ACT 1 – CHAPTER 8: Breaking the Silence

Thunder struck.

The echo filled the abandoned gym, vibrating through its cracked walls and broken rafters like a warning from the sky itself.

Alias: "What do you think you're doing, Warren?"

Warren stood calmly, cracking his neck, the corner of his lips twitching into a smirk.

Warren: "I just want to test the fire your boy here keeps bragging about."

Briggs, arms crossed like a statue, nodded once.

Briggs: "It's not a bad idea."

Axel: (stepping forward) "Let's do it."

Warren: "Great."

Alias: (groaning) "Oh god. My sister's gonna kill me…"

Minutes later — The Gym Floor

The center was cleared, nothing but dust and tension hanging in the air.

Warren loosened his collar. Axel stretched once, then stood ready.

Without warning, Warren struck.

Fast. Precise. Calculated.

Axel leaned back—just in time to dodge a clean elbow to the face.

Warren: "You think I got to the top just by shaking hands and selling secrets?"

He threw a low sweep—Axel jumped it.

Warren: "I am a businessman. But I built my empire with fists just as much as contracts."

Axel: "You talk too much."

Warren lunged again, fists cutting through the air. Axel dipped, dodged, leaned right, then—

Boom. A solid punch to Warren's gut.

Warren gasped, but stepped back, wiping blood from his lip.

Warren: "Is that all you got?"

Axel didn't answer. He responded with a low kick to Warren's leg, followed by a brutal spin-kick to the head.

Warren hit the ground. Hard.

Warren: "Fuck…"

He pushed himself up, staggering—but before Axel could finish the fight, Warren charged again.

Too late.

Axel ducked, slid behind him, and planted a hard punch to the ribs followed by a sharp elbow to the neck.

Warren collapsed.

And stayed down.

The gym fell silent.

Hector's brow lifted.

Briggs grunted.

Alias stepped in quickly.

Alias: "Enough."

Axel, breathing calmly, lowered his fists.

Alias: "You won."

Warren lay on the floor, trying to get up, but his body refused. He slumped back down, coughing.

Moments later – The Leaders Regroup

The gym had quieted. Warren was being helped to a chair by one of his men. His pride bruised more than his face.

Alias: "You've made your point, Axel."

He turned, his voice growing serious.

Alias: "But you still don't understand the bigger picture."

Axel: "Then tell me."

Alias stepped closer. The shadows behind him seemed to stretch.

Alias: "East University isn't the top of the food chain. Not anymore."

Axel: "What?"

Alias: "There's another school. Bigger. Stronger. Connected. We're under them."

Hector: (gritting his teeth) "The true hierarchy."

Briggs said nothing. But the tension in his jaw showed he knew the truth too.

Elsewhere – Outside East University's Gates

Green school uniforms.

Six students stood quietly, observing the entrance to East University.

Their insignia was stitched in gold on their jackets—clean, sharp, authoritative.

The leader of the group, a tall boy with piercing eyes and a green scarf, smirked as he watched the campus from afar.

Green Student: "Let's see how East University works now…"

He turned to the others.

Green Student: "Let's remind them who's really in charge."

End of Chapter 8