"Did she just stop Peter's attack?"
"She just saved the blind loser."
"Wait, isn't that Silver Stone? The level 5 energy user?"
Larry could hear different whispers from the students as he stood there, trying to grasp the reality of what was happening. The students were saying different things, but one name stood out that he caught onto:
"Silver Stone," he whispered to himself, raising his gaze, though all he could see was darkness. "Gosh, I nearly forgot about my disability."
"What... what are you doing?" Peter finally found his voice after the long silence. He was staring at the girl in front of him, who had tightened her grip around his right wrist.
He was trying hard to maintain his composure as his wrist began freezing more with each passing second, while the two maintained a straight look.
Zach and David knew better than to interfere—they were all familiar with the girl in front of them.
But the problem was, why was she helping Larry?
That wasn't just a problem, but the question on everyone's mind, including Larry's.
After what seemed like an eternity, the girl named Silver released Peter's hand, and he let out a yelp as he staggered back, staring at his frozen arm.
"I thought you were better than this, Peter," she said before turning and walking out of the scene. "And you—follow me."
Larry could not believe his ears. Even though he was blind, he was aware she was referring to him. She walked past him, and he quickly turned to follow her.
Peter watched them leave, his face filled with anger as he forcefully broke the ice that had frozen his arm.
"What do we do now, Peter? Will she report us to the Sergeants?" Zach asked, worry evident in his expression.
"I'm not sure. Silver doesn't talk to anyone, and as far as I know, she has no ties with that blind loser," Peter replied. Although Peter's words seemed to calm them a little, David was the most worried of all. First, Larry seemed to have the favor of Homeroom Teacher Alex, and now the most popular girl in class.
'I wonder why that is. Or is it part of his ability? No... I haven't heard of such a thing.' David's mind was racing.
"What? What are you all staring at?" Peter snapped, referring to the students, who quickly dispersed. Silver had publicly disgraced him because of Larry Quinn. This did not solve anything but only increased the hatred he felt toward Larry.
---
Bing!
The door to the dormitory slid open after the correct password was entered, and Larry walked into his room with his stick guiding the way. He looked completely fine, but his mind was so troubled that he didn't notice the others in the room.
"Larry... you're back," a voice called, snapping Larry out of his thoughts. He raised his head, though he couldn't see who it was.
"Yes, Bred! I'm back... it's been a long day," Larry replied, yawning loudly as he walked up to Bred, who remained seated on his bed.
The room had three beds placed side by side. Larry's bed was at the left end, Bred's in the middle, and another student occupied the one at the right end.
Larry and Bred got along well, but they didn't usually engage in conversation with their third roommate. The reason Bred spoke to Larry was because he was a Level 1 student like Larry, but he had activated his energy core.
Larry knew this but wasn't bothered by it. At least, he had someone to talk to.
"I heard about everything that happened. What's your relationship with her?" Bred asked with a grin. Even though Larry couldn't see him, he felt happy and comfortable around him.
"Relationship with who?" Larry asked, confused.
"Come on, dude. Explain what really happened," Bred replied, giving him a gentle shove. Larry then explained everything that had happened to Bred, not leaving out any details.
"Wait, which Peter are you talking about?" Bred asked.
"Peter Cruz," Larry announced, and Bred's expression changed almost immediately. He had heard a lot about the Cruz family. If Peter was from the Cruz family, then he was someone not to be messed with.
"I'm just glad Lady Silver put him in his place," Larry added, glad.
"Something's not right. Why would Silver help you out of the blue—not just against an ordinary person, but someone from the Cruz family?" Bred blurted out.
"The Cruz family," Larry muttered, trying to process the information Bred had revealed to him.
"The Cruz family is one of the Original families. You mess with them, and they'll come for you. I'm afraid, Larry... you're in deep trouble."
Bred's words sank into Larry's mind, and his breathing changed instantly. He had a bad feeling about everything. Even Bred felt pity for him.
'If I weren't such a weakling, I could protect him,' Bred thought, then his gaze shifted to the third individual in the room, who was lying peacefully on his bed, unconcerned with what was happening.
"Let's call it a night, Larry. Tomorrow, I'll come up with something," Bred said, flashing Larry a genuine smile.
"Thank you, Bred. It's nice having you around," Larry replied, then stood up and headed to his own bed.
He was thinking about the day's events, trying hard not to focus on one particular thing, but it kept nagging at his mind.
'You don't belong here, Larry. You won't survive for long.'
Those were the words of Silver... the girl who had saved him from Peter's hands. It was a bitter truth, a reality he didn't want to face.
"I'll survive. I'll get stronger. I'll become a hero," Larry said to himself before drifting off to sleep.
---
"Wakey, wakey, sleepyhead," Bred said as he tapped Larry lightly on the shoulder.
"Is it morning already?" Larry cried out, yawning loudly, and Bred couldn't help but shake his head.
"I'm not to blame if you miss breakfast," Bred said before turning to leave. His words caused Larry to spring out of bed and quickly begin his daily routine. Bred had already prepared his bath and laid out his clothes, making his morning much easier.
He was the only one left in the room; his other roommates had already gone to the cafeteria.
'I wonder what will happen today,' he thought as he exited the room and started heading toward the cafeteria.
As he walked past the students, he noticed they were huddled together, whispering. When he stepped into the cafeteria, he could feel all eyes on him, and a feeling of uneasiness washed over him.
He stood there, waiting for Bred to call his name so he could join him at his table, but he didn't hear anything.
'Seems like Bred's not here,' he concluded and turned to leave, only to bump into a feminine figure, followed by the clattering sound of a plate.
"You blind fool! You've spilled my food!" the girl cried out, drawing attention to them. Larry didn't know how to react. First, he didn't recognize the voice, and he didn't know what level the girl was. He couldn't afford to act rashly.
"I'm sorry about that. I didn't mean to…" Larry paused, unsure of what to say. The truth was that Larry had not moved from his initial position, and she knew that but wanted to take advantage of the situation.
"You're sorry? Will 'sorry' bring back my food, or clean up the mess you've caused?" the girl, named Helena, cried out in frustration. Larry could sense the frustration in her voice and couldn't help but feel guilty about the whole thing.
"I haven't taken my food yet. You can have mine," he offered slowly, and a smirk formed on her lips. She quickly grabbed Larry's hand and began pulling him in another direction, but before she could move forward, her path was blocked by a masculine figure.
"What do you think you're doing?" the figure asked, causing Helena to shiver. Even Larry was shocked because he recognized the voice—it was his third roommate, the one who always kept to himself.
"He spilled my food, and he promised to…"
"Who bumped into whom?" Larry's roommate asked, his gaze never leaving Helena.
"He bum…" Helena paused as her eyes trailed down to his watch. He was a level four user. She wouldn't stand a chance against him. But before she could speak further, a voice echoed through the cafeteria.
"Larry Quinn, your presence is needed in the staffroom. Judging from your location, you should arrive there in ten minutes."
At this time, all eyes were on Larry as if they had an idea of what was happening, while Larry himself was left in a confused state.
'God, what have I done this time?'