Griff finally did it. He finally got rid of that pesky Patty. Whenever he thought back to that time when he felt that dangerous feeling from Patty, it bugged his psyche to no end. He couldn’t sleep as the dreams of a monstrous Patty kept visiting him in his nightmares. He couldn’t eat as he didn’t feel he deserved to live when he was beaten by a much weaker opponent. He couldn't even exercise as his body felt as weak as when he was a baby.

Those were the feelings that he kept hidden in his heart. Throughout his life, his father always told him that the weak don’t deserve to live. He was told never to be weak or else he will be eaten by a much stronger opponent. He was taught to be the kind of monster that would never let his opponents live, no matter how weak or strong they were.

And as he grew older, he started to believe it more and more. Whenever he saw pathetic beings like Grammo and Patty, he got the urge to torment them and destroy their life so that they would learn their lessons. He wanted them to stop being weak, like he was before. And it always worked as before. Those he bullied stopped being weak. They either changed to become monsters themselves, or they transferred to a school where Griff wouldn’t see them.

This was the kind of cruel world that they were in. He learned very early on that everyone ignored what he did when they found out about his surname. His crimes magically turned into harmless pranks. Not only that, he felt like society itself accepted this kind of behavior. Those who worked hard and those who became strong ended up ruling over the world. Those bullies somehow became famous Martial Masters known for their tranquility or a Global Merchant who was famous for his serene mind.

As for those who were weak and were bullied, they were never heard from again. They could not survive the harshness of the world and achieve their dreams. So, bullying was the right way to be successful in this world.

He always thought that that thinking was right. However, that all changed when Patty stood up to him.

Somehow, that frail, lazy bum who never attended any Physical Education or even studied for tests, became a dangerous man that made him fear for his life. He couldn’t believe that he would fear someone like Patty, who he considered to be one of the weak people. That shouldn’t happen, ever.

That could only mean that somehow, Patty found a mysterious power that somehow made his reaction speed to be insanely fast. But Patty still never attended a gym or even studied at a library. How could he even have a power like that without even doing anything to deserve it?

He wasn’t spending all of his free time on the dojo, he wasn’t burying himself in martial arts scrolls, he didn’t have any inheritance to lean back on. So how did Patty improve his reaction speeds to such levels without even doing any of that?

Why did Patty still remain as a middling student who barely passes any of his tests? If he received this amazing power, he could have used it to his advantage and climbed through the social and educational ranks with such ease and speed that it would leave others envious. So, why was Patty still some average joe? Why was he still weak?

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With such amazing potential, Patty should have shown off his powers to everyone and have companies upon companies lining up to recruit him. He could have ruled over his own kingdom in the school with an iron fist?

Instead, Patty just remained in his own little bubble and kept being lazy. He didn’t want to improve his strength and he didn’t want to torment other weak beings; he didn’t want to be strong.

This left Griff confused and angry. It made him question everything in his life. Patty’s very existence broke every single rule that his father taught him. People like Patty should not even last a second in the real world, he shouldn’t even be given any sort of power. He shouldn’t deserve it.

But Patty didn’t seem to care about those rules. He just did everything on his own and at his own, slow pace. And somehow, it worked for him!

This led Griff to go to the most extremes. He stole a Fiendish Armament from the School Inventory to finally have the power to deal with Patty. This was extremely dangerous, not only to others, but also to those who wield it. Griff could have just as easily been disintegrated from the power of the weapon just by touching it for one second. It was extremely lucky for him to survive and even wield it to attack Patty.

Griff looked to his side and saw the hole in the wall where Patty burst into. Knowing the clubbing power of the Fiendish Armament, he was sure that Patty’s corpse would be nothing more than mangled flesh and blood.

With the ‘Patty problem’ done and dealt with, Griff thought that everything would be fine. He thought that the world he was living in would go back to the way it was. He thought that the world his father taught him would still hold up as the truth of the world. But unfortunately, it didn’t work that way.

He still felt this strange sensation. He thought he would feel empowered and stronger than ever once he vanquished his ultimate foe. But instead, he felt nothing. He felt as empty as he was before. He didn’t feel superior like his father told him; he felt even weaker than before. It shamed him that he had to go to such lengths just to beat a much weaker opponent.

Even though he did just as his father taught him, he still didn’t feel right.

“...Wh…why did…why did you have…to do this…” Grammo hoarsely uttered. Even when his throat felt like it was burning from lava, he still couldn’t help but ask Griff this question. He couldn’t understand why this must go like this.

Griff looked at Grammo, but he didn’t answer him. He didn’t have to explain his motives to anyone. It was for himself, and for himself only.

“Let me ask you this. Why do you want to sing?”

“...” Grammo didn’t answer.

Knowing that he hurt a sensitive nerve, Griff kept on pushing Grammo to find the answer he was looking for.

“You are unbelievably untalented in singing. It would be a miracle of miracles if even one company decides to sign you into their label. It is impossible for you to achieve your dreams. Why are you so stubborn?”

If Griff didn’t feel the satisfaction in burying Patty six feet under the ground, then maybe he would finally find peace if he destroys the last dredges of Grammo’s persistence. If he was able to change Grammo’s headstrong and irrational belief in his ridiculous dream, then his father’s words would prove to be true. It would prove that only the strong survive, and the weak disappear.

“I…”

But Grammo couldn’t explain himself. He didn’t want to.

“And don’t delude yourself that you would have succeeded had you gotten your hands on the Voice Box Teqx. Even if you fixed your voice, you would still be part of the millions of mediocre aspiring singers in the entire world. The Voice Box Teqx is not a magical switch that can suddenly make you more talented.”

There were millions of other people in the world with the same dream as Grammo. Yet, only a very small percentage of people ever reach the level of being a world wide idol or artist. Not even the very best and most talented of people ever reach this point in their career because achieving your dream was not a simple thing as being the best at something.

Not everyone knew this, but you had to have this invisible trait and special attribute to overcome the impossible. His father taught him this cruel fact of the world, and was taught to try and cultivate this trait. Some have it from the moment they were born, some learn it on their journey to become the best, and some never awaken it at all.

In such overwhelming odds, even if Grammo had the Voice Box Teqx, he would still fail in his dream, along with millions of others who were much better than Grammo in every way possible. Grammo must know about this fact as well, yet he was still as bullheaded in his illogical belief in wanting to become a singer.

“Why Grammo? You know you will never be a singer, right?”

Grammo kept silent.

“Is it because you feel guilty? Is it because you know that your sister was the one who should have lived instead of you?”

Grammo’s eyes widened as he heard Griff speak about his secret. Nobody should have known his history.