Episode 3 – Message from the Shadows
ECLIPSE was thriving.
Gold flowed through the shadows of Velmoria, the world's largest black market continent. Under the radar of nations, Aarav's empire spread like wildfire across oceans and borders.
But power comes with eyes watching.
During a covert gold shipment near the Asheran Abyss—a deep-sea trench in the Xalor Ocean—his top seven operatives were ambushed by the elite task force Unit Omega, funded by the Global Alliance of Valdora, Nurevia, and Drexon—the world's three superpower empires.
Captured and imprisoned in Facility Obsidian—a prison so secret it's not on any map—Aarav's most trusted members were locked in stasis chambers.
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> [System Alert: Critical Threat – Primary Operatives Detained. Location: Obsidian Facility, Drexon Territory.]
Aarav stared at the red alerts glowing on his system's HUD.
His expression was cold.
His voice, calm.
> "Time to show them who they've provoked."
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The Threat No Nation Expected
Hours later, a secure broadcast was received by the councils of all major empires.
The screen showed a live nuclear warhead planted under the Drexon Parliament Hall, humming with unstable quantum radiation.
Standing behind the warhead was a masked figure cloaked in black and gold, with a glowing symbol on his chest:
A ring of golden energy, intersected by a vertical blade of light—the new Emblem of ECLIPSE.
Then came the voice.
> "You've taken what is mine. Return them, or witness your capital disappear."
"I do not seek your throne, but if provoked… I will erase your empires."
"This is only a small display of what I can do."
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The World Reacts
The leaders of Valdora, Nurevia, and Drexon held emergency meetings.
They tried tracing the signal—failed.
They tried locating the warhead—failed.
Twelve hours later, Aarav's operatives were released silently, without interrogation or delay.
> [System Update: Global Threat Level: Sovereign]
[Respect Level: Untouchable in Shadow Networks]
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Code of ECLIPSE
With his inner circle safe, Aarav called for a private briefing.
> "From this day forward, we don't deal in poison."
"No narcotics. No trafficking. No blood money. My father died because of such filth."
"We dominate—but we do it clean."
> "ECLIPSE will not be a gang. We will be a new law for the unseen world."
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Return of the Black Gold Trade
With the superpowers trembling, Aarav's operations surged:
Gold routes through underground tunnels of Zeveran reopened.
Trade ships disguised as floating temples in the Yurean Sea began moving gold again.
Digital black banks on floating sky servers processed encrypted crypto trades.
Now, no one dared stand in his way.
In the underworld of Velmoria, whispers began to spread:
> "There's a new god in the shadows… and he wears gold."
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