Maya stood in front of them and spoke with a voice that did not rush. Her face showed that she had thought this through. She wanted everyone to understand the plan and why it mattered.

When she said, "The ones who will go with the leader to the meeting will be me, Arthur, Daniel, and Kai," she meant those four because they were the ones most ready to act if things turned bad. She added the names clearly so there would be no confusion.

Then she explained why the others would stay. She said, "Aiden and Leon will stay back and prevent our area from getting infiltrated because the main thing is our land." She picked those two because they are steady and strong when it comes to defense.

She wanted to protect their territory first. To Maya the land was more than dirt and fences. It was how they survived and what they gave to the people who trusted them. She spoke plainly because the group had to accept that some people would sit out and guard while others risked going into a tense meeting.

Ryan heard her and agreed. He said, "That sounds like a good plan." He agreed because he also felt that keeping the land safe came first. He knew the leader needed people who could protect her both at the meeting and back home. His voice was calm when he said it. He felt serious, not proud or dramatic. He was thinking about what he should do to be ready.

Kai spoke up with a quick edge of worry. He said, "I'm in the favor of it too. Who knows, they might attack the leader? We cannot afford that at all." Kai said this because he did not trust long meetings.

He had seen meetings go wrong before. He wanted to say the danger out loud so everyone would understand that they could not be careless. He was afraid but practical. He wanted to prepare for the worst.

Maya nodded and restated the lineup, making sure everyone heard who would go. She said, "That's why Arthur and you and Daniel are coming along, the top three fighters of our crew. We are leaving Leon who is almost at par with you and Daniel, and Aiden who is also similar in strength."

She explained the reasons in a straightforward way so no one could argue that the choice was unfair. She wanted the strong ones at the meeting and the strong ones at home guarding.

Ryan listened and then said, "Okay, that's the end of the meeting then. Time to go back to classes." His words were meant to move things back to normal so the group could leave without tension building.

He also wanted to keep them focused and not nervous. They agreed to meet again the day after tomorrow at the front gate of the school so they could walk to the negotiation together.

Daniel, who always tried to lighten the mood, called out, "As you say, captainnnnnn," and they left the room with a short laugh. The laugh was small and thin but it made the walk back to class feel less tense.

In class Arthur and Ryan sat together. They did not talk much because they were thinking about the meeting. The hours passed faster than usual because their minds were busy. When the final bell rang Ryan said goodbye to Arthur and walked home.

He wanted to prepare. He wanted to be able to defend the leader if the meeting went wrong. He wanted to feel ready when they walked into the negotiation.

When he reached his apartment he closed the door and spoke to the system. He said, "Hey system, can you help me?" The system answered, "Yes host, how can I assist you?" Ryan told the system exactly what he needed.

He said, "System, I want you to make me fight Warren, the ex leader of the West High crew, in the 3D simulation."

He picked Warren because Warren was the kind of fighter who did not give second chances. Warren had been a leader because he was dangerous and precise. Ryan wanted to face that danger in a controlled way.

The system said, "Okay host, right away," and the room changed. The walls blurred and the light bent. The air became cooler and a metallic floor appeared, smooth and reflective. The simulation made the space feel like a training ring.

Warren appeared as a three dimensional hologram. The figure looked like the real Warren enough to feel threatening. He stood with his weight centered and a face that showed no mercy. Warren's presence made Ryan feel his own heart speed up. He felt nervous and focused at the same time.

When the simulation started Warren moved fast. He attacked with combinations that felt like a machine. Warren's first combos were designed to test balance and defense. He used punches that moved in quick lines and struck with timing rather than wild force. Ryan was hit by these combos over and over.

The simulation did not give him pain in his body, but it did simulate the strain and the loss of breath and the tiredness in his head. After each combo Ryan felt weaker in his thinking. He felt humiliated because he had asked for the fight and yet he was the one being broken down again and again.

After each loss the system restarted the round. Ryan kept going. He tried to learn each time. He tried to catch the patterns. He noticed that Warren favored a quick inside hook followed by a low body shot to make his opponent move in a certain way. He noticed Warren's left shoulder would dip just before a straight right.

These were the small things that matter in a fight. Ryan remembered Arthur's moves. Arthur had beaten Warren before by using a tight combo:

a left hook, a short jab, a sharp right cross. Arthur's hits were clean because he shifted his whole weight into them and did not reach out. He kept his balance and used his feet to close distance and to break the opponent's rhythm.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.