Malik muttered mockingly.
"I will terminate Aryan Velryan."
His voice felt cold like ice… sharp like a knife.
The entire bar went silent instantly.
Both girls stared from behind. Their gaze remained locked on Ashura and Malik.
Ashura raised his hand calmly.
"Then… we are crime partners now."
A faint smirk appeared on his lips.
"Eclipse Blade X Malik Khan."
Malik stared at him for a moment.
"It's my honor to work with you," he replied mockingly.
The music stopped for a moment.
The bartender stared at them with an unusual gaze.
It really looks like two criminals just teamed up…
He gulped nervously.
The government is about to face its greatest disaster…
A cold breeze passed through the bar quietly.
Their hair moved calmly with the wind.
Neither Ashura nor Malik looked away.
The Rivaan household felt quiet and silent.
Riyaz sat on the chair calmly, one leg resting over the table.
His hands rested behind his shoulders.
"So, Mr. Rivaan…" he spoke calmly.
"Why did you support your son so much?"
His gaze remained steady.
"You literally raised a criminal."
His voice wasn't mocking… but the words hit like a knife.
Arya quietly observed the messy room.
"I heard you have three daughters…" he muttered calmly.
"Aren't they home?"
Rivaan's expression sharpened instantly.
"No… one is sleeping. The others went outside."
Riyaz chewed something slowly inside his mouth.
"It's 6:13 AM…" he muttered calmly.
"Your daughters really seem like fitness freaks."
His gaze locked onto Rivaan completely.
The atmosphere became heavier.
Suddenly—
Rishabh walked inside holding a tray of tea.
He slammed it onto the table without hesitation.
"Did you all come here to talk…" his voice felt cold and dead.
"Or to threaten my father-in-law?"
Rishabh placed the tea in front of Riyaz and Arya.
"You're from the Crime Branch…" he spoke coldly.
"That's the only reason I'm treating you kindly."
His voice remained calm… but dangerous.
"Stop, Rishabh…" Rivaan muttered nervously.
Riyaz stared at him coldly.
"So… this is your kindness?" he asked quietly.
"I hope I never see your anger then."
He raised the cup calmly.
Then—
He drank the boiling hot tea in one blink.
Rivaan's eyes widened slightly.
What is he…?
His gaze remained locked on Riyaz.
The man literally poured burning tea into his mouth without reacting.
Arya chuckled softly.
"You really don't know who he is…"
Her gaze slowly turned threatening.
"Mr. Riyaz could eat your Ashura for breakfast."
She laughed quietly.
Rishabh stared back without fear.
"Our Ashura…" he muttered coldly.
"…is far greater than your 'cool' Riyaz."
Their eyes met instantly.
The room filled with unusual tension.
Even the air felt heavier.
Arya giggled softly, covering her lips.
"Then… I want to taste your Ashura too."
Her mocking gaze remained fixed on them.
Riyaz slowly placed the empty cup back onto the table.
"So…" he stretched his arm calmly.
"Tell me now…"
"Where did you hide Ashura?"
Rivaan stared back coldly.
"Does Ashura look like a toy that can be hidden easily?"
"We've been searching for him ourselves for the past week."
"Ohhh… really?" Arya mocked calmly.
She played with a strand of her hair while smirking lightly.
"How unfortunate."
Rishabh smirked faintly.
"You won't find him."
"He's always one step ahead of government dogs."
"Even India's greatest investigators struggle to track him."
Arya clenched her teeth instantly.
"You—!"
Her gaze turned sharp with anger.
Riyaz quietly unwrapped a chewing gum.
Then he placed it inside his mouth calmly.
"…True."
"Ashura is far greater than I expected."
His voice remained soft.
But his eyes…
Looked far more interested now.
Riyaz smiled creepily.
"But…" he smirked coldly.
"I love challenges."
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"And your Ashura…"
"…looks like an undefeated challenge for me."
He exhaled calmly, then laughed quietly.
"I hope you meet him before I encounter him with my own hands."
His voice carried slight mockery.
Suddenly—
Rivaan slammed his hand against the table.
The entire room fell silent instantly.
"You think you can kill Ashura and threaten us?!" he yelled angrily.
"According to the law, you can't even torture us."
"Even India's greatest investigators can end up in jail."
His eyes burned with anger.
Rishabh stared at him in shock.
"…Dad…"
It was the first time he had seen Rivaan this furious.
Arya stayed silent for a moment.
Even Riyaz stopped smiling briefly.
Then—
Riyaz calmly stood up and grabbed his jacket.
"True…" he muttered quietly.
"I can't scare you."
He looked at them one last time.
"But understand this…"
His gaze turned colder than before.
"If I find Ashura…"
"…even God won't be able to save him."
"Challenging God?"
A cold voice echoed from the doorway.
Everyone turned instantly.
Shina slowly walked inside.
Her eyes locked onto Riyaz without fear.
Arya glanced at her quietly.
Who is she…?
Shina walked directly toward Riyaz.
Then—
She grabbed his collar aggressively.
The room froze.
"Then you'll lose yourself too," she laughed coldly.
"So don't worry, boy."
Riyaz smirked slightly.
"I like your attitude…"
"But I'm challenging God."
He slowly removed her hand from his collar.
"I'll personally send Ashura to him."
The room fell into heavy silence.
Tension swallowed the air itself.
Riyaz walked outside slowly.
Before leaving, he glanced back one last time.
"I'm challenging him again…" he muttered calmly.
"Winning or losing…"
"…that choice belongs to Ashura."
Shina stared at him coldly.
"Just don't end up buried in a graveyard yourself."
Her voice carried no fear.
Only warning.
Arya froze in disbelief for a moment.
Anger almost burst out of her eyes.
But—
Riyaz quietly held her hand.
"Let them speak," he muttered calmly.
A faint dark smile appeared on his lips.
"I'll show Ashura his limits soon enough."
His eyes slowly darkened.
Arya took a deep breath and nodded silently.
Then both of them walked outside the house.
The moment the door closed—
The entire house fell silent.
Only tension remained behind.
The media reporters shouted loudly.
"Eclipse Blade… also known as Ashura Rivaan…"
"He continues killing innocent politicians while the government does nothing!"
Their voices echoed across the streets.
"How foolish can they be?!"
"We demand justice!"
The crowd roared in anger.
"Yeahhh! We want justice!"
"Kill Ashura Rivaan!"
"Torture him!"
"Find him!"
"Cage him!"
"He doesn't deserve freedom!"
"The mayor has gone mad protecting a traitor like him!"
Someone threw a stone violently.
Then another.
Soon—
Rocks and bottles crashed against the mayor's car.
Inside the vehicle, the mayor sat silently.
His expression slowly darkened.
"Why does everything always end up on me…" he muttered coldly.
He placed his hand against his forehead in frustration.
The screaming crowd outside only grew louder.
His eyes slowly narrowed.
"…Why don't you just die already, Ashura…"
The mayor finally escaped the chaos outside.
His exhausted steps echoed quietly as he reached home.
He pressed his hand against the doorknob.
…It was already open.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
Looks like Neha forgot to lock it again…
He sighed tiredly and walked inside, loosening his tie calmly.
"Neha… I'm home, my daughter," he called out softly.
His voice was loud enough to echo through the house.
"…Why is it so dark?"
He pressed the light switch.
The lights flickered once.
Then—
The mayor's gaze froze completely.
"…Neha?"
His voice instantly turned serious.
The bag slipped from his shoulder and crashed onto the floor.
Neha was tied to a chair violently.
Her hands and legs were restrained tightly.
Cloth was stuffed inside her mouth while another covered her nose.
She struggled desperately.
Her body trembled as muffled cries escaped her throat.
"Mmphh…! Mmphh…!"
Three dead guards lay across the floor.
Blood slowly spread beneath their bodies.
The entire room smelled of death.
Near the window—
Ashura stood calmly sipping juice.
The moonlight partially covered his face.
Then—
He smiled mockingly.
"Welcome home, Mayor ji…"
His cold gaze slowly met his.
"NEHAAA—!"
The mayor screamed in complete shock.
He rushed forward violently toward her.
But—
He suddenly froze.
Ashura slowly raised a gun.
The barrel pressed directly against Neha's forehead.
A sharp silence swallowed the room.
Ashura cracked his neck slightly.
His cold eyes remained locked onto the mayor.
"…Don't you want your dear daughter to see tomorrow's morning?"
He chuckled softly.
The mayor's face completely broke.
"How… how did you…?" his voice trembled violently.
Then—
He collapsed onto his knees.
"Please…" his voice turned desperate.
"Don't kill her…"
"I won't."
Ashura replied calmly.
Then—
He slowly slid his finger across Neha's forehead down toward her nose.
His gaze remained calm.
Like a predator observing trapped prey before eating it.
The room was covered in bloodstains.
Broken furniture scattered everywhere.
The television screen lay shattered across the floor.
Only Neha's muffled cries echoed desperately.
"Mmmphh…! Mmphh…!"
Her body shook violently as tears streamed down her face.
"What do you want…?" the mayor's voice broke badly.
His hands trembled uncontrollably in fear.
"I'll give you everything…" tears fell from his eyes.
"Please… don't hurt her…"
"I'll even serve you if you want…"
"Please… Ashura…"
"Awww…"
Ashura mocked coldly.
"The strong mayor…"
"…looking this helpless because his daughter is trapped."
A faint dark smile appeared on his lips.
Then—
He slowly pressed the gun against Neha's heart.
Calmly watching the mayor's reaction.
"PLEASE STOP—!"
The mayor screamed desperately.
"As you care about your daughter…"
Ashura muttered coldly.
His voice felt colder than ice itself.
"…my family also cares about me."
The room fell silent.
"So…"
"Tell me everything about the greatest investigators."
"And Neha might see tomorrow."
Neha's head slowly dropped in weakness.
Soft muffled cries escaped weakly from her mouth.
"Mmphh…"
Her body barely moved anymore.
"And tell me everything about the Dark Owl gang…"
"…the supernatural world…"
"…everything."
Ashura's eyes slowly darkened.
"Or…"
He pressed the gun slightly harder.
"…I'll kill her."
His voice no longer sounded human.
Only deadly.
Chapter 28 Ended.