Valeria Island.
Once known as peaceful… quiet… and full of hope.
But that was long ago.
In the 1990s, everything began to change.
People started arriving from all over the world—not as tourists, not as legal citizens.
But as illegal immigrants.
From Europe.
From Mexico.
From Asia.
And from places no one even dared to name.
They all came with the same purpose:
To survive.
But survival in Valeria was never easy.
No identity.
No stable jobs.
No protection from the law.
You either adapted…
—or you disappeared.
Amid that chaos, three names began to rise.
Three individuals who were once no different from the rest.
But fate had other plans.
Shade.
A young man born in Valeria. Only 18 years old at the time.
He started a small garage business. Simple on the outside.
But behind those metal doors…
Stolen cars.
Illegal parts.
And a growing underground operation.
Mateo.
A man from Mexico.
With a friendly smile, he built a modest restaurant near the city.
Good food. Cheap prices.
But behind the kitchen…
Gambling.
Prostitution.
And dirty money flowing endlessly.
Ciro.
An Italian.
He chose a different path.
Transportation.
He ran a small taxi business.
But hidden within his network…
Illegal smuggling.
Human trafficking.
And countless unseen crimes.
Three men.
Three businesses.
Three shadows.
And one thing in common:
Ambition.
In 1993…
Fate brought them together.
At first, it was nothing special.
A meeting.
A deal.
A simple collaboration.
But that moment…
Changed everything.
"I can handle distribution," Ciro said casually.
"I've got the place," Mateo added with a faint smile.
Shade remained silent.
His sharp eyes scanning both of them.
"…Then let's merge."
That night…
An organization was born.
SMC.
Taken from their names:
Shade. Mateo. Ciro.
What started as cooperation…
Quickly evolved into something much bigger.
Years passed.
From 1993 to 2000…
SMC was no longer just an organization.
They became the shadow rulers of Valeria Island.
They controlled businesses.
Legal… and illegal.
They bribed politicians.
Manipulated laws.
Controlled the economy.
And slowly…
Took over the entire island.
People began calling them by a single title:
The Three Kings.
But power…
Always comes with a price.
Greed.
By 2002…
They had everything.
Money.
Power.
Influence.
But it still wasn't enough.
One day…
They received information.
About an abandoned island.
No inhabitants.
Ignored by the government.
Yet…
Rich in resources.
Minerals.
Medicinal plants.
Wildlife.
Untapped potential.
Its name…
Lerin Island.
The room fell silent.
Heavy.
Tense.
"We can build a new empire there," Mateo said.
"Control everything."
"An empire?" Ciro chuckled.
"I'd turn it into a paradise. Casinos. Money. Power."
Shade stared at both of them.
His gaze cold.
"That island… could become a place for those who have nowhere to go."
Silence.
Not peace.
But the beginning of something far worse.
Differences surfaced.
Ideologies clashed.
Ambitions grew.
And trust…
Started to break.
"I built most of this!"
"You're nothing without me!"
"This organization exists because of me!"
Voices rose.
Egos clashed.
And that night…
"There" was no longer a "we."
In 2004…
Everything collapsed.
What was meant to be a meeting…
Turned into chaos.
Trusted subordinates were kidnapped.
Weapons were drawn.
And then—
The first shot was fired.
"This is the end of SMC."
And it truly was.
That night…
SMC fell apart.
From its ashes…
Three new powers emerged.
Black La Valeria — led by Shade.
La Sarpiento Cartel — led by Mateo.
Sun Diablos Motorcycle Club — led by Ciro.
Alliance turned into war.
Brotherhood turned into hatred.
And Valeria Island…
Would never be the same again.
This is not the end.
This is the beginning of war.
[To Be Continued...]