Rise of the Zillionaire Star

Chapter 46: The Judgment Bomb

The steps of the courthouse had never been this crowded. Different News vans lined the curb with their satellite dishes pointed towards the sky. The reporters jostled for position while cameramen adjusted their screen lenses. The murmur of a hundred conversations swelled into a storm of anticipation. Jaylen stepped out of the black SUV with his hood drawn low and hands tucked into his jacket pockets.

Zee’s interface pulsed faintly in his vision with different scrolling updates, “System Alert: All feeds are live. 2.3M viewers are connected.

Questline: “Crush the Vale Machine” Sub-Quest: Corrupt Court Cracked – in Progress.”

The last two weeks had been packed with different lawsuits, smear campaigns, sabotage, and hunting games. Roman Vale had thought the courtroom would be his ultimate stronghold. It was an arena Jaylen couldn’t penetrate. But today, Jaylen wasn’t just another defendant. He was carrying the judgment bomb in his hand.

Inside the courthouse, Judge Harmon presided with his usual smug composure. His black robes looked pristine, his gavel polished, his smile faintly mocking. He adjusted his glasses and leaned forward.

“Mr. Cruz,” Harmon said in a smooth voice. “We are here once again to address your persistent claims of defamation against Mr. Vale. You have been reckless with accusations by publishing so-called exposés without proper verification. Today is where this circus ends.”

Roman Vale sat only a few seats away from him. He was perfectly tailored in gray charcoal. His lips were curved in that serpent’s grin, the kind that had once made Jaylen doubt himself. Cameras clicked again and again, catching every smirk and every tilt of Roman’s chin.

Jaylen stood slowly. He didn’t flinch. He wasn't scared at all. Zee whispered across his neural interface, “Deploy Judgment Bomb? Confirm Y/N.”

Jaylen’s lips parted into the faintest grin. “Your Honor,” he said, projecting his voice so every microphone caught it, “I think today the circus ends for you.”

A hush swept through the courtroom. Judge Harmon’s brow furrowed. “Excuse me?” His voice intensified.

Jaylen reached into his jacket and brought out a slim holo-projector. With a single press, the device hummed alive. Light bent in midair, filling the courtroom with the detached projection of an exclusive office.

The voice was unmistakable. Everyone knew that it was Judge Harmon himself.

“Roman, you have delivered as promised. The wire transfer is cleared. Consider this case handled. The boy won’t last another round.”

The sound of glasses clinked followed. Roman’s face in the video leaned into view. He raised a crystal tumbler in toast.

The courtroom erupted with gasps, shouts, and reporters fumbling to stream the footage. Harmon slammed his gavel furiously. His voice cracked across the court atmosphere. “Silence! Silence in this court!”

But there was no silencing because it had already gone viral. Zee pinged an overlay in Jaylen’s eye, “Judgment Bomb Spread: 300K - 500K - 1M shares in real-time.”

Jaylen let the projector play the entire two-minute recording with the detail of every bribe, every sneer and Harmon’s promises to bury cases for the right price. Roman Vale’s laugh echoed in approval.

When it ended, Jaylen turned slowly in a deliberate motion just to face the cameras. “This,” he said in a sharp tone, “is the machine I have been fighting. This is the corruption behind every blackout, every sabotage and every lie. Today, it ends.”

Roman leapt to his feet, shouting, “This is manipulated! This is…”

But Harmon’s face had already gone pale. The sweats had started glistening under the courtroom lights. Bailiffs hesitated, unsure of whom to restrain.

Zee chimed in, “System Notice: Public Trust Surge +320%. Hashtag #JudgmentBomb trending.”

The prosecution attorneys scrambled through papers and stammering excuses. One reporter shouted, “Judge Harmon, do you deny accepting bribes?” Microphones stretched toward him just to hear him speak.

“I…this is…” Harmon’s voice cracked. He pounded his gavel again, but it was too late. A clerk rushed forward with a trembling hand. “There’s… there’s a suspension order already being filed, sir.”

Jaylen smirked. “Guess the system finally caught up with him.”

For the first time, Roman Vale’s calm fractured. His jaw clenched and his fists tightening as whispers rippled around him. His empire wasn’t untouchable anymore. The armor of his influence had been pierced, and the blood was visible to all.

Outside the courthouse, the chaos became something wider. Protesters waved handmade signs, “No More Vale Lies”, “Justice for the Scene”, “Expose the Machine.” Cars honked in solidarity. Drones hovered overhead, streaming the footage to every major network.

Jaylen stepped out into the light. He was greeted by cheers that felt like thunder. He raised a single hand with a steady and unflinching face. “This isn’t about me,” he shouted over the roar. “This is about every artist who’s been silenced. Every dreamer crushed under corruption. Today, we showed them we won’t be silent anymore.”

The chants began of the people began, “Jay-len! Jay-len! Jay-len!”

Zee’s notifications lit up like fireworks in his vision, “Quest Update: “Corrupt Court Cracked” – Completed!

Rewards: Talent +5, Fame +6. Fame Level 11 Achieved.

Skill Unlocked: Public Momentum. The Surge boosts rallying effects when facing a tough opposition.”

Jaylen breathed slowly. He felt the weight of those upgrades in his shoulders. It was not just the numbers that he saw in his vision, but the heat of belief and the spark of something unstoppable in his belly.

But he knew this wasn’t the end. Roman Vale wouldn’t retreat quietly. For every wall Jaylen tore down, Roman would try to build two more.

That night, back in his studio, Jaylen sat before the glowing screens, replaying the footage as Zee ran analytics.

“What is Roman’s next move?” Jaylen asked quietly.

The system chimed, “Prediction: 87% probability of direct retaliation. Target vectors: financial sabotage, digital warfare, or assassination of reputation through third-party influencers.”

Jaylen leaned back with his fingers steepled. “Good. Let him come. Every attack exposes him further.”

For a moment, he thought of Mia Lennox, Lana Syxx and all the pawns Vale had weaponized and lost. Each downfall had been a crack in the empire. Now, with Judge Harmon’s collapse, one of the foundation stones had crumbled.

Jaylen opened his stream feed. The chat scrolled faster than his eyes could track. It was thousands of fans, allies and independent journalists. They were all waiting and watching out for what happens next.

He spoke into the mic with a steady voice. “We’re not done. Tonight, we take a rest.”

The screen erupted in emojis, firestorms, and chants.

Zee whispered its final notification, “Main Quest Update: Crush the Vale Machine - Stage 2 Initiated.”

The battle wasn’t just public now, it was getting global. Roman Vale had begun to gather enemies in every direction.