The morning sun rose timidly, slipping through the gaps in the blinds as if asking permission to enter.
Eric barely noticed.
His body felt sunk into the mattress, heavy—as if he had run an invisible marathon overnight.
And in a way, he had.
Expanding the Dimensional Vault wasn't just pressing a button.
Each conversion drained something from him.
Not exactly pain—
But a deep exhaustion.
As if the Midas System was siphoning his life energy along with the gold.
He turned to the side, trying to fall back asleep.
Then—
A knock.
Three firm taps.
Precise.
Military.
Eric closed his eyes.
How had he forgotten?
The night before, he had asked Emir Kaya to send men to help with the move.
He couldn't just disappear from the building with armored vehicles without raising suspicion.
He got up slowly, rubbing his face, walked to the door, and opened it.
And there stood Emir Kaya.
Not a subordinate.
Not a driver.
Himself.
Impeccable.
Rigid posture.
Piercing gaze.
"Mr. Kaya, it's an honor," Eric greeted politely.
Emir stepped inside without hurry, scanning the apartment with a technical eye.
"The honor is mine," he said. "Though I admit… I expected your apartment to be more…"
He paused.
"New?" Eric finished, with a hint of irony.
Emir smiled.
But it wasn't humor.
It was analysis.
His eyes moved across every detail.
Worn walls.
Old sofa.
Crooked wardrobe.
Uneven floor.
He was searching.
For gold.
For clues.
For inconsistencies.
Eric noticed something different in that gaze.
Ambition.
What had once been curiosity was now turning into calculation.
And ambition in men like Emir…
Was never small.
"As I mentioned when we first met," Eric said casually, "I'm just an intermediary."
It wasn't a lie.
He wasn't the owner of the System.
He was its user.
And that made all the difference.
Emir inclined his head slightly.
"If possible—and if necessary—we can ensure your safety should you need to meet… your employer."
The pause was subtle.
But heavy.
"We've been quite concerned about your safety, Mr. Santos."
Eric didn't react.
He simply nodded in acknowledgment.
"I appreciate it. But for now, it won't be necessary."
He changed the subject quickly.
"I need to meet my lawyer to finalize the contract for the new house."
Emir frowned.
"I thought you were moving today."
"I am."
"And the contract?"
"I'll sign it when I get there."
Emir absorbed that.
Money opened doors.
But not all of them.
Some required trust.
And that—
Eric had not given.
Over the next few hours, Black Falcon's men packed everything.
Old clothes.
University books.
Family photos.
Simple objects.
A few unconverted euro coins.
No gold.
No trace of the Dimensional Vault.
Eric watched carefully.
He had spent the night expanding it.
Excess coins had been converted into storage space.
Now the invisible compartment was much larger.
Large enough to store nearly all his reserves.
Nothing physical remained.
Nothing to incriminate him.
Nothing to tempt Emir.
Still—
The tension lingered.
As Eric carried two bags toward the door, the landlady appeared on the stairs like an accusation.
"Are you running away before your contract ends? Trying to leave without paying?"
Eric kept his calm smile.
"I'll be staying near work for a few days. I'll come back to settle everything."
She glanced at the armed men, suspicious.
"What kind of job requires this?"
"One that pays well," Eric replied.
The mercenaries watched every word.
Eric knew.
They knew.
Everyone knew the story was fragile.
But no one pushed further.
They went downstairs.
Outside, two vehicles waited.
Eric paused.
Looked at the old building.
Something tightened in his chest.
There—
He had been invisible.
There—
He had been ordinary.
There—
He had been safe, despite the poverty.
Now—
Nothing was ordinary.
Nothing was safe.
He got into the car.
The convoy moved.
During the drive to the gated community, Emir remained silent in the front seat.
Eric watched his reflection in the glass.
Subtle—
But present.
Suspicion.
And something else.
Calculation.
The car passed through the gates.
Private security.
Guard posts.
Cameras.
Manicured gardens.
Lucía was waiting at the entrance of the house.
When she saw Eric step out of the armored vehicle, she tried to hide her surprise.
"Everything is ready," she said, handing him the documents.
The house was large.
Modern facade.
Mirrored glass.
Spacious garage.
High walls.
Integrated surveillance system.
Eric walked through it with an analytical eye.
Not extravagant luxury.
Elegant security.
He signed the contract at the empty kitchen table.
"Advance payment as agreed," Lucía said.
Eric nodded.
The gold had already been converted into legal transfers through structured operations.
She didn't fully understand it.
But she trusted him.
Or needed to.
As the men unloaded boxes, Emir approached again.
"Mr. Santos."
"Yes?"
"That move was… fast."
"Emergencies require speed."
Emir held his gaze.
"Of course."
But something remained unspoken.
Eric felt it.
This was becoming dangerous.
Not because of violence—
But because of curiosity.
The curiosity of men trained to question everything.
When everything was set, the mercenaries began leaving.
Emir was the last.
"If you need reinforcements, just ask."
"I will."
The door closed.
Silence.
For the first time that day—
Eric breathed.
Deeply.
He walked to the center of the empty room.
Activated the System.
The blue interface appeared.
He selected Dimensional Vault.
The blue point manifested.
He reached through the invisible threshold.
The space was larger now.
Much larger.
Coins floated inside.
Organized.
Secure.
Untouchable.
He closed the vault.
Sat down on the floor.
The exhaustion returned.
But something else came with it.
Concern.
Emir wasn't a fool.
Men like him didn't work only for money.
They worked for opportunity.
And infinite gold—
Was the greatest opportunity imaginable.
Eric leaned his head against the wall.
He needed another layer.
Not just armed security—
But strategic distance.
Divide operations.
Build corporate fronts.
Disappear… partially.
His phone vibrated.
A message from Elena:
"Buyer wants an in-person meeting. Demands total discretion."
Eric closed his eyes.
With every step forward—
The web grew more complex.
Gold solved problems.
But created new ones.
He stood slowly.
Walked to the window.
The neighborhood looked calm.
Controlled.
Safe.
But he knew better.
Absolute security didn't exist.
Especially when power accumulated.
And Emir Kaya…
Was asking too many questions.
Eric murmured to himself:
"Maybe it's time to change the rules again."
The Midas System wasn't just wealth.
It was advantage.
And advantage only survives through anticipation.
He needed to stay one step ahead.
Always.
And now, more than ever—
He understood:
His greatest threat no longer came from enemies.
It came from observant allies.
And that made everything far more dangerous.