NOVEL NEXT Chapter 344: Nightlight Studio
Lux hummed low as he drove, fingers drumming lightly against the leather wheel.
The mortal car purred beneath him, still smelling like showroom polish, smooth and obedient to his every touch. It wasn't infernal steel or a reality-threading chariot, but there was something grounding about this ride. Something normal.
He pulled into the street where Nightlight Studio was located—a cramped block of concrete and glass that had seen better days. The building itself wasn't much to look at. A single-floor converted warehouse with frosted windows, faded signage, and a painted logo that was peeling at the edges. The kind of place you'd miss if you weren't looking. The kind of place that screamed "dreams on life support."
Lux parked, stepped out, and adjusted his jacket. The morning air smelled faintly of coffee, exhaust, and wet pavement. His shoes clicked against the sidewalk as he walked up the short flight of stairs to the front door.
And immediately—he heard it.
An argument.
Male voices, sharp and heated, bouncing off the thin walls of the studio lobby.
Lux's smirk sharpened.
Nothing said "ripe for takeover" like a company already in open conflict.
Inside, the space was bare bones. A few couches, an old reception desk, posters of a VR game from three years ago that had gone semi-viral before vanishing into obscurity. The paper was curling at the edges. The colors were faded.
In the center of the room, a young man stood squared against four others.
He looked like he hadn't slept in two days—dark circles under his eyes, hair tied back in a messy bun, hoodie too big for his frame—but Lux could see it immediately. The spine. The fire. The thing most mortals didn't have. A spirit that refused to bow.
He was surrounded.
One man, older, with a smug smile and an expensive watch, clearly the rival. A corporate shark. His three companions weren't corporate at all. They were muscle. Debt collectors. Thick shoulders, cheap suits, predator eyes.
"Three more days!" the young man barked. "The contract says I've got three more days before the payment's due!"
The rival smirked, stepping closer, voice smooth and venomous. "Three days or thirty, you still won't have the money. Nightlight Studio is dead. Sign over your assets now, and maybe we'll let you walk away with a shred of dignity."
The kid's jaw clenched. "We're not dead."
The rival's smirk widened. "You're drowning. And I own the water."
The collectors chuckled darkly behind him. One cracked his knuckles. Another spat gum onto the floor.
Lux's steps echoed as he entered.
Four heads turned.
And Lux smiled.
"Quite the welcome party," Lux drawled, adjusting his cufflinks as he strolled further inside. His voice was lazy, but it carried. "I didn't know startups came with complimentary intimidation squads."
The young CEO blinked at him, confused but not hostile. The rival's expression soured. The collectors shifted uneasily, sensing something they couldn't name.
Lux's eyes flicked to the rival. He let his system flare.
[Wealth Scan: Active]
[Subject: Thomas Crosswell]
[Net Worth: $28.4 Million]
[Fortune: 47%]
[Status: "Shark, Manipulative, Addicted to Control"]
[Investment Field: Acquisitions, Liquidations, Hostile Buyouts]
Lux almost laughed. A bargain-bin predator. Not even impressive.
Then he turned the scan to the kid.
[Subject: Elias Moreau]
[Net Worth: -$340,000 (Debt)]
[Fortune: 62%]
[Status: "Stubborn Dreamer, Loyal, Haunted by Failure"]
[Investment Field: VR Development, Interactive Storytelling]
Lux's smirk deepened.
Yes. This was the one.
The rival sneered. "Who the hell are you?"
Lux tilted his head, eyes gleaming gold for just a second. "The solution. Depending on how you play this next part."
The collectors shifted again, uncomfortable now. One swallowed hard. Lux hadn't even unleashed his aura yet, but his Negotiator's Smile had triggered the moment Thomas made eye contact. He could feel the man's confidence dip—just slightly.
Elias looked at Lux like he was torn between relief and suspicion. "Do you… need something?"
Lux stepped forward, between him and the rival. "Yes. A seat."
He pulled a chair from the side, spun it around, and sat casually, straddling it backwards like he owned the place. He rested his chin on the backrest and stared at Thomas.
"Now. Why don't you tell me why you're harassing a man who still has three days left on his deadline?"
Thomas scoffed. "This isn't your concern."
Lux's smile sharpened. "It is now."
Thomas leaned in, trying to recover his composure. "Listen, stranger, this company is dead weight. I'm offering him a chance to walk away before the banks eat him alive. If you know what's good for you, you'll step aside."
Lux's eyes gleamed. "Dead weight? I see strong code. A viral hit three years ago. Burned-out creatives who just need fuel. Not dead. Just… waiting."
Thomas sneered. "You don't know this industry."
Lux leaned forward, voice low, dangerous. "I don't need to know the industry. I know numbers. I know leverage. And right now? You're overplaying your hand."
The collectors shuffled again. One finally muttered, "Boss, maybe we should—"
"Shut up," Thomas snapped.
Lux's smile widened. "Ah. Cracks in the façade already."
He turned his gaze on Elias. "Three days, right?"
Elias nodded, hesitant. "Yeah."
"Good. Then here's what's going to happen." Lux stood, rolling his cuffs back down. "You're going to use those three days. And you're going to do it with me."
Elias blinked. "You?"
Lux smirked. "Congratulations, Elias Moreau. You just found your investor."
Thomas froze. "You can't be serious—"
Lux's aura flared just enough that the rival's words caught in his throat. His eyes widened. His collectors stepped back instinctively.
Lux leaned close to Thomas, whispering, "Get out of my sight before I decide to buy you and liquidate your soul."
For a second, the words landed like knives. Thomas froze, his throat tightening, his collectors shifting uneasily behind him. They could feel it—something wrong, something not mortal. A chill slid down the spine, the kind of instinct you couldn't reason away.
But Thomas wasn't about to fold. He was a shark. And sharks didn't fear shadows.
He straightened, sneer sharp, forcing his voice steady. "Big talk. But you don't scare me."
Lux's eyes narrowed, the smirk lingering like he knew the man was bluffing.
Thomas jabbed a finger toward Elias. "This company is mine. I don't care if you swagger in here with your fancy suit and smug grin. You're no one. Just some friend of this broke little dreamer, pretending to be a rich man."