"The wise man does at once what the fool does finally."
–Niccolò Machiavelli
My name is Kai Riven and I am not a fool. And neither should you be.
The first month of school was nothing more than observation. Every face a data point. Every conversation a calculation. Every weakness an opportunity.
That's when I noticed him.
Strong. Broad-shouldered. Fast reflexes. But he never fought back. Never stood up. Just… took it. Bullies shoved him, mocked him, kicked him while he barely flinched.
I studied him. He wasn't weak. Far from it. He simply knew the cost of fighting. His family—already broke—couldn't afford lawsuits. His father? Gone. His mother? Sick. Alone, he learned early that survival didn't come from winning fights, but from avoiding trouble.
Tragic? Maybe. Profitable? Absolutely.
I approached him after class. The corridor was empty enough that I could speak without witnesses. He looked up at me warily, suspicion in his eyes.
"Hey," I said, voice calm, measured. "You ever wanted to make money?"
He frowned, confusion crossing his face. "What… what do you mean?"
I smiled faintly, as though revealing a secret only he could understand. "I mean, real money. Money that doesn't come from begging or scraps. Money that comes from following me. I provide. You follow. Loyalty, simple rules, simple gains."
His eyes flickered. Part fear, part curiosity. I could smell hesitation—but that was easy to manipulate.
"You've been holding back," I continued. "Strong, fast… but you let them push you around. Why?"
He swallowed, voice quiet. "…My mom… I can't… I can't afford trouble anymore."
Perfect. A family burden, a boy with strength and nothing to risk. I extended my hand. Not a friend offering help—a partner offering opportunity.
"Follow me. I'll give you what you need. But you do exactly as I say. Understand?"
He hesitated a heartbeat too long, and in that moment, I knew: I had him.
Opportunity isn't given. It's taken. And I had just taken my first pawn.