System

Year 2994

The weather was horrendous, storms raged across the city.

In a room within a towering skyscraper, a boy of about 14 years was in tears after another beating from his father. His body was marred with bruises. He had medium-length black hair accented with red stripes and possessed very fair skin.

"Why does father hate me?" Astarion, the boy, said through teary eyes as he wiped the tears from his face. He was Astarion Van vastaril , the first young master of the Astarion clan, which operated one of the largest companies in the world and was among the wealthiest clans.

One might think that Astarion led a fortunate and happy life, but that was far from the truth. For some unknown reason, his father seemed to despise him, subjecting him to beatings whenever anger took hold, while his grandfather completely disregarded his existence, choosing to ignore him instead.

Perhaps it was because he was labeled a talentless outcast; he couldn't grasp swordsmanship or the basic business acumen expected of a 14-year-old in his clan, nor did he have any interest in them.

His passion lay in AI programming. In the current era, AI technology had advanced significantly, becoming incredibly sophisticated. Through learning some coding, Astarion created an AI he named "Sol." Uniquely, Astarion designed Sol with the ability to upgrade itself autonomously—if there was new information on the internet, it could integrate it and update itself. Sol was based on neuralink technology, like the rest of the AIs out there.

You could say that Sol was Astarion's only friend.

Rising from his place of sorrow, Astarion approached his computer, which spontaneously activated, displaying Sol's interface. "How are you, master?" Sol greeted him with a smiley emoji.

However, Astarion didn't respond. Instead, he donned his VR headset and began to play a game, winning consistently with Sol's assistance.

Then, a golden thunderbolt descended from the sky, striking Astarion along with his VR headset.

A jolt of electricity surged through his body, rendering him unconscious.

Suddenly, something some text appeared before him.

[Warning, the system is crashing. The system is crashing. The life of the master is in danger.]

[The master's life is in danger. The system is initiating a protective measure.] Sol announced.

[The system has merged with the master's soul.]

[A new system is being created.]

[Information is being updated.]

[The system is connecting to the master's body.]

[The system has detected traits in the master's personality and nature that are highly disadvantageous.]

[The system is altering the master's personality and nature.]

[The master's personality and nature have been completely transformed.]

After some hours, astarion was found by the building's servants and was taken to the hospital.

5 years later

Within the sleek, imposing headquarters of Hulio Company, the cornerstone of the Vastaril clan's wealth, tension thickened the air of the executive meeting room. Here, decisions that could alter the fate of empires were made, and today was no exception.

In the room, under the harsh, artificial light, sat several individuals, their postures rigid with anticipation. At the head of the table, an exceptionally handsome young man, about 19-20 years old, commanded attention.

His long black hair with red stripes flowed elegantly, contrasting vividly with his striking golden eyes. He was casually sipping wine, an air of nonchalance about him.

"So, what do you think, Shareholder Wang? It's a good deal, isn't it? All of your friends have already sold me their shares. Now it's your turn," Astarion said, his voice smooth as silk, as he took a leisurely sip from his glass, eyes locking onto Mr. Wang with a predatory gleam.

"You bastard, do you really think that I'll bow to you and sell my shares at a quarter of their actual price?" Shareholder Wang retorted, his voice laced with anger, his fist clenching involuntarily.

Astarion merely clicked his tongue, disappointment coloring his tone. "Tch tch, Shareholder Wang, I thought you were a clever one, but it turns out you're just as foolish as the rest," he remarked, standing up. He held the glass of wine with an elegance that belied the tension in the room, slowly pacing towards Wang.

Wang initially recoiled, a flash of fear crossing his features, but he quickly composed himself, refusing to show any more signs of weakness. That resolve, however, faltered the moment Astarion mentioned his daughter. "Mr. Wang, you have quite a beautiful daughter, don't you? I wonder what would happen if she got kidnapped..."

"You... How did you know about my daughter? Where is she?" Wang's composure shattered at the mention of his daughter. His mind raced, panic setting in. His daughter was his world, the only piece of his late wife he had left. He had gone to great lengths to keep her existence from the dangerous sharks of his business world.

"Let's just say she's now in a place where you'll never find her unless I tell you where she is or send you there," Astarion said, a cold smile playing on his lips as he handed Wang a ring. It was unmistakably his daughter's, a gift from a happier time.

Seeing the ring, Wang felt a despair so profound it threatened to engulf him. "What do you want?" he managed to choke out.

Astarion, with a nonchalant flick of his wrist, pointed to the share transfer documents on the table, the ones Wang had refused to sign, before taking another sip of his wine, the glass catching the light in a mocking toast to Wang's predicament.

Defeated and desperate to save his daughter, Wang signed the documents. Money was transferred to his account, a poor consolation for the price he paid. "Astarion, now tell me where my daughter is," he demanded, an edge of hopelessness to his voice.

"Mr. Wang, just go some way towards your home. You'll meet your daughter," Astarion replied cryptically.

Wang, though skeptical and fearing the worst, couldn't afford to doubt Astarion's words. His daughter's safety was paramount. He hastily left the room and the building, diving into his car to follow Astarion's vague directions.

As he drove, the piercing ring of his phone broke the silence. Answering, he was greeted by Astarion's chilling voice.

"Oh, Mr. Wang, you are quite a bad father, I must say. You asked where was your daughter, not how she was," Astarion taunted.

"What the hell are you talking about, you bastard? And why are you using 'was' with my daughter? Don't mess with me," Wang growled, his voice trembling with barely contained rage and fear.

"Ha ha, old man, you really are as stupid as my grandfather. Can't you understand? Your daughter is dead. You will meet her soon, just like I said," Astarion's voice was cold, devoid of any emotion as he said this.

"Wh-" Wang barely managed to utter a syllable, a mixture of confusion and dread in his voice, when suddenly, his world turned chaotic. Two vehicles, like predators coordinating an attack, rammed into his car from both sides with lethal precision.

The impact was immediate and devastating, metal crunched against metal in a deafening roar, the force of the collision rendering any attempt at survival futile. In those final moments,

Wang's thoughts were a whirlwind of despair and unfulfilled promises, his life extinguished in the blink of an eye.

Back in the dimly lit room of the Hulio Company's headquarters, Astarion stood still, his expression unreadable as he received the confirmation of the deed through his earpiece. A slight nod was his only reaction, a silent acknowledgment of the report.

"One down, some more to go," Astarion remarked coldly, his voice devoid of any emotion.