Knock, knock, knock.
Someone was at his door. "Come in," Hazel called out.
Blossom entered, her brow furrowed with concern. "Don't you think you're being too harsh?"
"It's necessary," Hazel stated firmly. "I can't let people who aren't ready to accept change hold me back. If I do, a stronger monster will eventually kill me because I was too weak to adapt. And if I die, who will watch over you?"
"Just... be gentle with them. Don't be too hard on them," Blossom pleaded softly. "I'm feeling sleepy. I'm going to sleep with the others." She left Hazel's presence, a hint of sadness in her eyes.
Hazel spent some time planning for the next day before finally succumbing to sleep.
The next morning, Hazel woke up at dawn, around 6 AM. While everyone else was still asleep, he went to the hall and bellowed, "Wake up, you lazy asses! Time to get this plan in motion, and make it quick!" His harsh words jolted everyone awake.
"Firstly, Oscar, I need data on everyone here and the total number of people," Hazel instructed.
"Okay," Oscar mumbled, still groggy.
"Everyone who has a safe barrier skill, move to this corner," Hazel commanded, pointing to a specific area in the hall.
He approached the group of barrier users, his gaze unwavering. They watched him with a mixture of apprehension and obedience.
"You guys won't be going out to fight," Hazel stated. "Fighting alone won't significantly level up your skills. Your role is to provide safe zones for the areas our warriors dominate around the school. We will provide you with monster cores, so don't worry about the energy cost." He had clearly defined their purpose in his plan.
Next, Hazel addressed the group of warriors, explaining their roles. However, a few of them seemed arrogant and resistant to his authority. One stepped forward, sneering, "Why should we take orders from you? You look around the same age as us. I don't see any reason for you to be in charge."
Hazel's reply was simple and challenging. "If you can beat me in a fight, I'll gladly leave you in charge of everything."
"It'll take me nothing to beat you up," the arrogant warrior scoffed. "No matter how strong you are, my skill is the perfect counter for any attack."
The arrogant idiot walked out into the open, ready to fight. He launched the first attack, a swift punch aimed at Hazel, but Hazel dodged it effortlessly. He attacked again and again, but Hazel evaded every strike with ease. Finally, Hazel decided it was time to retaliate. He landed a powerful blow, expecting the arrogant warrior to fall. But instead, it felt as if Hazel had punched himself.
It didn't take long for Hazel to realize what was happening. His attacks were being reflected back at him. The students watched, a few whispering that the arrogant warrior might actually win. But then, Hazel did something that shocked everyone.
He unleashed a rapid flurry of punches, up to five per second, his immense speed preventing the arrogant warrior's skill from activating in time. The force of the blows landed squarely, and the arrogant warrior finally crumpled to the ground, unconscious.
Hazel looked down at the defeated warrior. "You have a good skill," he said, his voice devoid of emotion, "but it has a flaw. It takes five seconds to reactivate after use. Anyone fast enough to land a hit within those five seconds has already defeated you."
Hazel turned to the rest of the group. "Prepare yourselves. We move soon."
Hazel was finally ready to put his plan into action. "Alright, listen up!" he commanded, his voice echoing through the school hall. "We're splitting into three groups. Blossom, Oscar, and I will each lead a team." He gestured for those willing to follow to step forward.
The safe zone creators were instructed to remain at the school, their unique skills best utilized in defense. They nodded, understanding their role in the upcoming expansion.
With their teams assembled, they set out to dominate the surrounding area, eliminating any monsters that crossed their path.
"Don't expect me to fight for you," Hazel told the five individuals who had chosen to follow him. "You need to level up, become strong enough to protect yourselves when I'm not around." He had no qualms about their small number; quality over quantity.
They soon encountered a large herd of goblins and a few lumbering trolls. "Kill them all," Hazel instructed, settling onto a massive rock in the middle of the road, observing their progress.
The five followers, driven by the need to survive and Hazel's stark words, made quick work of the monsters, their levels visibly increasing with each kill.
"Good. I like fast improvement. Let's move on," Hazel said, pushing them forward.
Suddenly, a familiar, chilling presence prickled at Hazel's senses. He knew instinctively it was a Shadow Walker, the same type of powerful wolf they had encountered before.
"Hold up," he commanded.
"You," he pointed at his group, "are going to fight this one for me. Kill it." They exchanged nervous glances, unsure what he was referring to until a black wolf lunged out of the shadows, aiming for Hazel. Without even a flicker of effort, Hazel punched it, sending it sprawling.
Above the wolf's head, the name Shadow Walker Lv. 30 appeared. The wolf scrambled to its feet, then, in a bizarre display, seemed to melt into the darkness clinging to the stone behind it, its physical form dissolving as if entering a shadow dimension.
"I'm not fighting that thing. You are," Hazel reiterated, his gaze fixed on his group.
"Sir, that thing is too strong for us," the girl from the group protested, her voice trembling.
"Doesn't matter," Hazel said, his tone indifferent. "The one who kills it will probably level up five times, if I'm not mistaken. You have a choice: fight, kill it, and become stronger, or back down and remain weak."
"Move your weak asses," the arrogant idiot, Darwin, sneered at the other four. Surprisingly, he had chosen to follow Hazel, likely seeing it as an opportunity to surpass him in strength.
The Shadow Walker remained hidden, its menacing presence still palpable. "I summon you, Thorax!" Darwin declared, summoning a massive dual axe, its black surface streaked with jagged lines that resembled lightning.
In a flash, the Shadow Walker materialized directly behind Darwin. But Darwin was ready. He reacted instantly, dodging the wolf's swift claw attack, the force of which nearly knocked him off his feet. He stood firm and immediately swung his summoned axe.
The axe missed, but Darwin used the momentum to leap towards the Shadow Walker. The wolf retaliated, its powerful paws slamming into Darwin. The mirrored force slammed back into the Shadow Walker, but the impact was immense. Darwin coughed up blood, yet he remained locked in close combat with the shadowy beast, his determination surprising even Hazel, who grudgingly admitted to himself that the idiot might actually possess a genuine desire for strength.