Crypto Lord: The Digital Dominion System

Chapter 7: Rise of the Phantom Trader

The glow of Ethan’s cracked phone lit up his face as he stared at the system’s new prompt.

“System Notification! New Optional Path Unlocked: Public Arena Trading Competitions.

Recommended for Host: Ethan Cross.

Warning: Risk of humiliation is high. Success yields exponential influence.”

His pulse quickened. He had just clawed his way out of Victor Kane’s trap and the adrenaline still hadn’t left his bloodstream. He could feel his hands trembling, not from fear, but from the anticipation of finally stepping onto a stage where others would be forced to watch.

“Phantom Trader…” he whispered, testing the name on his lips. A figure that no one could link back to Ethan Cross, the homeless delivery boy everyone laughed at.

The system pulsed with approval.

“System Prompt!

Identity Module Activated.

Codename: Phantom Trader.

Masking protocol initiated. Digital footprint scrubbed.”

His screen distorted, glitching for a second before reforming into a new interface. A dark, minimalist holographic play showing the market feeds, live order books, and a blazing icon pulsing with a single word, Arena.

The trading contest was small compared to global tournaments, but it had one thing Ethan needed which was visibility. A $100 buy-in, livestreamed on a mid-tier crypto forum, with an audience of thousands. Traders competed to see who could grow their funds the fastest in real-time.

He hesitated only for a moment before placing the buy-in. His $50,000 victory against Victor Kane’s scam was still a phantom in his wallet, locked by the system until he cleared his next quest. For now, the only money available was $500, barely enough to be laughed out of the competition.

The registration screen blinked.

“System Alert! Competitors detected: 212.

Average entry capital: $20,000.

Your entry capital: $500.

Projected Audience Reaction: Mockery is 92% probability.”

Ethan smirked. “Let them laugh. I’ll make them choke on it.”

The livestream lobby lit up with avatars. Traders flexed their starting balances in chat,

DragonWhale69 spoke up, “Who the hell entered with $500?”

CryptoQueen commented, “LOL broke boys shouldn’t be here.”

HoltPayFan commented almost immediately, “This is Damien Holt’s house. He owns this game. Phantom Trader? More like Phantom Loser.”

Ethan leaned closer to the phone, heart hammering. The chat was merciless, scrolling so fast it blurred. But the system’s voice cut through it all.

“System Boost Activated!

Trading Interface: Enhanced.

Prediction Algorithm: 62% accuracy baseline.

AI Bot Scalper-X: Standby mode.

New Feature Unlocked: Phantom Overlay (market manipulation probability scan).”

Ethan grinned. “Alright, let’s play.”

First move, the contest began with a countdown… 3… 2… 1… Trade!

Candlesticks exploded across the screen as hundreds of traders rushed into positions. Ethan’s $500 looked microscopic compared to others flashing balances in the tens of thousands.

“System Recommendation!

Target Coin: SHIBX/USDT.

Volatility: Extreme.

Risk: 79%.

Projected Return (1 minute window): 400%.”

His fingers moved before his brain caught up. Buy order placed. The market dipped instantly.

The chat erupted.

CryptoQueen commented, “LOL he bought the top.”

DragonWhale69 commented, “Amateur hour. Liquidation incoming.”

Ethan clenched his teeth. For a second, doubt clawed at him, then the chart jolted upward like a missile. Green candles stacked, ripping past resistance. His $500 ballooned to $2,000 in less than a minute.

The system chimed.

“System Alert! +300% Gains Registered.

Momentum Surge detected. Suggestion: Hold 12 seconds longer.”

“Hold,” Ethan whispered. The screen quivered with volatility, but he held. At the exact twelfth second, Scalper-X beeped.

“Scalper-X Action! Auto-sell executed. Profit secured: $2,300.”

Ethan’s balance now read $2,800. The chat froze for a moment. Then chaos.

Spectator01 commented on the feed, “Wait, what? He turned $500 into $2,800 already?”

CryptoQueen Lucky Fluke commented too, “He’ll blow up next round.”

The contest raged on, and Ethan’s hands became a blur. Every dip, every pump, every fakeout, the system whispered probabilities into his mind.

“System Notification!

Shadow Arbitrage Detected.

Exploit opportunity between Binance Futures and KuCoin Spot: +500% ROI potential.”

Ethan executed it instantly, converting his funds into a hidden pair others weren’t watching. His balance leapt again.

“$2,800 to $5,600 to $9,200.”

The chat turned from mockery to disbelief.

DragonWhale69 commented instantly again, “ WHAT IS HAPPENING?”

CryptoQueen commented sharply, “No way… no way this is luck.”

AnonymousFan spoke up, “Who IS Phantom Trader? He’s reading the market like a script.”

Ethan felt it too, the flow of numbers, the rhythm of volatility. It wasn’t chaos anymore. It was music, and he was conducting.

The leaderboard updated. “Phantom Trader: Rank #5.”

Top spot: “AlphaKing,” sitting comfortably at $200,000 from a $50,000 start.

The system spoke.

“System Critical Path!

Win Condition Detected.

Strategy: High-Risk Leverage Strike.

The target Pair is BTC/USDT 100x leverage.

Probability of Catastrophic Loss: 72%.

Probability of Victory: 28%.”

Ethan’s throat went dry. One wrong move and his meteoric rise would burn to ash. But what was the point of the Phantom Trader if not to risk everything?

“Do it.”

He slammed the trade. The entire chat exploded.

CryptoQueen commented, “OMG he just went 100x leverage with his whole stack!

DragonWhale69 commented sharply, “This idiot just committed suicide live.”

The market dipped violently. His liquidation price hovered a hair’s breadth away. Ethan felt sweat bead on his forehead.

“System Override Activated

Injecting Phantom Algorithm.

Market Maker Activity Detected. Reversal probability: 83%.”

The chart twitched. Then, as if the universe itself had been bent by the system, BTC roared upward. One green candle, then two and three. His $9,200 exploded to $40,000, then $80,000.

Scalper-X screamed.

“Scalper-X Auto-exit! Position closed. Final Balance: $51,000.”

The leaderboard froze. “Phantom Trader: Rank #1.”

Silence in the chat. Then… chaos.

CryptoQueen commented, “HE DID IT. HE ACTUALLY DID IT.”

DragonWhale69 gave a comment, “Impossible… IMPOSSIBLE!”

AnonymousFan commented, “PHANTOM TRADER IS A LEGEND.”

Ethan leaned back on the bench, chest heaving, heart hammering as if he’d just fought a war. The system’s cool voice rang in his ears.

“System Notification!

Quest Complete: Public Arena Challenge.

Reward: $50,000 + Viral Recognition.

New Title: Phantom Trader.

System Rank Up to Coin Rookie to Market Strategist.”