"What's happening? Are they fighting?" A student among the crowd asked.
"Fight? That's hardly a fight." Another replied, "Kyle's getting his ass whooped as usual..." Laughter filled the air as he said this.
"You level 1 piece of shit!!" Someone from the middle of the commotion shouted. This was accompanied with the sound of a whoosh, and an "Urrgh".
"When are you going to learn that you do not belong in this world?" The same voice yelled again. This time, it wasn't accompanied with a whoosh. Instead it was the sound of a punch landing on someone.
This person was Kyle, and the person yelling earlier was Rex. Rex was the boy who Kyle showed his middle finger to earlier in the classroom, just after Mr. Lawrence had urged him to leave.
Kyle had no regret even as he layed on the cold floor, clenching his stomach. He was a weakling and he knew, but the thing was he just couldn't stand people talking about his mother.
He really didn't care how many times he was gonna get beat. He didn't care how many litres of chemical he was gonna be forced to drink or even if he was gonna be used as a punching bag for the level 2s who moved around with Rex.
"Get him up!" Rex commanded.
Kyle felt himself being lifted off the cold floor as some of Rex's gang members made little effort in lifting him off the ground, and placing him to stand on his feet in between themselves.
Rex at 16 years was a level 3 Shaper. Shapers had the ability to manipulate the elements, far better than lower levels, but also to a limit.
As Rex stood some distance away in front of kyle and stretched out his hands towards him. Most of the students watching the fight gave some distance. Kyle looked up to see Rex standing some distance away from him and sucked his teeth. He knew what this stance was, and this wasn't the first time he was going to through the pain of being hit by a flaming ball or a rock or much wors–
"I think it's high time I thought you a lesson, once and for all." Rex said, halting Kyle's thoughts.
"The same lesson you've been trying to teach me for years now?" Kyle retorted, with a mischievous smile. He knew that Rex wouldn't be able to, under normal circumstances, use his abilities to the fullest due to the school's Mana reader.
In fact, the only reason why they were still here and not in a restricting cell was because Rex hadn't used his powers since the start of the fight. Even the other level 2s had to put their Mana use just under the reader's radar, to avoid the school's security coming to apprehend them.
If Kyle could provoke him now, he most definitely would loose control of his Mana consumption. That would trigger the Mana reader and send security crawling over this place in no time.
"Well, seems like you're as dumb at teaching as you are at learning.." Kyle scoffed.
"Damnnn..."
"Uuuhh.."
"Broo!!" The group of students watching the scene, exclaimed in unison.
"That pipsqueak didn't just say that to you, did he?" A voice from the crowd shouted. This made Rex mad.
With that Rex placed both hands together and a tiny red light began to appear just between them.
"Don't listen to them Rex.. You very well know what wil–" One of his followers started but was cut off before he could finish.
"Shut up!" Rex said angrily, as the light continued to grow into what seemed like a ball.
"But what about the Mana reader?" Another protested.
"Think I care?" Rex shouted.
The once tiny red light had now grown into a ball of flame and the other two level 2s holding Kyle were now retreating. Kyle knew he was in a lot of trouble but had no where to go as he was connered and had his back against a wall.
If that ball of flame got to him now, he'd probably spend the next two weeks at the school's clinic. He could only hope that his plan would work and security would get here in no time. He looked at his rear and thought about making a run for it but was still in deep in thought when Rex launched the giant ball of flame towards him.
"Fuck!!" Kyle exclaimed as he moved to block his face with his arms. He thought of summoning a beast but knew it would do no good. He couldn't even move, and even if he did it still wouldn't change a thing right now.
The ball of flame which Rex shot towards him, was only a few inches away from him now. At this point Kyle could feel the extreme heat accompanying the flame as it approached.
With what was in front of him, Kyle knew that he would be spending the next two days in the school clinic and so moved to shut his eyes tightly.
But just as he was about to...
...A man appeared in front of him.