CHAPTER 113: A FOUNDATION OR A COMPANY

"I know he is," Hayden said. "And that’s not just dangerous... it’s reckless. AMSO operates on structure and transparency. You hold back information in this line of work, people die."

Marlon exhaled. "He saved Lexa’s unit. Saved survivors. Eliminated Meteorborns without support. He made the right calls on the ground."

"Right calls, yes," Hayden admitted. "But again outside protocol. He left formation. Disobeyed orders. And now, he’s become the talk of every squad in the building. You know who’s already trying to spin it to his advantage?"

"Ben Harrow," Ira answered dryly. Hayden knew well how things worked around AMSO and he was annoyed by it. That Ben Harrow was trouble. It was not new to them.

Hayden nodded. "Of course. Whispering into Commander Rico’s ear. Trying to make Theo look unstable. Reckless. Possibly a threat."

"Rico’s practically on Harrow’s leash," Marlon muttered. "His father’s money is neck-deep in AMSO."

"Which makes this mess even more volatile," Hayden said. "On one hand, we’ve got a rising star who just might be more powerful than he’s letting on. On the other, the son of a sponsor who’s slowly losing face and possibly control."

"And what do you suggest?" Ira asked, already sensing where this was going.

"We keep him under watch," Hayden said. "No formal charges, not yet. But let’s not pretend this is nothing. Theodore Luther registered only electric manipulation. Nothing else. That’s a lie by omission, and a damn risky one."

Marlon didn’t argue. He only said, "Just make sure you’re not looking at him like a threat before you recognize he might be an asset."

Hayden looked away from the screen. "An asset can still blow up in your face."

The room fell into a heavy silence.

After a moment, Ira stood and stretched. "Well, whether he’s a hero or a problem, one thing’s clear, he’s still an asset in this order."

Marlon nodded, a satisfied smile tugging at his lips as he stared at the live feed of Theodore Luther. He wasn’t wrong, not in choosing him, not in trusting his instincts. While the others debated and speculated, none of them knew the full story.

None of his peers were aware of the private deal he had struck with Theo... and he intended to keep it that way. As far as everyone else was concerned, he was simply the one who had discovered Theo’s potential and brought him into AMSO. The rest? That was his secret to guard.

*****

Meanwhile, Theo stayed quietly in his barracks, lying back on the upper bunk of the double-decker bed. His arms were folded behind his head, his gaze fixed on the ceiling above, his expression unreadable.

From below, murmurs drifted up from the others.

"Did you hear? Someone who was dispatched with him today said he’s insanely powerful. They said he used more than just electric manipulation."

"That’s not what I heard... One guy from another wing swears he’s not even AMS. Says he might be a monster in disguise, just pretending to be one of us. Creepy as hell."

"If that’s true, wouldn’t the higher-ups know by now? I mean, they wouldn’t just let a guy like that walk around freely."

Theo let the whispers wash over him without flinching. He didn’t even glance down. His expression remained still, but inside, his thoughts churned.

He knew he’d been reckless today. For someone who had planned to lay low and blend in quietly, he’d done the opposite, drawing too much attention. Still... he didn’t regret saving lives.

’I guess staying low isn’t really an option in the field anymore...’ he muttered silently.

No matter how much he wanted to hide the truth, he could never mention the Mutation Abyss System. That wasn’t something he could explain, not without risking everything.

Maybe, if pushed, he could fake a story. Say he just discovered it by then. Blame hidden mutations or a late surge of power visibility. Anything.

But he also knew one thing for certain, Ben wouldn’t let this go.

’That bastard must’ve already gone to the higher-ups... Whether it’s about me going solo or using powers I didn’t declare, he’ll try to use everything against me.’

He exhaled through his nose, the faintest frown tugging at his lips.

’Still no summons?’ That part confused him. Surely someone should’ve called him in by now. A reprimand. A warning. Something.

But the silence so far? That was unsettling in its own way.

***

Later that evening, the barracks had finally settled into silence. Most of the recruits were asleep, their snores filling the dim room with a tired rhythm. A few others tossed and turned, too sore or restless after the intense day of drills and deployment.

Theo sat on the edge of his bunk at the top deck, his back against the cool wall, legs dangling off the side. The dull blue light from his system illuminated his face as he swiped through the open interface.

He was exhausted but his curiosity kept him awake.

"Let’s see what we’ve got," he muttered quietly, pulling up his system stats and loot records.

His gaze stopped on the gold coin tally.

[Gold Coins: 8,938]

His throat dried.

He blinked. Then stared again.

Eight thousand nine hundred thirty-eight. One gold coin was equivalent to one hundred thousand Nexa Money in conversion rates.

He quickly did the math in his head. 893,800,000 Nexa Money.

He swallowed hard. "Almost... nine hundred million?" he whispered, eyes wide.

If he actually exchanged it all, he’d be this close to becoming a billionaire. A far cry from the boy who once lived on canned soup and wore the same shoes for four years straight.

Back then, the idea of owning even a hundred thousand Nexa felt like a fantasy. Now...

Theo leaned back slowly, his hand gripping the edge of the bed for balance as he exhaled through his nose. His heart thudded with a quiet mixture of shock and disbelief.

’I didn’t even notice it piling up...’

Between mission rewards, rare drops, special quests, and the system’s bonus events, his earnings had quietly snowballed in the background. He wasn’t even the type to hoard or obsess over loot.

It was life-changing. World-changing. And yet, he didn’t feel powerful. He felt... responsible.

’What am I going to do with all this?’ he wondered, pulling up the transaction menu. He scrolled through his unclaimed bonus items, unopened loot crates, and high-level material cores.

It would be easy to buy a mansion, an island, or a hundred suits of tech-grade armor.

But none of those things mattered.

Not when there were still kids like Max, people like Kael, and survivors in the UMS camps with no future. Theo looked around at the dim barracks again. Rough beds. Faded walls. A shared washroom. Ten people crammed in one space.

He didn’t mind it, not really. But it reminded him, there were people suffering out there who didn’t even have this.

’I need to build something. Something real.’

A place where people who were misunderstood, discarded, or cursed could find safety and purpose. Maybe even find power of their own.

And that would need resources. A cover. A legal identity.

A company.

Or better yet, a foundation.

Not one that paraded its name, but something quiet. A network. A tool for change.

He smirked faintly and opened his system’s notepad, fingers moving fast as he began typing potential names and rough outlines. Logistics. Relief routes. Medical aid. Research funding.

And at the heart of it all... Kael.

Kael was dependable, sharp, and familiar with resource management. He’d helped keep Twinfront Sanctuary running.

Then, as if on cue, a buzz came from Theo’s mobile.

He blinked. It was a message from Kael. It was almost eerie, like Kael had somehow heard his thoughts.

Kael: Still breathing, soldier boy? Or has AMSO broken you already?

Theo smirked, shaking his head.

Theo: Barely alive, but yeah. Still breathing. What is it? Is there something wrong?

Kael was the quiet type, so it was a surprise he messaged him at this hour.

Kael: Nothing, just that we’re worried here. The kids are still awake and asked me to send you a message and ask what you’re doing. Video call is not allowed?

Theo: Tell them I’m fine. Everyone is asleep so we can exchange text message only. I’ll do video call tomorrow during break time.

He paused, staring at his gold coin balance again. Maybe it was time to tell Kael.

Theo: Random question. If I wanted to set up a foundation or a company to help people like legit support, but behind the scenes, could you handle that for me?

There was a short pause before Kael’s reply came through.

Kael: Wait what?? You serious??

Theo: Yeah. I’ll explain soon. Can you handle it or not? Quietly.

Kael: Bro, you’re talking to the king of quiet. Give me a few days and I’ll send you some options. Dummy names, clean tracks, proper accounting. No one will trace it to you.

Theo: Thanks. I’ll wire the first chunk soon.

Kael: Just say the number.

Theo put the phone down and leaned back, letting out a long breath. He was nearly a billionaire now. But this time, he wanted to use it right.

Not for glory.

Not for power.

But for something that might just save what was left of their world.