Hale moved through the shadows of his hideout, the whispers of his 143 young members filling the air. Each of them, no older than 17, was a tool to be used. But even among these pawns, there were those who caught his attention—Rein, a loyal fool with brute strength, and his sister, Rena, a fierce protector.
Rein approached, his voice eager, "Hale, you should start learning martial arts and magic. We can't always rely on plans alone."
Before Hale could respond, Rena interrupted, her eyes unwavering. "No. My brother doesn't need martial arts. I'll protect him."
Hale's expression was unreadable, but his mind drifted. A flash of memory—himself, standing in a black robe and mask, cold and powerful, as if he'd always known the path he would walk. He didn't understand the significance of the vision, but it was a piece of the puzzle he couldn't ignore.
Shaking off the thought, Hale focused on the present. The war between the Dragon Fangs and the Tiger Claws was on the horizon, a conflict he had carefully stoked. But even he couldn't predict everything.
---
Meanwhile, in the heart of the Dragon Gang's headquarters, their advisor, Milen, stood at the head of a meeting, his brow furrowed. The Tiger Gang had suddenly begun targeting their resources, cutting off their information networks with precision. There was something more to it than just a power grab.
The tension in the room thickened as the Tiger Gang representative, an arrogant man with cold eyes, dismissed the accusations. "These are all false accusations," he sneered. "A high noble is acting as the judge in this matter. We have nothing to hide."
But Milen felt a chill run down his spine. Something wasn't right. He glanced around the room, eyes narrowing as the realization hit him—someone was manipulating both gangs against each other. But with so few solid leads, Milen was powerless to act.
His breath caught as the implications sank in. The battle was already decided. The question was not who would win, but who had the strings in their hands.
---
As Hale stood at the center of his gang, watching Rein and Rena bicker, he felt the subtle shift in the air. The threads of fate were pulling tighter. He had orchestrated this conflict, but now it was clear that someone else was playing a deeper game.
The Dragon Fangs and Tiger Claws would soon clash, their forces tearing at each other's throats. But the true battle was happening out of sight, behind the curtains, where Hale's unseen hand—and another hidden puppeteer—were both pulling the strings.
The game had changed, and Hale had just begun to realize the stakes. The future was no longer just his to control.
"First, you cut the strings. Then, you pull them."
---