Hearing Yukie mention that "lovely touch," my entire body broke out in uncontrollable goosebumps. A primal terror enveloped me, colder and sharper than any physical pain.
"No!" I blurted out spontaneously, my voice hoarse with panic.
"Then take off your clothes. And walk in the hallway," Yukie spoke again, her voice still flat but deadly.
I fell silent, my body trembling uncontrollably. My knees felt weak, glued to the cold floor.
"Seeing you're still not moving, I will touch you if you don't move now," she threatened, and her single white eye blinked slowly. "One..."
"Okay! I'll do it! I'll do it!" I cried out, sobbing silently, tears streaming down my face. It was better. It had to be better than experiencing her gentle touch again. With trembling hands, my stiff fingers began unbuttoning my uniform.
As my shirt started to open, the first taunt came from Maximus. "Just gonna stay quiet and tremble, huh? Boring. Not even a little fighting spirit? Are you even a man?"
The pink-haired girl let out a fake shriek of laughter. "Ugh, don't look at me with that wounded puppy stare. It's not cute anymore, it just makes me feel pity... and disgusted."
The relaxed black-haired guy smirked.
"Maybe after this he'll realize he shouldn't come to school anymore."
And then, from Yukie herself, came the most cutting taunt, delivered in a monotone more cruel than any scream.
"Pathetic."
The word hung in the air, burning every inch of my exposed skin. Finally, I stood completely naked in front of the classroom door, my body frozen by shame and the cold air.
"B-But... the CCTV in the hallway..." I whispered weakly, grasping for a last resort.
Instantly, without warning, all the indicator lights on the CCTV cameras visible from the doorway flickered and died, coated in a thin layer of ice. Maximus snorted in annoyance and kicked me in the backside from behind.
"You hear that, trash? No one's going to save you."
Meanwhile, the black-haired woman beside Yukie had already raised her phone, the camera lens aimed at me like a weapon.
"Come on, walk," she ordered curtly. "Explore the hallway. Entertain us."
With faltering steps, hands desperately trying to cover my shameful crotch, I stepped out of the classroom. The first step into the cold hallway felt like walking on broken glass.
And then, hell truly broke loose.
Heads started popping up from behind the windows of other classrooms. First just one or two, then dozens. Faces full of malicious curiosity, sneers, and eyes gleaming with cheap entertainment. A low roar of laughter began to fill the hallway, echoing and piercing my ears.
Click. Click. Flash.
The sounds of camera shutters and phone flashes erupted from all directions. The screens of phones held high were like dozens of merciless eyes, capturing every second of my destruction. Some were even recording video; I could see the red recording dots blinking amidst the crowd.
My chest tightened, breath catching. Every inhalation felt like it was stabbing my lungs. My already fragile mind was filled with the sound of laughter—mocking, jeering, condemning laughter. The layer of sound drowned out all other thoughts.
My vision swam. All I could see were faces—leering faces, smirking smiles, mouths gaping in scornful glee, and eyes that saw me not as a human, but as a joke, a pitiful spectacle. They pointed, they laughed, they broadcast my shame to the world.
I walked with a trembling body. It was all I could do. A broken doll in a seemingly endless long corridor, illuminated by cruel lights and the cold glow of dozens of phones, surrounded by cheers and laughter that would haunt me for the rest of my life.
.
.
I woke up drenched in cold sweat, violent tremors wracking every inch of my body. My heart was pounding as if I'd just run a marathon. In the darkness of my room, only the ticking of the wall clock could be heard, marking the silent 3 a.m.
It had been three nights in a row. Three nights since I subdued Angeline, three nights since I firmly resolved to return to the academy. But every morning when I was about to leave, I always changed my mind and kept putting it off.
Damn it.
Every time I closed my eyes, the visions returned—Yukie with her empty white eyes and her friends. They took turns torturing me in my dreams, reminding me of every detail of the pain and humiliation I endured.
I turned on the room light, my hands still shaking. I looked at my reflection in the mirror—a pale face, a gloomy stare, a skinny body. But something was different now. There was a fire behind the fear.
"Not anymore," I muttered to my reflection. My voice was hoarse but full of conviction. "I won't run anymore."
These nightmares, did they think this would stop me? They were wrong. This would only make me stronger. If they gave me nightmares, then I would repay them with a reality far worse.
Tomorrow, the academy would welcome me back. And they would learn that the dog they kicked around had returned with sharper teeth.
.
.
I was crouching by the riverbank, staring at my reflection in the clear water. My breathing was heavy, trying to calm myself. In the corner of my vision, system notifications kept blinking, but I tried to ignore them.
[Daily Quest Completed]
[You have received 100 EXP]
[You have leveled up to Level 23]
[You have received 5 Stat Points]
My gray hoodie was pulled over my head, hiding my anxious face. Underneath, I was wearing the Nine Star Academy uniform—a white shirt, long black trousers, a red tie, and a blue blazer with the star emblem and other attributes.
Just moments ago, I had been standing in front of the academy's majestic gate, but a sudden, piercing fear forced me to turn back, choosing instead to complete the Daily Quest.
Will I always be a coward like this? I asked myself, disgust filling my chest.
Logically, with the [Time Stop] and [Mind Control] skills I possessed, I could easily defeat Yukie and her gang. My power was far different from before. So why did my body and soul instantly remember all that pain and humiliation every time I approached that place? Why did I remain this pathetic person?
Suddenly, another notification appeared, cutting through my cycle of negative thoughts.
[Daily Quest has been updated to a Weekly Quest to match user progress]
________________
[WEEKLY QUEST]
OBJECTIVE:
Kill 50 Rank D or higher monsters.
TIME LIMIT: 7 Days
REWARD: 200 EXP
FAILURE: The System and all acquired abilities will be permanently lost.
________________
I blinked slightly upon seeing the notification. Not too surprised. With my current level, the previous quests were too easy, so this wasn't unexpected.
After a moment longer staring at the reflection of my own purple eyes in the water, I finally took a deep breath.
"Alright," I murmured to my own reflection.
I stood up, pulled my hood tighter, and walked back towards the academy. This time, my steps felt more resolute.
Even though I was late, I had to go in. This was to prove to myself that I still had resolve.
Arriving at the grand academy gate, I swallowed hard. My throat felt dry. I stepped inside and immediately felt stares. I looked towards the classroom windows, and for a split second, I saw them—faces that recognized me, smirking, pointing at me. My heart raced, my breath hitched.
But when I blinked, the sight vanished. It was just my own reflection in the window glass. It was just an illusion, a trick of my traumatized mind. Yet, the discomfort lingered, tempting me to turn around and run back to my messy, safe bedroom.
Nine Stars Academy was divided into three grades: first year, second year, and third year. I was a third-year student, and absurdly, placed in Class 3A, the special class for elites, the future strongest Hunters. By all rights, as someone who failed to awaken, I shouldn't be here. Everyone knew that. I was only here due to nepotism—the influence of my father and stepmother. That's why almost every student in this academy looked at me with hatred and scorn.
Now, I stood in front of the door to Class 3A. My stomach felt nauseous, my head dizzy. But I reminded myself of my resolve to pay back their nightmares with even greater ones.
I then opened the door with a slightly trembling hand.