After one long month, the group chat lit up again.
Ayaan: "Everyone ready?"
Sam: "Meet at the old ground. Let's see what we've become."
Vasco: "Don't be late."
Anshuman: "I'll be there."
The sun burned orange over the ground as the wind carried the sound of footsteps.
First came Sam — his body transformed, his frame solid and sharp, every movement fast and clean. His aura screamed confidence.
Then came Vasco, calm as a mountain. His short haircut and carved muscles gave him a monk's composure, but there was power humming under his skin.
Anshuman appeared next — taller, leaner, eyes darker, his presence wild, almost predatory, like he'd been surviving in jungles rather than training in a city.
And finally, Ayaan stepped in. Taller. Broader. His face sharper. His walk steady and heavy with quiet power. Even his eyes looked different — colder, more focused.
The four stood in silence for a moment. Then Sam grinned.
"Long time no see, guys."
They all laughed, bumping fists, their voices overlapping.
"Feels like forever."
"We actually survived a month."
"And got stronger than ever."
They walked to the school together. As they entered, every student stopped. The chatter froze. Eyes followed them — whispers filled the halls.
"Is that… them?"
"They changed completely!"
"No way that's the same group who got beaten by James."
Even the teachers were speechless.
The four walked to their seats like kings returning to their throne. When they sat, Sam smirked.
"So… what did everyone do this month?"
Vasco leaned back. "I went deep into the mountains. Meditated until my body turned to steel. Learned the Iron Body Techniques."
Sam cracked his neck. "I trained in a gravity chamber. My speed doubled. I mastered multiple weapons. I can fight ten people before they blink."
Anshuman smiled faintly. "I trained under a beast named Kim. He pushed me to my limits until pain stopped existing."
Ayaan looked out the window. "I trained with a monster named Gun. He calls me his masterpiece."
The others stared at him — a mix of shock and curiosity.
Then Sam's phone buzzed.
"Hey… look at this."
Everyone's phone pinged with the same breaking news alert:
"First Generation fighters sighted again after 7 years."
Ayaan frowned. "First generation?"
Anshuman looked confused. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Vasco exhaled slowly. "We're called the Second Generation. But before us… there was the First Generation — warriors so powerful, their fights looked like wars. No rules. No mercy. Only survival."
Sam added, "And before even them, there was the Pre-Generation — the era that started it all."
Ayaan looked down at his hands. "So… this isn't just about James anymore."
Anshuman clenched his fist. "Yeah. The real storm's just beginning."
The wind howled outside the classroom window — the sign of an era about to clash with the next.
Next morning the four call Joy.
Ayaan: "What do you know about James's third business?"
Joy (over the line): "I'll tell you — later. First I need to pull some intel."
Joy hangs up. They sit in a circle, waiting.
Zoe appears at the gate, breathless. "I'm heading to the east side — I have a meeting. Want to come?"
Joy's phone buzzes. He looks at the screen, eyes narrow. "I found it. The place is called VIVI Luxury Hotel."
Zoe smiles, casual. "I'm going there too. You guys looking for something?"
Ayaan: "Nothing. Just... visiting."
Anshuman: "We'll go with you."
Zoe: "Okay. I'll see you there."
They leave together, thinking Zoe will help without knowing everything.
A man walks the wet streets ahead of them, an axe slung over his shoulder. Dried blood crusts the blade. He breathes slow and calm, like a man who finished a task and is going home.
They reach the east side. The VIVI Luxury Hotel towers above glass and chrome, an ugly jewel in the skyline. Lamps glow gold. Valets smile. Security stands like stone at the entrance.
Zoe pauses at the steps, checking her nails, then turns to them. "I'll go inside for my meeting. You all do what you want — look around, find clues."
Ayaan: "Stay close. If anything—"
Zoe cuts him off with a wink. "I'll be fine. Go find your secrets."
They nod and split to scout.
Ayaan and Anshuman move toward the service alley and loading bay — deliveries, crates, and the staff entrance.
Vasco walks the perimeter, watching cameras, noting guard rotations.
Sam slips toward the utility corridor and a maintenance door with a small badge scanner. He pulls out a tiny device, fingers steady.
Anshuman (whispering): "Check the manifests. If they're smuggling, logistics will tell."
Ayaan: "I'll check staff lists and VIP schedules. Someone slips up."
Vasco: "I'll be the shadow. Call if you need me."
Sam: "If a camera catches us, I loop it. Ten seconds is all we need."
They move like shadows: past the valet, behind the glass façade, toward the building's hidden seams — the places where secrets hide.
After an hour, Zoe came back — confident as ever, while the others sat on the hotel's marble steps, tired and frustrated.
Zoe crossed her arms. "So? What happened?"
Ayaan sighed. "Nothing. Not even a hint. We searched the basement, the loading bay, everything."
Anshuman leaned back against a pillar. "It's like this hotel is clean. Too clean."
Vasco cracked his knuckles. "Or maybe we just didn't look in the right place."
Zoe smiled faintly. "You boys look exhausted. Let's call it a day."
They all nodded, their minds still restless. As they walked out of the hotel gate, Sam's phone began to buzz.
He answered quickly, his expression tightening. "I've got something urgent. Can't explain now — I have to go back."
Ayaan: "You sure?"
Sam: "Yeah. I'll text later."
He walked away fast, vanishing into the crowd.
Now it was just Ayaan, Anshuman, and Vasco.
Zoe glanced at them. "I should leave too. But if you need help, call me, okay?"
Ayaan nodded. "We will."
She smiled softly, then disappeared into her car.
The three of them stood in silence for a moment, the noise of the city fading behind them.
Anshuman broke the silence. "We can't stop now. There's something hidden in that place."
Vasco: "Let's go back. This time, we look smarter."
Ayaan: "Right. We missed something."
They turned around and re-entered VIVI Luxury Hotel — but this time, their eyes were sharper.
Inside the lobby, the hotel owner herself appeared — a woman in a long red dress, elegant and cold. Her name tag read VIVI. Beside her stood a tall, muscular man in a black suit, his presence heavy and intimidating — clearly her bodyguard.
Ayaan whispered, "That's her... the owner."
Anshuman: "And that guy... he's not normal."
Vasco: "We'll deal with them later. Let's find something first."
They slipped quietly into the elevator. Ayaan scanned the control panel, his sharp eyes catching a strange detail.
"Wait… look at this," Ayaan said. "There are twenty-eight floors in this building."
Anshuman frowned. "But here… only twenty-seven buttons."
Vasco smirked. "Hidden floor."
Ayaan nodded slowly. "Exactly. That's where James's operation must be running."
They stared at the glowing numbers on the elevator panel, the button for the top floor shining faintly.
Anshuman clenched his fists. "Then let's find that missing floor... whatever it takes."
Vasco: "I'll handle the power systems. You two check the lift's wiring. There must be a hidden switch or code."
The three exchanged serious looks.
Ayaan: "This time, we're not leaving until we uncover the truth."
The elevator doors closed, and the tension rose — the hunt for the secret 28th floor had begun.
When they were getting out of elevator Vasco mistakenly pressed 8 and 9 button at the same time, and suddenly they saw that a new red button appeared below the panel.
Ayaan looked at it and said, "Press it."
Anshuman pressed the button, and the elevator started shaking a little before it went downward instead of up. When the doors opened, they saw a dimly lit corridor — the secret floor.
Ayaan smirked, "Looks like we found their real business."
Vasco cracked his knuckles, "Then let's hunt this building."
Meanwhile, VIVI's bodyguard got an alert from the security system. "Intruders on the hidden floor," the guard said with a serious face. He quickly grabbed VIVI's arm and said, "Ma'am, this way," taking her through a hidden passage to a locked chamber. He stood in front of the door, waiting.
The scene cut back to Ayaan, Anshuman, and Vasco walking through the corridor. Suddenly, dozens of armed men appeared from the shadows.
Anshuman grinned, "Ayaan, go get VIVI. We'll handle these clowns."
Ayaan nodded and dashed forward while Vasco and Anshuman stood back to fight.
One of the thugs charged at Vasco and punched his chest — but screamed in pain as his hand bones cracked. Vasco smirked, "Iron body, bro." He slammed his elbow into the thug's jaw, sending him flying.
Meanwhile, six men surrounded Anshuman. They attacked from all directions, but in a blink, he flipped backward and kicked two of them in the face mid-air, then grabbed another by the neck and slammed him on the floor. "Too slow!" Anshuman shouted.
Ayaan, sprinting through the hallway, reached a heavy metal door. The bodyguard stood there — tall, muscular, with calm eyes.
"Step aside," Ayaan said coldly.
The bodyguard cracked his neck. "Wanna die here, kid?"
Ayaan clenched his fists. "Try or die."
In a flash, their fight began — Ayaan threw a straight punch which the bodyguard blocked and countered with a spinning back kick. Ayaan dodged and used a bajiquan elbow strike, hitting the guard's ribs. The guard staggered but immediately retaliated with a low sweep kick, forcing Ayaan to jump.
The guard grabbed his leg mid-air and slammed him down, but Ayaan rolled, grabbed the guard's arm, and used northern mantis grip to twist it, sending a sharp pain through his shoulder.
The guard broke free and swung a heavy punch — Ayaan ducked and used eagle claw to jab his throat, then landed a bajiquan shoulder strike to the chest, pushing him back.
The floor cracked under the pressure.
Ayaan breathed heavily, "You're strong…"
The guard wiped his lip, smiling, "And you're still not enough."
Then they both charged again, the sound of their fists echoing through the secret floor.
When the fight was at its peak, Ayaan was breathing heavily, his body bruised and bleeding.
He remembered Gun's words echoing in his mind — "You have something rare inside you, Ayaan… a hidden state. I call it Ultra Instinct. But to awaken it, you'll have to be near death. It's not power… it's your soul unleashed."
Suddenly, the bodyguard grabbed Ayaan by the neck and slammed him down. Ayaan's head hit the floor hard — his vision went blurry, and his eyes slowly closed.
The guard wiped his hands and said coldly, "Everything's fine now… he was strong, but not strong enough."
But then — a chill filled the air.
The bodyguard's expression froze. He slowly turned around — and saw Ayaan standing again, his eyes glowing black with silver sparks, his aura dark yet calm. The air around him began to vibrate.
The guard's voice trembled, "Wh… what are you…?"
Flashbacks of Gun's training flashed — the punches, the pain, the fury — every fighting style, every strike.
Ayaan moved forward silently. The guard lunged first, but Ayaan's movements were unreadable — faster, smoother, precise.
He blocked every strike — using Bajiquan elbows, Eagle Claw grips, Systema counters, and Northern Mantis precision — combining them into one perfect storm.
Every punch Ayaan threw landed like a shockwave. The guard's ribs cracked, his jaw snapped, and his body finally hit the wall, breaking it.
Ayaan stood still — calm and cold — before his eyes turned normal again. His breathing slowed. He had gone back to his normal state.
He grabbed VIVI from the secret room and said, "It's over."
Just then, Anshuman and Vasco arrived, covered in bruises but smiling. "We handled the rest," Vasco said.
As they were leaving through the corridor, a voice echoed —
"Stop."
A tall man with a scar across his face walked toward them. His aura was dangerous.
"I'll be taking VIVI," he said coldly. "I'm Kitae Kim, and I'll destroy you all."
Anshuman stepped forward. "Try."
In an instant, Kitae Kim landed a brutal punch into Anshuman's abs — but Anshuman didn't move. He looked up, eyes sharp, and said, "That was a good punch."
Before Kitae could react, Vasco jumped from above, slamming both legs on his shoulders, making the floor crack.
Kitae stood up, laughing, "Now I'll fight all three of you!"
The fight turned brutal — Ayaan's speed, Anshuman's power, and Vasco's endurance combined against Kitae's deadly skill. The sound of fists, kicks, and broken tiles echoed everywhere.
Finally, Kitae was about to strike again when sirens blared. The police were arriving. He gritted his teeth and said, "This isn't over," before vanishing into the shadows.
The three of them rushed to the hidden room — inside, boxes of illegal drugs and money were stacked everywhere.
Ayaan called the police. "We found VIVI's secret," he said.
Soon, VIVI and her bodyguard were arrested, and the news exploded worldwide:
"VIVI Luxury Hotel Exposed — Drug Empire Collapses!"
When James got the news, he smashed his glass on the floor and said coldly, "So… they've destroyed my third business."
His eyes turned dark. "Then it's time… to crush them myself."
Next day they all went to school.
Max walked up to them, face cold. "Did you punks do that?" he asked.
Ayaan shrugged. "Yeah. Now what are you going to do?"
Max's eyes glittered. "I think I should kill all of you."
"Try," Vasco said.
Max lunged. Vasco threw a straight punch — Max caught it and held his wrist like iron. Vasco twisted, flipped, and slammed Max against the wall with a brutal throw.
Mira pushed through the crowd. "Sorry, guys. I'll handle him," she said, stepping between them. She helped Max up and the two left together without another word.
Ayaan, Anshuman, and Vasco sat down, watching them go, uneasy. "What does Max want?" Anshuman asked.
Sam arrived, breathless, and grinned. "You guys did amazing work yesterday."
Ayaan turned to Sam. "Where did Max live before?"
Joy's text pinged; he looked up. "He used to live in a place called Gangseop."
They all exchanged looks. "We should go there," Vasco said. "He won't tell us willingly."
—Scene cuts—
Mira pulled Max into a quiet café. "You're not in your prime," she said bluntly. "You've gotten weaker."
Max stared into his coffee. "I know."
"I can't stand watching you like this," Mira said. "Go back to Gangseop. Your past is there. That's the only place you'll get your prime back."
Max stood, jaw set. "Then I'm going. I'll train until I break myself and rebuild. If I'm going to finish this, I need to be more than I was."
He left the café with Mira watching him go, rain mixing with the resolve in his eyes.
Next day, Ayaan, Anshuman, and Vasco reached Gangseop. Sam couldn't join — he was stuck handling too much work.
The place felt heavy — old streets, silent air, and a strange tension. As they followed the address Joy had given, they finally stopped in front of a huge mansion, surrounded by tall black gates and guards.
"This is where Max lived?" Vasco asked, surprised.
"Yeah," Ayaan said, looking around. "Looks more like a fortress than a home."
They walked up to the gate, and two bulky guards immediately blocked their path.
"You can't enter," one of them said sternly. "Do you have an appointment?"
Ayaan replied calmly, "We're friends of Max."
The guards exchanged nervous looks. "M-Max?" one of them stammered. They quickly pulled out a phone and made a call.
After a short conversation, the guard looked back at them, sweat on his forehead. "The boss said… you three can come in."
The gates creaked open slowly, revealing the massive house and a long path lined with broken statues and fallen leaves.
Vasco whispered, "Why do I feel like this house hides more than just memories?"
Ayaan took a deep breath. "Because it does."
And together, the three stepped inside the house where Max's past was waiting.
They entered the hall and the air felt colder. Lang Jin sat like a king on a high chair, the room hushed around him.
He regarded the three with slow amusement. "You want Max's past?" he asked. "Fine. I'll tell you what you want to know."
He leaned forward, voice low and steady.
"Max was born into nothing. His father was dead before he could remember; his mother worked herself raw to feed him. School was a warzone — the boys tore at him every day. When he was fourteen, they went too far. They cut him, humiliated him, left him broken in an alley while the town laughed."
Lang Jin's eyes didn't soften. "One night, when they had nearly killed him, a man appeared from the dark and fought the boys off. He didn't speak much — he wrapped the boy, carried him into the jungle, and said only one thing: 'Train, or you will die.'"
He paused, letting the memory hang. "For a year, in the middle of that jungle, the man beat him until Max bled strength into his bones. He taught him how to move like a beast, how to hate weakness until it left him. When Max came back, he wasn't a boy. He walked into the town and those who had bullied him fell under his hands."
Lang Jin's voice grew colder. "But the worst was yet to come. The owner of the Fujiro Syndicate — a cruel, fat man with money and a throne — took Max's mother. He paraded her like a prize. Max stormed the syndicate's compound. He cut through a hundred men with the blind rage of a son who had nothing to lose. He found his mother… already dead, right there in front of him."
Lang Jin's hand curled around the armrest. "Max lost himself. He almost killed the syndicate's owner, but at the last moment the man who had trained him returned. He fought the owner in a battle that shook the compound. They destroyed each other — both the trainer and the owner fell, blood everywhere."
Lang Jin's mouth twisted. "Before the trainer died, he grabbed Max and shoved him into the night. 'Run,' he rasped. 'Never come back.' Max ran. That is why he left Greyvale, why you see an angry ghost now. He carries that jungle, that one year of death, in his bones."
He let the words settle, then added, soft and cruel, "And one more thing you should know."
The three looked up, uncertain.
Lang Jin stood, shadow swallowing his smile. "I am the son of the owner of the Fujiro Syndicate."
The hall went icy. Lang Jin's laugh rolled like thunder. "You think you came here to learn truth? You came to stand in my house. And now," he said, voice hard as metal, "you are going to die."
Lang Jin stood up from his throne-like chair, his massive frame towering over Ayaan, Anshuman, and Vasco.
The room went silent. Then — boom! — Lang Jin stomped once, cracking the marble floor beneath his feet.
Ayaan cracked his neck. "Guess we're not leaving peacefully."
Lang Jin smirked. "You dare to walk into my house after what Max did to my family? I'll bury you here."
He charged forward — faster than his size suggested — and slammed his fist toward Vasco. Vasco raised his iron-hardened arms, blocking the strike but sliding back several feet from the sheer impact.
Anshuman leapt high and delivered a spinning kick straight to Lang Jin's face. Lang Jin caught his leg mid-air, twisted, and threw him across the hall into a stone pillar.
Ayaan stepped forward calmly, brushing the dust off his jacket.
Lang Jin roared and unleashed a barrage of punches — Muay Thai, then wrestling throws, blending brutal styles. Ayaan ducked, sidestepped, and countered with lightning-quick strikes. His movements shifted from Boxing to Krav Maga to Taekwondo in perfect rhythm.
The two exchanged blows like thunder. Lang Jin grabbed Ayaan's wrist, swung him, and smashed him into the floor. The ground shattered.
Vasco dashed in with a metallic punch, landing it square on Lang Jin's ribs. The giant grunted but didn't fall. He countered with a brutal Judo throw, slamming Vasco down.
Anshuman recovered, charging with his explosive speed. He delivered rapid punches using Jeet Kune Do strikes, forcing Lang Jin back a few steps.
Then Lang Jin shouted, veins bulging — "Enough!" — and unleashed a heavy Karate elbow that sent Anshuman flying again.
Ayaan slowly stood up, eyes glowing faintly. His breathing steadied. His voice dropped to a cold whisper:
"Time to end this."
Lang Jin froze for a second — that aura… that presence.
Ayaan's pupils turned jet black. His movements became unreadable.
"Ultra-Instinct…" Lang Jin muttered, stepping back instinctively. "You… you're one of Gun's students, aren't you?"
Ayaan vanished — reappearing behind Lang Jin — and delivered a crushing Silat knee strike, followed by a seamless transition into Capoeira spins, then a clean Aikido redirect that threw the giant into a wall.
Lang Jin tried to counter with a Sumo slam, but Ayaan moved effortlessly — untouchable. Every strike Lang Jin threw missed by a hair.
Ayaan's combo ended with a perfect Kenpo strike to the solar plexus, sending Lang Jin crashing through his own throne.
Dust filled the air.
Lang Jin coughed blood, glaring up at Ayaan. "So… Gun's masterpiece is standing in front of me."
Ayaan deactivated his mode, his eyes returning to normal. "And you were never worth my master's time."
Vasco and Anshuman walked up beside him. Lang Jin tried to rise again, but Ayaan delivered one final straight punch — not enhanced, just human — knocking him unconscious.
The hall went silent once again.