Jay's breath caught in his throat, the betrayal cutting deeper than any physical wound. "Why?" he whispered, "Why would you do this to me?"
Vikram finally looked up, his eyes filled with regret. "Jay, we... we didn't have a choice."
Jaswinder nodded, tears welling up in his eyes. "They threatened our families, Jay. We didn't know what else to do. I'm so sorry."
Shaswat finally spoke, his voice trembling. "We tried to find another way, but there was no way out. We never wanted to hurt you."
The goon laughed behind them, enjoying every second.
"Pathetic, isn't it? Loyalty falls apart real quick when fear enters the picture. Our boss… "
He stopped mid-sentence, realizing his slip.
Jay caught onto it. "Your boss? Who is he? What does he want from me?"
The goon smirked, realizing he'd said too much, but made no effort to hide it.
"You'll find out soon enough. Besides, you already know him."
Jay was taken aback. Knowing that someone he once knew was after him added to the shock, but it still didn't hit as hard as the betrayal from his friends.
He stared at his so-called friends, voice low and broken, "You could've told me. We could've faced it together."
The goon took a step back as footsteps echoed louder in the distance.
"It's too late now," he said. "You're outnumbered, outplayed, and out of time. Just give up."
Jay's heart pounded in his chest as he realized his predicament. But even in this dire situation, he refused to give up.
He turned around and bolted toward the exit, but it was no use.
A group of around thirty thugs blocked the way. They stood shoulder to shoulder, closing in like a wall of muscle and menace.
From their ranks, a scar-faced hulking man stepped forward with a cruel smile. "Well, well, if it isn't the kid who's been causing all the trouble. The boss will be pleased when we bring you in."
With the bear of a body the goon had, Jay could tell right away he was at a massive disadvantage despite his exceptional martial capabilities.
Jay's eyes darted around, assessing his options. He could see no clear path of escape. Since he knew he couldn't escape anymore, he wouldn't let them take him down without a struggle.
Jay planted his feet and raised his fists, "Come on, then. Let's see what you've got."
The scar-faced goon chuckled, cracking his knuckles. "Brave words, kid. Let's see if you can back them up."
With his signal, the thugs surged forward, and Jay's body moved on instinct.
He opened with a sharp one-two, his fist slamming into the first attacker's face. The man staggered back, dazed.
Another came swinging. Jay ducked low and drove his knee into the thug's ribs, followed by a crushing elbow to the jaw that dropped him.
From the side, a third attacker charged. Jay grabbed his arm, twisted it into a lock, and threw him straight into the next man rushing in. Both went down in a heap.
But they kept on coming.
One landed a punch to Jay's ribs. Pain shot through his side. He spun, his leg cutting wide through the air, and kicked the attacker clean off his feet.
Jay's mind flashed back to his early years of relentless training. From the age of six, he had trained in every martial art he could access. His peculiar savant syndrome allowed him to master techniques in days that took others years.
By the age of fourteen, he had outpaced every Martial Art Master he trained with, absorbing their teachings in a matter of weeks. Despite his abnormal talent, Jay knew his limits.
His progress plateaued, so he focused on improving his physical prowess. After three years of gruesome training, he was comparable to a middleweight boxer, packed with lean muscle and endurance.
Behind him, someone grabbed him in a tight hold. Jay shifted his weight, hooked his leg, and flipped the man over his shoulder.
At the moment, there were too many goons surrounding Jay. Even with all his training, the hits were adding up. A fist smashed into his jaw. His vision flashed white. He staggered but stayed on his feet.
His body kept moving, using fluid footwork and wide kicks to create space. But he couldn't dodge everything. A heavy blow slammed into his ribs, and he stumbled, gritting his teeth as pain shot through him.
Across from him, the scar-faced goon finally stepped forward. He looked surprised, but it didn't last. His expression shifted to a smug grin.
"You're good, kid," he said. "But you still can't win. We've got numbers. And I haven't even started yet. Give up now, and maybe we'll go easy on you."
Jay wiped the sweat and blood from his face, then spat onto the ground, as if saying he wasn't finished yet.
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Author Note:
The revamped version of Volume 1, 2 & 3 are now live on Kindle. You can find it on Amazon by simply searching the book title. Thank you for your support, and I hope you enjoy the new editions!
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Exclusive artwork for every free chapter is now available on my PATRE0N page! You can find the link in my Discord server.
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Discord Link for 'Earth's Alpha Prime' :
https://discord.gg/maQC7xDBYZ
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