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THE ROOM FALLS SILENT. And in an instant, everyone's eyes were on Max, who just so happened to make such a bold statement regarding the king of all the houses. A couple of seconds pass, and the silence turns into laughter. Even Ari and Felix laughed.

     "You have officially lost your mind. Being on top all the time really made you delusional," Ari says as he and the rest of the class laugh at what Max said. But one student in the room wasn't laughing at all, and that student was none other than the vice president, Gavriil Alexeev.

     Gavriil stands from his seat, and that alone made everyone stop laughing. The class watched as Gavriil approaches Max with a blank expression, and without any warning, he slams his hand on Max's notebook and says, "Conquer Victor Stepanov you say? Such a brave declaration from someone who has fifty merit points in his name."

     Max stares at his notebook in surprise. The side of his mouth twitches when he sees the crumpled paper that's under Gavriil's hand. Max slowly lifts his head and glares at the culprit. "Move your hands," he says instead of addressing Gavriil's initial statement.

     Gavriil doesn't say anything, but to everyone's surprise, Gavriil rips off the page on Max's notebook, crumpling it, and throwing it away. "Specific steps? Ultimate goal? What do you think Victor is? A prize to be won? He is the most dangerous man in this school and he has the ability to do things to you that you cannot even imagine. To openly declare such a thing without knowing the risk is sickening."

     The aura that Gavriil is emitting is so strong that some had to look away in fear. This was the power of the vice president. This was the power of the second strongest white uniform in their house.

     "Do you think I don't know the risk?" Max answers, finally standing from his seat to level with Gavriil. Ari wanted to intervene, but even though he's a gaffer, he knew that this wasn't his place anymore.

     "I did not say that Victor is a prize, so do not twist my words. But I will not deny that he is something that I have to conquer to be able to—" Max stopped himself after realizing what he was about to say. He takes a deep breath and walks towards the crumpled paper that Gavriil threw. He picks it up and smoothens it out before looking back at the vice president with a calm expression. "I don't know why you're mad. But your sudden outburst will not change my mind. I will conquer Victor Stepanov, and I will defeat you and anyone else that will stand in my way."

     The bell rings right at that moment, and Gavriil stares straight at Max's eyes before finally walking away. The students in class start leaving the room as well, and Ari and Felix stand beside Max with worried expressions.

     "You really do want to get killed," Felix tells him, and Max adjusts his cap and looks at his two friends. "That Gavriil guy...he really has such an interesting character."

     "You're the one with an interesting character," Ari immediately answers him, and Max just looks at the paper he's holding before placing it back in his notebook.

     Max doesn't say anything else and walks toward the door to make his exit, Ari and Felix following right behind him.

     "I'll be heading to my club. I don't want to say this, but you better be careful, especially when you're walking with another serf. The only reason why you haven't been beaten around yet is that you're with me, so you better watch your back," Ari warns, which was something that Max couldn't disagree with.

     "We'll be fine," he says instead, and Ari nods his head and finally walks in a different direction and leaves the two.

     Felix and Max walk side by side in the middle of the crowded hallway. Some were being pushed, but Max easily dodged them, pulling Felix with him as much as possible. Thankfully everyone's busy with the club preparations that the two ended up being completely invisible.

     "Heard from Ari that you're in some type of society," Max says as soon as they escape the wave of students.

     "Yeah, it's called the Omega Society, but I don't think it's a club that fits you and your image, especially when you're aiming for something so high. Maybe join the Alpha Society instead, or Beta Society, that could work too." Felix tells him, and Max looks at Felix with a serious expression and says back, "You know that I still wouldn't understand you even if you mention all the societies in this school."

     Felix's mouth turns into an O shape when he remembers that Max's knowledge about their house is lower than a freshman student. "Alright, I'll keep this explanation short."

As mentioned before, there are thirty-five clubs in total, and three of those clubs are classified as Brotherhood Clubs who directly work with brotherhoods. Those clubs are the Alpha, Beta, and Omega Society.

 ALPHA SOCIETY is considered the most respected club amongst all the clubs in J.S High, considering the fact that most of the students are tough and fearsome. This club is responsible for anything and everything that will happen before and after a brotherhood battle. They act as referees, which is why they are required to master all the rules about the battle.

BETA SOCIETY handles the weapons and resources used by the brotherhoods. They distribute the weapons and check their permits before giving those weapons to them. They are also responsible for buying the weapons and resources requested by the brotherhoods. Other than that, they can also request items from the robotics club.

Last is the OMEGA SOCIETY, which is the most neglected club out of all the thirty-five clubs. The omega society is labeled as the cleaners since their only purpose is to literally clean the mess that brotherhoods make after they perform their customs, fights, and battles.

     "You got that?" Felix asks after explaining all three societies.

     Max tries to remember all of the new information that he garnered so he can write it down in his notebook later.

     "So all you've been doing is cleaning? Like janitors," Max concludes, making Felix laugh as if Max was kidding. But Max stares down at him, and Felix's laughter slowly dies down as he finally admits, "Yes."

     "Do you get points when you join a club?" Max asks next, and Felix shakes his head, signifying that they actually don't get points when they enter a club, but you will get points depending on what you do in that club.

     "I can show you around the clubs if you want, but their actual presentations are on Friday, so there's nothing much for you to see," Felix suggests.

     Max thought about it for a second, but he realizes that he didn't want to walk around this large campus without getting anything from it so he says instead, "I'll just come with you."

     Felix wasn't expecting such a request from Max, but he didn't have any reason to decline him, so Felix brought Max all the way to the 4th floor of the East Tower where all the senior classes are held.

     "The Alpha, Beta, and Omega Society are all in this building since they have to be close to the brotherhoods," Felix explains while he and Max are walking down an empty hallway.

     "But why in the seniors' building? Aren't there junior and sophomore brotherhoods too?" Max asks, and Felix almost faced palmed himself again for realizing that Max doesn't know a lot of things about their school.

     "Brotherhoods have separate classes. You don't put brotherhoods together with white uniforms; things would get messy. That's why they have their own building called the Hall of Janus. It's the one beside this tower," Felix explains, and Max finally nods his head in understanding.

     After a few more steps, the two arrive in front of a white door. Felix faces Max with a large smile and tells him, "Welcome to the Omega Society!"

     Max doesn't say anything for a second. He stares at the door, and then at Felix, and then back to the door. "This is a janitor's closet," he bluntly tells Felix.

     "Jani...don't be rude," Felix says in annoyance before opening the door and heading inside. Max takes a deep breath and follows behind the little one. Inside was a regular club room with a long table, some chairs, scattered books, a whiteboard, and of course, the cleaning utensils. But it was still small, which was only fitting.

     "Looks like we're the first one's here," Felix says, and Max walks towards the scattered books and magazines, picking one up with only two of his fingers like it was contaminated by some kind of virus.

     "I wasn't expecting much, but this really is a small room. How many members do you even have? Do you guys even fit here?" Max asks, putting the magazine down and looking up at Felix who's tidying up the room.

     "Don't worry, there are only seven of us. Well, five now since two were seniors and now they've graduated," Felix explains.

     Max brushes a seat with a magazine and sits down on it. "So all you do is clean? How does that even work for you? And how do you get merit points from it?" Max asks, and Felix jumps and sits on the table, his feet dangling in the air as he answers, "Most of the time the school staff gives us points. On rare occasions, it's the brotherhoods themselves. Sometimes they give fifty points to each of us after cleaning."

     Max got ready to ask another question when the door suddenly swings open, revealing a student with glasses and perfectly waxed hair. Max instantly checks his armband. "Gaffer," he mumbles to himself as the student closes the door behind him.

     "Payton! Welcome back!" Felix happily greets, hopping off of the table as he said it.

     "Felix! I'm glad you're here. We have a problem," the man named Payton says instead, making the smile on Felix's face disappear.

     "What problem? Please don't tell me a brotherhood already started their custom and we have to clean up," Felix assumes with a worried expression, but Payton shakes his head and answers, "No, it's even worse. Our club advisor left. Heard his wife just got into an accident so he went on leave."

     "What?!"

     Payton was about to explain more, but then his eyes spot Max who's silently sitting on the chair with a bored expression. Payton stares at him for a few seconds, but then his eyes widen from shock after identifying who the person was. He points at Max like he's accusing him of something and then he shouts, "Sinclaire?!"

     Max doesn't say anything and casually waves his hand at Payton who seemed like he couldn't believe what he's seeing. And as if it wasn't enough, he takes off his glasses and rubs his eyes, which was over the top if you ask me.

     "Why is he here?" he asks while looking straight at Max. Then he looks at Felix and repeats, "Why is he here," he asks again, emphasizing the word "he" like Max is another type of male species.

     Felix opens his mouth to answer, but Payton's eyes suddenly widen as he realizes something. "N-No...no no no no! We can't have him in our club. We can't have someone who challenged the Barons in our club. We will be in big trouble!"

     Max furrows his head in confusion. "Barons?" he asks, but like his memory answered it for him, he nods his head in realization and says, "Oh you mean Jokers? Okay, first off I'm not joining your club. I'm just here to waste time with Felix. Second of all, I don't remember challenging Jokers. For all I know, I generously donated a hundred thousand dollars for them."

     "Which translates to you challenging them!" Payton shouts hysterically, holding his chest as if he was having a hard time breathing, so he pulls his inhaler out and suddenly uses it.

     "H-How—" Max looks at Felix with wide eyes, mentally asking him to help him, so Felix grabs Payton and holds both of his shoulders, and says, "Payton! Breathe! Think happy thoughts, like...quantum physics, or the cognitive theory."

     Max squints his eyes in confusion, but Payton finally calms down.

     "Sorry, I had a mini panic attack for a second. But it's good that you're not planning on joining us," Payton says, adjusting his glasses before looking back at Max with a smile, "Regardless, a friend of Felix is a friend of mine. I'm third-year student Payton Wolfe, nice to meet you."

     Max doesn't say anything but nods his head to acknowledge the sudden greeting.

     "He's from a family of scholars," Felix whispers, and Max answers with an "ah," like being a son of a family of scholars answered why Payton acts like that. It's actually very stereotypical.

     "Anyway, we should get ready before the others arrive. We have to make sure that we recruit as many freshmen students as possible this year so the council could give us more budget," Payton says as he runs toward a cabinet and starts pulling things out from it.

     Max watches in silence as Felix helps Payton take out posters that they probably used last year. And as the two continue with what they're doing, someone suddenly knocks on the door, instantly making the two stop.

     "Guess that's the others," Payton says, heading towards the door to open it. Expecting a familiar face, Payton suddenly bows in shock, surprising not only himself but Felix and Max too. "Treasurer Dustin!"

     Felix instantly stands properly, and Max stands from his seat as well as the Elites' treasurer, Dustin Griffiths, barge inside the room with a serious expression. Even though he and his brother are identical, their personalities help differentiate them.

     "Omega Society, I'll make this quick," he says while reading something from his folder. He doesn't even look at Max or Felix as he tells him, "Third-year student Park Minkyu, and fourth-year students Isaac West and Richard Garcia, have officially withdrawn from this club, leaving you with only two members. The council has not only left you with 20% of the regular budget, but Omega Society no longer seizes to exists."

     "What?!" Payton and Felix shout in surprise.

     "T-That can't be—"

     Dustin finally lifts his head and looks at Payton, "Clubs that have less than five members are automatically dropped. Of course, if you can find three new members before the Brotherhood Week ends, then you might have the chance to save it." He explains, and all Payton could do is take his inhaler out because of the sudden news.

     "T-Three members? That' impossible for our club and you know that," Felix says, and Dustin glares at him in an instant, probably because he didn't like how Felix answered him.

     "Listen carefully, serf," Dustin says as he faces Felix with an overwhelming dominance. "I don't care if this embarrassing club rots until you graduate, but you do not talk while two higher ranks are talking. Know the basic rules of this house."

     Felix gulps and dares not to say a word. Max watches in silence and doesn't say anything either since he's a serf himself and the last thing he wants is to get involved with an Elites member.

     Dustin doesn't say anything anymore and looks at his side to see Max standing in the corner in silence. He examines Max, staring at him from head to toe before looking back at Payton and smirking. "Looks like you only need two new janitors now," he tells him before finally taking his leave.

     The room falls silent for a second. And as soon as the door closes, Max suddenly chuckles to himself, making both Payton and Felix look at him. A second passes and Max's chuckle turns into a full-blown laugh.

     Felix and Max look at him with confusion as Max continues to laugh like a madman. After a couple more seconds, Max's laughter finally dies down. He wipes his tears and then composes himself. Afterward, he looks back at Felix and Payton with a serious and determined expression and asks, "So...how do I exactly apply here?"

- END -