Matthew went about his usual day in the class. He listened attentively to the teachers, took notes, and had lunch and snacks at the cafeteria. But along the way, he would encounter Vince and his goons eyeballing him from a distance.
He already acknowledged the threat that they had on him for putting up a fight earlier. And he knew very well the consequences of that action.
After all, it is fairly common for those goons to wait for you outside the school premise after class so that they could gank you without the teachers or other students getting involved. It wasn't the first time Vince had made a threat like this, but this time, Matthew felt different. He wasn't scared anymore. Not like before.
The bell rang, signaling the end of the last class for the day. Students began packing their bags and filing out of the classroom, eager to leave. Matthew remained seated for a moment, his heart pounding in his chest as the realization of what was about to happen finally settled in.
"Are you heading out?" one of his classmates asked as they walked by.
"Yeah, just a minute," Matthew replied, forcing a smile.
Once most of the students had left, Matthew finally stood up, grabbing his bag. He walked slowly toward the exit, mentally preparing himself for the confrontation that was waiting for him outside. Vince and his gang wouldn't back down, and Matthew knew it was time to face them head-on.
As he stepped outside the school gates, he saw Vince and his pals outside, cracking their fist. There were a lot of them and he could spot them all from different locations.
How could he tell? That's because they were familiar. Vince was part of a gang called Youngbloods, they were a notorious gang near his school inciting trouble and intimidation tactics, especially toward weaker students like Matthew used to be. The gang had a reputation for bullying and extorting money from students, and Matthew had been one of their prime targets for years.
As he approached the gates, Matthew noticed Vince standing in the middle of the street, flanked by Troy, Eric, and several other members of the gang. Their faces were smug, confident, like they were about to deliver another humiliating beating to him.
Vince stepped forward, cracking his knuckles.
"You ready to get what's coming to you, Borja?" he sneered.
There were a lot of students around the area and if this is going to end up in a street fight, Matthew wouldn't prefer to show his strength here. He'd want them to a secluded place where the gang usually conduct their business.
So he ignored them and simply walked towards the block where they usually extorted money—a narrow, deserted alley just behind the school. It was out of sight from most people, the perfect spot for Vince and his gang to corner their victims without interference.
Vince, seeing Matthew walk away without even responding, growled in frustration. "Where do you think you're going, freak?" he shouted, gesturing for his crew to follow. They exchanged confused glances but hurried after Matthew.
Matthew kept walking, his pace steady but unhurried, as if he knew exactly where he was going. The alley loomed ahead, dark and damp. The walls on either side were covered in graffiti, and the distant hum of traffic was the only sound breaking the silence. He could hear the footsteps of Vince and his gang behind him, and he knew they were closing in.
When he reached the entrance to the alley, Matthew stopped, turning slowly to face them. Vince was the first to approach, his face twisted into a sneer of triumph.
"You really think you can run away from this?" Vince said, cracking his knuckles again. "You're in our territory now, Borja. No one's gonna save you."
Troy and Eric flanked Vince, along with three other gang members Matthew didn't recognize. They formed a semicircle around him, cutting off any escape routes. But Matthew didn't feel trapped. Not this time.
"Look, I don't really want trouble with you. If you can just let me leave home, then I won't hurt you," Matthew threatened.
Hearing those words from Matthew, the gang burst out of laughter.
"You? Hurt us?" Vince said, cackling with amusement. "You've lost your mind, Borja. You couldn't hurt a fly, let alone us."
The rest of the gang joined in, their mocking laughter echoing off the walls of the alley. Troy, trying to play tough, stepped closer to Matthew, leaning in with a smirk.
"You've been watching too many superhero movies, loser. You're no hero."
Just as they were about to advance, a sound caught Matthew's enhanced hearing. More footsteps approached from the other end of the alley. Matthew turned his head slightly, and out of the shadows came another group of people, this time holding something in their hands.
A wooden block.
"So this is the kid that you mentioned on the groupchat Vince?"
"That's him, boss," Vince replied with a smug grin as he nodded toward Matthew.
The new arrival—a larger, older guy who looked like he was in his early twenties—approached with a wooden block in hand, casually tapping it against his palm.
"Okay…he is about your size how about you deal with him Vince? Fight him," he ordered.
"Wait what? I thought we are going to beat his shit up together?" Vince exclaimed.
"What are you scared of? That simpleton is just a kid, right?" the boss said, looking down at Vince with a raised eyebrow. His tone carried an unmistakable taunt, daring Vince to challenge Matthew one-on-one.
Vince hesitated, glancing back at Matthew with uncertainty in his eyes. The memory of his earlier broken hand still fresh in his mind. But with his crew watching, and his boss practically commanding him, Vince couldn't back down without losing face.
"Yeah, I'll handle him," Vince muttered, trying to sound confident as he rubbed his injured hand.
The rest of the gang backed up, forming a rough circle around the two of them, eager to see Vince put Matthew in his place.
Matthew sighed inwardly. He had no interest in fighting, but he knew Vince wasn't going to let this go. If it wasn't here and now, they'd just find another time to ambush him. He needed to put an end to this once and for all, but he had to be careful not to expose his true strength. He couldn't afford to draw more attention to himself, especially after the truck incident.
Vince charged forward, throwing a punch aimed at Matthew's jaw. His movements were sloppy, fueled more by anger than skill. Matthew easily sidestepped the attack, his enhanced reflexes making the punch seem slow.
"Stand still, freak!" Vince growled, throwing another punch. This time, Matthew caught Vince's fist mid-air with almost no effort. The force of Vince's punch, which should have pushed Matthew back, didn't even move him an inch.
Vince's eyes widened in disbelief. "What the hell?" He struggled to pull his hand free, but Matthew's grip was unbreakable. With a gentle flick of his wrist, Matthew shoved Vince back, sending him stumbling to the ground.
The alley went silent for a second. Vince's crew exchanged uneasy glances, clearly starting to realize something was off.
Vince scrambled back to his feet, his face turning red with frustration. "I'm not done yet!" he yelled, grabbing a metal pipe that had been discarded near the wall. He swung it wildly at Matthew.
Matthew didn't want to escalate things, but he couldn't let Vince hit him. In a blur of motion, he sidestepped the swing and grabbed the pipe just before it could hit him. With a single motion, he bent the pipe in half like it was made of cardboard, tossing the mangled metal to the ground.
The gang went completely still, their mocking expressions replaced with fear. Vince, breathing heavily, stared at the twisted pipe in disbelief. He had lost control of the situation and he knew it.
The boss's smirk faded as he stepped forward, wooden block still in hand, his eyes narrowing at Matthew.
"You think you're tough, huh?" he said, his voice dripping with malice. "Let's see how tough you really are."
Without warning, he swung the wooden block at Matthew's head, catching him off guard. The force of the blow was powerful enough to kill a normal person instantly. But instead of crumpling to the ground, Matthew stood still as the block shattered upon impact, splintering into pieces around his head.
Matthew blinked, wide-eyed. He hadn't expected the attack to be so vicious—it was clear now that they weren't just trying to beat him up; they were trying to kill him. Rage surged through him. These people were willing to go that far just because he'd stood up for himself?
His blood boiled as he turned to face the boss, his jaw clenched. He locked eyes with the man, his enhanced senses picking up the faint tremble in the boss's hands.
Then Matthew's foot moved, quicker than anyone could react. His leg shot forward, and he kicked the boss squarely in the solar plexus. The force was immense, sending the larger man flying backward with a sickening crunch. He slammed into the alley wall with the impact so brutal that the concrete cracked under the pressure.
The boss's body crumpled to the ground in a gruesome heap, his chest crushed, flesh squashed, blood seeping out in dark stains across his shirt. His gang froze in terror, their confidence shattered as they stared at their leader's mangled form.
The rest of the gang were shocked to witness it and all eyes turned on Matthew who was now sweeping his gaze on them, indicating that they were next.