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POV Kevin
I collapsed, exhausted, on the wolf's body, panting but also with a great sense of accomplishment. By myself, pushing to my very limits, I had managed to finish the dungeon. I had narrowly escaped death, true, but the most important thing was that I was alive.
I also thought back to my last attack, which had created an explosion. I thought that sending more power would just increase my ability to slice through it. But the poorly controlled flow caused an explosion. I can't imagine what would have happened if I hadn't reacted quickly enough to finish the wolf before it regained its senses when I was out of mana. Or if the energy had exploded in my hand, ending my life as well; I had been incredibly lucky. I still struggle to control my abilities, but this failure created a variation that, for now, is probably for the best. I just need to improve so that it doesn't explode in my hands.
I finally started down the path back and shivered when I heard screams behind me.
"Damn it!" (Kevin)
I started running as fast as I could. In reality, I had just stumbled upon the boss by accident and had managed to avoid certain rooms. As a result, I hadn't actually completed the dungeon and, all in all, I had been very lucky. I eventually emerged exhausted and retrieved my bag that I had left at the portal's entrance. Luckily, I had thought to collect the monsters' cores to sell them.
I finally grabbed my phone, only to see multiple missed calls, all from my mother. So, I decided to call her immediately.
"Hello." (Mom)
"Where are you?" She asked, slightly worried.
"I'm at Arthur's; his father offered to let me stay over. Sorry, I forgot to let you know." (Kevin)
"You'd better not let this happen again!" She declared firmly.
"Yes, Mom!" I replied after being reprimanded.
I then looked at the pitiful state I was in-my clothes torn, my body battered, and covered in blood.
After deciding to buy new clothes, I headed to a store to get some. Then I went to a hotel, where I was greeted by a receptionist who was visibly surprised by my appearance, especially by my smell. Knowing the importance of freshening up, I quickly seized the opportunity and took a refreshing shower in my room.
Once I was freshly dressed in my new clothes, I left the hotel to make an important visit to the hospital since I was injured.
Upon arriving at the hospital, I expressed my wish to see the doctor who had been treating me since my very first health issues, Dr. Cadmus. He was a tall Black man, whose kindness and compassion were remarkable. His reassuring presence had always provided me with a special comfort during my previous medical consultations.
The receptionist, sensitive to my request, made arrangements for me to see Dr. Cadmus. A few moments later, I was directed to his medical office. When I walked in, Dr. Cadmus welcomed me with a warm smile, immediately recognizing his former patient. We spoke briefly before he began my examination.
"You have four broken ribs. I'll bandage you up and prescribe some painkillers to make it hurt less." (Doctor)
Cadmus also noticed the bites and claw marks on my body but chose not to say anything about them.
"Thank you." (Kevin)
"Kevin, does your mother know?" (Cadmus)
"No, which is why I ask you to keep it secret, please, and I might probably come back to see you." (Kevin)
"Alright, as you wish, but take care of your mother, okay?" (Cadmus)
"Yes, and thank you." (Kevin)
"You're welcome." (Cadmus)
After leaving the hospital, I returned to the hotel to rest and recover from my medical visit. Entering my room, I felt relieved to finally relax after such a busy day.
Knowing that my body needed rest, I discarded my shirt and lay down on the bed, bare-chested, with bandages on my torso.
"In three days, classes resume; I'll barely have time to recover." I thought.
The next morning, I woke up with lingering thoughts from the previous day. My mind was still filled with a mix of emotions. I had also managed to sell what I had obtained for 25 thousand euros, but I regretted not being able to earn more, kicking myself for not having a bigger bag. However, I knew it was useless to dwell on past regrets, and it was time to focus on the opportunities ahead.
Time had passed faster than I had anticipated, and I realized that tomorrow classes would resume, and above all:
"I have some scores to settle!" (Kevin)
Monday
I found myself at the entrance of the high school for the morning start, where Arthur joined me.
"So, Arthur, how was this little break?" (Kevin)
"I just geeked out as usual, but you, what happened in a month? Did you start weight training?" (Arthur)
"I guess I can thank my awakening." (Kevin)
"I wish I had such an awakening. We'll get to see the results in the first class since it's training!" (Arthur)
Without hurrying, we headed to the gym training room, where we arrived last.
"There will also be a..." (Professor Henry)
There was a certain silence when we arrived; those who had abandoned me instinctively lowered their eyes and stopped talking. The teacher, whose hand I had broken, looked at me with apprehension. It was obvious that he was recalling the incident and that traces of fear still lingered in him; I could feel it.
"Excuse us, sir." (Arthur)
"Uh, yes... Well, take a seat." (Professor)
We then quietly sat down while the teacher resumed his speech.
"I hope everyone has recovered well from that most regrettable incident where we lost some classmates. I want to commend you all because you all showed great courage and exemplary combat skills. For those aiming for top awakening schools, this will be valuable experience. Now, as I was saying before the latecomers arrived, there will be a minute of silence across the entire school for your tragically lost classmates." (Professor Henry)
A bell rang, marking the start of a minute of silence. Instantly, a solemn calm settled in the room, and everyone fell respectfully silent. Conversations ceased, and during this minute of silence, a reverent atmosphere could be felt. Some lowered their heads, expressing their homage and respect to the classmates who had passed. Faces displayed a mix of sadness, respect, and remembrance.
Then there was a second bell indicating the end of the minute of silence, and the teacher resumed speaking:
"Alright, today, to resume, we're going to have duels. Now, who wants to fight first?" (Professor Henry)
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"Me." (Kevin)
At first, my classmates' guilty looks quickly turned into mocking taunts. Stifled laughter escaped around me, but I simply let it pass without caring. After all, besides the teacher and Arthur, no one knew about my premature awakening. So I decided to provoke them directly; if they wanted to laugh, then we would laugh together. However, in the end, I would be the only one laughing.
"You laugh like little monkeys, but no one has raised their hand yet? Well, are you afraid to fight a poor non-awakened person whom you abandoned like the cowards you are?" (Kevin)
A heavy silence fell, but the bait had been correctly cast through this veiled threat. And the right fish didn't take long to bite like a fool.
"Alright, I accept then." (Adam)
Adam, the main architect of this betrayal that left me abandoned, stabbing me in the back. We descended from the stands, Adam descending in a very relaxed manner. We then positioned ourselves at the center of the arena, with Adam casting arrogant glances at me.
"You must be feeling confident, Kevin," Adam declared.
"Says the guy who was so scared that he abandoned a comrade in truth. Behind your bad-boy facade, you're nothing but a coward," Kevin retorted.
"You better shut your mouth!" Adam shot back.
"Oh, you almost sound scary, but I bet you feel pretty lonely without your two friends, don't you? I'd suggest you call them over to help you," Kevin taunted.
"I don't need them to take down a loser like you!" Adam replied, a vein pulsing on his forehead.
"I'm serious, professor, I request a three-on-one," Kevin insisted.
"That's not..." Professor Henry began.
I turned to the professor, exerting intense pressure on him while he met the murderous gleam in my eyes.
"Have you forgotten what happened to your arm?" Kevin asked.
A bead of sweat rolled down his forehead as he hesitated for a moment, but then:
"Onil, Karminia, join Adam," Professor Henry reluctantly ordered.
Adam's POV
"This poor non-awakened, I don't know how he survived, but he didn't say anything about what we did to him. I'll teach him a lesson so he never speaks!" Adam thought.
"Very well, I accept," Adam said aloud.
"You should call your friends, professor; I request a three-on-one," Kevin reiterated.
"A three-on-one, even though he's not awakened! No, maybe he did awaken, and that's how he escaped death? Pfft, it doesn't matter; he can't win in a three-on-one, even if he's become powerful. But then why am I feeling this cold sweat running down my body?" Adam pondered.
"Have you forgotten what happened to your arm?" Kevin repeated.
"What? The professor's arm, what's he talking about..." Adam wondered.
As time passed, a growing sense of unease settled within me, insidiously, despite my efforts to suppress it. It was like a persistent shadow following me wherever I went, constantly reminding me of its undeniable presence.
Then, as if forced, the professor accepted, avoiding my gaze. The discomfort that had been building inside me intensified, making it increasingly difficult to ignore, especially when I noticed Kevin's enigmatic smile. His smiling expression was unsettling, as if it concealed a secret, a connection to which I had no access. I wondered what could be hiding behind that smile, and this uncertainty only added more tension to the situation.
"Begin!" Professor Henry ordered.
My friends and I took our positions, ready to fight, yet Kevin remained there, relaxed, still wearing that smile. But then he started to speak:
"Tell me, do you know what it feels like to have your arm ripped off?" Kevin asked.
"You're... You're... You're raving, you poor fool," Adam stammered.
"To have your leg torn off, to bleed like a stuck pig, waiting, waiting for death to come for you! To be in the darkest void where even your shadow disappears, knowing you'll never see your family again."
The more he spoke, the more his words took a disturbing turn as they left his mouth, and the smile on his face widened. Each sentence seemed to be tinged with a growing darkness, evoking grim and unsettling images. The tone of his voice became increasingly sinister, almost hypnotic, as chills ran down my spine.
"To see the depths of the abyss, to suffocate, to burn, to witness things that break your mind and prevent you from closing your eyes! Things that creep insidiously into the depths of your being, crawling like cockroaches!" Kevin continued.
The words describing this experience sent shivers down my spine, transporting my mind to dark, unexplored places. The depths of the abyss seemed to evoke an unfathomable depth, a place where darkness reigned supreme. The suffocation, the sensation of burning, all of it created an unbearable feeling of suffocation.
The nightmarish images seemed to come to life before my eyes, invading my consciousness in a troubling way. My mind struggled to distinguish the boundary between the real and the imaginary, as if a parallel reality was unfolding before me. Terror gripped my senses as my entire body began to tremble involuntarily, caught in a state of intense fear.
I felt trapped in a waking nightmare, confronted with visions that seemed straight out of my worst fears. The power of these images was so strong that it shook my emotional stability, leaving me powerless against their grip.
My heart pounded in my chest, hammering as if trying to find an escape from this unsettling reality. My hands trembled, searching for something to hold onto, a grip on tangible reality to reassure me, but everything seemed to waver under the weight of these nightmarish visions.
I felt as though I couldn't escape this state of terror, as if something or someone was forcing me to watch these terrifying scenes without the possibility of looking away. The intensity of this experience overwhelmed me, and I wondered if I would eventually succumb completely to this abyss of fear. I wondered how one could instill such terror with mere words.
"Attack him... Attack him!" I shouted to my comrades.
But my two friends didn't move, and when I turned my gaze to them, I saw that they were trembling, sweat pouring down their faces. I then understood where this sense of discomfort had come from all along: it was fear!
"Wait, let me show you!" Kevin sneered.
At these words, a terrifying aura exploded, enveloping the entire gymnasium in an oppressive heaviness.
"What is this oppressive energy!" Adam panicked.
Panic and fear engulfed me, seeping into every fiber of my being, suffocating me. My body shook with dread, paralyzed by fear, unable to move as I watched him approach me. It was then that I noticed: his endless darkness followed him, taking shape behind him to form a terrifying humanoid creature, seemingly emerging straight from hell itself. The terror within me only grew in the face of this nightmarish vision.
My senses were overwhelmed by the imminent threat, and without realizing it, I had involuntarily wet my clothes, which were now heavy and damp, exuding a strong smell of urine. The shame mixed with my fear only added to the horror of the situation.
As I slowly backed away, I desperately searched for an exit, but every step I took seemed to sink me deeper into the grip of this dark entity. My mind was assaulted by chaotic thoughts, desperately seeking an escape. I felt trapped, ensnared in a waking nightmare.
The monster advanced inexorably, its deformed and malevolent silhouette seeming to toy with my vulnerability. I could almost feel its malevolent breath on my face, and the terror seemed to consume me from within.
Before I could even see him move, he was in front of me, gripping both of my arms with a vice-like hold. With a diabolical smile, the entity laughed, and I felt pain, an excruciating pain so unbearable that I thought it was death itself coming for me, so intense was the agony. The terror rose within me like a destructive wave as I desperately tried to free myself from its grip.
Then I heard screams, horrible screams, and those agonizing cries I heard-they were my own. It almost seemed surreal; I was both the actor and the spectator of this horror scene, wondering if I would ever escape from this living hell.
As I realized why I was screaming, the monster had completely twisted my arms in several unnatural directions, torturing every joint and muscle in a symphony of pain. While it reveled in my agony with its demonic smile, a reflection of the cruelty it took pleasure in inflicting. Seconds seemed to stretch into an eternity as I found myself trapped in this nightmarish moment.
I screamed, heart-wrenching cries that seemed to echo throughout the room as cold sweat drenched my body. Each second seemed to drag on endlessly, and I prayed for this horror to end. But the pain persisted, relentless, as if time itself had frozen to prolong my torture.
"Ahhhhh!" Adam cried out.
Kevin's POV
I had taken Adam's arms and shattered every bone and muscle in them, eliciting cries of agony. It sounded like a piglet being slaughtered, squealing as it bled out. But the most remarkable thing was the terrified gazes of my other classmates in the stands. They were plunged into a heavy silence, only broken by the muffled cries of some and the whispered murmurs of others. Their faces, lined with multiple wrinkles of worry and anxiety, reflected the horror and disgust at the atrocity unfolding before their eyes. Hands clutched the edges of their seats, their pale faces and wide eyes fixed on the spectacle with an intense fear. Some looked away, covering their eyes with their hands to escape the disturbing sight. Others were unable to tear their eyes away from this simultaneously horrific and repugnant scene.
It was a truly magnificent spectacle, from which I didn't miss a single detail. Then, I sent Adam crashing into one of the gymnasium walls, unconscious and with his arms shattered.
I then subjected Onil to the exact same treatment before turning to Karminia. She was completely still, paralyzed by fear, unable to move an inch, while I approached her to whisper in her ear.
"Listen carefully to what I'm about to say, I only show mercy once, but next time, pray. Pray that your suffering ends quickly because what awaits you will make you regret ever setting foot on this earth. Next time, I will break every part of your miserable body before I'm through with you. You will scream in agony, you will beg for your wretched life to be ended. And at that moment, you will plead with me to kill you, but you will only die when I decide."
Her eyes, wide with terror, reflected the fear that had gripped her in response to my words. The atmosphere was thick with tension, as if each moment was suspended in time. At that precise moment, I could feel every frantic beat of her heart, resonating in the tense air that surrounded us. Every word I spoke was carefully chosen, fully aware of their impact, ensuring they would remain etched in her memory forever.
Then, I slapped her, sending her crashing into the wall alongside her two unconscious comrades. My murderous intent and mana then surged as I began to address the rest of the class.
"All of you here are the ones who betrayed me, and today I promise you that if it happens again, you will all be subjected to a long ceremony of agony, praying for death to deliver you. After all, the most beautiful ceremony of our lives is also the last one!" (Kevin)