The walk back from the Tiger's Den was a blur. The cool air did little to quell the fire in my veins, a volatile cocktail of adrenaline, fear, and a strange, exhilarating sense of purpose. Jack was a silent, steady presence beside me, his earlier terror replaced by a grim resolve that mirrored my own. We had stared into the abyss, and instead of backing down, we had declared war.
When we finally reached the familiar, dilapidated door of our guild room, I paused, my hand hovering over the knob. Inside were the people who had put their faith in me, the ones I had just gambled everything to protect. I had to be their leader now, not just in name, but in strength and spirit.
I pushed the door open. The entire inner circle was there—Qasim, Padro, Tiffany, Anna, Ken, and Isabel. They were all sitting around our makeshift table, the air thick with a tense, anxious silence. They had clearly been waiting, worrying.
The moment I stepped inside, the tension broke.
"Adam!"
Isabel was on her feet in an instant, a blur of motion as she crossed the room and threw her arms around me, hugging me with a desperate strength. "What happened? Where have you been? Did they beat you?" Her questions came in a frantic, rapid-fire burst, her voice laced with a panic that tugged at my heart.
Her warmth, her scent, the genuine terror in her voice—it was an anchor in the storm of my thoughts. But as I held her, I became acutely aware of the other pairs of eyes in the room, all fixed on us. My mind, overloaded from the encounter with Kevin, registered the awkwardness of the situation.
I leaned in, my lips brushing against her ear, my voice a low whisper meant only for her. "Isabel, everyone is watching. We need to maintain a little distance."
She stiffened for a second, then pulled back, a hurt look flashing in her eyes before she masked it. A faint blush colored her cheeks as she quickly returned to her seat. An awkward silence descended upon the room, heavier than before.
Everyone took their seats, their gazes locked on me and Jack. The questions and comments started, a chaotic symphony of fear, anger, and loyalty.
Ken was the first to speak, his voice choked with self-reproach. "Your Majesty, I was not able to protect you. I am useless. I deserve punishment." He looked genuinely devastated, as if my capture was a personal failing of the highest order.
Padro, on the other hand, was practically vibrating with rage. "Leader, do we need to launch an attack right this instant? I will make them lick the ground!" He slammed a fist on the table, his eyes blazing.
Tiffany, ever the pragmatist, spoke up, her voice cool and measured. "Leader, I have some allies in a military school. Do you need me to call them? They will definitely help us beat the Ruthless Animals." Her offer was a surprise, a genuine extension of support that I hadn't expected.
"Leader… and Jack… are you both okay?" Anna's voice was a timid whisper, but her amber eyes were filled with a sincere, heartfelt concern that was more comforting than any offer of violence.
Then came Qasim. He was wringing his hands, his face pale, his voice trembling with a fear that was almost contagious. "The second-in-command of the Ruthless Animals is so strong… and their leader… they might definitely kill us."
Isabel, her earlier hurt replaced by a fierce determination, looked straight at me. "Leader, please tell us something. We will do anything you say. We will not accept defeat."
I looked at Jack. He met my gaze, his expression firm, and gave me a single, confident nod. He was with me. That was all I needed.
I stood up, my movements slow and deliberate. "Listen, guys," I began, my voice calm. "The Ruthless Animals gave us two choices. Either we can join them… or we get ready to fight them in one month."
The room fell silent for a heartbeat as they processed my words. Then, chaos erupted.
"We should join them!" Qasim shouted, his voice cracking with panic. "Did you see how powerful Hughes was? We can't win!"
"Join a group of thugs?!" Tiffany shot back, her voice dripping with scorn. "We are hunters! We don't kneel to animals!"
Padro, for the first time since I'd known him, turned on his best friend, his face contorted with a mixture of anger and profound disappointment. "If you can't fight and protect anyone, then just keep your mouth shut!" he roared, pointing a trembling finger at Qasim. "You are degrading the pride of the Hunter's Guild! I am so embarrassed to call you my friend! Are you blind? Did you not see how they treated us? You are just a coward!"
Qasim recoiled as if struck, his own fear turning to defensive anger. "And you can't see how powerful they are? I just can't do it! I'm scared! This is too dangerous!"
Their argument raged, a painful, personal battle that exposed the deep cracks of fear and doubt within our fledgling guild. I could see Anna shrinking in on herself, her hope for revenge visibly fading. Tiffany's face was a mask of cold fury, her own defeat at Hughes's hands clearly a fresh, raw wound. And Isabel… Isabel was just looking at me, her eyes filled with a desperate, worried plea.
It was time.
I took a deep breath, and as I exhaled, I activated my skills. [Great Leader]. [President]. [Chanakya].
The air in the room shifted, becoming heavy, charged with an unseen authority. My voice, when I spoke, was no longer just my own. It was deeper, lower, resonating with a power that commanded absolute attention.
"EVERYBODY, KEEP QUIET!"
The room fell silent instantly. The argument died in their throats. Every eye was on me, wide with a mixture of shock and awe.
"My answer was definite," I said, my gaze sweeping over each of them, my voice a low, chilling rumble. "We will fight. But," I paused, letting the weight of my next words sink in, "I think those who can't fight, those who are not willing to risk everything, should leave this war right now. Because I have to get my revenge."
I looked at Anna, my expression softening for a fraction of a second. "I have to fight to give some of our members the justice they deserve."
My gaze shifted to Tiffany, my voice hardening again. "I have to prove that I am a true leader. If you are not okay to fight side-by-side with us, you can leave right now. Because I am not willing to bend my head to a bunch of thugs."
Qasim, his face still pale, started to speak. "But leader… they are so dangerous…"
I turned my full attention to him, my eyes locking onto his with a deadliness that made the air choke in his throat. It was a look that promised consequences, a look that stripped away all pretense and left only the cold, hard truth.
"You know what, Qasim?" I said, my voice a deep, chilling whisper that seemed to echo in the sudden silence. "I thought I could change your cowardly persona. But you are really making me regret my decision. You failed to protect Anna. And now this. If you cannot stand side-by-side with us… then just leave."
He looked dumbfounded, his mouth opening and closing, but no words came out. "But leader…" he finally managed, his voice a timid, broken sound.
He was interrupted by Jack, who stood up, his own voice firm and steady. "Listen, Qasim, what the leader said might be harsh, but it's true. If you can't change, you can leave. Because this war is going to be bloody and dirty. There's no room for hesitation."
Ken stood up as well, his usual eccentric energy replaced by a cold, hard disappointment. "Qasim, the leader is right. Even Anna, the weakest among us, is not willing to kneel down. How can you be? You are just disgracing our pride."
The weight of their words, of my own ultimatum, was too much. A look of profound shame, mixed with a flash of resentful anger, crossed Qasim's face. Without another word, he turned and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him.
The silence he left in his wake was heavy, but it was a different kind of silence. It was the quiet of a group that had just been purged, solidified.
I looked at the remaining members of my inner circle. "Are all of you ready to fight against monsters?"
Tiffany met my gaze, a new kind of awe in her eyes. The respect I had earned in our chess match had been solidified by this display of leadership. "I am willing to fight alongside you, at any cost," she said, her voice clear and firm.
Isabel was next, her eyes shining with a fierce pride. "I am also willing to fight for the Hunter's Guild."
Anna, her earlier fear replaced by a fragile but real determination, looked up at me. "I don't want to be weak anymore. I will also fight for the Hunter's Guild."
"I am also going to fight for you, leader," Padro said, his voice thick with emotion. "I am ready for anything."
Finally, Ken dropped to one knee, his head bowed. "Your Majesty, your loyal guard will improve himself and become the perfect guard you deserve."
The meeting ended on that note of renewed, hardened resolve. We had lost a member, but we had gained a unified purpose.
Later that day, I was in the park, pushing through my daily training, my body screaming in protest. The physical exertion was a welcome distraction from the chaos in my mind. As I finished my last set of pull-ups, dropping to the ground with a grunt, I saw Isabel approaching. She was watching me, a soft, admiring look on her face.
"You have changed so much," she said as I sat up, wiping sweat from my brow. "You are amazing, Adam."
I took a deep, ragged breath, my voice ruffled from the workout. "Why do you say that?"
"You are like a true leader," she said, sitting down on the grass beside me. "I'm just so impressed, finding all these different sides of you. How romantic you were on our date. How amazing you are in a fight. How brilliant your leadership is. You're… a perfect man."
Her praise, so genuine and heartfelt, made a warmth spread through my chest. I looked away, a little embarrassed. "I'm just trying to become someone that everyone can be inspired by," I said, the words feeling truer than I expected.
After I had cooled down, we started walking home, a comfortable silence settling between us. The sun was beginning to set, painting the sky in shades of orange and purple. As we walked, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out and saw a message from a number I didn't recognize.
"Hey Adam. I'm sending you my address. Come meet me."
It was signed, Lily Harrison.
My heart skipped a beat. I had completely forgotten my promise to meet her. I looked at Isabel, who was watching me with a curious expression.
"Izzy," I said, my mind racing. "You should head straight home. I have something… urgent to take care of."
"But Adam…" she started, a hint of disappointment in her voice.
I didn't give her a chance to argue. I leaned in and pressed a quick, soft kiss to her cheek. "Bye," I said, my voice a little rougher than I intended. "I'll meet you in your room tonight."
And with that, I turned and left, leaving her standing there on the sidewalk, a confused but hopeful look on her face. I had a teacher to meet. And I had a feeling this was going to be a very, very interesting conversation.