The city no longer whispered about the Wolves. It screamed their name.
Merchants cursed them for burned warehouses. Mothers prayed their children wouldn't vanish into the crossfire. Gangsters, drunk on fear and rage, slammed mugs onto tavern tables and swore vengeance.
But fear alone wasn't enough. The gangs were bleeding, one by one, eaten alive in silence. If something wasn't done, the Wolves would carve the underworld to pieces.
Inside a grand hall lit by chandeliers stolen from nobles, the Council of Blood gathered. Ten bosses, each ruling their own corner of the city, their armies stretched across ports, markets, gambling dens, and brothels.
At the head sat Moraku, his eyes cold and heavy as iron. His scarred face twitched with rage every time the Wolves' names were spoken.
"They burned the poisoners," he spat, his fist cracking the table. "They slaughtered my men in the streets. They've humiliated us, over and over. And still you sit here, fat and useless, counting your coin?"
A ripple of unease spread through the council. One boss leaned forward, tattoos crawling up his neck like snakes. "You speak as though we are cowards, Moraku. But your men were the first to fall."
"Because I faced them head-on!" Moraku roared. His hand snapped out, slamming a dagger through the man's palm, pinning it to the table. The boss screamed, but Moraku's glare silenced the rest.
"No more excuses. No more waiting. Tonight, we unite. Not ten gangs. Not rivals. One army."
And so it was decided.
The docks, the alleys, the gambling dens—every stronghold emptied its soldiers. Knives, guns, chains, flamethrowers—the gangs poured everything into one cause: the Wolves' extermination.
It was no longer a hunt.
It was war.
⚔️
Ayu and Luv watched from the rooftops as wave after wave of soldiers marched through the streets. Hundreds. Then thousands. Torches lit the night like a festival of blood.
"They're uniting," Ayu whispered, her jaw tight. "All of them. Against us."
Luv's eyes followed the marching lines, his expression unreadable. "Good."
She glanced at him sharply. "Good?"
He finally looked at her, his black eyes reflecting fire. "Because now we don't have to search for them. They're coming to us."
That night, the Wolves prepared.
Ayu sharpened every blade until sparks danced in the dark. Luv loaded his pistols, cleaned his knives, checked every bullet, every strap, every pouch. Their safehouse filled with the scent of oil and steel.
When Ayu finally paused, she looked at him. "If they're bringing the whole city… do we even stand a chance?"
Luv didn't answer immediately. Instead, he walked to the window, staring at the sea of torches flickering in the distance. When he finally spoke, his voice was low and steady:
"We don't need to fight them all. We just need to cut off the head. The rest will scatter like rats."
Ayu's lips curved into a sharp, dangerous smile. "Then let's go hunting."
Far above, the cloaked watcher stood on a spire, gazing down at the brewing war. His voice was a whisper swallowed by the wind:
"Finally. The storm takes shape."