"You were talking to someone"
Sir Raymond's eyes darted across the room, like he needed to catch a criminal.
"I was talking to myself, alright?", Jake replied and continued the mopping. The window still floated before his eyes. It was smaller and easy to see through so he'd rather not close it. The fact that he was a level 9 player already, while just starting the game felt impressive.
"I am pretty sure I heard you remark $5000", he said, still looking around don't fully. "You had one hell of an high-pitched note, like '$5000?!' so there is definitely someone here"
"Alright", Jake gave in and glanced at the clock. The detention period was almost over. "You can go find him sir"
Sir Raymond took a step and paused. "That sounds like you are sending me on an errand. You're not, are you?", he glared. "And stop glancing at the clock. You're not leaving till you're done with that"
"What?! –"
"- 'the fuck'. Add it", Sir Raymond dared. "Add it so I can add some other important things"
*This man is a fucker* "You like keeping students here, don't you?", Jake asked, speeding up his mopping. "Or it's just me you hate"
"It's just you, man", Sir Raymond smiled. He walked to his seat, as though excited by the new topic. "But it's not hatred. It's love that makes anyone want to keep anyone around"
Jake stared back at him. "Uh… I'm not gay"
Sir Raymond laughed. "Ha-ha. I'm not gay either", he replied. "I just think you should learn to pay more attention in class, instead of beating everybody up."
"Well, I got defeated, already."
He continued the mopping, staring at the dirty tiles with intent. *this ground is messing with my head*
Someone knocked on the door and stepped in.
"Hey, Kate"
*Hmm. Kate. Sounds like a nice name* Jake looked back stylishly. "It's you again!!", he exclaimed, glaring at the fat girl.
"It's you again? Yuck!", she mimicked and walked to Sir Raymond. "I'm done with the textbook, sir. Thank you"
"You're welcome, Kate", Sir Raymond replied. "Have a great night"
"You too sir"
Jake stared at the door, as she walked out.
"You like her, right? Yea, I like her too"
"Don't say things like that so fast", Jake retorted. "You have to give me a chance to say no"
"Well, I like her and you"
"What's that? Bleh!"
"She's been having workout classes and she won't be fat in a few months", Sir Raymond said and leaned back. "I have a feeling it'll affect her studies… so I want you to help her get in shape, while she will teach you to focus on your studies"
"Focus on my studies? What am I, twelve?"
Sir Raymond smiled, condemningly. Jake stared back at his face, like he was missing something. He knew that smile. That was the smile you gave an ignorant person. "You've never heard of the dump site, have you?"
"The dump site's real, so what?"
"Lol. Well, you've been defeated already", Sir Raymond said, casually. "You have nothing to keep your head up and your life is totally empty, right now. You should devote to something else"
**★**
Standing for so long in Sir Raymond's office and holding that surprisingly heavy mop; it finally told on him, the moment he dropped his body on the bed.
Level 9
A smirk shaped out on his face. The thought still excited him, pretty much. His eyes closed slowly and he fell asl-
"Wake up", a hand tapped him roughly on the thighs.
He could feel every hit but his eyes were too stubborn to open… or his brain just wasn't reacting.
"Wake up, Jake!" a hand slapped his face, heavily, throwing him right out of his dream
"Who's that bastard?!", he jumped up.
"You know you react too fast for an ordinary loser like you"
Jake paused. "Come out… come out and face me. We'll know who loser is in five minutes"
A laugh erupted. He could feel it in his ears, yet he could see no one.
"Wait. Are you speaking from the window?", Jake exclaimed. "You slapped me from the window?"
"Yea, Jake. We can do a lot of stupid things with your life now", the man replied from the window. "Now. Stare at the window"
Jake raised his eyes and a new writing appeared.
'Sudden Mission: Retrieve old man's goggles from thug. Reward: Third Eyes. Punishment: Nine'
"Alright. There is no punishment. What makes you think I will be willing to do this?"
"Because that is the only way you can defeat your enemies", the voice replied. "Step out the door. You will be taken to the mission"
Jake sighed. There was the hidden excitement in him. *Level 9. This is going to be fun.*
**★**
Blinded for a split second, he could feel a huge storm whooshing right into him, as he stepped out the door. *Where am I?* It didn't look like anywhere within Akademy. The Akademy borders were supposed to be impenetrable.
"Where is this place?", Jake asked. He was standing on a building top. It was dark already but he could still see clearly.
"How's the view?"
"Nice… what am I to do now?"
"You are outside Akademy, now", the voice replied. "You will be known as a mysterious hero here. This is where your training begins till you learn how everything works"
"Uh…", Jake muttered. *That sounds a bit confusing*
"Look into the night. Those gangsters laughing", the voice said. "They are your targets. There is a wallet with them. You have to find it"
"I don't understand. I'm just going to ask for it? Or I just barge in and start checking them?"
"It's up to you… you will be borrowed a bit of the third eye ability.. It will help you note what you are looking for"
Immediately, he could see a glow in the dark. The bright glow made it a bit harder to see the other gangsters. "Alright", Jake said. "I'm just going to beat them up"
He jumped down at the gangsters and kicked at one. It was weak enough to bounce him back. He dashed at the first one with a blow. The gangster caught his hit easily and smacked him down. In seconds, the gangsters were hitting him endlessly. Every hit felt like the end of his world. *What the fuck was that level 9 for? I'mma die here*
"Fight back, Jake, or you'll lose the mission", the voice said.
Jake managed to open his eyes. He could still see the glow and it was close to him. He swiped his hand at it and grabbed, keeping the item in his pocket quickly. Strength was draining out of him too quickly. *Fuck! I'mma lose this*
He pushed himself up, suddenly. He felt some sort of new strength in himself. A new writing appeared on the window. 'Your Endurance Level Just Increased By 10%'
Another smack knocked him out.
...….
His eyes opened slowly. The window glitched in front of him. 'Level up: 9 + 1'
'You have received the Third Eye… You can now see levels of others'
He raised his back slowly. "I got my ass kicked", he muttered. "This mission sucks"
"But you got rewarded… With the third eye, you can know if you are fighting against a match or someone stronger"
"So that is what the level is for", he exhaled. He jolted, as the alarm bleeped suddenly. *The fuck? I haven't even slept!*
**★**
He staggered, across the hallway, barely seeing anything at all. He had a persistent ache in his head, crying for some sleep. He yawned for the umpteenth time.
"Shut your mouth, jerk!", a guy walked past.
Jake stared at him, though he could barely see. A green window glitched over the guy's head. *Who's the fucker?!*
As though walking into a wall, a force pushed him back suddenly. "Watch where you're going, loser!". It was Jerry. He stood in front of him, mocking with a smirk. "You want us to continue yesterday's deal? You still seem small"
"You are an idiot, Jerry", Jake said, confidently. "You don't want me beating y-"
A green window glitched over Jerry's head. Jake could see clearly. His eyes gaped widely, as though he couldn't understand what was written.
'Level 41… Leveller'
"What?!", Jake exclaimed, impulsively.
Jerry laughed. "What are you staring at, you fucker?!", he slapped him. Jake staggered backwards, almost falling. "Oh my-… this is child abuse"
Jerry walked past, slowly, with his irritating smug look. "Wow", Jake muttered, silently. He could actually feel the pain of being extremely weak. "I wasn't this weak before the game"
'You didn't expect to start the game super strong, did you?', the voice asked.
"I thought level 9 was a good thing", Jake replied, walking on and staying quiet to avoid drawing attention. "I wondered if he got stronger or I got weaker. Turns out I got weaker"
He walked into the class and he could see a window over the heads of every classmate, with their levels dangling clearly. Wow! I'm the weakest.
'You never worked for your strength', the voice said. 'But you oppressed the weaker ones with it's
"So this is my punishment?-"
"Hey, Jake!", Kobe's voice thundered. "What's up? Looks like you forgot to greet again"
Jake fumed for a second. He stared at the Kobe's window; 'Level 39… Average'. He was still in the tenth level.
'Say you are sorry', the voice said.
"What's that about?", he muttered indistinctly. "Why would I do that?!"
"Cat got your tongue?", Kobe stepped closer. "Don't bother. I wanted you to default, anyway"
Kobe slammed a punch into his face. Jake staggered backwards, uncontrollably. Kobe's hits used to be useless against him. He had grown really weak.
Kobe laughed. "Oh damn… this guy's so done for", he mocked and glanced at Raven. "And I thought this new guy was actually something"
Kobe stepped closer and punched Jake repeatedly. His mouth was bloodied already and he wasn't fighting back. There was no point, against someone three times stronger.
"Hey!", Raven's voice broke through the noise. "I don't want noise, Kobe…. You either stop that or you get out"
There was a weird silence. Kobe stopped and left Jake on the ground. "See this kid", he said. "Can you stand up and say that again?"
"You're not deaf"
Kobe stepped closer with a clenched fist.
"Good day, class", a teacher stepped in and paused halfway. "You guys never stop th-… wait! Is that Jake?... Someone beat Jake?!.... Something is wrong!"
It was the mathematics teacher; Abacus. He was known for his jesting.
Jake pushed himself up, slowly, glaring at his level, stuck at 10. "What do I do?" he muttered. "What do I do to get stronger?"
'Just do as I say", the voice replied and paused for a second, as Jake got up on his feet. He raised his bloodied face up and exhaled, as if satisfied with what had just happened. 'Now, say thank you… to Raven'
Jake glanced at the new kid, whose eyes seemed fixed on his book. "Raven", Jake called. His eyes fell on the window. Raven's level was 149. Jake nodded and smiled. "Thank you".
'You have earned the initiative ability. Now, you can know how to approach an opponent'
He turned and walked out of the class. "The class is not over", Abacus said. "It's not even started".
Jake took a sharp turning, running quickly to the toilet. He bashed into Kate.
"Ah!", she screamed, silently. "Why does this keep happening?"
"Sorry", he muttered. He kept his head down, stylishly hiding his already bruised face.
"And why do you keep getting a beating? What happened to you?"
"Ha-ha", Sir Raymond appeared, just in time. "I was waiting for this. Now, the two of you got detention"
"Detention?!", Kate exclaimed. "What for?!"
"For fighting? For anything at all. Ha-ha", he walked away. "See you after school hours"
Jake walked past and ran to the toilet.
….....
"It's the second detention already", Jake muttered silently. "And I am pretty sure I have not nagged. When do I get my reward?"
'When the detention period is over'
"Who are you talking to?", Kate asked. "You're so creepy"
"It's not your business"
"Well, I'm glad you took your bath, today", she said. "Your odor added to this would be a suicide mission for me"
*Fuck! She knew*
'Sudden Mission: Apologize to Kate…. Reward: Initiative lv2 Punishment: Zero Consciousness for 2 hours'