Cole blinked his eyes, releasing an exhausted sigh as he turned over and got off his bed. He felt a little bit stiff, but it was a brand new day and the moment he knew he had gone past the first floor to the second floor he had quickly logged off. Perhaps there would be more opportunities available to him for being the first as long as he was ready to explore, but he needed a few days of rest.
Even if the stake of existence as he knew it wasn't hanging on the event and a bunch of humans getting superpowers, Cole reckoned the endgame or rather the method with which to play the game now was to go about it like it was a marathon, rather than a sprint. There was nothing wrong if a couple of people went on ahead of him, the position of number one would probably change hands a couple of times in the early floors.
[Master Cole I have drawn you up a bath and announced you will be present for the breakfast with the rest of the family this morning….you are expected in half an hour.]
Cole groaned in annoyance.. Morgan was designed to be an assistant that would force him out of his comfort zone. Before he had fallen out with his family Cole had been the kind of person to procrastinate until the last minute, Morgan was made to combat such a character.
Cole went straight to his bathroom, it was larger than his previous apartment as a whole in all honesty, and was built in such a way that those who have never came in contact with luxury would probably want to live in it.
He had his shower, having a full blast of hot water that the old him would have found extremely uncomfortable if not painful. But it was something and calming and it gave him time to think, and also time to lay attention to his new found awareness.
He had a sphere of influence, a radius of almost ten to fifteen meters where he could feel everything that was happening. The feeling a as even stronger the closer it was to his body and weaker the farther out, more and more it seems his skills in the game were already bleeding through into reality, as it is he wondered just how much of it he now had access to.
He didn't spend long in the shower, drying how and quickly getting dressed in a pair of dress pants, or suit pants and simple silk shirt that was white with a cream like texture. His hair was a mess and he tired his best to comb it and look as presentable as he could before leaving the room.
There was a man waiting for him outside his room, Cole raise an eyebrow at his presence as he shook his head and asked.
"Master Kaito… aren't you a little old to be baby sitting me? And frankly speaking you should be with your family….. grieving not standing guard in front of a petulant child's door." Cole said, the word grieving leaving a bitter taste in his mouth as Master Kaito inclined his head to the side and motioned for Cole to follow him.
"You are many things young master Cole, but a petulant child is not one of them. Besides you know Hideo better than I ever did, and we can both agree that boy was a workaholic. I'm honoring his memory the best way I can, by doing what I know he would if I was the person don't laid to rest with the ancestors." Master Kaito said as they left the hallway to his rooms me came up into he main foyer.
"That can't be health…. Are you sure you have to do this old man…. I'm pretty sure I can handle myself now. Might be a little rusty in a fight but I have superpowers now, I should be fine." Cole said to him as he paused to give a small smile he slew maids and guards who were offering him greetings as he passed.
The Night Family were a mixed nationality family. Two halves came together to make something new, and Cole was the fifth generation of what was created when Duncan Atah grew balls of steel and married the last surviving heir to a Yakuza family that had migrated to Africa some 150+ years back.
And then Cole's grandfather deepened the Asian blood even more when he followed in the steps of his own grandfather and married another Yakuza princess. And while all of their business ventures until recent years were wholly legal and legitimate, they family was flex and raised in dual core tenets of a strict Nigerian household and powerful Yakuza household.
They were feared and spittle bit of power due to the sort of talent they had around them. But to truly ingrain themselves and have true power they had to finally Utilize the Yakuza genes that have been laying dormant.
But the Night Family were ready a force to the reckoned with in the legal business scene, and they could not be bullied as they had a personal force of their own and were outfitted with military grade weapons and the support of major players in the Nigerian army on account of Cole's mother being the daughter of a former president.
But even with all that connection, letting the Night family gain a foothold in the criminal underworld would be the same thing as given a tiger wings with which to fly with. Each and every single major forces around had deals, allies and connections of their own. So a choice of coming together to eradicate the Nights before they become a meal to tough to chew through much less swallow was made.
In this line of business everyone knew that if you really wanted to end your enemy, you cut off its branches, then remove the roots. In other words they had to destroy the future of the Night Family, before removing the roots.
Cole had two elder brothers and an elder sister. He was the youngest of four children now two and the one that was dotted upon the most on account of being the last born, and just freakishly talented in everything he set out to do. He would have been made the heir, but Nigerian and Japanese cultures were rigid in that format that the first born son is the one to inherit the title of the father.
Now though Cole might not have any choice but to take that title, at least temporarily as his eldest brother was a father. He had twins, some 6 to 7 years ago, when Cole was still gullible teenager riding the height of celebrity status and power.
The twins, a boy and a girl are now the direct line of ascension to heirs, with his nephew being the next person to become the head of the family. But any moves like that would put those children in the crosshairs and to the Night family nothing was more important to them than their children.
"Master Cole we're here, do try to get along with you father and grandfather, and do be understanding of everyone's mood…. The last few days have been hard on all of us." Master Kaito said as he prepared to leave, then Cole asked.
"When's their funeral, has my grandfather said anything yet?" Cole asked, only to get a shake of the head from Master Kaito.
"Nothing has been said yet or decided….unlike myself I believe they are taking your advice…. They're grieving." Cole nodded his head and muttered a thanks under his breath as he turned and walked into the dining room.
Everyone was here, this was the rule of the family. No one would miss a single meal time, and everyone ate together. But the mood was dull and somber, and there was tension thick in the air, along with a heavy and depressed atmosphere. Even when he had a falling out with his father and grandfather it was not as bad as this.
Nobody moved, or said anything… there were two empty seats after his father's and mother's seat. He saw his brother's wife, her two kids looking all innocent and completely unawares of what was going on as they stuffed their face full of food. His sister looked like she wanted to say something but didn't his mother did not even look him in the face and then...
Tehilla Feng was sitting there… right besides his own mother and on the wheelchair his selfishness had put her on. He had heard rumors that his betrothal to her was fobbed onto his second eldest brother after he left her in such a state.
Cole at the time was happy for them, because he knew the look of animosity his brother always had for him when ever Tehilla's name was brought up. He loved her dearly yet she had loved him…. Yet his brother had saved the family disgrace and an all out war with the Chinese Triad Tehilla was a direct descendant of.
And while it might have seemed like a sacrifice on his part, breaking up with his celebrity girlfriend and getting engaged to Tehilla instead. Cole knew Jason got what he wanted, and now looking at Tehilla just as she looked back at him with a gaze that was completely devoid of the love and warmth it once had, Cole felt a twinge in his chest….was she always this beautiful?
"Cole, seat down… and let's eat breakfast… we have a lot to talk about as a family."