The alley smelled of rain and asphalt, the neon glow of nearby signs reflecting off puddles. Einar's chest burned from running, adrenaline still coursing through him. His months of training with Dean and missions with Rita's gang had made him stronger—he could counter knives, sticks, and even blunt weapons—but tonight felt different.
"Day twenty-four… only four days to the tournament… I have to stay sharp…" Einar counted silently, hands clenching.
Dean stayed a few meters back, eyes scanning, silent as always. Paul was nearby, hand resting on his holster, body relaxed but ready. Rita led the small squad through the alleyways, signaling with sharp hand gestures.
Three figures stepped out of the shadows ahead.
Lee. The leader of the Tigers. Calm, deadly, and utterly unnerving.
And beside him, two men—Lee's trusted lieutenants—stepped forward. Their aura flickered around them like dark flames, subtle but tangible. Einar froze, a shiver crawling up his spine.
'What… what is that?' He couldn't put his finger on it, but the air seemed heavier, charged, almost suffocating. Every instinct screamed danger.
Lee's voice cut through the silence.
"You've been busy, haven't you, Einar?" His tone was calm, almost casual, but each word dripped with cold amusement.
"Training, growing stronger… yet still inexperienced. You think you can survive this?"
Einar swallowed hard, keeping behind the dumpster. 'He… he killed three of his own men like they were nothing… and now… this aura…'
Rita stepped forward, fists clenched.
"Lee! This ends tonight! Stop your gang war and surrender—or face the consequences."
Paul's voice joined hers, calm but firm.
"We know what you're planning. The city isn't yours to control. Step down."
Lee's eyes flicked to Paul, then to Rita, and finally to Einar.
"Bold words… from a woman and a puppet," he said, his gaze lingering on Einar.
"And this boy… he thinks he can survive me?"
The two lieutenants behind Lee shifted slightly, and Einar felt their presence as well. Each movement sent a subtle pulse through the alley, like shadows stretching and curling around him. His body tensed instinctively.
'I can… feel it… but I don't understand… what is happening?'
Dean's hand landed on Einar's shoulder, pulling him slightly back.
"Eyes forward. Don't look away. Stay calm. Don't move until I say."
Einar's mind raced. Fear, adrenaline, and confusion mixed together as the aura from Lee and his men pressed down on him like invisible walls.
Rita's glare didn't waver.
"You're not taking this city without a fight. I've already warned you."
Lee smiled faintly, tilting his head.
"Warned me? That's cute. I've been planning this for months. Every gang fight, every street skirmish, every small victory you thought you had—it was all orchestrated. And you didn't even see it coming."
The two lieutenants flicked their heads slightly, and the aura flickered again, more intense this time. Einar's vision seemed to blur at the edges, his heart thundering.
Dean's grip on him tightened slightly, anchoring him.
"Focus. Don't let them break you before the fight even starts. Breathe."
Einar swallowed, trying to steady himself. 'Breathe… it's just me and them… no, it's not just them… something else… this power… I don't understand it.'
Lee's gaze hardened.
"I see you've been hiding behind the shadows of your teacher. But this… this is reality. Survival isn't about training drills—it's about facing true danger. And you… you're about to learn what that feels like."
Rita stepped forward, fists tight, and spat words filled with venom.
"We're not afraid of you, Lee! Not you, not your men!"
Lee tilted his head again, flicking a glance at his lieutenants.
"Bold… but foolish."
The alley seemed to tighten around them. Einar felt the aura pulse again, stronger this time, almost as if the lieutenants and Lee were connected in some invisible way. Every instinct in his body screamed to run, but Dean's hand held him steady.
Dean's voice was low, dangerous.
"Remember this, Einar. Fear is a tool, not a cage. Stay behind me if you must, but watch, learn, and survive. Let Rita and Paul handle the rest… for now."
Einar nodded, still frozen to the bone, eyes locked on Lee and his men. The neon lights reflected off the wet alley, flickering like warnings in the shadows.
This… this is the real gang war Dean warned me about. And I… I have no choice but to survive it.
The night had grown heavier, darker, charged with tension. Every second stretched, every breath counted. And Einar knew one thing: tonight, he would witness the power of Lee and his lieutenants—and only the strongest would survive.