Aryan and Rahul stepped out of the hotel, slowly making their way into the deserted alleys.
In the silence of the night, every single footstep echoed clearly.
But Aryan had already sensed it—
a shadow had been following them for quite some time.
So skillfully, that no ordinary person would have ever noticed.
But Aryan's eyes were no ordinary eyes.
A few minutes later, when they reached a lonely street, even Rahul began to feel it—that someone was truly following them. He was about to say something when Aryan raised his hand, gesturing him to stay quiet—
as if silently saying, "I know… keep quiet."
Rahul was stunned. How could Aryan notice it so quickly when he himself had realized it just a moment ago? But he kept his surprise hidden and simply waited, watching when the shadow would finally make a move.
Moments later, at the turn of the street, Aryan suddenly stopped walking.
His steps slowed, then halted completely.
A faint smile curved his lips, like a hunter savoring the moment of trapping his prey. He looked at Rahul, gave him a slight nod, then fixed his gaze into the darkness and said—
"Hiding in the shadows won't help you anymore.
You'd better step out and show your real face."
There was a chill in his voice that could pierce straight through one's soul.
Even Rahul felt a shiver run down his spine at those words.
But the figure hiding in the darkness made no move, no sound… nothing but silence.
Then Aryan's voice rang out again—heavier, colder this time.
"Seems like you didn't hear me the first time. I said—come out."
His tone carried such authority, it felt as if even the darkness itself was compelled to obey.
Rahul could clearly feel the air grow colder around them.
Suddenly, a laugh echoed from the shadows.
It was the kind of laugh that could make the bravest men tremble.
"Ha ha ha ha ha…"
"Hmm… impressive. You two managed to notice me this quickly.
Well, I expected nothing less from the blood of the Agnivansh."
"Though, I didn't expect a boy from the Raktvansh to be with you.
All the better—it will be far more satisfying to end both of you together."
And once again, that terrifying laugh echoed—
"Ha ha ha ha ha…"
Then, in a slow, sinister tone he added—
"And when your clan finds your dead body, that will be an even more interesting sight. To see how their successor… the boy who hadn't even lasted a single day in the race for succession… was already lying dead."
With those words, the shadow slowly stepped out from the corner of darkness.
Before them stood a man, cloaked head to toe in black. So dark that even under the faint lamplight his face remained hidden. His very presence spread a chilling stillness in the air.
Step by step, he advanced toward Aryan and Rahul, each move deliberate, calculated—until he stopped about fifteen feet away.
Yet Aryan's face showed no reaction.
Rahul, on the other hand, had clear tension written across his face, unease flickering in his eyes.
Then Aryan's cold, commanding voice cut through the silence—
"Now that you've come out, tell your partner to step out as well."
His eyes shifted upward, locking onto the rooftop of a nearby building—as if he could see through every hidden corner.
---
A few seconds later, the faint rustle of movement filled the air.
Footsteps approached, steady and deliberate.
The man in black gave a small, chilling laugh as his companion joined him. His steps carried a sense of control, as though the situation was entirely in his hands.
And then—when he finally stepped into the circle of light—his expression shifted.
A faint smirk spread across his lips as he glanced at his partner, before turning sharply toward Aryan and Rahul.
"Interesting… very interesting," the cloaked man muttered.
"I thought Agnivansh had lost its old strength. But it seems I was wrong.
It's just unfortunate… that tonight will be the last breath either of you ever take."
With that, he gave his partner a signal, and both suddenly lunged toward Aryan.
Rahul immediately shouted—
"Aryan! Watch out!"
Instead of retreating, he too charged forward.
The alley instantly turned into a battlefield—steel flashing, daggers clashing, every strike filled with deadly precision.
Aryan's movements were calm, confident—every strike blocked with flawless ease.
Rahul, though nervous, fought with everything he had, as if he had sworn not to back down no matter what.
---
The narrow alley became a warzone.
The masked men weren't just attacking randomly—every move they made carried the speed and precision of martial arts.
For a brief second, Aryan's eyes flickered toward Rahul, who was barely holding his ground against one of them.
That momentary distraction was enough.
The second masked man lunged, dagger aimed straight for Aryan's neck.
At the very last instant, Aryan bent down, narrowly dodging the fatal strike.
The blade sliced through the air right next to his face—
a fraction slower and his throat would have been slit open.
Seeing his attack miss, the man laughed cruelly—
"Ha ha ha… how long do you think you can keep dodging me, boy?
Your death is inevitable tonight!"
With that, he lunged again, this time aiming for Aryan's chest.
The dagger glinted in the lamplight, racing toward Aryan's heart.
Aryan tried to avoid it, but couldn't completely.
The blade slashed across his arm, carving a deep wound that instantly bled through his sleeve.
For a moment, his heartbeat quickened.
"Damn… I'm not the same as before. Back when I was in the Mafia, my body was strong… but after being reborn in this new life, my body is still weak. I'll need to train hard, harder than ever, if I want to regain my strength."
Clenching his fists, Aryan took a deep breath.
"But first… this masked fool needs to be dealt with."
Dodging and countering every move, Aryan bided his time, waiting for the right moment.
And finally—it came.
The man lunged again, dagger aimed at Aryan's neck.
But this time Aryan ducked swiftly and countered with a devastating kick, striking him square in the chest.
The force of the blow sent him flying into the wall, his dagger slipping from his hand.
Aryan seized the opening, pouncing like a lion on its prey, unleashing a furious barrage of punches and kicks.
Each strike landed with brutal precision, his fists fueled by sheer determination.
Pain and shock flickered in the masked man's eyes, but Aryan didn't relent.
Punch after punch rained down until the man finally collapsed, unconscious.
---
Meanwhile, Rahul was barely holding out against the other masked fighter.
He was on the defensive, struggling just to avoid getting cut.
Seeing this, Aryan's expression hardened.
Leaving the unconscious man behind, he charged straight toward Rahul's opponent—
and with a powerful kick to the ribs, sent him crashing to the ground.
The masked man scrambled up, glancing at the unconscious body of his comrade nearby.
Shock and fury twisted across his face.
Through clenched teeth, he snarled—
"I didn't expect you to be this skilled… to face us unarmed and still stand tall. But hurting my man—you'll pay for this. Remember, you're only guests here for a little while. Until we return… enjoy your fragile peace."
With that, he hoisted his unconscious partner onto his shoulder and vanished into the darkness in the blink of an eye.
Aryan and Rahul only stood there, watching him disappear.
They didn't try to stop him.
Because Aryan already knew—
even if the two of them had fought together, they still wouldn't have been able to defeat him.
---
So what happens next?
Who exactly were those two masked men?
Why did they try to kill Aryan and Rahul?
And why did they keep calling them the heirs of Agnivansh and Raktvansh?
To uncover the answers to these questions…
read the upcoming chapters of
The King of Shadows