Months after the Gold Robbery, the Crimson Bandit hideout buzzed with confusion. Bandits huddled together, whispering and shooting uneasy glances toward the center of the room.

  “What’s this?” one of them muttered.

  “She’s lost her mind,” another sneered.

  “Probably just another drug addict,” someone scoffed.

  Nailah, after laying low for a while, finally returned and sat comfortably on the box that served as Damon’s chair, her gaze cold and unwavering. The bandits’ chatter didn’t faze her. The flickering candlelight cast shadows over her face, making her icy stare all the more unsettling. The murmurs grew louder until one of the bandits stepped forward.

  “I don’t know if you’re aware,” he said cautiously, “but that seat belongs to Damon, our boss. He’s been missing for a while, but he does that sometimes. If he finds you there, you’ll be in trouble.”

  Nailah barely spared him a glance. Her fingers drummed against the armrest. Enough people were gathered. It was time to speak.

  “Damon won’t be coming back,” she announced. Her voice was sharp, cutting through the room like a blade. “Because he’s dead.”

  The reaction was instant. Shock rippled through the hideout.

  “That can’t be true!” someone shouted.

  “Impossible!” another protested.

  “But that would explain his absence…”

  Nailah leaned back, exuding confidence. “So, starting today, I’ll be your boss.”

  The bandits erupted in outrage.

  “She’s crazy!”

  “Who’d work for a bitch like her?”

  “Let’s kill her!”

  “I might as well be the boss!”

  Nailah’s fingers tightened on a box that she used as an armrest. The noise irritated her, but before she could react, a sudden shift in the crowd drew everyone’s attention. The bandits made way for five men. Their presence alone was enough to silence the chaos.

  “They’re here!” someone whispered.

  Five figures stepped forward, each carrying the mark of the Crimson Bandits, the signature Crimson Bandit Scarf worn in their own way.

  First was Bandana Buster, tall and lean, with two machetes strapped to his back. He wore his scarf like a bandana across his forehead.

  Next came Rodney the Silent, short and wiry, dressed entirely in black as if always prepared for stealth. He used his scarf as a mask, hiding most of his face.

  Then there was Muscular Carson, a towering, bald man built like a fortress with a thick mustache with curled tips. He wore a beret, and his scarf rested around his neck.

  David "Burn Boy", the smallest of the group, had a pair of goggles and oversized gloves. A large bag hung from his back, and he tied his scarf around his thigh.

  Finally, Topless Randy was shirtless, wearing only shorts and boots. His chest was covered in tattoos, the only cloth on his upper body being the scarf around his neck.

  These were the Crimson Stars, Damon’s most trusted men and the strongest among the Crimson Bandits. Yet even they couldn’t ignore the absence of Damon and Zeke Sticky Fingers.

  Bandana Buster smirked. “Oh really? You’re the boss now? So, what’s your grand plan… boss?”

  Nailah met his gaze with a smirk of her own. “For starters, to become the one and only Honcho.”

  The room went silent for a moment before erupting into laughter. The bandits, the Crimson Stars, even Buster himself, couldn’t hold back their amusement.

  Carson wiped a tear from his eye. “Sorry, we know you’re not even from here, but that was crazy.”

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  David shook his head, smiling. “Only one of the Crimson Stars can become the boss.”

  Randy grinned maliciously. “Unfortunately, being one of Damon’s whores ain’t enough.”

  The laughter died instantly. Nailah slowly raised her head, her gaze chilling. “You know… I tried to do this peacefully.”

  Flashes of memories crossed her mind. Her father’s employee mocking her, the humiliation she suffered in Skyland, Damon’s leering grin, her brother Tom’s disdain, the aristocrats sneering at her.

  No one ever took her seriously.

  She was tired of it.

  Memories of her mentor’s imposing presence flashed through her mind. The way Ayao carried herself, the silence she commanded, the way even seasoned fighters hesitated under her gaze.

  From that, Nailah had learned a lesson.

  Respect is earned through fear.

  Her expression hardened. Her bloodlust filled the air like a heavy fog. Her cold eyes gleamed in the dim light.

  “I shall show you fear.”

  With a flick of her finger, a very thin red string, barely visible, shot through the air. Randy did not have time to react before his head separated from his body.

  Silence.

  The room froze. All eyes locked on the head rolling across the floor. Shock paralyzed the bandits, even the Crimson Stars.

  Nailah stood, her glowing eyes burning through them. “It appears I owe you an apology…” She smirked, looking down at the stunned crowd. “I shouldn’t be using my powers on such pathetic ruffians.”

  Buster’s face twisted in fury. “You… bitch.”

  Carson, still in shock, snapped back to reality. “She killed one of us!! Let’s make her pay!!”

  The bandits charged. The hideout erupted into chaos.

  One bandit lunged at her recklessly. Nailah didn’t hesitate. Her fist met his face with a force that sent teeth flying. He crumpled before he even hit the ground.

  Another attacked from the side. She drove her elbow into his stomach while simultaneously kicking a third bandit who tried to ambush her.

  Swords swung. Fists flew. Nailah dodged every strike with an eerie grace, twisting and flipping between her enemies like a phantom. A bandit attempted to stab her. She caught his wrist, used his own blade to gut another, and finished him off with a brutal backhand.

  The fight intensified. Explosives streaked through the air as Nailah dodged with ease, leaping off walls and flipping over attacks.

  David stepped forward, gripping a handful of explosives, with Buster beside him.

  “She’s strong!” David shouted over the chaos.

  Buster smirked. “Stand back, guys! Let the Crimson Stars handle her.”

  Hearing Buster’s command and seeing David take action, the Crimson Bandits felt their fear fade, replaced by confidence.

  “You’re up against the Crimson Stars now! It’s over for you!” one bandit jeered.

  “Yeah! Your death won’t be pretty,” another added.

  The other Crimson Stars moved up to join David and Buster. Carson cracked his knuckles, eyeing Nailah with mild amusement and a hint of scorn. “Hard to believe this is the same girl who was scared of Damon.”

  Nailah’s gaze swept over the group, stopping at David. His explosives and ranged attacks made him the most troublesome opponent.

  In a flash, she lunged at him, aiming a kick straight at his face.

  Buster intercepted, blocking with his machetes. The impact forced him backward, his feet skidding across the ground.

  She didn’t flinch. Using the momentum, she spun and kicked Buster in the chest, sending him crashing into the wall.

  Carson and Rodney attacked from opposite sides. Nailah caught their wrists mid-strike. With a ruthless twist, she redirected their attacks toward each other. Rodney’s short sword sank into Carson’s heart. Carson’s fist collided with Rodney’s skull with deadly force.

  Buster, injured, screamed in horror. “NOOO!”

  The bandits panicked. They scrambled to flee.

  “She’s going to kill us all!”

  “She’s worse than Damon!”

  David grabbed Buster, helping him escape. “Let’s go! She’s a monster!”

  Buster clenched his fists, rage in his eyes. “We can’t leave them behind!”

  “They’re dead!”

  And they were. Carson, Randy… both lay lifeless on the floor.

  Nailah turned to Rodney, who was barely breathing. She grabbed him by the throat, lifting him effortlessly. “I hear they call you Rodney the Silent.” Her grip tightened.

  Rodney gasped, choking.

  Nailah smirked. “So, you do have a voice. Well then, answer me.”

  She threw him to the ground. “Will you accept me as your boss?”

  Rodney coughed, barely able to breathe. “I’d rather die.”

  Her glowing eyes flashed. “Very well. Die then.”

  She turned away, stepping over bodies as she reclaimed Damon’s chair. Her gaze swept over the blood-soaked room.

  “I’m headed for Skyland,” she declared. “And I will destroy anyone who gets in my way.”

  From that day forward, the world knew her by a new name:

  The Blood Baroness.

  In a hidden chamber, David helped an injured Buster walk. They stopped before a small chest.

  Buster’s hands clenched into fists. His eyes burned with rage.

  “She will pay for this.”