Under the veil of silence, Ethan sat motionless, his head resting heavily on the desk as he replayed the voices of growls that had echoed in his mind. Frustrated, he pressed his palms to his temples, trying in vain to make sense of what had happened during that fleeting moment when James had gripped his neck.

"What exactly happened to me then?" he muttered to himself.

Not much time passed before the chatter of his classmates grew louder, their tones tinged with surprise.

"Is that really you?" a voice came from above him, accompanied by a hand gently placed on his head.

Ethan slowly raised his head from the desk, his weary eyes meeting an unexpected trio: Leon, the famed kickboxing champion of their school, wildly popular with fifty thousand Instagram followers; Zack, a daring and jovial figure, an expert in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu with fifteen thousand followers; and Evan, a reserved and serious young man skilled in Kung Fu since childhood, boasting sixty thousand followers. Together, they were known as the "Golden Lions," the wealthy third-generation heirs of prominent families.

Leon clasped Ethan's head in a spirited embrace, exclaiming:
"Man, that punch you threw was awesome!"

Ethan, nearly choking from Leon's strength, struggled to breathe.

Evan, cool and composed, interjected:
"Let go of the boy. He can't breathe."

Leon quickly released Ethan, who dropped to his seat, gasping for air.
"Sorry about that," Leon said sheepishly. "Sometimes I get carried away with excitement."

Zack leaped toward Ethan, laughing:
"I loved the part where you slammed that guy's head into the locker! Hahaha! I think even Evan cracked a smile."

Evan, his tone dry, responded:
"I smiled because it's amusing to see a bully getting beaten by the weakling he tormented."

Leon chuckled and said:
"Whatever the reason, let's focus on our new friend here. What's your name, kid?"

Ethan stammered nervously:
"My name is... Ethan."

Leon grinned:
"Nice to meet you, Ethan. Join us after school. We'll be waiting, alright?"

Ethan could only nod as the trio left for their next class. He sat in stunned silence, trying to process what had just happened. His classmates whispered in awe:
"Did he really impress the Golden Lions?"
"Unbelievable! Is he really going to hang out with them?"
"If I were in his place, this would be the happiest day of my life!"

The teacher entered, snapping the class back to attention. But Ethan's thoughts remained elsewhere, consumed by the unexpected encounter.

After school, Ethan lingered in the lower hallway, his nerves fraying as he approached the school's exit. The hushed murmurs of his classmates echoed around him:
"There he is. Is he actually going out with them?"
"He's so lucky!"

Summoning his courage, Ethan stepped outside. The trio stood waiting just beyond the school gates.

"There he is!" Leon called out.
"What took you so long?" Zack teased.

Ethan fumbled for words, unable to respond. Evan, engrossed in his phone, finally said:
"Hurry up. That restaurant is about to close."

Before Ethan could move, a massive figure pushed past the group, shouldering them aside as he approached Ethan.

"Are you Ethan?" the man asked, his voice menacing.

Ethan's breath quickened as fear gripped him. "No... it can't be... Is this Jason, James's older brother?"

"Y-Yes, that's me," Ethan stammered.

Without warning, Jason's fist flew toward Ethan, but Leon intercepted it, gripping Jason's wrist firmly.

"Why don't you pick on someone your own size?" Leon said, his signature grin unwavering.

Ethan's mind raced:
"Wait... wasn't I determined to change? Am I just going to be a burden to them? No. I want to be strong, just like them."

A surge of anger welled up within him, and his eyes once again glowed red. Jason swung another punch at Leon, but Ethan intercepted it this time, his voice taking on an unnervingly cold tone:
"Do you think you're strong? What sets you apart is nothing but your savagery and stupidity."

Jason struggled to free his hand from Ethan's grip but couldn't. Ethan tightened his hold, his piercing red eyes boring into Jason's.

"If you're a real man," Ethan declared, his voice steady and intimidating, "then meet me here in three weeks at the same time. Let's see if you're as tough as you claim."

The scene ended with the Golden Lions exchanging eager glances, their smiles charged with excitement, while Ethan's fiery determination shone like a raging blaze, foreshadowing the challenges yet to come.

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