The storm mark on Ayo's skin hadn't stopped glowing.
Hours after the pact, his body still buzzed like a charged line. He could feel thunder behind his breath, like a hidden scream.
Zina tested his reflexes in an abandoned gym near Oda Market.
She swung at him with a crowbar.
He dodged.
Then blocked.
Then blurred.
She smiled. "Storm chose well."
But the training was cut short. Tobe rushed in, out of breath.
"They found us. The Syndicate."
Ayo's eyes flickered.
"How many?"
Tobe swallowed. "All of them."
---
The Duel
They fled, but the Syndicate blocked every route. Drones. Guns. Neon dogs — hybrid beasts trained with plasma collars.
Ayo stepped forward.
"No more running."
He walked into the center of Th e Gauntlet, an old MMA arena now turned execution zone. The crowd was Syndicate only. Rich men, neon suits, betting chips.
One voice echoed from above: Zuberi.
The enforcer who crushed rebels with a single punch. Cybernetic arms. A jaw replaced with alloy.
"I heard you've got lightning in your bones," Zuberi growled. "Let's test the storm."
---
Clash of Fire and Steel
Ayo surged.
Faster than eyes.
He struck Zuberi's chest with pure voltage. Zuberi reeled… then laughed. He absorbed the energy. Rewired himself.
But Ayo didn't stop. He redirected, using walls, air, even sweat to conduct current. He wasn't just lightning — he was the storm's will.
And in one final move — he jumped, spun, and channeled thunder through his elbow, slamming it into Zuberi's spine.
Zuberi fell.
Silence.
Then screams.
The Syndicate was furious.
But it didn't matter.
Ayo had won.