Rio walked into the Maru family's private parking sector—an underground haven of polished chrome, legacy metal, and next-gen hovercrafts. Spotless. Reverent. A shrine to speed and status.
"A limo? No. An SUV? Nah. A truck? Of course not," he muttered, scanning each vehicle like he was choosing a weapon.
Then his gaze locked on a tech-superbike. Sleek. Sharp. Coated in obsidian with neon pulses flowing across its flanks.
"Finally," he said with a grin. "This is the one."
He strolled to the guard post and grabbed the encoded keychip. A low hum awakened as he approached, the bike recognizing its rider.
---
Louxis City – Sector Skyroads
A few minutes later, Rio leaned lazily on the parked bike, watching an old-era movie play on the interface built into his visor. He didn't notice Xanthia approaching until she spoke up behind him.
"Hey, this movie looks good! Haven't seen any ads for it before."
Rio smirked. "It's not from Maru Studios. Dug it out from the old archive. Probably pre-World Split media."
"Nice," she said, settling onto the back seat, keeping her distance. "But weren't we supposed to be somewhere?"
"Yeah, yeah. Let's go," he muttered, revving the bike.
The engine purred like a purring panther before lifting slightly off the ground. A gentle hum of anti-gravity stabilizers filled the air.
"Whoa," Xanthia blinked. "The commoners are still on rubber tires, and you're floating around like some royal heir."
"I am a royal heir."
She snorted but said nothing more.
They zoomed off into the glowing veins of Louxis, capital of the Mavi Kingdom. Verdant green belts weaved around massive silver towers. Digital sky-ads danced above, projecting product specs, Tier-enhancement offers, and ancestral tributes.
Rio took a longer route, savoring the silence.
"So," Xanthia said eventually, "who are we meeting today?"
"Remember the guy from the holo-UI I showed you that night?"
Her eyes lit up. "Ohhh… That person? The off-record one? You're really meeting them?"
Rio nodded.
---
Ryunn Tech & MedCore Facility – Louxis, Central Grid
Rio guided the bike into a VIP slot, disengaging the hoverlock with a blink. The building itself shimmered like a living crystal, layers of glass and circuit-fiber twisting upward like vines.
As they entered, a hovering AI assistant approached, its joints humming with soft energy.
> "Welcome, sire Rio.
Guest identified: Xanthia Solaris.
How can I assist today?"
"I need to check some confidential records—Ryunn bloodline legacy files—and something to handle cardiovascular issues," Rio replied. Then, turning to Xanthia: "Check out the Tech-Ups and MedWears. I'll need a few minutes."
She shrugged and wandered off.
[Access Granted – Verified: TIER-5 Priority Code MARU-Φ]
The bot guided Rio to a private chamber past translucent glass corridors. Inside, calming synthetic light pulsed across biotech racks and healing pods.
As machines scanned him, a soft internal voice returned.
> [D.M. Voice]
These treatments will buy you time. That's all. Your heart's going to fail. Weeks, at best.
Rio gritted his teeth and said in thoughts. "Yeah, thanks. Just need enough time to figure it out. Pretty sure this mess came from Kazzara's damn atmosphere."
> "Your body is... vulnerable."
A figure appeared from the side—Kenzi, the facility manager. One eye human, one interface-glass. His gaze swept over Rio's bio-data on the hovering blue holographic screen.
"Hmm. Severe deterioration," Kenzi muttered. "You should have reported this earlier."
"Just a strain from overtraining," Rio lied weakly.
Kenzi frowned. "I'm notifying the Matriarch and the Lord—"
"No!" Rio stood abruptly. "Don't. Please. I'll handle it."
Kenzi sighed. "Then allow me to give you the best treatment possible. But... the cost—"
"I'll cover it. Just do it."
---
[GeneCore Chamber – Restricted Zone]
A long black bio-tube extended, attaching to Rio's mouth. A pool of semi-luminous DNA-fluid rose up, immersing him chest-deep. Vitals synced. Muscles shivered. Pain rippled through him like controlled lightning.
30 minutes passed.
Kenzi looked grim. "You've bought yourself about two months. After that…"
"I know," Rio said quietly. He disconnected, coughing slightly. "Payment will be processed. Just… keep this between us."
He tapped his comm-link.
> "Xanthia. Come to reception—we've got shopping to do."
Message marked read, but no reply came.
Rio exhaled and stepped into the sunlight, wiping blood from the corner of his lip. His heart still beat—barely.
Together, they headed into the same district they'd visited days ago.