The morning sun rose, casting its warm glow across the city. Malrik, now a mere shadow of his former self, trudged to school. His mind was heavy with the memories of a time when he was feared as the most powerful Demon King. But today, he was just a regular boy, trying to get by.
As Malrik walked down the sidewalk, a group of high school thugs spotted him. They sneered and blocked his path. "Hey, look, it's the quiet kid," one of them mocked. "What's the matter, you got some cash? Hand it over."
Malrik looked up, his eyes cold. He had no desire to fight these kids, but his pride was still burning deep inside him. "I don't have anything for you," he said flatly, stepping back to avoid their advances.
The thugs didn't take kindly to his refusal. They quickly surrounded him, taunting and shoving him. One of them punched him in the stomach, knocking the wind out of Malrik. The others joined in, kicking and hitting him mercilessly.
"You think you can stand up to us?" another thug sneered as Malrik collapsed to the ground. Blood pooled around him, his body bruised and broken. With a final blow, they left him there, unconscious.
When Malrik finally awoke, the world around him seemed blurry. The pain was unbearable, and his body felt as though it had been shattered into pieces. His once-powerful form now seemed fragile and weak. He struggled to sit up, his hands trembling.
As his mind cleared, he realized the harsh truth. "What happened?" he murmured, looking at the blood-stained ground beneath him. "I was once the most powerful Demon King, feared by all. And now... I've been beaten by a bunch of normal kids?"
He clenched his fists in frustration. The weight of his past power and the reality of his current state hit him all at once. He had fallen far. But even so, his determination did not falter. Malrik took a deep breath, pushing himself to his feet. This was just a temporary setback. He wasn't going to let this humiliating defeat define him.
"I'll get back up," he said with a steely resolve. "I may be weak now, but I won't stay like this forever. I will rise again. No matter what."
Despite his injuries, Malrik made his way to school. Every step he took reminded him of his current vulnerability. His legs ached, his body was bruised, and his energy felt depleted. But he wasn't going to quit. Not now.
He finally arrived at the school gates, where the sight of his classmates didn't bring him the comfort it once did. He felt like an outsider, disconnected from them all. The students bustled around him, talking, laughing, completely unaware of the turmoil inside him.
As he walked through the hallways, he couldn't help but observe them. His classmates seemed so normal, so full of life. And yet, there was something about them that stirred something deep inside him—a longing, a desire for something more.
Malrik found his classroom and entered, quietly taking his seat at the back. He gazed around, scanning the faces of his classmates. But one face caught his attention, Leona. She was sitting by the window, her long hair cascading down her shoulders like a golden waterfall. Her eyes sparkled with intelligence, and there was an air of mystery about her that captivated him.
For a moment, Malrik lost himself in her beauty. His heart skipped a beat as he stared at her, wondering who she was and what she was like.
Suddenly, a notification appeared in his vision.
SYSTEM NOTIFICATION
SUBQUEST UNLOCKED:
"Kiss Leona within a day and you will receive 10 points. Failure to do so will result in death."
Malrik blinked in surprise. "What...?" he whispered under his breath. His mind raced as he tried to comprehend the message. Was this some kind of joke? A subquest? Kiss Leona? He shook his head, unable to believe what he was seeing.
His heart began to race. What kind of game was this? What were these "points," and why was failure so severe? The system window continued to hover in his vision, taunting him with the impossible task.
Malrik glanced over at Leona again, but this time, the thought of kissing her felt like an absurdity. He didn't know anything about her. How could he possibly.
His thoughts were interrupted as the bell rang, signaling the start of class. Malrik quickly turned his gaze away from the window, trying to focus on the lesson. But his mind kept wandering back to the strange quest and the girl who had become the center of his thoughts.
Was this some kind of test? A challenge to prove his worth? Malrik didn't know, but he felt a sense of urgency building within him. The clock was ticking, and he had less than a day to complete the task. Failure wasn't an option. Not after everything he had been through.
With a deep breath, Malrik set his eyes on the front of the class. He couldn't let this quest derail him. He had bigger plans, plans to regain his power, to reclaim his throne. But first, he needed to survive this bizarre game.
The day stretched on, but Malrik couldn't stop thinking about the task ahead. He had to figure out how to get close to Leona, how to make her... kiss him. It was an impossible challenge, but it was the only way to earn the points he needed to begin rebuilding his strength.
And as the class ended, Malrik's eyes found hers once more. She was packing up her things, preparing to leave. This was his chance. He had no idea how he would do it, but he knew one thing for sure: this was just the beginning.