New Savior

Dust still hung in the air as Daniel and Zack stood over the unconscious bodies of Justin and Chuck. Their knuckles were torn, breathing ragged, adrenaline still coursing through their veins. Chuck coughed and sat up, grinning through his split lip.

"You think this is over?" he spat. "More Hostel members are coming. You two are done."

Justin wiped the blood from his cheek, smirking. "The real soldiers are on their way. You won't even see it coming."

Daniel narrowed his eyes. Zack tensed beside him.

But seconds passed. Then a minute.

Nothing.

The silence became unsettling.

Daniel stepped forward, about to speak when a deafening BOOM shook the building. Bricks cracked and the far wall exploded in a burst of concrete and metal.

A bus crashed straight through the hideout.

Everyone dove back everyone except Daniel, who noticed Zack was frozen in the bus's path.

"Zack!"

He lunged forward, pushing Zack away. The air filled with the stench of burning rubber and dust.

Daniel looked up, heart pounding realizing he was saved by someone.

In the main story it was Jay but this time.

It was Jalen.

Calm, composed, and looking like he'd just come back from a morning jog. His hoodie flapped slightly as he landed, eyes scanning the room with a mix of boredom and disdain.

"Was that dramatic enough?" he asked, brushing off his sleeves.

Daniel blinked. "Jalen…?"

Chuck's eyes widened. "Wait… you're that guy. The one they call the Absolute Fighter."

Jalen didn't reply. He walked over to Daniel and Zack, offering a hand to help them up.

"I was supposed to be earlier." Jalen said with a shrug, "but traffic was more than I thought."

Daniel laughed despite himself, gripping Jalen's hand. "You saved us."

Jalen smirked. "I always do."

As the three stood there, surrounded by chaos and the shattered remains of Hostel's hideout, Daniel glanced at Jalen and realized something:

The story might have changed…

But the legend of Jalen was only just beginning.