Iron City didn't collapse overnight.
It cracked.Slowly.Silently.
And those too busy counting profits never realized death was standing right behind them.
Three days after the attack on Aleena, bad news flooded business networks.
Orion Tech, a financial technology giant, suffered a massive data breach.Accounts were drained. Stocks crashed.Its CEO was found dead in his luxury apartment—one bullet to the head.
Valen Group, the city's second-largest logistics company, had its convoy attacked at the harbor.Three trucks burned.Two directors vanished.
Then came Hawkline Energy.Its fuel storage exploded before dawn. Authorities called it an accident.The underworld knew better.
And the most terrifying part—
All of them had once directly competed with Arlo's empire and the Sagara Group.
Aleena stood before the massive screen in the boardroom.
Her face was pale. Her eyes exhausted. Her fists clenched at her sides.
"This isn't coincidence," she said quietly.
Naomi stood beside her, jaw tight."They're being erased one by one. Clean. Precise."
Herman studied the screen grimly."And after each attack… their assets move into shell companies. Untraceable."
Aleena exhaled slowly."Like they're being swallowed."
Silence filled the room.
Aleena understood one thing clearly now—
If this continued, their turn was only a matter of time.
Elsewhere, tension thickened inside Arlo's headquarters.
The map of Iron City was now filled with red crosses.
Raka slammed his tablet onto the table."Seven major companies down in one week."
Arlo remained calm, eyes focused.
"The pattern is consistent," Arlo said. "Financial hit first. Physical second. Then erasure."
Raka nodded."And every time… the black bird symbol appears."
Arlo tapped the table slowly.
"Someone is building an empire," he said coldly. "On the corpses of these companies."
"Including ours," Raka added.
Arlo stood."Contact Aleena Sagara."
Raka paused."You sure?"
"This isn't about certainty," Arlo replied. "It's about survival."
The call came that night.
Aleena was alone in her office when her phone vibrated.
The name made her chest tighten.
Arlo.
She stared at the screen… then answered.
"What do you want?" her voice was sharp.
"We need to talk," Arlo said. "Face to face. No escorts."
Aleena let out a bitter laugh."You're insane."
"If you don't come," Arlo replied calmly, "you'll be the next headline."
The call ended.
Aleena closed her eyes.
Naomi entered just then."Who was it?"
Aleena looked up."My enemy."
The meeting took place on neutral ground—an abandoned hotel in the city center, heavily guarded from afar by both sides.
Aleena arrived first.
Dark coat. Steady posture. Controlled tension.
Moments later, footsteps echoed.
Arlo emerged from the shadows.
Cold authority filled the room.
For a moment, they simply stared.
"Orion Tech," Aleena spoke first. "Valen. Hawkline."
Arlo nodded."You know."
"I know enough," Aleena said sharply, "to realize this city is being taken over."
Arlo stepped closer."And we're the main targets."
Aleena clenched her fists."You're still my enemy."
"And you're still on my watchlist," Arlo replied flatly.
Silence.
"Who is he?" Aleena finally asked. "The one behind all this."
Arlo shook his head."Not yet known. But he's patient. Smart. And unemotional."
Aleena laughed softly."Unlike us."
Their gazes locked.
For the first time…they stood on the same side—without trust.
"Temporary alliance," Arlo said. "Until he's exposed."
Aleena took a deep breath."And after that?"
Arlo looked at her for a long moment."We go back to being enemies."
Aleena nodded.
But deep inside…she knew it wouldn't be that simple.
That night, Iron City lost another company.
And somewhere in the shadows, the black bird spread its wings—ready to strike the next prey.
The night grew deeper, yet Iron City remained wide awake.
Skyscraper lights glowed like unblinking eyes—watching destruction without emotion.
Aleena stood on the balcony of her company's tower.
The cold wind brushed her hair, but the chill she felt didn't come from the air.
It came from reality.
Naomi stood a few steps behind, silent, giving space. She knew Aleena was carrying something far heavier than exhaustion.
"Naomi…" Aleena's voice trembled softly."What if I'm wrong?"
Naomi paused.
"Wrong about what?"
"About Arlo."Aleena swallowed. "About letting hatred blind me… until I almost started a war."
Naomi stepped closer."You reacted like a daughter who lost her parents."
Aleena smiled bitterly."But I'm not just a grieving daughter anymore."
She turned."I'm a leader. A CEO. A boss. A gang head."
The last words felt foreign.
Naomi met her gaze."And that's why people want you gone."
At the same time, in the industrial district, another company fell.
Silverline Medical.
A healthcare corporation that had stayed neutral—aligned with neither Arlo nor the Sagara family.
Its headquarters were hit with precision.Servers wiped. Documents burned.The CEO was left alive… without his hands.
The message was clear.
Neutrality was no longer safe.
The news reached Arlo before dawn.
Raka watched Arlo's expression—too calm.
"Silverline is down," he said. "The method was brutal."
Arlo slowly stood.
"He's accelerating," he said coldly.
"Why now?" Raka asked.
"Because he knows," Arlo replied, "Aleena is starting to think."
Raka frowned."And that threatens him."
Arlo stared at the window."It threatens everyone."
That morning, Aleena led an emergency board meeting.
Fear filled the room—confidence in steel walls and expensive security had vanished.
"We've lost three partners this week," one executive said.
"And two major clients," another added.
Aleena raised her hand.
"We will not hide," she said firmly, even as her heart shook."We will survive."
Herman leaned forward."With respect, Miss Aleena… survival alone may not be enough."
Aleena met his gaze."Then what do you suggest?"
Herman exhaled slowly."We need… allies."
Silence fell.
Everyone knew who he meant.
Aleena closed her eyes briefly.
That name returned—cold, ruthless, and terrifyingly calm.
Arlo.
The next night, Aleena almost died.
Her car had just exited the basement when an explosion rocked the parking structure.
Fire erupted. Smoke filled the air.
Naomi dragged Aleena down instantly.
"DOWN!"
Bullets tore into the car.
Aleena was pulled, fell hard, her knee slamming into concrete.
Her breath hitched. The world spun.
And through the chaos—a figure stood before her.
Tall shadow. Black coat. Cold eyes.
Arlo.
Without hesitation, he pulled Aleena behind a concrete pillar, his body shielding hers completely.
"Bold move leaving without protection," he said flatly, jaw tight.
"I didn't—" Aleena's voice broke.
"Quiet," Arlo cut in. "Listen."
Footsteps.Guns cocking.
Arlo moved.
Too fast.
Within seconds, three men were down.Silence returned.
Aleena trembled.
Not just from fear—but from realization.
She was alive… because Arlo was there.
Arlo looked at her."You starting to believe now?"
Aleena met his eyes, tears welling."I… don't know who to trust."
Arlo leaned closer, voice low."Trust your instincts."
For the first time, Aleena didn't argue.
From afar, someone watched through a screen.
A faint smile curved his lips.
"Good," he murmured."Two kings finally standing side by side."
A black bird appeared on the screen.
"Now… the real game begins."