The gymnasium roared with excitement from the arm wrestling matches, but across campus, another crowd had gathered in the chess hall.
The air here was different. No shouting, no wild cheers—only silence, whispers, and the faint tick of clocks counting down every move.
At the center of it all sat Reina Salvador.
Calm. Collected. Her long black hair tied neatly behind her, eyes fixed on the board with razor-sharp focus.
She was already known as the "Queen of the Board." An undefeated prodigy with a tournament rating of 2100—far beyond the average student. To most, this wasn't a competition anymore. It was a showcase of Reina's brilliance.
---
Her opponent, a nervous sophomore, hesitated as the pieces moved back and forth. Reina didn't rush. She played slowly, deliberately, luring him deeper into her web. Every move she made looked harmless, but when he finally realized it—
Checkmate.
In just twenty-two moves.
The crowd clapped in awe, though most already expected the result.
"As always, Reina Salvador is untouchable."
"No wonder everyone else just fights for second place."
Reina didn't bask in the praise. She merely straightened her uniform and looked out the window. Her thoughts weren't on the board anymore.
They were on Jed Cruz.
She had watched his matches earlier. The way he fought reminded her of a cornered beast. Raw, untamed, but undeniably strong. And now… she was curious.
"Jed… how far can you go?"
---
Back at the gym, the arm wrestling preliminaries continued. The energy was back to a fever pitch.
Marcus Perez stepped forward for his first match. The crowd hushed as his enormous frame towered over the table. His opponent, a strong senior, looked confident—until Marcus gripped his hand.
The referee barely shouted "Go!" before—
SLAM!
The match ended instantly.
Gasps echoed.
"He crushed him like nothing!"
"That wasn't even a fight!"
Marcus cracked his neck and smirked. He didn't even break a sweat.
"Next."
His reputation spread like wildfire. Students whispered about his insane grip strength, about how no one at his local gym could last against him. Now, they believed it.
---
Then came David Ahn.
When his name was called, his lackeys erupted with cheers. His girlfriend Reina wasn't present in the gym, but he still carried himself as if the spotlight was his alone.
David's opponent was another bulky student, confident enough to at least put up a fight. The referee counted down.
"Ready… set… go!"
David roared, his muscles bulging as he forced his opponent's hand down in seconds. The crowd exploded.
"David Ahn! That's what I'm talking about!"
Unlike Marcus, David made sure to flex, raising his arm and showing off. His lackeys clapped and shouted louder, feeding his ego.
But behind his grin, his eyes weren't on the crowd. They were on Jed.
"Watch me, Jed Cruz. I'll bury you in front of everyone."
---
As the matches progressed, it became clear.
Jed Cruz – the dark horse, shocking everyone with endurance and skill.
Marcus Perez – the monster, unmatched raw strength crushing anyone in his path.
David Ahn – the prideful champion, fueled by rage and desperate to outshine Jed.
The crowd knew it. The air thickened with anticipation.
Sooner or later… these three would collide.
And when they did—
Only one would remain standing.