Leyla leaned slightly toward Sakolomé, her breath brushing his ear.
— You know… you don't have to do so much… she murmured in a trembling voice.
Sakolomé straightened gently and shook his head with a soothing smile, as if to say: Don't worry.
The evening continued like this. Raymond threw out several small challenges, hoping to trap Sakolomé. But each time, either Sakolomé dodged them with disarming style, or he accepted…and won effortlessly. Raymond's silent humiliation only grew.
After the meal, they decided to walk a bit. Leyla and Sakolomé took the lead, while Raymond and his two friends followed a few meters behind.
With his fists in his pockets, Raymond watched silently. The more he looked at them, the more something disturbed him: Sakolomé, this supposed boyfriend, showed no sign of romance. No holding hands, no tender gestures. It smelled like a setup.
Finally, Raymond burst out:
— Leyla.
She stopped, surprised, and turned with Sakolomé.
— Yes… Raymond?
He squinted, locking eyes with her.
— Are you really a couple?
Leyla felt her heart skip a beat.
— Of course! Why that question? she replied too quickly.
Raymond swept her with a gaze, then fixed Sakolomé with a vicious smile.
— If you're really a couple… then kiss. Now.
A chill ran down Leyla and Sakolomé's spines.
Kiss? thought Sakolomé, surprised. That wasn't planned…
What? No… He'll never agree… Leyla panicked inwardly.
Raymond immediately sensed their discomfort. His smile widened maliciously.
— You've been walking all this time without even holding hands. You don't act like lovers. This all reeks of a setup. Leyla… don't tell me you dared to lie to me?
His tone hardened, almost threatening. Leyla began to tremble slightly. In her mind, kissing Sakolomé wasn't a problem… but she knew him: he'd never agree to that.
— Speak! Raymond roared. So you lied to me?
Leyla was about to answer, panicked, when a hand gently touched her shoulder. She froze, eyes wide.
Sakolomé had intervened. His gesture was calm but firm. Even Raymond was surprised.
Leyla looked up at him and met his gaze. That soothing look… a look telling her: Trust me.
Then Sakolomé turned to Raymond.
— I don't know why you doubt the love between Leyla and me so much. You've been stubborn all this time, he said in a calm… almost icy tone.
Then he looked back at Leyla.
— I will kiss her. Here. Now. In front of you.
The shock made Raymond blink. He did not expect such a response. His jaw tightened.
What? thought Leyla, stunned. He… he's really going to kiss me?
Sakolomé closed his eyes and slowly leaned toward her. Leyla, her heart pounding wildly, felt her legs weaken. She closed her eyes too, ready to receive this unexpected kiss.
Behind them, Raymond boiled. His anger rose like a black tide.
Sakolomé neared Leyla's lips, his breath brushing hers… when suddenly, an alert shivered through his body.
BAM!
A fist sliced through the air at brutal speed. Sakolomé calmly raised his hand and stopped the blow just centimeters from his face. Raymond's skin trembled beneath Sakolomé's firm grip.
— You son of a bitch! growled Raymond, teeth clenched. You think you have the right to kiss Leyla?!
Leyla opened her eyes, stunned. She expected it… but not so soon.
— Raymond! What are you doing?!
— You, shut up! Raymond shouted, glaring at her.
He tried to raise his arm to hit her, but Sakolomé intervened before he could go further. His forearm abruptly blocked the movement, then he pushed Raymond back with a sharp gesture that made him step two paces away.
Raymond growled, regaining his balance, his face twisted with rage.
— Why are you acting like that? said Sakolomé, voice icy. You just tried to hit her. Do you realize that?
— Leyla is mine! Mine! spat Raymond. It tears me apart to see her with a loser like you!
Sakolomé nodded slowly.
— I can understand your pain. But if Leyla had to be with someone who hits her every time he's jealous… do you think she'd be happy?
— Shut up, you idiot!!
Raymond stepped back slightly and threw a dark look at his accomplices.
— Larry! Henry!
The two guys behind him immediately straightened up, their eyes shining with a predatory gleam. Holographic interfaces flashed before them. Fingers ran over virtual buttons.
Leyla gave a muffled scream.
— No… They're users of the Nemesis System!!!
Raymond snickered, his eyes burning with anger and challenge.
— Sakolomé… You're from Monor City, right? Tell me… do you have a system as advanced as Nemesis over there?
Larry laughed and added:
— Do they even have one, in their town?
The laughter of the three echoed in the street. But Sakolomé didn't flinch. His face remained expressionless, a dangerous shadow sliding across his gaze.
The Nemesis System… designed to help humans face Mutants… and now it's in the hands of people like these. Nexura, you underestimated the risks. No matter… Might as well fight the system with the system.
Sakolomé slowly raised his hand. Red characters appeared before him, projecting a dazzling holographic interface.
— You… you can use the system too? Leyla whispered, stunned.
He stepped in front of her and said firmly:
— Stay right behind me, Leyla.
Raymond burst out laughing.
— Three against one. What do you think you'll do?
Sakolomé did not answer. His eyes fixed on his enemies. He knew the system had diminished his abilities, but it was time to test.
Let's see what's become of my Absolute Sight of Deviants…
— System, how have you diminished this skill? he thought.
A cold reply immediately appeared:
[Your skill "Absolute Sight of Deviants" has become "Revealed Target": allows you to see everything about your target — skills, age, weaknesses, and any desired information.]
Sakolomé gave a slight smile.
Not so diminished, after all. Granted, I can't see the whole battle plan… but this is enough.
— System, activate Revealed Target!
His eyes turned an incandescent red, like two burning gems. The silhouettes of Raymond, Larry, and Henry decomposed before his eyes, revealing their stats and skills.
Raymond: Superhuman strength. Henry: Fire manipulation. Larry… Hmm. Lightning chains. Interesting.
A cold smile spread across his lips. He raised his hand, palm open.
— System, activate my skill… Zero Skill.
[Activation in progress: Targets cannot use their powers while your mana dominates the field.]
A red wave erupted violently from Sakolomé, crashing like a living tide. It engulfed Raymond and his henchmen, forming a scarlet dome. The holographic interfaces of the three enemies scrambled, then instantly shut down.
— What?! bellowed Raymond. That's impossible!!!
Larry backed away, face twisted in disbelief.
— How… How can a guy from Monor have such a level?!
Sakolomé stepped forward, his aura crushing the air around them, his red eyes glowing in the night.
Calm despite the tension, Sakolomé declared in a composed tone:
— I think this evening is over… isn't it?
At these words, Raymond, panting, tried in a last effort to break through the scarlet dome trapping him. But Sakolomé, anticipating his move, slightly raised his hand.
— System, increase gravity by five times.
[Activation: Gravity ×5 in the dome]
In an instant, the pressure became unbearable. The ground cracked slightly under the brutal weight. Raymond, Larry, and Henry collapsed, crushed, unable to stand. Their breathing grew harsh, their muscles screamed in pain.
Sakolomé watched the scene with a slight, almost amused smile.
(They're just normal humans… this should be enough to pin them down.)
Raymond was sweating heavily, his veins bulging beneath the skin, every breath seeming to cost him his life.
Sakolomé tilted his head like a satisfied conductor, then ordered:
— System, reduce gravity by three units.
[Activation: Gravity reduced by three units]
The air became easier to breathe again. Their bodies, still sore, trembled like leaves in the wind. Too late: the gravity had drained all their energy.
Sakolomé slowly approached Raymond, hands behind his back. His shadow, distorted by the holographic lights, almost covered the young man's face. Raymond looked up, hateful despite his fatigue.
— Raymond… said Sakolomé in a neutral tone.
— What…? he spat, clenching his teeth.
Sakolomé crouched to his level. His gaze was neither cruel nor angry. Just… calm. And that was worse.
— Listen to me carefully. I'm not your enemy. But I feel in you a rage… that you do not control. If I let you go like this, I fear that one day… you won't turn on me… but on Leyla.
Behind Sakolomé, Leyla shivered. A cold shiver ran down her neck. The mere idea tightened her throat.
Sakolomé looked away for a moment, thinking. A voice echoed in his mind: the system's.
[Ability detected: Memory Alteration → Memory Rewrite.
You can modify or manipulate your target's memories at will.
Do you want to activate memory rewriting?]
A long silence weighed. Impassive, Sakolomé stared at Raymond. Then he gently shook his head.
(No… It's not for me to do. It's for her.)
He stood and turned to Leyla. His soothing gaze met hers.
— Leyla… Raymond is your friend. Only you can decide what you want to tell him.