Resolve

Rin stepped forward, his sharp gaze locked onto the battered boy. "You have two choices—join my gang, or I leave you here. I can sense your talent from here." His voice carried both authority and intrigue. "By the way, what's your name? I'm Rin, captain of the Hydras—one of the three ruling gangs of this school. If you join us, you'll have nothing to fear. Oh, and I happen to know your secret."

The camera shifts to the white-haired boy, held up by two of the bullies. He looked dazed, barely able to see their faces, only catching fragments of their words. Blood dripped from his lips as he chuckled weakly. "I was so close to death… You ruined it." His grin widened. "Thanks for the offer, but I don’t think I’m the type to work under someone. Sorry, but from my childhood only, I wasn't able to work under someone. I just do what I like, that's it."

Rin’s right-hand man scowled. "Hey, do you even know who you're talking to? If he gets angry, even the school won't be able to stop him! This is one of the three strongest gangs. You should be grateful he even considered you. No random street rat gets an invitation like this! Bow to him!"

Before he could continue, Rin raised a hand, silencing him. "I won’t force you," he said, his tone indifferent. "But can I at least know your name? Our gang is always open to you if you change your mind."

The white-haired boy, his vision blurred, barely made out Rin’s figure. "Kai," he muttered, forcing a smile through the pain. Rin took a step closer, lowering his voice. "You shouldn’t overuse your Ryze (power system). I can tell you’ve been pushing it for far too long. If you survive, let’s meet again someday."

The bullies, mistaking the Hydras' retreat for fear, puffed their chests. One of them sneered, "Yeah, that’s what happens when you mess with us! Next time, we won’t—"

A sharp, sickening crack interrupted him. Rin’s usually silent left-hand man moved so fast that no one even saw the punch—only the aftermath of the bully crumpling to the ground, unconscious.

Without another word, the Hydras left the yard. As they walked, Rin’s right-hand man turned to him. "Boss, what did you see in him? You’ve never invited anyone like that before, and no one has ever dared reject us. What makes him so special?"

Rin simply smiled and moved on, leaving the question unanswered.

From the shadows, an unseen figure observed everything, their expression unreadable.

The bullies, now seething with humiliation, turned back to Kai. One of them grabbed him by the collar while another pulled a knife from his pocket. "This is all because of you. Now… you’re gonna die."

A tense silence fell over the yard.

The knife flashed. A sharp movement. Blood splattered onto the ground.

But the one who screamed… was the bully himself.

Kai’s eyes widened. The knife was embedded in someone else’s stomach—someone standing in front of him. But… when did they even get there? And more importantly… how was the bully the one who ended up wounded?