In an instant, the young man grabbed a machete from a gang member nearby, ignoring the cut on his hand as blood dripped down.

  The blades collided with a deafening crash, sparks flying in the air. Tyler stood frozen, stunned by the sudden shift. Before he could react, the young man let out a guttural roar, like an animal unleashed.

  Blood sprayed in every direction, and the flames from the torches cast a hellish glow over the two fighters. Tyler, now feeling the full force of the young man’s power, could only register the numbness in his arm and the cold chill creeping up his throat...

  Then, in one smooth, brutal motion, the young man severed Tyler's head clean off. It flew high, and Tyler’s headless body slumped to the ground with a sickening thud, blood gushing out and splattering everywhere, soaking the young man.

  For a moment, the entire arena fell into stunned silence.

  Tyler’s headless body lay in the dirt, a pool of crimson staining the ground beneath it.

  The son of the gang leader was dead.

  Shock rippled through the crowd, followed quickly by a rising tide of anger. Eyes filled with disbelief turned to fury, and people began shouting in outrage. Griffin, too, was struck dumb. His son—his own flesh and blood—had been slaughtered in front of everyone.

  He had been so sure Tyler would win. How could this have happened?

  Orion, the leader of the Ironfang Syndicate, was also dumbfounded. The young man, who was part of their gang, was not supposed to survive, let alone kill Griffin’s son.

  Zane. That’s who the man was—Zane, a new recruit. He’d been sent in to die, a punishment for his earlier mistake when he’d let prisoners go while collecting debts.

  The mood was tense, suffocating, as everyone realized the weight of what had just transpired.

  Orion was still processing the events, when Griffin, his eyes burning with rage, drew a dagger from his belt. The intent was clear. He wasn’t just pissed—he was about to make someone pay for what had just happened.

  Damn, Orion thought, but before he could move, a voice shouted over the crowd, thick with anger and venom.

  "He killed the young boss! The Ironfang Syndicate planned this! Avenge the young boss!"

  The voice was full of rage, as if the speaker had lost not just his gang leader, but his father. The Crimson Vipers around them were stirred up, their blood running hot, their hatred simmering.

  Without warning, a figure rushed forward, a fist connecting with Zane’s face, knocking him to the ground.

  "Kill him!" someone screamed.

  "Fuck that! He plotted against us, kill that bastard!" Another voice echoed, and suddenly, the air was thick with chaos.

  The Crimson Vipers went wild. At first, the Ironfang Syndicate members had brushed off the taunts, but now, they were getting hit with bricks, insults, and threats. It was no longer a game—it was a full-on brawl.

  Axel stood at the edge of the fray, grinning to himself. This was his moment. The gang was distracted, everything was in turmoil. His chance had come.

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  But just as Axel started to move, a bloody hand shot out and grabbed his arm.

  He turned to see Zane, eyes wild, face covered in blood. Zane’s lips moved, but it was clear he couldn’t find the words.

  Axel stood still for a moment, then wrenched his arm free. Zane’s grip loosened, and Axel walked away, leaving him behind.

  As Axel’s figure disappeared into the chaos, Zane’s voice, barely a whisper.

  "Thanks."

  .......

  People were already dying left and right, but what made Axel nervous was the lack of a green light ball.

  Not even near Tyler's body—nothing.

  "This shouldn't be happening. Tyler’s force is nearly the same as mine." Axel thought to himself. And these gang members—they were all stronger than regular people. The odds were high that they should have green light balls on them. Yet nothing.

  Axel was locked in a brawl with a scrawny guy from the rival gang, fighting in the middle of the chaos. He could’ve killed the guy in an instant with his force burst, but he knew that would make him too noticeable.

  The thin man, surprised to meet someone who could keep up with him, looked flushed and grinning with excitement.

  “Stop, stop it!”

  A roar like a lion’s cut through the air, and both Orion and Griffin simultaneously began trying to stop the fight. Axel figured it would take a while to break up a mess like this with hundreds of people involved—but then...

  Orion suddenly grew. A lot.

  The already imposing 6’3” man now stood close to 8 feet tall. His arms bulged like thick iron barrels, and he shoved people aside like they were ragdolls.

  Axel’s heart skipped a beat. This guy wasn’t just any awakener—he was way stronger than Skye, Axel thought. If he wasn’t careful, his cover would be blown for sure.

  Axel started weighing his options, already thinking about retreating. He was getting too close to being exposed when—

  There it was!

  A green light flickered, and Axel’s heart raced. It was coming from Tyler’s body.

  "Here it comes," Axel muttered under his breath. He kept his distance while pretending to fight and retreat. He extended his hand and scooped up the glowing orb, turning it into a crystal and slipping it into his pocket.

  "So that's how it works."

  It was the first time Axel had seen the crystal form like that. He’d thought the green light ball would appear instantly after someone died—but it turned out there was a slight delay. Seconds, maybe.

  Then, green light balls began appearing on the bodies of the others who had died earlier. While not as bright or valuable as Tyler’s, each one still sparked Axel’s interest.

  His eyes lit up, the greed running through him like a drug.

  He moved quickly, pretending to be disoriented, turning each light ball into crystals and pocketing them one by one.

  Almost there...

  Axel’s pulse was quickening, and he could feel the situation nearing its end. With both gang leaders now working to stop the chaos, he knew he needed to make his exit.

  The thin man he’d been fighting was too caught up in his excitement. Thinking he’d won, he started shouting, full of confidence.

  "Don’t run, let’s go again—play with your grandpa!"

  Bang!

  Before he could finish, Axel knocked him out cold with a single punch. He didn’t even bother looking at the man as he quietly slipped to the edge of the crowd, weaving through the chaos and ducking into the nearby bushes.

  Axel had been right not to push his luck. No sooner had he crouched down than the entire fight came to a sudden halt.

  The area was a mess—blood pooled across the ground, and dozens of bodies were scattered, lifeless. Both Orion and Griffin stood grim-faced, surveying the aftermath.

  What was supposed to be a simple exchange between gangs had turned into a bloodbath.

  Orion’s face twisted with anger. "Who the hell started this?" he bellowed, his voice carrying over the carnage. "Why the hell did you all fight without my orders?"

  His men shuffled uncomfortably. After a beat, one of them spoke up.

  "Well... they started it! After Tyler was killed, someone from the Crimson Vipers yelled 'avenge the young boss!' and everything spiraled from there."

  Griffin’s eyes narrowed, his voice cold. “I’m sorry for what happened today, but I never meant for this. We’ve been played. Someone’s got their own agenda here."

  Griffin wasn’t an idiot—he saw what had really happened. Zane was a pawn, sent to be cannon fodder. His son had been overconfident, too careless... and now he was dead.

  Attacking Ironfang Syndicate would only play into the hands of the other forces waiting to pick up the scraps.

  "Who shouted that damn sentence?" Griffin’s eyes scanned the crowd like a hawk, his voice laced with menace. The whole place fell into an eerie silence.

  Axel, hiding in the bushes nearby, held his breath. His body was tense, every muscle in him screaming to move—but he knew better than to risk it now.