The underground garage slowly returned to silence.
Smoke drifted through the air.
Emergency lights flickered across broken concrete and shattered vehicles. The scent of gunpowder still lingered like a warning.
But the real tension hadn't left with Elias.
It stayed.
Heavy.
Unspoken.
Adrian walked toward the staircase leading back to the mansion's main floor. His steps were steady, but his mind was already ten moves ahead.
Behind him, Luca and Elara followed.
Neither of them spoke for several seconds.
Finally, Luca broke the silence.
"So… let me get this straight."
He gestured back toward the tunnel.
"An enemy army invades the mansion, their leader gives a villain speech, then casually walks away after declaring war."
He shook his head.
"I hate when people leave dramatic cliffhangers."
Elara ignored the joke.
Her eyes were fixed on Adrian.
"You said Elias isn't the real enemy."
Adrian stopped at the staircase landing.
For a moment he didn't answer.
Then he spoke quietly.
"Because he isn't."
Luca frowned.
"Then who is?"
Adrian slowly turned toward them.
His eyes looked colder now.
Older.
Like memories were resurfacing that he had buried long ago.
"There are people in the underworld who don't appear in public."
Elara crossed her arms.
"Meaning?"
"They don't run territories."
"They don't run businesses."
"They run the people who run everything."
Luca blinked.
"…You mean the puppet masters."
Adrian nodded once.
"Yes."
Elara asked carefully,
"And Elias works for them?"
Adrian hesitated.
"That's what worries me."
Luca scratched his head.
"I'm confused."
"If these mystery bosses are so powerful… why send Elias?"
Adrian answered immediately.
"To test me."
Elara understood instantly.
"They wanted to see if Ares was still alive."
Adrian looked at her.
"Exactly."
Silence settled again.
The realization was worse than the attack itself.
Someone bigger had just confirmed Adrian's return to power.
And that meant—
More enemies would come.
Luca sighed.
"Well… fantastic."
"Nothing like announcing our location to the entire criminal world."
Adrian turned and continued up the stairs.
"Which is why we move first."
Elara followed.
"Move where?"
Adrian didn't slow down.
"Everywhere."
They reached the main hall of the mansion.
Security teams were already rushing through the building.
Some were tending to injured guards.
Others were checking surveillance feeds.
Marco approached them quickly.
"Boss."
"How bad is it?"
Adrian answered calmly.
"Damage?"
Marco nodded.
"The west tunnel is destroyed."
"Garage took heavy hits."
"But the attackers are gone."
Adrian asked,
"Casualties?"
Marco's face darkened.
"Six injured."
"Two critical."
Adrian's expression hardened slightly.
"Make sure they get the best treatment."
Marco nodded.
"Yes boss."
Luca leaned against the wall.
"So what's the plan now?"
Adrian looked at him.
"We wake up the old network."
Luca straightened immediately.
"You're serious."
Adrian nodded.
"I should've done it the moment Elias appeared."
Elara frowned.
"What network?"
Luca let out a long breath.
"Oh boy."
He looked at her.
"You're about to learn why the underworld fears the name Ares."
Adrian walked toward the security command room.
The massive digital screen inside displayed multiple surveillance feeds.
Cities.
Ports.
Warehouses.
Safehouses.
Contacts.
All connected.
Adrian stopped in front of the system.
"Luca."
"Yeah?"
"Call them."
Luca hesitated for a moment.
Then nodded.
"…Alright."
He moved to the communication console.
His fingers hovered above the keyboard.
Elara noticed something strange.
He looked nervous.
"Why do you look like you're about to summon demons?"
Luca muttered,
"Because I basically am."
He pressed the first button.
A secure call signal spread across multiple encrypted channels.
Within seconds—
The screen lit up.
One by one.
New video connections appeared.
First screen.
A woman in a dimly lit office.
Silver hair.
Sharp eyes.
She studied Adrian calmly.
"Well…"
Her voice was smooth.
"That's a call I haven't received in ten years."
Second screen.
A tall man standing on the deck of a cargo ship.
The ocean behind him.
He smirked.
"I was wondering when the ghost would come back."
Third screen.
A man sitting in a luxury casino office.
Cards spread across the table.
He laughed quietly.
"Ares finally woke up."
More screens activated.
Five.
Six.
Seven.
Powerful figures from different parts of the underworld.
Leaders.
Smugglers.
Strategists.
Assassins.
All people who once followed Ares.
Elara slowly realized something.
These weren't just allies.
They were commanders.
Adrian's old war council.
The silver-haired woman spoke first.
"So."
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"Who forced you to come out of hiding?"
Adrian answered calmly.
"Elias."
The room fell quiet.
The man on the ship spoke next.
"…Elias Dorne?"
"Yes."
The casino owner leaned back in his chair.
"Well that explains the sudden chaos in the eastern markets."
Elara glanced at Adrian.
"You never told me you had an army."
Adrian didn't look at her.
"They're not an army."
Luca grinned slightly.
"They're worse."
The silver-haired woman crossed her arms.
"What's the situation?"
Adrian spoke clearly.
"Someone above Elias is moving."
Every screen became serious.
The man on the ship asked,
"Do you know who?"
"No."
"But they're testing the waters."
The casino owner nodded slowly.
"Which means the old war is coming back."
Adrian's voice was steady.
"Yes."
A long pause followed.
Then the silver-haired woman sighed softly.
"I was hoping retirement would last longer."
The man on the ship laughed.
"Well… looks like the king called us back."
Elara whispered to Luca.
"Who are these people exactly?"
Luca replied quietly.
"They're the reason Adrian became king in the first place."
The silver-haired woman leaned closer to the screen.
"What do you need from us, Ares?"
Adrian's answer came without hesitation.
"Everything."
Silence filled the command room.
Then one by one—
The figures on the screens began nodding.
The casino owner spoke first.
"My ports are yours again."
The man on the ship grinned.
"I'll lock down the sea routes."
Another voice joined.
"I'll activate the information network."
The silver-haired woman finished calmly.
"And I'll start hunting Elias."
Adrian nodded once.
"Good."
The tension in the room slowly turned into something else.
Preparation.
War preparation.
Elara looked at Adrian carefully.
"You knew they'd come."
Adrian finally looked at her.
"They always do."
Luca stretched his arms.
"Well… guess the gang is back together."
But Adrian wasn't smiling.
His eyes stayed focused on the screens.
Because something still bothered him.
The silver-haired woman noticed.
"You're thinking about something else."
Adrian spoke quietly.
"Yes."
"What?"
He stared at the digital map.
Then said the words slowly.
"If someone powerful enough to control Elias is moving…"
"…then this war won't stay in the shadows."
The casino owner raised an eyebrow.
"You think they want open war?"
Adrian nodded.
"Yes."
The room went silent again.
Because everyone understood what that meant.
The underworld wasn't the only thing at risk.
Cities.
Governments.
Power structures.
Everything could be pulled into the chaos.
Elara felt a chill.
"How big is this going to get?"
Adrian answered quietly.
"Bigger than the last war."
Then his eyes hardened.
"And this time…"
"…we might not be the only ones fighting."