Chapter 102The ticking of the clocks inside Arthur’s head grew deafening.The Auditor stood perfectly still, processing the sheer, unfathomable audacity of the request. A biological asset, standing in the ruins of a hijacked planet, was demanding a face-to-face meeting with the architects of the multiverse to restructure a debt he couldn't possibly comprehend."You wish to speak to the True Shareholders?" the Auditor asked, the ticking slowing down to a rhythmic, thoughtful pulse. "Mr. Vance, your biology would shatter the moment you perceived their true form. You are asking to walk into the heart of a burning sun to negotiate the price of heat.""I've survived a singularity," Arthur replied, his golden eyes unblinking. "I'll take my chances. If I fail, you can vaporize my galaxy. But if I succeed, I will turn this sector into the most profitable franchise in your entire corporate portfolio. You take a meeting, or you take a write-off. Choose."The Auditor stared at the human. Behind

Chapter 104The boardroom in San Marcos felt suddenly, suffocatingly small.Arthur Vance stood near the shattered balcony, the ocean breeze carrying the scent of salt and ozone into the room. He didn't feel the chill of the morning air. The Zenith Protocol humming in his DNA regulated his body temperature with absolute, terrifying efficiency. He was no longer just a biologically enhanced human; he was a localized anchor for cosmic law."We are going to a neighboring galaxy?" Serena repeated, her voice perfectly steady, though her hands gripped the back of a velvet chair so tightly her knuckles were white. "Arthur, we barely survived a skirmish in our own solar system. We have one dreadnought, a scrap-hauler, and a few dozen augmented soldiers. How do we wage an intergalactic war?"Arthur turned away from the balcony. His eyes, burning with that unnatural black-and-gold fire, swept across his board of directors."We don't have a few dozen soldiers, Serena," Arthur corrected smoothly. "

Chapter 106The bridge of the Sovereign’s Herald was completely silent, save for the low, predatory hum of the dark-matter drive.On the massive panoramic screen, the cyborg commander of the Iron-Grip Syndicate stared at Arthur, his single biological eye widening slightly in confusion before twisting into a sneer of absolute derision."Vance Corp?" the commander laughed, a harsh, grinding sound that sounded like metal scraping on rock. "I have never heard of your franchise. You fly a Zenith-tier flagship, yet you bring no escort fleet? No escort fighters? You are either a fool who stole a god’s chariot, or a bankrupt Warden begging for scrap."Arthur didn't rise to the bait. He casually adjusted the cuffs of his black shirt, leaning back into his dark-matter throne."I don't need an escort fleet to enforce my policies, Commander," Arthur replied smoothly, his voice carrying the terrifying, absolute calm of a man who owned the universe. "I see you are currently liquidating a Seed World

Chapter 108The blinding, superheated corona of the Hollowed Star provided the perfect fuel.The World-Forge the colossal, dark-matter factory Arthur had deployed from the belly of his flagship hummed with an impossible, planet-cracking vibration. The massive intake vents glowed a brilliant, agonizing white as they actively consumed the dying sun’s plasma, converting the raw stellar energy into hyper-dense material at an exponential rate.Inside the bridge of the Sovereign’s Herald, Arthur Vance watched the automated production cycle with cold, clinical satisfaction."Boss," Nyx reported, her holographic avatar frantic as she monitored the telemetry. "The Forge is running at maximum capacity! It’s churning out automated Vanguard Drones at a rate of ten thousand units per minute!"On the tactical display, the space surrounding the jagged, tungsten fortress of the Iron-Grip Syndicate was rapidly filling with thousands of newly forged drones. They weren't sleek or elegant; they were brut

Chapter 110Kaelar’s crimson face contorted in confusion, the heavy kinetic war-hammer wavering slightly in his grip."Fire me?" the Warden spat, his voice a harsh, grinding rumble. "I am a registered Franchise Manager! I hold the localized developer keys for Andromeda! You cannot terminate my contract without the explicit authorization of the True Shareholders!"Arthur let out a low, vibrating chuckle. The Aura of the Sovereign flooded the throne room, pressing down on Kaelar with a suffocating, physical weight that made the massive demon’s knees buckle slightly."I don't need their authorization," Arthur replied smoothly, pulling a sleek, glowing digital datapad from the inner pocket of his duster coat. "I have something significantly more powerful than their permission."Arthur tossed the datapad onto the scorched floor between them."I have your ledgers," Arthur stated.Kaelar stared at the glowing screen. The Iron-Grip Syndicate’s deeply encrypted financial records were fully dis