After the violent eruption on the basketball court had been settled and the hierarchy of the sports department dismantled, Max made his final decision. There was no longer any logic in staying; the university had served its purpose as a temporary scouting ground, and the air of academia felt increasingly stifling. But before he walked away for good, he had one final order to give. He requested that every member of the Billion Bloodline currently enrolled at the school meet him in one of the private teaching rooms.
The room filled quickly. Alongside the battle-hardened Bloodline members sat Talia, Yovan, Rick, Aki, Jono, Steve, and Eric. They moved with a hesitant, skittish energy, still half-expecting a squad of vengeful seniors to burst through the door at any second.
Max stood at the front of the lecture hall, silhouetted against the whiteboard. He looked less like a student and more like a seasoned professor delivering a final, life-altering lecture.
"I want to thank all of you for answering my call when I needed you," Max began, his voice steady and commanding.
Talia and Yovan glanced behind them, and for the first time, they truly saw the other students in the room. These weren’t the boisterous, loud-mouthed athletes they were used to. These students had a quiet, jagged edge to them, a "delinquent aura" that felt far more dangerous than anything the rugby team had projected. It was a revelation to realize that these enforcers had been sitting in their classes all along, one or two in every department, hidden in plain sight until their King had summoned them.
"I gathered you here because I wanted to announce that I will no longer be attending this university," Max explained, his gaze sweeping across the room. "When I joined, I had ulterior motives, and that objective is now complete. But for the rest of you, the situation is different."
He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in. "You came here to pursue a future. You came here to learn. I’m worried that your affiliation with the Billion Bloodline will eventually hinder that. I don’t want you living a double life where the shadows of the Underworld eventually eclipse your education."
Max took a step forward. "Which is why I am asking you to give up your fists. I am asking you to leave the Billion Bloodline group."
A wave of confused mumbling rippled through the room. The Bloodline members looked at each other, wondering if this was some kind of loyalty test or a cruel joke. But as they looked at Max’s face, they saw only a grim, parental sincerity.
"University is a singular experience in a person’s life," Max continued. "It’s a time that shouldn’t be ruined by the kind of violence you saw today. You did a good thing for this school by clearing out the rot, and now you should enjoy the peace you created. This is a chance you might never get again."
He saw the flicker of hesitation in their eyes, the worry about finances and the loss of the high wages the Bloodline provided.
"If the cost of tuition is your concern, then consider it handled. I will personally pay for every one of you to finish your degrees. I will cover your rent, your books, and every other expense you need to focus entirely on your studies. You will leave this place without a cent of debt."
Max turned toward the door, where Aron was already waiting. "I want you to focus on your potential, rather than the quick money the group brings. And if you graduate and decide the ’normal’ world isn’t for you, there will always be a place for you back at the Billion Bloodline. I just want to ensure you have the choice."
The room was stunned into a deafening silence. The offer was staggering, a level of corporate-tier philanthropy that was unheard of in the criminal world. Before anyone could find the words to ask for clarification, Max was already moving. He strode out of the room with the practiced efficiency of a man with a much larger mission on his horizon.
"Man," Rick sighed, leaning back in his chair with a look of pure admiration. "I don’t know if he does it on purpose or not, but it’s stuff like that which makes me want to follow him even more. He gives you a way out, and it only makes you want to stay. I really wonder where you’re going to end up, Max."
At the same time, the students who weren’t part of the Bloodline, Talia, Yovan, and the others, were lost in deep thought. Their lives suddenly felt incredibly small. They had been caught in the slipstream of a whirlwind, witnessing a world of power and legacy that made their daily worries about grades seem trivial.
"I knew I should have made a move," Talia whispered, a bittersweet smile on her face. "It feels like I just watched my prince charming escape into the night."
"I’m sorry," Yovan said, her voice unusually soft. "I thought the stories were all lies. I think I really might have messed up your chance by being so skeptical."
"It’s okay," Talia replied, watching the door Max had exited. "A person like that probably has a thousand people chasing him. I probably never stood a chance anyway."
Outside, Max took one last look at the university campus before stepping into the sleek black car waiting at the curb.
"Let’s keep moving forward, Aron. And for heaven’s sake, let’s get you out of those ridiculous janitor clothes," Max claimed as he settled into the leather seat.
"Ah, right," Aron said, sliding behind the wheel and pulling away from the curb. "It seems we have visitors waiting for us back at the Fortis Group. They arrived shortly after the fight ended."
"Visitors? For me?" Max asked, raising a curious eyebrow.
"Indeed," Aron replied, his expression turning professional and wary. "And they claim they’ve traveled from quite far out of town to see the man who united Notting Hill."