MARVEL I AM DRAGON GOD

The quiet hum of Beacon Academy was a soothing balm compared to the storm brewing in Atlas.

Weiss felt it, a faint tremor of unease, even as she laughed with Ruby over a spilled tray of cookies in the cafeteria.

Her father's message, cold and demanding, was a constant reminder of the world she'd left behind.

In his office, Jacques Schnee felt the first pinpricks of irritation. It started small.

A routine dust shipment, destined for a key manufacturing plant, was inexplicably delayed.

Then, a crucial negotiation with a high-profile client hit an unexpected snag.

The client, usually so eager, was suddenly hesitant, citing "unforeseen market instability."

"What is the meaning of this?"

Jacques demanded, his voice a low growl as he paced.

"My ledgers show a dip in our stock value. A minor dip, yes, but a dip nonetheless! Explain this!"

Ironwood, looking more weary than usual, held up a hand.

"I'm looking into it, Jacques. There are… unusual fluctuations in several sectors. Nothing I can directly attribute to anything specific, but certainly abnormal."

Jacques scoffed.

"Abnormal? Nonsense! This is incompetence! I want answers, General! My company's reputation, my family's legacy, are at stake!"

He slammed his fist on the desk again, the sound echoing in the spacious room.

He wasn't entirely sure why, but he had a nagging feeling this had something to do with Arthur.

It was too coincidental.

Meanwhile, Arthur sat in his office, a faint smile playing on his lips. Grinda watched him, her head tilted slightly.

"He's beginning to notice,"

She observed.

Arthur chuckled.

"Oh, he'll notice more than that soon. I merely nudged a few things. A loose thread here, a dropped ball there. Nothing he can directly trace, nothing he can blame on sabotage. Just the universe, should I say, reminding him of its capriciousness."

He wasn't using grand, showy magic.

He was simply applying pressure, like a master chess player making subtle moves that would eventually lead to checkmate.

He was shifting probabilities, making the unlikely a little more likely, and the certain a little less so.

A sudden burst pipe in a vital SDC factory in Mantle, a minor technical glitch that caused a contract bid to be submitted late, a key investor having a sudden, inexplicable change of heart.

Individually, they were minor annoyances.

Together, they formed a pattern that was slowly tightening around Jacques.

Back at Beacon, Weiss felt a new sense of purpose.

Her father's constant attempts to pull her back only strengthened her resolve to stay.

She found herself more invested in her classes, more engaged with her team.

Even the seemingly mundane tasks of student life felt liberating.

One afternoon, during a break between classes, Weiss and her team were reviewing notes in the courtyard.

Her scroll buzzed again. This time, it was an urgent message from her older sister, Winter.

Weiss's brow furrowed as she read.

"Father's… agitated,"

She murmured, looking up at her friends.

"Winter says there are problems at the SDC. Unexplained issues with shipments and finances. He's blaming everyone."

Ruby's eyes widened.

"Do you think… Do you think Professor Arthur is doing something?"

She whispered, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

Weiss paused, a faint blush rising to her cheeks.

She thought of Arthur's calm confidence, his quiet strength. It was a comforting thought, almost too comforting.

"I… I don't know,"

She said, though a part of her secretly hoped it was true.

"But it would certainly fit his style."

Yang grinned.

"Serves him right. Maybe if he's busy putting out fires at work, he'll leave you alone."

Blake nodded in agreement.

"He's clearly underestimated our professor. And by extension, he's underestimated your determination to stay here, Weiss."

Weiss felt a surge of warmth from her friends' support. This was what she had been missing in Atlas – genuine connection, unwavering loyalty.

She wouldn't trade it for all the Dust in the world.

Arthur, meanwhile, continued his subtle campaign.

He wasn't destroying the SDC; that wasn't his goal. He was simply making it… uncomfortable.

He wanted Jacques to feel the squeeze, to understand that his reach wasn't infinite.

"He's sending his top analysts into a frenzy,"

Grinda reported a hint of amusement in her voice.

"They can't find a single logical explanation for these 'anomalies.' They're beginning to suspect a coordinated, yet untraceable, attack."

Arthur smiled.

"Let them suspect. Let them chase ghosts. The more frustrated he becomes, the more desperate he'll be. And desperate men make mistakes."

He focused his senses again, a gentle wave of energy extending outward.

This time, he targeted Jacques's social standing.

A whispered rumor among the elite of Atlas, a forgotten debt suddenly remembered, a past indiscretion subtly brought to light.

Nothing that would ruin him outright, but enough to chip away at his carefully cultivated image.

Jacques, who relied so heavily on appearances and control, found himself increasingly flustered. Invitations to exclusive parties were suddenly rescinded.

Important colleagues seemed distant, their conversations clipped.

He felt like he was walking through thick mud, every step an effort.

"This is an attack!"

He roared, pacing his office like a caged Beowolf.

"Someone is orchestrating this! But who? And why?"

Ironwood, who had been trying to maintain a neutral facade, simply sighed.

"There's no evidence, Jacques. Not a shred. It's… perplexing."

Jacques's eyes narrowed, a cold fury building within him. He was losing control, and the thought was unbearable.

He knew the Older Generations of the SDC were watching, their silent judgment a palpable weight.

Their loyalty to Nicholas Schnee's direct line, to Weiss, was paramount.

If his grip on the company, and on his daughter, continued to slip, he risked losing everything.

The thought made him truly afraid.

Not for his family, but for himself.

His empire, built on ambition and ruthlessness, was starting to show cracks.

And he knew, with chilling certainty, that the source of these cracks, however untraceable, led back to Beacon, and to the enigmatic Professor Arthur.

He picked up his scroll, his finger hovering over the contact for a shadowy figure known for their… less than ethical solutions.

He had always preferred to work within the system, to manipulate it from the inside.

But if this "Arthur" continued to undermine him, he would be forced to resort to more… direct measures.

Back at Beacon, Weiss felt a strange sense of peace.

Her father's frantic messages had lessened, replaced by reports from Winter about his increasing agitation over SDC affairs.

It was a small victory, but a victory nonetheless.

She watched Arthur during his lessons, fascinated by his quiet power.

He wasn't overtly aggressive, yet his presence commanded respect.

He moved with a subtle grace, his explanations clear and insightful.

He seemed to embody the very opposite of her father's bluster and force.

One evening, as she sat in the library, studying for an upcoming exam, her scroll buzzed again.

It was a message from Arthur.

Weiss, it read, Your father is… distracted. He is learning that some battles are not won with force, but with patience and understanding. Continue to focus on your studies. You are where you are meant to be.

A small smile touched Weiss's lips.

He knew. He always seemed to know.

The flicker of worry she sometimes felt about her father's machinations seemed to dissipate.

She had Arthur, and she had her team. And for the first time in a long time, Weiss Schnee felt truly, completely safe.

But even as she felt this newfound security, a storm was brewing.

Jacques Schnee was not a man who accepted defeat.

And Arthur, in his quiet, calculating way, had just pushed him to the very edge.

The subtle disruptions were merely the prelude. The next act was about to begin.

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