The next morning sun hit the school courtyard, warm and calm, but their minds were anything but calm.
The day before was still sharp in their heads—blood, concrete, Mark's screams, and the quiet fear that James was still out there. When they met at school, their expressions said it all: tired, unsure, and shaken.
Ayaan leaned against the wall, arms crossed. "We're not strong enough to face James yet," he said quietly.
Anshuman nodded. "Yeah... he's on a whole different level."
But Vasco, sitting on a bench and chewing gum, smirked. "We'll talk about James later. For now, let's just act normal, alright? No need to scare everyone here."
They tried to listen. They walked to the cafeteria, hoping for a normal day — but trouble was already brewing.
Near the counter, a tall guy from another class named Max was shoving a smaller boy against the wall. The kid's lunch tray had spilled, food everywhere, and Max was laughing.
Vasco slammed his hand on the table. "Oi! Stop it before you get punished," he warned, voice low but sharp.
Max turned with a cocky grin. "And who's gonna punish me, huh?"
Before it could escalate, a girl walked in — long brown hair, confident stride, and eyes that could freeze anyone. Mira.
She crossed her arms. "Max, stop it. Let's go."
Max sighed, rolled his eyes, and muttered, "Fine, whatever." He glanced at Vasco as if memorizing his face, then walked away with Mira.
The tension faded a bit. Ayaan exhaled. "Guess school isn't as peaceful as we thought."
Later, when they reached class, something unexpected happened. A girl with short black hair walked straight to Anshuman's desk, blushing slightly.
"Hey… I kinda like you," she said, looking at him shyly. "My name's Zoe."
Anshuman blinked. "Uh… okay."
Zoe smiled brightly. "Good!" Then she walked away, cheerful, while Vasco and Sam burst out laughing.
But Ayaan wasn't laughing. He sat by the window, looking outside. His mind wasn't in school—it was still stuck on something else. Why did Waguri betray us? The question echoed over and over.
The final bell rang. Sam stretched. "I'm heading home. Bye, guys."
"Same," Vasco said, grabbing his bag. "See you tomorrow."
Anshuman nodded to Ayaan. "Let's go."
They all parted ways, each heading home, trying to live a normal day. But that night—everything changed.
At 10:17 PM, all four phones buzzed.
A single message glowed on each screen:
"Tomorrow. Your school. Prepare yourselves."
Ayaan's eyes widened.
Anshuman dropped his phone.
Vasco clenched his fists.
Sam whispered, "No way…"
Tomorrow, their school wasn't going to be safe anymore.
Tomorrow, the fight was coming to them.
They sprinted to school, hearts pounding, but the campus was eerily quiet when they arrived. Inside their classroom they exchanged worried looks.
"Why did that message come to us?" Anshuman muttered.
They stepped outside together, scanning the grounds.
James was there—calm, composed, towering. Their feet went cold and their hands trembled. He looked at them like a judge passing sentence.
"You revealed my company's secrets," James said softly. "That was a mistake. Now you all will die."
Before any of them could move, a fist blurred through the air and slammed into Anshuman. He flew, chest-first, into the classroom wall; the wood cracked under the impact. A roaring kick hit Vasco next, sending him over the railing and crashing into the school pool with a splash. Sam took an elbow full on the face—bone and blood—and staggered, dazed. Ayaan swung to strike, but James caught his wrist and twisted; a white hot pain shot up Ayaan's forearm as a bone snapped.
"I'll give you one chance," James said, voice cold. "If you interfere again, I will kill you." With that he turned and walked away, disappearing down the main path as shock and silence fanned across the yard.
They moved as one to the hospital. Doctors worked through the night: Anshuman with his ribs crushed and winded, Vasco soaked and bruised but alive, Sam with a broken cheekbone and a split lip, and Ayaan with his hand set in a heavy cast—his dominant hand shattered.
Days passed in white rooms and whispered consultations. When they were finally able, they went to the principal's office together. The principal listened grimly, then closed his folder.
"You've been through a lot," he said. "I'm giving you all a month's leave. Rest. Recover. Don't come back until you're well."
"Thank you," Ayaan croaked, voice raw.
They walked out to the garden one last time before leaving. Max watched them from a distance, eyes narrowed as if measuring the change in their shoulders and faces.
They sat on a bench, injuries wrapped and pride bruised. Anshuman looked at the others and offered a strained grin. "We won't meet for a month," he said, voice steadier than it felt. "Go do whatever you need. Train when you can—get stronger."
"Last goodbye, then," Vasco said, and the others echoed the sentiment.
They stood, each one sharing a heavy, quiet "Bye," and then they turned away, stepping into separate streets—four friends scattered for a month, each carrying pain, purpose, and the promise of return.
The next day, Ayaan sat alone on a quiet park bench, the early morning breeze brushing through his hair. The sun was rising slowly, painting the sky in shades of orange and gold. Birds chirped, kids laughed in the distance—but Ayaan's eyes were fixed on nothing.
He leaned back, taking a deep breath, trying to relax… but then it hit him.
The sound of James's punches echoed in his mind—the brutal crash of Anshuman's body slamming into the wall, Vasco's scream as he flew into the pool, Sam's blood dripping from his nose, and the sickening crack when James broke his hand.
His fingers twitched as the memories flooded back. His jaw clenched tight.
He could still feel that helplessness… that humiliation.
Ayaan gripped the bench with his uninjured hand, whispering, "I couldn't even touch him…"
The wind picked up, rustling the leaves around him. His eyes hardened.
"But next time," he said quietly, eyes burning with determination, "I'll make sure James feels that same pain."
He stood up, the sunlight glinting across his face—half calm, half fury—and walked away from the bench, ready to begin a new path of strength.
The scene cuts and shows Anshuman sitting on his bed and watching his phone.
Then he remembered he have to protect his friends.
He saw a camp is open inside the jungle where people can come and train like wild beasts.
He stand up and said,
"I have to become stronger… to protect my brothers."
The scene cuts and shows Sam sitting and thinking how to become stronger.
He said,
"I will make something that will make me ten times stronger."
Then he got an idea of training in a gravity chamber and said,
"I'll train in a 100x gravity chamber until I become the best."
The scene cuts and shows Vasco sitting and remembering how weak he was during the fight.
He got so much angry and said,
"How weak I was… I couldn't even land a punch on that monster."
Then his team named Iron Fist said him to go on mountains and meditate there.
From their advice, he went to the mountains.
The scene cuts and shows Ayaan standing on a building.
From back, a man comes and says,
"Are you Ayaan?"
Ayaan turned and saw a muscular tattooed man standing in front of him.
That man said,
"I'm Gun… also known as White Ghost. I heard you want to destroy James."
Ayaan looked serious and said,
"Yes… I want to end him and his empire."
Gun: "If you want anything, tell me."
Ayaan: "I want to become stronger."
Gun: "My training is not that easy, boy. The ones who trained with me—one is in jail… and two are missing for the past five years. If you want to train under me, you'll have to give your everything—your blood, your bones, your mind."
Ayaan stared into Gun's cold eyes and said,
"Then take it all. I'll give everything I have."
Scene cuts — shows Anshuman standing outside a huge training camp surrounded by trees and mist.
When he entered, it was silent… until a giant man appeared from behind the trees.
Trainer: "My first candidate has come."
Anshuman: "Yes… what will we be doing now?"
Trainer (grinning): "Let's do party first."
Anshuman (angry): "I didn't come here for jokes. I came here to become strong!"
Trainer: "Then let's see if you even deserve to talk about strength."
Anshuman charged with a punch, but the trainer dodged easily and slapped him so hard he flew and crashed into a tree.
As blood dripped from his lips, Anshuman realized the difference between them. He stood up silently, his fists trembling, and said,
"I'll be back… and next time, I'll knock you down."
He left the camp with burning eyes.
Scene cuts — Vasco reached a remote area called Gangseo, covered in mist and surrounded by mountains.
He walked for hours until he saw a massive ancient gate, and beyond it, a gigantic bronze bell with deep dents and cracks.
When he got closer, he touched the bell and felt the vibrations of power.
A deep voice came from behind,
"A student… after so many years."
Vasco turned and saw a bald monk with arms like stone.
Vasco: "I want to get stronger. I want to protect people and defeat evil."
Monk: "I'm not your teacher. I am not even a saint. I am a monk… one who has trained his body to become iron. If you wish to become stronger, you will meditate… and you will do everything I command."
Vasco knelt down and said,
"I'm ready."
Scene cuts — Sam inside a gravity chamber.
He increased the gravity to 10x, his legs trembling, sweat falling like rain.
Each movement felt like dragging mountains.
Sam (gritting his teeth): "I can't stop here… I will surpass every limit!"
He fell down once, but stood again, pushing against the crushing force, his heart pounding like thunder.
The scene cuts—
Anshuman was walking through the narrow streets, lost in thought, the echo of his master's slap still haunting his mind. His hands were in his pockets, his eyes empty yet burning with quiet anger.
Suddenly, a group of five men leaned against the walls ahead.
Thug 1 (smirking): "Hey, kid… you look lost. Why don't you come here and entertain us a little?"
Anshuman stopped and looked up slowly. His voice was calm, cold—
"Move."
Thug 2: "Ohh, attitude huh?" He cracked his knuckles. "Let's teach him some manners!"
The thug swung a punch—
BAM!
It landed straight on Anshuman's face.
Blood trickled down his lip.
He wiped it with his thumb, stared at the thug, and said in a low voice,
"You shouldn't have done that."
Then, in a flash—Anshuman moved. His kicks were sharp, his punches faster than their eyes could follow.
One thug crashed into a car. Another was slammed into the wall.
The rest backed away in fear.
But before Anshuman could breathe, a shadow appeared behind him.
A massive fist hit his back like a hammer—
BOOM!
Anshuman's body smashed into a wall, breaking bricks as dust filled the air.
The tall man stepped out—muscular, cold eyes, tattoos across his neck.
Stranger: "So you're the one trying to act tough in my area."
Before Anshuman could react, the man grabbed him by the collar and landed a series of ruthless punches—
BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM!
Each hit echoed in the street. Blood splattered across the wall.
Anshuman's head hung down, his face covered in blood, his breathing heavy—but in his eyes, a spark of fury was beginning to ignite.
The big man grabbed Anshuman by the throat, lifting him off the ground—his eyes filled with rage.
Big Guy (growling): "Time to end this, brat."
He pulled his fist back, ready to crush Anshuman's skull—
But then, a calm yet sharp voice echoed from behind.
???: "Hey, big guy… I'd stop if I were you. Touch him again, and you'll regret breathing."
The thug froze and turned around. A tall figure was walking toward them, hands in pockets, expression cold as ice.
It was Max.
Big Guy (snarling): "Who the hell are you?"
Max (tilting his head): "Just someone who doesn't like seeing weaklings pretending to be strong."
The big guy roared and charged, swinging a massive punch toward Max—
But Max didn't even flinch.
In a blur, his right arm moved—
CRACK!
His punch connected square on the thug's mouth.
The man's body spun in the air before crashing to the ground, unconscious.
The street went silent.
Max looked at the broken wall, then turned toward Anshuman, whose face was bleeding but whose eyes were wide in shock.
Max (calmly): "You can go now, Anshuman. Don't worry about him."
Anshuman stood still for a moment, stunned.
Then he nodded slowly and said, breathing heavily,
Anshuman: "...Thanks, Max."
Max just gave a small smirk, turned his back, and walked away into the night—hands in pockets, leaving the fallen thug motionless on the ground.
After some time Anshuman saw Zoe waiting by the gate.
"Why are you beaten up so much, Anshuman?" she asked, worry sharp in her voice.
Anshuman forced a small smile. "I got into a fight. I'm weak."
Zoe's eyes hardened. "You're my boyfriend. That's my responsibility. Come with me."
She led him into a tall building. Inside, a broad-shouldered man stood like a wall—tall, tattooed, iron in his posture.
"Kim," Zoe said, "this is my boyfriend."
Kim looked Anshuman up and down. "What do you want?"
"Train him," Zoe said, blunt.
Kim's mouth twisted. "Why?"
Zoe leaned close and whispered, "If you don't, I'll tell my father and you'll get expelled."
Kim's eyes flashed annoyance, then something like grudging interest. "Alright. I was joking — I'll train him."
Zoe's face softened. "Not just train. Make him a beast."
She left without another word. Kim turned to Anshuman. "I'm a weapons genius. What are you best at?"
Anshuman swallowed. "Getting beaten."
Kim barked a short laugh. "Don't underestimate yourself. People blame themselves without knowing what they hide. You want stronger to protect your friends?"
"I do," Anshuman said, voice steady.
Kim's expression sharpened. "I'll make you a weapon of close combat. Not just weapons—if you refuse weapons, I'll make you a god of hand-to-hand."
Anshuman nodded. "I don't use weapons."
"Good," Kim said, cracking his knuckles. "Then we start now."
The scene cuts to Ayaan on a rooftop as the wind tore at his shirt. A shadow moved behind him—Gun, the White Ghost, stepping forward like a storm taking form.
"Are you ready to become my masterpiece?" Gun asked.
Ayaan met his gaze. "I'm ready."
Gun struck first—one fast, clean punch that slammed into Ayaan's midsection with the force of a falling tree. Ayaan doubled, pain folding him, then he straightened. In a heartbeat he launched the same punch back. Gun blocked, eyebrows lifting.
"Did you just copy me?" Gun said, surprised and amused.
Ayaan breathed hard. "I think I can copy some moves."
Gun smiled, strange and sharp. "You are rare. In history there are only four who could copy others' moves perfectly."
Ayaan stared. "Four?"
Gun's smile deepened. "I will teach you every fighting style, every move. You will learn to take an enemy's signature and turn it into your own weapon."
Ayaan's eyes burned with a fierce light. "Then teach me."
Gun nodded once. "We begin at dawn."
Kim pushed Anshuman through merciless drills—knees, falls, pressure points, breathing that turned pain into fuel. Zoe watched from the doorway, proud and fierce.
Gun tested Ayaan until the night was raw—blocking, striking, copying, forcing Ayaan to steal rhythm and bend it into himself.
Sam's gravity training pushed his lungs and bones until they were new metal. Vasco's mountain ironness settled like steel in his shoulders.
They trained in separate places, under different masters, but one hunger united them all: to return stronger, to face James, and to finish what had started.