The Fall of Viktor Kwon

The basement of the SVT headquarters was cold and dimly lit, the air thick with the metallic tang of blood and tension. Viktor Kwon sat slumped in a metal chair in the center of the room, his arms and legs bound tightly, blood seeping from the knife wounds that had pierced him during his capture. His once-imposing figure looked diminished, yet his presence was anything but weak. Despite his injuries, Viktor's face wore an infuriatingly calm smirk, as though he were the one in control.

Seungcheol entered first, his footsteps echoing ominously against the stone floor. He dragged a chair across the room, the screech of metal on stone grating on everyone's nerves and placed it directly in front of Viktor. For a moment, Seungcheol simply stared, his sharp gaze taking in the man who had been a constant shadow and a thorn in his side for years.

Yet, to Seungcheol's surprise, he felt nothing—no anger, no pity, no satisfaction. Just a hollow curiosity as he leaned back in the chair, folding his arms. "You're smiling, Viktor," Seungcheol remarked, his voice cold and laced with sarcasm. "It's a strange expression for someone sitting where so many of your victims have before."

Viktor chuckled, the sound raspy but oddly light. "Thrilled," he replied with a smirk. "That's how it feels. I'd call it poetic, don't you think?"

Seungcheol's jaw tightened, his tone dropping. "Why did you do it?" he asked, his voice carrying a restrained fury. "Even after all the things you've done, I trusted you—trusted your word when it came to Jeonghan. You've always been a man of your word, Viktor. So why break it now?"

Viktor tilted his head, the smirk never faltering. "Ah, life's tough, Seungcheol," he replied lazily. "Not everyone in this world is as virtuous as you'd like to believe. Consider this a lesson—trust no one, not even someone like me."

Seungcheol's eyes darkened, his voice gaining a sharper edge. "If this was about teaching me a lesson, why the hints? Why give me the message before you went after Jeonghan? What was the point of mocking me before you even made your move?"

The room grew heavier with confusion as the others shifted uncomfortably, their attention now fully locked on the conversation. Wonwoo was the first to break the silence. "What message?"

Seungcheol exhaled, his gaze fixed on Viktor. "I got a message from him—apologizing in advance, mocking me. It came exactly an hour and fifteen minutes before Viktor entered Jeonghan's home."

Jun leaned against the wall, his sharp eyes narrowing. "The timeline doesn't add up," he muttered. "You were at the business meeting then, weren't you?"

"I was," Seungcheol confirmed. "There were network jammers in place. I couldn't alert anyone directly, but I managed to send a bodyguard to relay the message to you all. That bodyguard, however, was one of Viktor's rats."

Viktor let out a low, almost approving laugh, the sound cutting through the room like a blade. "Smart boy," he said, his voice filled with amusement. "Exactly what I expected from you, Cheol-ah. You're learning."

Seungcheol's glare sharpened, but his tone remained even. "What I don't understand is why you made it so easy for us to capture you. It's like you walked into the trap yourself."

Wonwoo stepped forward, his piercing gaze scanning Viktor. "Is that what happened? Did you plan for this to happen?"

Viktor smiled faintly, his voice soft but carrying an undeniable power. "Of course I did," he admitted. "It's an ego thing, you know. Not just anyone gets to take me down—not even death. Everything has to happen according to my plan."

"You're insane," Vernon said bluntly, his voice tinged with incredulity. "What was your purpose then? All of this, the fighting—what did you want to achieve?"

Viktor chuckled again, this time softer, almost nostalgic. "Ah, my maknae," he said, his voice carrying a hint of fondness. "The one smart decision you made today was keeping Dino away. I wouldn't want the kid to see me like this. I'll miss him, though—such a peculiar one, isn't he?" He paused before answering Vernon's question. "As for my purpose... It was never about what you destroyed. I already knew who did that. My purpose was to teach you all something invaluable—how to survive."

The silence that followed was thick, broken only by the faint dripping of blood pooling on the floor beneath Viktor.

Seungcheol's voice, colder than ever, cut through the stillness. "You've been easy on us. Why? Out of everyone, you've gone lighter on me than your other enemies. Why?"

Viktor's smirk faltered slightly, his gaze softening as he looked at Seungcheol. For a fleeting moment, his walls dropped, revealing something raw beneath. "Because I see myself in you, Seungcheol," he said quietly. "I was just like you once—young, ambitious, and utterly fearless. But no one taught me how to survive. I had to learn the hard way, and I've been paying for it ever since. You... you deserved better."

The sincerity in his tone stunned Seungcheol, leaving him momentarily speechless.

Viktor shifted his attention to Hoshi, who had been silent the entire time, standing with his arms crossed. "And you, brat," Viktor said with a teasing grin. "Not a single question? Aren't you going to miss your dear uncle?"

Hoshi's expression was cold, his voice flat. "No. I'm thinking of the most effective way to kill you."

Viktor laughed, the sound genuine and unguarded. "Always the spitfire," he said fondly. "Just use a gun, you punk. Don't make it too hard on me—I am old, after all."

Seungcheol's lips pressed into a thin line, his breathing heavy. He wanted to shout, to lash out, but something about Viktor's words held him still.

"I didn't do good by you," Viktor continued, his voice faltering as the blood loss began to take its toll. "But I didn't do bad, either. All I did was make you stronger—force you to see the world for what it truly is." He chuckled weakly, leaning back in his chair. "I may not have given lectures or stood by your side like Daniel, but I raised you, Cheol. I raised you by standing opposite you, by being the one you had to outthink, outmaneuver, and ultimately defeat."

For the first time, Seungcheol saw something unfamiliar in Viktor's eyes—vulnerability. The walls Viktor had built around himself were crumbling, piece by piece, as he finally let his guard down.

"I've lost enough blood to pass out by now," Viktor said with a faint smile, his pale face betraying his fragility. "But I've held on. I've held on for this moment for my last words to you boys." He turned his gaze to Hoshi, who stood silently in the corner, his expression unreadable.

"I don't want to die from blood loss," Viktor said, his tone firm despite his weakening body. "Not like a common man. My death has to be by bullets—and Hoshi should be the one to pull the trigger. He's got the most personal grudge against me, after all."

Hoshi's jaw tightened, his eyes narrowing. "Don't flatter yourself," he muttered, but his hand hovered near the gun at his side.

Viktor chuckled, the sound rasping in his throat. "Ah, still so sharp-tongued," he teased. "But listen, boys. There's something bigger coming your way. Stronger. They won't be as easy on you as I was. Be careful. Beware of betrayals. And most importantly, don't let them break you."

He turned back to Seungcheol, his gaze steady. "And you, Seungcheol," he said, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Don't make it easy for others to take you down. I expect the most from you—as your mentor, and as the man whose legacy you'll carry forward."

Seungcheol's breath hitched, his throat tightening as Viktor's words sank in.

Viktor's voice grew weaker, but his words carried an emotional weight that silenced the room. "Tell Jeonghan... tell him I'm sorry. He's the only innocent I ever hurt. But I left gifts for him. They'll find their way to him when the time is right."

He paused, his lips curling into a faint smile. "And as for you boys... you've all grown up, haven't you? You've found love, strength, purpose. But remember—if you can't protect what you love, you don't deserve it."

The room fell silent as Viktor leaned back, his body trembling from the strain of staying conscious. "I had fun in this life, boys," he said softly. "I'll see you in the next one, if it exists. Good luck."

Hoshi stepped forward, his gun drawn, his expression unreadable. Viktor turned to him, his smirk returning one last time. "Goodbye, nephew," he said, his voice barely audible.

Hoshi hesitated for only a second before pulling the trigger. Three shots rang out, echoing through the room like a final symphony. Viktor slumped forward, blood dripping from his chest, the smirk frozen on his face.

As the deafening echo of gunshots faded, the room fell into an unbearable silence. The weight of the moment settled heavily on everyone present, suffocating them in its gravity. Viktor's body slumped in the chair, the life draining from his once fierce and commanding presence. Blood seeped from the three precise bullet wounds in his chest, pooling around the chair's legs and staining the concrete floor a deep crimson.

All of them, except Hoshi, instinctively turned their heads away, their eyes tightly shut. They couldn't bear to witness the fall of a man who had, in his own twisted way, shaped their lives. For all his faults, Viktor Kwon was not just an adversary; he had been a towering figure of influence, guidance, and peculiar care in their turbulent lives.

Seungcheol's heart twisted painfully in his chest as he forced himself to look at Viktor's lifeless body. The once indomitable man, always standing tall and unyielding, was now slumped and vulnerable. It was a sight Seungcheol had never imagined he would see, and it cut deeper than he cared to admit.

Despite being his so-called enemy throughout his rise in the mafia world, Viktor had been a man Seungcheol had, in some corner of his heart, admired. He remembered the countless times Viktor had pushed him to his limits, not to break him, but to forge him into the unshakable leader he was today. Viktor's lessons, though brutal and cryptic, had shaped him more than he had ever acknowledged.

Seungcheol's mind flashed back to the warehouse. He recalled the fleeting moments of kindness he had witnessed in Viktor—the way he had protected the younger ones in his twisted but effective way, the smirk that always carried a hint of something more, and the begrudging respect Viktor had shown for their strength as they grew. Now, to see that strong man reduced to this—weak, broken, and mortal—stirred something unnamable in Seungcheol.

Yet, despite the pang of loss, Seungcheol felt an undeniable flicker of satisfaction. Viktor's one unforgivable act had been dragging Jeonghan into the fray—an innocent soul caught in a web of chaos and violence he never asked for. For that alone, Seungcheol knew he couldn't forgive Viktor. 

Seungcheol exhaled a shaky breath, the tightness in his chest refusing to ease. Slowly, he rose from the chair, his movements deliberate and heavy as if the weight of the entire moment bore down on his shoulders. He stepped closer to Viktor, his boots echoing softly against the cold floor. Standing before the lifeless man, he hesitated for a moment. Then, in a rare display of vulnerability, Seungcheol bowed deeply, his head lowering in respect.

Seungcheol stood slowly, his chest tight as he gazed at Viktor's lifeless form. Despite everything—the betrayal, the pain—he couldn't deny the strange respect he felt for the man. Bowing his head slightly, he whispered, "Rest in peace, Viktor."

Turning to his team, he gave a solemn order. "Arrange a funeral. He deserves that much."

As they filed out of the basement, Seungcheol couldn't shake the image of Viktor's final moments—the smirk, the words, and the legacy he left behind. Viktor Kwon was gone, but his influence would linger in their lives forever.

And thus, the greatest pillar of the mafia world fell, laid to rest by the very boys he had shaped.

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True right... sometimes the people we raise and be happy for are the one to drag us down 

and the most crucial lessons in life were taught by people in the opposite of us...... (am i a philosophical  person? no)

and thus, the antagonist of this book is out. which means. the book is about to be done....... 

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and now comment your thoughts on this chapter and viktor here ➡️

until we meet again 

yours lovingly 

<3 Author <3