Chapter 18: Blood and Betrayal

The Warning

The night was restless.

Ayang stood at the rooftop of an abandoned building, his mind clouded with doubt.

He had known Mri for years, but something had changed.

That fight with Rezar—the way Mri didn't even need his aura—it wasn't normal.

And now, after walking into Dipangkar's den, Mri was acting like he was ten steps ahead of everyone.

A dangerous game.

A voice snapped Ayang out of his thoughts.

"You look troubled."

He turned.

Jasmine.

Her arms were crossed, her sharp eyes watching him carefully.

"He's slipping away," Ayang muttered. "You see it too, don't you?"

Jasmine was silent for a moment before she sighed. "Mri is not the same person we knew. He's evolving into something else."

Ayang clenched his fists. "And that 'something' might destroy him."

Jasmine smirked slightly. "Or it might make him a king."

A Night of Blood

Mri was walking alone through the dim streets, his mind replaying Dipangkar's offer.

His instincts screamed at him—this wasn't just about power.

Dipangkar was testing him, measuring him.

And Mri wasn't about to be measured by anyone.

Suddenly—

Swoosh!

A blade sliced through the air.

Mri dodged, his reflexes razor-sharp.

Five men.

Clad in black. Faces hidden. Assassins.

Dipangkar's men?

One of them lunged. Mri caught his wrist mid-air and twisted—SNAP!

A scream tore through the alley as the man crumbled to the ground.

Another one attacked, a dagger aimed at Mri's neck.

Too slow.

Mri ducked, his knee slamming into the attacker's stomach. The man flew back like a broken doll.

The remaining three hesitated.

Mistake.

Mri vanished.

In an instant, he was behind them.

Crack! A neck snapped.

Boom! A fist drove through a ribcage.

Thud! The last man fell, unconscious before he even hit the ground.

Silence.

Mri stood amidst the bodies, unscathed.

His breath steady. His heartbeat normal.

They were weak.

He wiped his hands on his shirt and walked away as if nothing had happened.

But his mind was racing.

Who sent them?

If it was Dipangkar, then this was a message.

If it wasn't… then someone else was watching.

And that meant Mri was already a threat.

Betrayal in the Dark

Meanwhile, in a hidden chamber beneath the city…

Dipangkar sat on his throne, a faint smirk playing on his lips.

Before him, kneeling, was a shadowy figure.

The traitor.

"You did well," Dipangkar murmured. "Keep feeding me information."

The kneeling figure nodded. "He suspects nothing."

Dipangkar leaned back, his fingers tapping the armrest.

"Good. Then let's push him further."

The figure hesitated before asking, "What if he finds out?"

Dipangkar chuckled.

"Then we'll see if he's truly worthy of becoming my enemy."

The room fell into silence.

Somewhere in the city, Mri was preparing for war.

But he didn't know…

That war had already begun.