Rain poured steadily over the industrial district, turning the cracked asphalt into a mirror of distorted lights. The Golden Lion Guild Supply Warehouse stood quietly at the far end of the street, surrounded by steel fencing and dim security lamps that flickered occasionally in the storm.
Two guards stood near the outer gate, sheltered beneath a small metal awning. Cigarette smoke mixed with the cold night air as they spoke lazily, unaware that their lives were already ticking down.
"Boss said we've got a raid tomorrow morning," the first guard muttered, exhaling a long trail of smoke.
The second guard frowned slightly.
"A raid? Where?"
The first guard smirked.
"Hospital."
The second guard blinked.
"What?"
"That E-Ranker kid," the first guard continued casually. "And his friend… the tanker. Orders are to finish them off before they recover."
The second guard chuckled.
"Seems overkill. One injured tanker and an E-Ranker? Why bother?"
"Because Boss doesn't like loose ends," the first guard replied, flicking his cigarette onto the ground. "And that kid's been making noise lately."
Thunder rumbled faintly in the distance.
Then—
The ground trembled.
At first, it was subtle.
Just a faint vibration beneath their feet.
Water puddles began to ripple.
The second guard frowned.
"...You feel that?"
THUD.
THUD.
THUD.
Heavy.
Slow.
Approaching.
"Truck?" the second guard guessed nervously.
The sound grew louder.
THUD.
THUD.
THUD.
Then—
A massive hand emerged from the darkness.
Before the first guard could even react, the hand wrapped around his head completely.
"Mmph—?!"
The second guard froze.
The monster stepped forward.
Gorge.
The dim security lights illuminated its massive, distorted body. Grey skin stretched over swollen muscles. Broken chains still hung loosely from its wrists. Steam escaped from its mouth with each breath.
And then—
CRUNCH.
Gorge slammed the first guard into the ground with brutal force.
Blood splattered across the wet asphalt, quickly blending into the rainwater.
The second guard stumbled backward, slipping on the wet ground.
"M-Monster!! Attack!!"
He fumbled for his gun, hands shaking violently.
Gorge tilted its head slightly.
"Khaaa… naa…"
The monster stepped forward slowly.
The guard fired.
BANG.
The bullet struck Gorge's chest—
And bounced off harmlessly.
PING.
The guard's face went pale.
"No… no way…"
A calm voice spoke behind him.
"Waste of effort."
The guard froze.
Slowly—
He turned.
Arav emerged from the shadows, his dagger already resting against the guard's throat. His Shadow Cloak faded, revealing cold, emotionless eyes.
"T-T-You…"
"The E-Ranker…"
Arav didn't blink.
"You were planning to visit the hospital," he said quietly.
"Rohan… right?"
The guard's breathing became frantic.
Arav's eyes darkened.
"Wrong target."
SWISH.
The dagger moved.
The guard collapsed instantly.
Silence returned.
Only rain remained.
Arav turned toward Gorge, who was staring at the fallen bodies.
"Bigger prey inside," Arav said calmly.
Gorge immediately lost interest and turned toward the warehouse gate.
Arav watched carefully.
Obedient. Good.
Gorge placed both hands on the heavy steel gate.
Muscles tightened.
Metal groaned.
CREAAAAK—
With a violent pull—
The entire gate ripped loose from its hinges.
BOOM.
The sound echoed through the warehouse.
Sirens began blaring instantly.
Inside—
Panic erupted.
Hunters scrambled for weapons.
Workers ran for cover.
"Intruders!"
"Everyone take position!"
Arav walked through the smoke and dust calmly.
Gorge followed behind him like a moving wall of destruction.
"Clear them," Arav said quietly.
Gorge moved instantly.
Chaos exploded.
The monster slammed into the nearest group like a living battering ram. Guards were thrown across the floor. Crates shattered. Metal bent.
A guard rushed Arav with a blade.
"Die!"
Arav stepped aside effortlessly.
The blade missed.
His leg moved.
Heavy Strike activated.
CRACK.
The guard's leg snapped, and he collapsed screaming.
Arav didn't even look back.
His eyes were already scanning the warehouse.
He wasn't here for them.
He was here for something else.
Rows of crates lined the center.
Labels.
Equipment.
Supplies.
And then—
He saw it.
"Fragile: Mana Crystals"
Arav walked toward it calmly.
He opened the crate.
Blue light filled his vision.
High-grade mana crystals.
A lot of them.
Arav picked one up, weighing it in his palm.
"Three months of Golden Lion's revenue," he murmured quietly.
"Vikram planned to use these."
His inventory opened.
[Inventory Space: 80% Free]
"Store all."
One by one—
The crates vanished.
Weapons.
Potions.
Artifacts.
Crystals.
Everything disappeared into Arav's inventory.
An injured guard watched in disbelief.
"You… you're stealing from Golden Lion…"
Arav crouched beside him.
"Stealing?"
He pulled out a matchstick.
The flame flickered softly.
"I'm cleaning."
He tossed it toward a barrel labeled:
Explosive Dust
"Gorge."
"We're leaving."
The matchstick spun slowly through the air.
For a brief second, it looked harmless.
Then—
It landed.
The flame touched the surface of the Explosive Dust barrel.
A faint hiss followed.
Arav had already turned around.
"Gorge."
The monster immediately followed him without hesitation, its heavy footsteps shaking the warehouse floor.
Behind them—
The fire spread.
Slowly.
Silently.
Like a predator preparing to strike.
They stepped outside into the rain.
Water poured from the broken roof edges as they walked further away from the warehouse. The sirens inside grew louder, panicked voices echoing faintly.
Then—
The first explosion hit.
WHOOSH.
Fire erupted from inside the warehouse, flames bursting through shattered windows.
Gorge turned slightly, watching the fire with glowing red eyes.
Arav didn't stop walking.
Three seconds later—
The second explosion.
KABOOM.
The entire warehouse shook violently. The roof collapsed inward as fire engulfed the structure. Burning debris shot into the air, illuminating the dark sky in orange light.
The Golden Lion Guild emblem above the warehouse melted under the heat, slowly collapsing into flames.
The first pillar of Golden Lion's power—
Gone.
Arav stopped at a safe distance.
The fire reflected in his calm eyes.
No satisfaction.
No excitement.
Just calculation.
He pulled out his phone.
Rain droplets slid across the screen as he typed.
To: Ice Queen
Phase 1 complete.
Warehouse destroyed.
Short their stocks. Now.
He hit send.
Within seconds—
Typing…
Then reply.
Understood.
Markets will react within 20 minutes.
You're insane, Arav.
A faint smirk appeared.
He locked the phone.
Gorge shifted beside him, restless again. The monster's breathing grew heavier, its body slightly trembling from the recent energy surge.
"Bhook lagi hai?" Arav asked quietly.
Gorge tilted its head.
"Kh… aa… naa…"
Arav opened his inventory.
He pulled out a glowing object.
A Demon Core.
High-grade.
Powerful.
Stolen from Golden Lion's supply.
"Your reward."
He tossed it.
Gorge caught it instantly and crushed it between its teeth.
The moment it swallowed—
Energy surged through its body.
Its veins glowed.
Its muscles tightened.
The monster roared into the night.
"RAAAAAARGH!"
The sound echoed across the empty district.
Even distant stray monsters fled.
Arav looked toward the city skyline.
Far away—
Golden Lion Guild's main tower stood tall.
Untouched.
For now.
Vikram…
That was only the trailer.
The real story starts now.
Arav pulled his hood back over his head.
"Next stop."
"Gorge."
The monster looked down.
"We're going to fix Rohan."
Gorge tilted its head slightly, then nodded faintly.
Obedient.
Controlled.
Dangerous.
They disappeared into the rain.
Meanwhile…
Golden Lion Guild — Main Headquarters
Top Floor.
The office lights were dim.
Rain tapped softly against the glass walls. Inside, the atmosphere felt heavy… suffocating.
A phone vibrated repeatedly on a large desk.
TRRING…
TRRING…
TRRING…
A hand slowly reached toward it.
But it wasn't fully human anymore.
Black veins crawled across the skin.
Fingers slightly elongated.
Sharp.
Claw-like.
Vikram picked up the phone.
"Bolo."
His voice was calm.
Too calm.
On the other end—
Panicked breathing.
"B-Boss…"
"What."
"The warehouse…"
Vikram's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Speak clearly."
"It… it exploded! Everything is gone! Guards injured… supplies destroyed… mana crystals… everything—"
CRACK.
The phone shattered in Vikram's hand.
Plastic and circuitry crushed into dust.
His eyes slowly began glowing red.
The room temperature dropped.
Dark energy leaked from his body.
"Arav…"
The name left his lips like poison.
Behind him—
A shadow shifted.
A demonic silhouette briefly appeared on the wall.
Vikram slowly stood.
The glass behind him cracked slightly.
"This isn't revenge anymore…"
His voice lowered.
"This is war."
Lightning flashed outside.
And somewhere in the city—
Two monsters were already moving.
Rain continued to fall as Arav and Gorge moved through the silent streets.
The industrial district slowly faded behind them. The distant flames of the destroyed warehouse still lit the sky faintly, like a burning signal announcing the beginning of something far bigger.
War.
But Arav's expression remained calm.
Because to him—
This wasn't chaos.
This was control.
Every step had been calculated.
Every move deliberate.
Golden Lion had just lost three months of resources, supply chains, and internal confidence — all in under thirty minutes.
And the night wasn't even over yet.
Gorge walked behind him quietly, its massive footsteps softened by the rain-soaked ground. The monster looked calmer now after consuming the Demon Core, but Arav could still feel the restless hunger lingering beneath its obedience.
Good.
Hunger made monsters stronger.
But control made them useful.
Arav turned into a narrow street leading toward the hospital district.
Streetlights flickered.
The city felt unusually quiet.
Almost like it was holding its breath.
Then—
Arav suddenly stopped.
Gorge stopped instantly behind him.
Someone was watching.
Arav's eyes shifted slightly.
A faint movement on the rooftop across the street.
A silhouette.
Hunter.
Golden Lion.
Faster than expected.
Arav didn't even turn his head.
"Follow him," he whispered.
Gorge vanished.
The rooftop figure barely noticed the movement before a massive shadow appeared behind him.
The hunter turned—
Too late.
Gorge grabbed him instantly.
The man tried to scream, but the monster covered his mouth.
Within seconds—
Silence.
Gorge returned, dropping the unconscious hunter near Arav.
Arav crouched down.
Golden Lion badge.
Scout.
They were already sending trackers.
That meant one thing.
Vikram was reacting faster than expected.
Arav grabbed the hunter's collar and activated Karma Manipulation slightly.
The hunter woke instantly.
Fear filled his eyes the moment he saw Gorge.
"P-Please…"
"How many?" Arav asked calmly.
"W-What?"
"How many scouts?"
"Three… three teams…"
Arav nodded.
"Where?"
"Hospital… roads… main district…"
Arav released him.
The hunter collapsed.
Arav stood.
"They're trying to cut me off."
Gorge growled quietly.
Arav's eyes darkened.
"Then we'll move faster."
They resumed walking.
Within minutes, the hospital building came into view.
Lights still on.
Emergency vehicles parked outside.
Everything looked normal.
But Arav could sense the tension.
Golden Lion scouts were already nearby.
Watching.
Waiting.
Arav stepped into the shadows.
"Gorge."
The monster leaned closer.
"Stay outside."
Gorge hesitated slightly.
Arav placed his hand on its head.
"I'll bring food."
That was enough.
Gorge stepped back and disappeared into the alley shadows.
Arav entered the hospital calmly.
Inside, the air smelled of antiseptic and quiet anxiety. Nurses moved around hurriedly, unaware of the war beginning outside.
He walked toward the private ward.
Elara was still there.
She looked up the moment he entered.
Her eyes widened slightly.
"You did it."
Arav nodded.
"Phase one complete."
Elara exhaled slowly.
"You're insane."
"Probably."
She studied him carefully.
"And Golden Lion?"
"Panicking."
That answer made her relax slightly.
Then Arav reached into his inventory.
He pulled out a glowing vial.
Golden liquid.
Elara's eyes widened.
"Is that…"
"Demon-grade regeneration extract."
She stood immediately.
"Where did you—"
"Warehouse."
Elara didn't ask further.
She rushed toward Rohan and carefully poured the liquid into a healing circle.
Golden light spread instantly.
Rohan's breathing stabilized.
His wounds slowly began closing.
Color returned to his face.
Elara sighed in relief.
"This… this will save him."
Arav nodded.
"Good."
Then—
His phone vibrated.
Elara glanced at him.
"Golden Lion?"
Arav looked at the screen.
Unknown number.
He answered.
Silence.
Then—
A familiar voice.
"You've been busy."
Arav's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Vikram."
Elara froze.
Even the air seemed to grow heavier.
"You destroyed my warehouse," Vikram continued calmly.
"You attacked my hunters."
"You stole my supplies."
Arav leaned against the wall.
"You missed one."
Silence.
Then—
A low chuckle.
"Good."
That wasn't the reaction Arav expected.
"Because now," Vikram continued quietly, "I don't need to hold back."
The call ended.
Arav lowered the phone slowly.
Elara looked at him.
"That's… not good."
Arav's expression remained calm.
"No."
His eyes darkened slightly.
"It's perfect."
Outside the hospital—
In the dark alley—
Gorge suddenly growled.
A new presence approached.
Heavy.
Demonic.
Dangerous.
The rain intensified.
And the real war…
Finally began.
Chapter 14 End.