CHAPTER 58: 2 YEARS LATER

Chapter 97 – Two Years Later

Two years had passed since Elijah and his gang seized control of the Gangless Zone.

The battle was bloody, but they emerged victorious—transforming the once-scattered group into a rising force known as the Asura Gang, now recognized as an Omega-class ranked gang.

Their victory didn’t go unnoticed. No one dared challenge them, especially after word spread—thanks to Kai—that Elijah had personally killed Xiniz, one of the Vice-Leaders of the infamous Stray Dogs. The message was clear: Asura wasn’t to be underestimated.

In the first year, a few skirmishes broke out between the Asura Gang and the Stray Dogs, but nothing escalated into full-blown war. The Stray Dogs seemed to pull back after realizing what they were really dealing with.

It all came down to a child.

Elijah had discovered that the child they fought to protect possessed mana—a rare gift in Tier-4 cities. A child with the potential to become a Mage. That’s why the Stray Dogs attacked. But even they weren’t foolish enough to risk an all-out war. Surrounded by rival factions, such a move would’ve left them exposed.

And so, after a few dead messengers and some scorched warehouses, the Stray Dogs backed off.

The city settled. Not peacefully, but predictably. The Asura Gang tightened its grip without crushing the people. Order formed in the cracks. Protection rackets became agreements. Chaos became structure.

And then, just when everything seemed steady, Elijah disappeared.

No warning. No fanfare. One day, he was there—watching over the boy, sitting in Kai’s office with his legs on the desk.

Whispers said he’d been killed. Some claimed he went north to join a war band. Others believed the strain of leadership had finally snapped him in two.

But the truth?

He went home.

Or what little of it still existed. A crumbling farmhouse beyond the city’s smogline, tucked behind trees and rusted fences. His grandmother’s home. The one woman who never asked him to be strong, never demanded blood from his hands. He went there not to rest—but to search. For answers. For roots..

He stayed for nearly a year and a half. Long enough for the gang to grow restless. Long enough for the rumors to fester.

But he left the city in capable hands.

Kai—the strategist, the shadow, the whisper in the walls—took control. A man who never smiled unless it was planned. He didn’t just maintain order—he refined it. Expanded operations. Built alliances. Quietly dismantled traitors.

To the outside world, it looked like Kai had become the new leader.

And most of the lower-ranked members believed just that.

But the core leadership knew better.

When Elijah returned, this city would be his.

South District – Asura Gang Base

On the top floor of Asura’s headquarters, Kai leaned back in his chair, papers scattered across the desk in front of him. Now 19, he looked sharper—mature beyond his age. His brown hair fell neatly around his face, and his deep blue eyes carried a calm, deadly confidence. His physique had filled out, solid and athletic.

He had reached the Advanced Knight Stage, with his elemental core reaching Tier 1. All the Vice-Leaders had made similar progress. But Kai remained the brain behind the operation.

"We’ve come a long way," he muttered to himself, fingers tapping on the edge of the desk. "From nothing to pulling in nearly $100,000 a month. We’re finally catching up to the Alpha Gangs in revenue..."

He paused, looking over the expense breakdown. "...but with more men to feed, payments to the NCE

, and city taxes rising since we hit Tier-3 status... profits are tighter than I’d like."

The NCE—National Criminal Elimination—had moved in right after the city was upgraded to Tier 3. As long as they got their cut, they turned a blind eye to most gang operations. But crossing them was like picking a fight with a military or A gang that controls a Tier 2 City. And that was a fight Kai couldn’t afford—yet.

"The real problem," he sighed, "is stagnation. We’re barely taking home $5,000 to $10,000 each a month. If we want more... do we start selling drugs?"

He frowned, weighing the risk.

"If we partner with the NCE, we could funnel it discreetly. Government won’t care... but they’ll want their share. Barely worth it. No wonder most gangs avoid it."

Kai’s mind drifted to one potential link inside the NCE: Kim’s father who is the Mayor—a man with power, and the only person he knew with enough influence to grease those wheels.

But there was a problem.

"Without Elijah, I can’t move on this. I won’t lie to or use that girl... not her. Elijah would lose it."

Frustration settled over him. The money wasn’t enough to fund further growth or upgrades to their arsenal. But growing stronger meant stepping on other gangs’ toes, inviting conflict. Conflict Kai wanted to avoid—at least until Elijah returned.

Thankfully, that return was imminent.

He leaned back, closing his eyes with a soft smile.

"Good thing he’s coming back tomorrow."

Just then, his phone rang. He snatched it up and answered.

"Yo," he said.

"Little bro, we’ve got a situation," came the voice of Jack, his older brother, recently released from prison.

Kai’s jaw tightened. "What happened?"

"The Raven Gang. We raced them today. Won, obviously. Took their cars and all their stuff. The deal was winner takes everything. But uh... there was a lot of cocaine in the trunks. Way more than expected. What should we do?"

A ping came through—Jack had sent a picture.

Kai cursed under his breath as he stared at the stash. "Damn it, are you trying to start a gang war?"

Jack chuckled. "Relax, we won fair and square. That was the deal."

"Fair or not, this is too much heat. Move the product, but keep it low. Use our guys. No outsiders. We cannot afford the Alpha Gangs or the NCE breathing down our necks."

"And the Raven Gang?"

"They don’t matter. We beat them. Let me handle the aftermath."

Jack laughed. "Wow, I expected you to tell me to give it all back. Play nice."

Kai smirked. "Why would we? Elijah’s returning. With him here, we don’t run from danger. We face it head-on."

Jack’s tone changed. "Wait—you serious? I finally get to meet him?"

"Yeah. He’ll be here tomorrow."

"Good. Oh, by the way... about the shipment," Jack said, his voice dipping.

Kai narrowed his eyes. "What about it?"

"We got the wrong cart," Jack admitted, sounding nervous.

Kai sat up. "What the hell did you do?"

Jack hesitated. "It’s better if you see it for yourself."

There was a beat of silence before he added, "You might actually kill me for this one."