Meanwhile, in an undisclosed location, a heavy steel door slid open.
The room inside was swallowed by shadows, save for the faint silhouettes of a few men seated around a massive table. A new figure stepped into the gloom. He wore a crisp, tailored suit, but it was his face that commanded attention: he wore a featureless white mask, his eyes glowing a stark, unnatural red. He was entirely alone.
"Welcome, Mr. Jacob, Leader of the Shadow Syndicate," said a man seated at the head of the table. A few armed guards stood motionless behind his chair. Unlike the others shrouded in darkness, this man wore a stark, pure white suit. His face was covered in darkness.
Jacob glanced at the single empty chair at the table.
The man in while turned his gaze to his men. "Where is the leader of Eclipse?"
"Boss, the leader of Eclipse rejected our invitation," a subordinate at the man's right whispered quickly.
"Please, have a seat," the man in the white suit smoothly intervened, gesturing to the table. "Now that we are all here, we can begin."
One of the shadowed silhouettes leaned forward. "One chair is still empty. Are you certain everyone is here?"
The man in the white suit gave a slow, deliberate nod. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Number One of the Loop. Today, I summoned the leaders of the underworld for a singular purpose. And as for the empty seat—it is irrelevant."
"Just get to the damn point," a heavy, authoritative voice cut through the room. It was Jacob. "Why the hell did you call us here?"
"Do not be impatient, gentlemen. I know you are all busy men," the Loop's leader replied, a thin smile playing on his lips. "But listen to me carefully. I believe he is back."
A tense silence fell over the room.
The Loop's leader continued, "The man who created The Three Pillars has returned. And he intends to cut us out for good."
"So," one murmured, his voice laced with sudden ice. "You brought us here to beg for an alliance to take him down?"
Another silhouette scoffed from the darkness. "Years ago, when we went against him, he beat the hell out of us single-handedly. Have you lost your mind, trying to challenge him again?"
"The current Loop is not what it was back then, and you men have also grown stronger." the leader replied smoothly.
"Perhaps you're right," Jacob said, suddenly standing up. He straightened his tailored jacket. "But I can handle him without your help." Without another word, the leader of the Shadow Syndicate turned on his heel and walked out.
The Loop's leader watched him go, then looked back at the remaining men in the room. "The rest of you are not as powerful as the Shadow Syndicate. Join me, and together, we will eliminate him."
Meanwhile, Ethan, Liam, and Allen had relocated to a secure safehouse. After spending a few quiet days hiding out, the initial tension had finally begun to bleed away.
Allen and Ethan were slumped on the couch, controllers gripped tightly in their hands as they focused on a video game. Liam stepped into the living room and took a seat nearby.
"How are you two holding up?" Liam asked.
"Honestly? It's kind of fun," Allen admitted, not taking his eyes off the screen.
Liam nodded grimly. "Enjoy it while it lasts."
Ethan glanced up from the game. "Why?"
"We're leaving first thing in the morning," Liam said.
"Why? This place is great," Ethan complained.
Liam raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me, mister. You're living off my money and burning through a high-security safehouse. It's not a vacation home."
Ethan and Allen shared a look and nodded in defeat.
"By the way," Allen said, pausing the game. "What's the word on the news?"
"Well, someone is trying to cover up the incident, but the public isn't buying it," Liam explained, rubbing his temples. "People are pushing back online. They're saying that even if a freak earthquake could collapse a museum in a single second, it doesn't make sense that the surrounding buildings are completely untouched."
"Well, that's the government's problem," Allen muttered. "But man... that swordswoman literally sliced two buildings apart just with the air pressure of her blade."
Liam nodded slowly. "It makes me wonder just how strong the other members of that Japanese clan really are."
Ethan set his controller down, his expression turning serious. "Before we march toward the remaining two branches, we need to train. Who knows what kind of monsters are lurking out there."
"Agreed," Liam said.
"Is there anyone who can actually help us train?" Ethan asked.
Liam shook his head silently.
Should I tell them about the masked boy? Allen thought, glancing between the two of them. But Ethan isn't on good terms with Jake...
He decided to keep his mouth shut for now.
The rest of the day blurred past. By the next morning, Allen and Ethan had landed back in their hometown.
Stepping out of the airport terminal, a private car was already waiting for Allen. After dropping Ethan off at his place, Allen headed home.
Ethan unlocked his front door, exhaustion dragging at his limbs.
"Oh! Ethan, you're home? Welcome back," his mother said, rushing over to pull him into a warm hug.
As she pulled away, Ethan noticed something off.
Why does Mom look so worn out? he wondered.
"How was your trip?" she asked gently.
"It was great. But Mom, I am incredibly tired."
His mother smiled understandingly and patted his shoulder. "Go on, get some rest in your room."
Ethan headed straight upstairs, changed into comfortable clothes, and collapsed onto his bed. Downstairs, his mother watched his closed bedroom door.
When Ethan finally blinked his eyes open, the room was pitched in darkness. He checked his phone: 11:20 PM.
"Looks like I'm going to be awake all night," Ethan muttered to himself.
He walked out of his room into the quiet, dark hallway. The house was completely silent
Everyone's asleep, he thought. Maybe I should go for a walk to clear my head.
He quickly shot a text to his mother letting her know he was stepping out, then slipped out into the cool night air.
He wandered the familiar, empty streets for a few blocks. Suddenly, a figure stepped into the light ahead of him.
"Ethan," Madison called out.