Chapter 20 - Breakthrough

it was early in the morning in the military school as it was almost time for class, the basic law meant for students to follow were not that much but the one of the major ones was, students shouldn't be late for class as it was intolerable as this is the military school.it's meant to uphold, discipline and commitment no matter the reputation held.
that was the law set up to be upheld, but in some cases a few strings might be pulled to make an exception, for some influential students but they still served some light punishments.
"awwwn i haven't had a good night rest since a while..." drip said ruffling his blue hair staring at the wall.
[Hp: 95/100]
ever since he became a parasite, that was the daily greeting notification of the system, indicating his hp was depleting but over the past few days, he found a solution to the problem by consuming meat.
but he was in the military academy, and if he kept on purchasing meat the vendors would become, suspicious and report him so he had to look for another way.
apparently a double sided solution came his way, as he scored his first human kill and evolved into a parasite unlocking the system store, which gave him a vast space for the storage and access of non living things.
"you slept like a rock." leo said sitting down on drip's bed, apparently prepared for class.
"i didn't expect you, to be up this early... "
"oh and why is that so? "
"well... it's nothing forget about it, am just glad you're back."
"ok then... can we head to class now, i don't want to be late since I've missed something's..."
"yes sir!" drip felt relieved in his heart to see his friend safe and sound, but there was still this lingering fear in his heart, and he didn't know if it was just his parasite's instinct, but he just dismissed the thought as he and leo were walking to class.
"so what happened in school, while i was away?"
"well nothing much." drip briefed leo on the past occurrences, between the past few days he had been away, the duel, the lesson on mana.
"guess you guys really have done a lot. *sigh..."
"hey leo it's ok.... the important part is you're back, and you're not going anywhere else."
"yeah not going anywhere else...."
they arrived to class on time, as they still had some few minutes to spare.
"i didn't realize, i was living with a pervert..." leo said jokingly.
"ha rumours do fly huh!..." drip said weirdly before turning to the board, as pt jack had already arrived, before the students.
"leo welcome back." PT jack nodded as he greeted leo warmly.
thank you sir, it's a pleasure to be here again. leo said bowing his head down in respect.
"you've missed something's but i know you're a fast learner, you'll catch up."
"but there's one thing i want both of you to promise me..."
"what's that PT jack?" the duo said in unison.
"you're both bright young talents, and both of you just recently joined in, but it would be definitely hurt my heart, to see such bright young talents go to waste."
they were listening in deep on what PT jack had to say, as his expression was dead serious this was the first time, he had talked to them being bright young talents, and they couldn't wait to here what PT jack meant by "going to waste".
"so promise me, the both of you will have each others back, and none will die in the upcoming hunt." there was silence in the room, as drip and leo took time, to process what PT jack said.
"so this is their way of making us disappear, the teachers must know about it, judging from how he's acting." leo thought as he stared at PT jack, hints of anger showing on his forehead.
"they must think we're some goats to dispose of, but am not the same leo as before." clenching his fists so tight, that his nails dug into his flesh, and blood was trickling out but he didn't show any signs of pain.
a few minutes later and class had began, they reapeated the same process as yesterday everyone who couldn't feel the mana had their eyes close, and were meditating including leo and drip.
ha they are never going to feel it, they should stop trying, our precious time's being wasted. the bald haired boy from before, who punched his fists earlier on said, mimicking a student who was struggling.
"Jim just because you felt yours early, doesn't give you the right to mock others who haven't, as you're all still equal.
"w-what how? no i felt the mana, so that means am stronger, than any of this weaklings." Jim tried to argue back, as he felt like his ego was hurt.
this time, it was the Kira who replied Jim, seemingly disgusted of people like him.
"you fool, just because you felt it early doesn't give you an edge among others, you still need an ability to Chanel it to, or you'll still be as useless as before." she didn't even look in his direction, as his mere presence irritated her to the core.
"what the fuck did you say blondie?" the nearby students, already knew the outcome of this, so they had already moved away from them.
"you heard me stupid! or are you just dumber than usual."
soft giggles and laughs, were heard from the crowd, as Jim was enraged beyond control
"that's it..." Jim charged in for an attack like a mad cow, since he wasn't far from Kira, he thought he'd touch her.
"you'd dare hit a girl, you disgust me."
"your just an enraged fool, even your attacks are predictable . as Jim was close, with a fist to her head she dodged to the side, and gave a powerful kick to his guts.
his eyes widened, as his insides were in a lot of pain but he gritted his teeth, not wanting to accept defeat and held Kira's leg tightly.
"what are you going to do now princess?" he had a sarcastic smile on his face, but the next sec all he heard was a bang sound, followed with cracks as his left leg was broken.
"argh!" he screamed, as he let go of Kira's other leg to attend to his injury, but that was when it went lights out for him as Kira punched his face, knocking him out cold.
"a brain.. that's what separates a skilled warrior, from a blockhead." her hair was somehow ruffled, which contrasted more with her beauty.
"is there anyone else, who thinks am not right?" they shook their heads immediately, not wanting to anger this beautiful shedevil.
"who would've thought she knew how to fight." drip thought in his mind, looking at this seductive girl even though he was trying to resist, he couldn't help but stare once in a while.
he had been to busy watching the scene, that he failed to notice leo hadn't broken his concentration, since he ignored the noise and continued meditating until...
"i-i feel the ball orb of energy..."
everyone was shocked even Kira, no one would have thought that, leo could make a breakthrough, within a short period of time.
"congratulations! leo nex you just felt mana, you should be proud..." PT jack said clapping.
"it's nothing sir i just concentrated really hard that's all, am sure everyone one here, will achieve theirs soon." he looked at drip giving him a thumbs up.
"hey isn't that the pervert...."
"yeah it is, but Leo's giving him a thumbs up which means, they're close..."
"maybe he's just a lucky guy leo pointed at."
"either way he's cute, i wonder if i'll talk to him..."
drip was lost for words not only had Leo's personality changed, but he had also managed to make a breakthrough ahead of him, who practiced hard throughout yesterday's class.
"alright that's enough, two of you should volunteer to take jim to the nurse's office, while the rest of you should continue practicing the others are free to leave."
many students left the class for fun while Kira, leo and two other students remained to continue meditating.
"hey you must be leo right?" Kira asked extending her hand for a shake.
"yes can i help you?" he didn't accept her handshake, instead he put his hands in his pockets.
"i see you don't talk to anyone, except him correct..."
"so do you have a problem with that?" leo asked ready for a fight.
"calm down... i don't have a problem, but don't you think something's off about him."
"i don't." leo said walking away from her, to where drip was.
he noticed that he was struggling with something, as sweat rolled down his face soaking his uniform, he thought of waking him but dismissed the idea, hours passed as drip was still in that state this time, blood dripping from his mouth.
"should i wake him?..."
"he's in deep pain, and might hurt himself internally but, i don't want to ruin his chance." leo was in a dilemma on what to do, as he could only watch his friend in pain.
drip was shaking uncontrollably, from head to toe as his body temperature was hot, more blood seeping from his mouth.
"that's it am waking him." as he was about to touch him, drip's eyes were fluttering open, with a smile on his lips.
"i-i did it."
*******
while meditating on the first day trying to feel mana, drip saw that there was a tennis size ball of dark energy in his guts, just as he tried to absorb a little bit of mana the black tennis ball absorbed it, making it a little bigger he was first amazed by this, as he guessed that was the substance that entered his body.
"this might be a problem." he had a frown on his face, as the ball of black energy kept on feeding on, the little mana absorbed.
he tried repeatedly, but it was the same result, until an idea came up to his head.
"what if i try to surpress the black energy, by depleting it through out my body leaving only a small amount, then try absorbing a large amount of mana." the idea sounded plausible, but there a few draw backs.
"this ball of energy represents my life force, so if things doesn't work out well i might die from that, or explode from large absorption of mana."
"no risk no reward." drip thought as he applied the theory to test, he felt the life going out from him, as his system confirmed it
[Hp:85/100]
[user's life force is depleting consume meat to restore]
he ignored the message and pushed forward, until his hp was 10 percent the he started absorbing large amount of mana, his body felt like it was hit by a trailer, as shooting pains were transmitted to his brain all over.
he was sweating seriously, as blood trickled down his mouth, it was a painful experience like when he was evolving, but he endured until he heard the system notification.
[user has absorbed more mana]
[mana: 400/400]
[user has consumed 20% of meat from store]
[hp: 100/100]
he watched, as the little dark energy grew back to it normal tennis ball size, that's when he opened his eyes to find Leo's hand near his face.
******
"are you alright drip? you were shaking uncontrollably, and blood was pouring out from your mouth, i thought you were going to die..." Leo's face was worried sick, to the extent his head was hurting, but he was worried more about drip.
Kira came over to drip's side, as she felt something, like a burst of energy in drip.
"y-your mana i-t's higher than mine how?" leo too felt it, but was to worried about drip, to care about that.
"you never seem to surprise me newbie, not only did you manage to feel it, you also managed to increase the amount your body could store." PT jack was surprised, and amazed by drip's actions, as he had been watching ever since.
"it was a risky move, and you could've died from large absorption of mana, but you managed to pull through, you really are strong witted."
drip just had a weak smile as he bowed, but his body was just to weak he passed out from exhaustion, and was falling but leo quickly caught him while Kira also supported him.
take him to the nurse's office, he needs some treatment afterwards rest, class dismissed.