Author's Notes:

Summer class results came in, Distinction yay! But now is the real semester, not many opportunities to write often. Nah! Who am I kidding, I'll keep writing the same speed. Except during the exam periods.

I've been receiving rather unsatisfactory remarks in reviews from someone by the name of LeoTheSage (Guest). I can't approach him on PM to clarify his use of strong language and sentences that do not provide me or readers with insight on the story. They are more like comments you post on youtube, quick without much consideration for what they say. Therefore, I had them removed so that it would not impede the reader experience of the stories for those that have not reached the latest chapter yet.

Anyway, this chapter is twice as long, just because. Good mood.

Also. Chapter is 69. Lol.


In full combat harness gear and waiting at the edge with his rifle and pistol loaded, Jeevan double checked his ARP-1 para assault rifle. Someone had played a recording of Ave Maria on the P.A. to screw around with his senses.

(Piiiiip) The counter starter went off.

Jeevan began his decent into the maze via rappelling cable. He brought his rifle up at a ready position scanning the corridor and rooms carefully.

(Bang) (Bang) Every target he found, he double-tapped.

Then proceeded to the next room with a closed door. Digging into his pouch quickly to utilize the flashbang. He stepped back and kicked the door open. "Flashbang, out!" He threw the grenade into the room without exposing his hand.

(Bang) The world went muffled around.

Jeevan took this opportunity to enter the room scanning for targets and hostages. Two out of three were cardboard hostiles so he delivered them their just desserts with a quick succession of shots between the targets under a second.

Just as he was about to 'release' the hostage, a hidden baddy flipped up from the couch. He calmly turned his rifle towards the new adversary and capped it.

A few other boards popped out of places he'd previously checked and he did the same to them as he did with the others. Jeevan finally freed the hostage with a tag to stick on the cardboard hostage. He had been lucky when finding the room with the hostage without scanning the other areas so he could end the exercise quicker.

But the alarm that ended the exercise wouldn't go off, much to his surprise. He went reloaded his weapons and continued on to search the other rooms. He already found a hostage, was their more than one?

He reached the end of the corridor where there had been a tripmine hidden in the floorboards that gave a creek but he found it with his careful footing. Scanning his surroundings before disarming the tripwire bomb with pliers.

He proceeded into the room that the boobytrap had been laid to protect and scanned the area. Two targets popped from different ends of the room. Jeevan acted on reflex and pulled out his sidearm and shot on with each of the weapons he held in and arm before holstering it in favour of the rifle. But the last room he checked had no hostage, instead there was a suspicious black case sitting on the coffee table that was pressing him to investigate.

He cautiously used the tip of his rifle to lift the case. (Ping) He was not cautious enough to suspect there wouldn't be a wire type booby trap but a pressure switch type.

(Bang) His world went white then dizzy, it was a flashbang type of device that went off.

He tried his best to recover his sense. As he did, he saw three over lapping Ajay's approach him.

Behind him was an entire group of young men and women all in civilian clothing with issued combat harnesses. They were the PDF militia that had been stationed in Lanka for two weeks to familiarise themselves with the field craft and the operating procedures of the fortress as much as they could.

Ajay placed him on the sofa of the mock room and shone a light into his eyes.

"How many fingers do you see?" He raised his hand.

"Four. I'm fine, teacher." He waved as he remained on the sofa.

The PDF recruits gathered around Ajay inside the room, awaiting his instruction. Where exactly they were, was the most recent addition to the training centre in the Northern Barracks of Lanka. An urban ops training ground approximately a hectare in area. It comprised of several closely packed buildings to simulate an urban environment, the purpose was to prepare troops who were stationed in Lanka to deal with the highly dense and close confines of the fortress which could be considered urban.

"Now, on to the assessment. Where did Jeevan cock up?"

A nineteen-year-old boy raised his hand. "While your grace did say to rescue the hostage, it would have been wiser to check the whole house for hostiles first."

Another one spoke. "He was trying to rush it to get pass the record holder."

"Shouldn't have touched the case without explosives knowledge."

It was like a roast, he received everyones harsh remarks.

"Oh, how you all wound me." He chuckled in defeat.

"Pretty good assessments, but not quite there." Ajay answered.

"Your first mistake was your assumption of the situation. While I did tell you there would be a hostage to rescue as your priority, that did not excuse you from the situation after clearing him."

"Ahem!" One of the girls coughed.

"Or her." Ajay corrected. But what did that matter whether the hostage was he or she. He couldn't understand brats these days.

He turned towards the group.

"Remember that in the battlefield of whichever kind will have unforeseeable dangers. Always be aware of your surroundings, so that when the tables turn in any way you will be able to use whichever terrain feature to your advantage." It was like the sign that hung on the entrance of the ops centre, written by god knows who. "Shit happens" Because of the nature of the urban ops courses unpredictable nature.

Some nodded in understanding, while some didn't take it too seriously. The demon had created such a major imbalance in the powerplay that even if they waited in Lanka, the enemy would not show itself. At this rate, the demon's job would be relinquished to military instructor.

"Your second mistake was, you should have brought a friend with you." The group laughed.

"Alright, we'll call it a day here. Tomorrow we'll have each and everyone of you run the course, and since you'll all have time to prepare knowing what might come, Jeevan and I will be mixing up the odds. Remember to deposit your unused ammo to the armorer, you know how pissed his can be when there's rounds unaccounted for." Ajay said with a sly smile.

The joy from their faces turned into complex ones, with Jeevan being the planner of their go at the urban ops. Jeevan was not a trainee like them, he'd been training rigorously with Ricardo and Stella who were now on a vacation in Florence, meeting some relatives. Samson had complex emotions about returning to his home after he'd left his wife and daughter in the previous situation but Ricardo insisted he come back so he did. The three others went on a gambling spree with Anish in Singapore at one of the casino hotels that looked like a ship on a stand, something- Sands, he wasn't sure of the name. It was in fact a good idea for them to rest and recuperate from being on Kyrat for six odd months and now was a better time than any while the Golden Path were licking their wounds to care about offensives.

But it had to end here. And that was what High Command was talking about, one swift blow to end Golden Path for good. Taking the lead in this spearhead would be the proven and tested Armored Hussars Regiment.

The two Hussar Battalions were in the process of cross training. Trying to get the 2nd Battalion up to speed on how to conduct their armor missions or they'll just be as good as armed soldiers in vehicles and not an armored force.

Though they might be entirely comprised of Canton members, they were still part of this army. Even so, there was an apparent disparity in equipment between the two battalions. The 2nd comprised of modern systems and very recent armored vehicles, mainly their Patria AMV fleet. He hoped that just because they had better equipment than most units it wouldn't get to their heads. As it stood, the 1st Battalion would still kick their asses in a mock battle with their refurbished thirty-year-old equipment and they still wouldn't see it coming, despite the process of their current equipment overhaul.

They were after all the force that had trained in their craft three months in advance with plenty of combat experience. 2nd Battalion had none, just a bunch of Chinese fellas grouping together with expensive Armored vehicles with rather impressive features. But Ajay wouldn't underestimate their Commander, Samuel Min to say the least. Bipin did give a rough overview on his friend from the Royal Academy days.

Samuel was in the same training unit as Bipin. As he expected, Bipin was subjected to a lot of discrimination, not just by the Canton members, but by the Kyratis from renown families as well. To them, Bipin was simply a commoner claiming to be related to House Kadayat which had destroyed in the 1998 offensive on the Royal Fortress, the closest the Golden Path had ever been to getting to Pagan.

Who was there to befriend him but Samuels, some other A-grade student like him in the academy. Although he didn't have many interactions with his fellow Cantons either due to his status as a Min. Being directly related to the King had its priveleges and pedigrees. Although there wasn't a second that Ajay would consider Samuel his friend. While they were 'friends' in the academy there was still a sharp contrast in their family status and their Military ranks. Where Bipin had worked as hard as Ajay could see with qualities that definitely made a great officer, he stayed at the rank of Corporal when Ajay first encountered him. Samuels was then a Major, considering the frequent acts of nepotism and despot actions by the Royal Guard then, then-Major Min should have helped Bipin out a few. But Bipin hadn't even heard from him since then.

It was clear that Bipin no longer met Samuels standards and was therefore forgotten. Even if Bipin had fond memories despite his treatment in the Academy, Samuels definitely wasn't someone Ajay liked already.

Whatever the case, he'd have the chance to meet him and any other of those conceit little shits in his battalion at Pagan's Birthday party. Ajay's evaluation of the canton members was always low, even in the previous timeline. Though, back then he forced them into dire straits so they had nowhere to go but fight. The older generation were reasonable competent, but the younger generations were no better than the Royal Army.

Ajay and Jeevan stopped at the armory to drop off his borrowed rifle and remaining ammo which the armorer cleared and made him write in the book.

"Hey chief, what's with that relic?" Jeevan pointed to the rather iconic machine gun that hung on the wall behind the armorer in his armskort office.

"Brat, that thing'll shred you before you even have the chance to scream." The armorer said back.

"Do you even have ammo for it?" Ajay asked, it being a weapon iconic to the second world war and fired some older model of ammunition that the arsenals didn't produce.

"You should have seen the stockpiles of weapons the old monarch brought from Switzerland. Although the weapons were already dated by the time it arrived. And the M16-equipped Nationals beat the Royalists' sorry asses back then." It was during a time before Ajay and perhaps even his own father during the Devi Dynasty days.

"… Alright, quit staring at my prized "Buzzsaw"! Hurry up and finish signing the logbook, you're making a queue already!" The armored declared grumpily. Jeevan mumbled a complaint as he finished up.

"You coming to the King's party tonight, no?"

Ajay asked Jeevan on their way to the the motorpool after Jeevan finished signing the logbook to account for the bullets and rifle he borrowed to show an example for the PDF militia. Ajay and Jeevan were only one of ten other groups under supervision by the garrison forces, each group had around twenty which made about a Company of them. They informally called themselves 'Jatayu' Company, it sounded familiar. Because the name came from Bhadra's story on Ramayana she read to him a month ago. Some mystical bird that attempted to rescue Sita from the demon king but got cleaved in half. He had no idea why they wanted that name, seeing the dire straits the inspiration ended up in.

Curiously enough, he encountered that brat from the Khati orphanage, the older kid named Biraj. Still holding a grudge against him through no fault of his own, part of the PDF that were shipped here. Apparently, he wanted to support himself to lessen the strain on Bibek so he signed up with the PDF to get paid and was taught basic field craft along with arithmetic and writing. Which was important for his future in the working world.

"Ah- yes!" Jeevan gave a rather delayed response.

"Do you want to come with us or with your sister?" Ajay lightly proposed as it would have a different effect on Jeevan's viewed status. With his sister, it would remain the same. But with Ajay and the rest, it would be seen as he were part of Badala's company and therefore protected by him. Naturally, Ajay included his sister Kanaan whom much to his humor appeared everyday to deliver him lunch or ask about Jeevan's safety. Such sibling love, Ajay often felt himself envious of their close bond with one another. But it was clear they were the only family to one another in their eyes, Raghu was just their provider.

"Can she come with me together with you?" Jeevan was often adventurous, a behaviour that Ajay didn't condemn. As the saying goes, "He who dares."

"Then what about your father?-"

"He'll manage." Jeevan said with an innocent smile, although he was beginning to think that smile was anything but innocent as of late, even Maya agreed. It was more of a persona of his that most now remember him by.


It had been some time since he returned to the homestead, but here he was. He enjoyed the few hours that were left before their departure at five for the Royal Palace.

Bhadra came back from school with some of her friends with her.

"Oh, you're back. Did the General forbid you from working at the fortress?" She said in a provoking manner, her classmates giggled. She was apparently upset that nearly all of the housemates were off somewhere and left her alone at Ajay's homestead in Lakshman.

"Hey Bhadra! If that place were as comfortable as here, then I would have left you the keys."

"Is this the behaviour of my guardian I'm seeing?" She said with a expression.

"A house all to herself? I thought this was the kind of freedom every seventeen-year-old girl always wanted." Ajay said in a joking manner. Her friends giggled quietly at their spat, Bhadra was not at all pleased and pouted.

"(Sigh) I'm sorry I didn't call home." He said in monotone. And Bhadra stared at him with deadpan eyes before following her friends upstairs.

"I wonder who's the guardian and who's the dependent." Ajay felt like coughing blood at her super effective retort to which he fell to the ground with his hands supporting his weight. Bhadra chuckled lightly at his pathetic appearance and went up.

"I'll be ready in an hour's time, and welcome home." Bhadra did not forget to welcome him home at the very last sentence. Ajay wondered what was that argument all about in the first place. Was it her raging hormones as a young adult, he had a pretty clear image of his own school days himself. Then again, why was he thinking like an adult in his thirties. He wasn't that old either.

Ajay shoved it aside as he lay back and relaxed in the comfort of his own sofa by the fireplace, for though winter had ended it was still chilly today.

He was just about to hit the sweet spot in his sleep after half-an-hour when a heavy but soft object lay upon him.

"That bulging stomach, it must be Saras." Ajay didn't even need to open his eyes to know who it was, that perfume couldn't be mistaken.

"Tsk Tsk Tsk! It's not nice to comment about a woman's shape, Ajay."

"Neither is it nice to wake someone up from a well-founded rest." Though he said that, he moved over for her to lie next to him. They lay down without speaking another word to each other, before he knew it, Saras had actually slept soundly, although the gentle breaths against his face were ragged. Ajay looked at her tired face now experiencing a moment of peace and relief. He checked her pulse through the veins in her wrist, it was rather weak. Probably due to the exhausting work she returned from, Ajay sighed.

-Even when you're tired, you shouldn't have the energy to play around.-

Ajay made a trip to the pantry to retrieve some herbs and ingredients before brewing a concoction to help with her blood circulation. It was one of the many skills he picked up from the travelling gurus and witchdoctors, a skill that served him well today. It reminded him of the time Maya had been intoxicated by those mushrooms and how they thought it was a mere fever. For a second, his heart jumped as he suddenly had the thought Saras had the same instance. But settled down as he recalled the mushrooms and many of Kyrat's toxic and poisonous flora and fauna exclusively needed damp and dark places, caves usually.

Ajay came back with a warm liquid remedy.

And Saras was awake by the couch, apparently she noticed his missing presence sooner than he expected. But she stayed as she caught a whiff of the brewing herbs.

"Drink, it'll help with your body circulation. Stop doing all-nighters for a while." Saras chuckled at the house physician's advise.

"A soldier, a blacksmith, a politician, a lover and now a doctor? When will I ever see those matching rings?" She said waving her fingers about.

"Perhaps you shouldn't go to the party in your current condition."

"I'll go." She immediately retorted.

"Then rest up while you have the chance. And drink before it gets cold." Her hands reached out to accept the cup and she blew at the water to cool it before drinking.

A slight medicinal taste with sweetness to it could be felt by her lips as she continued to drink down the solvent. "Mmmm… what is this?"

"It's just some Wild Ginseng with honey. Noore is growing a whole crop of them for the open market, although they're still in the developing phase."

"Thanks, I'll take your advice to heart." Saras responded. "Wow. It almost feels like there's an immediate effect!"

"Of course not, idiot. That's just your body firing up to absorb the remedy. Come, lie here. If it gets you to stop moving, then so be it." Ajay sat patting his leg for her to lie on. Saras was genuinely surprised but she quickly took advantage of the opportunity while stock last.

Ajay did some light reading of the reports regarding the logistic statistics and demands for supplies, since his proposal to Saras denied him the time to slack-off. Although they were quite plentiful in weapons and munitions at the moment, things could change. The logistic layout was still the same. Armaments at the arsenal needed to be produced simply and with efficient man-hours. Ammunition commonality made things a hell of a lot easier to supply certain bases and outposts. Heavy equipment like crew-served weapons and vehicles had to be serviceable at all times by the combat engineers attached to the respective units. Only then would the war machine sustain.

And in the same instance, she fell asleep again. Whatever she'd been doing before, it was extremely tiring. He recalled her leave for an emergency job with 3rd Company at the S-Program site in the Western corridor of Uttar Region. But considering the quality of their previous work and the cement used their facilities shouldn't be crumbling down any moment soon. There was a guarantee of at least fifty years on the facilities.

Everytime he got a look at her face up close the same question always popped up in his mind. He ran his hand across her hair, revealing that bright and shining face from that curtain of wavy hair.

"What could you possibly see in a monster like me, Saraswati Roka?"


The chauffeur limousine came to pick them up at the homestead, the three girls, Bipin and Ajay. Himself, dressed in a business suit crafted by his only source for clothing, Mumu's. Maya, Bipin and Saras had the luxury of wearing their military formal uniforms which Ajay thought was better. Unfortunately, he wasn't truly part of the military and so could not. Unless Arjun gave him his job which was unlikely. Bhadra had a simple evening dress which she claimed someone from the tailor department in the vocation school gave it to her as a gift.

Noore was making her way to the Royal Palace by her own means. To Ajay, it was better that way. So he wouldn't have to look Ashley in the eyes while she remained oblivious to her father's true murderer. Why was it, that amongst all of the killings he had to feel guilty about just this one? Paul was a bastard to begin with, and yet bastards still had a family to raise. His death prevented numerous possible deaths of others' family members. It was because Ajay had lied to Ashley and had made her indirectly responsible for her father's death.

They stopped by the House of Hamal, a grand mansion on the hills as was nearly all the other noble estates in a hidden valley simply known as the 'Echelons'. Why was it called something like that? To simply decern the disparity in class between them and other families and commoners. Every noble family in the Echelon was aware of who their neighbours were so they could tell if you weren't one of 'them'. Elitism was a common problem in any society, be it a monarchy, a democracy or even a communist administration. Another one of the foul characters of humanity to look down upon others less fortunately than themselves.

Waiting at the driving porch were a familiar set of faces. The moment Bhadra turned to see who it was she frowned, more specifically at Jeevan. Saras was surprised that Ajay had been acquainted with Jeevan and Kanaan Hamal whom were some of her friends for a long time.

Raghu was also at the door ready to board his own escort but waited for Ajay to approach.

"Your grace, please take care of my children." He said with an audible but extremely unsincere tone hidden beneath his smile and faked sincerity. Ajay obviously knew why but played his game.

"Don't you worry yourself, old friend. I swear on my honour that Jeevan will be a man that will surpass yourself." He said before boarding the limousine, not bothering to look at what kind of face Raghu wore behind his back.

The limo was lengthy, so it could accommodate two more.

"Ajay, more over. I wanna sit at the corner." Bhadra murmured.

Ajay sighed internally, if Jeevan had set a better first impression at the crystal fall ball then Bhadra wouldn't have held animosity towards him now.

But Jeevan was quick to notice it.

"Look, Miss Rishal. I know it doesn't excuse what I said and did at the party, I probably made myself the biggest joke there in doing so. But for what it's worth, I'm sorry for the things I said."

"Hmph!" She didn't bother to entertain him and looked to the window. But he had done all he needed to.

"Still, I'm surprised that you two have met with Badala personally." Saras said pleasantly.

Jeevan scratched his head awkward, being reminded of their chance encounter.

"Speaking of encounters, you should have seen Bhadra and Noore's face when Maya put on a dress. Those mouths, gaping I tell you." Ajay chuckled away.

"It was more than just them both, and you weren't an exception." Maya declared proudly.

"….." Ajay shrugged and opened the minibar to unscrew the cap to some gin.

"Before meals?"

"Hoping I get drunk and accidentally kill as many of those canton shits as possible."

"You really don't like'em don't you?" Saras sighed.

"No, I'll have to agree with him on that, they aren't like the Kyratis. If you thought mistress Yuma was arrogant, she would be considered graceful among them. Hand me a drink too will you, I'm starting to feel incline to do the same." She tapped Ajay but he was already ahead in pouring one for him.

"Yunno what, count me in too!" Jeevan said.

"That's the spirit!" And so Ajay handed out a shot cup full to each and every one of them save for Bhadra who was still a minor.

"Right, what to toast to…." Ajay said with the cup at the ready.

"To a massacre at King Min's party." Saras declared. (Ching) He clashed the cup with her for a reasonable toast.

"Here here." The rest toasted to one another. Seeing them do that and excluding her….

"Damnit…. Badala! Pass me a cup!" She said like a little red hot chilli pepper. Ajay couldn't help but sigh, if he didn't she wouldn't talk to him for a long time or cook him meals. So he figured that if she was in the company of all of it should be fine.

"Oh? Bhadra wants to become a lady in one night, alright! Here, a double of the same." Ajay poured generously.

Bhadra took hold of the cup and dunked it down her throat coughing from the unfamiliar burn. There was a mixture of laughs and cheers from the group.

"One more year and it'll be free reign for you on how you want to drink." Ajay told her. He just hoped she wouldn't go overboard and drink out of the desire to drink excessive.

But either way, he had managed to get Bhadra to crack ice with them and himself.


The Royal Palace wasn't far to begin with, and it was less of a difficulty in passing through the Royal Fortress that blocked the only passage to the Palace with Ajay with them in the limo. Only the chauffeur and car needed to be checked and they were clear.

They arrived at the front of the Palace and found that they weren't early. There were dozens of vehicles parked outside the front porch with pairs of guards roaming around to respond to any emergency. Layout was reminiscent of the Crystal Falls Ball. Only, Pagan's party was to an even smaller select few. Nobles in the 1st and 2nd class rankings and their immediate family members, statesmen and entrepreneurs associated with Kyrats economy, Military officers from High Command and ranks of Major and above. All of the Canton members had permission to come due to their special nature of their status.

Unfortunately, they did not have the convenience of dropping in unnoticed as they entered through the front where the crier announced their arrival to the masses already gathered.

"Here comes! Duke Badala! Viscount Hamal! Lady Hamal! Lady Rishal! Lady Roka! Lady and Sir Kadayat!"

Nearly all the faces that were looking away from them and busy in deep conversation laid eyes upon the group that could be considered its own faction with their own agendas. Some faces were recognizable from the previous high society party, some weren't. At this point, the group dispersed to meet with their own circles. Saras went to find her father, Bipin went to meet up with Samuel Min and the Hamal siblings went to report to their family member gathering because of an arrangement made for Kanaan to be wedded was coming soon.

Bhadra came over to whisper to Ajay.

"You did bring a present did you?"

"Don't worry, I've got that covered." He assured her as she thought it would be something in the trunk of the limo. But Ajay knew that his present wouldn't fit in a limo trunk.

"I'm heading over to check on Yuma." She dutifully reported her departure before leaving. It was now just Maya and him.

"My friend!" Ajay didn't need to focus on their next line of action as Longinus came over to greet him. In his hand was a suit case and attire of a similar type to Ajay. Giving him the impression Longinus was like a "Lord of War".

"It's been a while, Longinus. How've you been?"

"Ah, eager my friend! A climax to the civil war that rages on, thanks to you."

"You have an equally big part to play in this as well, buddy. Remember who was it that helped build this defense industry."

"Perhaps, but alas it is also time for me to move on. The lord awaits my good work elsewhere. I've already said my goodbyes to my friend Samar and Pagan. Now it is just you." Longinus informed him of his immediate departure. The previous timeline was the same, Longinus could not stay for long.

"I know, it's a shame you have to leave. But I guess you have your mission. Remember that Kyrat will always welcome you back if you ever feel troubled or stray from your objective. If you ever get in trouble, there is no place we wouldn't go to find you."

"Many thanks, my friend." He clasped Ajay's hand which the latter held out to shake. "I left a gift for you and all my friends in the Arsenal." He whispered to Ajay carefully.

"May god go with you." Ajay said to him meaningfully.

"And may he protect you. Ajay." Longinus replied before turning to leave without hesitation.

"Farewell, Prosper."

Longinus stopped halfway from departure, turning back with a white pearly smile.

"No, until next time. My friend." And for the final time, Longinus left the palace on his way to leave Kyrat for good. His destination, South America. To hunt down a trail of his conflict diamonds.

Ajay went to look for the rest that had left him to have some time with Longinus. Perhaps, Longinus was one of the first few dependable friends here he'd ever had.

"I can't imagine how difficult it's gonna be without Longinus." Maya appeared beside him.

"…" He had no reply. Longinus did indeed contribute significantly to the defense industry that comprised of three fully build arsenals and logistic chains that supported the army and para-military forces of Kyrat. He was also the person that introduced the Jackal to them, who for all intensive purposes supplied them with highly sophisticated hardware that wasn't as easy to procure as small-arms and had potential to be embargoed by higher authorities.

Ajay took a moment to take in the events that needed to be fulfilled with Longinus's departure from the playing field. Maya stayed beside him waiting, he didn't know why her first thoughts when arriving wasn't to look for her guardian like Bhadra did, but he didn't question her.

"Let's go find your brother, shall we? I'd like to see what type of person his C.O. is."

"Mn." Maya accompanied him to look for Bipin in the courtyard area where he was last seen running off excitedly.

"What did you get for Pagan, by the way?" She too was curious.

"Did you get anything for him?"

"No. He barely knows me anyway. So what was it?"

"I ordered it from an Italian firm a month ago under a private purchase, and boy did it cost me a bomb! Almost that of buying a private jet." Literally millions of dollars.

"Man, what's with that ridiculous spending then?"

Ajay leaned over and whispered the details and the gift he organised with Arjun for Pagan.

"…" After hearing it she sort of thought it was like he could predict the King's mannerisms.

"So it's pretext then." Ajay nodded to confirm.

"Still, couldn't you have gotten him a cheaper one?" She replied like a housewife scolding her husband.

"It had to be better than his existing one or that would defeat the purpose. Then he'll be grumbling that we short changed him and on his birthday at that."

"…." She knew that Ajay understood the King's thickle mood best and knew how to keep the King's support on their Military implementations.

"I guess I don't really have the right to judge."

"Oh, I guarantee you'll be surprised with the demonstration as well." Ajay assured her.

They had walked almost for three minutes till they reached the courtyard where a commotion was happening.

Ajay sighed but let out a vicious grin. "It seems they couldn't wait to stir trouble."


"You've got to be joking…." Jeevan couldn't contain his disbelief at what his father had just told him.

"It's already been preplanned since November. It took time and effort that I will not waste over a small incident."

"Small incident? He tried to rape her!" Jeevan pleaded senselessly.

"And you beat him half-dead for that! Had it not been for the grace that Lord Kwan considered for his son's relationship with Sugun then you would have to face the music of your actions on your own." Raghu turned and waddled with the cane in hand back to the function room.

"And I want you away from him, do you hear me? The last time you nearly severed our relations entirely." He said in a cold but calm manner.

"And incident was then. He's had years to reflect, now I must be off to meet with the Head of Sun Family, Lord Gwan." Raghu departed as soon as he informed them of his arrangement with the Sun Family.

"Tsk! Damnit!" Jeevan struck the tree that was next to him in frustration. His sister stood nearby, she was the most uneasy by the arrangement. After all, she was to be engaged to Sun Han Feng. The man responsible for Jeevan's near permanent imprisonment and attempted rape of Kanaan years ago.

After a while of silence, Kanaan spoke. "I'm more than prepared for this."

"You will do no such thing!" Jeevan shouted at her as she begun to walk away.

"And where will we be if we chose to do things against our families wishes?" She said in a heartwrenching tone.

"We'll find a way. Come on, Kanaan. Are you really going to give up here and reside yourself?"

"Or, I could just marry him."

"I WILL NOT ALLOW IT!" He burst into a greater anger at her suggesting. His loudness caught the attention of a few guests that were dotted around the courtyard but not near enough to hear what the conversation was about.

"…(Sigh)….. Thank you. That was all I needed to hear from you…." She laughed in a sad way.

"No…"

"And all this time I was worried you would not succeed in life…." She said tearfully with a sadden smile. She took hold of his hands.

"Even despite your unbecoming behaviour the Duke chose to accept you the way you were. If only you knew how fortunate you really are, not many are as understanding as him. So don't waste this chance to prove yourself, like you always wanted." Jeevan bit his lip till it bled. He knew she would say that to him. It was just like that time with their mother, the choice between himself or his loved ones.

Why did it always have to be this way? Why did god fancy toying with him so much? Was a bastard child like him so fun to destroy? Because if that was so, he would revoke god. And take the path that his teacher had warned him not to. To thread the path of the demon.

Hands wrapped around him and a warm body pressed itself tightly against him. His sister, though only sharing half his blood but nonetheless his sister hugged him.

"Do it not just for you but for me as well, little brother." She said in an oh so gentle voice, the way their mother talked to them.

Tears wanted to fall from Jeevan's eyes but he held it back and returned the embrace. "That's not fair…"

"Life is never that way, foolish child. But we always make the best of things." Kanaan returned him a warm and charming smile.

(Clap) (Clap) (Clap)

"Hou! Hou! Zemo houuu- dik hing dai zemui!" (Wonderful! Absolutely wonderful! Such good siblings!) A teasing voice was heard from behind the structure of a shrine along with a round of applause from the same person.

"You." Jeevan said with a hateful glare.

"Hiya! Brat. Or maybe it should be, brother-in-law!" He said in an antagonizing way.

"What do you want, Sun Han Feng?"

"Tsk! Tsk! Tsk! No need to be so formal, my dear wife. Honey will do from now on." He said with a cheeky smile. As he reached out a placed his hand on her cheek in a loving and dear manner. But to his surprise a hand swatter them away.

"That is completely ubsurd!"

"Jeevan-." He shocked his sister with his willingness to destroy relations again. But Jeevan continued.

"Marry filth like you? I wonder, after that incident. Did all your possible marriage options bug out after finding out what a little twart you were?" Jeevan lashed out with his tongue.

"You!-…. You little!-." Han Feng turned red with humiliation and anger.

"What! Might I remind you that you are nothing but a filthy foreigner. Marry my sister? You couldn't even qualify even if your family took the throne through regicide!" Jeevan continued to barrage him with words. It appeared as if he failed to take his sister's words to heart and went with the worst option…. Like he always did.

"Jeevan Hamal… Need I not remind YOU! That while I may not be a damn mountain savage like the rest of YOU! I am the eldest son of Sun Kwan of the Four Families! I am a member of the closest retinue to King Pagan Min, YOUR sovereign!" Like a fuse, Han Feng blew and shouted at him to stand down. As it was his right as a member of a society above him and all other Kyratis.

Most of the Kyratis that heard him scorned at the little bastard but dared not intervene or scold him, because it was as he had just spoken. He was of the cantons, he was related to King Min, and no one amongst the Kyratis could touch them and think they could get away with it.

Sadly, in their eyes. Jeevan failed to see it, but in all actuality, he was fully aware of it but chose to do it regardless. He knew that he was jeopardizing his teacher's honor and face with the current neutrality he held with the Canton families. But he'd already made his decision, he chose family over power. He chose with his own free will.

"Come on, sis. Let's leave this place." Jeevan didn't hesitate as he took hold of his sister's hand and pulled her along towards the exit. Where would he go? Kyrat would no longer welcome such ungrateful brats like them. So it had to be elsewhere. But even so, it was better than here.

Kanaan's frame trembled at the willingness Jeevan showed to sacrifice everything for her. It may have been a split-second decision but she didn't hesitate to follow him…. Until a rough hand clasped around her wrist.

"You're not going anywhere. And neither are yo-. Urghh!" A tightened fist struck him in the face and he flew towards the ground.

Jeevan hurriedly took her and went for the exit while he was out for a while.

"Ho Ho Ho! Where do ya think you're going?"

"Hehehe!"

"You think you can get away with what you just did?"

But they ended up surrounded by ten men, likely from Han Feng's group.

"Stay close behind me." Jeevan told his sister before getting into a fighting stance. Ten was a little more than what he was commonly used to of three being, Stella, Ricardo and a clumsy Hurk. But he'd been in brawls with Ajay both in knife hand-to-hand and street boxing. And Ajay wasn't kind or forgiving in his lessons.

"Tai low! Ni mo see ah?" (Boss, you ok?)

"Tsk! I'm fine, I was just nice enough to tell him off and that little punk actually socked me. Give him a few just to teach him his place." Han Feng demanded of his comrades.

"Right, you heard the man. It's nothing personal boy, just doin- gyyahh!" The man barely had time to finish as he delivered a punch but received a heavy kick to his shoulder that almost dislocated it.

"Damn you- gaaarrggh!" Jeevan delivered a quick jab to the stomach the other man that attacked him with a haymaker.

One tried to sneak him a punch to the ribs and he returned a counterpunch to his lower jaw with a cracking sound.

"Damn it! What the hell are you doing?! You're ten men! Ten fully trained elite soldiers of the 2nd Hussars Battalion! And you can't even beat a brat?!"

"Why don't you come and personally take charge then?" Jeevan mocked him.

By now, the commotion had attracted a crowd. Although no one had done anything to stop them for fear they would be dragged into the fight.

Han Feng walked forward this time. "Seven of you take him. Three of you take my fiancé and be gentle. I'll let you have a go once I'm done." He said with a grin.

So they came at them simultaneously, it was impossible for Jeevan to deter them on his own so the probed him at every opportunity to drop his guard near his sister. And every time they did, one person would strike at him with a fist or a leg. Temporarily pushing him back and creating an opening for them to nab his sister from his grasp.

"Ahhh! Stop!" Kanaan yelled at the three men that dragged her away.

"Don't you dare touch-!"

"You have bigger issue, brat!" Han Feng threw a fist at him but Jeevan carefully dodged and kicked him towards two others. Four came rushing at him, now armed with chains and sticks from somewhere, perhaps they kept it on their persons all this while.

So the odds changed drastically. As they kicked and shoved Jeevan into submission with their numerical superiority and weapons at hand. When he surcomed to the beating and fell to the floor they beat him to remind him of the insult he had spat at their faces.

Kanaan pleaded for them to stop tearfully, but her calls went unanswered.

"Shhhh….. it'll all be over soon. We'll enjoy ourselves over a bit of pre-marital night wonder while your brother can cool off in a cell. Perhaps he should spend his days in Ragah Gulag from now on, huh? AHahahahaha!" Some of his comrades that weren't occupied with beating Jeevan laughed with him.

But if Sun Han Feng knew the what Jeevan's affiliation to Ajay was and not an admirer like they thought he was. Then things might have been different.

Han Feng would not have had to suffer like he would after he came, and asked after tapping him pm the shoulders in a calm voice.

"What might you be doing to my intern?"


There was rarely a moment that Ajay showed a sparkle of excitement in his eyes. Not even during the bloody battlefields against heavy odds. It ran exclusively when he was about to engage in any sort of melee.

When they passed through a sea of spectators who parted from them. Ajay and Maya found Jeevan beaten by a gang of potential victims to exercise his muscles on but withheld as he tapped the dirty little pervert when he heard him speak of sharing a bed with Kanaan.

At first, the man turned around with a face that said, "What right do you have in interrupting me in my fun?"

Although that man, had some reservations as to who Ajay was. Declaring that Jeevan was his intern. It couldn't be that Badala that the rumors were spreading around that Jeevan was an apprentice of, right? After all, that was merely a rumor. There was no way that the demon would pay attention to a conceit brat that didn't even have half the blood of a noble.

And this guy that looks like an elderly noble woman's boy-toy couldn't possibly be that man. Could it be that this man was teaching the brat how to be a gigolo to worm his way up the echelons? Han Feng laughed at the thought.

He even failed to notice the Queen's Protégé next to him. Someone that had the authority to make him crawl all the way down the mountain and up on all fours and he was happily bark in response to the command.

Unfortunately, Han Feng was blinded by the moment.

"Hang on for a moment, when we're done with him you can have him all to yourself."

"Tsk Tsk Tsk! That won't do, and you have yet to give me an explanation as to what you're doing to me intern. One that I've spent a considerable time and effort raising to be a competent leader of my private army. So? And why you are holding Kanaan against her will? Mister.. um-…. Who are you?" Ajay said in his usual provocative way, a playful manner which inclted aggression for not taking them seriously.

"Listen you pretty boy faggo-arrghhhh!" Ajay held his hand that he reached out to point at him by his thumb and index finger. Pressing on his acupuncture point and forcing him to the ground. Ajay lightly twisted his hand and placed him in an instant back hand lock with said two fingers.

"Now pretty boy, I might forgive because it was the face my mother bestowed upon me. But faggot, well. Judging by the depression in your crotch area, I'd say that you have better qualifications than me…. But just to be sure, should we make that a reality?" The last sentence raised the hairs on Han Feng's back. It was at this point that his fellow canton comrades had already disengaged from Jeevan and went to him still oblivious.

"Go and treat the boy." He motioned to Maya who was already on top of it. While he still held Han Feng in the lock.

"Urghhh….. do you know who you're messing with?! You'll be sorry you ever mess with(Crack) AAARRHHH!" Ajay snapped his wrist with a quick turn and left Han Feng to roll in pain.

"Jeevan, I won't hide my disappointment in you for your actions."

"I know. I know I've let you down, teacher….. But I just couldn't let myself down first." He said in pain from all the bruises but still struggled to say it.

"For once, I'm glad in you, kid. How bout we have a lesson then? For tonight's part, I'll show you how to disable without killing eleven trained men." Ajay said with a mimicked innocent smile of Jeevan's.

"You? Who the fuck do you think you are?!" One shouted at him after hearing such an ubsurd nonsence.

"Whomever you think I am, because you clearly don't even read the daily papers." Ajay said as he stood before the ten men.

"You fucker! When Lord Kwan hears of what you're done your whole clan will burn!"

"Really? What I wouldn't give for you to say that to him. It'll give me all the justification to wipe out all the canton families!" Ajay said in a disturbing smile. Now they weren't so sure in their hearts who he actually was.

"Perhaps I won't wound you to badly then if you do me that solid." The man that led the rest bit his lip and charged forward.

"Sei hai ham gah ch-(crunch)(Crack)." In a stream of rapid movements, Ajay struck him with his elbow to the side of his head sending him to the floor on his side. But he didn't stop with just one hide as he grabbed hold on that man's hand and pulled him up from a kick to the knee (Crunch) He dislocated it causing him to topple down and sent a strike on a palm to his neck. The man toppled to the ground motionless with three areas of fractured bones. And it all happened under two seconds.

The rest actually hadn't seen it as they charged forward to aid their comrade.

Ajay aimed for one of the unarmed men and struck him in the belly with a liver shot before grabbing him to use as shield for the few that used batons and chains. They flailed their friend by mistake, but Ajay had already knocked him unconscious to the pain with a rabbit punch to the neck to knock him unconscious as he kicked him towards them. His skin had terrible tears from the flaying chains and bruises from the baton strikes but he had fulfilled his part for Ajay by being dead weight to buy him time to disable the rest.

He dodged a flying kick from one of them that sat out of the fight for a while and grasped him by the leg. Ajay raised his own leg above his head and brought down to strike that man's leg from the pelvis joint. Dislocating it as the man fell into a painful split, which Ajay delivered an uppercut to finish him.

They often attacked him whilst he was in the midst of disabling one of their comrades, so as to take advantage of his back turned to them. But Ajay was more than aware of his surroundings. He coiled his arm around one's arm to the shoulder and dislocated it before sending a chop to his airway.

Barely one minute had passed and five were on the ground not moving at all. Now there were five adversaries and that leader who ordered Jeevan's beating left, he obvious included him in the equation. The crowd watched as Ajay toyed with them like he was playing a game, their strikes never hit their mark and his body naturally curved around their kicks and thrusts. At the speed they were going, it could barely even match up to those Hun kids. -Elite my ass.-

He was now frowning in disappointment and sighed exasperatively. The remaining five had a reluctance to engage him now with what they saw he did to the downed five. Completely brutal, when he meant disable they thought he meant knock out. But for each of the men he dispatched he broke or dislocated at least three parts of them. And he was barehanded.

"Are you by chance in that newly formed Hussar's battalion run by Samuel?" He asked them and they immediately stopped where they were. Much to their relief that he had some reason to his ruthless assault on them.

"That's right! At least you aren't all brawns." Han Feng called out. Expecting Ajay to admit his mistake from attacking them and hand in an apology.

"And where is your superior officer?"

"I am, sir!" The sea parted once more and a slender man with a neatly tied pony tail walked forward, beside him was Bipin. Shocked by the sequence of events that took place he facepalmed at the scene. It was clear that Ajay and the most of Canton families were destined to end neutrality.

"Commander! You came at the right time, this maniac came out of nowhere and attacked us!"

Ajay looked at the shameless man in front of him with a bit of surprise.

"Wow…. You really are some piece of work. Well whatever." Ajay ignored Han Feng now and faced the Commander of the 2nd Battalion that walked forward.

"Lieutenant-Colonel Min I presume."

"It truly is a surprise that you know of me, your grace." He saluted to him.

"Not when a unit such as yours stands out like a sore thumb." Ajay said with a grip, to which Samuel chuckled respectfully.

"You flatter me, your grace."

"How's your training with Kuber doing?"

"Commander Kuber is exceptional, it's a new lesson everyday for me and my men." Kuber did report what he evaluated of the 2nd Battalion to him as well. While the commander was eager, the same could not be said for his men.

"Quite. I hope you'll be ready by the end of the week, because we intend to get in harm's way. Come meet me after the party, Samuel."

"You!- You dare call the our commander by his name?!" (Slap) A hand struck Han Feng dumb came from none other than his superior. He had missed him saying 'your grace' several times already because his mood and pain from the snapped wrist took over his collective calm.

"I should ask you the same thing. Since when was it permissible for you to challenge a Duke." Samuel stared at his subordinates with hostility.

When the word Duke rang out. The remaining five froze solid as if a spell had been casted upon them to stay that way till they died. A similar reaction came from the crowd, although some knew who Ajay was, they were unsure of his status when compared with the Canton family members.

"No… you can't be serious that this gigol- (Slap)" He was struck a second time for talking.

"Still not on your knees! Or do you want me to cut them off!" His superior barked threateningly. Ajay had a strange feeling about the tone of his voice, but couldn't put a finger on it. It was clear that Han Feng's foolish actions had provoked the one person that even his father had dared not start a war with, the person that the Min's looked with envy and caution and the Khoo's with fear.

"Ah-…Ah…." The weight of his actions began to set in and take away his ability to speak or breath properly.

"That's alright, he doesn't need to get on his knees." Ajay said, as he straightened his tie and blazer from all the excess movement.

"Y-Your grace! F-F-Forgiv-."

"Take off your uniform." Was all Ajay said as he looked down upon him.

"Um-….your grace?" He asked meekly and baffled.

"You're an embarrassment to the armed forces. I don't see why you should continue to bear the insignia of the King's soldiers."

"B-But your grace-."

"Remove it now…. Or I'll remove it from your mangled corpse." His tone changed into an icy cold one. Han Feng shivered as he felt the full onslaught of the demon's aura, something he and his friends used to laugh about all the time. When his friend Sugun had died he thought it was merely because of his own incompetence in entering a den of lions at Banapur. But now, he bore witness to the oppressive might of the Demon Duke that enforced the Kyrati military and authorities with an iron grip. And his choice was to step on it.

"Your grace, if I may." Samuel stepped between him and his subordinate, shielding him.

"Go on." Ajay entertained him.

"Captain Sun is a dedicated officer to the army and has served with me since our enlistment. To ask him to hand in his uniform after his years of dedication. Will you not look upon his service to the king to be lenient?" Ajay had to admit, Samuel was pretty competent in politics. As expected of a schemer, Ajay thought. But I'll see how much you're willing to hang on to this little shit.

"Dedicated, huh? Alright, let's look at this from another perspective then shall we? First off, I've heard a rather disturbing rumor about your 'Dedicated' officer having attempted rape upon my dear friend's sister Kanaan. When I arrived, I saw your 'Dedicated' officer directing orders to these thugs you call soldiers to gang up and beat my intern, with weapons no less. Now I'm not adverse to them play fighting as it's often good experience for dear Jeevan. But taking my friend's sister, who is also my friend against her will takes it a step further out of my tolerance. Your 'Dedicated' officer had also failed to acknowledge who I was on multiple occasion and for fear of my life as they attacked me, I acted on self-defense. But who would have thought that they did not even meet basic close combat standards of the Royal Army. Hell, they couldn't even beat a sixteen-year-old from the Hun settlement to a match of arm wrestling. So what I'm asking is is if this is the baseline standard of the 2nd Hussar Armored Battalion. One of the two battalions that were intended to lead vanguards of offensives? Because if it is, then I'm afraid I'll have to inform Marshal Roka to deactivate the operationally ready status of the 2nd Battalion on pretext of not being sufficiently trained to handle the realness of combat. It would be a shame to send these unfortunate souls to their deaths." Ajay lay his checkmate for Samuel who slightly frowned but sighed.

"So you see, Lieutenant-Colonel. This all tracks back to you even through no fault of your own. Yunno, I see great quality in you, I really do! Standing up for your men in face of adversity… However, that should only be afforded to competent soldiers." His last line was in a dark tone.

"Don't you agree?" Returning back to the joyful tone again which made the surrounding audience shiver in fear of him.

Samuel turned to Han Feng with a grave look. When Han Feng saw it, his face fell.

"Remove it now." Samuel had chosen the unit over his 'dedicated officer'. He had no choice in this matter.

Han Feng chose not to fight against it and reluctantly removed his uniform down to his underwear.

"Now march down the hill and up again." Ajay's demands became oppressive. Han Feng was shaken by the demand which he dared not refuse, but in all his life he'd never experienced such humiliation in front of the public. Furthermore, he'd been demanded to relieve himself of duty.

"Badala, do not go too far!" A roar came from within the veranda of the Palace. There, Pagan, Yuma and a few other important looking triads had appeared. Including the one that shouted, that was Sun Kwan.

"Dad….." Han Feng murmurs with joy in his eyes.

"And how is that so?" Ajay asked not at all flustered.

"How can the military fire someone for the lack of the decent virtues and still force him to humiliate himself in front of you? No one is perfect." Sun Kwan spoke in a stern voice.

"Oh? That about removing his uniform was under his own voalition, but I'm making him march up and down as punishment for assaulting my intern."

Sun Kwan stared daggers at his son for a brief moment.

"My intern, Jeevan is covered in bruises and cuts from him being ganged by ten assailants which I will deal with when we're done. Whereas I'm simply making your son walk a bit to reflect on his action. Don't you think that's lenient enough?" He said with a grin. But Sun Kwan was more stubborn than he thought.

"Disciplining my boy is my responsibility alone."

"So you'll take responsibility for his actions then?"

"…." Sun Kwan neither answered nor corrected. He was sort of in reluctance to owe him anything. And for good reason, but Ajay could see it in his eyes.

"Would you care for a bit of pre-party gambling?" His proposal raised the eyebrows of several of families. Pagan's eyes brightened, he like the way he did things.

"Care to have a friendly fist fight?" Most of the people were unaware of Badala's actual prowess and thought it was just his strategy or gunfighting style that made him a fearful force. A lot of outrageous rumors were mixed so it was hard to get a track on what was fact.

"What are the stakes?" Sun Kwan asked game.

"You win, I'll consider giving you the face you deserve and forget about this whole upset. I'll even throw in a bonus in the form of special priveleges for the 2nd Battalion." Ajay didn't conceal the fact that 2nd Battalion was more than likely affiliated with the Canton families in more than just sponsorship, but perhaps allegiance too.

"And if you win?"

"Mmmm….. what say you and your family owe me a solid? I might even let your little bastard stay in the army."

"Fine. Send your best fighter and I'll send mine." Sun Kwan added to his own convenience without consulting Ajay on it. He only wanted to win, but….

"That's fine. Then for my side I chose Jeevan."

"Wha-…. Fine!" He didn't want to change the odds now that Ajay had decided for himself. Ajay walked back to Jeevan whom as stunned that Ajay had just volunteered him.

"I've already set the stage for you, kid. Your opponent will be just one fella this time, possibly a heavy weight in their payroll."

"Why are you doing this?" Maya questioned him.

"Sun Kwan will owe me a solid, but I'll let you decide it if you win." Jeevan's eyes brightened.

Ajay had actually organised it in such a way that he could fight for his sister's freedom. Maya and Kanaan begun to understand the meaning behind it too and so didn't question him on that.

Jeevan struggled to get up on his feet as his body was still sore. Seeing that from afar, Sun Kwan, his son and family members snorted in arrogance.

Pagan begun his bet with the other lords and nobles, he intended to pack one of his recently emptied out vault with some cash. A representative from the Sun family appeared, contrary to Ajay's initial assessment it was a lightweight with the physical features akin to Manny Pacqiao.

-Fast and furious, eh?-

He turned back to Jeevan.

"Looks like they're playing things carefully here. At your current condition, you might not be able to dodge his hits." Ajay began his analysis of the fighter.

"….."

"So don't. Bite down on the pain, just don't let him jab you in the critical areas that will weaken your strength and energy. Then strike hard, if you can end it in one hit then do it. If not, wait for your opportunity, lure him in with overconfidence. You don't know your opponent, but neither does he. Make him assume you're a rookie." Ajay handed out his strategy to win.

Jeevan nodded and walked forward to meet with the Sun fighter. They both took off their shirts for the sake of not impeding their movement. It was an opportunity to show to the ladies some beefcakes fighting on a ring. Jeevan's physique had undergone serious changes from not just his training with the Italians. But Ajay himself. Ajay only taught him two things, one was to self-hone his mentality in dire conditions. The other was sessions of boxing which he often came home with bruises the size of round-up fists.

Ajay had taught him all the boxing moves he'd learnt from his time training with Tinashe's ex-lover. He also taught him some dirty moves so that he knew he could be strucked at those points by an opponent. He had a total of four hundred and sixty-three spars with Ajay, and lost all but one which ended in a stalemate draw. In that draw, it was a revision of everything Ajay had taught him. He wished it could go on, but his energy was fading and Ajay called it a day so it couldn't really be called a draw in his opinion.

Jeevan turned to look at where Sun Han Feng and his family stood looking at him murderously, his father was among them as well with a frown on his face.

But Jeevan had come this far, his own life choices defined his route. Contrary to his belief, Ajay had stood up for him instead of forsake him. He had compromised his teacher's relation with the canton families that would rise into conflict, he'd gone against his father's words and damaged their house relation to the Sun family beyond repair.

"Right, I'll settle some ground rules first. Number one, no hitting below the belt, legs, hands and whatever other limbs you have are permitted." The audience laughed at his joke.

"Next, when your opponent is on the floor you are not to hit him and he to you. He will be disqualified if he remains there more than five counts. The fight will remain in this circle as well. At anytime, you may submit your surrender if you chose to do so. Right, out of the boring stuff. Let's dance!" Ajay finished up his rule setting and returned to spectate their fight.

The lightweight fighter, perhaps a muai thai expert danced around with his two feet at the ready. Jeevan took the boxing posture and stood planted with his two feet. His sister watched hopeful of the results despite his rough shape, Ajay was at least confident in his abilities. Maya was also a bit confident that he would take out an opponent stronger than he was, Sabal was proof of that.

But he couldn't afford to lose here. There was too much at stake, his sister's freedom. His teacher's reputation. He had to win, and he would do so for these things.


Author's thoughts: (Ip Man Parody)

Grandmaster of Wing Chun, Gha lei approaches the fighting ground. Raising his hand.

Grandmaster Gha lei: "Wo Yao Da Sap Go!" (I want to fight ten men!)

-Ten men appear-

-Ten men fall to the ground with broken bones in at least several places.-