He had already left an impression on Victor Sawyer earlier.
Now it was time for the next target. And fate, as though begging to be manipulated, delivered him another opportunity.
"Whoa… no way, are you really Mr. Halo?"
Keith turned slowly, already having positioned himself in a position where it was impossible to not be spotted.
Glen Carpenter.
Arrogant as ever, flashy as ever.
Standing beside Glen was the woman who once had a place in Keith's past too. Jena Carpenter.
Both of them were now siblings in this new world, but it didn't change the fact that they both conspired for months to kick him out of his company.
Now, in this new life, like an old habit, they are still conspiring against him to reap the benefit of a divorce which Jena herself caused.
And Jena, her beauty hadn't changed. Neither had the way she clung to powerful men. She wore a cream colored cocktail dress that shimmered in the light, and her eyes widened the moment she saw Keith's masked face up close.
"Damn," glen muttered as he used his eyes to scan Keith's athletic build.
"You looked like a god up there on that stage. That physique, the mystery, you had the whole crowd following your orders without even speaking… gotta admit, I was impressed."
Keith didn't respond. He simply inclined his head, giving an expression that was clearly unreadable behind his mask.
Jena leaned in closer to glen, but still kept her gaze on keith. "So this is the man that sold the most profitable auction item today…Mr. Halo,"
Glen chuckled, placing a hand around her waist. "Yeah, and you know what? It's rare to meet someone who makes even the Sawyers look like fans."
Turning slightly, Glen shared a short handshake with Keith, then smiled and gestured between them.
"This is my half sister, Jena."
Keith stepped forward with graceful ease and extended his gloved hand the full length towards Jena.
She hesitated, clearly unsure whether to shake it or not, but Glen gave her an encouraging nod.
Tentatively, Jena placed her hand in Keith's grip. It was firm, just tight enough to assert a quiet level of dominance.
Her eyes widened as she felt the pressure, a small gasp escaping her lips as she subtly flinched at the unexpected press.
Keith tilted his head, raising a gloved hand to his chest in gesture of apology.
But there was no remorse he felt behind the mask, infact he wished he applied more pressure till her finger bone broke under the pressure of his squeeze.
'Didn't think you'd feel it so easily, Jena. Weak grip? Or just remembering who's stronger?"
Glen let out a laugh, completely unaware. "She's sensitive sometimes. Anyway listen, Mr. Halo can I call you that? I've been giving some thought to business lately. Especially antiques, After what you pulled off at the auction… I think there's serious money in this business sector."
Keith's expression didn't change, but inwardly, he was smiling.
'Two pawns, one card type stuff…"
He reached into his trouser pocket and pulled out a white and gold card.
On it was the golden imprint of the Sawyer private channel. The same one Victor Sawyer had given him earlier.
Glen's eyes widened. "Wait. You already got access to that? that's some high level entry gap... it means the Sawyers are in active business with you…"
Keith tilted the card forward for Glen to see, then tucked it away again in a single smooth motion.
Glen nodded in awe. "Alright, it seems you are the real deal Mr. Halo… I definitely want in. You and me, we should do business together. Isn't that the reason for this convention? To do antique business… With your superb identification skills and my influence we would dominate the market!"
Keith gesture with his finger. A single, simple wave for contact details.
"Oh yeah, of course," Glen said, fishing out a sleek holographic card from his digital wallet and tapping it against Keith's wristband, syncing his business credentials instantly.
Keith accepted the data silently.
Then, as Glen and Jena continued to stare, he gave them a shallow bow and turned to leave.
Glen called after him, "Hey, you ever need a big investor, you've got my number. Let's make something legendary happen…"
Jena stayed quiet, but keith could feel her eyes scraping the back of his neck as he walked away.
'So this is what Mr. Halo can do?…'
They couldn't see his face to recognize him. But they bowed, they offered deals, and they followed his lead.
'Due to my charisma, my enemies are blinded by my new identity…'
And Keith intended to use the blindness to the fullest for his own benefit, his empire would rise from the ruins of their trust. And, they'd never see it coming.
***
The convention hall had begun to quiet down, with most of the major players slipping away to afterparties or backroom negotiations.
Yet Keith, still masked and dressed in Mr. Halo's, walked slowly through the corridors with quiet purpose.
Luxury displays of precious stones, rare relics, and priceless artifacts lined the pathways. His gloved hand occasionally skimmed the edge of an antique display case, calculating, inspecting, absorbing everything.
Whispers followed him.
"Who is he?"
"Did you see the mask?"
"That's Mr. Halo. He sold the violet amethyst."
It was exactly the effect he wanted. Power wrapped in mystery. Authority masked in silence.
After a few more minutes of absorbing the awe around him, Keith made his way out, descending into the darkened parking lot where his private car awaited. The chauffeur had been directed by Valerie Sawyer to see his transportation without asking any questions.
Within thirty minutes, he was back at his hotel room.
He peeled off his gloves and laid the silver mask on the bed with care. As the skyline glittered beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows, Keith sat down on the bed, cracked his neck, and pulled out his phone.
It was time to build Mr. Halo into more than a name.
Opening an app on his laptop, Keith started typing rapidly. Within minutes, a full digital identity was being constructed: background history, aliases, data shielding, VPN reroutes, credit identity masking, and more.
Name: Mr. Halo
Occupation: Private Antique Authenticity Consultant
Specialty: Expert authentication of ultra-rare historical items.
Success Rate: 100% verified (self-claimed)
Operating Code: Only test items with projected value of Half a million or above. No tolerance for risk or errors.
Communication: Text-only, system-linked, voice-restricted.
Salary Expectation: $1,000,000/month minimum. Non-negotiable.
Testing Fee: Custom per item, non-refundable.
---
A confident smile spread across his lips.
"Now… let's play."
He navigated to the Sawyer Private Channel, still open from Victor Sawyer's invitation card. Tapping into the employer submission portal, he uploaded the newly formed Mr. Halo resume and credentials, selecting the Antique Authenticity Tester role.
The demand for high-value, fast, and error-proof verification had been growing lately among elite collectors. Keith would be the exact solution—on his terms.
***
Victor Sawyer adjusted the cuffs of his coat as he made his way towards the limousine, walking by his close circle of elite family members.
His sharp eyes flickered across his smartwatch when it made a ringing sound.
{1 NEW APPLICATION - SAWYER CHANNEL ACCESS REQUEST}
From: Mr. Halo
He stopped walking. "What?"
His voice was sharp enough to halt everyone around him.
Valerie turned, her heels clicking as she stepped closer. "Uncle?"
Vikram, Victor's adopted son, leaned in curiously. "Something wrong?"
Victor's brow furrowed as he read the application summary aloud:
> Applicant: Mr. Halo
Position Desired: Private Antique Authenticity Tester
Claims: 100% authentication success rate
Requirements: Minimum $1,000,000 monthly salary, item valuation at $500,000+ only, no tolerance for misjudgment or error.
Communication Style: Silent, masked. Non-verbal consultant.
There was a brief silence.
Then Valerie arched an eyebrow. "The same Mr. Halo who sold the amethyst to grandmother?"
Vikram whistled low. "One million a month? Arrogant, but bold."
Victor Sawyer responded with a subtle nod.
"I met him today after the auction, I gave him the private channel details and I think he would be a good investment!"
He tapped a command into his watch.
[ACCEPT – SEND CONTRACT]
***
Meanwhile, Glen Carpenter was still lounging in a luxury club when his phone vibrated.
He glanced down to see a message from Mr. Halo.
> [Notification: New Job Posting - Antique Authenticator | Attached: Portfolio + Salary Terms]
Glen blinked.
"Wait… one million dollars? A month?"
He quickly opened the file, reading the bold demands and the confident tone in every line. Glen couldn't deny it, the masked man had shaken his hand like a war god and walked with presence.
"Alright, Halo," he muttered, cracking a grin. "You're either insane or brilliant."
He tapped twice on the screen.
[ACCEPT – CONTRACT SENT]
***
Back in his hotel, Keith received both e-contracts with a soft ping. He reviewed them briefly, then digitally signed with a custom identity encryption.
Two elite clients. Two power players.
Two million a month.
He stood before the mirror, sliding the mask back on with smooth precision. Watching Mr. Halo stare back at him.
"Whats the saying? Keep your friends close and your enemies closer..."