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Chapter 106 - the sound of guns

Yuna:

The gunfire hadn't even settled into rhythm when Viktor's voice cut through the chaos again, loud, mocking, deliberate—as if he wanted to pull attention back to himself no matter what. Viktor again said.

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"Hey—!"

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His eyes found me again.

Not just a glance.

A stare.

Slow.

Uncomfortable.

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I felt it crawl over my skin, that look—dirty, disrespectful, like I wasn't even a person to him.

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He wiped the corner of his lip with his thumb, smirking despite the situation.

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"This is the girl, right?" he said, almost amused. "The one who shot me from behind."

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My chest tightened.

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"And now." he continued, laughing under his breath. "Now she's just standing there."

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His gaze dragged over me again, shameless.

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"What happened?" he added. "Too scared to shoot me again?"

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My fingers curled into fists.

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I took a step forward.

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But before I could even speak—

He laughed.

Louder this time.

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"Though…" Viktor said, his tone shifting, slower, more twisted. "Even if she's scared…"

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His eyes darkened slightly.

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"She's damn hot, Ethan."

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Something inside me snapped.

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Before I could react—

Ethan moved.

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But Viktor wasn't done.

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"Let's make a deal," he continued casually, like they weren't standing in the middle of a battlefield. "If you win, she's yours."

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A pause.

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"And if I win…"

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That smile again.

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"She's mine."

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The words hit like a slap.

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Before I could even process it—

Alejandro stepped in, laughing.

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"Correction," he said, his voice colder, more cruel. "If we win…"

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His eyes flicked toward me briefly.

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"She's ours."

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That was it.

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Everything froze for half a second.

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Then—

Ethan moved.

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Fast.

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So fast I barely saw it.

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He closed the distance between him and Viktor in a single step—

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And punched him.

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Hard.

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The sound of it echoed louder than the gunshots.

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Viktor's head snapped to the side, his body staggering back from the force.

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For a second—

Everything went still again.

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Then—

Hell broke loose.

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"Kill them!" Alejandro shouted.

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Gunfire exploded again, louder, more chaotic than before.

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Men rushed forward, weapons raised, shouting, running—

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Everything turned into pure violence.

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Ethan didn't look back.

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Didn't check on me.

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Because he trusted me to stay where I should.

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Instead, he went straight for Viktor again.

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Viktor recovered quickly, wiping the blood from his lip, his expression no longer amused.

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Now—

He looked furious.

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"You're dead!" he snarled, swinging back at Ethan.

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They collided again, fists meeting flesh, strength against strength.

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I stepped back slightly, keeping my distance like Ethan told me, my eyes moving constantly.

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A man rushed toward me from the side—

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I reacted instantly.

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The gun in my hand lifted—

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Bang.

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He dropped.

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My breath hitched.

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But I didn't stop.

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Because there was no time to process anything.

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Another came—

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Another shot.

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I moved again, staying behind broken structures, using cover, just like I had practiced.

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But my eyes—

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They kept going back to Ethan.

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He was in the middle of it.

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Fighting Viktor, dodging blows, striking back with precision and force.

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Alejandro joined in, trying to flank him—

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But Ethan didn't falter.

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He moved like he had done this a thousand times.

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Controlled.

Brutal.

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A punch landed.

Another.

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Viktor staggered again.

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But he didn't go down.

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Not yet.

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Alejandro pulled a gun—

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My heart jumped.

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"Ethan—!" I shouted.

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He turned just in time—

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The shot fired—

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But it missed.

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Barely.

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Ethan moved again, closing the distance and knocking the weapon from Alejandro's hand with a sharp strike.

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The fight only got worse.

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Closer.

Faster.

More dangerous.

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Every second—

Someone fell.

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Every second—

The chaos grew louder.

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And in the middle of it all—

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I realized something terrifying.

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This wasn't just a fight.

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This was war.

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And there was no turning back anymore.

The sound of gunfire didn't stop.

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It grew.

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Louder. Closer. More chaotic.

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The factory was no longer just a broken building—it had turned into a battlefield where every shadow moved and every second mattered.

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My breathing became sharper, faster, but I forced myself to stay focused.

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Ethan's words echoed in my head.

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Stay alert. Watch everything.

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I moved behind a rusted metal pillar, crouching slightly as bullets hit the walls around me, sparks flying from impact. Dust filled the air, making it harder to see, harder to breathe.

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Another man rushed toward me from the left.

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I reacted instantly.

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I raised the gun—

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Bang.

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He dropped before he could even reach me.

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My hands trembled slightly after the shot.

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But I didn't let it take over.

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Because there was no time.

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A loud crash came from the center—

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My eyes snapped back to Ethan.

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He had Viktor against a broken steel table, gripping his collar before slamming him down with force.

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The metal bent slightly under the impact.

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Viktor groaned but didn't stay down.

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He grabbed Ethan's arm and twisted, forcing him to step back as he regained his footing.

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Blood ran from the corner of Viktor's mouth, but he was smiling again.

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"You've gotten stronger," he said, breathing heavily. "I like that."

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Ethan didn't reply.

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He stepped forward again.

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No hesitation.

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No mercy.

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Their fists collided again, each hit harder than the last.

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Alejandro wasn't out of the fight either.

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He picked up another weapon from the ground and aimed again, trying to catch Ethan off guard.

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My heart jumped.

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"No—!"

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I fired before I could even think.

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Bang.

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The bullet hit the gun in his hand, knocking it away.

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Alejandro cursed loudly, stepping back as he glared in my direction.

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"You little—"

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He turned toward me.

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And that was a mistake.

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Because before he could take another step—

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One of Ethan's men tackled him from the side.

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They fell to the ground, fighting brutally, rolling across the dusty floor.

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I exhaled sharply, my chest rising and falling fast.

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Everything was happening too quickly.

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Too loud.

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Too real.

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I moved again, shifting positions, keeping distance but staying close enough to see Ethan.

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That's when I noticed something.

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Movement above.

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On one of the broken upper walkways.

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A sniper.

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My eyes widened.

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He was aiming—

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At Ethan.

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My heartbeat spiked.

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"Ethan!" I shouted.

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He didn't look.

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He couldn't.

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He was still fighting Viktor.

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I raised my gun again, my hands steadier this time.

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I took a breath—

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And fired.

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Bang.

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The sniper jerked backward and fell from the platform, crashing onto the ground below.

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My chest heaved.

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I had no time to think about it.

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Because the fight wasn't slowing down.

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Not even for a second.

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Ethan landed another punch, this time harder—strong enough to send Viktor stumbling back several steps.

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Viktor wiped the blood from his mouth again, breathing heavier now, but his eyes still burned with that same dangerous intensity.

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"You really want to kill me that badly?" he said, almost laughing again despite everything.

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Ethan stepped forward.

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"Yes."

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One word.

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Nothing more.

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But it carried weight.

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Viktor's smile faded slightly.

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For the first time—

There was something else there.

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Something like caution.

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Around us, the number of men was decreasing.

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Bodies on the ground.

Groans of the injured.

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But it wasn't over.

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Not even close.

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Alejandro pushed the man off him and got back on his feet again, grabbing a knife this time instead of a gun.

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His gaze locked onto Ethan.

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"You think this ends here?" he growled.

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Ethan didn't even look at him.

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"Stay out of it," he said.

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Alejandro laughed bitterly.

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"Not happening."

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He charged.

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Fast.

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Knife aimed straight toward Ethan—

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But before he could reach—

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Luca appeared.

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Out of nowhere.

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He intercepted him, grabbing his arm mid-strike and twisting it hard enough to make him drop the knife.

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They clashed immediately, fists and force, both equally aggressive.

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"Thought you'd handle him alone?" Luca muttered.

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Ethan didn't respond.

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Because his focus never left Viktor.

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Never even for a second.

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I watched all of it, my heart still racing, my body tense, my mind trying to keep up with everything happening around me.

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This wasn't just survival anymore.

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This was the end of something.

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A long fight.

A long chase.

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And it was all coming down—

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To this moment.

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