Dimas made his move. The underground organization that had long lurked in the shadows was now in motion. Not to negotiate. They came to abduct.
Their targets were clear: Jora, Noah, Reno, and Mira.
Jora walked home with calm steps. But that calm shattered when a group of masked men blocked his path in a narrow alley. His eyes narrowed, his body tensed. He knew… this wasn't a robbery. This was war.
Elsewhere, Noah was on his way home when his car was suddenly surrounded. Fists slammed against the windows, shouts demanded he get out. He stepped out with his driver—a quiet old man who had once served as an elite soldier. "Prepare yourself," the driver whispered. Noah nodded. He knew this wasn't just a threat.
Reno and Mira were attacked too. Reno fought back, throwing kicks and punches, but the number of enemies was overwhelming. Mira screamed, trying to help, but her body was dragged away. From a distance, Arif and Rina saw the chaos. They ran to help. Arif threw a punch, but was immediately knocked down by a blow to the stomach. Rina screamed, but her voice was swallowed by the chaos. The four of them were taken.
But Jora… Jora wasn't a victim. He was the storm. Bodies lay scattered around him. His breath was heavy, his eyes sharp.
"Who are you?" he muttered. "Why are you attacking me?"
Noah had also won. His driver moved like a shadow, silently taking down enemies. "This isn't random," Noah said. "This is personal."
In an abandoned building, Reno, Mira, Arif, and Rina were tied up. Surrounded by dozens of large men. A dim light swung from the ceiling, casting eerie shadows. From the darkness, Dimas emerged. His face no longer that of a friend. It was the face of someone who had lost himself.
"You're all caught," he said coldly.
Reno shouted, "Dim, this is insane! Let us go!"
A punch landed on Reno's face. Blood trickled down. Dimas stared at him with eyes full of hatred.
"You think I didn't know who leaked my plan? I'm being threatened. Bang Ryo will destroy me if his identity gets exposed. And it's all… because of you."
Reno tried to reason with him. "You've gone too far. Don't let your ego and emotions control you."
Dimas laughed bitterly. "Ego? Emotion? That's all I have left. I've lost everything. Fame. Respect. The fear people once had for me. Now I'm just a shadow of who I used to be. And it's all… because of Jora."
Arif interrupted, "Jora never hurt you. He's a good person. Why do you want to destroy him?"
Dimas stepped closer, grabbing Arif's chin. "He took everything from me. My fame. My pride. People who used to bow now mock me. I have to erase him."
Suddenly, footsteps echoed from the hallway. Dimas smirked. "Finally… he's here."
Jora and Noah's footsteps rang through the dark corridor. The dim light reflected off cracked concrete. In front of them, dozens of underground fighters formed a line. Their eyes sharp, their bodies ready.
Dimas stood in the center, a sinister smile on his face. "You made it," he said. "But this place… will be your grave."
Before he could finish, Jora dashed forward. A powerful punch landed on Dimas's face, sending him staggering. Noah moved simultaneously, kicking one of the men beside Dimas into the wall.
"Attack them!" Dimas roared.
Like waves crashing against rocks, the fighters surged toward Jora and Noah. But they weren't rocks. They were the storm.
The Battle Begins
Jora spun, delivering a roundhouse kick to two opponents at once. His strike hit jaw and chest, dropping both instantly. He turned, dodged a punch from behind, then swept the legs of another with a low, swift motion. The man crashed to the floor.
Noah moved like a shadow. He blocked a punch, then jabbed his opponent's face. Blood burst from the man's nose. Noah jumped back, then slammed an elbow into the next attacker's temple. A loud crack echoed as the man's head hit a steel beam.
"They're not human…" one of the fighters whispered.
Jora leapt into the air, spun, and kicked toward three enemies. One was hit directly, the other two stumbled back in fear. He landed on one knee, then launched forward again like an arrow.
Noah grabbed an attacker and hurled him into two others. Their bodies collided and collapsed. He turned, blocked a strike from behind with his elbow, then drove his knee into another's stomach. A sickening crunch followed.
Dimas watched in horror, eyes wide. "Why… why are they this strong?" he muttered. His clenched fists began to shake. He stepped back. Once. Twice. Three times.
"This… this can't be. They already fought earlier. They should be exhausted!"
But Jora and Noah only grew faster. More ferocious.
Jora blocked attacks from four directions. He spun, jumped, and delivered an axe kick toward an enemy's head. A massive man caught the kick with his arm. But Jora didn't stop. He pushed back, then slammed a palm strike into the man's chest. The giant staggered.
Noah faced five opponents. He blocked, struck, dodged, and dismantled them one by one. His movements were like a deadly dance. Every step brought destruction.
Bodies Fall
In less than five minutes, over twenty men were down. Some unconscious. Some groaning in pain. Some crawling away from the battlefield.
Jora stood in the center of the room, breathing heavily. Blood dripped from his temple, but his eyes remained sharp. Noah stood beside him, his body bruised, but his face calm.
Dimas was frozen. He couldn't speak. He couldn't move. He… had lost.
Jora dashed toward him. His fist raised. But just before it struck, he stopped. Inches from Dimas's face.
Dimas didn't react. But blood began to drip from his nose. Not from the punch—but from pressure. From fear. From the mental shock he couldn't withstand.
He dropped to his knees. His body trembled. His eyes were empty.
"I… lost," he whispered. "I… am broken."
Jora knelt before Arif and Rina, his hands trembling as he untied the ropes cutting into their wrists. His face was battered, but his gaze remained fierce.
"Are you two okay?" he asked, voice hoarse, nearly drowned by the silence.
Arif nodded slowly. "We're fine… Are you hurt?"
Jora looked at his bloodied hands, then turned away. "A little. But you're safe. That's what matters."
Reno and Mira approached, guilt etched on their faces.
"We… we leaked Dimas's plan," Reno admitted. "We didn't want him to become a monster. We thought… if the world knew, he'd stop."
Jora stared at them for a moment, then nodded. "Thank you."
But before the tension could ease, Noah stepped forward. His expression serious, his tone cold.
"This isn't over," he said. "Bang Ryo won't stay quiet."
Jora turned to him. "Bang Ryo?"
Noah nodded. "He rules this city. He's crushed countless gangs—big and small. He's not just strong… he's ruthless. We need to be ready."
Jora looked deep into Noah's eyes. "Is your offer still open?"
Noah gave a faint smile. "Request accepted."
Reno and Mira immediately volunteered. "We'll help. We need to make things right."
Arif and Rina stepped forward too. "We want to help," Rina said, her voice full of hope.
But Jora's eyes turned cold. Sharper than any blade.
"You'll only slow us down," he said firmly. "Your bodies are too weak."
Rina froze. Arif lowered his head. The words hit like a hammer to the chest.
Jora turned and walked away. His steps heavy, but unwavering. He didn't look back. He didn't explain. He just… left.
Rina stood still. "I just wanted to help," she whispered.
Arif stared at the floor. "Jora's right. We'd only be a burden."
But Rina grabbed his hand. "No. He said that because he's scared. He doesn't want to lose us. He's… afraid."
Arif looked at her—and for the first time, saw the fire in her eyes.
"I promise," Rina said, her voice trembling but resolute. "When Jora's in danger, I'll stand beside him. No matter what. Even if my body is weak… my heart won't falter."
They returned home. The police had taken care of the criminals. The old building now stood silent, holding wounds and grudges that hadn't healed.
At home, Jora sat quietly in his room. A dim light cast shadows on his bruised face. His eyes stared blankly out the window. Rain began to fall… soft, like tears he couldn't shed.
He remembered Rina's face. Arif's. Dimas's. Memories played in his mind like a