All Chapters of Rise of the Masked King: Chapter 21
- Chapter 30
110 chapters
Chapter 21: The D.C. Arrival
The flight to Washington D.C. was tense but strategically vital. Anthony had chosen to fly the Black Spectre on a low-altitude route, ensuring its distinctive look was captured by regional news stations the entire way. His arrival was meticulously choreographed, turning an emergency meeting into a political spectacle.The Black Spectre landed at a private airfield outside D.C., where a phalanx of Jodah security vehicles, led by a solemn Ronan, waited. Anthony emerged, not in the humble attire of a student, but in a bespoke, dark suit—the uniform of a head of state.Inside the waiting limo, Anthony held a final briefing with his team.“Liora, you and Vionna will manage the press outside the hearing room,” Anthony instructed. “Vionna, uses the leaked documents sparingly, saving the most damning evidence of Derrick’s embezzlement until Vance tries to question the integrity of the audit itself. Liora, ensure every one of Vance’s legal arguments is immediately refuted with documented compl
Chapter 22: The Vance Gambit
The Senate hearing room was a crucible of political tension, packed with reporters, legal aides, and powerful lobbyists. Senator Eleanor Vance, a woman known for her sharp intellect and icy demeanor, sat at the head of the panel, her expression one of triumphant anticipation.When Anthony Parker entered, flanked by Ronan and Fenrick, the room went silent. He didn't look like a nervous student; he walked with the measured stride of a CEO arriving to close a hostile takeover.Vance began immediately, her voice dripping with practiced indignation. “Mr. Parker, thank you for joining us, though your attendance was mandatory. This committee is investigating your unilateral, unchecked use of vast financial power to ruin the lives and businesses of American citizens and destabilize market confidence. Is it true you bankrupted three multi-billion dollar firms—Derrick, Noah, and Vincent—and publicly humiliated their heirs as a result of a personal student feud?”Anthony leaned into the micropho
Chapter 23: The Enemy Within
The political fallout from the Senate hearing was exactly what Anthony had planned: immediate and devastating to Senator Vance. The leaked audit documents shifted the entire media narrative from "rich boy's feud" to "Jodah Empire exposes corrupt politicians." Vance was instantly put on the defensive, forced to answer for her association with pension thieves.Back in the VEXO penthouse, the mood was one of cautious victory. Liora and Vionna were already fielding calls and crafting follow-up press releases. Fenrick was tracking the movements of Vance's key donors.Anthony was on a secure video call with Mr. Thorne of the Jodah Council."Lord Jodah," Thorne began, his tone now respectful, if still weary. "The media reaction has been... advantageous. Senator Vance is currently isolated. We have complied with all your instructions regarding market stabilization. Your initial actions, though unconventional, have been effective.""Effective is the minimum requirement, Mr. Thorne," Anthony re
Chapter 24: The Legacy of Shadows
Back on the ASU campus, the change was profound. Anthony's arrival the next afternoon didn't go unnoticed. The Black Spectre landed in the main university parking lot, instantly drawing a crowd of students, reporters, and onlookers.Anthony, flanked only by Liora, walked through the throng with measured confidence, ignoring the shouted questions. Fenrick remained in D.C. monitoring the political war.The campus atmosphere was divided: awe and support from those who saw Anthony as a vigilante hero, and cold suspicion from those who saw him as an autocratic menace.Liora whispered to Anthony as they entered the main administrative building. “The students are terrified, Anthony. They don’t know whether to ask for his autograph or run for cover. It's working.”“Fear is a powerful stabilizer, Liora, but fear without respect is unsustainable,” Anthony replied. “That’s why we’re here.”They walked directly to the university president’s office. The president, Dr. Henderson, looked pale and ha
Chapter 25: The Inner Circle's Test
The atmosphere in the VEXO penthouse the following evening was charged. Fenrick had flown back from D.C., bringing with him unsettling news.Anthony sat at his desk, staring at the latest headline on his terminal: VANCE’S ALLIES SILENT: JODAH EXPOSES POLITICAL CORRUPTION. Vionna's strategy of aggressive transparency was working; the political heat was off Anthony, but the internal threat remained.“The political war is stalled,” Anthony announced to his team. “Vance is crippled. But Fenrick, what did you discover about the Jodah Council’s activities while I was gone?”Fenrick leaned forward, his face grave. “I confirmed it. Mr. Thorne, the Council Chairman, wasn’t just resistant to your public revelation. He was actively communicating with Senator Vance’s chief of staff twenty-four hours before the hearing. It wasn’t a leak; it was an active betrayal.”“So, my own Council was trying to orchestrate my failure,” Anthony concluded, his voice dangerously calm. “They tried to feed me to Va
Chapter 26: The Council's Downfall
The morning arrived with a biting chill that mirrored the atmosphere in the VEXO penthouse. Anthony had summoned the four key members of the Jodah Administrative Council—led by Chairman Thorne—for what they believed was a routine discussion on the Senator Vance crisis.They were wrong.The four older men filed into the conference room, their expensive suits exuding disapproval. Thorne, a man whose entire life had been defined by discretion, looked particularly furious about the public spectacle Anthony had created.“Lord Jodah,” Thorne began, his voice stiff. “We are still mitigating the fallout from your Senate performance. Your decision to publicly humiliate Senator Vance has made the Empire a target. We strongly advise that you reconsider your continued presence at the university and focus on damage control.”Anthony stood at the head of the table, his demeanor calm, yet radiating an undeniable authority that was new and chilling. Fenrick, Liora, and Vionna stood silently behind hi
Chapter 27: The Shadowy Puppet Master
The speed and ruthlessness of Anthony’s purge sent shockwaves through the covert infrastructure of the Jodah Empire. The transition, however, was smooth, thanks to Fenrick’s meticulous internal security review and Liora’s immediate implementation of ethical firewalls.Fenrick was back in D.C., working out of the highly secured Jodah digital command center, trying to pinpoint the source of the communication between Vance and the disgraced Council. He was on a secure video call with Anthony, who was back at the VEXO penthouse.“The connection is heavily encrypted, Anthony,” Fenrick explained, scrolling through complex logs on his screen. “Thorne and Vance’s Chief of Staff used a custom, highly specific encryption key. It took Ronan’s entire digital team eighteen hours, but we found the origin point of the key.”“And what is it, Fenrick?” Anthony pressed, leaning close to the screen.“It leads directly back to a holding company in Zürich called Aegis Global. But Aegis Global is a shell,
Chapter 28: Vionna's Campus War
Vionna’s return to the ASU campus was vastly different from her departure. She wasn’t a student anymore; she was the Director of Global Communications for the most powerful entity on the planet. Her first order of business was confronting her former colleague, Mark, at The Campus Chronicle.Mark was buried under piles of historical documents Anthony had provided—raw, unedited internal reports detailing the Jodah Empire’s previous ethical lapses.Vionna sat down opposite him, the contrast between her sharp professional suit and Mark’s frayed hoodie stark.“Mark, you look like you’ve been living on caffeine and corporate skeletons,” Vionna observed, pushing a fresh coffee across the desk.Mark rubbed his bloodshot eyes. “I have, Vionna. Your boss didn’t lie. The historical documentation is brutal. The labor disputes, the environmental cost, the political manipulation—it’s all here, meticulously detailed. It’s exactly the exposé I wanted, but it’s too big. I can’t fit three generations o
Chapter 29: The Field Assignment
Fenrick had returned to the VEXO penthouse, having successfully installed Ronan's team in D.C. to monitor Vance and secure the digital trails of the Architect. The task now was to appoint a Head of Field Operations—someone to monitor the Empire's physical assets globally.He was waiting for Anthony in the main lounge when Liora walked in, carrying a large binder of legal filings.“Anthony told you, didn’t he?” Liora asked, her voice calm, yet carrying a profound certainty.Fenrick looked at her, surprised. “Told me what? That I need to assign a new field commander? Yes. I’ve been analyzing Ronan’s field reports. The current threats are in resource allocation: a critical mining operation in South America and a major shipping hub in Southeast Asia. We need someone who can command respect but also navigate politically sensitive zones.”“And you know who that person is,” Liora finished, her eyes fixed on him. “The person Anthony trusts implicitly, who is willing to put themselves in the l
Chapter 30: The Council's First Strike
Liora was gone within the hour, boarding a Jodah covert jet bound for South America. Back in the VEXO penthouse, the mood was tense. Anthony, Fenrick, and Vionna felt the sudden, massive responsibility of running an empire.Anthony was on a secure video line with Ronan, monitoring Liora's flight path. “Ronan, Liora is a civilian operative. Ensure her protection is absolute. I want full satellite coverage of her flight and arrival.”“Understood, Lord Jodah. We have a covert team already established at the destination. We anticipate resistance from local criminal elements—likely hired by the Architect,” Ronan reported.Fenrick was pacing the lounge, reviewing the new financial threat assessment. “The Architect is striking at our weakest link—the physical supply chain. It’s an attempt to cripple our revenue stream and create market panic, hoping the remaining conservative Jodah shareholders will force a vote of no confidence.”Vionna, who was monitoring financial news feeds, looked up sh