After saying their goodbyes, Alex finally stepped out of the villa.
Behind him, the heavy doors clicked shut, leaving Viktor to descend into the subterranean vault to begin his breakthrough while the other four locked down the perimeter.
The crisp morning air hit him the moment he cleared the porch, carrying the cool, faint scent of pine and cut grass across Roland Estate. It was a sharp, refreshing contrast to the metallic, ozone-heavy atmosphere of the underground training hall.
A quiet, satisfied smile touched Alex's lips as he walked down the stone steps.
Phase Two was officially in the books. Eclipse Holdings wasn't just an abstract name or an empty shell company anymore; it had a registered foundation, its first dedicated tactical division, four battle-ready Apex fighters, and a commander on the verge of stepping into the Ascension Realm. Everything had fallen into place without a single wasted move.
