The underground garage had turned into a battlefield.
Smoke hung thick in the air.
Broken concrete.
Shattered glass.
And the bodies of men who had already lost the fight.
In the center of it all stood two men.
Adrian Valentino.
And Elias.
Two rulers of the underworld.
Two men whose names alone could make powerful empires tremble.
Elias looked around the garage calmly, almost amused by the destruction.
Then his eyes returned to Adrian.
"You built quite the fortress."
Adrian didn't lower his gun.
"And you walked into it."
Elias smirked slightly.
"That was the point."
Luca leaned closer to Elara and whispered quietly.
"Why do villains always talk like they're in a movie?"
Elara elbowed him.
"Not now."
Across the room, Elias slowly removed his black gloves.
His movements were calm.
Too calm.
"You know," he said thoughtfully, "I expected more resistance."
He gestured toward the fallen attackers.
"These men were just the introduction."
Luca blinked.
"…Introduction?"
Adrian's eyes narrowed.
"What game are you playing?"
Elias looked genuinely surprised.
"Game?"
Then he chuckled.
"No, Adrian."
"This is strategy."
Adrian stepped forward slightly.
"You brought fifty men just to talk?"
Elias tilted his head.
"No."
"I brought fifty men to see something."
Elara spoke for the first time.
"To see what?"
Elias looked at her.
Then back at Adrian.
"To see if the rumors were true."
"Which rumors?"
Elias smiled faintly.
"That Ares is gone."
The name echoed again in the garage.
Ares.
A ghost from Adrian's past.
Luca crossed his arms.
"Well… clearly he's not."
Elias slowly nodded.
"Yes."
"That's what I'm starting to realize."
Suddenly—
A loud metallic noise echoed from the tunnel behind Elias.
Adrian's eyes shifted slightly.
More footsteps.
Heavy ones.
Dozens of them.
Luca whispered.
"…You've got to be kidding me."
More armed men stepped out of the tunnel.
Different uniforms.
Different weapons.
These ones were heavily equipped.
Military-grade gear.
Elara's voice hardened.
"How many did you bring?"
Elias answered casually.
"Enough."
Adrian finally lowered his gun slightly.
But his expression didn't relax.
"You didn't come for a conversation."
Elias shook his head.
"No."
"I came for confirmation."
He spread his arms slowly.
"And I got it."
Adrian's voice turned colder.
"Meaning?"
Elias' eyes sharpened.
"Ares is still alive."
A long silence filled the garage.
Then Elias added quietly—
"And that means the real war can finally begin."
Luca groaned.
"Oh fantastic."
"Just what we needed."
Elara glanced at Adrian.
He hadn't moved.
But something about him had changed again.
He looked calmer.
More focused.
Like a predator that had accepted the hunt.
Elias studied him carefully.
"You're not surprised."
Adrian's voice was steady.
"I knew someone like you would show up eventually."
"Oh?"
Elias raised an eyebrow.
"And why is that?"
Adrian looked straight into his eyes.
"Because power always attracts challengers."
Elias laughed softly.
"That's true."
Then his tone darkened.
"But this isn't a challenge."
He pointed toward the tunnel behind him.
"This is the beginning of your downfall."
Luca whispered to Elara.
"He's really dramatic."
Elara ignored him.
Her attention stayed on Adrian.
She knew that look.
He was calculating something.
Adrian stepped forward slowly.
The garage lights flickered above them.
"You made a mistake."
Elias tilted his head.
"Did I?"
"Yes."
Adrian pointed toward the tunnel.
"You walked into my territory."
Elias smiled again.
"And you walked into my plan."
Adrian paused.
Elias continued.
"You see… this wasn't about destroying your estate."
"It wasn't even about killing you."
"Then what?"
Elias looked directly at him.
"I needed to bring Ares out of hiding."
A quiet tension spread through the room.
Adrian said nothing.
Elias took another step closer.
"You've been playing the role of Adrian Valentino for years."
"The civilized king."
"The respectable businessman."
"But that was never the real you."
His voice lowered.
"The real you is the man who ruled the underworld through fear."
Elara felt a chill.
Elias wasn't guessing.
He knew.
Elias looked at Adrian almost curiously.
"So tell me something."
Adrian remained silent.
Elias asked the question slowly.
"Why did Ares disappear?"
Luca muttered quietly.
"Oh boy."
Adrian's jaw tightened slightly.
But he didn't answer.
Elias continued.
"You destroyed every rival."
"You built an empire no one could challenge."
"And then suddenly…"
He snapped his fingers.
"…Ares vanished."
His gaze drifted toward Elara briefly.
"Until recently."
Adrian's voice cut through the air.
"Stop talking."
Elias chuckled.
"Why?"
"Does the truth make you uncomfortable?"
Adrian raised his gun again.
This time directly at Elias.
The guards around Elias immediately raised their weapons.
But Elias lifted his hand slightly.
They froze.
"Relax."
He looked back at Adrian calmly.
"You won't shoot."
Adrian didn't blink.
"Test that theory."
Elias studied him for a moment.
Then something surprising happened.
He laughed.
Not mockingly.
But with genuine excitement.
"Good."
"Very good."
Adrian's finger rested on the trigger.
Elias spread his arms again.
"You see, Adrian…"
"I didn't come here tonight to win."
Elara frowned.
"…What?"
Elias' eyes gleamed.
"I came here to start something bigger."
Adrian's voice dropped dangerously low.
"You've already started a war."
Elias nodded.
"Yes."
"But not the one you think."
He slowly began walking backward toward the tunnel.
His men adjusted positions carefully.
Preparing to retreat.
Luca blinked.
"…Wait."
"They're leaving?"
Elias stopped at the tunnel entrance.
Then looked back one last time.
"Tonight was just the announcement."
Adrian's voice echoed across the garage.
"Announcement of what?"
Elias smiled faintly.
"Of your return."
Silence filled the garage again.
Then Elias spoke his final words.
"Welcome back to the underworld, Ares."
With that—
He turned and disappeared into the tunnel.
His men followed immediately.
Within seconds, they were gone.
The garage fell quiet again.
Only the distant sound of alarms remained.
Luca slowly lowered his weapon.
"…Did we just get invited to a war?"
Elara exhaled slowly.
"Yes."
Her eyes moved toward Adrian.
He hadn't moved.
Still staring at the empty tunnel.
Luca walked over beside him.
"So…"
"Boss."
Adrian finally spoke.
"Prepare the network."
Luca blinked.
"…You're serious?"
"Yes."
"What kind of preparation?"
Adrian's eyes darkened slightly.
"The kind we used ten years ago."
Luca's expression slowly changed.
"Oh."
"…That kind."
Elara stepped closer.
"You're really going to fight him?"
Adrian looked at her.
His voice was quiet but firm.
"I don't have a choice anymore."
"Why?"
Adrian glanced toward the tunnel one last time.
Then he said something that made both of them pause.
"Because Elias isn't the real enemy."
Elara frowned.
"What do you mean?"
Adrian's eyes turned colder than before.
"Someone sent him."
Luca stiffened.
"…Someone worse?"
Adrian nodded slowly.
"Yes."
Then he walked toward the exit stairs.
Leaving them with one final sentence.
"And if they're moving now…"
"…then the entire underworld is about to burn."