The morning sun spilled into the schoolyard, casting long shadows over the restless students. Whispers flew like a thousand sparks—everyone had heard about what happened yesterday. Logan Lee had fallen, and his goons had been humiliated. The corridors still smelled faintly of panic and sweat from the fight, and now, another name echoed louder than any rumor: Daniel Park.
Daniel walked through the yard with a measured pace. Each step was deliberate, each movement controlled. His uniform was crisp; hair neatly combed in the official style, glasses perched perfectly on his nose. Yet there was something in the way he carried himself—a predator's patience, a ruler's calm. Even the strongest students felt a chill when he glanced their way.
Behind him, a line of lieutenants and foot soldiers trailed like a shadow army. They weren't there to intimidate—they were extensions of Daniel's will. Among them were the strongest fighters from every faction he had absorbed: Kang Do-jun, the sharp-eyed ex-Razorbacks captain; Min Se-hoon, the silent powerhouse from the Red Claws; and countless others, each loyal, each deadly.
The cafeteria was packed. Students from every clique had been summoned. Some came out of fear, others out of curiosity, and a few, stubborn ones, out of arrogance—thinking they could resist the rising tide.
Daniel stepped onto the cafeteria stage. His calm eyes scanned the crowd, taking in every expression, every twitch of fear, every puffed chest of bravado. Then he spoke, voice low but cutting through the murmurs like a knife.
> Daniel: "Yesterday, chaos ruled these halls. You fought for scraps, for respect, for pride. You thought your gangs, your cliques, your small power mattered. But it doesn't. From today, everything changes. There is no Red Claws. No Razorbacks. No Steel Fangs. Only one force matters… The Union."
Silence fell. Some students' mouths opened, ready to speak, but they caught themselves. Even the most defiant could feel the authority behind his words—a boy, yet a force that commanded obedience without a single raised hand.
Daniel's faint smile barely curved his lips, but it carried the cold precision of a predator.
> Daniel: "You'll follow not because I beg, but because you've already seen what happens to those who stand in my way. Logan thought he could control these halls. He thought he could intimidate everyone. He was wrong."
He let the words sink in. Every subtle twitch, every drop of fear, amplified by the room's silence.
From the back, a small faction leader scoffed, whispering, "This kid… who does he think he is?"
Daniel's eyes flicked toward him. That faint smile deepened slightly.
> Daniel: "You'll see."
---
By the afternoon, The Union's foot soldiers spread across the school. They weren't attacking—at least, not yet—but their presence was enough. Smaller factions bent to the new order. Whispers of allegiance passed through hallways like wildfire. Resistance was crushed swiftly: a glare here, a punch there, a reminder of Daniel's ruthlessness.
The cafeteria saw the first symbolic act. Faction leaders were called forward one by one. Daniel's lieutenants watched silently as he addressed them, each word measured and merciless.
> Daniel: "Every clique, every group, every loner in this school will answer to the Union. You can refuse… but remember, defiance comes with consequences. And I have patience… and memory."
Some laughed nervously, thinking it hyperbole. Others swallowed hard, feeling the weight of his gaze like an iron fist pressing down on their chest.
By evening, the school was almost entirely under his control. Corridors were patrolled, classrooms monitored, and even the playgrounds had Union representatives keeping watch. Lockers bore simple banners: 연합 (Union), white cloth with bold black ink. The marks were small but significant, like a silent declaration of dominion.
---
Later, in the Union's temporary headquarters—a cleared storage room in the school—Daniel sat in the central chair, arms folded, exuding calm authority. Reports came in:
> Do-jun: "North Wing's cliques are compliant."
Min Se-hoon: "Gym hall fighters submitted. No incidents."
Razorbacks Captain: "Even the stubborn ones in East Wing have bowed. They know better than to resist."
Daniel leaned back, hands steepled. His smile was faint, cruelly assured.
> Daniel: "Good. One school secured. Tomorrow, we look outward."
He paused, staring at the map of the province he had begun drawing in secret. Each school was a node, each faction a potential recruit or threat.
> Daniel (thinking): "One school is just the beginning. Every middle school, every weak king, every self-important faction… they'll all know who controls the Union. And if they resist… they'll burn."
Outside the window, the city lights shimmered against the darkening sky. The students who had once mocked Logan now whispered Daniel's name in fear and awe.
The conquest had begun.
And at the heart of it all, an eleven-year-old boy, eyes cold, smile faint, ruling a kingdom no one yet realized was his.
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