The subterranean command center of The Bastion was a hive of controlled, high-stakes activity. David had retreated to the facility's deepest vault, the massive reinforced steel doors sealed behind him. The world outside had shrunk to the five-day countdown for the Self-Repairing Nanobots.
Dr. Vivian Zhou, driven by a fear of Blackguard and the challenge of the science, was practically living in the cleanroom laboratory. She was surrounded by the exotic, meticulously sourced biological and chemical compounds Marcus Cole had acquired using David's boundless capital—rare isotopes, genetically tailored proteins, and materials costing millions per gram.
"The greatest difficulty isn't the assembly, Mr. David," Vivian explained, her voice tight over the internal comms, referring to the holographic schematics projected onto the lab's quantum screens. "It's the programming. These are not simple machines; they're biological engineers. They need to understand the host's baseline DNA to differentiate between damaged tissue and foreign agents. If the programming is off by even a fraction, they could view your own organs as pathogens."
David watched her work from the command console, every step, every minute detail, recorded and verified by his Perfect Recall. He felt no panic, only chilling anticipation. "The System's blueprint is flawless, Doctor. Follow the code exactly. The baseline signature is embedded in the molecular structure itself. Trust the science."
The days melted into a blur of scientific urgency. Marcus, meanwhile, was earning his extravagant salary. He had successfully shielded the $\$100$ million Nanobot supply expenditure through a web of offshore shell corporations and diplomatic proxies, frustrating attempts by intelligence agencies to trace the funds.
The First Probe
On the morning of the fourth day, the external threat materialized.
Marcus's surveillance console, fed by advanced satellite imaging and proprietary sensor arrays David had purchased, screamed an alert.
"Mr. David, we have a confirmed, aggressive perimeter breach at the Phoenix facility," Marcus reported, his voice tight. "Four contacts. Highly trained. They bypassed Harris's conventional security within eighty seconds. They are using advanced jamming equipment and thermal dampening suits—not quite cloaked, but heavily suppressed. These aren't corporate thieves; these are professionals."
David zoomed in on the satellite feed, his enhanced vision recognizing the equipment instantly. "Blackguard's Tier Two reconnaissance unit. They are confirming the presence of the advanced lab equipment and looking for the blueprint's location. Do not engage them conventionally. Vivian is too close to completion."
"But they're heading for the main assembly floor! Harris's men are just glorified security guards!" Marcus protested.
"I know. This is a test of our wealth, not our soldiers," David said, his mind racing. He needed a devastating, non-lethal deterrent that would confirm their fear of the unknown.
"Marcus, buy up every remaining inventory of high-grade military EMP (Electromagnetic Pulse) mines currently available from the Black Market Weapons Brokerage in Zurich. I want all sixty mines air-freighted immediately, but first: Remote detonate every single EMP mine currently installed in the Phoenix facility's main assembly floor. Do it now."
Marcus blinked. "Detonate them? Sir, that will destroy $\$50$ million worth of newly installed robotics and cleanroom equipment!"
"Do it, Marcus. And enjoy the cashback."
The moment Marcus executed the order, the screen showing the Phoenix interior erupted in white light. The four Blackguard operatives, who had just reached the door of Vivian's temporary lab, were instantly paralyzed. The EMP surge fried their jamming gear, their thermal dampening suits, and their communications, leaving them helpless and blinded.
The message was clear: Aero Corp was not just rich; it was technologically hostile and protected by unknown, overwhelming defenses.
David smiled at the sight of the smoking, disabled intruders being dragged away by Harris's bewildered, but suddenly very well-paid, security guards.
[DING! High-Risk Action Completed. Expenditure: $50,000,000 (EMP Mines & Cleanup). Cashback Multiplier Triggered: 3x!]
[You received $150,000,000.00 cash back. Current Balance: $1,055,000,023.90.]
"Order the replacement robots, Marcus. Double the security budget. And tell Vivian we need absolute zero-risk conditions now."
The Climax: The Injection
On the morning of the fifth day, the vial was ready.
Dr. Zhou's hands were shaking as she placed the prototype Nanobot vial—a tiny, crystalline solution—onto the sterile tray. "It's stable, Mr. David. The programming is locked. But this is irreversible. The Nanobots will change you at a genetic level. There could be unforeseen side effects, severe pain, or—"
"There will be perfection, Doctor. Hand me the syringe."
David, stripped to the waist, lay on the cleanroom bed. He was not a genetically modified superhuman; he was an ordinary man about to gamble everything on a blueprint.
He took the thick syringe from Vivian. His heart was steady, but his mind was crystal clear on the monumental risk. This was the true price of invincibility.
He found a major vein in his arm and slowly, deliberately, injected the cold, crystalline solution into his bloodstream.
The pain was instantaneous and absolute. It wasn't localized; it felt like his entire biological structure was being shredded and rebuilt simultaneously. Every nerve ending in his body screamed in unified agony as the nanobots—millions of them—raced through his circulatory system, identifying and correcting molecular flaws.
David gasped, his back arching off the bed. He tasted blood, metallic and hot. He felt his bones thickening, his muscle fibers braiding tighter, his optic nerves tightening and adjusting. It felt like being burned alive while simultaneously having every cell replaced by diamond.
Vivian watched in horror as David's body convulsed. His breathing was rapid and ragged.
The process lasted thirty terrifying seconds.
Then, the pain abruptly vanished.
David's muscles relaxed, and he took a slow, deep breath. His body was still radiating heat, but the exhaustion was gone. He stood up, feeling lighter, stronger, faster.
He looked at his hand. The site of the injection was already healed, the skin flawless.
Vivian stepped back, her voice barely a whisper. "Mr. David… are you… all right?"
David tested his new body. He moved across the lab floor—not walking, but gliding. His vision sharpened, allowing him to see the microscopic dust motes floating in the sterile air. He could hear the low-frequency hum of the building's independent geothermal generator, two hundred feet away.
He walked over to a steel workbench, placed his open palm on the cold surface, and with a casual squeeze, left the clear imprint of his hand in the solid metal.
"All right?" David asked, his voice deeper, resonating with subtle power. He smiled, the expression cold and triumphant. "I am optimal, Doctor. The pain threshold is gone. Fatigue is gone. I am no longer human."
He looked down at the imprint in the steel. The risk had paid off.
He was now physically ready for Blackguard.
Preparation for the Hunter
The Cloaking Device was retrieved and upgraded with the Nanobot's new neurological integration, making its movement even more seamless. David had the ultimate security: an invincible body combined with absolute invisibility.
He changed into a lightweight, tactical suit. The time for hiding was over. The time for the counter-attack was now.
"Marcus, finalize the stock liquidation. I want another $50 million ready for capital deployment. Vivian, start full-scale production of the Quantum-Aero Battery immediately. I need to conquer the market while I deal with the shadows."
David slung a small, specialized bag over his shoulder.
"I'm going to pay Blackguard Industries a visit," David stated, looking at his reflection in the steel table—a reflection of a man who was no longer just a tycoon, but a biological weapon. "I need to retrieve their top-secret files on Project Chimera. The next stage of this war begins tonight."