The Path Of A True King.

The morning sun bled through the stained glass windows of the gambling house, casting fractured colors onto the polished wooden floor.

The air still carried the remnants of last night's chaos—stale alcohol, sweat, and the quiet desperation of men who had lost more than just money.

Kai sat on the upper floor, his chair positioned at the head of a mahogany table.

His posture was relaxed, his fingers lightly tapping against the wood as he observed the scene below.

The few gamblers who remained placed hesitant bets, their eyes darting toward the upper balcony, where their new overlords now watched over them.

Across from Kai sat Ben, the former boss of this establishment.

His face was marred with bruises, a deep purple swelling along his cheekbone—a reminder of his fall from power.

His fingers drummed against the table, his breathing controlled, but his shoulders betrayed his tension.

He understood the situation well enough.

He had no choice but to comply.

Beside him sat another man—thinner, sharper.

His nervous energy was palpable.

He was the one responsible for the drug operation further north, the same operation that had been crushed by Tristan and Kevin.

His sharp eyes flickered around the room like a rat searching for an escape.

Kai leaned back, his expression unreadable.

The air between them was thick with unspoken threats.

He let the silence stretch just long enough to unsettle them before finally speaking.

"Let's keep this simple." His voice was smooth, controlled.

Ben exhaled through his nose, nodding. "I've got about forty men under me.

Most are loyal, but money talks. You keep the cash flowing, they'll follow."

Kai smirked, his red eyes glinting in the dim light. "Good. And your friend?" He tilted his head toward the drug leader.

The man straightened in his seat, forcing a cocky smirk onto his face. "You really think you can just walk in here and take everything?"

His voice held an edge of defiance.

"We built this from the ground up, kid. You think I'm just gonna roll over?"

Kai's smirk didn't waver. "No," he said simply. "I don't."

Before the man could react, Kai's hand moved in a blur.

The dagger flashed, its polished steel catching the light for only a moment before it buried itself deep in the man's throat.

A sickening gurgle filled the room as blood spurted across the table.

The man's hands shot up to his neck, his fingers clawing uselessly at the blade as his eyes widened in shock.

He twitched, his chair scraping against the floor as his body convulsed, and then—nothing.

He slumped forward, lifeless.

Ben didn't flinch. Not even a muscle twitched.

Kai calmly pulled the dagger out, wiping its crimson-coated blade against the dead man's sleeve.

He set it back on the table, his expression as casual as if he'd just finished a meal.

"That," he said, gesturing to the corpse, "was an example." His voice remained steady, almost bored. "Work with us, and we both profit. Refuse, and you die like your friend here. Simple."

Ben studied Kai for a long moment. Then, to Kai's amusement, the older man smirked. "Understood."

Kai leaned forward slightly, his voice dropping to a near whisper. "Good. Then let's talk business."

For the next hour, they discussed logistics—money, men, and the restructuring of power under new leadership.

Ben answered every question carefully, his tone cautious but compliant. He knew his life depended on it.

But then, he hesitated. "So... you're the boss now?"

Kai chuckled, shaking his head. "No. I'm just handling business. When the leader is ready, you'll see him."

Ben nodded slowly, his violet eyes narrowing in curiosity.

Whoever this leader was, he had to be someone terrifying if a kid like Kai—who barely looked older than sixteen but was both incredibly competent and ruthless—followed him.

Kai's strength alone was an anomaly.

He had reached the Intermediate Knight stage despite using a poor breathing technique—something that should have been impossible for someone his age.

Even Ben, a seasoned fighter, had spent most of his life reaching the Peak intermediate Knight stage, and he was twenty-nine.

The fact that Kai answered to someone else?

That meant this leader had to be even more formidable.

A few moments later, a man entered the room, carrying a stack of papers. "Kai, it's ready."

Kai took the documents, flipping through them before sliding them toward Ben. "Sign them. Everything now belongs to Elijah."

Ben hesitated only for a second.

Then, with steady hands, he grabbed the pen and signed.

His fate was sealed.

Once the paperwork was complete, Kai stood. "You're still in charge of this place.

Keep your people in line, keep business moving.

But from now on, you answer to us. And drop the drug game."

Ben nodded. "Understood."

Kai gave him a small nod in return. "Good. Now start gathering your men.

Spread the word—there's a new gang."

His eyes darkened slightly. "The Asura Gang is in charge now.

And people will pay for protection.

Make sure your men don't push harder than needed.

We need the people to accept us, not resist us."

With that, he turned, stepping over the corpse without a second glance.

He had other matters to attend to.

The pool club was waiting.