Morning sunlight spilt through the classroom windows like liquid gold, catching tiny dust motes that floated lazily in the air.
It was another "ordinary" school day.
Ryan was snoring on his desk, the teacher was scolding someone for forgetting homework, and my pencil twirled silently between my fingers.
On the surface, life was peaceful.
But beneath that calm, an invisible storm had already begun brewing.
Three days earlier, I received a quiet alert from my Supreme System while sitting in the library.
[Warning: Economic disruption detected.]
[Northwing Financial Group is launching a public smear campaign.]
I had half expected it. After all, I had hit them where it hurt, and powerful people rarely sat silent after losing face.
Northwing struck cleverly.
They didn't attack my hidden companies directly; they poisoned the air around them instead. Anonymous reports, false audits, and slander began circulating online. They accused my small shell networks of fraud and insider trading—nothing true, but believable enough to spook investors.
Several of my smaller businesses froze under investigation within days.
But even worse, their timing was perfect.
Exam week.
I couldn't risk missing school. I had to look like the same quiet, normal boy eating lunch with Ryan, smiling at teachers, and helping classmates.
No one could know that, in the same moment I was solving algebra equations, billions were moving silently through the world's digital veins—at my command.
That Sunday night, I sat alone at my desk after finishing homework. The mansion slept peacefully around me.
I whispered, "System, open world data feed."
The holographic displays bloomed to life around me. Charts, headlines, stocks, and coded messages filled the air like moving galaxies of light.
"Show me Northwing's movement," I said.
[Accessing internal channels...]
[Report: Northwing paid law firms to request public audits. Media manipulation investment: 14 million credits. Objective: lower valuation of Bruce Shadow Enterprises to force liquidation.]
I smirked. "So they're trying to flush out whoever's behind it. Clever."
[Countermeasure?]
"Yes," I said. "Let's feed their greed."
The plan was simple but dangerous.
First, I released fake losses through my smallest shell companies. A few minor brands suddenly reported "mistaken investments" in risky overseas ventures.
Then, through another hidden identity, I made Northwing think one of my companies was going bankrupt.
They took the bait immediately.
By Tuesday afternoon, they moved in to "buy" the crumbling branch—unaware that all its debt was fake.
Inside that branch's data cores, I had hidden tracing codes. The moment they touched the purchase deal, my system mapped every encrypted server tied to their main operation.
When I arrived home from school that day, the system greeted me with the sweetest sound:
[Target IP cluster detected. Complete access granted. Northwing's secret data cache revealed.]
I leaned back against my chair, smiling faintly. "You wanted a fight," I whispered, "so let's fight."
Of course, I couldn't let my real world slip.
The next morning, as usual, I woke up early, ate breakfast with my family, and teased Clara about her strict study schedule. My sisters chatted about their own work, completely unaware that one of the world's oldest business syndicates was under siege by a twelve-year-old with a secret space empire.
After class, Ryan asked, "Hey, Bruce, are you coming to soccer practice today?"
"Of course," I said cheerfully. "Wouldn't miss it."
On the field, under bright skies, I ran and laughed like any normal boy. But beneath every smile was calculation—timing currency waves, monitoring servers, rewriting headlines.
In truth, I was running two wars at once—one with a ball and one with billions.
By the time practice ended, my secret network had already finished the counterstrike.
That night, I stood in my Supreme Castle once again, the moonlight glinting against silver floors and glowing rivers. The great screens showed clusters of red dots fading away one by one.
[Update: Northwing Group suffers 39% stock loss after internal data exposure. [Anonymous source leaks financial misconduct documents.]
"Make sure the 'anonymous source' looks like their own employee," I said.
[Confirmed. Fake ID inserted into records.]
Slowly, the monster was devouring itself. The same public power they used against me turned back, multiplied, and crushed them from within.
[Northwing's CEO announces internal audit.]
I couldn't help chuckling. "Of course you do."
[Would you like to proceed with the final phase: economic isolation?]
I thought for a moment. Then shook my head. "No. Not yet. Let them bleed quietly. A dead enemy stops teaching. A weakened one keeps others afraid."
The system pulsed faintly in response.
The following day, the world went about its business like nothing had happened.
But whispers were spreading on global business forums: Northwing Group facing internal instability, major clients fleeing deals.
At school, I sat quietly while a few classmates discussed the news. "Did you hear? Northwing's in trouble! Their stocks just dropped!"
Ryan frowned. "Weird. Isn't Northwing one of those huge companies?"
"Yeah," another said. "They were untouchable."
I smiled faintly without looking up from my book. "Untouchable? Not forever."
Ryan blinked. "What?"
"Nothing," I said with a soft grin. "Just talking to myself."
That weekend, I met all my sisters for breakfast.
Luna noticed something in my tone. "You're glowing, little brother. Something good happened?"
I shrugged. "Just… finally solved a problem."
Clara smiled warmly. "See? I told you everything works out when you stay calm."
Eve looked unconvinced. "You smell like secrets again."
I laughed lightly, sipping my juice. "Maybe I'm just learning from you all."
Aria smiled faintly. "Whatever it is you're hiding, Bruce, keep that fire alive. Just don't let it burn you."
Those words stayed with me all day. She didn't know how close they were to the truth.
The balance of my two worlds grew sharper.
In daylight, I was a student, a son, a brother.
At night—I was ruler of shadows, the silent hand behind invisible wars.
I didn't crave glory anymore. I wasn't hunting crowns.
All I wanted was one thing: stability—for my family, my friends, and myself.
Through silence, I had learnt control. Through secrecy, I had found peace.
[System Notification: Threat level neutralised. Northwing operations are collapsing. Shadow influence stable.]
I exhaled quietly. "Then it's over."
Or at least, for now.
Because deep down, I knew this victory was just the first of many.
Northwing was only one head of the hydra. Somewhere across the world, others would eventually notice that a new ghost was moving unseen in the markets.
They'd whisper names, chase traces, and wonder who was reshaping power in silence.
But they'd never find me.
Because when the lights go out and the markets still shift...
It means the Underworld King breathes again.
And this time, he wears the face of a quiet boy with a school uniform, a gentle smile, and the will to protect everything he loves.