CHAPTER 36
"Look at him. Wanted to form a hero." Flinn scoffed as he walked forward arrogantly towards Ray, who was beginning to rise up with blood rolling down his chin.
Despite his HP being halved, there was still a fire burning fiercely in his eyes as he fixed them on the approaching bully.
His hands balled into fists, teeth grinding back and forth as restrained fury churned inside him.
"... What's with that glare? Tone it the f*ck down!" Flinn roared as he lunged forward, moving too fast for a normal human.
Not as if he was a normal human to begin with.
Still, Ray was ready.
He steadied his breathing, calming his racing heart while forcing his body into a clumsy battle stance, hands held out defensively.
'I have never been in a fight before,' he mused as the bully materialised in front of him within seconds.
Flinn's fist shot through the air, his knuckles coated in a metallic-like sheen that shimmered faintly.
Ray fixed his eyes on the punch, senses screaming as he watched the subtle vibrations ripple through the air.
'... But I've watched a few movies and animes,' he yelled inwardly as he twisted sharply on his feet.
Twisting to the side.
Totally avoiding the punch as it collided with nothing but air.
Before Flinn could react, a swift kick from Ray landed across his ribs, sending a sharp jolt of pain through the bully's body as he skidded backward several steps.
Not wasting the opportunity, Ray bolted forward with everything he had, pushing his body as fast as it could carry him.
He appeared right in front of Flinn, who hastily regained his footing and swung an uppercut toward the charging Aspirant.
Sensing it just in time, Ray expeditiously leaped back, narrowly dodging the punch.
The moment his feet touched the ground, he surged forward again at full speed, hammering his fist straight into the bully's abdomen with all his strength.
Saliva burst from Flinn's mouth as he reeled backward in agony, breath turning hoarse and ragged.
'... How is this possible? He isn't any stronger, nor faster… so how is his hit landing this hard? Or—wait! He does feel faster than before. But why?'
— Come on, Flinn. What are you doing? Stop letting him gain hits on you. Freaking act like a man.
— Why are you disgracing us by letting a weak human beat you around?
The voices of his friends rang loudly in his ears, fueling his rage as Flinn gnawed his teeth back and forth.
Ray didn't even register their words.
His entire focus was locked onto one thing.
Revenge.
'I don't mind taking his life if it means Van doesn't have to face the same thing again!' Ray snarled inwardly as he leaned forward, pressing power into his feet.
Then he rushed ahead, putting every point of agility to good use.
Flinn steadied himself, a dark grin creeping across his face as he activated his ability.
'Due to being a low grader, I can only use my ability on one part of my body at a time. The ability to harden my body.'
Within a heartbeat, the two collided at the center.
Knuckles crashed against each other in a mini bang.
[Warning: fingers broken.]
Ray clenched his teeth, ignoring the sharp, shooting pain as system messages flashed past his vision.
He instantly ducked, narrowly avoiding an overhead strike, before swinging his other fist toward Flinn's midsection at blinding speed.
But the moment his punch connected—
Clang—!
"Argh…!" Ray yelled as pain exploded through his arm. It felt like striking a solid iron gate, his knuckles reddening and swelling almost instantly.
'Shoot!' he mused as he sensed vibrations tearing through the air just feet away.
He leaped back in time, narrowly avoiding a vicious hook aimed at his face.
His feet hit the ground, chest rising and falling as he panted lightly.
'Damn it. Damn it! How do I defeat a bastard with an ability? I'm just relying on my natural physique.'
The moment he steadied himself—
Flinn appeared right in front of him, faster than Ray could even perceive.
"This will teach you to respect those stronger than you!"
Bam—!
His punch landed on Ray's torso with the force of a charging ram, causing the Aspirant's eyes to widen violently in pain.
The air was knocked clean out of his lungs as his entire body was lifted off the ground and hurled away, skipping repeatedly across the hard surface.
[Critical hit]
[-3 HP]
[HP: 2/10]
"Ugh… ugh… ugh…" Ray groaned as his body rolled helplessly before finally coming to a halt.
Within the crowd, two females could be seen watching the fight with entirely different expressions etched on their faces.
'Foolish. Charging recklessly against a stronger foe without a plan nor an ability.'
Trisha scowled inwardly as she observed the battle without flinching.
'Where are the authorities? This is getting out of hand now.' Chloe anxiously bit on her nails as she contemplated intervening.
But what could she do?
She was only a grade 2 ability user, while Ray's opponent was a grade 2.5 ability user.
It might not seem like much of a difference, but in combat, even a ".1" sub-grade could decide life or death.
"Look at you. Pitiful idiot." Flinn thundered as he loomed over Ray, who was drawing in hoarse, shallow breaths.
"... So useless that you couldn't even defend your friend. Did you know?" The bully continued as he crouched in front of Ray.
"I actually researched you after the incident at the canteen, just to see if you were someone worth worrying about. But all I found out was that you're a resident of Wall Rose."
The same wall that fell to the Abberants' attack.
"Instead of staying to fight, you all fled like the cowards and weaklings you are."
Ray stopped gasping immediately.
Memories he had buried deep surged forward, flashing violently through his mind.
"... I don't know what gave you the idea that you'd be of any use in this war when you couldn't even save your family. Pathetic."
Flinn scoffed as he stood up and turned away.
He took a few steps before pausing, then added over his shoulder:
"You should have just died like the rest of your family and the residents of that wall. Because you're nothing but a disgrace to humanity—just like every single person from Wall Rose."
"...."
No one spoke.
The crowd stood frozen as Flinn's words lingered heavily in the air.
Most of the Aspirants present were from Wall Rose themselves, and hearing their fallen home spoken of with such disdain filled them with restrained fury.
But someone else was far angrier than them all.
"What did you say?"
A cold voice suddenly echoed through the space, causing the crowd to unknowingly shudder.
"Huh?" Flinn muttered as he turned around.
Ray was slowly rising from the ground.
Blood dripped from his mouth onto his uniform as his fists clenched so tightly that his reddened knuckles turned white in an instant.
His dull gray eyes looked as though something deep within them had ignited.
His teeth audibly ground against each other.
"I dare you," Ray said, voice trembling with suppressed rage, "to repeat what you just said."
Flinn frowned, seething anger simmering as the weakling dared to stand again.
"I said; you, your friend, and every resident of Wall Rose—dead or alive—are failures."
"....."
Silence overtook the area.
The wind howled softly as everyone held their breath, sensing what was about to unfold.
"Haaa… you've just gone and said it again."
Tring!
[Bloodline forcefully Activated]
Bang—!
Ray exploded from where he stood, blurring forward at breakneck speed.