The girl stood in the shadows, arms crossed.
Even with the mask, Rael could feel the sharpness in her eyes. She was watching him—studying him—like a predator deciding whether to strike or walk away.
"You can call me… Ash," she said finally.
"Rael," he replied.
"I know who you are," Ash said. "Word's spreading fast. You took Sector 9 from Brick. Alone."
Rael shrugged. "That's old news."
Ash tilted her head. "You're building something. I want in."
Rael raised a brow. "Why?"
"I have my reasons. You don't need to know them yet. But I can fight. I can spy. And I know people who owe me favors."
System Notice: Special Ally Detected – Skill: Shadowstep (Lv. 2)Type: Assassin Class – Stealth, Sabotage, Intel Loyalty: Unknown. Watch closely.*
Rael nodded slowly. "Alright. We try this your way. One mission. You help me. I see if you're for real."
Ash smirked behind her mask. "Good. Because I already have one."
She handed him a photo. A man in a silver suit. Tall. Slick hair. Cold eyes.
"Name's Victor Dane. Middleman for the Phoenix Syndicate. Runs money laundering through illegal fight clubs. Tomorrow, he's holding an underground auction."
"And you want to hit it?" Rael asked.
"No," Ash said. "You're going to steal from it."
New Mission Available: Infiltrate the Black Market Auction Target: Victor Dane's private vault Reward: 50,000 Shadow Credits + Access to Elite Black Card System Tier Failure: System Lockout for 48 hours + Territory Vulnerable
Rael's eyes narrowed. "That's a big risk."
Ash stepped closer, her voice low. "Big reward. You want to rise, right? Then stop playing safe."
Rael looked at the photo again. Victor Dane. Phoenix Syndicate. Black market auction.
Yeah, this was dangerous.
Exactly what he needed.
Warning: Mission Difficulty – High. Recommend upgrading combat skills or recruiting backup.New Shop Items Unlocked: Infiltration Tools, Combat Mods, Disguises
Rael looked up at Ash. "You sure about this?"
She grinned beneath her mask. "I don't back losers. Don't make me regret it."
That night, Rael stood in front of a broken mirror inside his base. He stared at his reflection.
Behind him, Rico was organizing weapons. Ash was already planning the route. The system interface blinked quietly beside his vision.
He wasn't the same broken kid from a week ago.
Now he had a base.Followers.A system.A mission that could shake the city.
He pulled up the map.
Time to strike.