The morning sun painted the cracked walls of Rebel Town College with a pale orange hue.
It was quiet. Too quiet.
Zain walked through the gates alone—no Orion beside him today.
"Still asleep," he had mumbled with a half-smile before leaving the dorm.
Now he sat on a lonely bench in the empty classroom, arms folded, eyes fixed on nothing.
The silence was broken.
A heavy footstep echoed from the hallway—measured, powerful.
Zain turned his head.
From the door, Mahir entered.
His presence filled the room with a chilling weight.
He walked straight toward Zain and stopped just a few feet away.
His voice was calm, but it cut like a knife.
> "Zain… I thought you'd stay out of my business."
"Clearly, I was wrong."
Without warning—a punch.
Mahir's fist shot forward like lightning.
Zain's eyes widened, but his body reacted before thought.
Dodge. A breath's width away from his face.
Zain twisted, countered, and unleashed a low strike toward Mahir's chest.
But Mahir—calm, calculated—dodged with the grace of a war veteran.
CRASH!
Benches tumbled, desks slid across the floor, and the walls shuddered from the pressure of the two auras clashing.
Zain's classmates and students outside began to gather—drawn by the noise, the tension.
Mahir looked around. Too many eyes. Too many whispers.
He took a step back, exhaled, and said—
> "Let's not give them a show today."
"Tell me something, Zain… Can we be friends?"
Zain's brows furrowed. "Friends?"
> "Even if we're from rival gangs… personally, there's no rule against friendship, is there?"
A moment of silence. Then—
Zain nodded.
> "Yeah. There isn't."
---
Later that day, during the lunch break, Mahir called Zain for a walk.
They strolled past old trees, quiet corridors, and broken fences. The wind whispered between them.
Zain finally asked the question that had haunted him since the Hadith Siege.
> "Mahir… Why did you kill Rusle and Din?"
Mahir stopped walking. His eyes darkened.
> "That's… complicated."
"You're not ready to hear that truth, Zain."
"Not yet."
Zain clenched his fists.
> "Then what do I need to do to be ready? To be worthy?"
"Tell me. I'll do whatever it takes."
Mahir looked at him—and for the first time—smiled.
Not cruel. Not cold. But… entertained.
> "Really? You're confident."
"Then fight me, Zain. Prove it."
Zain's heart skipped a beat.
But he didn't hesitate.
> "Accepted."
Mahir chuckled.
> "I'm not like Alice. I won't go easy."
"Let's go. There's a field up ahead. Perfect for a duel."
---
The Battle Was Set.
The wind howled as both of them stood at opposite ends of the overgrown field behind the college.
Zain's breath was steady.
His confidence unshaken.
His eyes burned with purpose.
Mahir's hands slid into his pockets. Calm. Collected. Deadly.
The space between them was silent…
Until the moment that silence snapped—
And both charged.
---