The night after Ryuga's fall, the city seemed to breathe differently. Neon lights flickered with unease, and every alley carried whispers of the wolves.
Some whispered their names with awe. Others, with venom. But everyone knew:
The balance was broken.
In the heart of the old marketplace, a gathering erupted. Rival gangs, scavengers, and opportunists packed into the square. Their faces twisted with hunger—not just for blood, but for power.
On a rooftop above them, Luv stood with Ayu at his side. His shirt was still stained with dried blood, his fists bandaged but trembling with restrained power. Ayu's blades hung at her hips, her eyes scanning the crowd like a hawk.
The murmurs below turned into a roar when they saw the wolves.
"That's them!"
"They killed Ryuga!"
"Two nobodies who dared touch the throne!"
A gang leader stepped forward, his tattoos crawling up his neck like snakes. He shouted, voice cracking through the mob:
"You think you can rule this city because you got lucky once? Ryuga was a king. You're just pups pretending to howl."
The crowd jeered, spitting insults and challenges. Some even laughed, thinking the wolves were on borrowed time.
Ayu's hand twitched toward her blades, but Luv raised a hand, stopping her.
He stepped forward, the rooftop lights casting his shadow long and sharp over the crowd. His voice was quiet at first—but carried like thunder.
"We didn't kill Ryuga to sit on his throne."
He paused, his eyes cutting through the crowd.
"We killed him because no one—no dragon, no king—will ever chain us again."
The mob fell into an uneasy silence.
Ayu's voice sliced through it, cold and certain:
"And if anyone thinks we're weak… come test us. The wolves don't bark. We bite."
The challenge hung in the air like a blade.
Suddenly, a bottle smashed against the wall near them. Then, from the shadows of the square, a rival gang charged forward—chains rattling, knives glinting, eyes wild with greed.
The first test had begun.
Luv cracked his knuckles, stepping down from the rooftop, his bandages unraveling as he prepared to meet them head-on. Ayu leapt down beside him, her blades already drawn.
Their howls—silent, feral, unshakable—echoed in the hearts of all who watched.
The wolves weren't here to ask for recognition.
They would carve it into the city with blood.