The Dark Emperor

Schultz awoke from a nightmare. He turned his head towards the window, where thick, dark clouds shrouded the sky.

Beneath the inky blackness of night, the ancient, bustling city lay in an eerie calm.

His old wounds, still unhealed, throbbed with a persistent ache. Even with the aid of highly paid healing mages, the lingering effects of the forbidden drugs made it impossible for the injuries from that night to mend in such a short time.

Yet, far outweighing his physical agony was the gnawing unease in his heart.

Inside the room, premium pine logs crackled in the fireplace, their warm glow dispelling the autumn night’s chill. A faint, musky incense, potent enough to soothe a rutting elephant, wafted through the air.

Still, his inner turmoil refused to subside. Ever since that night, after the failed attempt to seize the ancient dragon’s blood, it felt as though some ominous switch had been flipped.

The entire Lower City had suddenly become enveloped in an invisible shadow.

Something was about to happen.

As the Lower City’s most notorious Hyena, Schultz was exceptionally sharp in such matters. He had, in the past, evaded countless threats of death by relying on this very keen intuition.

“Gurlson! Gurlson!”

The voice of his trusted subordinate rang out from beyond the door.

“Yes, Boss? What are your orders?”

“Have the higher-ups still not responded?”

“…No, we’ve tried contacting them unilaterally many times, but all our messages have fallen on deaf ears.”

“Damn it!”

Schultz cursed, his gaze darkening ominously.

“Those damned nobles! They truly can’t be trusted when it matters most!”

To maintain their current status and secure adequate support, the Hyena Gang dedicated more than half of its monthly income to appeasing those high-and-mighty aristocrats.

Yet, precisely at this critical juncture, he was denied the promised assistance he was due. Not even a single response!

‘Had he been abandoned?’

A flicker of panic crossed Schultz’s eyes.

‘No, that’s not right.’

As long as the Hyena Gang remained one of the Lower City’s largest factions, they would never be cast aside so easily.

For those insatiably greedy nobles, dismantling everything currently in place and re-establishing a new power would be an utterly unprofitable endeavor.

‘It must simply be a delay, something holding them up. It must be…’

‘Calm down. I must remain calm.’

Regardless, he needed to rest. He hadn’t closed his eyes for days. If this continued, his body might collapse before the real crisis even arrived.

With a slightly trembling hand, Schultz pulled open the drawer beside his bed. From the array of bottles that nearly filled it, he instinctively retrieved a familiar one, shaking out two small white pills.

However, before he could swallow them, his subordinate, who had just left, returned with urgent news. “Boss, Rat King Sam sent a message.”

“Speak.”

“He wants you to meet him.”

“Now?” A hint of surprise flickered in Schultz’s eyes, and he instinctively glanced out the window.

‘In the dead of night, what kind of secret rendezvous is this?’

“I’m not going!”

“But the person Rat King Sam sent said you absolutely must consider it.”

“Consider his grandmother’s leg! I still haven’t settled the score with him from a few days ago!” Schultz slammed his fist against the wall.

The precious gem ring on his finger instantly fractured, rendering it worthless.

Though gang wars were common, with victories and losses on both sides, the memory of what happened days ago still made his mind feel engulfed by rage, threatening to explode on the spot.

He had never been so humiliated. If he hadn’t hidden in the foul sewers, he, the venerable leader of the Hyena Gang, might truly have fallen into the hands of those incompetent city guards!

He swore that if Rat King Sam ever appeared before him, he wouldn’t be punching a wall, but that ugly face of his!

‘And those other guys…’

“But…”

The subordinate outside the door seemed hesitant.

“The person Rat King Sam sent said you’re not the only one he’s invited.”

“Not just me?”

Schultz frowned, quickly understanding. “He’s invited other gang leaders as well?”

“That’s what he said.”

The subordinate paused. “Considering I pulled out all ten of his fingernails and he still didn’t change his story, he’s probably not lying.”

“Inviting the leaders of various Lower City gangs at a time like this…”

Schultz instinctively tapped the edge of the bed, deep in thought. ‘Rat King Sam, what trick are you playing? Could it be that you’ve also noticed something amiss?’

“So, Boss, are we still going?”

“Going? Why wouldn’t we go!”

A glint flashed in Schultz’s eyes, and he quickly made up his mind.

Though he didn’t know what Rat King Sam was truly planning, since so many people had been invited, being excluded in such a situation would be fatal.

Clever men never missed an opportunity to gather information.

“Gurlson, prepare the carriage. We’re going to meet Rat King Sam.”

“Yes, sir.”

The subordinate’s presence vanished from outside the door, and soon, the low thud of hooves echoed in the courtyard.

Schultz casually crushed the pills in his hand into powder. He rose to retrieve his cane from the corner of the table, but accidentally knocked over the kettle, extinguishing the fire in the fireplace.

Schultz stared at the smoking fireplace, the ominous feeling in his heart growing stronger. Then, he kicked over the table in front of him, his aged face suddenly contorted with ferocity.

“I’ll see who can stand against me, Schultz, after I’ve dominated the Lower City for decades!”

****

“I’ve done as you asked.”

In the desolate night, Rat King Sam looked at the purely black figure not far away.

He stood upon a narrow bridge, gazing out at the entire city. His face was obscured by the shadow of his fedora, making his expression unreadable.

However, as his gaze shifted, Sam occasionally felt a chilling dread that made his heart pound. It was as if he wasn’t looking at a gentleman in a suit, but a ferocious beast struggling to suppress its inner turmoil.

“Is that so?”

Ewan suddenly turned, habitually adjusting the brim of his fedora, and offered a serene smile.

“You’ve worked hard, Sam.”

Stripped of the ‘Mister’ suffix, Ewan’s words sounded like casual greetings between friends.

But Sam remained impassive, stating with a stern face, “As we agreed, I’m only responsible for gathering those fellows and providing the venue. Nothing else concerns my Rat Society.”

“No, there’s one more thing I need you for.”

“You intend to break the agreement?”

A cold glint flashed in Sam’s eyes. ‘Even if you are unfathomable, my Rat Society isn’t…’

“Of course not.”

Ewan clapped Sam heartily on the shoulder, saying earnestly, “An audience, an audience! How can such an important occasion lack you, the audience? Stay and watch this grand play unfold with me, my friend.”

“…” Sam fell silent for a moment. “I want to know, what exactly are you planning?”

“Planning what?”

Ewan blinked. “Why, to bring salvation to you lost lambs, of course. You’re all about to be ruined, did you know that?”

“Lies.”

Sam continued to stare coldly at Ewan. “I don’t believe you’re that kind-hearted. You definitely have another motive.”

“Alas, good people are always misunderstood.”

Ewan sighed, shaking his head, and walked towards the unassuming building hidden deep in the darkness.

In the deserted alley, several gazes of different origins intertwined, clashing with chilling murderous intent.

Ewan, however, seemed oblivious, strolling leisurely into the perilous shadows.

Sam’s cheek twitched. After a moment of hesitation, he ultimately followed the man.

The path was unimpeded.

But at the building’s entrance, Ewan suddenly halted.

“What’s wrong?” Sam tilted his head, looking at Ewan.

“It’s still a bit… unsettling,” Ewan mused, looking down at his hands.

“Unsettling?”

Sam looked suspicious, thinking, ‘What new madness is this lunatic indulging in now?’

“Still, while I’m quite unaccustomed to this pretentious version of myself, isn’t there an old saying?

—’To make one’s legs go weak with a single glance is an essential quality for a blonde.’

So, I have to try, don’t I? Someone’s waiting for me.”

Ewan chuckled self-deprecatingly, adjusted his fedora once more, pushed open the door, and stepped onto the stage that had long been prepared.

Only Rat King Sam was left behind, utterly bewildered.

‘Blonde? Isn’t your hair white?’

‘And what in the world is this ‘essential quality to make one’s legs go weak with a single glance’? Is that really an old saying? Why does it sound so… unsavory?’

****

The Reckonus Underground Bar.

As an obscure, ordinary underground bar in the Lower City, it lacked the hot strip dancers, blood-pumping music, and readily available illicit drugs of the renowned pleasure dens.

In fact, for a bar, it was eerily quiet.

Quiet to the point of dread.

Ewan stepped inside, his eyes immediately drawn to the wisps of white smoke curling upwards in the dim light, and behind the smoke, a series of grim faces.

Hyena Gang, Schultz.

Brotherhood, Zilok and Dolan.

Cerberus, Franjie.

Trading House, the Tycor brothers.

One by one, the faces matched the intelligence Anna had provided. Within this small bar, most of the Lower City’s major gang leaders, or rather, their power brokers, had gathered.

“It seems these house dogs feel uneasy without their leashes,” Ewan sneered.

At this moment, he perhaps had to thank the Silent Watch for the magnitude of their clandestine operations. If they hadn’t forced the nobles to accept the imperial palace’s summons, leaving these ‘house dogs’ without their masters, it would have been impossible to gather these individuals here in such a short time, even with Rat King Sam’s influence.

But since the actors had arrived, it was time for him to…

“Gentlemen, allow me to introduce myself. I am—”

*Crack!*—

A sharp sound interrupted Ewan’s opening remarks.

It was so sudden.

He pressed down on his fedora, his head tilted, his gaze shifting to the… wine bottle that had just whizzed past his cheek.

The bottle had shattered, red wine splattering like blood.

But that didn’t change the fact that the bottle had been aimed at his head.

‘This is…’

Ewan raised an eyebrow slightly, then turned to face the man who had thrown the bottle.

“Hyena Gang, Schultz…”

“What are you?”

Staring at this inexplicably appearing stranger, whom he didn’t recognize at all, Schultz felt the rage in his mind become even harder to suppress.

“Get Rat King Sam out here!”

“Rat King Sam…”

His gaze flickered to Rat King Sam, who was hidden in the shadows, happily watching the commotion with no intention of revealing himself. Ewan’s eyes returned to Schultz, a graceful smile gracing his lips.

“Mr. Schultz, it is not Rat King Sam who invited you tonight, but—”

*Splat!*

The second wine bottle came flying. This time, Schultz was smart enough not to aim for Ewan’s head, but let the bottle shatter at his feet.

Wine and glass shards splattered upwards, grazing the purely black suit and leaving a distinct mark.

Ewan didn’t dodge. He lowered his head, staring at the mark on his suit. For a long moment, he remained silent.

“Stop your damned nonsense! Get Rat King Sam out here, now! I have no interest in speaking with you!” Schultz continued to roar, his eyes bloodshot.

In truth, Schultz wasn’t typically such a volatile person. He had always strived to project the image of a refined old gentleman.

However, the persistent headache from days of sleeplessness, coupled with the growing unease in his heart, made it incredibly difficult to control his emotions.

Moreover, he had finally pinpointed the source of his anxiety.

The moment he had stepped into this bar, observing the deeply hidden unease in the eyes of others, he understood Rat King Sam’s intention:

—’To huddle together for warmth.’

Now, it was likely not just him, but all the gangs in the Lower City that had been abandoned by the higher-ups.

This was a terrifying message, signaling an impending storm.

And against a storm, the best approach was to huddle together for warmth. While the Lower City’s gangs had never been truly integrated, facing this unknown threat—one no one had ever encountered, whose origin was a mystery—it wasn’t impossible for such an unprecedented event to occur.

However, any huddling together implied the emergence of a true leader.

A ‘Dark Emperor’ who would potentially rule the Lower City, governing all their gangs.

Rat King Sam’s sudden summoning of them tonight became glaringly obvious!

He wanted to be that Dark Emperor… He even believed he had a strong chance of succeeding, sending some unknown punk, whose name he didn’t even know, to intimidate them!

But how could that be possible!

Given the bad blood between them, if Rat King Sam became the Dark Emperor ruling the Lower City, Schultz knew he would certainly face dire consequences!

Therefore, no matter what, he had to disrupt Rat King Sam’s plan and force him to appear in person!

“Haha, the Hyena’s gone mad again.”

From behind, someone scoffed.

But Schultz merely offered a cold smile.

‘A bunch of fools.’

‘The knife is at your throat, and you’re still oblivious. At this rate, you probably won’t live much longer!’

As this thought crossed his mind, Schultz’s eyes gleamed with a fervent intensity. Indeed, his premonition was perfectly accurate. As long as he eliminated Rat King Sam, that source of unease, then becoming the so-called Dark Emperor himself wasn’t impossible…

“My name is Bruce Wayne.”

“Hm?”

Schultz looked confusedly at the stranger Rat King Sam had pushed forward.

He finally raised his head, wiping the wine from his cheek with a handkerchief, a calm and elegant smile on his face. He politely introduced himself again: “Bruce Wayne, Mr. Schultz.”

“I don’t care what your name is! Just get Rat King Sam out here, now!”

‘Is this some country bumpkin? No wonder Rat King Sam pushed him forward.’

‘In that case…’

A hint of impatience flickered in Schultz’s eyes, and he silently gripped his weapon.

“What a pity.”

But then, he heard the man who called himself Bruce sigh regretfully.

Such pity, as if lamenting the wilting of a flower, the falling of a leaf, the passing of life.

In an instant.

Schultz’s inner unease swelled like never before, like an inflating balloon, constantly pressing on his throbbing nerves.

‘I’m going to die! I’m going to die!’

‘What’s happening? Wasn’t the source of my unease Rat King Sam?’

No time to think.

Schultz heard the man’s latter half of the sentence: “This evening is so beautiful, yet Mr. Schultz, you show me no respect. You won’t even call me Mr. Bruce Wayne.”

Lost in confusion, fear, and incomprehension, Schultz opened his mouth, wanting to say something.

But he could no longer utter a single word.

The world suddenly spun. Amidst the fading unease and anger, he saw the dimly lit ceiling, the horrified and disbelieving stares of others, and… a headless corpse.

His own corpse.

His head rolled on the floor, staring blankly at everyone, a trace of that triumphant smirk still on its lips.

Schultz, the Hyena Gang leader who had suffered three days and two nights of insomnia, finally entered eternal slumber.

****

“Madman! Madman! This is a goddamn madman!”

In the darkness, Rat King Sam, having witnessed the entire scene, hissed in disbelief.

What had he just seen?

That guy, so casually, so effortlessly, had severed Schultz’s head right in front of everyone?

Who did he think Schultz was?

Though Schultz had always been annoying, the Hyena Gang was still one of the Lower City’s major factions.

Was he trying to spark a war in the Lower City?

Moreover, after all his hard work gathering these people, how was he going to resolve this? Schultz hadn’t come alone!

As he thought this, Sam saw Ewan suddenly turn and glance at him, a strange smile on his face.

“Sam, my dear friend, those Hyena Gang members outside are all yours.”

“What… Wait!”

Sam’s heart immediately sank, for the man’s voice was distinctly louder than usual, clear enough for anyone outside the room to hear.

Sam’s roar came too late. The sound of arrows piercing the air suddenly erupted.

Under Ewan’s deliberate words, the elite members of the Rat Society, stationed outside to protect Sam, unhesitatingly pulled their triggers on the Hyena Gang members.

“Rat King Sam, you—”

Outside the door, Schultz’s subordinate let out an enraged roar, but that roar quickly turned into a wail.

Screams followed one after another.

And then quickly subsided.

Everything returned to calm.

As Sam, now trembling with rage, finally understood the meaning of ‘audience,’ blood slowly began to seep in from outside the door.

It was like an invisible blade, stinging everyone’s eyes.

In the face of this incomprehensible turn of events, a suffocating silence enveloped the place.

And that silence was soon broken.

As if utterly unconcerned by what had transpired outside, Ewan lifted his gaze, sweeping it across the stunned and bewildered faces of everyone present. He smiled with satisfaction.

“Excellent. Now, no one should interrupt my speech.

Given the urgency of the hour, I shall state my intentions directly.” At this moment, in this unassuming bar, the man who called himself Bruce uttered a statement to the numerous magnates of Belrand’s Lower City—a statement that would later become widely known: “Gentlemen, be my dogs.”