The morning after the "broom incident," Gray walked into school with a sinking feeling. He'd hoped, prayed, and begged the universe that people would forget about it overnight.
Instead, the opposite happened.
A banner made of notebook paper hung across the stairwell.
"ALL HAIL THE BROOM KING!"
Gray froze mid-step. His jaw dropped. His classmates, hiding behind lockers, burst into laughter. Some even waved broomsticks at him like they were holy relics.
Gray groaned, dragging a hand down his face. "This is my life now, huh?"
Riku appeared beside him, holding — of course — his own broom. "Boss, should I start recruiting members into the Broom Corps?"
"Riku," Gray muttered, "if you don't put that thing away, I'm going to sweep you out of existence."
The Gathering at Eastside
Meanwhile, at Eastside High, the atmosphere was far from playful.
Inside a dimly lit gym, Crusher sat on a throne-like chair made from stacked folding chairs, his arms crossed, his broad frame casting a shadow across the room. He wasn't called "Crusher" for nothing — he was built like a tank, and his fists were infamous across the district.
Around him, Eastside's toughest delinquents gathered. Some leaned against walls, some cracked their knuckles in anticipation, and others muttered about revenge.
Rei, still limping from his broom humiliation, knelt in front of his leader, sweat dripping down his face.
Crusher's eyes narrowed. "You're telling me… a Ridgeview weakling, a boy named Gray, dropped you with a broom?"
"It—it wasn't like that!" Rei stammered. "He's unpredictable, Boss. It wasn't strength, it was… dumb luck!"
Crusher's lip curled. "Dumb luck is still humiliation. And humiliation spreads like poison. If I let this stand, Eastside loses face."
The gang roared in agreement. Crusher slammed his fist into the wall, leaving a dent.
"Fine," he growled. "If this Gray thinks he can rise in my district, we'll crush him. Send a message: Ridgeview's broom king is finished."
Back at Ridgeview
At lunch, Gray was trying to hide in a corner of the cafeteria, chewing quietly on his sandwich. He kept his head low, hoping if he ignored the world, the world would ignore him.
No such luck.
"Gray!" Mina's voice cut through the noise. She dropped into the seat across from him, her arms folded. "Do you have any idea what's happening?"
Gray sighed. "Please tell me it's that the cafeteria's serving pizza today."
Her glare shut him up instantly.
"Eastside's furious. Rumor says Crusher himself is coming for you."
Gray nearly choked on his sandwich. "C-C-Crusher? As in… six-foot gorilla Crusher? The guy who once broke a vending machine with a headbutt because it ate his coins?"
Riku, sitting beside him, nodded solemnly. "That's the one."
Gray smacked his forehead on the table. "Great. Just great. I survive Razor. I survive Rei. And now the actual final boss of the district wants to rearrange my bones."
The Warning
That evening, as the sun dipped low and shadows stretched long, Gray walked home with Riku at his side. The streets felt quieter than usual — too quiet.
Halfway down an alley, footsteps echoed behind them. A group of older boys stepped out, all wearing Eastside colors. Their leader, a lanky guy with a scar under his eye, grinned coldly.
"You Gray?" he asked.
Gray hesitated. "…Nope. Name's… uh… Gary. Totally different guy. Loves math. Can't fight. Wrong person, sorry."
Riku smacked him lightly on the arm. "Boss."
The scarred boy chuckled. "Crusher sends a message. He's coming for you. One week. Ridgeview's little king is going to kneel."
He tossed a crumpled paper bag at Gray's feet. Inside was a broken broomstick, snapped clean in half.
Gray stared at it, his throat dry.
The gang melted back into the shadows, leaving behind nothing but their laughter.
At Home That Night
Gray sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the broken broomstick. Liam sat beside him, eyes wide with awe.
"Wow… a warning from Crusher himself. That means you're, like, a real boss now, right?"
Gray groaned. "No, it means I'm about to be turned into pancake batter."
His father, overhearing from the doorway, crossed his arms. "Then maybe it's time to stop stumbling into fights and start preparing for them."
Gray blinked. "Dad, you want me to… train?"
His father gave him a steady look. "Strength doesn't come from accidents, Gray. You've got willpower — but willpower without discipline is a candle in the wind."
Gray stared down at his hands. For the first time, the weight of what was coming sank in.
Chapter End: Rumblings of War
The district buzzed with anticipation. Ridgeview versus Eastside. Gray versus Crusher.
Gray lay awake that night, the broken broomstick propped against his desk.
He whispered to himself, "I can't keep tripping my way out of this forever… Can I?"
The storm was coming.And this time, running wouldn't be an option.