At the boardroom of Cygnus Dynamics Tower, Planet Aerysia...
While the address from Zen and Sylvester was still being replayed and analyzed across every media channel... in the opulent boardroom of Aegis Industries' number one competitor, the atmosphere was thick with tension.
"This is not just the launch of a new technology," the President of Cygnus Dynamics said, his voice flat as he watched Zen's image on the hologram, his own eyes unreadable. "Solendel Corporation... a small, newborn company, yet it has the full backing of a giant like Aegis... This is a clear signal."
One of the executives added, "Sir... a direct attack on Solendel would be like declaring war on Aegis Industries. They're using Solendel as a spearhead to penetrate a market we never even anticipated."
"And what about our preliminary test results?" the President asked, turning to his head of research.
The man stood up, his face etched with worry. "We had some of our high-level employees install the Bio-Sora system... The results are... more concerning than we thought." He projected data onto the screen. "Just by thinking... they can command a household robot to make coffee, pull up yesterday's market analysis on a screen without touching anything... It's too convenient, sir... If this technology becomes widespread, our company's entire line of smart home systems and personal assistants will become obsolete overnight."
"And that's not even the most frightening part," the President continued, his eyes narrowing. "The frightening part is the 'data' this system can collect... lifestyle habits, decision-making patterns... Even if they advertise it as secure, if Solendel can access that data... it's a bargaining power greater than any army."
"What should we do, sir? Ask the government to step in and regulate?"
"Too late," the President shook his head. "With Aegis giving its full endorsement, the government can't do much... But we still have a way... Right now, the general public is still confused. They fear the 'special powers' they saw on the news, but at the same time, they desire the 'convenience' that Solendel is selling..."
He paused for a moment, before laying out his plan in a chilling tone. "...We must make the people 'afraid' to put all their data into the hands of a single company... with Aegis standing right behind it."
The undercurrents of a fierce corporate war had begun to flow in the shadows...
In a middle-class residential district, Aerysia's capital...
Ava, a freelance private investigator and an expert in controlling surveillance drones, was watching Solendel's address for the tenth time. Her small apartment was filled with data screens and modified drones of various sizes. She had no special powers... but she had skill, intellect, and her own technology.
"Tier system... more access to data based on reputation..." she murmured to herself, her eyes sparkling with a light they never had before. She opened the Solendel application and typed into the mission creation field:
"Available for hire: Information gathering, target surveillance, or scouting dangerous areas with high-performance recon drones... Rates are reasonable."
She knew that special powers could be destructive, but accurate and swift "information" was just as valuable. This was a chance for an ordinary person like her to "climb the ladder" and gain access to new technologies that only the wealthy could once afford... a chance to elevate herself with her own two hands and her own mind, without waiting for some power to awaken on its own.
Hope... had taken root in the heart of an ordinary person.
On Planet Solendel, at the 'Runic Gate' construction site...
After the emergency meeting, Team Solendel returned to their workspace. But the atmosphere that had once been filled with pure hope was now weighed down by a heavy sense of responsibility.
"Even if things are happening over there... our work here can't stop," Karess said through their private comms channel as he calibrated the power core connected to Sora. "The faster we finish this gate, the faster I can get back home and help deal with the mess."
Zaria nodded in agreement. "Sora... recalculate the energy consumption rate for a long-range warp, based on Karess's latest structural model."
Zen, who was floating in mid-air to control the assembly of a large component, looked down at the collaborative effort below before opening a private hologram window. It was filled with blueprints for the new "toys" he and Karess had designed... runic weapons and armor.
"Karess... I think we need to accelerate the development of these projects," Zen sent the thought to his friend. "We need to have 'rewards' that are attractive enough for those who choose to do good... for the high-Tier heroes of the future."
Karess chuckled in his throat. "Agreed... Since the world has already started moving... we just have to run faster than it does."
Though they were light-years away... Team Solendel remained determined to create the future. They weren't just building a dimensional gate... they were building "hope" and the "tools" for a new era that had already begun... whether the world was ready for it or not.