[Behind Maibadh High School – Afternoon]
The day was hot, but the tension in the narrow alley behind the school was hotter. Ravi, the small and loyal runner of Kamal's circle, found himself surrounded.
Ajay, still sore from his humiliation, stood with two boys—Ramesh and Kittu, both known for cheap tricks and bullying.
"Still wagging your tail behind Kamal?" Ajay spat. "You think he's a hero? He won't save you this time."
Ravi tried to step back. "I'm not scared of you."
"Oh? Let's test that."
[System Alert: Subordinate in Danger – Ravi]
Loyalty Chain Detected – Action Required
[Elsewhere – School Library]
Kamal's system blinked.
[Auto-Ping: Loyalty Link Disturbance – Priority Flagged]
He didn't panic. He stood, walked calmly out of the library, and signaled to Surya.
"Ajay's testing us. It's time to burn the leash."
[Alley – Few Minutes Later]
Ajay raised a hand, but before it connected—
"Touch him, and I'll show you what fear really means."
Kamal's voice cut through the air like a blade.
The group turned. Kamal stood at the end of the lane, not alone—Sandhya had followed out of curiosity, standing just behind him, watching silently.
Ajay chuckled. "You brought a girl to scare us?"
Kamal stepped forward. "No. I brought the truth."
He tossed a thin notebook at Ajay's feet. "That's your record, compiled by Surya. Four stolen calculators. Two blackmailed juniors. One torn exam paper."
Ajay's face turned pale.
"I've already given it to Meera ma'am and the student monitor, Jayanth. Keep pushing me, and you'll be banned from the school by next week."
[System Notification: Public Exposure – Success]
Threat Level Neutralized: Ajay – Influence Shifted
Ajay growled and stormed off with his gang.
Ravi blinked. "Anna… you saved me again."
Kamal smiled. "Now you know what fear is."
[System Update: Loyalty Chain v1 – Unlocked]
Feature Unlocked: Assign Lieutenants to Recruit New Members
•Surya – Strategist (Can Mark Potential Threats)
•Ravi – Runner (Can Scout/Reinforce Subordinates)
[Staff Room – Later That Day]
Sandhya approached Meera ma'am after class.
"Is it true… Kamal protected that vendor? And stopped Ajay without violence?"
Meera nodded. "That boy… he's not what he appears to be."
Sandhya watched Kamal quietly from the corridor as he talked to Ravi.
[System Alert: Sandhya's Curiosity Increased]
Relationship Status: Shifted from Neutral to Watchful Interest
[Evening – Kamal's Rooftop]
The wind was cool. Kamal, Surya, and Ravi sat around a scribbled map of the village.
At the bottom was a label: Zone Control: Phase 1
"I want to control Maibadh street by street," Kamal said. "Through trust, deals, and strength."
[System Passive Income Increased: ₹25/day]
New Nodes: Ravi's Print Work, Rafiq's Vendor Cart
Kamal smiled.
"₹25 a day isn't much," he said, "but it's growth. Growth no one sees until it's too late."
[Temple Road – Night]
As he walked home, Surya casually said, "I saw Sravanthi's dad near the old bus stand today. Looks like their family came down for the festival break."
Kamal's steps paused for half a second.
He didn't speak.
But in his mind, a fire lit.
"Soon," he thought. "Let her see who I've become first."
[Village PA System – Next Morning]
"Attention students! This year's Maibadh Cultural Festival is scheduled for the 25th. All committee nominations open today!"
Kamal looked at the announcement board and smiled.
"Perfect timing."
[Festival Arc Activated – Influence Event Pending]
Territory Claim Opportunity: High Crowd Visibility