The Path Of A True King.

Elijah's body ached slightly, but exhaustion barely registered.

He lay on a worn-out bench in the underground waiting area, eyes shut, arms folded behind his head.

His mind drifted as he rested, knowing that his toughest battle was still ahead—his fight with Ray, the undisputed top dog of their school.

The muffled sounds of other matches echoed in the background, but Elijah tuned them out.

His breath was steady, his body still, conserving every ounce of energy for the war to come.

A firm shake to his shoulder pulled him from the light slumber. "Yo, wake up," Kai's voice cut through the haze. "Your match is about to start."

Elijah exhaled sharply, opening his red eyes.

He pushed himself up, rolling his shoulders to shake off the stiffness. "Already?"

Kai smirked. "Yeah, man. But before that…"

Before he could finish, Elijah groaned dramatically and flopped back down. "Five more minutes."

Kai raised an eyebrow. "Bro, you're about to fight Ray. Do you really wanna take a nap before that?"

"Yes," Elijah said, eyes shut. "Maybe if I stay asleep, I'll wake up in a world where this fight never happened."

Kai let out a short laugh. "Or a world where Ray already beat your ass while you were sleeping."

Elijah cracked an eye open and glared at him. "That's a terrible world. Why would you even say that?"

Kai shrugged. "I like realism."

"You like being annoying," Elijah shot back, sitting up again. He stretched his arms above his head, then winced. "Damn, my body's sore. I think I need a doctor."

Kai crossed his arms. "I am a doctor."

Elijah stared at him blankly. "Since when?"

Kai smirked. "Since right now. And as your doctor, I'm diagnosing you with—" he made a dramatic pause, "—being a little chicken."

Elijah sighed. "I walked into that one."

"Yup." Kai clapped him on the shoulder. "But for real, you good?"

"Yeah, yeah. Just gotta get my head right."

"Cool. Because before you go fight for your life, I need you to meet some people."

Kai motioned behind him, revealing two figures standing a few feet away.

"Let me introduce you to the guys I recruited."

Elijah's gaze shifted to the newcomers.

The first was a tall, lean guy who looked around 17, his dark brown skin contrasting with the dim underground lighting.

His short twisted hair was neatly kept, and his sharp, narrow eyes held an edge that hinted at experience beyond his years.

Though his posture was relaxed—hands casually tucked into his pockets—there was something about the way he carried himself, the subtle tension in his muscles, that suggested he was always ready to strike.

His frame was wiry but muscular, built for speed and precision rather than brute force.

He wore a sleeveless black hoodie over a dark red shirt, showing off toned arms that looked like they had seen their fair share of fights.

Beside him stood the second recruit, younger at 15 but slightly bigger in build.

He had a mixed complexion, wavy shoulder-length hair that was a deep chestnut brown, and an easygoing smirk that made him seem more approachable.

His bright hazel eyes flickered with amusement as if he found the entire situation entertaining.

He stood with his arms crossed, his stance confident but casual, exuding the kind of energy that made it hard to tell if he was taking things seriously or just going with the flow.

His jacket, a dark blue bomber style, was slightly oversized, giving him a more laid-back look compared to the first recruit's sharp-edged demeanor.

The dark-skinned one stepped forward first.

"Name's Kevin." His voice was smooth but firm. "Saw your fights. You're something else."

The other guy nodded. "Tristan," he introduced himself with a grin. "Man, that last match? You made Marcus look like a damn rookie."

Elijah scoffed, rubbing his neck. "He was strong, just slow. If he had better technique, he could've lasted longer."

Tristan chuckled. "Still, you folded him like a chair."

Kevin eyed Elijah carefully. "You got skill, but you're not invincible. You think you got Ray figured out?"

Elijah paused for a moment before shrugging. "Not really. But it doesn't matter. I just have to win."

Kai grinned, nudging Kevin with his elbow. "That's the mentality of a future king."

Elijah turned back to Kai. "And Jack?"

Kai let out a dramatic sigh. "Jack said he'll only join if you beat Ray. Otherwise, I owe him six grand."

Tristan whistled. "Damn, that's faith right there."

Elijah smirked. "Then I'll win. Simple."

Kevin crossed his arms. "You better. I ain't tryna be on the losing side."

Tristan chuckled. "Man, you should've seen the look on Ray's face earlier. He's pissed."

Kai grinned. "Good. That means he's not thinking straight."

Elijah rolled his shoulders again, loosening up. "It doesn't matter what he's thinking. When we step in that ring, it's just me and him."

Before anyone could respond, a loud voice echoed through the underground hall.

"Elijah and Ray, to the ring!"

Silence filled the group. This was it.

Elijah cracked his neck before stepping forward. "Time to end this."

Kai smirked. "Go handle business."

Kevin and Tristan gave him nods of approval, and with that, Elijah walked towards the ring.

Waiting for him on the other side, stepping into the light, was Ray.

The underground crowd erupted with excitement, knowing that this was the fight they had been waiting for.

The final battle was about to begin.