Chapter-24: YggdrasilXaker sat ba his chair, his steely gaze fixed on the holographic dispy in front of him. The flickering images of the Hidden Leaf Vilge utack by the Children of Cerberus shifted and swirled as the se repyed in slow motion. The destru had beeating, yet there was an undeniable elegao the precision of the assault—an almost chraphed devastation. For a moment, Xaker's mind wandered, lost in the brutality of the attack, but then he refocused on the image that had caught his attention.

  A boy.

  Wielding a wooden sword.

  Xaker’s sharp eyes narrowed, fog on the boy’s movements as the battle unfolded on s. The boy seemed...different. He wasn’t like the other vilgers who fought in desperation, nor did he show the same reckless aggression that the Cerberus members had. There was an eerie ess in his stan unnatural, trolled precision that stood out amidst the chaos. It wasn’t just his demeanor that caught Xaker’s attention, however. It was the sword.

  The wooden sword seemed to hum with energy, pulsing in a way that was unlike anything Xaker had ever seen. His mind immediately jumped to one possibility, ohat sent a chill down his spihe sword’s properties—its strange resonance—mirrored something far more dangerous than simple craftsmanship. It was remi of the power of Yggdrasil, the mythical tree of life that was said to hold the bance of entire worlds within its roots.

  “Could it be...?” Xaker muttered, his eyes flig over the footage again. His breath hitched slightly as the realizatioled over him. "Is that boy a creation of Farzana Khan?"

  Farzana Khan was a hat carried weight, a name associated with the deepest, most dangerous forms of geiipution and artificial life. Khan’s experiments had produced some of the most powerful beings the world had ever seen, but there was always a catch. Her creations weren’t always what they seemed. The possibility that the boy in the footage had beeed by Kha a ripple of uhrough Xaker. If the boy was truly one of her creations, then he was no ordinary child. He could be something more—something far more dangerous.

  But there was little time to dwell on it. As much as Xaker’s curiosity burned, he couldn’t afford to get distracted. He had a mission to aplish. A crucial ohe world had bee a far more plicated p the wake of the Children of Cerberus' attack, and the stakes were higher thahe boy, whoever he was, would have to wait. For now, the focus had to be on Fire Fly’s mission—and that meant ensuring the acquisition of Titanium-X, no matter the cost.

  Xaker’s mind snapped back to the present as he watched the boy in the footage once again. The wooden sword was not just a on—it was a focal point, a duit of power. Xaker knew what this meant. If the boy wielded such a on, he could potentially pose a threat, especially if his abilities were tied to the mythical forces that Yggdrasil was rumored to and. He had to be cautious. There was no room for mistakes, especially with someone who might hold such power.

  Shaking off his lingering thoughts of Farzana Khan’s influence, Xaker leaned forward, his fiapping against the surface of the desk. "Whatever the case, I’ll o keep a close eye on him," he muttered to himself, his gaze still locked on the boy. He had learhe hard way that there were always unknowns in any situation, and the boy was one of them. But for now, that uainty would have to be dealt with ter. His immediate was seg Titanium-X before anyone else could get their hands on it.

  The atta the Hidden Leaf Vilge had been a means to an end, a way to test the waters, gauge the rea, and collect the necessary data on their ehe Children of Cerberus had performed admirably in their assault, but the ued appearance of the boy had thrown a wren his pns. Still, they had succeeded in making a statement—no one was safe. The world was in turmoil, and Fire Fly’s reach was extending farther and farther. Their mission, however, was far from over.

  But despite his careful calcutions, Xaker khat his path forward would be plicated. There were far too many pyers involved in this game, and the bance of power was shifting in ways he hadn’t anticipated. Fire Fly’s resources were vast, but they weren’t infinite. And their allies—especially Orochimaru—were uable, to say the least.

  Xaker frowned deeply at the thought of the snake-like rogue ninja. He knew Orochimaru’s reputation all too well. The man was ruthless, maniputive, and self-serving, traits that made him a valuable asset when w toward a on goal, but also a potential liability. Xaker had no illusions about the true nature of his alliah Orochimaru. Trusting the rogue ninja pletely was out of the question. Orochimaru was a wildcard, a dangerous one, and Xaker didn’t pn to make the mistake of uimating him.

  Still, for all of Orochimaru’s faults, he was the only one who had the expertise to help secure the Titanium-X. He khings, had knowledge that Xaker couldn’t afford to ighe alliance, however fragile, was necessary for now. It was a temporary arra—ohat would likely fall apart when the mission was pleted, and both men had achieved their goals.

  Xaker steepled his fingers, sidering the steps. He had already sent out reaissaeams to keep tabs on the movements of the Children of Cerberus and any other potential threats. The boy with the wooden sword was now on his radar, but Xaker needed more information before he could make any decisions. Was he an asset or a liability? Could he be turo Fire Fly’s advantage, or would he be an obstacle to overe? Either way, he couldn’t afford to ignore him. Not with the potential power he seemed to wield.

  As Xaker tiize, his thoughts wandered back to the matter at hand. Titanium-X. The metal’s properties were unlike anything the world had ever seen. It was a material capable of withstanding energy on an unimaginable scale, a substahat could make entire armies unstoppable. In the right hands, Titanium-X would ensure Fire Fly’s dominance across gaxies. But in the wrong hands... it could be the end of everything.

  With a final, resolute g the footage of the Hidden Leaf Vilge, Xaker powered down the holographic dispy and stood up from his chair. His mind was made up. The move was clear. He would tinue w with Orochimaru for now, keep an eye on the boy and the Children of Cerberus, and ehat Titanium-X remained within his grasp.

  Suddenly, a face fshed in Xaker’s mind. It was James Khan—the son of Farzana Khan, the immortal cyb. The boy was dead, yet somehow, he was the most perfect living cyb. Xaker couldn’t help but frown. If this boy in front of him was really James, then things were about to get plicated. He shook the thought off, though. No way, he told himself. How could James be here? There was no way that ossible. Still, a nagging feeling lingered, like a whisper he couldn't quite ignore.

  Xaker exhaled sharply, mentally preparing himself for the battles to e. Nothing in this world—or any other—was ever as it seemed. And the sooner he accepted that, the better.