CHRONOS SYSTEM

Max's expression immediately turned serious as he rushed forward. One of the third years did the same, throwing a punch. Max ducked low and countered with an uppercut, then grabbed the senior by the hair and drove a knee into his face.

"Shit… shit… shit," the third year cursed, clutching his bleeding nose.

Without hesitation, Max finished him off with a sharp right heel kick.

The second third year released Kealin and lunged forward, aiming a punch at Max's face. But Max deflected it effortlessly before delivering a strong palm strike to his opponent's lower abdomen.

The senior doubled over, gasping for air. Max didn't give him time to recover—he raised his leg and slammed his heel into the guy's face, driving him to the ground.

Turning around, Max looked at Kealin and said, 

"Daijoubu desu ka?" 

"Huh?" Kealin blinked, caught off guard.

"Oh, for the love of God, Max—enough with the Japanese already," a female voice called from behind Kealin.

He turned to see a girl with bright yellow hair, striking yellow eyes, and a warm, radiant smile that could stop traffic. She had curves in all the right places and an aura that lit up the room. This was Lena, their class captain—and standing behind her was April.

She stepped forward and said, "Sorry about that. He asked if you're okay."

Kealin was so mesmerized by her beauty and the soft fragrance that surrounded her that he barely registered what she'd said.

"Eh-hm," April cleared her throat pointedly, snapping him back to reality.

"Oh, I'm fi—" Kealin began, but suddenly collapsed.

******

Later, in the school's infirmary, Kealin lay on a bed, half-conscious. By his side stood Max, Lena, and April.

A young nurse in a white coat walked in. "There are no serious injuries. He should be fine."

"Thank you," April said quietly, her gaze fixed on Kealin. A pang of guilt washed over her. 'This is my fault', she thought. When Kealin first arrived, she'd dismissed him as just another clueless transfer student. But after he saved her, everything changed.

Tears began to well up in her eyes. She felt a gentle hand on her shoulder. Turning, she saw Lena smiling softly at her.

"It's going to be alright," Lena whispered.

April wiped her tears and forced a grateful smile.

"Ahh… what happened?" Kealin groaned, his eyes fluttering open.

"Well, let me think," Max said, leaning back with his hands behind his head. "You laughed at Miss Vanessa, got detention on your first day, and somehow ended up fighting three third years. Way to go, Kea."

"Max," Lena warned.

"What? Just saying."

"Are you okay?" Lena asked gently.

"Yeah, I'm—ow," Kealin winced as he tried to sit up. Then he turned to April and asked with a small smile, "Are you okay?"

"I'm… thank you. Thank you so much," April said, bowing her head.

"Whoa, dude—you got a girl to bow to you!" Max teased. "Are you two gonna start dating now?"

"What?! Of course not!" Kealin protested.

"You should rest for a while," Lena said, heading toward the door. "We'll go tell the principal what happened."

"Guys, wait," Kealin called out.

They paused.

"Why are you helping me?" he asked. "I just got here. You don't even know me… so why?"

Lena smiled. "If you saw someone in need, wouldn't you help?"

"And besides," Max added, "you're our classmate. Here in NYC, we look out for each other."

******

The first few days of school were rough. Kealin struggled to fit in, and some students—especially the seniors—made it clear they weren't welcoming. But Lena and Max always had his back whenever trouble came knocking.

After the "April incident," everyone started talking about him. He learned that Lena was charismatic, confident, and perceptive—she could see right through people, like in history class when she called out his half-assed answers. Max, on the other hand, was laid-back and obsessed with martial arts and Japanese culture. Despite their differences, both took a liking to Kealin, and soon, the trio became inseparable.

One day, as they walked down the hallway, Max brought up a curious topic.

"Hey, have you guys heard about this underground fighting scene going on in the city? You might be interested."

Kealin's ears perked up. "Underground fighting? What do you mean?"

Lena smiled. "You probably haven't heard of it. There's a place called the Maze beneath NYC—it's like a hidden city that only comes alive at night."

"There's a secret arena where people go to fight," Max explained, putting his hands behind his head. "Real fights, not sparring. Intense stuff. Skilled fighters. Some do it for money, others for the thrill."

Kealin's mind raced with possibilities. He'd always been drawn to high-risk activities, and this sounded like the perfect outlet.

"That sounds exactly like what I've been looking for," he said.

Max nodded. "Yeah, it's a great way to blow off steam and test your skills."

"Hey, Kea-kun, you should join in. Though you're still a little rough around the edges, your technique isn't bad," Max added with a grin.

"But you have to be careful," Lena warned. "The arena isn't safe. The fights can get brutal."

"Yeah, tell that to the third years," Kealin replied, excitement creeping into his voice.

Lena scribbled an address on a piece of paper and handed it to him. "Be careful, okay? This isn't sanctioned by the school. If you get caught, you'll be in deep trouble."

Kealin nodded, slipping the paper into his pocket. He couldn't wait to check out the underground arena.

The rest of the day passed in a blur of unfamiliar faces and strange hallways. But Kealin's mind kept drifting back to the arena, counting down the hours until he could sneak out and explore it.

When the final bell rang, he grabbed his backpack and headed straight for the subway. His heart pounded with anticipation. Pulling out the address, he memorized every detail.

The subway ride felt endless, but eventually, he stood before a plain warehouse in a gritty industrial district. He took a deep breath, feeling a mix of excitement and unease.

This was it—the moment he'd been waiting for.