Day One — Profits That Shook the World
By midnight, the numbers were undeniable.
Runcandel Technology's first-day smartphone orders crossed into a realm most companies never touched in a lifetime.
Billions.
Not projected.
Confirmed.
Stock analysts stared at their screens in disbelief.
Governments quietly revised economic forecasts.
And in a quiet, secure line—
A Call Between Titans
Karasuma Renya laughed openly, something almost no one had ever heard.
"Darius," he said, voice proud, "my great-grandson has shaken the world in a single day."
Darius Runcandel snorted.
"Only a single day? Wait until tomorrow. That boy of mine hasn't even stretched yet."
Renya chuckled darkly.
"Tch… arrogant as ever. But you raised him well."
Both old men, rulers of shadows and empires, shared the same unspoken thought:
The world isn't ready for Keith.
Entertainment World — Another Shockwave
Just as the tech world was still burning—
Another announcement dropped.
RUNCANDEL ENTERTAINMENT PRESENTS:
A New Cinematic Project
Starring:
• Chris Vineyard
• Yukiko Fujimine
• Rena Mizunashi
The internet exploded again.
Chris Vineyard's return stunned fans.
Yukiko Fujimine's reappearance moved many to tears.
And Rena Mizunashi—a mysterious rising actress—sparked endless speculation.
No one knew she was Hidemi Hondou.
And no one connected this to what was about to happen.
Keith's Premonition
Keith was reviewing reports when—
His hand froze.
A sharp, unfamiliar pressure stabbed his chest.
Not pain.
Danger.
"…Ethan."
He didn't hesitate.
The Crack in Space
Keith stood alone in a sealed room.
He drew Yamato.
One clean swing.
The air itself fractured, space splitting like glass.
Keith stepped through.
Elsewhere — Seconds Before Oblivion
Ethan Hondou lay bleeding, barely conscious.
The room was rigged.
Timers blinking red.
A trap so clean it left no escape.
Ethan smiled weakly.
"So… this is it, huh…"
Then—
The world twisted.
Keith appeared.
"Not today."
Extraction
Keith lifted Ethan effortlessly.
With his free hand, he pulled from storage—
A fake body, one of his sign-in rewards.
Perfect biometrics.
DNA.
Fingerprints.
He placed it where Ethan had been.
Then—
Another spatial cut.
They vanished.
The Explosion
The building detonated in a fireball.
CIA surveillance went dark.
Emergency teams arrived to charred remains.
The report was swift, clinical, and final:
Agent Ethan Hondou — Deceased in Line of Duty
The world accepted it.
A Mansion Far Away
Ethan woke slowly.
White ceiling.
Soft light.
No pain.
"…I'm… alive?"
Keith stood nearby, arms crossed.
"Barely. You owe me."
Ethan laughed hoarsely, then froze.
"…You're not supposed to be able to do that."
Keith smiled faintly.
"Good thing I don't follow rules."
He had already treated Ethan—
Advanced medicine.
Perfect precision.
Ethan would live.
But the world would believe he was dead.
Karasuma Renya's Fury
When the report reached Renya—
The room's temperature dropped.
His cane cracked marble.
"…They took my godson."
Rum stood silently.
Gin looked away.
Vermouth clenched her fists.
Renya's voice trembled—not with age, but rage.
"Find out who did this."
"Erase them."
No one doubted what that meant.
Meanwhile — Keith Watches from the Shadows
Keith stood at the mansion window that night.
Lights of the city flickered far away.
"Rest for now, Ethan."
"This world thinks you're dead."
"But I'm not done with you yet."
Behind him, Red Queen spoke softly:
"Master… this incident has accelerated timelines."
Keith nodded.
"I know."
He looked toward the dark horizon.
"Good."
"Then let's see who panics first."