The pain was unbearable. Kael’s leg felt like it was being ripped out of it joint. For a moment, it seemed like he might black out right there on the pitch. The coach rushed toward him, blowing his whistle so loud it pierced the forming crowd. “Stop! Everybody stop!” Students swarmed the sidelines, some with phones already recording, others too stunned to move. The whispers turned into roars of speculation, and Kael could hear every word even as he tried to steady his breathing. “Jason finished him!” “He’s done for. I doubt he would ever be able to play football ever again, maybe forever.” “Serves him right for thinking he could compete.” " Who does he think he is?" Through the blur, Jordan stood back as he basked in joy. He stood a few feet away, chest heaving, but there was no guilt on his face. No fear and no remorse for what he had done. It was replaced with something everyone saw. Pride. . Like he had accomplished exactly what he came here to do.

The hallway went dead silent. The boy on the floor groaned, clutching his stomach as the blood spread across his shirt. Students screamed and staggered backward, some covering their mouths in horror, while others were too stunned to move. “Somebody call the nurse!” a trembling voice cried out, but no one moved. They were frozen, caught between fear of Jason and fascination with Kael’s next move. Kael tilted his head, eyes narrowing on Jason. “Bravo! You’ve crossed the line.” His tone was calm, but the weight of his words make the make jasonya bit nervous. Jason pressed the pen harder into his palm, his gaze darting back and forth between Karl's hounds. His chest rose and fell rapidly. “Stay back, Kael! Don’t think you own me. Don’t think you can take everything from me!” Kael chuckled, slipping his hands deeper into his pockets. “Take everything from you? Jason, I don’t have to. You’re doing that all by yourself. Look around you." His gaze flickered to the boy writhing