Chapter 17: The Deal With The Devil

Whispers of Fear

The fight was over, but the echoes of Mri's victory still hung in the air.

Rezar—The Blue Phantom—a man feared by warriors across the city, lay unconscious like a discarded puppet.

The crowd was still processing what they had just witnessed.

Mri didn't use his aura.

He didn't need it.

He had dismantled a powerhouse like Rezar with nothing but sheer speed and strength.

Ayang and the Revolutionary Stars stood in the shadows, watching.

One of them, Maya, shook her head in disbelief. "This… this isn't normal."

Ayang stayed silent.

Something was changing in Mri. And that change was terrifying.

The Invitation

The sound of slow claps filled the air.

Dipangkar.

Seated high above the arena, his smirk was sharper than a blade. He leaned forward, his dark eyes locked on Mri.

"Well, well… I must say, I'm impressed."

Mri turned, his expression unreadable.

Dipangkar rose from his throne, his presence suffocating. He gestured with a lazy wave of his hand.

"Come," he said. "Let's talk."

The doors to the inner chambers of the arena creaked open.

A test. A challenge.

Mri didn't hesitate.

Without a word, he followed.

A Devil's Bargain

The chamber was vast, lined with towering flames and ancient statues.

Dipangkar sat on a throne of black stone, his gaze calculating.

"I'll be direct," he said. "I have a proposition for you."

Mri crossed his arms, unimpressed. "I'm listening."

Dipangkar's lips curled into a smirk. "You've proven yourself stronger than Rezar. That means you're strong enough to join my elite fighters."

The air grew heavier.

The Revolutionary Stars were watching from afar, tension clear in their eyes.

But Mri? He was calm.

"Join you?" he echoed, amusement flickering in his eyes.

Dipangkar leaned forward. "I can offer you power, wealth, and—most importantly—a place where you can be who you truly are."

A pause.

Mri chuckled softly. "And what makes you think I need you?"

Dipangkar's smile never faded. "Because you don't belong with them." He tilted his head toward the Revolutionary Stars. "You're not like them, Mri. They think in numbers. They think in fear."

His voice dropped lower.

"But you… You think in power."

For the first time, the room fell truly silent.

A challenge had been placed before him.

Join Dipangkar and rise to the top—or stand alone against him.

Mri's lips curled into a smirk.

"You talk too much."

Dipangkar raised an eyebrow.

Mri turned toward the door. "I'll give you my answer… when the time is right."

And with that, he walked out.

Leaving Dipangkar with a glint of intrigue in his dark eyes.

The War Within

As Mri stepped back into the open air, Ayang was already waiting for him.

"You're playing a dangerous game," he said, voice low.

Mri exhaled, looking at the city lights in the distance. "I don't play games, Ayang."

Ayang clenched his fists. "Then what the hell is this?"

Mri didn't answer immediately.

His mind was racing, his thoughts in chaos.

Dipangkar had offered him a throne. A seat at the table of the most powerful.

But Mri had never been the kind to sit at someone else's table.

He would carve his own throne.

With his own hands.

He glanced at Ayang, his smirk returning.

"You'll see soon enough."

And with that, he walked away, disappearing into the night.

Because the real war…

Had just begun.