Not long after the Akatsuki organization had left, silence returned to the street. The breeze gently rustled through the trees, and the sun peeked out from behind drifting clouds.
Inside a small store, Peter sat slouched in a wooden chair behind the counter, his chin resting in his hand, staring listlessly out the window. His mind was adrift, lost in thought. He had been reminiscing about recent events—about customers, the strange times they were living in, and, of course, the terrifying reputation the Akatsuki had gained.
Suddenly, the door to the shop banged open.
"Welcome—!" Peter reflexively called out, but the words caught in his throat.
A dark figure stormed in, stumbling over the threshold. The sudden intrusion startled Peter so much that he shot to his feet, nearly knocking over the chair behind him. His eyes widened as he got a clearer view of the person who had just burst into his store.
The figure was utterly disheveled, his clothes scorched and hanging in tatters. A nauseating smell of burnt fabric and scorched flesh filled the room.
Peter instinctively stepped back, his face twisting in discomfort.
"What the hell—?" he muttered, covering his nose with his sleeve. "Who are you…?"
The person didn't respond immediately. Instead, he staggered a few steps closer, and then, in a hoarse and raspy voice, whispered:
"…Boss…"
Peter's heart skipped a beat. That voice—it stirred something in his memory.
Wait a minute…
He narrowed his eyes, trying to place it.
"That voice... it sounds so familiar," he murmured to himself, puzzled.
And then it hit him.
Like a lightbulb flashing on, Peter's eyes shot wide open.
"F**k—you're… Ah Fei?!"
His voice cracked with disbelief.
It wasn't Peter's fault for reacting this way. The person in front of him barely resembled the Ah Fei he once knew.
Ah Fei—once a suave, confident CEO of a billion-dollar tech company—now looked like a war-torn survivor. His skin was charred in places, revealing raw red muscle underneath. His frame, once broad and imposing, had withered, and he looked like he hadn't eaten properly in weeks.
If it hadn't been for his voice, Peter wouldn't have recognized him at all.
"What the hell happened to you?!" Peter asked, his voice a mixture of concern and disbelief.
Ah Fei collapsed into a chair, his face contorted in pain as he clutched his sides.
"Boss Peter… it's all the Akatsuki organization's fault…!" he growled through gritted teeth.
Peter blinked.
"The Akatsuki?" he echoed, even more confused. "What do they have to do with this?"
He paused. A theory suddenly formed in his mind.
Could it be that Nagato and the others found out that Ah Fei had made a fortune, and then… robbed him?
Peter's expression grew serious as he looked again at Ah Fei's tattered clothes and half-burned body.
That must be it. Those bastards must've gone after Ah Fei's assets.
"Wait… did the Akatsuki rob you?" Peter asked cautiously.
Ah Fei's face twisted, and he trembled with suppressed rage. His fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white.
"Not only did they rob me… They burned my building to the ground!" he roared.
The words echoed in the quiet store like a thunderclap.
Peter could hardly believe what he was hearing. The Akatsuki had always been aggressive, but to destroy property like that? To rob and set fire?
"What the hell…?"
Ah Fei took deep, shuddering breaths, struggling to maintain control of his emotions. But when he thought of the building—the symbol of his success—reduced to ash and rubble, a deep anguish seized his heart.
He had invested everything into that building: his dreams, his resources, his future.
"I was so confident," Ah Fei muttered bitterly, "I thought I wouldn't end up like Black Zetsu, losing everything overnight…"
Peter stared at Ah Fei with sympathy. It was hard to believe that just weeks ago, this man had been thriving—confident, well-dressed, wealthy.
Now he looked more like a refugee from a war zone.
It confirmed something Peter had always suspected: the Akatsuki's source of wealth was built on illegitimate means. They didn't grow rich through business acumen—they stole, pillaged, and destroyed.
"I'm sorry, man," Peter said softly. "But hey, money can be earned again. As long as you're alive, there's hope."
Ah Fei didn't respond. He kept his head low, his fists trembling on his knees. His lips quivered slightly, and silent tears began to drip from his eyes.
The tears weren't just from pain—they were from shame, frustration, helplessness.
"If I… If I had been stronger," he choked, "none of this would have happened. My building… would still be standing…"
His voice broke, filled with bitter regret.
Peter sighed and shook his head.
"I told you before," he said, almost gently. "You should've bought the Plus version of Gamma Ray. But you tried to save money, didn't you?"
He continued, "In this world, weakness is the original sin. Money and power aren't everything. If you don't have strength, you'll lose them both."
Ah Fei bit his lip, ashamed.
"You're right, Boss Peter… I tried to take the cheap route. Bought the downgraded version to save some money."
Now he could only regret. If he could go back in time, he'd slap himself.
Peter patted him on the shoulder. "Well, if you've learned your lesson, then let's fix it."
Ah Fei raised his head. His eyes blazed with determination, fury simmering underneath.
"I want to buy the Plus version," he declared. "I want strength. I want revenge. I want to make the Akatsuki pay!"
Peter didn't hesitate.
From under the counter, he pulled out a sleek black box and placed it gently in front of Ah Fei.
"This," he said with a smile, "is the Gamma Ray Plus version. It's ten times more powerful than the basic model. If you truly desire strength… this will give it to you."
Ah Fei's hands trembled as he reached for the box. Slowly, he lifted the lid.
Inside was a syringe filled with a glowing green liquid.
His breath quickened.
Without a second thought, Ah Fei pulled the syringe out and jabbed it into his arm.
The effect was immediate.
Veins popped across his arms like steel cords. His blood vessels bulged and writhed beneath the surface of his skin like living worms. Sweat poured down his forehead as his face turned pale from the intense sensation.
His breathing grew erratic, and then—
"ROARRRR!"
The guttural scream that tore from Ah Fei's throat was not human. It was a deep, primal roar, the kind that would make even wild beasts flee.
The enhancement fluid had begun its work.
Inside his body, his cells were being torn apart and rebuilt at the genetic level. Muscles were restructured. Nerves were fortified. Pain receptors were burned away.
Ah Fei gritted his teeth and slammed his fists into the floor, enduring wave after wave of searing agony.
Peter watched in silence.
This was the price of power.
Soon, Ah Fei's burnt and damaged skin began to flake off in layers. Beneath it, fresh, new skin formed—smooth, glistening, untouched by fire. His previously skeletal frame began to bulk up. Muscles swelled and bulged, layered thick with raw strength. His bones cracked and re-formed.
He was transforming.
When the process finally stopped, the room fell silent.
Ah Fei slowly stood up, steam rising from his skin.
He clenched his fists and looked down at his body. His new muscles rippled with power. His eyes gleamed with confidence.
"I feel…" he said slowly, "so strong."
Peter smirked. "Now you're ready."
Ah Fei nodded. The scars of defeat were still fresh in his memory, but they were now layered beneath a body forged for vengeance.
Turning toward the door, he muttered darkly, "Akatsuki… I'm coming for you."
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