It was, of course, Jake who immediately threw a right punch as Marcus turned back. The punch was quite powerful since Jake had practiced boxing with an amateur coach from the gym before. As someone who hadn't awakened his Psychomagic at seventeen, Jake knew he would need to learn some martial arts to back him up if he got into some problem.
"Bastard! You dare to punch me?!" Marcus groaned in disbelief, rubbing his sore cheek because of Jake's punch. His eyes filled with fury as he clenched his fists.
Without command, the subordinates understood what Marcus wanted and started to gank on Jake. With their disparity in posture, Marcus's subordinates were clearly in the advantage.
"You just made a mistake, kid!" Mocked one of the subordinates, looking down on Jake.
Being underestimated, Jake who was consumed by anger started to explode. Being prepared with his boxing stance, Jake took a half step and threw a cross punch toward the guy in front of him.
"Whoah. Easy," said the guy with bulky posture as he dodged to the right with a slight reflect.
However, Jake hadn't finished, he kept his focus on the gue named Josh because he's the biggest person in there. So, he kept launching his combo punch with a little dance of footwork, Jake barely land any damage. Maybe Jake had a strong fist, but he lacked in techniques and experience in an actual fight. Throwing some punches, most of them just hit the wind.
After a moment, Jake was grabbed from behind by one of the guys and locked in some grappling hold because he wasn't aware enough of his surroundings. He forgot that he didn't face one but three guys. That grip alone was enough to make him struggle. Jake couldn't break out because the disparity of physical strength was too big.
Seeing Jake struggling in vain, Marcus walked closer then hit Jake with a strong punch straight on his belly. Just one strike needed and Jake looked like he had already beaten, groaning miserably with his face turned pale.
Unbeknownst to Jake, Marcus had been practicing martial arts. He wasn't the son from the Stanford family for nothing. Stanford wasn't a Magian family but they were prosperous in business marketing. At least, Marcus's dad wanted his children to be able to protect themselves.
Grinning evilly at Jake who was coughing in pain, Marcus smirked. It seemed he was not done yet.
"Is this all you got, huh? You hit just like a woman, but dare to oppose me?! Trash like you... do you wanna die?!" After gripping Jake's lower jaw, Marcus spat out his face.
Yet, when Marcus was about to hit Jake again, Chloe stepped in and Grabbed Marcus's right hand. Marcus turned his head, with his bloodshot eyes piercing through her eyes. However, Chloe glared back at him instead, making him chills because Marcus realized that he couldn't move her with raw strength.
'Impossible, how can be a little girl be stronger than me?' Marcus was alarmed in his mind.
Knowing a trace of fear in Marcus's eyes, Chloe tightened her grip and started to flow a freezing aura. Marcus was stunned as he felt painful coolness like his wrist being pierced by countless needles. Never in a million years, he would think that the girl staring at him furiously was an actual Magian!
"Arghh! What are you doing!? Let me go! Damn it!" Screaming miserably, Marcus kneeled on the ground, hoping Chloe would give him mercy.
"You, You... better stop right now! You don't know who Marcus's family is!"
"Crazy bitch! Do you know you are violating the Academy's rule!? Let him go now!"
Both of Marcus's subordinates yelled, reminding Chloe about who and what she had offended. Of course, they were angry, but they were also scared at the same time. Fight against a Magian? Even if they had 9 lives, they wouldn't dare for once. So they could only attack her verbally.
However, Chloe didn't seem to falter. Instead of just letting Marcus go, she raised her right foot and kicked Marcus in the face until he hit the ground hard. After a second, Marcus passed out.
"I don't be sorry for a scumbag like you! If not me, there would be someone who trampled over your dead face someday!" With disdain look, Chloe said dreadfully.
"This girl is a lunatic!" Murmuring in horror, one of the subordinates rushed to check Marcus's Condition. Marcus's wrist was turned red and a bit swollen with some transparent ices wrapping it.
Witnessing all that just happened, Jake was the most dumbfounded one. As Chloe's best friend, even from childhood, he didn't know that Chloe had awoken her power. Moreover, it was so strong to freeze Marcus's hand in an instant.
Trying to get up, Jake was overjoyed and proud of Chloe. But then he realized the unfortunate part is that Chloe had violated one of the primal prohibited rules in the Academy which is assaulting a commoner using magical power.
Realizing Jake getting up, Chloe leaped and lent him a hand. "Are you alright?"
Jake nodded and forced himself to make a smile. "I didn't know you had—"
Jake couldn't finish his words as the pain surged inside his stomach. However, he couldn't let his pride down over how low it already was. Trying to save the girl he has a crush on, but ended up being saved instead. Is there more laughable effort than what he just did?
"Don't talk too much, you need treatment first." Chloe concerned.
After that, Chloe was instructed to see the Principal as the chief disciplinarian of the students. Fortunately, Chloe was suspended for one month only. Jake didn't understand why on earth the Principal was negligent about her punishment, but Jake felt happy nevertheless.
However, that incident took a toll on Jake's image. Wherever they went together, students would make fun of him with the phrase "the man saved by the heroine". It was because of some big-mouthed students, so the incident spread out and become a laughing stock of the whole first-grades.