Chapter:Maranie Ground
Maranie Ground was a dead field — no houses, no trees, just dusty beige dirt like a tiny desert. Wind blew small waves of sand around.
When Gorth walked closer, he froze.
A huge crowd was standing there.
At least 34 teens.
And a massive double-decker bus parked like it was some kind of field trip.
"Holy shitt…" Gorth whispered.
All the teens looked between 16 and 19.
None knew each other.
No one spoke much.
Everyone looked nervous, stiff, or pretending to be tough.
Gorth realized:
"This is the team… all strangers."
Harman arrives
A black car pulled up.
Harman stepped out, wearing a neat coat and sunglasses.
"Sorry I'm late to our meeting," he said casually.
His voice didn't match the tension at all.
"Are you all good?"
Some teens answered weakly.
Others stayed silent.
Harman straightened his coat and continued:
"Okay. Listen carefully. When you get inside the place, go through the gate and ask for my daughter, Sera. You stay cool. If they hand her over peacefully, good. If not…" he paused, "that's when you charge."
People looked uneasy.
Harman motioned to a black package behind him.
Inside were machete swords — two for each teen.
He handed them out one by one.
When the first guy opened his bag, he shouted:
"Wait… machetes? Bro, I thought we weren't supposed to kill anyone!"
Others joined in:
"Hey man explain!"
"We're not butchers!"
"So are we allowed to stab or what?!"
Harman raised one hand calmly.
"These tools are for intimidation only. Using them is forbidden. You will not kill. You will not aim to injure. You simply show strength."
A boy shouted:
"But what if THEY have weapons?!"
Others agreed:
"Explain, Harman!"
"You can't just toss us blades!"
"This looks like a massacre waiting to happen!"
Harman kept calm:
"They won't have weapons. And if they do, they won't use them. They don't kill kids. Pass this mission, get paid, and join me if you want. Simple."
Slowly, everyone nodded.
He handed out belts to hide the swords under their shirts.
Gorth noticed 8 girls among them.
It surprised him.
On the Bus
Everyone piled in.
Some started talking.
Others stayed silent.
A guy tried flirting with a girl beside him.
She looked at him slowly and whispered:
"Try talking to me again and I'll cut your balls off."
Everyone around them laughed.
The boy shrank into his seat.
Gorth smirked but then felt a poke.
His seatmate introduced himself:
"Hey. I'm Miora Vain."
He was a bit shorter than Gorth, messy hair, tired eyes.
Gorth smiled back. "Gorth."
They talked.
Miora told him everything:
His dad rented a house…
His dad died a month ago…
They were kicked out…
He lives with two younger sisters — 2 years younger and a 4-year-old.
He dropped out of school.
They have no money.
He needs this. He needs Harman's group. He wants to protect his sisters.
His voice cracked once, but he kept talking like nothing happened.
Gorth felt it.
He shared his own story — losing his mom and aunt, Berry depending on him, the money being the only hope.
Miora nodded slowly.
"Life is hard, bro."
Then he asked:
"What do you think of Harman?"
Gorth stared ahead.
"I don't fully trust him… but I don't have a choice. The money is too important."
Miora replied:
"Money… yeah. For me, it's money and a future. A real future."
Emperor Boy
A tall guy with glasses stood up at the front.
"Ahem. Everyone, listen!"
The bus went quiet.
"I joined Harman for money ONLY. After this, I'm forming my own empire. My own mob. Anyone who doesn't wanna join Harman can join me."
Silence.
Then the entire bus burst out laughing.
"Bro sit down!"
"Empire boy!"
"What empire? In your backyard?"
"Man thinks he's the main character!"
He insisted:
"Guys, I am serious!"
They laughed harder.
Gorth shook his head:
"He made a fool of himself."
Miora whispered:
"Everyone here would rather join Harman than that clown."
They laughed.
Arrival
The bus stopped.
A massive building surrounded by a high wall wrapped in electric wires.
The driver said:
"I'll be back later with Harman and the rewards. Stay put."
As they got out, a mean-looking teen glared at Miora:
"Look at this little pipsqueak. He'll get folded."
Miora muttered, "What an asshole…"
The others gathered closer. Whispering. Nervous.
The Gate
One teen stepped forward.
"Hey! Let us in. We need to talk to your leader about the kid named Sera."
Two guards looked confused.
One guard used his walkie-talkie.
"We… uh… have an emergency?"
A teen laughed quietly:
"See? No weapons. Told you."
Then suddenly—
One teen grabbed a guard by his shirt, choking him, forcing him to open the gate.
Another did the same to the second guard.
They reluctantly opened it.
They all entered.
Inside, they shouted:
"WE ARE HERE FOR THE LITTLE GIRL SERA!"
From the shadows… 41 thugs stepped out.
Masks on.
Knives in hand.
Silence hit like a punch.
A teen whispered:
"Bro… why do they have KNIVES?"
Another teen shouted:
"Throw your knives away and fight us like MEN!"
The thugs didn't reply.
Another counted:
"Wait… 40… 41… there are forty-one of them?!"
A girl snapped:
"Yes idiot, he counted right!"
One teen whispered:
"This isn't right… we need to leave."
Before anyone could move—
THE FIRST KILL
A thug sprinted forward like a wild animal.
He stabbed one teen straight in the neck.
Blood sprayed.
The boy collapsed instantly.
Screams.
Before people reacted, another thug stabbed a girl in the heart.
She fell like a dropped doll.
Two dead in seconds.
Panic exploded.
Everyone ran to the gate.
The gate was locked.
They pushed.
Pulled.
Screamed.
"HELP!"
"SPARE US PLEASE!"
"We didn't want this!"
"Harman tricked us! Please!"
The thugs walked forward slowly , blades shining red.
Gorth froze.
His heart pounded.
"Damn… what did Harman get us into…? I shouldn't have come… am I going to die here…? Please… someone help us…"