'Purple...Hunter Soul?' thought Bas privately. His hunter soul had actually randomly awakened. Could it be because his soul power was already over level 10? Bas examined the small flame in wonder, 'It doesn't look or feel like my everflame. A variation? Fusion? Evolution? Is this good or bad?'
"Boss!"
"Big brother Rock, are you okay?"
Pewter's lackeys ran to help him up, inwardly terrified. They enjoyed frivolous lives at the school thanks to Pewter's intimidation. They had crossed many people, and even some ladies had been bullied to no end. If anything happened to the big boss, their lives would surely not end well.
"You should really not talk to the ladies like that, Rocky Toothless," said Bas casually.
The girls in the class let out a collective gasp as Sebastian gracefully raised his leg. Their gazes were so intense that Bas almost felt it like an invisible heat radiating through him. Lucara, usually composed and unbothered, felt her heart skip a beat as she watched him slowly lower his leg.
This brat had style!
Chivalry!
And with his physique improving, he was getting easier and easier to look at. Sebastian suddenly seemed much better than any of her past lovers. If he wasn't ten years her junior, then maybe...just maybe she could consider him more than a victim.
"Oh my, Sebastian..."
"Wow, so tough..."
"I think I fell for him..."
"He's okay...Simpson is more chill. I like the laid-back type. Sebastian is a little scary..."
"Tsk, if scary is this hot, I hope he's terrifying!"
"Agreed."
"Agreed."
At the same time, raucous laughter could be heard around the class.
"Did you hear what Bas called him? Toothless rock, the legend!"
"The legend of Rocky Toothless began today..."
"Stop! My side hurts, I can't..."
But someone was in no mood for all the chatter.
"Yuth bith! O yuth durtif suk oth uh bith!"
Pewter "Toothless" Shields tried to curse Bas through his broken teeth as his buddies rushed to pick him up. The class couldn't understand his dribble, but Bas knew what he said.
It was the wrong thing to say.
"I'm sorry, I'm the son of a what? Those words just now...dare to say anything that could be related to my mother again, and you will lose a lot more than teeth."
Fierce!
Imposing!
So regal!
Bas' eyes were malicious, and his face dark. A killing intent imperceptible by all but Pewter himself suddenly invaded the latter's mind. Pewter's legs quaked, and he collapsed like a limp noodle as his boys struggled to keep him up. He suddenly felt warm liquid trickling down his leg.
"What's the smell...?"
"Wait, did Toothless just..?"
"OMG, ew!"
Pewter's reactions were less than well-received.
"Sheesh... I wonder if Sebastian had a bad morning or something?" Charles wondered innocently aloud, feeling rather shocked.
Who expected his friend to be so domineering this morning? Charles had never seen this friend of his so aggressive. It was rather impressive, yet completely out of character. Did Bas start doing drugs? Joined a gang?
Actually, now that Charles thought about it...
Where exactly were his after-school jobs?!
Charles made a mental note to talk to his friend about life and happiness.
Hearing Charles' words, Lucara's face turned red as she remembered the ride to school earlier.
🐉🐉🐉
"It is so cute when you come to pick me up for school. I enjoy a morning alone together like this..." Lucara sat behind Bas on the latter's hoverbike.
Bas couldn't help but grow excited when he felt her full chest resting on his back. After all, even in his previous life, he had quite a limited experience with the opposite sex. How else could his own love interest have murdered him? As a virgin, at that. Couldn't she have sucked him dry in a different way? The selfishness...
Bas now felt determined to associate heavily with beauties in his new life. He would spend less time immersed in the formulation world and more time enjoying life. Chasing skirts, watching shows, playing sports, going to events. This was the life he would live!
No more thousands of years of ascetic formulation, pah!
No more awkward and shy dialogue with chicks, pah, pah, pah!
After all, his knowledge and reflections had all carried over to this life. He didn't need to spend centuries meditating and reflecting on the great truth. Additionally, Bas found it hard to take certain things seriously after dying once. It was good to be alive.
If someone rejected you, would it kill you?
This was unlikely.
However, if someone accepted you, death might come swiftly!
Life could be full of ups and downs...
Lucara was only the first beauty Bas befriended. She smelled like flowers and love with her arms wrapped around Bas' neck as she whispered sweetly into his ear, "I like you a lot, Sebastian, but it takes a lot to date a princess like me."
"Oh yeah? What exactly would it take?" asked Bas, with no trepidation or anxiety whatsoever in his voice.
It was as if he believed she would surely be his, no matter her conditions. Lucara thought she would find this disgusting. However, it made her heart jump. She was the type who loved being dominated even more than she loved to dominate others.
Was this boy really as bold as he seemed, or was this just due to the elation of improving one's strength? Could Sebastian be overestimating himself right now? How would he act in the face of death? How would he behave if he knew her true strength?
This was what Lucara wished to see.
"Hmm. I like strong men who defend the honor of women when other men would demonstrate hatred towards us. There are not enough men in the world who cherish a good woman. Most see us as tools or a means to an end..." Lucara's soft and sensual voice was sweet like candy, her words laced with experience that betrayed her youthful face. Goosebumps formed all over Bas' arms as he listened to her, feeling mixed emotions. Lucara didn't notice as she continued, "Women make this world what it is. How could any of us be born without a woman?"
"I am, of course, the most woman-honoring man in existence. I once saved several maidens from a berserk Waki during a snowstorm. I broke three arms in the process. I always help old ladies cross the road, even at the risk of my own fingers. I cook dinner for my mother and sisters and consider my father a bastard for not being with us. I'm obviously the embodiment of your desires. This is not an issue." Bas replied indifferently.
"Hehe," Lucara giggled from the purest region of her dark heart. "Sisters? I thought you had a brother?"
"How do you mention both brother and sister in plural form?" Bas asked rhetorically. He knew he had more than two siblings, but he didn't mention it. "He'll be fine. Besides, little sisters get protection. If I call him my little brother, he must endure more hardships. The choice is his..."
Lucara laughed once more from her heart. Why had she not noticed before? She found Bas to be so delightful. Lucara hadn't felt so sweet in quite a while. At this moment, she felt like a naive little girl again. She found herself wanting nothing more than to believe in the lies of the man she liked, even though she knew he was lying to make her laugh.
But Lucara felt that Sebastian's reality shouldn't be too far from what he was pretending to be. This was her intuition.
"Well, that's very interesting. However, I haven't seen any of these things from you. You will have to show me."
"Eh...I don't know," Bas scratched his nose gingerly.
"What? Having second thoughts?" Lucara felt a little disappointed.
Where was that drive she was searching for? Was he just a coward, after all? All talk, no action? However, these thoughts were cut off by Bas' next words.
"Once I show you, what's next? Another mission? More trials?" Bas sneered, "I need to know whether you have the interest."
Lucara was stunned, but then she smiled sweetly. She slid her palms down the broad back of Sebastian before sliding them under his sturdy chest. She felt infatuated with this sensation. Something inside Sebastian's body seemed to be claiming ownership over her. Her boyfriend never made her feel like this.
Was this a misconception?
Bas was also stunned as his body reacted fiercely to Lucara's touch. It felt like something inside of her was begging him to accept it.
'What a strange thing...'
It seemed he would need to go through the trouble of proving himself, after all.