Newton and Samuel walked in quietly like everyone else. They took their usual seats. Newton's face looked calm. Samuel leaned back slightly in his chair.
The robot instructor rolled into the hall. Its metal body moved stiffly toward the front. It pointed one mechanical arm toward the large screen behind it.
The screen flickered. Then the title appeared.
SURVIVAL IN THE WATER.
The robot's voice echoed through the room. "The lecture for today is survival in the water."
Students shifted in their seats. Newton leaned forward slightly. His attention sharpened. Every word mattered inside this prison world.
He listened carefully as the robot explained techniques for staying afloat, controlling breathing, and conserving energy in deep water.
His expression remained neutral, quiet, and focused.
Around him students continued whispering about William's death.
But no one looked at Newton. No one suspected him. Not a single pair of eyes lingered on him longer than usual.
To them he remained the same quiet boy who had withdrawn after Stella's death.
The harmless one. Even Samuel sat beside him without suspicion. Samuel watched the lecture with the same calm attention.
He had no idea that the boy sitting next to him had slipped into the darkness the night before. No idea that Newton's sword had already claimed another life.
After the lecture ended, the hall emptied in waves.
Students poured out into the corridors and drifted toward the restaurant. Hunger moved them faster than anything else. Trays clattered. Chairs scraped. The air filled with the smell of hot food and sweat from the training grounds.
Newton and Samuel walked in with the others. They moved quietly, heads slightly lowered, blending easily into the crowd. No one paid them any special attention. They took their food and sat down at one of the long tables near the wall.
Samuel began eating first. Newton lifted his spoon slowly.
Across the room, voices rose and fell. Laughter came from a table of boys near the windows. A group of girls whispered together nervously.
Then the door slammed open. Theo walked in.
The noise in the restaurant dropped instantly. Chairs scraped back.
Students stood up quickly. Newton and Samuel rose with the rest of them. Heads lowered. Some bowed deeper than others.
"YOUR HIGHNESS, LONG MAY YOU REIGN."
Theo walked slowly between the tables. His eyes moved across the room, cold and searching. His boys followed behind him like a pack of wolves.
He stopped suddenly. His finger lifted. He pointed. "Bring her to me."
Every head turned. The finger pointed at the same girl. Mendy.
She froze where she stood. Two boys stepped forward immediately. They grabbed her arms.
"Let me go!" Mendy cried, struggling against their grip.
But they pulled harder. She tried to twist away, but their hands tightened around her wrists. They dragged her across the floor toward Theo.
Students watched in silence. No one stepped forward. Theo stood in the center of the room, watching calmly.
When Mendy was forced to her knees before him, he looked down at her without emotion. "Beat her up," Theo commanded.
The first fist landed without hesitation. A dull thud echoed through the room. Mendy gasped. Another blow struck her side.
She cried out. "Please!" she shouted. "Someone help me!"
But no one moved. The punches kept coming. Her body curled inward as fists hammered into her shoulders, her back, her ribs.
A chair scraped somewhere in the room as someone shifted uncomfortably.
But still no one stepped forward.
Newton's fingers tightened slowly around the edge of the table.
His jaw locked.
Each sound of impact echoed in his chest.
Mendy's voice cracked as she cried again.
"Help me!"
Theo lifted his head slightly and scanned the room. His eyes moved across every face. He watched carefully. Waiting.
Watching for movement. Watching for the person who would break. The person who would rush forward.
But no one did.
Newton sat there, his fists clenched so tightly that the knuckles turned pale. Samuel noticed..He leaned slightly toward Newton and spoke under his breath.
"Compose yourself."
Newton didn't answer.
Another punch landed. Mendy collapsed sideways onto the floor. Her hair covered her face. Her arms trembled weakly as she tried to push herself up.
Theo continued watching the room. No one moved.
Finally he raised his hand. "Enough."
The boys stopped immediately. They stepped away, breathing hard.
Mendy remained on the floor. Her body barely moved.
Theo looked down at her one last time. Then he turned away. His boys followed.
The restaurant slowly filled with sound again after he left. But no one helped the girl immediately.
Newton remained seated. His fists were still clenched.
Samuel glanced at him again. Newton's jaw remained tight.
Eventually students began leaving the restaurant one by one. Samuel and Newton stood up and walked out quietly.
Neither of them spoke.
Toward evening the system appeared again. The blue light flickered in front of every student's wrist.
SYSTEM NOTIFICATION.
NEW TASK.
COMPLETE 100 PUSH UPS.
TIME ALLOWED: 30 MINUTES.
REWARDS: 10 NINJA POINTS AND 1 CPD POINT.
Samuel exhaled through his nose. Newton looked at the screen once. They both dropped to the floor immediately. Push ups had become routine for them.
Samuel counted quietly under his breath. Newton moved steadily beside him. The hallway filled with students doing the same exercise.
Some struggled halfway through. Others collapsed early. But Newton and Samuel continued smoothly.
Twenty.
Thirty.
Fifty.
Sweat rolled down Samuel's face. Newton's breathing stayed controlled.
Seventy.
Eighty.
Ninety.
At the twenty fifth minute, both of them completed the final push up. They stood up slowly.
The system screen flashed again.
SYSTEM NOTIFICATION.
TASK ACHIEVED.
1 CPD POINT AND 10 NINJA POINTS HAVE BEEN TRANSFERED TO YOU.
Samuel grinned. "We have fourteen CPD points each," he said.
Newton nodded once. "Yes."
Samuel stretched his arms above his head. "I can not wait to have one more and level up."
Newton allowed himself a small smile. "One more."
They returned to their room soon after.
Night fell quietly across the dormitory. Lights dimmed.
Students drifted into sleep. Samuel lay down and closed his eyes almost immediately.
But Newton did not sleep. He lay flat on his bed. Motionless. The darkness in the room felt thick and quiet.
His eyes remained open. He watched the faint glow of the digital clock on the wall.
The numbers changed slowly.
11:47.
12:08.
12:39.
Time moved forward one second at a time. Newton remained still. Waiting.
Finally the clock changed again.
1:00 AM.
Newton sat up slowly. One name echoed inside his mind.
THEO.
He stood quietly and opened the locker beside his bed. The Ninja attire came out again.
Black cloth. Silent.
He dressed carefully. The mask covered his face. Only his eyes remained visible.
Newton reached for his sword. The blade slid from its sheath without sound.
Samuel continued sleeping.
Newton stepped toward the door. Then he slipped out into the corridor. The building remained silent. His footsteps made no noise.
He walked straight through the dark hallway. Theo's room waited at the end. Newton stopped in front of the door. His fingers produced a small master key.
The lock turned easily. The door opened slowly. Newton stepped inside.
The room was dark. But darkness did not slow him anymore. His eyes adjusted instantly. He moved quietly toward the bed.
But when he reached it, his steps stopped. The bed was empty. Newton frowned slightly.
"He didn't sleep in his room?" he whispered to himself. He turned slowly toward the door. Preparing to leave.
Then the lights exploded on: bright white light filled the room instantly.
Newton jerked back.
Near the door stood Theo, and ten of his men. Each of them held a sword.
Theo's lips curled into a slow smile. "Got you, Ninja."
Newton's body stiffened. His hand tightened around his sword. His fingers trembled slightly. He had come here to kill Theo silently. He had expected a sleeping man.
Instead, eleven men stood waiting for him.