CHAPTER 1: THE BLOCK

  Part 5: First Claim

  It took less than ten minutes for Aron to confirm what Kai had hoped.

  “No one’s been using this block,” he said, panting, limping back over. “Skulls left weeks ago. After the shootout with the Ninth Sons. Place’s been a ghost town since. Locals don’t even walk through it.”

  Kai looked past him, scanning the street. Four buildings. A liquor store, a collapsed tenement, a half-functional pawn shop, and a vacant apartment tower that leaned like it wanted to fall but hadn’t quite found the nerve.

  He could feel the dead weight of the space pressing against him. It wasn’t like his alley. It didn’t recognize him yet. But it could.

  The system pulsed again.

  Area meets minimum criteria for Passive Claim.

  Territory Claim Attempt: Pending

  Required: Physical Presence | Intent | Stability > 10%

  Kai exhaled and stepped forward. Each footfall felt heavier. Like the block itself was watching.

  Intent, he thought.

  He stood at the center of the street, right beneath a broken streetlight humming with unstable energy. His heart beat slower now. Focused. He could feel the edge of his influence like static under his skin.

  Then he spoke.

  “This is mine.”

  [Territory Claim Initiated]

  Processing…

  Hostile Resistance Detected.

  “What?”

  A shape moved across the roof of the liquor store.

  Kai barely had time to curse before the shot rang out.

  Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

  Crack.

  Pain tore through his shoulder. He hit the ground hard, rolling behind a rusted bin. Blood spilled warm down his arm.

  Sniper.

  Not gang. Too clean. Too fast.

  Another shot sparked off the wall inches from his head.

  Warning: Territory Claim Interrupted.

  Hostile Sovereign Detected.

  A second window opened.

  Name: Kira Nox

  Territory Level: 2

  Alignment: Neutral Hostile

  Domain Overlap: 27%

  Status: Claim Conflict Imminent

  Kai gritted his teeth, breathing hard. Another Sovereign. She must’ve marked this block already—maybe days ago. Not fully. But enough that the system recognized her as competition.

  “Of course it wouldn’t be easy,” he hissed.

  Aron ducked behind a car nearby. “What the hell is this?! Who the hell’s shooting?!”

  “Kira Nox,” Kai muttered, watching the rooftop. “She’s got a claim here. And she just noticed me trying to take it.”

  “So what now?”

  Kai closed his eyes. Think. He couldn’t fight a sniper blind. Not like this. She was probably in her own territory, with buffs active. He was one step outside his own zone. That meant she was stronger, faster. At least for now.

  But she didn’t know him.

  Didn’t know what he was.

  He glanced at Aron. “You still loyal?”

  Aron nodded fast.

  “Then listen close…”

  Kai sent him around the side, using the chaos to bait movement. He didn’t expect him to win—he just needed an opening.

  He got it.

  A flicker of movement—just a sliver of silhouette above the liquor store’s rooftop sign.

  Kai didn’t hesitate.

  He surged forward, crossing back into his alley—into his zone.

  Buffs Restored.

  Domain Influence Active.

  Target Within Range: Kira Nox (Partial)

  He felt her pulse. Fast. Focused. Not afraid, but alert.

  He locked eyes with the system.

  Ability Unlocked:

  Life Pull (Territory Only) – Drag targets partially within your territory toward the Sovereign Core.

  Cost: 2 Units

  Use?

  Kai grinned through the pain.

  [Yes]

  There was a shimmer in the air.

  Kira cursed from above as her body jerked, dragged half a meter forward—off-balance, just enough.

  He saw the flash of silver in her hand—a sleek urban rifle with digital scope.

  Then her eyes met his.

  And she understood.

  “You’re new,” she snarled.

  Kai raised the stun baton he’d taken from the Skulls. Charged it.

  “And you’re in my way.”

  He lunged.

  The fight was short. Brutal.

  Kira was skilled. Older. Stronger. But she hadn’t expected him to be a Sovereign. She hadn’t expected his speed inside the zone. And she hadn’t expected someone like Kai—a street rat with nothing to lose—to go for her throat without hesitation.

  She went down, bleeding and gasping, body half-draped across the concrete.

  Kai stood over her, chest heaving.

  Sovereign Suppression Successful

  Domain Conflict Resolved: Kai – Victory

  Territory Expanded: +2 Blocks

  Total Area Claimed: 3.6 sq m → 104.2 sq m

  Buff Upgrade:

  Strength +2

  Perception +2

  Agility +1

  New Ability Available: Passive Control (Tier I)

  Kira glared up at him, teeth bloodied.

  “You’re a monster,” she said.

  “No,” Kai replied. “I’m just getting started.”

  He raised his hand.

  The system pulsed again.

  [Kill] — 0 Units

  [Mark as Servant] — 25 Units

  [Release] — 0 Units

  He stared down at her, weighing each option in silence.

  She’d tried to kill him.

  But she was strong. Smart. Trained.

  And if he was going to take this city, this planet, this universe—he’d need people like that.

  He extended his hand.

  “Swear loyalty,” he said. “Or disappear.”

  Kira stared at him a long moment… then nodded.

  Consent Registered

  Subject: Kira Nox

  Role: Servant

  Buff Shared: +0.5 Combat Awareness

  Mark Active

  The glow sank into her skin. She hissed, but didn’t scream.

  Kai turned to the dark city around them.

  Lights flickered. Sirens wailed in the distance. Somewhere, a drone passed overhead. Unaware. Unconcerned.

  But something had shifted tonight.

  Something real.

  The alley wasn’t just his anymore.

  Now the block was.

  And soon… the city.

  Then the world.

  And after that?

  Everything.