Averon was too large.
Too large for a single squad.
Too dangerous for a single mistake.
And that was exactly why we couldn't just send one gang to every district and hope things would work out. The strangers we were searching for weren't ordinary criminals or random fighters hiding in the shadows. They were connected to something deeper—something even the oldest gangs of Jaspera seemed cautious about.
So, naturally, a new plan was created.
Or rather—
A ridiculous plan made by ridiculous people with ridiculous confidence.
And somehow, I got dragged into it too.
Even though I wasn't officially part of any gang.
Not VK.
Not VR.
Not KRC.
Not even FOS.
Yet somehow, these people had already started treating me like I belonged among them.
Honestly?
I stopped questioning it long ago.
The gangs decided to divide Averon into seven active districts, sending combined squads instead of individual teams. According to them, combining different fighting styles and mentalities would increase efficiency during the search for the strangers.
According to me—
It sounded like a perfect recipe for disaster.
Still, the combinations were finalized.
Kamron Central — The Elite Clash Zone
VK Squad X (Beast Squad) + VR Squad A (Fang Unit)
Theme: Perfection vs Precision
The strongest and most refined fighters were sent here. Squad X had monsters capable of overwhelming enemies through sheer dominance, while Fang Unit specialized in precise strikes and technical combat.
Together—
They formed the deadliest frontline in Averon.
Diberon — Speed vs Aggression
VK Squad E (Storm Unit) + KRC Squad Y (Blaze Unit)
Theme: Lightning Attacks
Fast fighters mixed with reckless attackers. The goal here wasn't strategy.
It was pressure.
Relentless pressure.
Cavern — Brains vs Control
VK Squad C (Shadows) + VR Squad C (Mind Venom)
Theme: Strategy War
This district became a battlefield of traps, feints, manipulation, and counters. Every move there felt like part of a larger game.
Jorven — Defense vs Finishers
VK Squad D (Iron Guard) + VR Squad D (Death Coil)
Theme: Shield vs Execution
One side specialized in defense.
The other specialized in ending fights brutally.
An almost terrifying combination.
Sonivar — Discipline vs Pressure
VK Squad A (Vanguards) + VR Squad B (Venom Core)
Theme: Order vs Chaos
Technical precision against overwhelming pressure fighters.
No room for hesitation.
Baroneta — Aggression Overload
VK Squad B (Breakers) + FOS Squad Beta (Iron Strike)
Theme: Pure Destruction
No defense.
No retreat.
Only raw power and violent combinations.
Even hearing about this squad gave me headaches.
Tinsar — Balanced Intelligence Battle
KRC Squad Z (Shadow Core) + FOS Squad Gamma (Steel Mind)
Theme: Tactical Supremacy
This district was controlled entirely by calculated minds. Fighters here treated combat like mathematics.
Cold.
Efficient.
Terrifying.
And then—
There was me.
Bryce Dalton.
A completely normal student who somehow got assigned to Kamron Central alongside Rylan as if this entire situation made perfect sense.
The moment I heard about it, I immediately refused.
"There's no way I can go around searching for dangerous strangers with you people," I said. "My parents would never allow that."
And honestly?
That should've been the end of it.
But these gangs were insane.
Especially VK.
VK had influence everywhere.
Even inside Jaspera High School.
And somehow, those lunatics managed to convince one of the school heads to organize a seven-day educational trip to Kamron Central.
A real school trip.
An actual official trip.
Just to send me and Rylan there without suspicion.
And the worst part?
It worked.
Perfectly.
A few days later, the trip officially began.
For the other students, it was excitement.
A small vacation.
A break from studies.
But for me and Rylan—
It was a mission.
On May 5th, the school buses departed early in the morning and headed toward Kamron Central. The journey itself was mostly peaceful, though Rylan barely spoke during the ride.
As we finally arrived near the Gavern Bus Stop, something immediately felt wrong.
A crowd had gathered near the bus.
Large men.
Watching.
Waiting.
Our teacher instantly became nervous.
I could literally see panic building on his face.
But Rylan simply stood up calmly and walked toward the back window of the bus. He glanced outside for a moment before casually making a hand gesture.
That's when I realized—
Those people were gang members.
And somehow—
They understood him.
Within seconds, the crowd began dispersing quietly, disappearing into the streets as if they had never been there.
Our teacher sighed in relief without understanding anything.
Meanwhile, I just stared at Rylan.
"…What even are you?" I muttered.
Rylan smirked slightly.
"Handsome."
Soon, everyone got off the bus safely.
The bus drove away shortly after, leaving us in Kamron Central.
The teacher led us toward a nearby hotel and assigned rooms in pairs.
And somehow—
Of course—
I got paired with Rylan.
Because apparently fate hated me personally.
As we placed our bags inside the hotel room, our teacher knocked on the door.
"We'll now head toward Kamora Sanctum," he announced. "Everyone should get ready."
But that obviously ruined our actual plans.
So Rylan immediately spoke.
"Sir, we're a bit tired from the trip. Can we rest for now?"
The teacher thought for a moment before nodding.
"We'll probably stay there for around two hours."
The moment the teacher left, Rylan looked at me.
"We've got two hours maximum."
Then—
For the first time ever—
Rylan pulled out a phone.
I blinked.
"…You own a phone?"
He ignored me completely and dialed a number.
Apparently, he had already collected the squad leaders' contacts earlier.
"Come pick us up," he said simply before ending the call.
Ten minutes later—
They arrived.
Around the hotel entrance stood several large gang members waiting beside their bikes.
To outsiders, it probably looked like VIP security.
To me—
It looked like we were being kidnapped.
Especially because me and Rylan looked like actual children standing beside those monsters.
Soon, the bikes roared to life.
And we headed toward the heart of Gavern—
Paxon Market.
The center of underground information.
The birthplace of black markets, hidden gangs, illegal deals, and secrets people were willing to kill for.
The deeper we entered the market, the darker the atmosphere became.
Men wearing heavy black denim jackets crowded the streets, each with monster logos stitched onto their backs. Almost everyone had tattoos, scars, or expressions that screamed danger.
But the moment they recognized the familiar VK members escorting us—
They stepped aside.
Immediately.
There were around 145 members searching the area alongside us.
Everyone questioned anyone who looked knowledgeable enough.
Most were useless.
Until—
We found him.
A strange man sitting quietly near a narrow alley.
He wasn't muscular.
Didn't look dangerous.
Didn't even look capable of fighting.
But his eyes—
They carried information.
Too much information.
It felt like he knew every gang, every member, every hidden secret buried beneath Averon.
A walking dictionary of the underground world.
And when he finally began speaking—
He didn't start with the present.
He started with the old era.
The truths no one talked about anymore.
The truths people tried to bury forever.
[TO BE CONTINUED]