The Jungle

Flashback Arc – Chapter 3

"Welcome to the Jungle"

Dibrugarh Academy – 8:00 AM

The air felt different inside the academy grounds. Unlike the disciplined, uniformed students of their old school in Majuli, this place had a different energy.

Groups of students gathered in clusters, whispering, sizing up the newcomers. Some had tattoos. Others wore chains. A few looked like they belonged on the streets rather than in a classroom.

Kai let out a low whistle as they walked toward the main building.

> "This ain't a school. This is a damn battlefield."

Aamon smirked. "You have no idea."

Ishu glanced around. "Who runs this place?"

Aamon's face darkened. "Two gangs."

1. The Red Vultures – The most powerful gang in Dibrugarh Academy, ruling with fear and force.

Leader: Rehan Roy (The Crimson King)

Structure: 12 divisions, each with 350 members.

Known for: Ruthless discipline, street-level power, and a military-like structure.

2. The Black Scorpions – Their biggest rivals, known for their underground connections.

Leader: Yashveer Sinha (The Black Monarch)

Structure: 9 divisions, each with 300 members.

Known for: Smuggling, secret dealings, and elite fighters.

Aamon continued. "These two gangs have been fighting for control for years. They don't tolerate outsiders."

Mri's eyes flickered. "So if we step on their turf…"

Aamon chuckled. "Then we fight."

Kai grinned. "Sounds fun."

Main Courtyard – 8:30 AM

The four walked through the academy courtyard, their presence drawing attention. The gangs already knew new blood had arrived.

And then—

> "Oi! You, new guy! The one with the messy hair!"

Kai stopped. A tall, muscular student with a scar over his left eye stood in front of them, surrounded by seven others.

Aamon whispered. "That's Vikrant. One of the Red Vultures' division captains."

Vikrant smirked. "Newbies like you need to understand the rules. First, you bow when you see a Vulture."

Ishu raised an eyebrow. "And if I don't?"

Vikrant's smirk widened. "Then I break you."

The crowd murmured. A fight was about to start.

Kai sighed. "Already?"

Mri folded his arms. "Let him have this one."

Ishu cracked his knuckles. "Alright, I'll play."

Ishu vs. Vikrant – The First Fight

Vikrant moved first. A powerful punch aimed at Ishu's face.

Ishu dodged.

A side-step. A twist. Effortless.

Vikrant's fist hit nothing but air.

Ishu grinned. "Too slow."

> He moved.

A flash of motion—Ishu's knee drove into Vikrant's stomach.

Vikrant gasped, stumbling back.

The crowd erupted. No one had ever countered Vikrant so easily.

Vikrant growled. "You bastard—"

Ishu didn't let him finish. A spinning kick to the jaw sent Vikrant flying.

He crashed to the ground. Unconscious.

Silence.

Then—

> "What… the hell just happened?"

Aamon chuckled. "That's called making an entrance."

Mri smirked. "I guess we're not invisible anymore."

Kai sighed. "It begins."

Aftermath – The First Warning

Before they could leave, another Red Vulture stepped forward. Not a fighter. A messenger.

> "Rehan Roy sends a message—

Stay out of our way. This is your first and last warning."

Mri's eyes narrowed.

Aamon's fists tightened.

Ishu smirked. "Tell Rehan… we don't take warnings."

The messenger flinched but didn't reply. He turned and left.

As they walked away, Mri, Ishu, and Kai knew—

> This was just the beginning.

The Survival Guide

"Survival Guide to Dibrugarh Academy"

Dibrugarh Academy – Canteen (9:00 AM)

After Ishu's explosive first fight, the three of them headed to the canteen. The air was still thick with tension. Every pair of eyes followed them as they walked inside.

Mri, Ishu, Kai, and Aamon sat at a table in the far corner, trays full of questionable-looking food in front of them.

Ishu poked at his curry. "What the hell is this?"

Kai sniffed it and gagged. "I think it's trying to crawl away."

Aamon grinned. "Dibrugarh Academy Rule #8—Don't ask questions about the food. Just eat and hope you survive."

Mri picked up a spoonful, examined it, then put it down. "I'd rather starve."

Kai groaned. "First day, and we already have death threats and food poisoning. What a life."

Suddenly, someone slammed a tray onto their table.

A tall, burly guy with a wide grin sat down across from them.

> "Yo, new kids! The name's Biplob! I saw that fight, and man, I gotta say—legendary! What's your deal? Looking to take over the school?"

Mri raised an eyebrow. "We just got here, man."

Biplob leaned in. "Then let me warn you. You guys made enemies on the first day. Both the Red Vultures and the Black Scorpions will be watching you."

Ishu smirked. "Good. We like attention."

Kai pointed at Biplob. "Wait, wait—are you trying to be our friend or warning us?"

Biplob grinned. "Both! You guys are insane. I like that."

Aamon sighed. "We don't need allies."

Biplob shrugged. "Maybe. But this school isn't a place where you survive alone."

Scene 2 – The 'Hostel Horror'

That night, the four of them moved into the Dibrugarh Academy hostel.

They got a tiny, cramped room with two bunk beds, barely enough space for their luggage.

Kai threw his bag on the floor. "This is a prison."

Ishu kicked off his shoes. "Nah, even prisoners get bigger cells."

Aamon flopped onto his bed. "At least it's better than sleeping in the streets."

Mri sat down and sighed. "And we're going to be stuck here for how long?"

Kai checked his watch. "As long as it takes to find that bastard."

There was a moment of silence.

Then—

> CREEEEEAAAAAKKKK.

The cupboard door swung open by itself.

Ishu froze. "…Did anyone touch that?"

Kai's face paled. "Nope."

The four of them stared at the cupboard. It was old, scratched-up, and looked like something straight out of a horror movie.

Aamon swallowed. "Maybe it's just the wind…"

Mri sighed and got up. "There's no wind."

Slowly, he walked over to the cupboard and peeked inside.

Nothing.

Just dusty old clothes and a dead rat.

Mri closed it. "There. Problem solved."

> CREEEEEAAAAK.

The door swung open again.

Kai grabbed his pillow and threw it at the cupboard. "I'm not sleeping here, man!"

Aamon groaned. "It's just an old door—"

> BANG! BANG! BANG!

Loud knocking came from outside the room.

Ishu jumped. "Who the hell is that?!"

The knocking continued.

Mri walked to the door and yanked it open.

…No one was there.

Aamon's voice was quiet. "Okay. This place is haunted."

Kai grabbed his bag. "I vote we sleep outside."

Ishu groaned and flopped onto his bed. "No way. We're staying. Ghost or no ghost, I'm too tired to move."

Aamon hesitated. "…Fine. But if we wake up dead, I'm haunting you first."

The four of them tried to sleep.

The cupboard creaked.

The wind howled.

And somewhere in the distance…

Someone laughed.

Scene 3 – The Rising Storm

The next morning, as they walked into class, they saw a group of students standing in their way.

Red Vultures.

One of them stepped forward. A guy with silver hair and a scar across his lips.

> "You guys humiliated Vikrant."

Kai yawned. "He humiliated himself."

The silver-haired guy smirked. "Then let's see if you can back up your attitude."

Aamon's eyes narrowed. "We don't have time for this."

The guy cracked his knuckles. "Make time."

The crowd began to gather.

Ishu looked at Mri. "What do you think?"

Mri sighed. "If we fight every idiot in this school, we'll never get anything done."

Kai grinned. "But it's fun."

Aamon shook his head. "Not now."

The silver-haired guy raised an eyebrow. "Backing down already?"

Mri's eyes flickered. "No. We're just saving our strength."

The guy grinned. "Good. Then I'll wait."

The tension hung in the air. But for now, no punches were thrown.

As they walked away, Kai muttered. "Damn, I really wanted to punch him."

Ishu smirked. "Don't worry. There's plenty of time for that."

Mri stayed silent.

Because in his gut, he knew—

> This was just the beginning.