A surge of vigor coursed through my veins, propelling me forward despite the confusion that clouded my mind. It wasn't a sudden realization that Jeffrey needed my help, nor was it the first time I had witnessed him being bullied.
Deep within my heart, I understood that the unfair rule in place only served to benefit me. Jeffrey's larger size, which some unkindly labeled as obesity, made him an easy target.
His round figure, akin to an apple, was accentuated by his curly hair that cascaded over his cracked spectacles, now lying on the ground. Seeing him subjected to such cruelty ignited a rage within me—an anger I had never truly known before.
But amidst the turmoil of my emotions, I couldn't comprehend the intensity of this newfound feeling.
It was as if I had tapped into an unfamiliar well of determination when suddenly, the blond boy, whom I had flung the trash can at, unleashed a growl of indignation. His voice cut through the air, cold and piercing.
"Did you just throw the trash can at me?" His eyes bulged, seemingly on the verge of popping out of his face. In comparison, my own anger felt feeble, like an eagle confined within the den of a lion—clarifying that I was not the lion in this scenario.
I let out a shriek, my rage dissipating into thin air, leaving me perplexed. Veins around his eyes expanded, reddening as he advanced toward me. With each step, I involuntarily took one backward until my back collided with the wall.
Towering over me, he peered down, his voice still chilling. "I asked you a question, you bastard." I muttered, barely audible, "Uhh, mhmmm."
My mind raced, searching for words, wondering why I had provoked someone twice my size. Where had this sudden surge of bravery come from?
His dark-haired companion lingered at the back, his fear mirroring mine. It was then that I realized I had made a grave mistake, but at least I was still standing. I needed to act swiftly before he pummeled me into oblivion.
Assessing the situation, I concluded that the tougher of the two appeared to be the blond boy. If I could shock him twice, maybe I would gather enough strength, enough mana, to face his companion.
[--User is channeling shock--]
"Cat got your tongue. You were so talkative moments ago. Did you—" Before he could finish his sentence, I unleashed a surge of volts, targeting him with the maximum intensity I could muster. He let out a silent shriek of pain, taking a step back in shock.
Glancing briefly at his astonished friend, I sensed a mix of surprise and a warning in his eyes. There was no time to dwell on it; I needed to strike again, making him my next target. Closing in swiftly, I channeled the same potent volts through any point of contact my left hand could find.
But suddenly, a searing pain shot through my wrist, causing me to scream in agony. Confusion engulfed me. "What just happened?" I questioned myself. Looking down, my heart sank as I beheld my crushed wrist, bones partially tearing through the skin, blood seeping out.
A twisted smile adorned his face, a stark contrast to the anger he had previously shown. "I get it now," he uttered. "The reason you were so fearless throwing a trash can at a stranger twice your size is that you're awakened." Releasing his grip on my arm, I collapsed to the ground, cradling my injured limb with my trembling right hand.
Tears streamed down my cheeks as I whimpered, "What the heck, man? You crushed my hand." The pain was excruciating, transforming me from the would-be savior to one in desperate need of salvation.
I glanced at Jeff, still lying on the ground, the dark-haired guy's leg pressing against his face. He wore a look of remorse for my suffering, but he was helpless to intervene.
"Even in your current state, you're still concerned about your friend. Your loyalty is truly admirable. I'm almost envious," he remarked, his blood-soaked hand capturing my attention. The unnerving grin remained etched on his face.
Fear gripped me. How could he possess such unfathomable strength to crush my wrist effortlessly? A mere human shouldn't possess that level of power—or so I believed. Perhaps I had underestimated the magnitude of my mistake.
Uncertainty plagued my thoughts, compelling me to confirm my suspicions using my peek ability.
[--User attempts to use Peek--]
[--Peek is active--]
What in the world! How did I find myself entangled with someone of such formidable strength? Who is he?
<< Peaked Profile >>
Name: Dylan Hawking
Sex: Male
Tier: 4 Gold
Ability: Rage Reckoning -
Description: The user possesses an extraordinary ability to tap into their anger and channel it as a source of incredible strength.
...???
...???
...???
[--Peak level too low. User is unable to view the remaining stats--]
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
"Ha, I see you've finally caught on. I was growing tired of being unable to unleash my power on Porky over there due to some asinine school rule. But thanks to you, the path is clear. As a token of appreciation, I'll let you choose who I send to the hospital first," he declared, hopping back and forth, throwing rapid jabs as if preparing for an MMA fight.
"So, what'll it be? Will you go first, or shall Porky here have the honor of taking the initial beating?"
In a barely audible voice, I muttered, "...Asshole," unaware that my words carried further than anticipated, catching his ears. Abruptly halting his jabs, anger surged across his face once again as he screamed,
"What the hell did you just call me?"
My initial fear gradually subsided, replaced by a newfound resolve. "I called you an asshole, dipshit. It's amusing to see you revel in fighting nobodies from the slums when you clearly hail from one of those prestigious awakened academies," I retorted, rising slowly from the ground, my wrist throbbing with pain. "Tell me, are you so low on the hierarchy over there that you resort to beating innocent kids to salvage your shattered ego? Drowning yourself in a sea of lies, pretending to be superior? How pitiful."
My words struck him with a crushing force, shattering him further than my aching wrist ever could. I observed disbelief wash over his face, quickly transforming into a disturbing blend of anger and determination.
His muscles tensed, his fist clenched tightly as he charged toward me, propelled by wounded pride. In the past, this sight would have terrified me, possibly leading to an involuntary loss of bodily control. But now, an unexpected sensation coursed through me—thrill.
No matter how much pain he could inflict upon me, it would never be enough to heal his bruised ego.
To my astonishment, just as Dylan closed in on me, Klein emerged suddenly from the shadows. His hand struck my face with such force that it sent me sprawling to the ground. Struggling to regain my footing, I found Klein steadfastly standing between us, beads of sweat trickling down his face as he struggled to find his words. With a touch of stuttering, he spoke up, his voice carrying a mix of urgency and desperation.
"There's no point in wasting your time on this loser," Klein addressed Dylan, his voice trembling. "Our mission is accomplished. The orc is dead, and we shouldn't invite any further trouble. Instructor Jin could return at any moment."
In an instant, Dylan's entire demeanor underwent a transformation. A false smile stretched across his face, concealing his true sentiments. "You're right," he conceded, his tone dripping with insincerity. "I suppose it's wise to stop here and avoid causing more complications."
He began to walk away, but after a few steps, he abruptly halted. His voice turned bitter, laced with animosity. "You could have continued groveling, you know," Dylan sneered. "Perhaps you didn't say it outright, but you called me a troublemaker. Well, I guess I'll have to add you to my list of patients."
Before I could fully process his words, a whirlwind of movement shattered the air. Klein was forcefully propelled through the wall behind me, the impact causing it to crumble and cave in.
The world descended into chaos as dust engulfed the surroundings, impairing my vision. Coughing and disoriented, I frantically searched through the debris, desperate to catch a glimpse of Klein's well-being. Fear and concern gripped my heart, overshadowing the lingering thrill from our recent clash.
Gradually, the settling dust revealed the devastating scene before me. Klein lay motionless, partially buried beneath the wreckage of the collapsed wall.
The sight sent a chilling realization through me, "If this asshole could do this to his friend, imagine what he could do to me."
I knew I was next as his gaze shifted from his clenched fist to meet my eyes. Desperation surged within me, but the only ability I possessed had proven ineffective against him. Frantically scanning the chaotic surroundings, I searched for something, anything, that could aid my survival.
Yet, all I could see were piles of debris. "This asshole killed a fucking orc. How will stones and debris salvage me from this situation?"
Amid the chaos, my eyes met Jeff's once again. This time, he wore a determined expression, mirroring my resolve to bring this dipshit to his knees. Jeff was cunning, far more intelligent than anyone I had ever known. He directed my attention to a thin rod lying amidst the wreckage, then winked, signaling me to prepare myself.
Taking a large rock from beside him, he slowly approached Dylan, who was also closing in on me. Dylan taunted as he closed the distance, "All you had to do was mind your damn business. Now you'll pay for your foolishness." With his fist clenched, he launched a punch at me.
Before his punch could land, Jeff swung the rock, smashing it against the lower crown of Dylan's head while screaming "Leave us alone."
The blow sent Jeff flying as Dylan retaliated with an elbow strike, but the damage Jeff inflicted caused Dylan to stumble and briefly falter.
I knew I had to seize this opportunity, to act swiftly before Dylan could fully recover. Rolling on the ground, I reached out and grabbed the thin rod that resembled a wire amidst the chaotic debris.
As Dylan slowly regained his composure, I stabbed him with the rod. His skin proved as tough as rock, barely allowing the rod to break through, but it was enough to elicit a scream of pain from him. Desperate, he tried to reach for the rod, but I refused to let him. Charging up the maximum current I could channel, I knew it wouldn't be enough to incapacitate a skilled Awakened like him.
[--User attempts to channel shock--]
[Volts: 5...15...30...45...60]
[--User is unable to reach maximum voltage capabilities--]
The system alerted me that I had reached my optimal capabilities, but my gut told me it wouldn't be sufficient. Ignoring the incessant warning from the system, I continued to charge up more current when suddenly...
[Maximum current has been adjusted]
[--User now has an optimum channeling voltage of 80--]
There was no time to celebrate or be surprised. I continued charging up the current beyond the 60-volt threshold until I finally reached 80.
Gripping the rod tightly, I channeled the current through it and zapped Dylan through his skin. The air was filled with his piercing screams as he writhed in agonizing pain.
As I unplugged the rod from his back, he crumpled to the ground, his collapse met with deafening silence. I was drenched in sweat, my breaths coming in short gasps.
I felt a surge of relief, but it was quickly overshadowed by the urgency to escape the scene with Jeff. The uncertainty of when Dylan might awaken again loomed over us, adding to the sharp pain radiating from my broken wrist. "How the hell did I manage to restrain Dylan with this injured wrist?" I questioned myself, the realization sinking in.
I was on the verge of collapsing when Jeff steadied me, supporting me with his shoulders.
Together, we moved slowly, attempting to put distance between ourselves and the chaos we had just endured. However, I had underestimated the resilience and recovery speed of a well-trained Awakened.
Dylan's voice shattered the silence of the alleyway, piercing through the air. "That was impressive, I'll give you that. But all you did was make me very mad," he declared, rising from the ground. The question of what kind of monster I had provoked and how he had recovered so swiftly plagued my mind.
Jeff quickened his pace, urging me to keep up, but Dylan was already closing in on us with astonishing speed. Fear gripped us, causing a momentary misstep that sent us sprawling to the ground. "Forget about the hospital. I'm going to kill both of you right here, right now," Dylan threatened, his muscles bulging once again, ready to unleash his devastating strength.
Just as he was about to strike, a sudden freeze paralyzed Dylan mid-air. His legs became trapped in the ground, rendering him immobile.
A voice echoed through the alleyway, interrupting the tension. "As I said, we have done enough damage to them. Let them go," it commanded. It was Klein, showing signs of recovery from his injury.
Dylan turned his gaze toward Klein, defiance etched on his face. "And if I don't? Who's going to stop me, you?" he challenged. Despite his limited strength, Klein nodded, determination shining in his eyes. "Yes, me. And what of it?"
The situation took an unexpected turn as another deep, unfamiliar voice resonated in the air. "Enough, boys. You've had your fun. Now it's time to face the consequences for your misbehaviors." Both Dylan and Klein began to float in the air, seemingly restrained by an unknown force. I couldn't comprehend who this new figure was or the nature of their ability, but their intervention offered us a temporary respite from imminent danger.