1 The End

A staggering sum of fifty-three billion dollars.

A wealth beyond imagination, a vision realized, and a legacy constructed.

This legacy was forged through relentless determination and sacrifice.

A dream that birthed one of the largest and most influential organizations.

An organization that brought together the entire underworld under one banner.

Yet, this underworld was consumed by a vicious cycle of violence, treachery, and insatiable greed.

It was this insatiable greed that ultimately led to the downfall of the empire.

"How many years..."

The voice, hoarse and filled with anguish, reverberated through the air.

"For how long have you plotted this?"

The crimson and raven strands of hair took on a deeper shade, drenched in the crimson hue of spilled blood.

"How long have you been orchestrating this betrayal?"

The man sitting opposite laughed, blood splurging out of his mouth as he spoke– "Since you thought we were anything but business partners."

This hurt.

This was painful to hear.

But somewhere deep in his heart, he had already realized this.

That the man in front of him was not his friend, not his brother– but rather a snake in the disguise of his friend.

The man that he considered his brother, only viewed him as a tool. A tool to swallow the empire.

"Why? What have we achieved?" he uttered, slumping back onto the couch as a frigid gust of wind grazed his face. "The fruits of our labor, painstakingly built over the years... reduced to nothingness. Our empire, extinguished. It's all gone now, with no remnants to cling to. And you knew this, didn't you? So tell me, why did you choose to betray us? When neither of us would be left with a semblance of what we had strived for?"

The traitor's voice echoed from the empty space. "What have I achieved?" he sneered. "I achieved satisfaction! I reveled in the sight of your torment!" His voice grew louder, wild gesticulations punctuating his broken arms. "The sheer ecstasy of witnessing your gradual and inevitable downfall was my intoxication, my insatiable addiction!"

"You were my brother…" His voice was broken.

"I wasn't!" the traitor bellowed, his voice reverberating with resentment. "It was always about you! It was YOUR empire from the start! I was nothing more than a concealed shadow, forced to skulk behind your illustrious façade! But why? We toiled side by side, shoulder to shoulder! So why was I denied the same power, riches, and esteem that you enjoyed? Why was I destined to remain a mere specter, forever eclipsed?"

"You were not." The man sounded defeated, "We were brothers… We were equals."

The traitor let out a scornful chuckle, his face twisted with unmistakable hatred, a reflection of the torment he had endured.

"Seriously? You actually believe that crap? Equals?" he scoffed, his voice dripping with contempt and his tone turning bitter. "Go ask your business partners, your cronies, your whores! Do any of them see us on the same level?"

In the depths of his heart, he couldn't deny...

He knew...

He knew his friend had a point.

He had become the face of their organization, that much was undeniable.

But there was a hidden motive behind it all.

A reason he refused to expose.

It was the fact that his friend never had the qualities to lead. 

Never had the qualities to be the centerpiece and he did not have the capacity to handle the pain that came with that responsibility. 

He knew he was a hypocrite but it was the truth.

If he had given the power to his friend, there would have never been an empire, never would have their dream manifested into reality.

"This is a result of your own making!" The friend laughed, "Now rejoice in the anguish my friend! You stole my happiness, my rights and my dreams and in return I stole everything from you! Rejoice, my friend! Rejoice!"

The man was taken by insanity, his mind broken just like his limbs.

But worst of them all, were the broken hearts that both the friends now shared.

"Anthony..." His eyes welled up with tears, the first time in years that he had allowed himself to feel such raw emotion, tears he had vowed never to let fall since his sister's passing. "I deeply apologize, my brother... However, principles and obligations must be honored."

Anthony laughed maniacally, "Kill me! Just like you killed my dreams!" he hissed, "You fucking piece of shit! Jasper!"

Jasper closed his eyes, seeing the friend, the brother that he cherished losing himself in envy and insanity.

"Henry," He voiced, signaling the bulky man standing behind him, "You know what to do."

"Jasper!" Anthony roared, "I'll drag you to hell with me, Jasper!"

Jasper had already lost himself in the pain, the voices dimmed down as he walked closer to the end of the roof–

The top of the eighty floored building. 

"Your suffering will not end here! You will be dragged into hell!" Anthony's voice broke, splattering thick blood.

"Unforgiving towards those who betray and steal..."

A sentence spoken by someone close to both Jasper and Anthony, a sentence that became the motto for their organization and a sentence that stuck with Jasper for his entire life.

"I am sorry, Anthony."

"Jas–!"

*BANG!*

A loud bang echoed, followed by the melancholic silence of grief.

Anthony's head dropped down as his body went cold and crimson rivers cascaded beneath just as the gunshot pierced his brain.

"S-Sir–"

Upon pulling the trigger, a profound wave of sorrow washed over Henry as he grappled with the weight of taking the life of one of his superiors. But he knew the cost of betrayal, even if it was one of the founders.

"It's alright, Henry." Jasper showed a sorrowful smile, "His blood is on me, not you."

"B-Boss…"

His other subordinates were worried, but Jasper shook his head.

"Please… let me have this moment with him alone."

Henry looked at Jasper and then at Anthony's corpse. He had served Jasper since the beginning of it all, and now it broke him to see his boss in a state of total chaos.

"Boss… We are here for you. We will always be with you. It's not the wealth and power that established and kept this empire together, it was you." Harry bit his lips, "Please… Please don't give up. As your subordinate… I beg you."

Hearing this, Jasper gave him the calmest smile he had ever given anyone. 

"I know." He said, "You all may leave. I need some time for myself."

Henry and the rest were unsure.

But they could never dishonor their leader by going against his wishes. So, with a heavy heart they had to bow and leave the place.

Leaving Jasper alone with the corpse of Anthony.

Jasper took in the cold breeze of January as he breathed out tiredly.

"Thank you, Anthony." He closed his eyes, taking out a cigar from his pocket, "If not for you, I would have never been able to build this empire. If not for your support, this empire would have never stood this tall."

Lighting the cigar, he looked down-

The police swiftly advancing towards the building, driven by a sense of urgency.

A whirlwind of chaos engulfing the vicinity, with flames devouring structures and a scene of carnage unfolding beneath him.

He couldn't stop it.

He had lost his wealth, his empire and his brother.

But he still had his name.

The name that shook everyone's heart.

But now after everything, there was only one way to end it all.

After all, it was not possible to rebuild this empire.

Even if it was possible, it would take decades and countless people would have to be sacrificed to reach the same level of power.

And this was all just a speculation. 

A mere possibility, shrouded in uncertainty.

But was it truly worthwhile? To relive every hardship once more? To inflict suffering upon others?

"No," he whispered, his voice resolute. "It is not."

With a deep breath, he rose to his feet.

"I am sorry, my friend. I am sorry for everything, Anthony. But now there is nothing either of us can do about it."

He closed his eyes and walked back, edging near the end of the building.

"Let this chaos, let his empire and let this story… end with us."

He smiled.

One last time.

"Thank you, my brother."

Despite the betrayal, he cared for his friend dearly.

Because of his motto, Anthony had to die. But that didn't mean he didn't feel the pain.

And that pain was not something he wanted to carry on with his entire life.

So he decided to end it.

"Goodbye, brother. May we meet in hell."

And with that, an empire collapsed.

As the two founders accepted death.

One on a couch, the other falling to his death.

But as he dove down towards his demise, he wondered.

If... Oh, if only he had been granted a second opportunity.

A chance to start anew, to navigate life differently.

Would he repeat the same missteps, entrusting others blindly?

Alas, such inquiries would forever remain unanswered.

After all, it was the end.

It truly was.

As all that he saw from that point onwards was the darkness.

And all that he heard was the silence.

In the end,

What he accepted was death.

Death that was equal to all.

Unforgiving.

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