The Revenant’s Warning

The explosion rocked the scrapyard, sending a fireball into the sky. Nightblade barely had time to react, twisting into the shadows just as the shockwave hit. Metal shards flew like shrapnel, embedding themselves into the ground where he had stood a second before.

Smoke and fire engulfed the scene. The man in the suit was gone, his escape masked by the chaos.

Nightblade rose from the darkness, his cape billowing as he surveyed the wreckage. The Neon Serpents were either dead or unconscious, their bodies sprawled among the burning debris. The weapons deal had been completely destroyed—but so had any immediate leads.

He clenched his fists. The Revenant had expected him. This was a warning.

Tapping his earpiece, he contacted his informant. "Oracle, are you getting this?"

A voice crackled through the line, female and laced with sarcasm. "Oh, I got it. Big boom, no bad guy captured. You slipping, Blade?"

He ignored the jab. "Run a trace on the man in the suit. Wealthy, connected, and supplying high-grade tech to the underworld."

"Already on it. But you're not gonna like what I found."

Nightblade narrowed his eyes. "Try me."

"That guy? He's not just some middleman. He's Vincent Kade. Corporate CEO, clean public record, even does charity work. But behind the scenes? He's got ties to every crime syndicate in the city. Including Revenant's old network."

Nightblade exhaled slowly. "Then he's my next target."

He turned away from the fire, his silhouette disappearing into the shadows. The Revenant had sent a message. Now, it was time to send one back.