Chapter 71: Shadows in Ikoyi
While Chidozie wrestled with fear and consequence, Philip sat calmly in his penthouse office, eyes scanning the financial records projected on a transparent screen. The room was dim, save for the blue glow of data streams running across his augmented display.
It was time to understand what had happened in his absence.
Maya had done well—very well, in fact. Most of the startup investments were diversified, clean, and surprisingly profitable. But one name caught Philip's eye.
NeroTech Biogenic.
A biomedical company, only ten months old. Yet his company now owned 30% of its shares.
The papers showed the original push to acquire the stake came from maya, but months later, an attempted buyout had been submitted—suspiciously generous. Maya had canceled it without hesitation.
That move, subtle as it seemed, had likely prevented a hostile takeover.
Philip leaned back, eyes narrowing.
Why was another company so desperate to acquire NeroTech?
And why was Chidozie pushing for it?
He bookmarked it for later. There was more to this than surface-level finance.
Same Night – 9:03 PM
Ikoyi, Lagos State
In the luxurious, old-money neighborhoods of Ikoyi, far removed from the bustling chaos of mainland Lagos, three shadows moved within a private compound walled off from the world.
Inside a marble-floored drawing room sat three identical men—broad-shouldered, dark-skinned, white-bearded. Their age showed in wrinkles and silver hair, but their eyes glowed faintly—a dull red shimmer that betrayed their overlord-level power.
Tayo, Tope, and Tolu Olukogas—the Triad. Born with the uncanny ability to share their power and pull each other power up so they never lagged behind each other
For two decades, they had ruled Lagos from behind the curtains. Business tycoons, political kingmakers, and silent shareholders in over a dozen corporations across West Africa.
In a city where mana was scarce unless your family sat on a geyser, advancement was slow. Most Awakened in Lagos hit a ceiling—especially those outside the ancient lineages.
The Triad had accepted that long ago. Instead of chasing unreachable heights, they built power in the physical world
Tonight, they gathered in silence.
Tolu, the one most involved in Lagos politics, sipped red wine as he looked over the reports.
"He's back," he said simply.
Tope grunted. "The founder?"
"Philip. The boy who disappeared. Now returned. I've heard whispers. They say Chidozie confronted him and came back white as chalk."
Tayo leaned forward, his voice dry. "Chidozie is a fool. He poked a sleeping beast with no plan."
"Still," said Tolu, "if this Philip truly survived, we need to find out how strong he's become. We've waited too long to be shaken out by a child."
"We should watch," Tope muttered. "Not act. Not yet. We're entrenched here. He's only just returned."
But Tolu's eyes gleamed with ambition. "Or maybe… it's time we tested the waters."
A long silence fell between them.
Outside, the trees swayed in the night wind. Inside, three old predators waited, calculating they had done this dance before and they will not be denied.