Gangsters:Rise To The Top

The Shadow Reapers – A Storm Unleashed

Mri's feet barely touched the ground as he sprinted toward the source of the explosion.

The eerie red glow of the signal flare still hung in the sky, casting an ominous light over the battlefield.

Jasmine…

His heart pounded. She was there.

And something was coming.

---

The Battlefield

By the time Mri arrived, the air smelled of smoke and burnt earth. The once-calm training grounds were now a warzone.

Figures in black cloaks—the Shadow Reapers—moved like wraiths through the mist.

And in the center of it all—Jasmine.

Her aura burned like wildfire, illuminating the darkness.

She was surrounded.

Three enemies lunged at her from different angles.

Jasmine twisted, dodging one, grabbing another by the wrist, and flipping him over her shoulder.

The third attacker slashed at her with a dagger—only to be met with a spinning kick to the ribs.

They crashed to the ground, unmoving.

Mri had to admit—she was good.

But this wasn't a normal fight.

Something was wrong.

The moment Jasmine landed, her body staggered. She winced, pressing a hand to her side.

Mri's eyes widened. She was injured.

---

The Arrival of the Reaper Commander

A slow clap echoed through the clearing.

From the shadows, a man in a deep crimson cloak stepped forward.

Unlike the others, his aura was different—twisted, suffocating.

"Impressive," he said, his voice smooth and mocking. "You put up a good fight, girl. But you should know when you're outmatched."

Jasmine wiped sweat from her brow, her breathing uneven. "Shut up and fight me, then."

The man chuckled. "As you wish."

He raised a hand—and the air around him shifted.

A gust of black wind erupted.

Before Jasmine could react, she was slammed backward.

She hit the ground hard, coughing.

Mri clenched his fists. That was it.

---

Mri Joins the Fight

"That's enough."

The moment he spoke, all eyes turned to him.

Jasmine, struggling to push herself up, blinked. "Mri...?"

The cloaked man raised an eyebrow. "And who might you be?"

Mri stepped forward, cracking his knuckles. "Someone who's about to kick your ass."

Silence.

Then—laughter.

The Shadow Reapers chuckled, their leader shaking his head. "Bold words, kid. But you're not on my level."

"Try me."

The man smirked. "Alright, then."

He vanished.

Mri barely had time to react before a knee slammed into his stomach.

The air was forced from his lungs as he was thrown backward, skidding across the dirt.

---

The Awakening

Pain.

Mri coughed, wiping blood from his lips.

The man's speed was unreal.

But Mri wasn't done.

Something inside him stirred.

A flicker of power.

A distant memory of battles past.

The General of The Three Souls…

Mri took a slow breath, rising to his feet.

His aura began to glow.

The air trembled.

The Reaper leader's smirk faltered. "What…?"

Mri vanished.

The next second—he was right in front of him.

A punch to the gut.

The Reaper leader's eyes widened as he was lifted off his feet, sent flying into a tree.

For the first time—fear flashed in his eyes.

"Impossible…!"

Mri rolled his shoulders, his aura still surging. "You were saying something about levels?"

---

The Final Blow

The Reaper staggered to his feet.

He wasn't done.

With a snarl, he unleashed his full power.

Dark tendrils of energy shot toward Mri.

Mri didn't move.

He simply raised a hand.

BOOM.

The darkness shattered.

Mri appeared behind the Reaper in a blink.

And then—he struck.

A devastating palm strike to the chest.

A shockwave rippled through the air as the Reaper was sent crashing to the ground—unconscious.

Silence.

The remaining Shadow Reapers stood frozen.

Jasmine, still panting, stared at Mri in shock.

He had won.

Mri dusted off his jacket and exhaled. "Next time, don't mess with my friends."

The Shadow Reapers hesitated—then vanished into the mist, carrying their fallen leader.

The battle was over.

---

Aftermath

Jasmine coughed, wiping sweat from her forehead.

Mri walked over and extended a hand. "You okay?"

She smirked. "Yeah. But you totally stole my fight."

Mri laughed. "You were getting your ass kicked."

Jasmine pouted. "Shut up."

She took his hand, letting him pull her up.

For a moment, they just stood there—breathing, recovering.

Then—Jasmine nudged him. "Hey, Mri?"

"Yeah?"

She smiled. "Thanks."

Mri scratched the back of his head, suddenly feeling awkward. "Whatever. It's not like I was worried or anything."

Jasmine giggled. "Sure, sure."

As they walked away together, the last embers of battle faded into the night.

But Mri knew—this was just the beginning.

The Shadow Reapers would return.

And next time, they wouldn't be so easy to defeat.