Tae glared at Bullet as they stood across the wrecked classroom, the tension between them so much it choked. He wasn't a stranger to fights, but this one felt different. More personal. More dangerous.
Bullet's cocky smirk as he kept his hands lazily shoved in his pockets only fueled Tae's anger.
The moment the fight started, Tae went straight for the offensive. He launched himself forward with everything he had, his fist flying toward Bullet's face. It wasn't just anger driving him—it was desperation.
He couldn't afford to lose here, not with all his dreams of revenge.
But Bullet was fast. Too fast.
With an almost lazy tilt of his head, Bullet dodged Tae's punch like it was nothing. Before Tae could even process the miss, Bullet's foot hooked around his ankle, sending him stumbling forward. A sharp elbow slammed into Tae's back, sending him crashing into the remains of a desk.
Tae groaned, barely catching himself before he hit the ground. His ribs screamed in pain, but he didn't have time to dwell on it. He turned, throwing a wild hook, but Bullet had already sidestepped, his movements smooth and precise.
"Come on," Bullet said, his tone mocking. "Is this really all? No wonder Snake never handled you personally."
The words barely stung, Tae just gritted his teeth and kept swinging. Each punch was faster, harder, more desperate—but none of them landed. Bullet weaved through them effortlessly, his hands still in his pockets, as though Tae's attacks were nothing but an annoyance.
Then Bullet countered.
A knee slammed into Tae's gut, knocking the wind out of him. Before Tae could recover, a fist connected with his jaw, snapping his head to the side.
He staggered back, his vision swimming, but Bullet didn't let up. A spinning kick to Tae's side sent him flying into the classroom wall, the impact rattling the cracked windows.
Tae slid to the ground, coughing and clutching his ribs. He could taste blood in his mouth. His fists clenched, trembling—not from fear, but from sheer frustration. He hated this. Hated being powerless. Hated that Bullet was toying with him.
And then,
A faint chime echoed in his mind, followed by the now-familiar mechanical voice of the system.
[Skill Upgrade Available: Quick Jab – Cost: 4 System Points. Accept Upgrade?]
Tae blinked, shocked and slightly confused. He was losing badly, and this might be his only shot. His breathing was ragged as he mentally screamed, Yes! Do it!
The moment he agreed, something shifted. He couldn't explain it—it was like his arm had suddenly shed a weight he didn't even know was there. His muscles felt lighter, faster, sharper. And then he saw it: a faint red glow on Bullet's face, right on the bridge of his nose.
A notification popped up in the corner of his vision.
[Weak Point – Nose]
Bullet darted toward him again, his smirk widening. But this time, Tae was ready. His body moved almost on instinct. His hand shot forward in a blur, faster than even Tae himself had anticipated. His fist connected squarely with Bullet's nose, the impact cracking through the air like a gunshot.
Blood sprayed as Bullet stumbled back, clutching his face in confusion. His arrogant smirk was gone, replaced by wide eyes filled with shock. "What the fuck…" he muttered, his voice muffled by the blood streaming from his broken nose.
Tae didn't hesitate. He surged forward, his fists flying. Punch after punch rained down on Bullet as the other boy raised his arms to block, his speed now working against him as he struggled to defend himself. Tae could feel the momentum shifting, his blows landing harder and faster with each passing second.
But just as he thought he had the upper hand, Bullet struck back.
With terrifying speed, Bullet's hand shot out, gripping Tae by the throat. His fingers tightened like a vice, cutting off Tae's air. Bullet's face was a mask of fury, blood dripping down his chin as he snarled, "I'll kill you."
Tae struggled, clawing at Bullet's arm, but the grip was unrelenting. Spots danced in his vision, and for a brief moment, he thought this might be the end.
Then, out of nowhere, a metal chair slammed into the side of Bullet's head.
The impact was brutal, sending Bullet crashing to the floor. He writhed, clutching his head in agony as Rein stood over him, still holding the chair. She looked down at Bullet with a mix of anger and something else.
"Fuck," Tae muttered, rubbing his sore throat as he staggered to his feet.
Before Tae could act, the door Kim had busted through swung open again.
Standing in the doorway was Snake, flanked by a bloodied Cho and a handful of his gang members. Snake's cold eyes scanned the room, taking in the chaos—the shattered desks, the broken windows, the writhing Bullet on the floor.
"Well," Snake said, his voice calm and eerily composed. "This is certainly a mess."
He glanced at Rein, who was still gripping the chair like a weapon.
Rein tilted her head, her expression somewhere between amused and exasperated. "We might be fucked,"
Tae felt his skin crawl. He wasn't ready to go against snake. Not now. He glanced at Rein, then back at Snake, trying to think of a way out.
"Calm down, he might want to talk it out," Rein muttered.
Snake's gaze settled on Rein, and his expression darkened. "Get them," he said simply.
"I guess not" Rein sighed.
The thugs didn't need any further instruction. They surged into the room, their footsteps heavy as they closed in on Tae and Rein.
"I still have questions for you, run" Tae said, his voice firm as he grabbed Rein's arm.
He didn't wait for her to argue, yanking her toward the shattered window at the back of the classroom.
Rein followed, and together they burst through the window, glass crunching under their feet as they hit the ground running. Behind them, Snake's gang poured out of the classroom, their shouts echoing through the schoolyard.
Tae's mind shuffled as he sprinted. His ribs ached, his throat burned, and his vision was still blurry from Bullet's attacks, but none of that mattered. The only thing that mattered was getting out of there.
"Any ideas?" Rein shouted as they rounded a corner, her voice laced with panic and excitement.
"Working on it!" Tae snapped, his eyes darting around for an escape route.
But as the sound of their pursuers grew closer, one thing became painfully clear: they were running out of options.