SWNOVELXO Chapter 20: Chapter 20: The Heir Starts the Business
One month passed.
The weight of loss still echoed in the halls of Raven Estate, but silence no longer meant stillness. At ten, Asher Raven had buried grief beneath purpose. In the time since the accident, he'd continued to grow—in strength, in knowledge, and in presence.
His siblings, Cain and Ellen, were one years old, vibrant and cheerful, their giggles sometimes echoing through the marble corridors. Asher became their guardian in every sense. Not just emotionally, but legally, strategically, and logistically. Raven Estate belonged to them now—and by extension, to him.
And the system never stopped.
---
> [Sign-In System Update: Power Summary - Age 10 Milestone Reached]
>
> Total Sign-Ins Utilised in Last Two Years: 730
>
> **New Defensive Ability: Diamond Body** – Passive: Skin density reinforced to diamond-tier durability; low-tier energy dispersion. – Active: Harden full-body structure temporarily for complete invulnerability for up to 30 minutes.
>
> **Regeneration Ability Upgrade: Peak-Level Regeneration** – Healing speed enhanced 300x. – Internal organ recovery and blood replenishment enabled. – Disease, poison, and most toxins resisted passively.
>
> **Knowledge Acquired:**
> – Comprehensive Pill Alchemy and Refinement Techniques (Cultivation-Grade)
> – Advanced Reinforcement Runes for Armour Application
> – Tap to view more...
>
> [System Points: 112,480]
> [Lucky Draw Tickets: 7]
---
Asher stood in the estate's armoury chamber, overlooking the suits he'd begun to design. Not just for himself. Eventually, Cain and Ellen would need protection too. No more mistakes. No more weakness.
His system interface hovered quietly in the air beside him as he examined a prototype gauntlet layered with protective runes. He clenched his hand—the metal hummed with precision.
But his mind was already elsewhere.
The shareholders had called a meeting.
The vultures were circling.
They thought his parents' deaths were an opportunity—a chance to seize back control. They hadn't expected a ten-year-old boy to hold power over Raven Enterprises. And they certainly hadn't expected *Asher Raven*.
He wore a fitted black suit, tailored specifically for him. His footsteps echoed sharply against the polished stone of the corporate tower. A convoy of estate guards and two legal consultants followed behind, though Asher had insisted he would speak for himself.
Inside the elevator, he looked at his reflection. There was no child in his eyes. Only steel.
When the doors opened, the boardroom fell silent.
Twelve shareholders, a handful of minor executives, and three lawyers sat at the long glass table. They hadn't stood when he entered.
He didn't mind.
He walked to the head seat and sat down without invitation.
Then he smiled. Not warmly.
With *intention*.
"Let's make this clear," Asher said, his voice calm but cutting through the tension. "This meeting isn't about what you want. It's about what I've already decided."
Some of the men exchanged glances. One chuckled condescendingly.
"And what would a child know about running a multi-sector enterprise?"
Asher tapped his datapad. A holographic screen appeared, showing detailed records of every board member's dealings over the last five years.
"Enough to know that six of you have offshore connections to known black market brokers. Two of you have laundered funds through shell corporations. And one of you..."
He turned his gaze directly at the man who had laughed.
"...approved the sale of prototype tech to unsanctioned foreign buyers."
Silence. Stone cold.
Asher leaned forward slightly.
"You have two options. Remove yourselves quietly, or I blacklist you using your own signatures and evidence. Not just from Raven Enterprises. From every boardroom, every financial institution, and every seat of power you hope to crawl into."
The silence fractured into murmurs. Tension swelled. Lawyers began to whisper to their clients.
Asher leaned back.
He wasn't done.
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To be continued in Chapter 21...