VEIL OF DESTINY :THE HIDDEN HEIR ASSERT

The tension in the room was suffocating.

Ten of the most powerful men in the underworld sat before Ochieng, their eyes filled with judgment, greed, and suspicion.

The leader at the head of the table, an elderly man with piercing gray eyes, tapped his fingers against the polished wood.

"Ochieng, son of the untouchable…" he murmured. "Do you know why you're here?"

Ochieng smirked.

"Because you're all afraid."

Silence.

Then—laughter.

Low, menacing, like a pack of wolves circling prey.

"You've got guts," one of them sneered. "But guts won't save you when the time comes."

Ochieng leaned back in his chair, unfazed.

"Neither will your wealth if you don't choose the right side."

A flicker of intrigue passed through the old man's eyes.

"Tell me, Ochieng… If you were in our position, what would you do with a young man who suddenly walked back into our world, uninvited?"

Ochieng's smirk widened.

"I'd test him."

The air grew colder.

"Very well," the old man said. "Let's begin."

A snap of his fingers.

And the doors slammed shut.

---

Ochieng barely had time to react before the first attacker lunged.

A blur of motion—a blade slicing through the air, aimed for his throat.

But Ochieng was faster.

He moved like a phantom.

Dodging. Countering. Striking.

One man went down with a broken jaw. Another collapsed, gasping for air as Ochieng crushed his ribs.

More came.

Elite fighters. Assassins trained in the deadliest arts.

But Ochieng…

Was something else entirely.

He wasn't just fighting.

He was sending a message.

"You wanted to test me? You chose the wrong opponent."

Within minutes, the floor was littered with unconscious bodies.

And Ochieng stood in the center—unscathed.

The room was silent.

Then—slow clapping.

The old man smiled.

"Impressive," he admitted. "But strength alone isn't enough to survive in this world."

Ochieng dusted off his shirt.

"Then it's a good thing I have more than just strength."

The old man's smile deepened.

"Welcome to the game, Ochieng. Let's see how long you can survive."

---

As Ochieng left the building, a figure stepped out from the shadows.

A woman.

Rose.

"You should have walked away," she murmured.

Ochieng smirked.

"And miss all the fun?"

Her eyes darkened.

"You don't understand what you've just done. The moment you sat at that table, you declared war."

Ochieng turned to her, his voice calm but deadly.

"No, Rose. They did."

And with that, he walked away—toward the storm he knew was coming.

But this time, he was ready.

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