Knox descended to the first floor and entered the Architect's Forge, where Max and his team were fine-tuning the designs for the base's advanced systems. Max turned as Knox approached, handing him a small button-like device.
"Forget to give this to you earlier," Max said. "It's used to call a meeting. Press it, and an alert will summon everyone to the second floor."
Knox nodded, attaching the button to his suit. "Good. Let's test it out."
He flew to the second floor, pressed the button, and immediately, an alarm blared through the base. A robotic voice echoed:
"Alert. Alert. All members proceed to the second floor."
Within minutes, the room filled with chatter as members filed in, curious about the announcement. Knox hovered above them, his commanding presence silencing the noise.
"As you know, rank will determine your standing here," he began, his voice steady but firm. "At the very top, right by my side, is Max. He built this base and has proven his worth."
Max's eyes widened in surprise, but a smile soon spread across his face as Knox continued.
"If anyone disobeys him or questions his authority, you'll answer to me."
Knox's tone left no room for argument, and the members nodded in unison.
"In six months, we will hold a tournament. Your ranks will be decided then. Train hard if you want to rise to the top."
The crowd erupted into cheers. Knox dismissed them, stepping onto the elevator. As it ascended to the surface he turned to Kaelina.
"What's next?" he asked.
Kaelina's voice echoed in his head. "We could check out the Hero Citadel Tower. You know, the one where you were accidentally peeping on Seraph."
Knox groaned, his face heating up. "I wasn't peeping! How was I supposed to know the bathroom was on the 12th floor?"
Kaelina chuckled. "Sure, Knox. Let's just happen to fly over there."
With a burst of speed, Knox took off toward Washington, his eyes locked on the massive Hero Citadel Tower. As he descended to the entrance, a man in black suit was standing guard.
"What now?" Knox asked Kaelina.
"Let's test their strength," she suggested.
Knox smirked. "Chaos it is."
Without hesitation, he grabbed the man and shot into the sky. The man screamed as Knox released him, letting him free-fall toward the ground. Before he hit, a streak of lightning blurred into view, catching him.
"Whoa there, pal," a voice called out.
A young man crackling with electricity hovered before Knox, wearing a sleek blue-and-black suit adorned with bolts of energy that danced across the fabric. His cocky grin matched his confident posture.
"How about you surrender before things get messy?"
Knox raised an eyebrow. "Cocky little speedster, aren't you?"
Volt's grin widened. "Fastest alive, buddy. And you're about to find out the hard way."
Knox lunged, aiming a punch, but Volt was gone, already behind him. A rapid flurry of punches hit Knox in a blur, sending him back a few feet.
"I hate speedsters," Knox muttered, brushing himself off.
Volt was shaking his fist. "Man, you're durable. Guess that fancy suit isn't just for show."
Before Knox could respond, a golden light descended from the sky. A stunning woman clad in radiant gold armor floated down, her presence commanding. Her armor shimmered like sunlight, and her long, wavy blonde hair cascaded down her back. Her piercing blue eyes locked onto Knox, and her curvy figure only added to her imposing aura.
"Stand down," she said firmly. "We don't want trouble."
Kaelina snickered. "You're staring."
"I'm observing," Knox shot back mentally.
He addressed Seraph. "Trust me, sweetheart, I don't want to fight either, but I've got mission to complete."
"Then surrender peacefully," she replied, lunching herself at him.
Knox dodged her attack, only for Volt to appear out of nowhere, landing a hit that sent Knox skipping backward.
"They work well together," Knox muttered.
Kaelina chimed in. "Why are you holding back?"
"None of your business," Knox snapped, dodging another coordinated attack from the two.
As the fight dragged on, Volt smirked. "You're just a no-name thug with a fancy suit."
The taunt lit a fire in Knox. He lunged at Volt, but the speedster dodged, leaving Knox growling in frustration.
"Kaelina, let's retreat," Knox said finally. "We've seen enough."
As Knox hovered in the air, he locked eyes with Seraph for a brief moment before flying off.
Volt scoffed. "See? Just another wannabe villain who runs when he knows he can't win."
Seraph, however, remained thoughtful. "He had multiple powers-flight, super strength, and durability. He's not just some thug. He's...interesting."
Back at the base, Knox landed at the entrance, the vault door splitting open as the elevator rose to meet him. Stepping onto the platform, he descended to the third floor and walked to his quarters. Once inside, the iron door sealed shut behind him.
Knox sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the ceiling. After a long moment, he muttered, "Kaelina, why haven't I gotten any quests to increase my template percentage? I've been pushing myself, and nothing's come up. What gives?"
Kaelina's voice responded, calm and unbothered. "Knox, quests aren't handed out for trivial things. Right now, there's nothing significant to warrant one."
Knox frowns, leaning back on his bed. "Nothing significant? What about Jack? I killed him and took over his entire syndicate. That had to be worth something, right?"
"Jack's death was a major milestone," Kaelina acknowledges. "It marked your rise as the leader of the Nexus Syndicate. But that was before your current growth trajectory. You've already surpassed him. Now, the system requires challenges that truly test you. Be patient-something worthy will come."
Knox stares at the glowing chandelier on the ceiling, a smirk forming on his lips. "Fine. But it better be something big. I'm not here to waste time."
Kaelina chuckles lightly. "Oh, I have no doubt it will be."