Chapter 64: The Birth of a New Battle

"Master Manuel, Lady Marielle's radar signal has disappeared," reported one of Manuel's men as he hurried to him. The weight of the news was evident in his voice, but it seemed to have no effect on Manuel. His face remained expressionless, showing no signs of sadness or concern for his granddaughter.
"Do you think Marielle is still alive?" Manuel asked, his tone cold, as if he didn't care that the question was about his own granddaughter's life. There was no trace of emotion in his eyes, as if Marielle's death was just a minor inconvenience to his plans.
"We're trying to restore her data, but currently, her signal can't be traced," the man replied, implying that their worst fears had come true—Marielle was indeed dead. Yet Manuel's reaction remained cold, devoid of any emotion.
"In that case, did she manage to gather any information about the Vermudez family? Did Marielle submit any data report before she died?" Manuel's tone was indifferent, as if the data were more important to him than his granddaughter's life. For Manuel, everything was about power—how to strengthen their family and ensure that they would continue to reign over the world, unmatched by any other force.
"There is some critical data that Lady Marielle managed to submit before her signal was lost," the man responded, though his tone carried a hint of disappointment as if he anticipated Manuel's reaction.
"Useless! She died out of stupidity and negligence," Manuel said, his voice dripping with scorn, yet there was a hint of pride in his tone. "But I’m still proud of my granddaughter. Even though she followed in the footsteps of her useless parents, she still managed to submit important data against the Vermudez family. May she rest in peace with Death for eternity."
Manuel's words were devoid of any warmth, as if he were pleased with Marielle's death because it had still brought some value to their family. To him, weakness had no place in their lineage—a family willing to do anything to maintain their power.
"This is a battle," Manuel declared firmly, "and there's no room for weakness in this family! Now, only Jack and John remain in the mission. If neither of them wasn’t succeeds, I’ll give the four who weren’t chosen another chance!"
Manuel turned and walked away, his steps resolute and filled with determination. But behind his cold demeanor, the news of Marielle's death had already spread throughout the Innovation family. And with that news came the possibility that if Jack and John both failed, the four who weren’t chosen would have one last chance to fight for the remaining position.
When Kokok and the others who weren't chosen heard the news, they were immediately reinvigorated. "Well, John, it seems luck is on my side," Kokok grinned, his smile stretching to the heavens as if a plan was already forming in his mind to take down Jack and Marcelino.
He quickly contacted the three other candidates who weren’t selected for the final three. In their hearts, they knew this might be their last chance to prove themselves and seize the power they had long desired.
"We must stick together, brothers," Kokok said as the three gathered in a secret location. "We can't let this opportunity slip away. The fight isn’t over yet. If Jack and John fail, we’re next. And we’ll do everything we can to make sure they don't come back alive."
The three, their eyes also filled with ambition and determination, agreed to Kokok’s plan. They knew this battle was about more than just power—it was about their dreams, their lives, and their future.
Behind the walls of the Innovation family, a new war was brewing. A war filled with betrayal, ambition, and an insatiable thirst for power. In the midst of it all, the family was becoming a battlefield, where each member was willing to kill and die for their own gain.
Time was ticking, and with every step, they drew closer to their destiny. But behind every smile and every plan, a deadly poison lingered—the poison of betrayal, which could either destroy them all or bring them to the pinnacle of success.
Meanwhile, at the mansion of the Vermudez family, chaos erupted. The news of the death of their six ex-convicted assassins, hunters, and mercenaries spread rapidly throughout the family. These were no ordinary soldiers—they were the most ruthless, infamous criminals in the world, now serving the Vermudez family as their deadliest weapons. But now, they were all dead, and it was because of just one person.
"This can't be! How could one person alone kill our six strongest fighters?" shouted the current head of the Vermudez family, his face filled with rage and disbelief at what he had just heard.
"These were veterans, killers of thousands! How could they be defeated by just one woman?" added another family member, his eyes wide with fear and shock. Their faith in their forces seemed shattered in an instant.
The discussion continued in the grand hall, where each member offered their opinions and suggestions on how to address the new threat that had somehow slipped under their radar. The Vermudez family members were united in their anger and fear, as the loss of their operatives was an insult to their power and reputation.
"Tighten our security! Double the guards at every corner of the island! We can't afford to be complacent again. This must never happen again!" ordered the head of the family, his voice burning with fury. "Use all our technology, all our people—do whatever it takes to figure out how this happened and who’s behind it!"
The orders were promptly followed. The entire mansion and the island were surrounded by even tighter security. Defense systems and sensors were recalibrated to be more sensitive, and every movement in and out of the island was closely monitored. But despite all this, a deep fear gripped them—the fear that there might be an even greater threat lurking in the shadows.
What the Vermudez family didn’t know was that Marielle had managed to gather crucial information against them. Before she was killed, she had sent portions of the data to her base, and these could be used to weaken their power. That information was a significant threat that could push them to the brink of destruction, something they never expected from an enemy they considered just a mere mortal.
As the chaos continued within the mansion, the Vermudez family remained unaware that their system, which they believed to be impregnable, was now on the verge of exposure. Their secrets, long hidden from the world, could be revealed and used against them.
Amid their anger and fear, the Vermudez family faced not only the loss of their operatives but also the looming possibility of the collapse of their entire empire. The security they had long trusted suddenly seemed like a thin wall that could crumble at any moment.
As their operatives hurried to reinforce their defenses, a dark cloud of worry enveloped them. Beneath their anger lay a deep-seated fear—the fear that this incident was only the beginning of more significant disasters that would soon befall the Vermudez family.