The night air was cold. The city never slept, but tonight, it felt different.
Ochieng walked down a quiet alley, his mind running through the possibilities.
A man he had buried. A legend that should have been erased.
And yet, here he was—returning like a shadow from the grave.
But why now?
What had changed?
And more importantly—what was his next move?
Ochieng knew one thing for sure.
If the Phantom King was back, then the entire underworld was about to shift.
And he had to be ready.
--
A knock on the door.
Ochieng's apartment was dark, but he wasn't sleeping.
He stood near the window, staring at the city below.
The knock came again.
Three sharp taps.
A code.
He opened the door.
Black Fang stood there, his face tense.
"You're not gonna like this," he said.
Ochieng didn't blink. "Try me."
Black Fang stepped inside, locking the door behind him.
"We found a body," he said. "And you're not going to believe who it is."
--
The warehouse smelled of rust and death.
A single hanging light flickered above the body.
Ochieng approached slowly, his footsteps echoing in the emptiness.
The corpse was tied to a chair, blood pooling beneath it.
Even in death, his face was twisted in agony.
Black Fang exhaled. "He was one of the Phantom King's old lieutenants. We thought he died years ago."
Ochieng's fingers twitched.
Someone had tortured this man.
And then left him here—as a message.
His eyes scanned the scene.
And then he saw it.
A symbol carved into the man's chest.
A single word.
"CHECKMATE."
Ochieng's blood turned cold.
The Phantom King wasn't just back.
He was already several steps ahead.
---
Ochieng's phone buzzed.
An unknown number.
He answered.
A voice, smooth and calm, spoke through the speaker.
"It's been a long time, hasn't it?"
Ochieng said nothing.
The voice chuckled.
"You're still the same. Always waiting. Always listening."
Ochieng's grip tightened on the phone.
"Who are you?" he asked, though he already knew the answer.
The laughter on the other end sent a chill down his spine.
"You already know, Ochieng."
A pause.
"Let's play a game."
The line went dead.
Ochieng lowered the phone.
His past had finally caught up with him.
And now—
The real war was about to begin.