After his uncle disappeared down the corridor, silence returned to the dusty storeroom.
Andrew stood frozen, replaying everything in his mind.
My uncle… a fighter? And he wants to train me?
He looked down at his hands—small, trembling, soft from never fighting back.
He curled them slowly into fists.
Can I really do what he did? Can I stand up for myself…?
His chest tightened with a mix of fear and excitement.
A sudden beep from his wristwatch broke his thoughts.
He glanced at the screen—and his eyes widened.
"Damn! I'm late—again!"
He rushed out of the storeroom, cutting across the school yard, running past crowds already heading to class. His heartbeat pounded, but his mind was somewhere else entirely.
Where is Uncle going to take me? Why now? Why after all these years?
The memory of Ryo kicking a senior across the room played again like a scene from his favorite fighting shows.
Andrew whispered under his breath:
"Is that… something I can learn?"
He reached his classroom door, panting. Lia looked up from her desk, worried.
"You're late again. What happened? You look… shaken."
Andrew sat beside her, whispering softly:
"My uncle came back."
Lia froze. "Your uncle? The one who used to disappear for years?"
Andrew nodded.
"And he wants to take me somewhere after school."
Lia's face tightened.
"Andrew… be careful. He's connected to dangerous people."
Andrew stared out the window as clouds drifted over the sun.
Dangerous people…
His uncle's final words echoed in his mind.
> "It's time you learn about Phoenix."
Andrew whispered:
"I think I already stepped into something dangerous."
The school bell rang. But for Andrew, the real day was only just beginning.
Lia and Andrew walked side-by-side down the stairwell, their footsteps echoing against the walls. The moment the door shut behind them, Lia grabbed Andrew's sleeve.
"You are not going anywhere," she snapped.
Andrew pulled his arm back. "Lia, he's my uncle. It's fine."
"Are you out of your mind?" Lia stepped in front of him, blocking the next stair. "We don't even know if that man is your real uncle. You didn't even recognize his face!"
Andrew hesitated. She had a point—but the way Ryo moved, the confidence in his voice… something about it felt real.
"I… I don't remember much from back then," Andrew admitted. "But he knew things only my family would know."
Lia folded her arms, frustrated.
"So what? Anyone could find that out. Andrew, listen to me—if you go off with some stranger and come home late, your mother will be terrified. And angry. And you know why."
Andrew lowered his eyes.
His mother's rule.
No fighting.
No violence.
No getting involved.
"She worries about you," Lia continued, softer now. "Because she's scared of something. And you just met a man who fights for fun."
Andrew clenched his fists.
"Lia… I can't keep living like this. Getting beaten every day. Running away. Hiding behind excuses."
"That doesn't mean you follow a dangerous man to who-knows-where!"
"Lia, he saved me today."
Lia bit her lip, unable to argue that point.
After a long pause, Andrew sighed.
"I'm going. I need answers."
Lia stepped aside, her voice trembling.
"Then promise me one thing. If anything feels wrong… you'll run."
Andrew nodded with a small smile.
"I promise."
But as he walked away, neither of them knew how big the promise truly was.
Andrew exhaled and gave Lia a hopeful smile.
"Hey… can you walk with me to the school gate?"
Lia hesitated, then nodded.
"Fine. But only to the gate. After that, you're on your own."
They walked together, their footsteps slow and tense. The corridor opened into the bright afternoon sunlight as they approached the school entrance.
And there he was.
Sojo stood at the gate with his usual crew—laughing loudly, blocking the path like a guard dog.
As soon as he spotted them, he began clapping theatrically.
"Well, well, well… look who crawled out of his hole." He smirked. "My favorite servant. And his little girlfriend."
Lia's face turned red with anger.
"We are NOT—"
Sojo cut her off, stepping closer with heavy, threatening footsteps.
"What's a pair of lovebirds doing here, huh? Going on a date? Or is the servant gonna ask his princess for protection again?"
Andrew instinctively moved a step forward, shielding Lia. His heartbeat pounded, but he didn't back down this time.
Sojo grinned.
"Oh? Got some courage today? Let's test it—"
But another voice sliced through the air.
"So what if they're lovebirds?"
The tone was calm.
Too calm.
Ryo stood a few meters away, hands in his pockets, gaze sharp enough to cut steel.
The moment Sojo turned and met Ryo's eyes, a wave of instinctive fear ran through him. His legs stiffened. His breath caught.
This wasn't a student.
This wasn't a teacher.
This was someone who radiated danger.
Ryo didn't raise his voice.
He didn't move.
He simply looked at Sojo.
And that alone was enough.
Sojo swallowed hard, stepped back, and signaled his gang with a shaky hand.
"W-We're leaving. Come on, guys. I have… uh… things to do."
They scattered quickly, desperate to escape the pressure of Ryo's presence.
Lia stared, stunned.
Andrew whispered, "That's him… my uncle."
Ryo tilted his head slightly.
"Ready to go, Andrew?"
Andrew nodded.
But Lia grabbed his wrist, silently pleading for him to stay.
Ryo noticed, but didn't comment.
"All right," he said, turning toward the street. "Follow me."
Andrew looked back at Lia one last time.
She mouthed the words: Be careful.
Then he stepped forward, leaving the school… and the life he knew… behind.
Andrew hurried to catch up with Ryo as they walked down the quiet street outside the school. The sun hung low, casting long shadows over the pavement.
"Uncle…" Andrew began cautiously, "where did you learn all that fighting? You were so fast… even Sojo looked scared."
Ryo didn't slow down.
He kept his hands in his pockets, eyes focused straight ahead, voice calm and deep.
"Kid, listen. When I was your age, I wasn't strong. I was just like you—always getting hit, always running."
He paused. "And then I met someone."
Andrew looked up curiously.
Ryo continued, "A man who treated me like a son. He cared for me more than anyone ever did. And when I needed help, when I needed strength, he taught me everything he knew."
Andrew frowned, confused. "Who was he?"
Ryo's jaw tightened slightly.
"That's a story for another time. But everything I know… every move, every skill… it came from him."
They turned into an older part of the city—narrow streets, quiet shops, and old signboards hanging half-broken.
Ryo finally stopped outside a large wooden gate, faded by age. Moss clung to its sides, and the paint had peeled away long ago. A single word was carved into the wood:
DOJO.
Andrew's breath caught.
Ryo placed a hand on the gate.
"This place," he said softly, "is where everything started for me."
He glanced back at Andrew.
"And now… it's where you're going to begin too."
With a firm push, he slid the gate open.
The smell of old wood and dust drifted out.
Inside, Andrew saw an abandoned training hall—torn mats, cracked wooden floors, and broken weapons leaning against the walls.
Ryo stepped inside.
"Welcome," he said, "to the birthplace of Phoenix."
Andrew's heart pounded.
He had no idea that stepping through this gate would change his entire life.