The hallway of Sirris Academy buzzed with whispers and chaos. Daniel, Odin at his side, stood face-to-face with Leviathan Kevin—the boy who looked nothing more than an intellectual with glasses and calm silver eyes, but Daniel knew better. Behind that quiet façade was a fighter just as monstrous as Odin, if not worse.
Daniel had already rushed him with a flying knee, and though Leviathan dodged, the tension in the air made it clear: this wasn't going to be a casual spar.
Leviathan pushed his glasses back onto the bridge of his nose, voice calm yet sharp as steel.
"You shouldn't have come here looking for me, Daniel. I don't fight for others. I fight for myself."
Daniel smirked. "Then prove it."
The two clashed, Daniel striking with his fists while Leviathan countered with elbows and knees, each blow echoing down the academy corridors. The impact was heavy enough to crack tiles beneath their feet. Students who had gathered to watch could barely follow their movements—two blurs of raw power colliding.
Leviathan landed a sharp elbow to Daniel's ribs, forcing him back. But Daniel only grinned wider, wiping a small trace of blood from his lip.
"Not bad. But you'll need more than that."
Daniel's counterattack was relentless—hooks, jabs, and low kicks all perfectly timed, his combat style shifting fluidly between boxing and street-brawling precision. Leviathan took each hit with controlled grunts, his body staggering but never breaking. Still, the sound of Daniel's punches echoed like thunder against flesh.
Finally, Daniel wound up for a gut punch that would end it—
—but Leviathan slipped aside with uncanny grace, almost untouched despite the barrage.
Breathing steadily, Leviathan spoke with an almost arrogant calmness:
"I'm sorry, Daniel. But I won't follow someone weaker than me."
The crowd gasped. Odin, who had been leaning against the wall, burst into laughter, his crimson eyes gleaming with amusement.
"Ha! That's your problem, Daniel. You hold back too damn much. If you'd gone all out from the start, this would've been over already."
Daniel's smirk twisted into something darker, something sadistic. His crimson eyes burned like wildfire.
"You're right… Guess playtime's over."
He reached behind his back—and with a whisper of steel, his katana slid free, gleaming under the dim lights. The atmosphere changed instantly. Students gasped in shock; some even backed away as a suffocating aura filled the space.
In a flash—quicker than human sight could comprehend—Daniel vanished and reappeared at Leviathan's throat, his katana's edge kissing the boy's skin.
Leviathan's silver eyes widened, his breath hitching. For the first time, his calm cracked.
Daniel leaned in, his voice low and laced with menace.
"Is this enough to catch your attention?"
A bead of sweat ran down Leviathan's neck where the blade hovered, a hair's breadth from ending him. The sheer pressure alone was suffocating. Daniel's sadistic grin widened as he saw the uncharacteristic flicker of fear in Leviathan's eyes.
The Muay Thai fighter chuckled bitterly, forcing composure back into his tone.
"Tch… whatever. I'll join. At least tell me the name of your so-called crew is worth something?"
Odin stepped forward, clapping slowly, laughter still rolling off his tongue.
"We are the Celestial Phantoms. Don't forget it."
Leviathan adjusted his glasses with a scoff, finally letting his guard down, though his voice still carried a sharp edge.
"Decent enough to let me join… But don't think I'll bow my head that easily. If this 'crew' of yours is going to survive, you'd better make it more than just a flashy name."
Daniel finally sheathed his katana, his grin fading into a confident smirk. He extended his hand, not in friendship but in command.
"Welcome to the Celestial Phantoms, Leviathan Kevin. You're the second fang of this crew."
Leviathan eyed the hand, then reluctantly shook it, his silver eyes glinting with both irritation and intrigue.
"Fine. But tell me—are we the only ones?"
Daniel stepped back, turning toward the academy gates, the afternoon light casting a long shadow behind him.
"No. I've got three more people on my list. Each one strong enough to tear down mountains. And when they're with us… Valhalla won't stand a chance."
Odin smirked, his hands stuffed into his pockets. "Now that's more like it."
The three of them walked side by side, the first whispers of a legend forming in the shadows of Sirris Academy. Daniel's revenge was only beginning, and the Celestial Phantoms had just gained another ghost.