章節 87: Chapter 87: Shadows of the Reaper
The dim lights of the warehouse flickered as Cole sat in the corner, the air heavy with the sound of fists hitting heavy bags and the grunts of fighters pushing their bodies to the limit. It had been days since Ty had brought him the intel on The Reaper, and though it gave them a small glimpse into their enemy, it wasn't nearly enough. Cole could feel the anxiety growing within the crew, the tension in every movement, every word.
They were scared. And Cole couldn't blame them.
The Reaper was more than just a name whispered in fear—he was a force. His reputation had spread like wildfire through the underground, and every story was worse than the last. Fighters who had gone up against him didn't just lose—they disappeared. Some quit fighting altogether, too broken to return to the ring. Others vanished completely, their fates left as grim speculation.
Cole's mind kept replaying the stories. The Reaper didn't just defeat his opponents—he dismantled them, piece by piece. The thought of facing someone like that was enough to make even the toughest fighter hesitate.
"Cole."
The voice snapped him out of his thoughts. He looked up to see Rina standing in front of him, arms crossed, her sharp eyes focused on him.
"You look like you've seen a ghost," she said, sitting down next to him.
He shook his head, trying to clear the fog of his thoughts. "I've just been thinking about The Reaper. What we're up against."
Rina nodded, her expression serious. "He's no joke. I've heard the same stories as you. But if we let that fear control us, we've already lost."
"Easier said than done," Cole muttered, running a hand through his hair.
"I know," Rina replied, her voice softer now. "But you're not alone in this. None of us are. We all knew what we were getting into when we decided to fight back against the underground. We've faced tough fighters before."
"Yeah, but we've never faced anyone like him," Cole said, his tone dark. "The Reaper's not just a fighter—he's a symbol. The underground uses him to keep people in line, to remind everyone who's really in control."
Rina leaned back against the wall, her eyes distant. "I fought in the underground for years. I saw what they did to people who tried to break free. The Reaper was their hammer—anyone who even thought about stepping out of line had him waiting for them."
Cole frowned. "Did you ever face him?"
"No," Rina said, shaking her head. "But I saw him fight. It's… brutal. He doesn't just beat you—he humiliates you. Makes sure you know you don't stand a chance. And the underground loves it. The more broken fighters he leaves in his wake, the stronger their hold on the city becomes."
"That's why we have to stop him," Cole said, determination creeping into his voice. "If we can take down The Reaper, it'll send a message. People will start believing that the underground isn't invincible."
Rina looked at him, her eyes narrowing. "Do you really believe that?"
Cole met her gaze. "I have to. Otherwise, what the hell are we fighting for?"
For a moment, Rina was silent, then she nodded, a faint smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "Good. Because we're going to need every bit of that belief when the time comes."
---
Later that night, as the warehouse emptied out and most of the crew headed home, Cole stayed behind. He needed space, time to think. The weight of leadership was heavier than he had ever imagined, and the fear of making a mistake that could cost his friends their lives was always there, lurking in the back of his mind.
The intel Ty had given him had been helpful, but it wasn't enough. They knew The Reaper was a fighter who favored brutal, close-quarters combat, relying on his strength and speed to overwhelm his opponents. But there had to be more to it than that. A fighter that dangerous didn't just rely on brute force—there was a strategy, a method to his madness.
As Cole paced the warehouse, his thoughts drifted back to the days when they had first started fighting together, back when the crew was just a group of kids trying to survive the streets. The fights back then had been dirty, unrefined, but they had learned. They had learned how to read their opponents, how to find weaknesses and exploit them.
And now, they would have to do it again—only this time, the stakes were higher than ever before.
Suddenly, a sound echoed through the warehouse, breaking the silence. Cole turned sharply, his muscles tensing as he reached for the knife he always kept at his side.
"It's just me."
Lina stepped out of the shadows, her hands raised in a mock surrender, a smirk on her face.
"You've got to stop sneaking up on me like that," Cole muttered, relaxing slightly.
"Sorry," Lina said, though the amusement in her voice suggested she wasn't really sorry at all. She walked over to him, her smile fading as she saw the tension in his posture. "You okay?"
Cole hesitated, then shook his head. "Not really. This fight… it feels different."
"Yeah," Lina said, leaning against the wall. "It is different. But that doesn't mean we can't win."
Cole let out a bitter laugh. "You sound like Rina."
"She's not wrong," Lina said, her tone serious. "We've been through a lot worse than this. Remember when we were just kids, getting into scraps with those guys from the other side of the block? They were bigger, stronger, but we figured out how to beat them. We've been outmatched before."
"This is different," Cole said, his voice hard. "This isn't some street fight. The Reaper isn't just another thug. He's trained, he's skilled, and he's backed by the full force of the underground."
Lina nodded, her expression thoughtful. "True. But we're not kids anymore either. We're smarter, we're stronger, and we've got something they don't—each other."
Cole sighed, running a hand through his hair. "It's not just about beating him. It's about everything that comes after. If we lose this fight, it's over. The underground will crush us. And even if we win… what then? There's always going to be someone else. Someone stronger, someone more dangerous."
"Maybe," Lina said, her voice soft. "But that's not a reason to stop fighting."
Cole looked at her, his gaze searching. "How do you stay so sure of all this?"
Lina shrugged, a small smile tugging at her lips. "I don't. I'm scared, just like everyone else. But I know that giving up means losing everything we've fought for. And I'm not willing to let that happen. Not while we still have a chance."
For a moment, they stood in silence, the weight of their conversation settling between them. Then Cole nodded, a slow, steady determination settling in his chest.
"You're right," he said quietly. "We've still got a chance."
---
The following day, Ty returned with more intel—this time from someone who had fought The Reaper and survived. It wasn't much, but it was enough to give them a glimmer of hope.
"We found someone," Ty said, pulling Cole aside. "A guy named Arlo. He fought The Reaper a few months ago and managed to escape with his life."
Cole's eyes narrowed. "And?"
"And he says The Reaper has a weakness," Ty continued, glancing around to make sure no one else was listening. "It's his knee. Apparently, he got injured in a fight a while back, and he's been hiding it ever since. Arlo says if you can get him off balance, hit him in the knee, it'll throw him off."
Cole nodded slowly, his mind racing. It wasn't much, but it was something. "Does Arlo know anything else?"
Ty shook his head. "That's all he had. But it's better than nothing, right?"
"Yeah," Cole said, a small spark of hope flickering in his chest. "It's better than nothing."
For the first time in days, Cole felt like they might have a real shot at this. The Reaper might be powerful, but he wasn't invincible. And now, they had a plan.
But even as the crew trained harder than ever, preparing for the inevitable fight, Cole couldn't shake the feeling that there was something else lurking beneath the surface—something they hadn't seen yet.
The Reaper was coming. And when he did, they would be ready.
Or so they hoped.
---
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