Two months had passed since the Venice incident. Ucok was once again swamped with "Rendang Rambo," which had grown even more popular. Queues of customers snaked all the way to Kuta Beach, proving that even amidst the tourist hustle, the authentic taste of rendang was unrivaled. Rizal and Nova, meanwhile, spent their time in intensive training at ORION’s secret facility in Ubud, honing their skills to face unexpected threats. Surya, after a full recovery, returned to his duties as asset and information supervisor, though now with a much higher degree of caution.One quiet afternoon, as the sunset painted Bali in shades of orange and purple, the three gathered in a simple bamboo gazebo behind Ucok’s restaurant. The relaxed atmosphere shattered when Rizal's satellite phone rang again. This time, the number was unfamiliar, and the frequency felt different—not from any usual intelligence network, and clearly not The Architect. There was a strange urgency to it, like the rustle of wind carr

That face. The face that should have been locked away in the nightmares of their past. Dr. Arisaka. Ucok recoiled, a startled cry almost escaping his lips, his mouth agape in disbelief. Rizal clenched his jaw, his knife gripped tightly, the muscles in his forearms tensing. Nova fell silent, her eyes reflecting cold calculation, her brain processing this unexpected information at lightning speed. Arisaka, with a thin, mocking smile, didn't look like the defeated remnants of a mafia boss. He looked like a newly crowned king, with an aura of authority even more potent than before."Surprised, aren't you?" Arisaka's voice echoed through the chamber, filled with disturbing satisfaction. "You thought you had ended the Daruma chapter? That was merely the prologue." He gestured with a sweeping hand towards the pulsating crystal structure in the center of the room, which now emitted an even more intense, dark glow. "Fenrir isn't an ancient virus; it's a genetic algorithm designed to 'cleanse'

Three weeks had passed since their return from Everest, yet the tension between Rizal, Nova, and Ucok remained unresolved. Bali, usually a place of serenity, now felt suffocating. Fenrir had been unleashed, and Arisaka had vanished. They had sent a brief report to ORION, but the bureaucracy and high-level secrecy made every step feel sluggish. Meanwhile, the underground world was beginning to show symptoms.Surya, with his vast network, was the first to feel the tremors. Reports started pouring in: a minor syndicate leader in eastern Siberia had suddenly disappeared, followed by his entire family. A drug cartel in Colombia collapsed without clear reason, replaced by an unknown faction. Then came a series of strange “accidents” targeting key Yakuza figures in Japan, always focused on a specific bloodline.“It’s the same pattern,” Surya explained, pointing at a flickering digital map on his large underground control room screen in Ubud. Red dots were scattered across the globe. “Influen

BLUBB! BLUBB! BLUBB! The aroma of simmering rendang filled the air, overpowering the scent of the ocean and even the expensive perfumes of international tourists. Ucok's warung, "Rendang Rambo," in Kuta, Bali, was the talk of the town. Not just among food bloggers or tourists, but also among the 'big players.' Rizal and Nova, currently savoring Ucok's 'hellfire' rendang, felt a rare sense of peace. For a moment, the world felt safe."Ucok, seriously, this is the spiciest rendang I've ever imagined," Nova wiped sweat from her brow, but her smile was wide. "Are you sure this is safe for a normal human's digestion?""Safe, Miss. This is 'shock therapy' rendang to make stress disappear!" Ucok laughed, flicking a towel over his shoulder. "Besides, what enemy can think clearly when their stomach is already scorched?"Rizal nodded in agreement, sipping his iced tea. "At least we have a delicious refuge, Cok. After all the drama with AI, clones, and even time distortion, your rendang is a lif

BRRRRT! BRRRRT! Ucok's phone vibrated again, this time amidst the sound of crashing waves on a remote, unknown beach. He glanced at Rizal and Nova, who were busy observing the dense jungle around them. After receiving a special "invitation" from Marco Vivaldi, the now 'reformed' Architect, the three of them, accompanied by Pak Surya who decided to join "for national security," boarded a luxurious private jet to a deserted island in the Pacific."Okay, Cok, pick up the phone. We don't want this newly reformed mafia boss to get cranky if the rendang is late," Nova said, squinting through the thick foliage. The air on the island felt humid and heavy.Ucok answered the phone, his face a bit tense. "Yo, Boss Vivaldi! The rendang is in hand, ready to be served. What's the problem now in this tropical paradise?"Marco Vivaldi's voice was clear, though with a hint of worry. "Chef, good that you've arrived. The feast will begin soon. But there's... a slight change of plans.""What change? Don'