Isa sat slumped in his chair in the counseling office, his head pounding and his body aching from the beating Zul had given him. Mrs. Lina was still on the phone with his mother, her voice sharp and clipped as she explained the situation. Joseph stood by the window, arms crossed, fuming in silence. Zul, on the other hand, looked bored, drumming his fingers on the table as if he hadn't just beaten someone half to death.
Isa's thoughts swirled in a mix of anger, pain, and humiliation. His so-called "brother," Harry, had watched the entire thing unfold and done nothing. Nothing.
He was supposed to be the leader, the planner. Where was he when I needed him?
The edges of Isa's vision darkened, his anger boiling over. Suddenly, a strange voice echoed in his head, cutting through the chaos of his thoughts.
[System Activated]
Isa jolted upright, his heart racing. What was that?
[Welcome, Host. Initiating System Sync...]
"Did you hear that?" Isa mumbled aloud, his voice shaky.
Joseph turned to him, eyebrows furrowed. "Hear what?"
Isa blinked, looking around the room. No one else seemed to notice anything. He rubbed his temples, convinced the pain had scrambled his brain.
[System Synchronization Complete. Congratulations, Host, on awakening the Path to Supremacy System.]
Path to Supremacy? What the hell is this? Isa thought.
The voice in his head continued, calm and mechanical:
[The System has been granted to you to overcome your weakness and dominate your world. As the host, you have access to abilities, upgrades, and missions designed to make you unstoppable.]
Isa stared at the floor, his heart pounding faster. Am I hallucinating? Is this real?
[Mission Unlocked: Redeem Your Honor]
Objective: Defeat Zul in a one-on-one fight.
Reward: +5 Strength, Beginner Combat Skill, and Authority Points.]
Isa swallowed hard, his thoughts racing. Defeat Zul? Are you kidding me? I can't even stand up without feeling like I'm dying.
"Isa, you good?" Joseph asked, his voice filled with concern.
"I… I'm fine," Isa muttered, shaking his head.
Zul smirked from his chair. "What's wrong, loser? Scared of what your mom's gonna say?"
Isa's fists clenched instinctively. Normally, he'd look away or mutter some excuse, but something inside him snapped.
[System Notice: Emotional Trigger Detected. Combat Assistance Engaged.]
Isa felt a strange warmth spread through his body. The pain in his ribs dulled, and his head cleared as the System's voice rang in his mind again.
[Temporary Boost: +3 Strength and Pain Resistance activated.]
He sat up straighter, his eyes narrowing at Zul. For the first time in his life, Isa didn't feel like running away.
---
When the counseling session ended, Mrs. Lina dismissed them with a warning: if there was another fight, all of them would face suspension. Isa barely listened. The System's notifications continued flashing in his mind, and his focus was locked on one thing: the mission.
Joseph caught up with him as they walked out of the office. "Man, you don't look so good. You sure you're okay?"
"I'm fine," Isa replied, his voice sharper than intended.
Joseph raised an eyebrow. "Okay, geez. No need to bite my head off."
Isa sighed, forcing himself to relax. "Sorry, bro. Just… a lot on my mind."
Joseph nodded, falling silent for a moment before asking, "So… what's the plan? You're not seriously thinking about fighting Zul again, are you?"
Isa hesitated, glancing at Joseph. He wanted to tell him about the System, but how could he explain something so insane?
"I don't have a choice," Isa said finally.
Joseph stopped walking, grabbing Isa's arm. "What do you mean? Of course, you have a choice! We can avoid him. Stay low. Let this blow over."
Isa pulled his arm away. "No, we can't. If I back down now, he'll never stop. Neither will anyone else."
Joseph stared at him, a mixture of frustration and worry in his eyes. "This isn't like you, Isa. You're not a fighter."
Isa smirked, a confidence he didn't fully understand spreading through him. "Maybe I wasn't. But things are different now."
---
Later that evening, Isa lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling. The bruises on his body ached, but the System's presence in his mind overshadowed everything else.
"System," he said aloud, feeling ridiculous.
[Yes, Host?]
Isa flinched. "Uh… so, how does this work? What do I need to do?"
[The System will provide missions and tools to help you achieve dominance. Completing missions will grant you rewards and unlock new abilities.]
"Right," Isa muttered. "And this whole 'Redeem Your Honor' mission… what happens if I fail?"
[Failure is not an option, Host. The path forward requires strength and resilience. Success will ensure your survival. Failure will lead to ruin.]
Isa swallowed hard. No pressure, huh?
He sat up, clenching his fists. "Fine. If I'm doing this, I need to be ready. What can you give me now?"
[Current Stats: Strength: 5, Agility: 4, Intelligence: 6, Stamina: 4.]
[Available Ability: Beginner Combat Instinct (Unlocked upon mission completion).]
"That's it?" Isa asked, frustrated. "How am I supposed to beat someone like Zul with this?"
[Host must rely on strategy and determination. The System will provide guidance when needed.]
Isa sighed, lying back down. This was insane. And yet, for the first time in a long time, he felt like he had a chance to take control of his life.
---
The next day, Isa walked into school with a new sense of purpose. Joseph noticed the change immediately.
"You look… weirdly confident today," Joseph said as they headed toward class.
Isa shrugged. "Let's just say I've got a plan."
Joseph frowned. "You're not thinking about confronting Zul again, are you?"
Isa smirked. "Watch me."
Joseph groaned. "You're going to get yourself killed."
Isa didn't respond. His eyes scanned the hallway, locking onto Zul, who was surrounded by his usual crew. Isa's heart pounded, but the System's voice rang in his head.
[Reminder: Mission in Progress. Trust in your abilities.]
Taking a deep breath, Isa stepped forward.
This time, I won't lose.
---
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