She cherished these quiet moments, knowing the peace of their current life might one day give way to unimaginable turmoil. But for now, Roxanne was simply her baby—a miracle in every sense of the word.
This was the reality of the Crossing Over.
Alice wasn't in this quiet, mundane place for simple leisure. She had been sent on a mission by the Outer Gods—an unprecedented task. Her objective was to uncover a link between Athena and Nexus, two neighboring planes embroiled in bitter discord. The stakes were immeasurable; failure could lead to catastrophic wars between realms.
Crossing over to this unremarkable plane had been no small feat, especially with Roxanne in tow. They had successfully evaded detection by Nihila, the Quintessential Outer God of this plane—a being whose omnipresence could unravel the mission with a single glance. Alice had cloaked herself in the guise of an ordinary human, blending into a world oblivious to the multiverse's intricate tapestry.
Her task was clear: to find a way to bridge Athena and Nexus without igniting further chaos. It was a delicate operation, requiring subtlety, strategy, and discretion. Yet, even as she sat in this modest café, sipping coffee, her mind worked tirelessly. The answer lay hidden somewhere in this plane, and Alice knew that every passing moment brought her closer to either success—or discovery by Nihila.
Before the Crossing Over, Alice sacrificed all her magical powers, rendering her indistinguishable from the plane's natural inhabitants. Even Roxanne, her gifted daughter, was unfamiliar with the concept of magic. This forced Roxanne to grow as a true human child, vulnerable yet pure in this mundane world.
However, Alice retained three undeniable advantages: her otherworldly intelligence, immense raw strength, and unparalleled beauty. These traits quickly catapulted her to an unshakable position in the underworld of this plane. She rose to prominence, becoming the notorious godmother of the Underworld Syndicate, feared and respected in equal measure.
Her name was whispered in back alleys and shadowy boardrooms, a figure as untouchable as she was commanding. The duality of her existence—raising a child with love and care while ruling the dark world with ruthless precision—was a testament to her adaptability.
Even without magic, Alice was far from powerless. She manipulated the strings of this world's society with ease, setting the stage for her true mission while maintaining her façade as a human mother. Yet, beneath the composed exterior, Alice never forgot her purpose or the dangers looming if her secret identity were exposed.
Manipulating humans was as effortless as ever for Alice. With her intelligence and raw strength, she began her rise to dominance by targeting the West's most powerful syndicate—the Genovese Family. Her ascent was swift and merciless.
Alice started by interrogating and torturing lower-ranked members of the family, extracting every detail she needed to locate their elusive boss. No one could resist her methods; fear and pain forced compliance. When she finally confronted the head of the Genovese Family in his opulent penthouse, their bullets proved useless. Not a single round could pierce her invincible skin, her body a living fortress immune to human weapons.
The encounter ended with brutal finality as Alice decapitated the boss, his blood marking the start of her reign. News of the Genovese collapse spread quickly, cementing her reputation as an unstoppable force. The underworld trembled, and the power vacuum she created was filled by none other than Alice herself.
With the west firmly under her control, Alice began weaving her influence into every corner of society, all while maintaining her quiet life as a mother. Yet, behind her calculated actions, the echoes of her true mission remained, driving her every move.
Using the vast wealth she seized from the Genovese Family, Alice wasted no time establishing a global business empire. Her ventures spanned diverse industries, from luxury real estate to tech startups, all cleverly structured to launder her illicit gains.
Each business served as both a facade and a source of immense revenue, generating millions of dollars monthly. With her sharp intelligence and ruthless efficiency, Alice turned these "side hustles" into legitimate financial juggernauts.
Underneath the polished surface, she maintained absolute control, manipulating markets and competitors with ease. Her influence extended beyond borders, her empire growing faster than anyone could track, while her true identity as the godmother of the underworld remained hidden.
With her financial empire secure, Alice shifted her focus to what she truly needed: information. Not just mundane details, but highly classified secrets that could guide her in constructing the bridge between the two planes of existence.
Her first step was infiltrating global intelligence networks. Using her charm and uncanny intellect, she bribed, blackmailed, and manipulated high-ranking officials across continents. No system was too secure, no organization too powerful to escape her reach.
Within weeks, she had operatives embedded in key institutions, from military black projects to cutting-edge research facilities. Her underworld connections provided access to underground markets where forbidden knowledge and ancient artifacts traded hands.
As the puzzle pieces began to fall into place, Alice realized the magnitude of the task ahead. The bridge wasn't merely a concept—it required power and resources far beyond what even her vast empire could muster. Yet, with her mind set and her network expanding, she knew it was only a matter of time before she unlocked the secrets to forge the path between Athena and Nexus.
"Mom!"
Alice looked up from her coffee to see Roxanne pointing at the display case behind the counter.
"Mom, I want that one!" Roxanne's tiny finger was aimed at a decadent slice of strawberry shortcake, the fluffy layers and glistening strawberries almost sparkling under the soft café lights.
Alice chuckled, setting her coffee down. "Of course, darling. You have great taste." She waved over the barista and ordered the cake, her smile never fading as Roxanne clapped excitedly.
"And," Alice added, glancing over at the drink menu, "let's get you a special drink today, too. What do you want?"
Roxanne paused, then pointed to a bright pink smoothie with whipped cream on top. "That one, mom!"
Alice raised an eyebrow. "The strawberry smoothie? You're spoiling me with these choices today, sweetheart." She ordered it without hesitation, a small laugh escaping her as Roxanne grinned proudly.
The barista returned with the cake and smoothie, and Alice handed them both over to her daughter, who immediately dug in, the joy of indulgence lighting up her face.
"You're my little queen," Alice murmured, her eyes filled with love as she watched Roxanne happily devour her treat. "Nothing is too much for you."
And then, suddenly, Alice received a phone call on her iPhone.
Alice's smile vanished the moment the call came through, her expression shifting to a mask of cold calculation. She looked at the phone, her fingers curling around it with a tight grip before she answered.
"Hello, Jessie."
"Madam Alice," Jessie's voice was tense, but Alice could already hear the hesitation. "There's a leak within the organization. We've traced it to a few people, but it's still unclear who's involved."
Alice's eyes narrowed, her gaze unwavering as she took a slow sip from her coffee. The warmth of the drink didn't seem to reach her. She turned her head slightly, her eyes locking onto Roxanne for a brief moment.
"Who?" she asked, her voice as flat and emotionless as ever.
"We're still—"
"I don't need excuses, Jessie," Alice interrupted, her voice sharp. "Find them. If I wanted incompetence, I could hire someone else. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, Madam," Jessie stammered, sensing the shift in Alice's tone. "We're on it immediately."
Alice hung up without a second thought, placing her phone down on the table with a chilling finality. She looked at her daughter again, the warmth she had shown earlier completely gone, replaced by the cold eyes of someone who ruled an empire.
"Playtime is over, Roxanne," she whispered softly, though the words were far from affectionate. "Mommy has work to do."
With a delicate, almost calculated motion, she took another sip of her coffee. It was only a matter of time before she dealt with this betrayal—and when she did, no one would be left standing in her wake.
X―x―X—x—X―x―X
Wanna read 20 Chapters in Advance and see the Newest Exclusive Works ?
Only at: Patreon.com/Skyfall12