《The Fat God System》


 Desire

    Example


    Hugh


    ? F-level talent


    ? unadvanced (F rank)


    ? desire intensity: 201(during his transformation)


    TALENT


    - F to S level talent, with S-level being called a genius.


    ADVANCEMENTS


    ? unadvanced => 1st advancement=>...=> 5th advancement


    unadvanced


    F rank=> D rank=>...S rank=> 1st advancement


    1st advancement


    F rank=>D rank=>...S rank=>2nd advancement


    DESIRE INTENSITY


    Unadvanced: 0-200


    1st advancement: 200-400


    2nd advancement: 400-600


    3rd advancement: 600-900


    4th advancement: 900-1200


    5th advancement: 1200<


    The way the Desire intensity works is that once you advance in ranks, your desire intensity will advance with you but the amount it increases is up to your talent.


    For example, an S-rank unadvanced has S-level talent therefore his Desire intensity will be 200, which is the best quality of Desire. Once he ranks up to 1st advancement F-rank, then his Desire intensity will approximately be 266.


    Compare that to another S-rank unadvanced with F-level talent then his Desire intensity will be less than 200, like 160. When he ranks up to 1st advancement F-rank, then his Desire Intensity will approximately be around 210.

 Chapter 1: F-Class

    The world was thrown into chaos when the first interstellar travel was invented. People of all walks of life rejoiced. No longer were they constrained by the small, cramped, and limited space that is Earth.


    This was a new era. Dreams and innovation were hand in hand in advancing technology throughout the land. People started to have thoughts of conquering new worlds with limitless resources. They first started with the solar system, then the neighboring worlds and systems. That wasn''t enough. People''s greed led them to conquer the whole milky way galaxy.


    Everything was going well until they discovered a little planet where intelligent life was observed. Humanity was once again in chaos. They found alien life. No longer were they alone in the universe.


    Scientists, researchers, cryptographers, and linguists all came together to translate the language of the alien race. They called themselves the Baras. A group of intelligent species that had fish-like heads and had four hairy arms like gorillas.


    Fast forward a few years and peace talks became hostile. The people on Earth and the entire galaxy didn''t hear again from the governments and settlements that adventured outside the Milky Way. There was only radio silence.


    When people couldn''t take it anymore and their curiosity got the better of them, they decided to journey out. But before they could get out, the government came back into the galaxy. They didn''t explain what was going on or where they had gone all this time.


    The different governments that journeyed outside decided to group up into one single entity, the Central Defending Alliance. The CDA kept a tight mouth pertaining to all information outside the galaxy. They enforced a strict rule of a no-exit policy. They chased people from the outskirts of the galaxy and made them settle nearer Earth.


    Humanity was once again forced back into the Solar system and a few neighboring systems.


    "Teacher, why didn''t the people from Earth fight back? Are they cowards?"


    "What happened with the Baras?"


    "Why are the CDA preventing us from going out?"


    A cacophony of noises in the form of questions barraged the narrating teacher. He wore a typical sports shirt and pants and a belly that stretched the shirt. He had a receding hairline and a small pair of eyes.


    "Quiet, quiet. I''m not done telling the story."


    Humanity was once again back to square one. They were once again alone in a small piece of the universe. Some tried to rebel, but the CDA were too powerful. If there was one thing positive that came out of this was the discovery of Desire.


    Desire was the power that the CDA used to crush the rebellion. They came back with all these information and mysteries that allowed normal people to have power for themselves. Of course, not all of them could activate their Desire.


    With the information that the CDA brought was like a catalyst that brought a new boom in humanity. Dungeons, forests, tombs, and other mysterious things came bursting out of the ground.


    The Earth that was discovered and studied for millennia once again became mysterious. There was a sudden shift in power. Those who got their Desire earlier became hegemonies who controlled the world. Those old fashioned corporations became obsolete and were replaced.


    Those who are powerless become useless. Those who are powerful become the owners of the world.


    "Remember this information now that you guys will finally step foot into the real world. Once you unlock your Desire, the world will be yours."


    The whole classroom became quiet. In the eyes of the students gleamed with dreams and aspirations. Some even had their jaws in the ground looking up and daydreaming. There was one student who looked disinterested. This guy was fat. No, this guy was humongous.


    Even as a 17 year old, his neck already had several folds leading up to his chin. He had a short black hair and a sharp eye that was covered by his chubby cheeks. He just chomped down on some chips while listening to the lecture.


    "Hear that fatty? You''ll be useless in the real world. You''ll finally get off that high horse of yours. Wait, you can''t go on a horse or you''ll flatten it! hahahahahaha"


    Hugh just ignored his seat mate. He had always been the butt of the joke. The class clown, except they weren''t laughing at his jokes, but at him. It didn''t help that he was at the top of his class, that only drew the irk of his classmates more.


    He had no interest in this subject because there was no chance in him unlocking his Desire. That was only for the rich and those who had the right connections. His only hope was to get good enough grades to be accepted at a top university to at least learn something like material creation or any other support type job.


    He was a poor kid and if he didn''t get good grades, then he will probably die in the streets. The thought of that made Hugh speed up his intake of chips until he couldn''t feel any more food in the plastic. He had to take out another bag of chips to calm himself down.


    "Okay! That''s enough lecturing. You''ll finally unlock your Desire later today. Line up!"


    The students all lined up in a neat and tidy line. Some students calmed their nervousness by breathing hard and stopping their twitching. Some jumped in excitement and had a wide grin as they closed their fists. Usually, these were the rich kids who all had a guarantee in unlocking their Desire.


    Even though Hugh wasn''t the tallest of the students in the class, he was at the very last. The other students didn''t want a fat, huge wall blocking them when they lined up. He didn''t care, he wasn''t going to unlock his Desire anyway.


    The teacher led them out of the classroom and into a high tech room with a glass chamber in the middle. At the side were presumably the control centers which had numbers and charts displayed on it. The teacher nodded to a person sitting in a chair in the control center and he gestured for the smallest person in the line to go first.


    The smallest student who had a bowl cut and glasses stepped up into the chamber while shivering. He was clearly afraid and he couldn''t stop his feet from fidgeting.


    "Close it."


    The chamber closed which made the student flinch. After that, the chamber started to be filled with some kind of gray gas that fogged up the whole thing. The teacher only looked at the control center and discussed the numbers with the technician.


    After a few minutes, the glass started to clear up and the student was clearly seen. Apart from the messy hair, nothing changed on the student.


    "Hmm... normal potential. About class D. You pass. Take this tablet. You''ll feel the difference tomorrow."


    The teacher took out a pill from an unlabeled, black, locked case inside the room. He held out his hand for the student to reach it without moving his body. He let the student run up to him and immediately swallow the pill.


    Numerous students went into the chamber and all were engulfed with the gray gas. Most of them only had a rating of D class to C class. No one had failed in receiving the pill yet.


    It was now the turn of Hugh''s biggest bully, Aric. This guy had a silver spoon throughout his life. He had never seen this guy work a day of his life. He always had lackeys to do the work for him and his grades were mediocre at best. The school didn''t dare to lecture him since his family had a big influence in the city.


    Aric strode with confidence and bravado into the chamber. The teacher didn''t dare slack off on this one. He manually adjusted the dials on the screen to have the most accurate measurements possible. After a few minutes engulfed in the smoke, Aric got out of the chamber.


    "A class potential. As expected of Aric! Congratulations!"


    The teacher endlessly praised Aric. A little more and Hugh was sure that the teacher would lick Aric''s feet. Aric only had a condescending smile as if everything was fated to have this result. He once again proved that he was superior to everybody.


    He looked at Hugh and sneered. The stare only lasted for a second and he immediately ignored Hugh, as if Hugh wasn''t worth his time.


    It was now Hugh''s turn. He stepped forth onto the chamber and found that he was too thick. Everybody laughed, including the technician and the teacher. The laughter continued for a whole minute until the teacher used all his force and bumped Hugh inside.


    Everyone was silent now. There were condescending smile from all of them. Some of the students who scored a D-class rating rejoiced since they knew Hugh would have a lower score than them.


    Hugh just closed his eyes and waited for the fog. It started to envelop him and he felt like he was walking on the clouds. It penetrated every part of his body and cycled through it.


    After a few minutes, the chamber opened and out came Hugh. The teacher looked at the screen and smiled.


    "F-class rating!"

 Chapter 2: Transformation

    Even though Hugh wasn''t expecting anything, he was still a slight bit disappointed with the result. An F-class rating. The lowest of the low. He just dejectedly went back into the line, ignoring all the laughter that was thrown at him.


    "F-class. Even though you won''t unlock your Desire, you''re still smart. You can figure it out right?"


    There was a condescending tone in that remark. He always knew this teacher hated him. Ever since he proved him wrong in one of his classes, there was a target on his back. Hugh didn''t care, after this he will finally get to enroll in a prestigious university due to a scholarship he received.


    "Go home now. Good luck to all those who will unlock their Desire tonight. To those who won''t, I just wish you the best of luck."


    That final sentence didn''t seem sincere. There was a slight smile in the teacher''s face that gave it away. The students started dispersing as they talked and compared their results to each other. They bumped into Hugh as if he was invisible.


    Even Aric couldn''t help himself and pushed Hugh down onto the ground. Hugh fell face first into the cold hard ground. His chubby face softened the fall and he only felt a slight pain in his jaw. He just laid there with his eyes closed, letting the time pass by.


    Nobody helped him up. They all minded their own business and walked out of the room. When Hugh heard less and less footsteps, he finally propped himself back up and went outside into the empty hallway.


    This was the final time he was gonna see this place. After today, he will finally enroll into the Wolrath academy. At least that school has a department specifically for those without Desire or has a support type Desire. He won''t be discriminated against.


    Walking away from the gate, he saw numerous students jumping in joy and hugging each other. They graduated and they probably won''t see each other again. Hugh didn''t get the sentimentality of people graduating and the need to make it so special.


    He walked alone in the midst of students celebrating with their parents as they bragged about it to each other. Some parents had gifted their child a hovercraft, some gifted armor, and some gifted weapons. Hugh walked with hurried steps away from them.


    He didn''t have anything to ride back home. He didn''t have the luxury to buy a ride back home either. He just walked home alone. Hugh would usually sweat a lot in the walk back home since he had a very high metabolism. This way home was a very familiar road to Hugh. For the past four years, he had been walking down this road almost at the same time and same pace. He liked having a routine to stick to.


    With hovercars swinging past him, he just stayed near the side walk and counted the steps to his home. The familiar beat up, two-story house came into his view. They had this old school type of house that was famous back in the old days. The walls were made of glasses and had a veranda at the top.


    Hugh opened the gate and walked into his house. He sat down on the ground and removed his shoes and his socks and put it in a bin. The wooden floor board creaked as he step foot into the living room.


    The room was empty. The lights were turned off and only the light from the streets illuminated the living room. There was a tv and a couch on one side, and the kitchen on the other. He went into the refrigerator and took out some leftover chicken breast and ate it whole.


    After filling up his stomach, Hugh went upstairs using their marble stairs that was specifically designed so that Hugh wouldn''t destroy it. He felt his knees start to burn as he went up the stairs, a normal occurrence for him.


    He opened up his room that was filled with food and snacks neatly lined up in his cabinet. There was even a mini fridge attached near his bed for refreshing cold water. He laid down on his king sized bed and just closed his eyes. He couldn''t wait to embark on his journey tomorrow. That was the real start of his life.


    As Hugh closed his eyes, he went into a deep trance. Unknowingly, his heart started to beat abnormally fast. Hugh felt alarmed. He tried to get out of his sleeping position and stand up but he couldn''t. He was stuck there laying on his bed with his eyes closed.


    ''Is this a heart attack? Am I going to die before I go to university?''


    His muscles started to spasm. It started to constrict and expand in a very uncomfortable way. At first, it was just a weird feeling, but it turned into pain as more and more of his muscles started to spasm. He could feel his skin being pulled apart and squished together but the worst thing was that he couldn''t do anything about it. He couldn''t even scream in pain.


    He could feel his sweat coming out of his pores and dripping down his skin. In a short amount of time, he was soaking wet from the pool of sweat now accumulating in his bed.


    ''What''s happening to me?!?!?''


    The pain started to get more intense. The pain exponentially grew and grew until Hugh couldn''t take it anymore and he fainted. There was nothing more he could do. He just accepted his fate.


    ''FAT GOD SYSTEM ACTIVATED


    USING EXCESS FAT AS MANA....''


    Unknown to Hugh, his body started to transform into something that he could only dream of.


    Hugh woke up with his eyes blurry. There was sweat coming off his forehead and into his eyes. He wiped it off and sat up on his bed. All he could remember was feeling pain throughout his whole body. He might even hallucinated some kind of game while he was out.


    He left his bed and something strange happened. No, it didn''t happen. The usual creak in his bed after he left it was gone. He didn''t even feel like his bed had indentations on it. The only thing on his bed was the sweat that came off him from before. Hugh was a sweaty guy, he had never sweated this much before but it wasn''t weird.


    He went into his bathroom and checked himself in the mirror. As soon as he saw his reflection, he flinched away. There was someone in his bathroom. He hid in the door and peaked again after a long time. There was no one there.


    ''That was weird, I though I saw some white haired dude in here.''


    He gathered up courage and went back into the bathroom only to be surprised once again. His heart almost escaped away from the shock.


    What he saw was a white haired guy with a sharp but clear eyes that stared right back at him. His eyebrows were fierce, but not too thick. He had a straight-edged nose and a small mouth. His whole face was symmetrical but it had a tint of danger and confidence.


    He waved his hands and the man in the mirror followed his movements perfectly. It''s as if he was the man in the mirror.


    ''Wait, no. That can''t be possible!!!''


    Hugh started to caress his face and indeed the man in the mirror did the same. He traced his eyebrows and it had the same shape as the one in the mirror.


    ''No, wait!''


    He ran out of the room and took out his cellphone. He pointed his camera at himself and took a picture. His hands started to tremble at the possible reality he was in now. He slowly turned the camera and saw the same picture that was in the mirror.


    ''Is this me?''


    As soon as he thought that, a notification appeared in his mind.


    ''1 minute until body has no more fat and loses all power. Warning! Please eat more food to maintain your transformation.''


    That strange voice once again came directly into his mind. He looked frantically for any sign of person that spoke that sentence. He couldn''t find one.


    Thinking that there was something wrong with himself, he tried to sprint outside his room. His sight suddenly became black and there was a slight sting in his forehead. He opened his eyes and saw that he had collided with the door. He was too fast and ge couldn''t control his strength.


    The adrenaline in his body made him ignore one single fact that changed the most about him. His wet clothes were now dangling to his feet. He checked his arms and clearly saw his biceps that were deprived of fat. He looked around all over his body and saw it was the same for all parts of his body. His legs were now brimming with power. His abdominals gave him phenomenal balance. He was now at the peak of his health.


    ''Is this really me? Have I really changed?''


    He suddenly had a pang of hunger. His stomach grumbled in protest. He could feel his strength fading away from him and his muscles were losing volume. His eyes became red and all he could think about was to eat something, anything.

 Chapter 3: Mission

    He ravaged all the snacks and food at his room. Nothing was left behind and everything went back into his stomach. Miraculously, fat started to grow back on his body. Hugh didn''t notice this as his thirst and hunger for food only became stronger as he ate.


    He subconsciously went down into the first floor and ate all the food at the refrigerator. Nothing was spared, not even uncooked food. He ate raw chicken, and even raw beef. Blood was spilling down his mouth as he didn''t even have time to chew his nourishment.


    With all the food gone at the fridge, Hugh''s hunger still persisted. He had to do something. Without even thinking, he went to the floor and started eating the wood on it. It was the most delicious thing he had ever eaten in his life. It was like a new door had opened on him and all the possibilities became endless.


    Only when the wooden floor was totally scraped off was Hugh finally starting to feel satisfied. He no longer felt hungry and he was back at his old fat self. He was finally starting to think clearly until he had a thought. What if he ate the marble flooring? How good would that taste?


    His curiosity got the best of him and he relented on his wish. He started mowing down on the marble floor. It was too hard for his teeth, so he ground the marble into powder until he could have a taste. After having that taste, he could never go back to normal food. This was heaven.


    As he ground the marble with his teeth, it unknowingly became stronger and stronger until Hugh could take a bite off the stone. He didn''t dare to bypass chewing this time and savored the sweet, tasty, and refreshing texture of the marble flooring.


    After peeling off the flooring, Hugh just laid on the floor exhausted. He was panting as hard as he could as his chest heaved up and down. He was tired, but there was a smile on his face. He finally felt satisfied. He realized now that those junk foods that he ate before were nothing but a waste. Those had never fulfilled him truly.


    He just slept right there on the floor with a smile on his face. He didn''t know how he got this Desire or what power he had but that''s not the most important part. The best part of this was his life would change. For the better or for the worse, Hugh didn''t know but he was excited.


    ++++++++++++++


    DAILY MISSIONS:


    Eat 10 types of wood (0/10)


    Eat 10 types of metals (0/10)


    Eat 30,000 kcal (0/30,000)


    ++++++++++++++


    Hugh was woken up by a notification popping up in his head. He tried to ignore it but there was a sliver of light coming off the window and was assaulting his closed eyes. He waved his head left and right trying to avoid the light but it was persistent.


    He wanted to get back to sleep but something clicked in his mind. The memories from last night suddenly surged in his mind and he quickly opened his eyes. Adrenaline started to cycle through his body and a wide grin started to form in his mouth.


    He thought back to the notification in his mind and it magically appeared back in his head. He couldn''t see it, but he knew the contents of the notification like it was the back of his hand.


    His teeth was showing while he had a wide grin. The events that happened last night wasn''t a dream! If the notification was correct, then he had unlocked his Desire. He pushed himself off the ground and he saw the aftermath of his gluttonous disaster.


    Thank god his parents weren''t around or else he would have a lot of explaining to do. He carefully maneuvered around the eaten parts of the staircase as he went into his room. Today would be the day that he enrolls in the Wolrath Academy. He was currently enrolled on the Support Department because he had no Desire when he had enrolled. Even if he tried to enroll in the Main Department, he wouldn''t be able to afford it. It was only thanks to the scholarship that Hugh was even allowed to enroll in Wolrath Academy.


    He ignored the plastic trash in the floor from all the food he ate here last night. He went straight to his cabinet. As he opened it, the white and black uniform immediately caught his eyes. It was neatly cleaned and ironed, as well as the 5 other uniforms at the back.


    He carefully took out the uniform and put it on with great care not to crease it. This was especially made for his size and it fit perfectly. He looked the best that he could in order to make a good impression.


    He was so excited he forgot about the daily missions. He didn''t know how to even start. How would he go about eating 10 different kinds of wood and metals? The calories part was easy because he was already doing that before.


    He had to search the internet where to find those sorts of things. He got on his personal computer and typed in ''where to find different kinds of woods''. The search results gave him all kinds of stores selling some materials for forging weapons. The problem here was that they were too expensive. He couldn''t even buy the lowest quality of Krater wood that was exported from planet Braxton. This was the most troublesome mission he had. Metals could be seen everywhere in the streets and scraps were on most garbages.


    Come to think of it, Hugh has never heard of a Desire being unlocked naturally. That was the whole reason there was a big divide between the rich and the poor. Even if you had an F-class rating, if you have enough money you could definitely buy a more effective pill to bring out your Desire. He clicked on another tab and searched for ''Desire unlocked without Desire pills.''


    The search brought up various results, most of which were click-bait and had no substantial evidence to back them up. Whenever he would click on an article, it would have a shady button that said ''Magically unlock your Desire with this one trick'' or ''Desire Pill makers hate how this guy doesn''t need them''.


    Hugh knew it was useless to search through normal means. Thankfully, he knew how to code and how to bypass normal firewalls. He had access to the dark web. He usually didn''t frequent these types of websites but this time he really needed more information about his situation.


    He searched the same question in the dark web and came up with some promising results. There were different classified information about the CDA and their movements throughout history. After reading a wall of text, a sentence caught his attention.


    ''The year XX40, the CDA heard rumors about a person unlocking their desire without any external help. Shortly after, the suspected person disappeared without any trace never to be heard of again.''


    The text was so short that Hugh would have missed it if he had blinked at a wrong time. This short sentence had a big impact in Hugh''s psyche. If this was true, he was in a dangerous position. Before this, he even had thoughts of showing off in public and try to enroll in the Main Department but now...


    Hugh slacked back in his chair and inhaled a big breath. He had to be careful in showing his real strength. It may be a shame that he couldn''t display his power but hiding his power wasn''t without merits. If he was in a dangerous position, he could use his Desire as a trump card and survive.


    Hugh calmed himself down. He nodded his head once, indicating that he was confident on what to do now. But first things first, he had to complete his daily missions. Completing a mission will always lead to benefits that he could use.


    For now, he had to be resourceful. He looked around his room in search for any metallic objects and found some on his desk. The main legs were made of some metal that had a shiny tint to it. Just as he was about to open his mouth, he remembered the logistics of this action. How can he even bite a metal?


    He might damage his teeth but he had to at least try to bite it. Hugh opened his mouth wide and gently bit on the metal leg of the desk. It was a hard surface and Hugh was sure he couldn''t just tear through it. He released his jaw and looked at the result on the metal. Surprisingly, there was a tiny dent to it, like a bite mark. Precisely his bite mark. This was possible. He could eat this piece of metal but it would take a lot of time. Thankfully, he had all day.

 Chapter 4: Metal

    Little by little, Hugh gnawed on the steel foot of the desk. His hunger once again intensified allowing him to bite faster and with more force. His sole focus was on taking a bite out of it but the taste of the metal was driving him crazy. It was like it was teasing him and luring him in to eat more.


    After countless bites into the metal, Hugh finally took out a huge part of the metal and started to chew it. He could feel the sharp edges of the metal scraping against his mouth but that only made it more delicious. It was like spicy foods that were painful but gave more excitement to the food.


    He savored every feeling he got while tasting the metal until he swallowed it. It was like his whole body was nourished with a cold feeling. It was instantly being dissolved in his stomach. He could feel the acid devouring the metal and distributing it throughout his whole body.


    He got a notification in his head.


    ++++++++++++++


    DAILY MISSIONS:


    Eat 10 types of wood (0/10)


    Eat 10 types of metals (1/10)


    Eat 30,000 kcal (0/30,000)


    ++++++++++++++


    He finally got started in completing his daily missions but he was still far away from completing them. He needed more materials and he needed a way to eat them more efficiently.


    He looked around but nothing gave him what he needed. Most of the materials that made up this house were some kind of stones and minerals. If only that was the mission then he would have at least completed a third of his mission for today.


    He still turned his head around the room, thinking that he missed something and a light gleamed that caught his attention. His computer. Should he eat this? It was surely made with all kinds of metal but is it worth it? He remembered when he worked a part-time job online just to buy all the parts needed to complete his computer.


    He then looked down at the keyboard and saw his phone. This was a phone that had years behind it with all the cracks and bubbles on the screen. He had gotten this as a gift from his parents when he got valedictorian when he was in his first year of high school. This phone was already due for a replacement since his parents promised him a new one after graduating and enrolling at Wolrath Academy.


    Eating this phone would be the most cost-efficient thing to do since phones were made up of many different types of metals such as gold, lithium, copper, and many more. After walking around his room in a loop and debating with himself for a while, he decided to eat his phone.


    He only took one bite and the phone was broken in half. It was like one of his favorite chocolate wafers that he frequently bought at the convenience store a few steps from his house. One bite was all it took to get Hugh hooked on eating his phone whole.


    ++++++++++++++


    DAILY MISSIONS:


    Eat 10 types of wood (0/10)


    Eat 10 types of metals (10/10)


    Eat 30,000 kcal (0/30,000)


    ++++++++++++++


    Looks like even eating a little bit of the metals worked. He succeeded in completing a third of his tasks, but there was one thing he didn''t take into account. His hunger. As if he was a hungry man on a desert that was presented with food, Hugh immediately went for his computer. He didn''t think and just ate every part of his prized electronic. The wires were not spared and were slurped into his stomach like an Italian-made spaghetti sprinkled with parmesan cheese at the top. Hugh would even argue that the wires were streets ahead of the spaghetti.


    He didn''t stop there and immediately went downstairs and started gnawing on the microwave, on the refrigerator, his tv, the air conditioner, and everything that had electricity flowing on it. As a cherry on top, Hugh had the lightbulbs as dessert. He finally felt satisfied.


    Unlike before when he ate until he was full, he didn''t feel drowsy or tired. He was feeling even more energized than before. Adrenaline was flowing through his body and all he could think about was to go outside and hunt for more exotic foods, and that''s what he did. He strolled outside and headed for the park.


    Trees could not be seen laying around the streets, there were only preserved at one place and that was at their local park. He had long strides as he passed through the streets and there was even a slight skip in his step. He was elated at the new experience he had and the possibilities it could harbor.


    He passed by the convenience store, an auto shop with hovercars parked within, and there was a blacksmith''s store that showcased different weapons and armors. Most of the display were shiny and was easily getting people''s attention. Numerous people went in and out of the store with gleaming smiles all around. He could even see his previous schoolmates picking and choosing new armors and weapons that complimented their newly found Desire.


    He felt in a good mood so he changed his course and entered the blacksmith. As soon as he entered the room, he could see all kinds of metals indigenous to Earth and some exotic metals from other planets. It was like going to a candy store, he had all these choices laid out in front of him. Too bad he''s only window whopping.


    Different sections of the store had different types of wares. Immediately on his left was dazzling swords of all colors and sizes. One was made of ruby, one was made of scales, and the one most expensive had a glass cover on it which was a sword lined with gold and an actual flame on the edge.


    It costs a whopping 1,000 gold coins. That''s 100,000 silver coins or 10,000,000 bronze coins! If he had that kind of money he would have been able to buy a Desire pill.


    "You have a mighty eye dear customer! This righteous flame sword is on sale right now! Only 1,000 gold coins!"


    A clerk with a dark suit and neatly gelled hair came up to him and tried to sell Hugh the flaming sword. If he had the money, then yeah, he would have bought this sword to know what it tasted like, but before he could even refuse, an arrogant tone came to stop him.


    "HA!! Don''t bother with this guy. He''s poor and he couldn''t even afford a Desire pill. Not to mention he had an F-class rating."


    Hugh and the clerk turned to the person who just insulted Hugh. He immediately recognized it to be one of his classmates. This guy had spiky hair and black eyeliner which Hugh was sure that he spent all morning doing. He always saw this guy beside Aric and they would terrorize him every day of his life. Hugh only had bad impressions of Bart.


    As soon as the clerk heard what Bart said, the look of praise and smiles became a furrowed eyebrow and a frown of disgust. The clerk immediately scurried away in search of a new more promising customer. Seeing the result, Bart had a look of triumph and ridicule. His chin was so high that Hugh was worried for his neck.


    With nothing left to do here in the blacksmith, Hugh turned around and left the place. It looked like his life still hadn''t changed from before and he was still the butt of the joke. Hugh shook his head quickly in an attempt to clear his head. Reminiscing is not what he should do right now. He went on his way to the park with a much more grounded step and a little bit heavy demeanor. The situation earlier clearly affected him.


    Before he could even step foot in the direction of the park, he suddenly bumped into a large man. This guy had a black tank top that showcased his huge physique. This guy was fat but muscles could also be seen underneath it making him look more powerful.


    Hugh looked up at the man who just had a stern face and unchanging demeanor. It was very clear he didn''t want Hugh to pass. This situation was familiar. Hugh looked back and sure enough, Bart was there with a wide grin wearing his new armor set. The red armor looked dazzling in the sun.


    "Why don''t we talk the alley?"


    He was outnumbered, there was nothing he could do except comply. Of course, he could have used his Desire but he didn''t want to do it in public. If it was before, he would have just taken the hits and endured it the best he can until they find it boring. But now, he had a Desire. He could fight back.

 Chapter 5: Fight

    Hugh was led down into a shaded alley hidden near the blacksmith shop. There was nothing but garbage cans and a dead end on that alleyway. Hugh stepped backward as the big guy and Bart advances to him.


    "You''ve nowhere to escape now."


    Bart smiled menacingly and with malice as he looked down on Hugh. He spread his arms out wide and his arms transformed into a sharpened mineral. Its color was opaque white with the blades having a completely transparent color. Coupled with his ruby armor, Bart felt confident in beating up Hugh.


    The big guy, Hugh just called him tank top, expanded his body and became a brick wall that prevented any exit Hugh could take. His figure could still be seen in the middle of the brick wall like he only had a camouflage.


    "I''ve been wanting to try out my new Desire."


    Bart scraped his mineral hands against each other in eagerness. Hugh just looked at Bart calmly and without fear in his eyes. If Bart looked closely, he would see that Hugh had a slight smile forming in his mouth while holding a first.


    "Don''t worry, I won''t kill you."


    Bart then accelerated to Hugh with his hands raised to his head. With the trajectory of his blade, Bart had every intention of fatally injuring Hugh. Seeing this, Hugh had a slight smile on his face. This was his most awaited moment of getting revenge against his oppressors. He readied himself and was just about to command his system to use his Desire when something caught his eye. At the top of the alleyway was a CCTV that had a red light indicating that it was turned on.


    Hugh hesitated which caused him to forget about the current blade that was about to slash his shoulder and pierce his stomach. Adrenaline suddenly allowed him to move and try to dodge but it was already too late. Bart''s left hand pierced his stomach and his right hand gashed Hugh''s left shoulder.


    "AAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!"


    Hugh screamed in pain. He could feel himself losing consciousness. He didn''t even want to look at his body since it would probably wear off the slight painkiller from the adrenaline. He looked at Bart with a reddish eye and ground his teeth.


    Hugh''s frown and clear anger contrasted Bart''s face. Bart had a pleased face while he saw Hugh with a face of suffering. He didn''t want to give Hugh and time for relief so he took out both of his mineral-like arms from Hugh''s body which was the only thing preventing Hugh''s blood from spreading out. He took it out quickly which created more gashes and cuts that made Hugh''s blood spurt out. Seeing Hugh''s blood on his newly bought armor, he stepped away from the falling Hugh.


    Bart then saw Hugh walking towards the trash can and picking something up. It was pitiful seeing someone like this, but it also gave him so much pleasure that he couldn''t help but smile menacingly.


    Hugh dragged his bloody body near the trash can and looked for something and anything he could use. Fortunately, it was filled to the brim with stuff he couldn''t see. He took out the uppermost trash and examined it. It was a broken phone.


    With all the strength Hugh could muster, he lifted his left hand and threw the broken phone. Bart didn''t even need to dodge since the phone was way above his head. Bart only shook his head left and right in disapproval.


    "You just don''t give-"


    Before Bart could finish his sentence, he heard the sound of glass crashing behind his back. There were glass pieces scattered around the floor with the broken phone that Hugh threw. He looked up and saw that the CCTV was now broken and dysfunctional.


    Before Bart could even turn around, he felt pressure on his left cheek. This force was so powerful that he launched backward and into the tank top guy who was now a wall.


    Hugh was standing there in the dim light. There was smoke coming out from all over his body. Sweat came and poured from every pore in his body making his oversized clothes stick to his body. Well-defined muscles could be traced from the wet clothes that stuck to every edge of the muscle. His previous black hair now became white and covered his eyes, which made it unknown what he was thinking. The hidden injuries he had were now healing at an abnormally fast rate.


    ++++++++++++++


    FAT RESERVES


    ________________


    |#####################|


    ________________


    Estimated remaining time: 1 min.


    ++++++++++++++


    Hugh walked forward slowly, but each step had a clear resounding sound that reverberated throughout the ground. The steps were taken simultaneously, with the same duration and pause indicating carefulness and confidence. Hugh went down to Bart''s level and looked at him with curiosity. He felt power. More powerful than what Bart used to critically injure him. Was Bart always this weak? Hugh could see that when he went near Bart, he flinched and backed off. Bart''s eyes were fully wide open with furrowed eyebrows. Bart was afraid.


    Hugh grabbed Bart''s shirt and gripped it with one hand. With no strain at all, he lifted Bart till they were both standing. Without any indication, Hugh punched Bart''s face with his left hand. A resounding smack filled the silence in the alleyway. A tooth covered in blood flew away and landed on the floor. He didn''t stop there.


    Hugh punched him in the stomach which dented the new and high-quality armor Bart wore as protection. Bart leaned forward because of the force that almost made him puke. Blood started flowing down his mouth due to the lost tooth.


    Hugh then held Bart''s mineral arm with his one hand and gripped it with all the strength he could muster. Veins started appearing in Hugh''s arm as all the power concentrated on his hand. Crack. A single crack appeared in Bart''s hand.


    "AAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!"


    Bart screamed in pain as the singular crack split into two and those cracks also split into two. It wasn''t long until pieces started falling off. Hugh gave one last strong grip and the mineral shattered into pieces. Hugh could see the whites in Bart''s eyes as he screamed silently. Bart''s other mineral arm regressed into a human arm. Bart stared into oblivion and lightly spoke.


    "plea....se...st..op."


    Granting his wish, Hugh gave Bart one last punch in the head which effectively made him unconscious. The tank top guy who watched this whole ordeal was speechless. He thought he would get an easy buck if he followed this rich arrogant guy into having some fun but he didn''t expect this. He wanted to run but he forgot that he was a brick wall.


    Before he could even regress into his normal form, he suddenly saw Hugh right in front of him with super speed. He only blinked once and Hugh already had his fist in a punching position. The only thing he remembered after that was the pain from the gaping hole in his stomach then he fainted as he became human once again.


    Hugh looked at the aftermath he had caused. He was relieved and interested in the power he now had. He could destroy other people''s Desire so easily. The wound from before had now fully healed with no scars remaining. He was invincible.


    ++++++++++++++


    FAT RESERVES


    ________________


    |########## |


    ________________


    Estimated time remaining: 30 sec.


    ++++++++++++++


    "Hey!! What happened here?!?!"


    A shout suddenly broke Hugh out of his stupor. He looked back at the opening of the alleyway and saw a red and blue jacket and pants. This uniform was easily recognizable in the streets or any other place. This was a survey guard from the CDA. A survey guard was at the bottom of the food chain in the CDA but part of the CDA nonetheless.


    Hugh couldn''t risk getting caught and interrogated by the CDA so he ran away from the scene of the crime at superhuman speeds. The survey guard was slightly taken aback by Hugh''s speed but quickly took action since him running away was a clear indication of guilt.


    The survey guard quickly took his hovermotor and chased after Hugh. He chased Hugh through the streets and was surprised to find that he could not deplete the distance from Hugh even though he was on the hovermotor.


    Hugh ran for his life. He released all his strength in his legs and ran for the park. He didn''t know where else to go since going back to his house would be a dead giveaway. He was surprised to find that he was so fast that a hovermotor couldn''t catch him.


    15 seconds later, Hugh reached the park but his mind came to a blank. How would he be able to outrun the guard here in the park? He couldn''t just run around in a circle, his transformation was going to end.


    He ran around the park, bypassing those who were jogging and shocking those who were relaxing on the ground. He was thinking of a solution to his problem while the guard was hot on his tail. He got a notification that made him frantically look around as he got filled with anxiety.


    ''5 SECONDS LEFT''


    Running around, he saw something that caught his attention. It was a steel fence with barbed wires at the top. Plastered on the fence were the words ''DANGER! DO NOT GO IN!''


    It was the only choice he had so he sprinted there and planted both his feet as he launched himself high up in the air enough to get over the barbed wires. He ran into the bushy forest and disappeared as his transformation came to a close.

 Chapter 6: Armadillo

    Hugh''s body started to deflate as he started to lose steam. The bravado and confidence he had were replaced with a burning hunger that was comparable to an endless void. Hugh''s body which was now skin and bones took everything in his vicinity and put it in his mouth. The bushes nearby, the soil, and some rocks on the ground. It wasn''t enough as Hugh looked longingly at a tree and took a bite out of it.


    ++++++++++++++


    DAILY MISSIONS:


    Eat 10 types of wood (1/10)


    Eat 10 types of metals (10/10)


    Eat 30,000 kcal of protein/carbs/fat (0/30,000)


    ++++++++++++++


    Hugh advanced through the progressively darkening forest with half-eaten trees and destroyed rocks laying in his wake. His previous skin and bones became fatter and fatter until he was back at his old obese self. He regained his sanity and looked around his vicinity.


    He didn''t know where he was because running away from the CDA was his top priority. He didn''t care where he went because if he got caught, his Desire would be a subject of questioning.


    Looking around the luscious forest that he was in, Hugh recognized the opportunity presented to him.


    ''Eat 10 types of wood (7/10)''


    He only needed to eat 3 more types of wood and he''d be two-thirds of the way done on his daily missions. He knew what to do so he started walking around the forest to see if he had find trees that he hadn''t eaten yet.


    The forest was damp and the grass underneath his feet was filled with mildew. With every step, he could feel the wet and slimy grass sliding on his feet. He looked towards the variety of bark that he could chew on. He started at the tree on his immediate left. With one bite, he took off the bark and the wood itself.


    The wood separated in his mouth like little straws and immediately dissolved in his mouth using his saliva. The bark acted as the chewy and enjoyable part of the wood.


    He didn''t get the notification that he ate a different type of wood but Hugh immediately got hooked on eating the bark. He stripped off the bark of the tree and put some in his pockets. This was gonna be his snack while he looked for other trees.


    This trip became much more enjoyable as Hugh felt like he was on a stroll while crunching on the bark. He almost forgot that he was in a dangerous forest.


    Hugh kept taking a bite out of every wood that he could see. He got a little bit carried away as he had been walking inside the forest for at least 50 minutes but he needed one more type of wood to complete one of his missions.


    A loud growling sound that reverberated the ground broke Hugh out of his carefree demeanor. He reminded himself that he was in an unknown forest with multitudes of dangerous and ferocious monsters. He bent down low and looked around his surroundings.


    Following his ears, his eyesight came to see an enormous gray ball filled with scales. The ball was almost as tall as he was and it was just laying on the grass, unmoving. Hugh became wary of the mysterious ball in the ground. His instincts told him this was a monster.


    Hugh felt a chill in his spine and he felt nervous. This was the first time he had ever seen a monster up close and personal. Due to his nervousness, he subconsciously pulled out a bark from his pockets and took a bite out of it.


    As soon as the loud crunching sound was made, Hugh realized what he had done and immediately threw the bark away in regret. He wasn''t the only one who heard the sound. Hugh watched as the ball of scales suddenly unfurl itself to reveal a pointy snout and arms with four sharp claws ready to kill whatever woke it up.


    This was a critical point. There were two choices Hugh could do. One was to flee without looking back. The other option was to fight and possibly gain the experience and treasure he could get from this monster. Not to mention those scales looked delicious.


    Hugh would pick option number two. With his newfound strength, he wouldn''t back off from a fight. He was pretty confident of his chances in fighting this armadillo armed with the knowledge drilled into him by his high school. A mutated armadillo was fast but not versatile. Hugh just needed to dodge the first attack by dodging left and the armadillo would be helpless. Dodging, of course, would be easier if he transformed.


    ''Transformation on cooldown


    Estimated remaining time: 10 min.''


    Welp now was the time to run. Hugh took a step back while keeping his eye on the armadillo who was currently not looking at him. As soon as he took a step back, he heard another loud crunch. He looked down and saw the bark that he threw away. Hugh''s heart stopped. He slowly looked back at the armadillo and saw that it was looking directly at him.


    ''Fxxx''


    Even without seeing the armadillo move, Hugh already dodged out of the way. He knew they were fast and he knew they were aggressive creatures. His wisdom came into play as he narrowly dodged the bulldozer from the armadillo. The trees were of no resistance as it plowed down everything in their path.


    Trees fell and made way for the armadillo. Hugh just watched at the side, seeing the destruction and wondering what would have happened had he not dodged. If Hugh wanted to escape, then now was the time.


    He bolted straight away opposite the direction the armadillo went. He didn''t look back as he ran the best that he could, which was not fast at all considering his weight and his lack of muscles without his transformation. From the back of his head, he could hear the sounds of trees breaking and falling on the ground. He immediately dodged to the left and the armadillo barely missed killing Hugh.


    Running away won''t work. The only choice he had left to survive this was to fight.


    ''Transformation on cooldown


    Estimated remaining time: 9 min.''


    Hugh only had to survive for nine minutes and then he could kill the armadillo with his bare hands. He had to think clearly. How would he avoid the armadillo because his dodges were slowly getting late? Avoiding won''t work, he had to think of another solution. How would he hide from the armadillo''s attention?


    Then everything clicked together in Hugh''s mind. The loud crack of the bark wood that instigated everything was the solution. He had his hypothesis, now he had to try it out without dying.


    Hugh stood still and paid attention to the armadillo. He reached into his pockets and took out a bark the size of his hands. He raised his hand and threw away the bark opposite his position relative to the armadillo.


    A muffled sound of a crunchy bark wood reverberated in the forest. The armadillo immediately positioned itself in the direction of the sound and mowed its way there. Hugh''s plan was successful. He only needed to survive these nine minutes before he could fight back.


    ''Transformation available.''


    After nine minutes, a notification popped into his head. It was time. Hugh immediately started smoking as his fat disappeared and muscles started to form underneath his skin. His hair gradually became white and his sharp jaw became visible.


    ++++++++++++++


    FAT RESERVES


    ________________


    |#####################|


    ________________


    Estimated time remaining: 1 min.


    ++++++++++++++


    "Come here."


    With his eyes underneath his hair, Hugh provoked the armadillo. The armadillo didn''t seem to notice that Hugh had changed and just ran through the forest with Hugh as its destination.


    Hugh knew he had power flowing through his body. He knew his limits and strengths as he held out his opened palm against the armadillo. He had every intention of stopping the bulldozer with just one hand.


    The armadillo ran straight into Hugh''s hands as the armadillo stopped in its tracks accompanied by a loud smack. Underneath Hugh''s feet was soil that sank due to the force of the armadillo but Hugh''s feet didn''t move backward.


    With one hand stopping the mutated armadillo, Hugh took his other hand and punched the armadillo in the shell directly. A loud cracking sound accompanied the fracturing of the armadillo''s shell which made it scream in pain.


    Hugh ignored the scream and continued to barrage the shell of the armadillo. He then lifted the armadillo and targeted its weak unprotected spots. Hugh just kept beating up the armadillo with his fists and face bloodied from the armadillo''s injuries. It wasn''t long until the armadillo died and Hugh''s transformation came to a close.


    With his transformation done, Hugh once again felt insatiable hunger. He set his sights on the fallen armadillo and started munching on the carcass. He first started on the meat of the armadillo which was unprotected by the shell. He devoured the meat, letting it pass through his stomach without chewing. The next meal was the scales which were soaked in blood. This time, he crunched the scales first before he swallowed them. He didn''t let go of the bones as well as he broke them off into pieces and he slurped the marrow underneath it. He crunched the bones and soaked them in blood as he put it in his mouth with blood spilling in his shirt.


    The only thing left of the armadillo was the blood on the ground that was absorbed by the soil.


    ++++++++++++++


    DAILY MISSIONS:


    Eat 10 types of wood (9/10)


    Eat 10 types of metals (10/10)


    Eat 30,000 kcal of protein/carbs/fat (30,000/30,000)


    ++++++++++++++

 Chapter 7: F-rank

    ++++++++++++++


    DAILY MISSIONS:


    Eat 10 types of wood (9/10)


    Eat 10 types of metals (10/10)


    Eat 30,000 kcal (30,000/30,000)


    ++++++++++++++


    Hugh felt elated. He was almost done with his daily missions. He only needed one more type of wood and he''d be done. He laid on the ground and relaxed. It was a tiring but exciting day for him. He was strong. Stronger than he could ever dream of.


    Granted that the armadillo was only a D-rank unadvanced mutated animal, Hugh was still strong in comparison to the average people. If Hugh were to guess, he would be a F-rank unadvanced cultivation. Just as he said that, his system gave him a notification.


    ++++++++++++++


    PROFILE


    NAME: Hugh


    SYSTEM: Fat God System


    STAGE: *unadvanced*


    RANK: F-rank


    *LOCKED*: *locked*


    ++++++++++++++


    This was Hugh''s current strength right now. He was definitely above the average when compared to his peers as a 17 year old. He still had ways to go since he had seen news about a 17 year old advancing to the first stage just months after he received his Desire.


    Hugh had to rank up to the D-rank, C-rank, B-rank, A-rank, and S-rank before he could advance to the first stage of advancement. Before he got his system, Hugh could only dream about getting to an S-rank, much less advancing to the first stage. Advancing to the first stage would be the dream of every person since it comes with fame, glory, fortune, and more opportunities to advance.


    Hugh knows that a normal person with Desire could advance their ranks by either using Desire pills, practicing, or if they''re a genius then they could rank up naturally without doing anything. Hugh didn''t know how he could advance with the system.


    Shaking his head, he cleared up his ambitious thoughts and just be in the moment. Right now, all he needs to do is to complete his daily missions and he could decide where to go from there. Nodding to himself, Hugh looked around the mess and chaos left behind by the armadillo.


    He went to every tree that fell and took a bite out of it, remembering to take out a little piece of bark to eat as a snack. Walking around, he came across a tree he had never seen before. This tree had a thick stem and dark wood inside with a swirling bark pattern. He finally found a new type of wood.


    Before Hugh could even take a bite, he heard a rumbling sound. The stomping sounds came with the familiar sounds of trees being broken down. Hugh got a bad feeling in his stomach as he slowly turned around and saw another armadillo coming towards him. Hugh almost got a feeling of deja vu if not for the fact that this armadillo was at least three times bigger than the one he ate.


    Hugh forced his legs and dodged out of the way from the humongous armadillo. Even if he had twice his height, he still wouldn''t reach the head of the standing armadillo. It was gigantic and Hugh knew he had no chance of fighting because he didn''t have his transformation.


    ''Transformation on cooldown


    Estimated time remaining: 60 min.''


    He had to do something. Anything that could help him escape this monster. He looked around and saw the wood that he was supposed to eat. If he ate that, then he would have completed his daily mission and get rewards, of which he didn''t know what.


    He remembered his fight with the previous armadillo and just stood still without making any sounds. He stared at the armadillo and hoped that he wouldn''t be discovered. His worst fear came true as the armadillo immediately pinpointed his exact location even without Hugh letting out any sound.


    ''But how?!?''


    Hugh wondered how this could be possible. There were only two possibilities. One was that the previous armadillo had mutated blind and the other was that this armadillo was several ranks up than the small one. If Hugh had to guess, then it was probably the latter one. Fortunately, he didn''t have to guess as his system gave him an answer.


    ++++++++++++++


    INSPECT


    Species: Armored Armadillo (mutated)


    Stage: *unadvanced*


    Rank: B-rank


    *Locked*: *locked*


    ++++++++++++++


    ''B-rank?!?!''


    Hugh really did have no chance of fighting this thing. Even if he did have his transformation, he would still be beaten to death. The only thing he could do now was to pray that he escapes.


    He looked at the wood and sprinted to it. The armadillo sprinted at the same time Hugh moved. They were currently at a collision course with the wood as the destination. Hugh had to decide. Will he dodge out of the way or risk it and try to reach the wood first?


    Of course, Hugh decided to risk it. His heart beat a thousand per second as everything seemed to slow down. By his estimations, he could reach the wood in time, but not enough to dodge out of the way. This was a critical moment in his life but Hugh wasn''t afraid. If he could see his face right now, there was even a slight smile on his face.


    Hugh reached into the wood and immediately took a bite out of it. He didn''t have time to chew as it directly went into his stomach.


    ++++++++++++++


    DAILY MISSIONS:


    Eat 10 types of wood (10/10)


    Eat 10 types of metals (10/10)


    Eat 30,000 kcal (30,000/30,000)


    DAILY MISSION COMPLETE!


    Please choose from the rewards


    Armor


    Body Modification


    Desire Mutation


    ++++++++++++++


    Hugh didn''t need to think about his decisions. Within an instant, he subconsciously chose the one that would help him in this dire time. He chose the armor.


    Hugh put his hands up in a cross; he hoped his new power would work this way, but he had not time to check. He closed his eyes, his legs firmly on the ground. Boom. He felt himself launch 6 feet into an arc backwards. The force, still vibrating in his arms.


    He opened his eyes to see the mutation in his arms. His forearms had a silvery metal sheen; with scales, much like the armadillo, laid in a diagonal pattern. The borders were covered in finely carved wood that connected with each other through veins in the metal sheen.


    He felt pain. He was still flying across the forest, accelerating at a high speed. It hurt his whole body, but that was only a sign that he was still alive; he still had a chance to survive.


    He had to get out of there. Run. He run as fast as he could. In his time of need, his legs started to mutate into something more muscular. Steam started to rise from his feet as steel started to form from his knee down to his feet. The wood started to follow the steel as it became muscles outside his feet. He felt power. His legs were now brimming with power.


    He ran in whichever direction was safe. He maneuvered through the jungle trees in hopes of slowing down the armadillo; it didn''t work. The armadillo didn''t care and ran through everything.


    His legs started to hurt and as he looked down, he saw the armor fluctuating from appearing and disappearing. It signaled trouble. He couldn''t last long at this rate. His stomach rumbled as groaned in protest for food. His throat was dry.


    He had to eat something. Anything. If he could see himself, he would see his fat slowly disappear like his transformation but this time it wasn''t replaced by muscles. His instincts told him to eat. To try and replenish his energy or risk fighting the armadillo without armor. He slowed down as he tried to pick up the fallen pieces of wood in the ground. It was a huge risk.


    He successfully picked up the wood but it came at a cost. The armadillo came just in time and ran down Hugh''s side. He only felt a slight pressure in his arm. He looked at his side and it was gone. His arm was gone. Adrenaline started to fill in his body to prevent him from panicking, from feeling pain. He ignored the blood spurting all over his side, soaking his clothes wet.


    The armadillo looked at him again. It planted its right foot firmly in the ground and slid it back multiple times. It was showing off. It was telling Hugh that this time, he wouldn''t be able to dodge.


    The steel in his arm started to revert back into his skin. The wood and the scales were absorbed back into his body. Even his legs felt wobbly as it went back into his normal skin; he felt more powerless than ever. It felt hopeless to do anything, if he could even do something.


    Then a radical idea came into his mind. He didn''t have time to think as the armadillo used all its force to run him straight through. Its now or never. He bent down and took his severed arm and took a bite out of it.

 Chapter 8: Peace

    Hugh ate his own arm. It was strangely sweet and he could feel his own chewy skin and the rough texture of his muscle. His heart skipped a beat, then another.


    He could feel pressure around his eyes.he saw his sight getting darker and darker until he could see only black and white. Black veins started appearing all around his body as his fat started disappearing accompanied by black smoke.


    He felt power. A power even stronger than his transformation, but this was different. It felt like the power was flowing in a different way and in a different place. He closed his eyes as he felt power in his feet and subconsciously released it. The grass unfurled as he started levitating.


    The armadillo mowed down the air as Hugh dodged by floating in the air. Even with his eyes closed, he could see things. What he saw was a world filled with longitudes and latitudes. He saw the armadillo''s outline in the distance. In the middle of the armadillo was a silver ball with no boundaries.


    He descended back in the ground and waited for the armadillo. He waited. He felt confident in taking this insignificant animal. With the armadillo now once again in its way to Hugh, he raised his hands and pointed it at the armadillo. Only a few meters away and Hugh would have been destroyed but huge roots suddenly appeared from the ground and restrained it from moving. It tried its best but it was fully restrained.


    Hugh went near the animal. He had no fear for he had everything under control. He raised his hand and put it in the armadillo''s head. If anybody were to see this, they would guess that Hugh would have crushed the armadillo''s head. It didn''t happen.


    Instead of violence, a sense of peace came. The forests hummed in harmony together with the birds. The plants and flowers swayed in flow with the wind. The cool breeze gave a warm feeling to whoever felt it in their body.


    Hugh patted the armadillo. He had a melancholic look as he frowned and pitied the poor thing. The armadillo who was struggling and frustrated suddenly stopped moving. It looked up at Hugh and stared at him. They both felt each other''s presence in their hearts and in their souls. The armadillo felt like Hugh had touched its soul directly.


    A tear suddenly fell from its eyes. It cried and wailed, not in anger, but relief. The burden it was feeling was now gone and it was now truly in peace; that was the last thought it had as it slumped down the ground.


    The trees stopped moving. The leaves were frozen in place as well as the flowers down on its feet. Fallen leaves stopped in mid air as time had miraculously stopped, but Hugh moved. He looked around his surroundings and a slight smile started to emerge from his mouth. He took his hand and started to swallow it whole. He didn''t chew but directly put it in his endless stomach. His body started contorting and bending on itself. He ate more and more of himself like a snake eating its own tail.


    As he ate the last part of himself, a small dark sphere started to emerge from his place. This dark sphere was the purest form of black. Every light within it had been absorbed on itself. It grew. It grew large enough to start pulling the trees from the ground and absorbed it. Rocks, soil, leaves and everything within a 1km diameter had no way out but the dark sphere.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    In a dark and enclosed space full of touchscreen tv. A sleeping analyst who wore a dark uniform that was unbuttoned the whole way through, was suddenly woken up from his sleep. The sounds of sirens blaring through his ears woke him up as his adrenaline started filling his body.


    At first, the analyst couldn''t figure out was wrong until he came upon a small blue circle. There was a giant exclamation point in the circle''s way with a caption that said ''EARTH''.


    His jaw was on the ground as he stumbled his fingers onto a glass box that contained a red button. The alarms kept blaring as each time he tried to open the glass box, he kept slipping up. His sweaty and nervous hands couldn''t seem to work in this inappropriate time.


    Another hand suddenly grabbed the glass box, pried it open, and pushed the red button. The analyst turned and saw his square faced superior looking back at him. He clumsily stood up and and crossed his arms with his fists making circles using his thumbs and fingers.


    "I''m sorry commander!! I won''t ever do that again."


    The analyst begged as hard as he can but he saw that his superior was looking at the screen not him. He sighed in relief.


    "A black hole suddenly emerged from planet Earth. Interesting. Call the elite troop squadron, we''re going on a trip."


    The commander wore a black jacket with medals and awards stitched onto his chest and shoulders. Under his chest was a stitched black and red font that said ''Cmd. SquareJaw''. Commander SquareJaw had a slight smile in his face as he looked at the screen. His legs were fidgeting as he couldn''t wait to find out the reason for this anomaly.


    "Yes sir! Calling the elite troop squadron, sir!"


    The analyst ran out of the stuffy room hoping that his commander wouldn''t scold him. He went into a different room and relayed the information to the reception desk.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Hugh opened his eyes to the bright sun. He had to cover it to protect from being blinded. Gathering his thoughts, he looked around his surroundings. The last thing he remembered was eating his own arm and feeling a slight pain in his eyes; after that, he didn''t remember anything.


    He looked around to see if he could remember anything else but the huge and deep crater that he was in would definitely be memorable. Confusion filled his face as he scrunched his eyebrows together.


    ''What happened?''


    His clothes were ripped in pieces as it barely held on to him. He had no idea what happened but something made him regain his caution. He heard a loud roar outside the crater that made him remember that he was in a dangerous place. He had to get out.


    He propped himself back up and started making his way out of the crater. He had to use his hands as the curve of the crater was quite steep and the soil was slippery. With the greenery forest back in his eyesight, he felt relieved. He started walking in a direction until he luckily found a steel fence.


    The familiar sounds of hovercars booming in the air was heard in the distance. At least he was finally safe from the wild. He didn''t know where he was did know that he was in the border of the city. The problem was that the steel fence was very tall and had a barbed wire at the top.


    He was able to get in because he had an astonishing jumping power when he was transformed but the cooldown still wasn''t up. What to do?


    He racked his brains of all possibilities. He thought about walking around the fence until he saw a gate but he quickly rejected that idea. The gates were usually filled with guards and he wasn''t about to take the risk.


    ''Should I dig down? No, that would be stupid. I don''t even have anything to dig with. How about I destroy some part of the fence to get through?''


    That last idea seemed the most safest way to get out but he had no way to do that right? A thought suddenly crossed his mind. He remembered when he was fighting the large armadillo and he transformed his arms and feet into some kind of metal and wood. It didn''t appear because of the system, the transformation was still on cooldown. It must have been because he was in trouble which means he could probably make it appear again.


    He closed his eyes and ruffled through his memories of fighting with the armadillo. The risk of death, the helplessness, the adrenaline, he tried his best to replicate those feelings. He felt a tingle in his spine as he saw a metal and wood type liquid appear on his arms and start to take shape. Unfortunately, it disappeared as fast as it came.


    This was it. He knew how to get out of the fence. He tried to remember again those feelings but it wasn''t enough. The liquid would only appear for less than a second. He concentrated even harder. Beads of sweat came out of his forehead and dripped down on the ground.


    He didn''t notice when but at the time he was concentrating and trying, the sun was almost dead. Night started to fill the sky as Hugh improved his control. From half a second turned into a three-fourths of a second. He tried again with a serious and stubborn face until finally, the transformation lasted for a second.


    He readied himself near the fence and activated the liquid. It filled his legs with the same metal sheen that replaced his skin and the wood that acted as the muscles. A second was all it took for Hugh to jump high enough to get over the fence. He did it. It took the whole afternoon to do that but it was worth it.

 Chapter 9: Elite

    A few hours after Hugh got out of the crater, 6 figures came down the hole. One in particular created a big crater as he landed on his feet. He had a big stature; a muscular body that threatened everybody. He wore black sunglasses as he inhaled a big breath.


    "Ahh.....the sweet smell of conflict."


    It was Commander SquareJaw. He smiled. Taking in the chaos that surrounded the crater, his heart leaped in joy. Without turning his head, he spoke to one of the people he landed with.


    "What do you think Auberron?"


    A long golden-haired human male came up next to SquareJaw and looked down on the ground, specifically at the center of the crater. He had a sharp eye with double eyelids. His nose and jaw were sharp; a signal of perfection in many people''s eyes. He wore a gold and black robe that flowed over his uniform with intricate curves stitched on the end.


    "It''s indeed a black hole."


    SquareJaw finally looked at Auberron. He crossed his arms and stared at him, making sure to lower his glasses. He just stayed silent and waited.


    With the silence, Auberron closed his eyes and spread his hands out. He inhaled. The ground underneath him started to tremble as small rocks started to float around him. A lump in the ground suddenly grew and molded into a human shape. This human lump of soil didn''t have any facial features nor any distinctive features. It just had a basic human shape.


    "When are we gonna fight this thing?"


    From their back, Auberron and SquareJaw heard a low pitched grating sound. They didn''t have to look back to know who spoke to them. He emerged from the shadows. This new guy who had the same uniform as them looked like he was angry. They knew him well enough to know that he wasn''t angry but that was just his resting face.


    "Don''t be reckless Lambo."


    Auberron, still with his eyes closed, replied to Auberron with a stern and serious voice. Even though Lambo spoke in a joking manner, Auberron made sure to keep his member in check.


    Lambo wore a sleeveless black and white uniform. The sleeves were forcefully torn off, making loose thread flow with the air. His shirt underneath was unbuttoned with just one button. His eyes were big and round that contrasted his sharp and inclined eyebrows.


    "Why? I didn''t think that you, who''s just a step away from the 2nd advancement, would be afraid."


    Before Auberron could even answer, another voice introduced itself from the shadows.


    "I don''t think Aub''s afraid. He already dealt with minor blackholes before; remember back in Karuta?"


    This was a feminine voice from a female human. She wore the same black uniform that fit the curves in all the right places. Her skirt went down to just below her knees with black stockings covering her long legs. She had long blue hair that curved at the end. Bangs covered her slim eyebrows atop her clear blue eyes. She was beautiful.


    "Yeah, are you saying that Aub isn''t strong?"


    Another voice came with the young woman. This one was from a human male with a soft, quivering voice. A shy guy came out of the shadows with his hands behind his back. This guy had a bowl cut that covered all if not most of his eyes. His uniform was plain black and white, the mandatory clothes for a CDA elite troop squad.


    "What? I never said that. Don''t spout nonsense Balen. Also, you weren''t in Karuta, Anki."


    The shy guy named Balen smiled imperceptibly and walked near to Aub who was concentrating on the human lump of soil.


    "Aub, Lambo said that you couldn''t even take on a minor blackhole. I think he wants to challenge you again."


    "What? Don''t exaggerate. Although, I wouldn''t mind taking a swing at Aub again."


    Lambo glared at Balen. Balen just smiled at Lambo. This was a normal occurrence for them and was just casual banter. Balen would tease and joke on Lambo while Lambo just ignored or quipped back but it never went physical. In-house fighting for no reason would get them in trouble with the commander, except if you were Auberron, the golden child.


    "What do you mean I wasn''t there? I was with there with you guys in spirit, cheering you on."


    The woman named Anki pouted her cheeks, making them blush with a reddish tint. She wasn''t on the Karuta mission because her Desire wasn''t suited for the problem. So instead, she got a manicure and a massage in the Union Massage planet, the best place in the galaxy to relax.


    "Anki, I think what Lambo was trying to tell you was that he was jealous of you lazing off and wasting CDA mandated money."


    Balen smelled opportunity in the air and started a fire. He immediately turned to Anki and tried to rattle a fight from them. It worked.


    "That was my own money, Lambo. What about you? You didn''t mind using our money to buy a membership from planet fitness. We have our own gym."


    "That''s a business expense. I need to keep up my shape."


    "Me too. I need to look pretty all the time."


    Aub''s vein in the side of his forehead pulsated in anger. Without opening his eyes, he spoke calmly.


    "Stop slacking off; we have work to do. Lambo, don''t get so worked up; go check the north side of the crater for clues. Anki, I don''t care what you do on your own time but right now we have a job to do; go to the west. Balen stop stirring up trouble and travel eastwards; we already have a big enough troublemaker on our team. Speaking of the devil, where''s Dempsy?"


    Somewhere in the forest, a mutated armadillo with a larger size than the one Hugh fought, was walking through a forest. It was strolling along, with no knowledge that a human male was stalking it. This guy had spiky white hair and a black and white uniform, the same pattern as the one the CDA elite troop squad wore. There was a big difference; this uniform had inverted colors. Those that were supposed to be colored black was instead colored white and vice versa.


    He had a big smile on his face as he stalked this little creature in his eyes. This was his plaything. He suddenly saw a sudden movement from somewhere and his grin became bigger. Out of the shadows, a velociraptor twice the size of the armadillo stomped its foot on the armadillo''s shell. A loud crunch was heard as the armadillo died instantly.


    The guy in the bushes came out and fought the large velociraptor. The fight only lasted for thirty seconds with the guy winning with not a scratch on his clothes.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Hugh came back tired and beleaguered from the fight that almost cost him his life. He thought about the mysterious events that happened after he passed out but he couldn''t remember anything. It was all in the past. He passed out, face-first in his bed until the next morning.


    He woke up feeling refreshed as ever. The sun was bright and shiny as it symbolized a new day for him. This was the day he would go to his new school. The support department in the Wolrath academy will allow him to have a career without a Desire.


    A notification popped up in his head.


    ++++++++++++++


    DAILY MISSIONS:


    Eat 5 square meters of glass (0/5)


    Eat 10 types of cloth (0/10)


    Eat 30,000 kcal (0/30,000)


    ++++++++++++++


    A new daily mission for him came to his mind. He had to eat new types of materials for the day. Since the reward from last time saved him from ultimate death, he was sure to do this mission to the end.


    He got up and went to his closet and looked at his clothes. Most of them were specifically made for him because most companies don''t mass manufacture that kind of size. He took 10 different extra clothes that he didn''t wear for the last month or so as fuel for his daily mission. He took a bite.


    The cloth was like gum and sticky rice. It was chewy but when paired with his saliva, it brought out a new and exciting flavor he had never tasted before. He took out a string of cloth from his mouth and stretched it out like gum and swallowed it.


    It didn''t take long for him to eat the 10 different clothes he prepared. It wasn''t enough. His greed led him to eat every shirt and pants he had in his closet. He ate the mattress cover, the pillow cover, the window cover, and he ate his uniform. He only regained his control when he got a notification in his head.


    ++++++++++++++


    DAILY MISSIONS:


    Eat 5 square meters of glass (0/5)


    Eat 10 types of cloth (10/10)


    Eat 30,000 kcal (0/30,000)


    ++++++++++++++


    He was thankful he was wearing his last uniform or else he would have gone to school in casual clothes. On to his next agenda, the glass. He eyed the windows as he went near it but before he could, he heard a blaring sound. It was the CDA. Neurons blazed in his head as alarms of danger rang in his mind. Did he get found out? The sound got louder and louder until it stopped, then he heard a knock on his door.

 Chapter 10: Cop

    Panic-stricken, Hugh walked slowly towards the door. He opened the eye-hole with beaded sweat running down his shirt. His worst fear came through. The colors of red and blue filled his eyesight, a symbol of the CDA patrolling the streets. He looked up and saw the same face that chased him down into the forest.


    Should he run? Should he fight his way out? Thoughts and plans came through his mind like lightning no matter if it was feasible or not. He quickly rejected all of them as he still didn''t know the purpose this cop had. If he ran away again, he would undoubtedly be filed guilty; at least, he had to plead for his innocence.


    He opened the door with his sweaty hands and looked at the cop. The cop looked at him with an indifferent face. There was no anger nor was there any feigned happiness.


    "Are you Hugh?"


    "Yes, why?"


    "Hi, I''m Pulman. Do you remember the incident yesterday?"


    Hugh''s heart skipped a beat. He had to do something, to feign his innocence.


    "Yes, but I can explain-"


    Before he could lie, Pulman stopped him by raising his opened palm near Hugh''s face.


    "Stop. Don''t tell me here. Let''s go to the precinct."


    "What?! Why? I didn''t do anything wrong."


    "Don''t worry, I won''t hurt you. I''m here to help you."


    Was this a trap? Hugh didn''t know if he should follow the cop but he didn''t have any choice. If this cop knew where he lived, then he can''t hide anywhere. If worst came to worst, he would transform and escape from their clutches.


    Pulman led him to a hovercar that had lights that blared red and blue. It was colored black and had a spoiler at the back. The front displayed the logo of the CDA which was the most prominent part of the car. Under it was the vehicle''s plate number.


    He stepped onto the foot guard and the car didn''t displace downwards. It was stable in the face of Hugh''s weight, a symbol of a high-quality hovercar.


    He didn''t get cuffed nor restrained which gave him relief and ease as they traveled through the busy skyroads. There wasn''t a physical road but more of a guideline for hovercars to follow to prevent chaos in the air. Hovercars are manufactured to follow these guidelines and if the driver bypasses these rules, then the violation would be recorded by the Air Transportation Office or ATO which is under the CDA. The driver would be fined and if it is not paid, the hovercar is confiscated along with the driver''s license.


    They went through the main road and turned right at the intersection. The streets were cleaner; the houses became mansions; people walking around were wearing mutated animal skins as their clothes. Hugh had never been in this part of town before because this was an exclusive part of town. This was where the rich people gather.


    They stopped at a large building in the sky. It was floating in the air, towering above all mansions below. There were no windows to peek inside, only a big red door at the front. The topmost structure at the building was a square black box that absorbed all light coming to it. It was vantablack.


    "Follow me inside."


    Pulman parked the hovercar at a garage to the building''s side. Inside the garage, different kinds of hovercars were parked together. Some were big as a tank, and some were small like a hovermotor. They had different shapes and sizes but all wore the logo of the CDA.


    They walked through a door that led from the garage to the building itself. The interior of the building was filled with touchscreens containing information about the whole city. Surveillance cameras were set up all around the city and this is where it was wired to.


    The clerks that manned the touchscreens wore the same uniform Pulman had. They had their eyes on the screen at all times, ignoring Hugh. They were all silent, no loud noise interfered with their work.


    They went into an isolated room with one-way glass. Pulman took a seat with one of the two chairs surrounding the table. He reconsidered whether he should comply with the cops but it was too late; he was already inside the headquarters. He couldn''t help but be intimidated.


    "Take a seat. I''m just gonna ask you some routine questions."


    The chair screeched as Hugh pulled it out from the table. He sat in it and looked at the cop confidently.


    "Where were you yesterday?"


    "I got out of my house and wanted to take a stroll from the park."


    "Hmmm...and then what?"


    "I took a detour and entered the blacksmith''s shop."


    "..."


    "When I got out, I was stopped by two guys who cornered me in the alley."


    "Why did they stop you?"


    "I don''t know. They wanted to hurt me."


    "Why?"


    "I don''t know. That guy had always harassed me at school."


    "Who? Is it this guy?"


    Pulman pointed at the wall. It suddenly turned into a clear glass wall and displayed a third-person perspective of the brawl in the alley. It could be clearly seen that Hugh was facing the front, and the two were facing away from the camera.


    "Yes, that guy."


    "Okay. So you were cornered and about to be attacked, what did you do then?"


    "Like always, I endure the pain."


    "So can you explain to me why you did this?"


    The display on the wall fast-forwarded to the point in which Hugh threw trash at the CCTV recording the events. It stopped just before it hit the camera.


    "I tried to defend myself."


    "What happened after that?"


    This was a critical moment. If he gets caught in a lie, then he would be caught. He had to be careful. Without video evidence, the truth will be Bart''s word against him and the CDA will definitely take the rich kid''s side.


    Hugh''s heart was beating hard as sweat poured down on the table. Contrary to his nervous mind, Hugh didn''t display any weakness in front of the cop. He spoke clearly.


    "I don''t know. I closed my eyes and went fetal."


    "...."


    Pulman went silent and observed Hugh''s demeanor. His years of experience told him that Hugh was hiding something but he didn''t know what.


    "Why happened to the two guys attacking you?"


    "I don''t know. I kept my head down and closed my eyes only to see them already down in the ground when you shouted."


    "Did you see the guy who ran away from me?"


    When he heard Pulman assume that his transformation was a different person, he almost smiled in relief. Thankfully, he kept his cool and had an indifferent face.


    Pulman still didn''t get the right answers he wanted. The mysterious person that ran away from him was definitely the one who attacked Bart. The thought that Hugh and ''mystery guy'' was the same person because his background check revealed that Hugh didn''t have any Desire.


    "Okay, that''s enough questions. Thank you for your time."


    Pulman got up to his chair and reached his hand to Hugh for a handshake. Hugh reciprocated but wiped his sweaty hands on his shirt first.


    "We''ll contact you if we have some more questions. Don''t leave the planet for now."


    Pulman opened the door and let Hugh get out first. They walked back towards the same route that led to the garage, passing by the touchscreens and the clerks.


    "So, this is your department huh? Not too shabby."


    A loud voice boomed throughout the headquarters. Hugh and Pulman looked in front of them and saw a distinct spiky white hair just a few feet ahead of them. This guy wore a black and white uniform, mostly white, as he talked to a cop beside him.


    "Thank you, thank you. I know it''s inferior to the elite troop squadron''s headquarters but we''ll do everything to satisfy your request."


    Hugh kept walking. He didn''t know why but he felt danger from the spiky white-haired guy. His heart stopped as Pulman stopped walking.


    "Detective Pulman, this is Dempsy. A member of the elite troop squadron."


    Pulman stopped walking completely and saluted as he crossed his hands. Dempsy only looked at Pulman and didn''t salute back. Hugh avoided any eye contact that could implicate him at any time.


    "Let''s look at your office, officer Dempsy."


    Thankfully, it looked like they wanted to go on your way. Hugh and Dempsy crossed paths and it seemed like time slowed down to a stop. Hugh felt something and his instincts wanted to run, but he calmed his nerves down and kept a cool face. Dempsy stopped walking, closed his eyes, and lifted his chin as he started sniffing the air.


    He opened his eyes and slowly looked towards Hugh as a smile formed on his face.

 Chapter 11: Department

    Hugh felt a wave of relief as he walked out the door of the precinct. There was a weird moment when he crossed paths with the spiky-haired dude but thankfully nothing happened. He had to get out.


    "Do you want me to escort you back to your house?"


    "No, I''ll find my way out. Just get me down on the ground."


    Pulman nodded and went around the garage to bring out a hovermotor. This only had two seats, more suitable for mobility and speed rather than defense. He put his handprint in the dashboard. Blue and red lights lit up inside the hovermotor as it revved up inside, ready to go.


    Hugh got on behind Pulman as they hovered down into the ground. Down here, Hugh could feel his insignificance under the CDA''s building. It was like a force that kept him down, restrained and unable to do anything. He had to get out, fast.


    He walked down the streets with the fancy mansions beside him. Windows opened up a slight bit to take a peek at the poor looking Hugh. He kept his head down and kept walking faster and faster until he jogged out. He wanted to be escorted out by Pulman but he didn''t want to associate with the CDA any longer, especially with that white-haired dude.


    Hugh felt chills on his back as thought back to the time he crossed paths with him.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    "Hachooo!!!"


    "Are you okay Dempsy?"


    "Yeah, someone must be talking about me."


    Dempsy looked around his large office at the top of the building. On the outside, the office looked like a black box but the inside was as clear as glass. They could oversee everything in the city here, a luxurious sight even for the wealthy.


    "This will do."


    "Just call out my name whenever you need it."


    Dempsy sat in his gold-covered chair that could be adjusted to his preference. Buttons were at the armchair for complete control over the room. One adjusted the temperature, one was for travel as it hovered around the room. He looked around and smiled, satisfied with the room until he saw the cop still standing in the door.


    "What is it?"


    "If I may be so presumptuous, can you put in a good word for your leader?"


    "My leader? Who? Auberron?"


    "Yes, A¡ª-Au¡ªAube¡ª¡ª-yes."


    The cop looked like couldn''t even say the name ''Auberron''. Dempsy could see the exaltation and praise in the cop''s eyes. He deified Auberron as if he was the next coming of Matusa. Just because Auberron could reach the third stage of advancement at only 18 didn''t mean that he was special. Dempsy knew that he would surpass him in due time.


    "He''s not my leader, but sure I''ll give in a good word."


    With the affirmation, the cop looked like he could cry. His hands were folded together as if his life''s wish had been granted. Dempsy smiled at the simpleness of the cop; the lack of ambition in his eyes intrigued him.


    Just as the cop went out and opened the door, Dempsy remembered something.


    "Oh right, what''s the deal with the fat guy?"


    "Fat guy? Who''s that?"


    The cop looked like he was truly unfamiliar with the guy. It looked like he was too engrossed in sucking up to Dempsy that he didn''t notice the fat Hugh. Dempsy shook his head and thought for a moment.


    "Bring detective Pulman here."


    The cop immediately got out and summoned Pulman who was buried in paperwork. He still couldn''t figure out the last piece of the puzzle in the mystery of the alley.


    "You summoned me, sir?"


    "What do you know about that fat guy?"


    "Hugh? Nothing much sir. Born from a poor family, currently living on the west side of the city. He is currently enrolled in Wolrath academy at the Support Department."


    "Support Department?"


    "Yes sir. He is too poor for a Desire pill and his talent is measured to be F-rank."


    "....interesting...."


    Dempsy smiled to himself. He knew there was something wrong with Hugh when he smelled him. He didn''t want to act then because he still lacked information but now it turned out that Hugh was actually hiding something so interesting.


    "Is there something wrong with Hugh, sir? Should I summon him back?"


    "No, no, you just gotta do something for me."


    Dempsy didn''t want to bring out the secret so fast; that wouldn''t be fun.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Hugh walked back home; it was tiring. When he was finally at home, his shirt was drenched in sweat. He was panting as his hunger burned through his stomach. He wanted to eat so much; he wanted to eat everything.


    He went near the windows and punched them with his fist. A loud crashing sounded out through the empty house as the glass shattered into pieces. He didn''t wait to eat the broken pieces of glass as he chomped on every single one. Multiple sounds of glass breaking could be heard.


    By the end when he regained his sanity, Hugh saw that his house was now windowless. There were no curtains to prevent the wind to blow inside the house. The house was naked to the outside but he didn''t care. He was satisfied.


    ++++++++++++++


    DAILY MISSIONS:


    Eat 5 square meters of glass (5/5)


    Eat 10 types of cloth (10/10)


    Eat 30,000 kcal (0/30,000)


    ++++++++++++++


    All he needed now was to eat 30,000 calories of food to finish his mission but there was something he had to do today; he had to go to school. If he waited any longer then he would be late for his first day of school. That wouldn''t look good on his track records on his scholarship.


    He patted down his sweaty uniform, packed his bags, and went on his way to the bus stop. His limited budget only allowed him to buy basic necessities and for emergencies. Basic necessities meaning the junk food that he was munching on in the hoverbus.


    The city full of hoverboards and hovercars flying all around the city became fewer as the bus traveled out of the city. A rural surrounding replaced the urban feeling of his hometown. The trees that lacked in the city prospered here on the way to Wolrath academy. On the horizon, he could see his new home for the next four years; that is the place that will change the path of his life forever.


    The front side of the academy was the main building in which new and old students were returning to the campus after a break. Most students waited at the front for their friends, bragging about their rank up. New students were sharing their aspirations to adventure out of space, some wanted to stay and be an adventurer. Hugh was different. He won''t be bringing out his Desire here so he''ll have a support type job.


    He followed the students inside and stood in line to register as a student. His turn was up and he introduced himself to the beautiful clerk.


    "Student number?"


    "20201209"


    "Okay sir Hugh, welcome to Wolrath academy. Please put you handprint here, here, and here."


    After the forms were filled up, Hugh received his student ID. This ID was only a physical copy for the students to use in everyday life while the ID generated in the neural network of the school can be accessed by using the handprint of the student.


    "Here is a pamphlet to ease your adjustment to the school."


    The beautiful clerk was all smiles as she handed the pamphlet to Hugh, a rare occurrence in his life. Shrugging it off as a one-time thing, he looked at the pamphlet. Hugh''s eyebrows became uneven as he read the contents of the pamphlet.


    ''A Student''s Guide to the Main Department of the Wolrath Academy.''


    ''Main? That''s weird, she gave me the wrong pamphlet.''


    He wanted to correct the clerk but she was already taking care of the next student and the endless line behind it. She looked busy so he decided to ask for a new pamphlet later when he had settled down on the dormitory.


    He traversed through the campus like the thousands of other students like him. It was a grass plain with intricately carved stones as the roads interconnecting the different buildings surrounding campus. The right side of the campus were filled with tall buildings and wide courts that signaled exclusivity and superiority of the Main Department. He looked to his left and saw common cemented buildings with square glasses, Hugh was reminded of old pictures of colleges in the past.


    He directed his feet towards the old-school buildings and went towards the reception. This clerk was a human male that looked bored out of his mind. He was playing something in his phone.


    "Uhm, excuse me."


    "....."


    "Hello?"


    "Wait."


    Hugh was a little bit angry at the laziness of this clerk. He stopped himself from complaining because this clerk held the key to his new dorm room; he did not want to get on his bad side so he waited. After a while, the man spoke without taking his eye off his phone.


    "Student number?"


    "20201209"


    The man finally looked away from his phone and looked down at his touchscreen. The man furrowed his brows as he scrolled for minutes. This made Hugh nervous. Was he found out by the CDA? Did they revoke his scholarship? Numerous thoughts raced past Hugh''s brain until the man finally spoke.


    The man looked up at Hugh and his demeanor changed. He stood up to his feet and bowed down to his waist.


    "I''m sorry sir for making you wait. I''m sorry to tell you this but this is the Support Department, you have to go to the opposite campus for the Main Academy."


    ''What?!''

 Chapter 12: Enrollment

    "I think there''s been a mistake."


    The clerk stood up straight and blinked nervously. His sweaty hands impeded the touch screen''s ability to function properly as he frantically searched for his mistake. He double-checked the information about Hugh, but this only made him tenser.


    "Ah yes, I see my mistake now. Sir Hugh is not on the Main Department but the special class designed for those with A-rank or higher talent."


    "What?! I don''t understand."


    The clerk tilted his head in confusion. Did he do something wrong even when he double-checked the information? Cold sweat poured down his back as the prospect of offending a budding young talent flashed through his eyes.


    "Please forgive my ignorance."


    The clerk bowed even lower as he shouted with full force which made students glance around them. Hugh was flustered. He didn''t know what was going on. Did the clerk punch in the wrong numbers? Did the system make a mistake? The latter part was improbable but still a possibility nonetheless.


    People started to gather around them seeing the unusual behavior of the lazy clerk. Students were pushing each other to get a better spot as a cacophony of whispers filled the dorm entrance. Hugh started sweating. The increased attention he was getting made him uncomfortable so he decided to leave.


    Hugh walked with hastened steps towards the administration office near the academy''s entrance. The entrance was still as busy as ever and he walked to the hallway to the right. The hallways were ladened with red carpets that had the Wolrath academy''s insignia of a headshot of a lion and a big ''W'' on the background.


    The tunnel opened up to a big dome that had a single room with four walls in the middle. It had a simple beige color. Hugh walked towards the door and knocked.


    " *knock* *knock* Excuse me."


    A deep voice coming from nowhere answered him.


    "Come in."


    Hugh opened a door and hot air immediately hit his body. He could see the air sizzling and his vision blurred. The man in front of him had a big stature, not fat nor buff but big. His proportions were equal but he looked huge, like a giant. The most prominent feature was the bald head and the goatee on his face.


    "Why have you come here?"


    "I think there may have been a mistake?"


    "Mistake? We don''t make mistakes."


    Hugh sweated nervously as the pressure from his voice reached through his backbone, the heat helped a little. He doubted himself for a second as to the validity of his problem.


    The pressure made the blood inside him want to burst out. It made him bumble some words that didn''t have any context.


    "I''m enrolled in the Support Department."


    "So, what does that have to do with me?"


    Hugh felt flustered so he inhaled a big breath and exhaled it a few seconds later. This cooled his head.


    "The system says I''m enrolled in the Main department, not the Support department."


    The bald man didn''t move and looked at Hugh while crossing his arms. His eyebrows were furrowed, which made Hugh uncomfortable. Only after a few minutes did the man finally move towards his desk to his right.


    Hugh waited while his body was getting pressure cooked inside and out. The only thing more uncomfortable than this was the first time he transformed.


    He could see the man stare at his desk as his eyebrows slowly became uneven. The man inhaled a big breath and Hugh could feel the pressure become weaker. It was still uncomfortable, but it was better than before.


    "No, you''re enrolled in the special class."


    Hugh heard the same thing with the clerk. Even the administrator confirmed that he was enrolled in the special class, but why? Hugh didn''t know who, why, or what happened to change his enrollment.


    "How did this happen? I only got a scholarship to the support department."


    The man who was walking away from his desk suddenly stopped in place and looked directly at Hugh. Hugh flinched at the glare. After a second, the man continued walking.


    "You should just be grateful you got in."


    ''Why would I be grateful? I don''t want to show my Desire or else the CDA will find me.''


    He wanted to refute the man''s words but he feared the pressure he released. The gears on his head kept turning to find a solution to solve this mess but being book smart didn''t help in this situation.


    "Can you tell me why it changed?"


    "I...can''t"


    There was a slight pause in the man''s words. Other people would have ignored this pause but Hugh''s instincts told him something was going on. Before he could figure out why the man spoke fast; the man didn''t give Hugh enough time to think.


    "Aren''t you gonna leave?"


    The pressure became heavier and Hugh''s eyes feel like it would pop any second. He had no choice but to walk backward and retreat towards the door. He tried his hardest to endure the pressure but it was getting heavier and heavier the longer he stayed in the room. He got out through the door. The decreased pressure outside gave him the cool and relief he wanted as he inhaled deeply.


    He didn''t know what happened and he didn''t know what to do. After debating with himself for a while, he decided to go to his dorm and see if he really enrolled in the special class.


    He walked back into the grass plain and headed towards the tall and intricate buildings to the right. This was the main department''s territory. Unlike the support department, there was a gate here that prevented anyone who isn''t from the main department from entering. They were exclusive.


    The students going there had haughty looks as they lifted their chin towards the support department''s buildings. They wore expensive armor that glittered in the sun. By their sides were weapons that they compared with each other.


    Hugh walked past these people and headed towards the gate. He gathered some looks in his direction due to the lack of armor and weapon. They didn''t dare question him since only those who dared to not wear armor were ridiculously strong people.


    "Hey, isn''t that fatty Hugh?"


    Hugh flinched at the mention of his previous nickname. He looked in the direction of the sneer and saw a familiar face. This was his seatmate, the one who tormented him every morning, Garth.


    "Yeah, that''s fatty Hugh. What the hell are you doing here?"


    Hugh didn''t want to deal with this guy anymore so he continued walking. More and more students looked in his direction after Garth shouted at him.


    "Don''t ignore me. You''re not supposed to be here, you have F-rank talent!"


    At the mention of the word ''F-rank'', the world seemed to stop. Everyone in the vicinity who heard it stopped what they were doing and stared at Hugh. The look of curiosity became a look of disgust as they smelled the poverty coming from Hugh. They felt they needed to protect their perfect sanctuary from the dirty F-rank.


    Garth stood firmly, preventing Hugh from entering the gate. More and more students joined him as a barricade formed in the gate.


    Hugh stopped in his tracks and frowned his eyebrows at Garth. Even when their school had changed, the bullying was still the same. He felt frustrated that he was being suppressed; he wanted to show them his power. He walked towards Garth.


    Garth saw the change in Hugh''s eyes. He wanted to ridicule him, but he saw something different; Hugh was arrogant as if he could crush them. The previous fatty who didn''t defend himself was now opposing them. He didn''t know what happened to Hugh in that small amount of time but he didn''t like it as he got a bad premonition.


    Hugh felt angry. Under his uniform, gray and brown liquid started forming in his arm. Steel covered his skin and wood started to form above it as it started to creep out of his sleeve slowly.


    Just when Hugh was about to raise his arm in a punch, he heard a cold voice.


    "What''s going on here?"


    The students looked behind Hugh and saw a slim figure with chestnut hair in a bob cut. Her blue round eyes captivated the surrounding students, some yelped in surprise.


    "Is that Elise?"


    "Elise, Elise who?"


    "What?! You don''t know? That''s Elise a 17-year old S-rank talent!"


    "What?!?!"


    The students whispered amongst themselves in an attempt to figure out who this beautiful girl was. They subconsciously stepped back as she walked with calm steps towards the gate.


    "Why are you all here?"


    Garth immediately stepped up and distinguished himself from the mediocre students.


    "We prevented this guy from sullying the Main academy."


    Garth pointed at Hugh, who has now calmed down and retracted the gray and brown liquid. The girl looked towards Hugh and her eyebrows raised imperceptibly. She felt a kind of danger and calm from the fat guy which made her uncomfortable.


    "Why? Your not the one to decide that. That''s why we have guards around here. Don''t waste your time."


    The chestnut-haired girl walked towards the gate, ignoring everybody in the gate including Hugh. After that remark, everyone dispersed and went about their way to the dorm. Garth looked towards Hugh and spat on the ground as he walked away.

 Chapter 13: Garden

    Hugh calmed his boiling blood with a deep breath. He was angry. He didn''t want to be treated that way again and if he wasn''t actively trying to stay low-key, he might have beaten Garth to death.


    He walked to the gate with heavy steps, not just because of his weight, but because of his sour mood. He followed the holographic sign projected above the gate which gave instructions to the dormitory. He walked alone. The students actively avoided him, making sure to not be associated with the soon-to-be kicked out F-rank.


    There were no lines at the entrance to the dorm. To be exact, the students made way for Hugh to go first. They wanted him out fast and this was the way to do it. Only gatekeepers had the authority to kick out Hugh legally.


    The female clerk tilted her head to the weird behavior of the students. She didn''t hear about the commotion outside the gate so she assumed that Hugh was some hotshot.


    "Student number please~~~"


    The clerk smiled to the best of her abilities and treated Hugh with respect. The other students quickly expressed their concern.


    "Don''t be fooled, miss!"


    "Yeah, he''s an F-rank!"


    "I''m C-rank, can I also get a smile from Miss Clara?"


    "I''m also a C-rank but I have better weapons and armor than him."


    The clerk named Clara quickly furrowed her brow and looked at Hugh. She wanted to take back that smile reserved for those that could benefit her. Before she could hide in a hole from embarrassment, Hugh stated his number.


    She wanted to ignore Hugh, but her duty prevented her from doing that. One complaint from the Main department is enough for her to be demoted to the Support department. That would be hell.


    She punched in the numbers to the touchscreen and Hugh''s information came up. Her heart stopped when she saw the words ''special class''. That class was only reserved for the strongest of the strong, the fittest of the fit. The alumni from this class were guaranteed to be a superstar, an icon of strength.


    Her eyes went wide as she looked at Hugh with reverence. Her previous anger towards Hugh transferred to the ones who told her false and incriminating information.


    "You guys shut up!! I''m sorry about that sir Hugh, I''ll be sure to report them for slander."


    The students who expected miss Clara to send the guard to Hugh were dumbfounded. The tables turned on them. They whispered to each other about why miss Clara was acting that way and she answered the mystery for them.


    "Sir Hugh, the dorm for the special class is not in this building. If you want, I can escort you there~~"


    Special class? The mythical society that every student dreamed of was actually spoken in their presence. Who''s in the special class? Hugh?


    The whispers became intense as the look of confusion on their faces became chaos with a bit of admiration. Their impression of Hugh immediately changed as the prospect of knowing a student of the special class became too great for their greedy eyes.


    Hugh and Clara started walking together towards a new road in the intersection with people following them like sheep. Clara kept taking glances at Hugh trying to figure out how strong Hugh was. Everyone was thinking the same.


    After walking for a few minutes, they came upon a bountiful garden. Flowers, plants, and trees of all kinds littered the inside like a haven for greenery. This is the entrance to the special class dormitory.


    Some students couldn''t hold on to their greed as they sprinted towards the garden just for a peek at the dorm. They sprinted like they would get some rank up just from being in the special class dorm.


    The student was ecstatic. He was just only a few feet away from paradise and in one step, he will enter the garden. The clerk stopped in her tracks. She knew what would happen as the student collided with an invisible barrier that rebounded him back several feet away.


    "Don''t bother. Only special class students are allowed inside."


    The clerk stopped and spun around facing Hugh. Her skirt fluttered in the wind as she tucked away her long black hair in her ears.


    "So, this is it. If you ever need anything, just hit me up~~~"


    Hugh just gave a forced smile. He knew that she wouldn''t be having this reaction if he wasn''t in the special class. The public perception of him will quickly turn sour after they find out that he just got to the special class because of an unknown circumstance. He will be quickly found out once he gets to class since he won''t be showing his desire.


    Hugh stepped forward. Once he reached the edge of the garden he slowed his steps to a stop. If he stepped in and nothing happened, then he was truly a part of the special class. He didn''t know what would be worse getting embarrassed or getting manipulated by an unknown entity.


    He lifted his right foot and advanced it to the green and luscious grass. The grass made way for his foot and he successfully entered the garden. The students gasped and gulped; Hugh truly was a part of the special class! They wanted to beat up the person that told them otherwise.


    Once he was fully in the garden, Hugh couldn''t hear the other students. It felt like he was in another world, in another space. There seemed to be music flowing in the air and the birds tweeted in harmony. He looked around, amazed at the life this little piece of the garden had in comparison to the lifeless steel of the city.


    He looked forward and saw a green entity. This being had a female appearance and had flowers and vines stuck all over her body. Her skin, her hair, her eyes, and the ground around her was green. She looked at Hugh with a smile as she started walking towards him. Hugh stepped back in surprise.


    "Do not be afraid, child."


    "Who are you?"


    "I am....the gardener."


    Hugh stayed silent in doubt. This mysterious entity showed up unannounced and miss Clara didn''t say anything about a green female inside the garden.


    "I am here to guide you in your home."


    "You mean, the dorm?"


    "Yes, it is what you say."


    Hugh was still doubtful. The green entity started walking away, not giving Hugh any time to debate with himself. He decided to follow her because it was improbable to have a dangerous being on the campus.


    She walked in a straight path, with the trees and bushes seemingly making way for her. The trees didn''t move but it still made way for her like space distorted around her.


    Light speed out from the horizon as the edge of the garden became visible. The outside couldn''t be seen and only a bright light filled it in its stead. She stopped behind the bright white light and turned towards Hugh.


    "This is where I leave you."


    "Is my dorm outside there?"


    She didn''t speak and just stepped away from the edge as if inviting Hugh to walk towards it. Hugh subconsciously walked towards the edge while keeping an eye for any movements from the green entity.


    Once he stepped outside, he immediately saw the row of mansions and houses lined in the streets. It was like a town from the upper east side of the city; a district for the wealthy.


    The houses near him were smaller in comparison to the houses he saw deeper into the town. The outer houses were all the same; it had the same color, the same design, and completely identical to each other. Only the ones further down the street became more unique and different from each other.


    Hugh started walking towards the streets but he felt a hand on his shoulder. Hugh quickly backed away in surprise and readied his transformation but he saw another student behind him.


    This student had a barber''s cut black hair and a sparkling clean uniform that matched with the bright smile he showed Hugh.


    "Hey, fellow student! :)"


    "He- hello."


    "Your first time too? Me too!!! I''m so excited that I got accepted here."


    Hugh was taken aback by the positivity this random guy had and was speechless; the positive guy didn''t mind it and kept talking.


    "Who do you think will be our classmates? For me, I don''t really care I''m just happy that I got here."


    "......."


    Hugh let the positive guy kept talking.


    "Oh! I forgot about my manners. Hi, I''m Bob"


    "......Hugh."

 Chapter 14: House

    "Hugh...I didn''t hear that in the orientation. Then again, most people skipped that part. They must have thought it was a pain, right? I didn''t think so. I actually think it was quite fun seeing all tho-"


    "Okay, okay, thanks for the information."


    Hugh was worried that if he didn''t stop him, he would have gone on forever. He didn''t think he could get along well with a person this talkative. He wanted to be low-key.


    "Did you see those houses? They''re so good-looking, right? I wish I could have a house that good. Too bad it''s only 2nd years and above are allowed customization for their houses."


    "Customization?"


    "Yeah! You can upgrade your house into something unique for yourself. I''m gonna gather so many points so I could buy those high-tech customizations."


    "Points?"


    "Yeah points! You really don''t know anything, do you? Hahahahaha, don''t worry I''ll be here to help you!"


    Bob put his hands on Hugh''s shoulder as he started walking. Hugh didn''t know if Bob purposefully didn''t answer his question or that he talked too much that he forgot. They walked together down the street, taking a look at the same houses lined up like a commercial factory for houses.


    "Do you know where your house is? Me, I don''t know yet but I''m sure I''ll know it when I see it. Speaking of houses, let''s go look at the central area!"


    Bob started running, leaving a confused Hugh behind. Hugh didn''t want to run around some place he was unfamiliar with. He wasn''t even supposed to be in this area; he was supposed to live a normal life having a support career.


    He was now alone, in the midst of the maze of the same-looking houses. He should have asked for directions. He started walking towards a street and looked at the holographic signs at the top. 1278, 1279, 1280. These were the numbers at the top of the houses.


    "Hey! Where did you go?"


    Hugh looked at Bob who came running back to him while he waved his hands. Bob panted as he bent down to catch his breath.


    "I stayed behind. I think I''ll stay at my house for now."


    "Oh! Okay. Sure. Do you know where?"


    "No."


    "It''s the last four numbers of your student number."


    "Okay, thanks!"


    Hugh was surprised that Bob didn''t rattle on like before. Bob''s answers were strangely quick and concise, unlike his previous speeches. Hugh noticed that Bob was smaller than before; Bob from before was standing straight like an arrow.


    Hugh walked away in search of his house. Bob stood there and walked away after a second that Hugh left.


    Hugh navigated the streets, searching for the right numbers of the house. He was walking peacefully, minding his own business until he felt a chill in his neck.


    He turned around and saw a distinct spiky white hair staring at him from afar. The guy walked slowly. Hugh''s hair stood on end as he saw a creepy smile radiating off this mysterious guy.


    All Hugh could hear was the sound of footsteps walking towards him. He couldn''t think. His instincts wanted to run but somehow, he knew that it would be pointless.


    Hugh could see that the spiky white-haired guy was the same height as him, but he felt much smaller. The pressure he was exuding made Bang feel that he was being oppressed.


    The man walked towards Hugh until they were only one step away from each other. He smirked.


    "Liked my present?"


    Hugh knew what he was talking about. Being enrolled in the special class made no sense unless someone high enough on the ladder demanded it. He should have known there was something wrong with this guy ever since they crossed paths with each other. He just didn''t know his intentions.


    "Why?"


    Hugh stepped back as he questioned the guy''s purpose, freaked out by the sinister aura the guy was emitting. The man stepped forward, not letting Hugh escape.


    "Why? Why not? You clearly deserve it."


    "What?! I don''t belong here. I don''t have a desire."


    "Don''t kid with me. That smell emanating from you is dangerous even for me."


    "...I don''t know what you''re talking about."


    "You can''t hide it.....why are you hiding it?"


    Hugh''s heart sped up as he was being questioned. This interrogation would lead to him being caught, like a pig ready to be dissected.


    "What? Show me. Don''t mind the houses, they''re disposable."


    "I don''t have it!"


    "Come on, I know you''re powerful. Show me, or else I''ll tell others about your little incident in the Travek forest."


    Hugh''s heart skipped a beat as his eyes widened in fear. He was found out. His mind worked on overload; different scenarios came up in his mind as the fight or flight response dominated his instincts. He calculated his survivability in beating this guy successfully and getting out of the academy. The probability only became smaller as he thought about the feasibility of leaving the planet or even avoiding the all-seeing eyes of the CDA.


    Cold sweat poured down his back as he took a step back and raised his hands in defense. He was just a thought away from activating his transformation but he was still doubting himself.


    "Don''t worry, I won''t tell anyone if you show me."


    His smirk made Hugh question the validity of the proposition.


    ''Should I do it? Will that truly keep my secret?''


    Hugh decided to risk it and show his Desire. If this was the only way to survive this predicament, then he was willing to take a bet.


    He closed his eyes and readied himself for the transformation. Dempsy saw Hugh''s change in behavior and his smirk got even wider. He felt the difference in the aura Hugh was releasing. Hugh was the real deal.


    "Hey, what''s going on here?"


    Just before Hugh released his latent potential, someone interrupted their conversation. They turned around saw Bob.


    "Tsk."


    Dempsy frowned at the disruption. Hugh smiled as Bob came as his savior; he heaved a sigh of relief. Bob walked up to them with renewed vigor and positivity.


    "Hi! I''m Bob. What''s your name? I haven''t seen you before or else I would have remembered that spiky hair if yours. Is that natural? Did you put gel on it?"


    Hugh didn''t believe it but he missed Bob''s irritating speeches. It was like a breath of fresh air from the tense and edgy atmosphere between him and Dempsy.


    "Tsk. Hugh, remember my name. Dempsy."


    Dempsy looked intensely at Hugh and left the scene. He ignored Bob, only making eye contact with Hugh as he disappeared off into the streets.


    "Thanks."


    "Hmm? What wrong? Did you not find your house? Do you want me to help you?"


    Hugh laughed at Bob''s ignorance. It seemed like Bob didn''t even notice there was something wrong with Hugh and Dempsy. He just rattled on, like a broken machine.


    "No, it''s okay. I can find it. How about you? I thought you were going to the central area?"


    "No, I decided not to."


    Hugh didn''t probe any further. He walked along the streets with Bob as they searched for their respective houses. After walking for 10 minutes, they finally found the right place.


    Hugh noticed that the streets circled the center, like a barrier. Hugh''s house was like any other. From his perspective, this house was considered to be a mansion. A mansion where he had plenty of space to walk around with lawns at the front and a backyard. This was truly too spacious for him.


    "Oh! Look at that we''re neighbors. Hello there neighbor!"


    Hugh didn''t know what to feel about that. He was glad that he was near someone he knew; he was glad that he wasn''t neighbors with someone like Dempsy. On the other hand, he didn''t want to wake up to a ''positive to the point of annoying'' neighbor.

 Chapter 15: Class

    Hugh walked through the stone pavement in the lawn and entered the porch. Near the door was an indentation the shape of a handprint. He placed his right hand on it and blue light shined his hand up and down and a clear bell sounded out. His door opened.


    What greeted him was a well-lit marble flooring that led to a giant staircase leading up to the second floor. A chandelier made of intricately carved glass with gold plating hung up on the 5-meter tall ceiling, a little bit excessive in Hugh''s eyes.


    Hugh immediately ignored the decorations in the walls and pillars and went straight to the most important room of all, the kitchen. After walking through a hallway on the left, he came upon a titanium steel sink in the middle of the room that is lined with black marble. Surrounding the sink was a white-colored fridge, a black colored stove, and an oven underneath it. There were more machines in this room but he didn''t know what those were for.


    He walked to the fridge with footsteps echoing in the marble flooring. He opened it and a cold air welcomed him but there was nothing that caught his eye, no aroma, no salivating sweets, no fulfilling rice, no anything. It was empty.


    His stomach grumbled in protest. He hasn''t eaten a single thing this day and meeting with Dempsy only made him want to binge eat. He closed the door, and the refrigerator lit up. It became a touchscreen and a text appeared on it.


    [WELCOME STUDENT


    TO THE GROCERY


    POINTS : 10,000]


    Hugh''s mouth was agape. This refrigerator was an iRef 7, the most sought after refrigerator in the city. Most people will call you wealthy if you have one of these in your house. This refrigerator will save a ton of time making food since it is connected wirelessly to a grocery factory which can deliver goods instantly, straight to the ref in a millisecond.


    [MENU]


    #Food


    #Drinks


    #Meals


    [Close]


    Hugh chose the food section and different kinds of sections showed up which he can choose.


    [FOOD]


    Meats


    Grains


    Vegetables


    Fruits


    Dairy


    Sweets/Snacks


    Others


    [Back] [Close]


    He didn''t have the energy to cook something right now. He needed instant gratification as it felt like his hunger is gonna bore a hole in his stomach. He chose the meal section and debated from there.


    [MEALS]


    High protein


    Keto


    High fats


    Others


    [Back] [Close]


    He wanted something meaty so he chose the high protein menu. Hugh smiled at the possibilities of food he can eat, the juicy medium-rare steak slathered with sauce, the sweet and sour gravy of the Szechwan shrimp, or the slow-cooked teriyaki venison. He can eat anything on the menu which will cost him 200 points for an all-you-can-eat buffet for one day.


    He immediately ordered the seared tuna with salmon caviar and opened the refrigerator with sparkling eyes. The tuna came in a ceramic plate that had the Wolrath academy''s insignia printed in the middle. He gobbled up his food up in a second, without using a spoon as he shoved the food down his throat.


    It wasn''t enough. He took advantage of the fact that it was an all-you-can-eat buffet. He didn''t know how much he ate as stacks of plates littered the sink. He only regained his sanity after he received a notification in his head.


    ++++++++++++++


    DAILY MISSIONS:


    Eat 5 square meters of glass (5/5)


    Eat 10 types of cloth (10/10)


    Eat 30,000 kcal (30,000/30,000)


    DAILY MISSION COMPLETE


    Reward: Armor mutation - Clothes


    ++++++++++++++


    He finally finished his daily missions. The reward was kind of underwhelming but he will take what he can get. He focused his mind and activated the armor mutation he received.


    He opened his eyes and saw no change with himself. His clothes only felt a little bit stuffy until he realized that he was wearing a plain white t-shirt underneath his uniform. He didn''t wear this before and only appeared now.


    He removed his uniform and only a white t-shirt and brown shorts. He suddenly had an impulse to activate his cloth armor mutation and he closed his eyes and triggered it.


    His clothes mutated and changed colors. He recognized this. This was his clothes back on his house that he accidentally ate. He suddenly had a theory about his new power and he once again closed his eyes. His clothes were changing like a living being and altered themselves to look like his uniform.


    Although this was a cool and unique power, Hugh saw no real practicality to this power. What he needed right now was a constant show of power. His transformation will only be available for an hour or so. He also needed a power that was not too powerful since the transformation bypassed ranks. The problem with it is that Hugh couldn''t make the excuse that he miraculously obtained a low ranking Desire pill.


    The only possibility for him was to master the steel and wood armor. He looked at his arm and focused. A gray and brown liquid seeped out from his pores and formed around his forearms. Wooden muscles formed around his forearms and his skin turned silvery gray.


    He punched the air and a shockwave formed in his fists. He could feel the power forming in his arms but it only lasted for a second. The liquid returned to his skin.


    If he could somehow master that power, he would be able to use it as a decoy for his Desire. He knew he had to practice a lot to make it practical in a fight.


    An alarm suddenly sounded out throughout his house. Hugh flinched and looked around until he saw a floating holographic sign on the corner of the room.


    [CLASSES WILL START IN 10 MINUTES


    PLEASE GO TO THE SHIFTING ROOM]


    Hugh''s heartbeat sped up. He was gonna be in a room full of talented people, full of people who will inevitably be a strong pillar of society. He didn''t know how long it would take until people started to figure out that he was a fake, a sham; it was just a matter of time.


    Right next to the holographic sign, there was an arrow pointing to a different hallway in the mansion. Hugh followed the signs with heavy steps, making sure his clothes were neat and tidy.


    The hallway led to a door. Hugh opened it and saw a room giant room full of mirrors. It was like a giant-sized elevator and on the other end of the room was a steel door.


    Hugh saw himself in the mirror, the same fat and obese self that was that initiated his insecurities. He found it ironic that the fat he once hated became his greatest power.


    He opened the door at the end of the room and what greeted him was another hallway. It had square tiles made of an unknown white material. On the side were lockers that had no locks, only an indentation in the shape of a handprint.


    The hallway ended in another room, which Hugh opened. What greeted him was the looks and stares of the students sitting in their chairs and chatting with each other. After looking at Hugh, they went back on to their conversations, except one. Hugh looked around the room and saw a familiar person and they locked eyes with each other. It was Aric.


    Aric had the same brown hair that parted in the middle. This was a popular haircut due to the amount of idols having this kind of hair. Aric had a confused face while he looked at Hugh.


    Hugh didn''t think he would see his greatest enemy here in the special class. He was always the subject of humiliation due to Aric''s constant insults. He was the de-facto leader of their class back in high school so everyone jumped on the bandwagon to get along with Aric.


    Aric stood up with his eyebrows knitted together. He walked towards Hugh with fury, with resounding footsteps going along him. They stared at each other. Hugh didn''t want to back off this time; he was a changed person. His newfound Desire allowed him to stand up for himself.


    Aric''s eyebrows raised, surprised at the show of rebellion. His fists balled up in anger as he readied himself to teach Hugh a lesson.


    They were only 2 feet away from each other, staring each other down until the door opened and took everyone''s attention. A spiky white-haired man walked through the door, walking with swag and confidence. Hugh immediately recognized him; it was Dempsy.


    Dempsy walked over to Hugh and Aric as the three of them faced off against each other.

 Chapter 16: Showdown

    "Beat it, kid. I have to teach this fatty a lesson."


    Aric looked at Dempsy and waved him off.


    "Hoh... A kid? You''re not strong enough to call me that."


    Dempsy replied with a smile on his face, but the pulsing vein on his forehead gave away his fury.


    "....."


    Hugh felt awkward. He didn''t want to be in the middle of this fight.


    Tension was in the air. Everybody could feel the atmosphere in the room get colder as the three of them stood against each other. Everyone was silent as some of them watched with curious eyes and some enjoyed the conflict.


    "You wanna try me? You look like you''re looking for trouble."


    Aric turned his attention to Dempsy and tried to push him away using both his hands only to feel like he went against a wall, an unmoving and unchanging barricade that he couldn''t win against. He realized the difference in power.


    Dempsy sneered, proud at his superiority against those that went against him. His smile faded as he felt more force pushing him. He didn''t think that Aric would double down on his attempts to win the struggle for supremacy.


    Aric didn''t back off even when faced with someone stronger than him, it only served to motivate him further. His feet were planted firmly on the ground, with his center of gravity low to generate a much stronger force, like a bull.


    Dempsy frowned as he felt himself move a millimeter. His arrogance filled his fury as he used all his muscles to constrict into a tougher body.


    They were at a stalemate. Both of them used their full force to best each other.


    "Tsk. If it weren''t for my restrictions you wouldn''t able to touch me."


    "Stop spouting excuses."


    Both of them exchanged words as they concentrated on their power. Hugh watched them square off, with no intention of meddling in their affairs.


    Hugh suddenly felt a force from his back and it made him trip forward, right into the two fighting bulls. His fat body collided with the two and broke the equilibrium between the two which made them fall on the ground; defeated not by each other but by a third party, Hugh.


    Pressure started emitting from the two who were defeated down on the ground. Aric was speechless, exasperated at the blasphemy that just occurred. He didn''t think that Hugh dared to push him around like that. He stood up, ready to greet Hugh with his Desire.


    Dempsy let out a laugh. This was what he was waiting for. Hugh was finally joining the party; he was ecstatic as he powered up his constricted Desire.


    Hugh didn''t want to fight, but now that he was in this position he wouldn''t back down. Deep in his heart, he was ecstatic. He was tired of being pushed; it was now his time to do the pushing, now that he had the power to do so.


    Hugh was filled with power. Adrenaline rushed through him as gray and brown liquid leaked out from his skin, ready to show a burst of power even for just a second.


    Tension built up exponentially as the three of them held the trigger against each other. Just one movement from any of them will create chaos that will escalate into a full-on war.


    "Simmer down. I''ll give you guys the time to fight it out but not today."


    Nobody noticed it but a bald black man appeared at the front of the classroom. He was wearing a navy blue suit that made him look classy, like a gentleman.


    A physical pressure bore down on everyone present. They felt constricted, vulnerable, and unable to do anything but sit down. Hugh and Aric were forced down on the ground after a second. Dempsy was able to hold on for two.


    Hugh, Dempsy, and Aric all had their differences but in this instance, there was something similar between them. In their eyes was a sense of rebellion, an arrogance that will never let them bow down to anyone, not now and not ever again. Their clear and serious eyes looked directly at the professor and only had one purpose, to revolt against the pressure.


    The professor looked at them with uneven eyebrows, then smiled at the youths struggling against him. He put his hands on the desk and the pressure on the three increased threefold.


    They were down on the ground, struggling to not let their heads reach the floor. Hugh''s sweat dripped down the floor as something deep inside him gave him the power to hold on, to not be suppressed.


    Hugh''s head was only one centimeter away from the ground but never moved any further. Aric tried to hold on, but his head hit the ground and a loud bang sounded out from the collision of his head and the floor. Aric gritted his teeth and pushed himself off, lifting his head from the floor. Dempsy''s head was the furthest from the floor, but it fell slowly with no signs of stopping.


    "You guys are too young to be going against the system."


    The pressure lifted and everyone felt their bodies lighter than ever before. The students slumped down on the ground, tired from the crushing force that bore down on them. Hugh, Dempsy, and Aric reared their heads back when the pressure suddenly lifted.


    Hugh panted, with sweat pouring down his face. It felt like he ran a marathon in 10 seconds. He knew that he had a long way to go but this difference in power was too astonishing. At the very least, he got a goal in mind; he wanted to overcome the professor''s pressure.


    "Sit down. Every year there are always freshmen fighting to show off. I''ve dealt with worse students than you guys and don''t get me started on the juniors."


    Hugh sat down on the chair furthest from the professor. Dempsy sat down next to Hugh and put his feet up in the chair. Aric had a frown on his face as he pulled his chair out, creating a screeching sound. He sat down with a strong force, reluctantly following the professor''s orders.


    "Let''s get started. Do you know that pressure I showed on you?"


    "..."


    Everyone was silent. It was a topic they did not want to discuss as it made them remember the suppression they felt. Being enrolled in the special class gave them a sense of pride that they were superior to 99% of the people here. The professor shattered the glass wall they put on themselves.


    "Don''t worry. You''ll be able to acquire a domain when you have your second advancement."


    Everyone looked up at their professor and dreamed of obtaining their domain. They were in this class for that very reason. This was their ticket to advance faster and further than anyone else. The special class was a tried and true method of advancing through the ranks.


    Hugh was different. He didn''t gain his Desire from a pill but it activated on its own. He didn''t know if the methods they applied here would help him advance. He would have to figure this out for himself which made it harder than anyone else.


    "I''m professor Kain and I''ll be your guide in this special class. I know you guys are tired of the lectures, so I''ll just show you."


    Professor Kain raised his hands and pointed at the ceiling. A green mold spread out from where he pointed and grew a flower upside down.


    "That''s the first advancement. Being able to extend your Desire away from your body at a focal point. I don''t have to tell you how this is more advantageous."


    Then professor Kain spread out his hands. The mold spread out from the ceiling and onto the walls and then onto the floor. The mold enveloped the whole classroom like a new environment, like a new habitat. They flinched as they felt the pressure bearing down on them but it was weaker than before, not enough to force them down the ground. This was the second advancement that they dreamed of.


    "For the third advancement....well, I don''t think you''re ready for that. Just focus on getting to your first advancements."


    The students wondered at the show of power by their professor. Everyone started practicing their Desire, playing with it, and trying to extend their Desire outwards. Hugh didn''t bring out his Desire. He shouldn''t. All of them could show their Desire for a long time without any problem. Hugh had trouble keeping it for one second.

 Chapter 17: Gym

    The professor carried on his lecture, mostly about the rules of the special class. This town they were in was in a different space only accessible through the forest.


    First years will get ordinary houses with 10,000 points given to them every month. These points can be considered currency for the special class. Doing missions, getting high test scores, winning in tournaments, and many more could be done to gain more points.


    Most of the stores and amenities were located at the center of the town. Only the fourth years are allowed to live there, being the most sought after real estate in the town.


    Anything can be bought with enough points. There are designated factories for state-of-the-art technology, there are high-end blacksmiths, there are even teleportation gates leading to other worlds. The points are the name of the game.


    Hugh couldn''t concentrate on the professor''s lecture. He could feel the sharp glare coming off from Aric. After about an hour of lecturing, the professor left the classroom and the students left the room. Hugh saw Aric stand up from his chair and walked towards him.


    "Come with me. I''ll teach you a lesson."


    Aric didn''t stand any longer and walked out of the classroom, leaving Hugh to sit there speechless.


    Hugh was furious and his indignation prevented him from thinking clearly; he could not ignore the taunt. He walked towards the door and followed Aric. Dempsy smiled and followed the smoke.


    They walked outside which were full of students talking and mingling with each other. The benches in the grass were full as different cliques sat together. Some were boisterous, some were studying with books, and some were just chatting and discussing their Desires.


    The three of them walked towards a dome on the left of the building. The dome had a giant holographic sign that displayed ''GYM''. They walked in the gate that had a giant touchscreen. Aric navigated through the menus and booked a private arena for them.


    Professor Kain warned them about fighting on the campus. Any fight or any use of Desire that causes harm will be reprimanded and will lead to the deduction of points. The only way for students to spar or settle their differences was in the gym.


    The door opened and into a dark room. Once they stepped in, the lights activated and showed a circular ring made of soil and bleachers surrounded it. Aric walked towards the center of the ring, loosened his tie, and folded his sleeves. He opened and closed his fists, shaking in anger.


    Hugh walked in the ring, practicing his Desire under his clothes. If he was gonna fight Aric, then he would have to win in one shot. He needed to attack fast, releasing all his power in one point when Aric least expected it. Hugh had the advantage of surprise since Aric assumes that he had a low ranking Desire.


    Dempsy walked in the front row of the bleachers and munched on popcorns that he miraculously got. He sat down, crossed his legs, and watched the fight with clear eyes.


    "How did you manage to enroll here? You''re just a piece of fat!"


    "...."


    Hugh kept quiet. He needed to remain calm to grasp at the right opportunity. After hearing those words for years, he had become immune to insults and abuses.


    "You dare ignore me?! ME?!"


    "...."


    Hugh kept silent which made Aric even angrier. He wanted this. He wanted Aric to be hot-headed and create openings for himself. Hugh lit the oil on fire when he flipped his middle finger and showed it to Aric.


    "YOU!!!!!"


    Aric went down on all fours as smoke came out of his ears. His forehead turned red and two tiny horns protruded on his temples. He exhaled hard and steam came out of his nose; his eyebrows knitted together and his eyes only glared at one thing, Hugh.


    Aric burst out power and ran down the ring like a madman, running on all fours like a bull. Hugh could feel the power emanating from Aric just from the sounds of his footsteps. The ground shook as Aric dented the ground he ran on.


    Hugh could only see a blur. His instincts told him to dodge but the physical limitations of his body prevented that. Panic ran through his mind and he subconsciously used his Desire and brought his steel and wood armor on his legs.


    Aric didn''t see Hugh''s legs turning silver and brown. He had a tunnel vision to Hugh''s large body that acted as a beacon for him to clash against.


    Hugh pushed the wooden muscles on his legs and dodged the incoming bullet towards him. He barely dodged as the wind cut his skin as he tumbled to the right. Aric was confused. In his head, the picture of Hugh getting mowed down and shrieking in pain didn''t come to life. Instead, he collided against the bleachers. He looked around and saw Hugh on the ground, unscathed.


    "HOW?!?!"


    Aric howled as he once again ran on all fours and rushed to Hugh''s large body. Hugh was vulnerable right now. He was not in a great position to dodge using his legs so the only thing he could think of was to roll around.


    Aric came to him in a flash as Hugh dodged to the left but his shoulder was in the line of Aric''s attack. He had to think fast. The world went in slow-motion as he activated his Desire on his shoulder in just the nick of time. Aric''s horn collided with Hugh''s shoulder as they both flew across the ring.


    Hugh was once again unscathed. His shoulder was in pain but there were no external nor internal injuries. Aric tumbled down the ring with his mind blank in confusion. He couldn''t understand why he was thrown away when he was the one attacking.


    Aric laid face down on the ground as he crushed the soil in his arms. His ears were physically fuming in anger; the humiliation he felt and his crushed pride almost broke his sanity.


    He stood up slowly with his eyes hidden from his disheveled hair. He didn''t go down on all fours but Hugh knew he was preparing something.


    Aric rushed to Hugh, significantly slower than before but his arms were burning with reddish fire. He went into a punching position and reared his burning arms backward.


    Hugh was able to stand up in the meantime. He looked at Aric and readied his Desire. When he saw Aric''s burning arms, he activated his Desire on his arms. The silver and brown liquid formed on his hands as it met the burning hands of Aric.


    Hugh was thrown backward due to Aric''s punch, but his hands were fine; there were no burn marks visible. Hugh looked at his smoking hands with curious eyes and was ecstatic that his Desire was able to stand against Aric who had better talent than him.


    Aric panted in anger. No matter how much power he manifested, Hugh always came out unscathed; it was like his Desire was useless, not even powerful enough to defeat an F-rank talent.


    "AAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!"


    Aric roared in anger. His hair started burning in a reddish fire, the same as the ember on his irises. He rushed to Hugh and punched around wildly, like a deranged person. What seemed like a crazy move was actually Hugh''s greatest nightmare.


    He could defend against one concentrated attack but once those attacks become more frequent, he wouldn''t be able to activate his Desire fast enough.


    Hugh backed off, losing space to move around freely. Hugh was able to defend against the first few punches but on the sixth punch, he was hit right in the stomach.


    He lost all his breath as the gut-punch took everything away from him.


    Hugh fell on the ground as he felt the urge to throw up. His sweat poured on the ground, staining the soil with a darker color until he realized it was mixed with his blood.


    Aric grabbed Hugh''s collar and lifted him to his eye level. He looked straight at Hugh''s eyes and Hugh reciprocated. He felt angry that even when he was beating Hugh up, Hugh still rebelled against his will. His balled-up fist shook as he punched Hugh in the face.


    Hugh felt his brain get rattled that made his head ache. His mouth was cut up, releasing his blood on his mouth. He gathered it up and spit it in Aric''s face.


    Aric''s eyesight got stained with blood and some were burned in his hair. He felt speechless and sneered at the pathetic attempt at disobedience. He wiped the blood off his face and got ready to punch Hugh''s face into oblivion.


    "Let me join in the fun!"


    Dempsy suddenly appeared right next to them and punched Hugh away from Aric''s grasp. Hugh passed out. Aric got surprised and wasn''t able to react. He suddenly saw a fist coming right at his face.


    Dempsy used all his force and punched Aric''s face away from him. Aric flew off from the punch as his tooth dislodged from his gums and fell from his mouth. Dempsy was the only one left standing. Hugh passed out on the left side and Aric fell on his back on the right side of the ring.


    "HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!"

 Chapter 18: Fire

    Hugh woke up after he passed out. His head was still hurting but he sat up when he felt vibrations in the ground. He saw Dempsy and Aric facing off against each other with their eyes glaring at each other.


    Dempsey was smiling, ecstatic at the opportunity at clashing fists with someone. He felt bored out of his mind just listening to that boring professor. He wanted to feel the blood rushing through his veins as he exchanged blows with someone strong.


    Aric looked at Dempsy and saw someone thirsty for blood. He had to fight two people but he didn''t make that excuse as it only served to motivate him further. His flame burned brighter than ever as a show of force against Dempsy.


    Dempsy''s body started dripping on the ground. His skin turned into a liquid as it flowed down on the ground. His previous white spiky hair became wavy blue as his body bent in impossible ways.


    "Hahahaha give me all you got!"


    Dempsey ran towards Aric leaving slimy water in his wake. Aric punched Dempsy with his fiery hands whistling in the air. He was confident in his fire and his physicality against Dempsy.


    Dempsy opened his hands and it turned into a liquid as it became a blob of watery skin that received Aric''s fiery fist. The liquid enveloped Aric''s whole arm and extinguished the fire in his arms.


    Aric frowned. He felt his punching force losing power as the fire was snuffed out and the liquid absorbed his strength. He struggled to take his hand away from Dempsy''s ball of liquid as he planted his feet firmly on the ground and constricted all his muscles to pull harder.


    Dempsy smiled as he suddenly released his grip on Aric''s hand, making him fall to the ground. Dempsy''s ball of hand turned red and started smoking. Like a match lighting oil on fire, his whole hand immediately turned into a fiery red ball of flame.


    Dempsy raised his ball of flame and punched Aric on his face, using his flame against him. Dempsy smiled like a pervert, enjoying the feeling of bones breaking under his knuckles. Aric''s mouth was full of blood as it dripped down his mouth. He looked at Dempsy and spat it on his face.


    "HAHAHAHAHA"


    Dempsy laughed at the show of rebellion by Aric. He saw the unyielding aura manifesting in the form of embers on the irises of Aric. He smiled even further, interested in the limits Aric would take until his spirit was broken. He gathered up his ball of fist and raised it, rearing a punch on Aric''s head. Before he could do so, he felt a force on his waist as he saw Aric kicking him with stubborn strength.


    His waist bent, making way for the kick at the cost of losing his grasp of Aric. His body wobbled like a wall of water, unable to be crushed with force. He looked at Aric who spat blood on the ground and reignited his fire.


    Aric went down on all fours and roared at Dempsy. He was headstrong in defeating Dempsy through force or else his pride wouldn''t let him live it down.


    He rushed towards Dempsy like his attack on Hugh, except this attack was slower than before. Aric was like a bulldozer, leaving dust and embers behind him. Dempsy smiled and made a wall of liquid using his body and prepared to meet Aric head-on. This was a test of sheer strength and power.


    It was only a few meters away until they collide but Aric suddenly sidestepped to the right attacked Dempsy who was behind the wall of liquid. Dempsy was surprised but he wasn''t flustered. The same smile came from his mouth as he formed another wall of liquid to his side.


    Aric''s head collided with Dempsy''s wall of liquid. There was no loud sound but only a muffled smack accompanied the dampening of Aric''s force. It was rendered useless.


    "Hahahahaha you have to try harder than that!"


    Aric immediately retreated as he prepared for another attack. Even when his attacks were ineffective, his intensity didn''t waver. He zigzagged around the ring, attacking Dempsy from all sides yet his attacks were always in vain.


    Dempsy smirked at the futile attempts at besting him. He loved seeing people struggling against him with no chance at all of winning.


    Aric panted, tired of using every bit of power he had for a chance at redemption. He wanted to regain his pride after experiencing defeat all over.


    "DEMPSY!!!!"


    Aric shouted at the air, voicing out his difficulties. His blood boiled at the sight of Dempsy sneering at him. Dempsy and Hugh, both of them treated his attacks like jokes. He practiced hard sharpening his skills in preparation for his Desire but it all rendered moot by those two guys.


    His hair flared intensely. From the heart of the fire, a yellowish core started to form and spread throughout his hair. The air around him started to turn hotter; steam started to rise as it blurred his body.


    Dempsy could feel the change in Aric just from smelling him. He snickered at the timing of this moment. Aric achieved a breakthrough in the quality of his Desire, right when Aric was getting tired and beat up.


    "You actually achieved a breakthrough hahahaha, congrats! Now show me that power!!!!!"


    Aric could feel the difference in power from his previous fire. He felt it flowing, coursing through his body and raising his temperature. It felt comfortable, like a source of warmth in the dead night of winter.


    Aric looked towards Dempsy and ran to him using his two feet, lighting his fist on fire. Dempsy used the same technique the first time Aric tried this move as a blob of liquid formed on his fist.


    The fists collided, clashing two conflicting elements that tried to extinguish each other. The liquid engulfed Aric''s whole fist and swallowed the fire. It started to lose its temperature and volume until Aric used more force into his fist. The dying fire gained back its intensity as it burned through the liquid. The liquid started to evaporate as steam released from Dempsy''s ball of liquid.


    Dempsy released Aric''s hand and stepped back. His blob of liquid returned into his original slimy hands. He waved his hands down trying to decrease the heat from the liquid.


    "HAHAHAHA. You showed me your power, now it''s my turn to show mine."


    Dempsy ran towards Aric, this time with him being the aggressor. Aric felt confident seeing how his flame was able to push back Dempsy''s liquid. He used both his hands and lit them with his flames as he went into a defensive position.


    "No matter how hot your flame is, I will extinguish it."


    More liquid started dripping from his body and created a pool of liquid in the ground. It started slithering towards Aric like it had a mind of its own. Aric had a bad feeling about the liquid so he avoided it like a virus.


    No matter where he went, the liquid would follow him until he had no room to go. He suddenly saw movement as Dempsy rushed to him and reared a punch. He dodged to the right and avoided the punch but he felt a different texture on his feet. He looked down and saw that he was standing on the pool of liquid.


    The liquid started crawling up to his body until it formed a 2-meter diameter sphere enveloping Aric inside. He couldn''t escape as his legs flailed around with no effect. He focused on his flame but the liquid was too overbearing. His red flame couldn''t burn the liquid as it started to die down.


    Aric was losing breath by the second. His flame died down completely as he tried to grasp for air. Dempsy slowly walked towards him and grabbed his throat from the sphere and held it tight.


    The veins in Aric''s neck started to swell, indicating his limits. He gasped for air and tried to scratch the arm grasping his neck. He was about to pass out.


    "Hmph...know your place. It''s boring now."


    Dempsy let go of Aric''s neck and let him fall on the ground. The liquid returned back to his body as he started walking towards the bleachers. He sat down and continued eating his popcorn.

 Chapter 19: Endure

    Aric''s pride shattered like glass. His belief system was thrown into chaos as he felt helpless in the face of absolute power. Even when he had a breakthrough, it still wasn''t enough to evaporate his troubles.


    He looked at Dempsy who relaxed in the bleachers, eating popcorn with his legs crossed. He turned his sight towards Hugh, who watched the whole fight between them.


    It was Hugh. Hugh was the reason why his ego was damaged to this point. That fat piece of punching bag watched him get destroyed. He was furious. Hugh should have taken the hit and endured like he always did, now he dared to retaliate like he was nothing more than a stepping stone.


    He grabbed the soil in his hands and crushed it as flames turned it into cinders. He walked to Hugh who was sitting on the ground. He raised his hands and punched his face.


    Hugh''s cheek bled as it was punched by Aric with full force. He tried to activate his armor but it didn''t work. His Desire was exhausted, drained from overworking as protection. His mouth bled as he felt numbness all over his body. Aric kept beating him up using his hands and his feet.


    "Yeah, that''s right. Know your place you piece of trash!"


    Aric stepped on Hugh''s stomach, making sure to strike the breath out of him. He had no choice but to endure the beatings. Hugh went into a full fetal position; this reminded him of those days where Aric and his friends would gather during lunch and smack him for sport.


    "What''s wrong? Where''s your bravado?"


    Aric lifted Hugh and punched his chest. Hugh flew across the room and collided with the bleachers. His chest and his back were in massive pain, indicating broken bones. He slumped down the ground, panting with heavy breaths and blood flowing from his face. His body was full of bruises as he had trouble even moving.


    Aric walked towards him and sat down. He looked down on Hugh and lit one of his fingers on fire. He took his finger and touched Hugh''s cheek, burning his skin.


    "AAAAHHHHH!!!!"


    Hugh screamed in pain as the smell of his own burning flesh entered his senses. Aric kept his burning finger in contact with Hugh''s skin as anger flashed through his face.


    Aric felt it wasn''t enough. He lifted Hugh''s head and smashed it in the bleachers, cracking his skull and cutting his scalp. Blood poured down the chair as Hugh almost passed out from his headache. Hugh couldn''t open his eyes fully because his own blood tainted his eyes.


    Hugh held on to his consciousness. He needed to endure until the arena kicks them out before things turn fatal. All this time, he tried activating his Desire with no results. He was truly spent.


    Aric lifted Hugh, grabbing his throat while his hands burned Hugh''s skin. He crushed Hugh''s windpipe with a deadpan expression. He looked him right in the eyes and whispered in his ears.


    "Think you''re gonna get out of this one? I set the arena in a death-match mode. I can kill you right here, right now, without anyone interfering. The best part is, it''s all legal."


    Hugh''s eyes opened in surprise and thrashed around in the air, gasping and trying to escape from Aric''s grasp. He was anxious for his life.


    Aric lifted Hugh and threw him in the air. He bent down and went on all fours and planted his feet firmly on the ground. His one knee was standing on the ground. As Hugh started falling from the air, he rushed to bulldoze him with the full intention of using all his force to break every bone in Hugh''s body.


    Aric''s head collided with Hugh''s gut and launched him up on the upper layers of the bleachers. Bones cracked as Hugh''s ribs shattered from the impact. Hugh sustained internal injuries from his fragmented ribs spread through his bloodstream.


    Dempsy watched the show with a smile on his face. He didn''t care that Hugh was beaten within an inch of his life. He knew that Hugh was still hiding his power. He was curious to see to what degree of pain Hugh can take until he bursts out. If Hugh doesn''t have a hidden power, then he dies; it''s as simple as that.


    Aric walked to Hugh and lifted him again. He threw him in the air and positioned himself to run Hugh over. If this hits, then Hugh will die. His body had already sustained multiple internal injuries, a concussion, and external injuries that a normal person wouldn''t be able to endure.


    Hugh saw the world in slow motion. This was a critical moment where he had to decide if he should bring out his transformation. Doing so would result in having another weak point that Aric could take advantage of. He decided to risk it.


    Only a few meters left and Aric would collide with Hugh, effectively killing him. Hugh''s body started to emit steam as sweat poured down his skin. His previous black hair turned into silvery white. His sharp jaws showed themselves after his fat disappeared from his face. Muscle fibers started to form beneath his body which hid an incredible amount of power. His skin constricted and followed the shape of the muscles beneath it. Just as his body shrunk down into a fit and healthy body, his uniform molded into a tight-fitting shirt that accented his muscles.


    His pecs, his abdominals, and his deltoids grew with strength. It wasn''t bulky, but it still exuded strength and did great for his proportions. He somersaulted in the air and landed on his feet without any vibrations or disturbances.


    Dempsy suddenly stood up from his feet as he had to flinch away from the danger he felt exuding from Hugh''s body.


    Aric''s eyes were bulging from surprise but his momentum prevented him from stopping. Hugh looked at Aric rushing towards him and he raised his hands. Aric''s head collided with Hugh''s arms and a smack sounded out through the arena.


    Aric stopped completely but Hugh didn''t move a millimeter. The ground underneath stayed the same, like the force exerted by Aric was completely negated by just one hand.


    ++++++++++++++


    FAT RESERVES


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    Estimated time remaining: 1 min.


    ++++++++++++++


    Hugh held Aric''s head in one hand and threw his whole body towards the bleachers, destroying the chairs and the wall behind it.


    Hugh tilted his head as he dodged a surprise attack from Dempsy. His eyes wandered to Dempsy''s blob of liquid and punched it. The liquid tried to bend and absorb the blow but the force was too great. The liquid sphere dispersed like popping a water balloon. Dempsy had to retreat and recover.


    "HAHAHAHAHA see, you were hiding your strength. Tsk, if it weren''t for these restrictions I would enjoy this fight even more."


    Dempsy let out liquid from his body and formed a pool beneath his feet. This was the same technique he used to constrict Aric''s movement and strangled him. Hugh let the liquid crawl all over him and formed a 2-meter diameter sphere that enveloped his whole body. He looked around the sphere he was in, uncaring and unperturbed. Dempsy raised his hand and the sphere started to shrink on itself. Hugh was being crushed inside the ball of liquid.


    He looked at Dempsy and locked eyes with him. He deliberately let him see his movements. His hands touched the barrier of the sphere and he spread his hands. The liquid deformed and the liquid spewed out as the blob disintegrated. He kept eye contact with Dempsy throughout the action, letting him see the difference in power, letting him know who was superior.


    Hugh grabbed Dempsy''s collar and lifted him in the air. A resounding strike sounded out as Hugh broke Dempsy''s cheekbones.


    Dempsy smiled and started laughing, the blood on his mouth started spilling and it stained Hugh''s face due to Dempsy''s manic laugh.


    "HAHAHAHAHAHAHA MORE!!!! MORE!!!!"


    Hugh realized that Dempsy was a perverted man who loved to fight. He was bloodthirsty even if it meant that he was the one bleeding.


    Hugh punched him once more in the face and threw him across the room, not giving him a second look. He felt the ground shake as he saw Aric back at his feet and rushing on all fours.


    In Aric''s eyes was arrogance, disbelief at the fact that the F-rank Hugh was able to have this kind of power. He felt that this was wrong. He was outraged that his rightful throne as the alpha was being dethroned by Hugh.


    Aric rushed straight to Hugh but sidestepped when he was only a few steps away, hoping to catch Hugh off guard. It didn''t work. Without even looking at Aric, he caught Aric''s head, absorbing any force he exerted. He threw Aric''s head on the ground indenting his face on the soil.


    He then threw Aric towards Dempsy and their bodies collided as they suffered more injuries. He looked at them and finally spoke.


    "Both of you. Come at me."

 Chapter 20: Win

    Hugh''s whole body was without a scratch. His skin was white without any imperfections. His bruises, injuries, and any blood on his body were washed away like it never happened. His energy was brimming with power.


    Dempsy and Aric both looked at Hugh with wide eyes, speechless at the arrogance. Dempsy laughed like a lunatic but the veins in his neck swelled and his forehead was red with fury. Aric''s eyes were hidden by his disheveled hair but smoke was coming out of his ears and his hair burned bright red.


    The fat F-rank who was the subject of ridicule and mockery was now taunting both of them to work together to try and defeat him. They both powered their Desire at the same time and rushed to Hugh.


    Aric''s whole body was on fire as he got on all fours. His velocity created disturbances in the wind, creating a whizzing sound. Dempsy jumped and on the wall as he pushed himself towards it, like a spring ready to burst out with power.


    Aric reached Dempsy and launched straight into his chest. Hugh raised his hand and caught Aric''s attack. Aric expected this and transferred all his flame on Hugh''s hand. The reddish flame enveloped Hugh''s whole body as the air got so hot that steam started to produce around his body.


    Hugh looked unflustered at the flame that attempted to incinerate him. He kicked Aric in the gut and tossed him around the room, avoiding the blood and saliva coming out from Aric''s mouth. He looked at the fire in his body and he became blurred as he moved so fast that the fire was put out.


    Dempsy launched towards Hugh as his body became a liquid lance. It rotated through the air and aimed straight for Hugh''s heart, sweating liquid skin in the ground.


    Hugh closed his fist and reared it back. He looked straight at the pointed edge of the lance punched it, meeting it head-on. His muscles constricted and released a tremendous amount of power. His skin was tough like a diamond and it allowed his hand to be undamaged.


    His fist met the lance. A spark was created in the point of collision as the lance started bending, unable to support its shape after meeting the force exerted by Hugh''s fist.


    Dempsy got launched into the air and collided with the wall. He returned to his normal body as his body destroyed the bleachers he crashed on.


    Hugh walked towards Aric who was struggling to stand up. The bones in his right foot were broken. He limped and glared at Hugh coming towards him.


    Hugh looked down at the struggling Aric and slapped him. A resounding smack sounded out as Aric fell and his cheek showed a reddish hue from the sudden force. He was humiliated once again. His fire flared up in fury. He forced himself to stand up and punch Hugh in the face.


    Hugh looked at the sluggish punch. He didn''t raise his hand and let it hit his face. Crack. Aric''s knucklebones were crushed from colliding with an unmovable object.


    Dempsy attacked right after Aric punched Hugh, not giving him any time to rest. A hammer formed in both of his hands. He aimed it right in Hugh''s ears, attacking his eardrums. No matter how durable his face is, his ears were bound to be the most vulnerable part.


    Right before the hammer hits his ears, Hugh reared his head back and dodged the hammers in the nick of time. Everything was moving in slow motion for him.


    He then felt heat forming in his legs. He looked down and saw Aric burning his feet with a reddish flame. Dempsy didn''t wait any longer and attempted to attack Hugh using his hammers.


    Hugh dodged the hammers and put out the fire. The two of them constantly barraged him with their attacks even when it was ineffective. Hugh didn''t counterattack and only dodged or defended from their attacks.


    He looked at them with curious eyes. These two beat him up so easily. He was dragged, beaten, burned, punched, knocked out, and dished out pain in every part of his body. He was defenseless back then. After he transformed, he knew he was stronger. He knew that their attacks would be useless against him but he still tested them.


    The tables have turned and now even the two of them combined couldn''t land a solid punch against him. Their bodies were full of injuries, scratches, and their blood splattered on the ground. He was spotless. His clothes were clean of any blood and damages.


    ++++++++++++++


    FAT RESERVES


    ________________


    |########## |


    ________________


    Estimated time remaining: 30 seconds.


    ++++++++++++++


    Hugh extended his arms and grabbed Aric and Dempsy''s shoulders. His grip dug deep down their skin as they screamed in pain. He knocked their shoulders together, knocking their heads together as a result.


    He kicked Dempsy away but kept his grip on Aric''s shoulder. He grabbed his arms and dislocated his shoulders.


    "AAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!"


    Aric screamed in pain. His eyes were red in anger, moist and tainted with his own blood. Hugh looked directly at Aric''s eyes making sure he knows what he is doing to him. Hugh punched Aric''s left rib, making him cough up blood. His ribs cracked and further injured his organs on the inside.


    Hugh didn''t stop there. He broke Aric''s left rib, making Aric look like he was dying. Aric''s eyes were mostly white; squinting due to being disoriented. Hugh looked at his face and punched him right in the nose. Aric slumped down the ground, unconscious.


    ''Remaining time left on transformation: 10 seconds.''


    Hugh looked at the outcome of the three-way fight. Aric was unconscious in the ground lying in a pool of his own blood. Dempsy''s liquid body splat on the side of the wall. He dripped down on the ground and didn''t stand up. Hugh sneered and turned to leave the arena.


    He hurried back onto the classroom, ignoring all the looks and stares he was getting from all the students on the campus. Hugh''s tight-fitting uniform showed off his muscles and caught everyone''s attention. Women who were minding their businesses had their jaws in the ground while looking at Hugh''s silky white skin; some had sparkles in their eyes as they memorized every part of Hugh''s body, entranced at his proportions.


    Hugh ran through the hallways and returned to the shifting room, returning to his house on the outside of the town.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Right after Hugh left the gym, a man came out from the shadows. He had a bowl cut that hid his eyes and his hands were intertwined behind his back. He entered the gym and smiled at the smell of blood and conflict.


    "Looks like you lost Dempsy."


    Out from the bleachers, Dempsy materialized from the pool of liquid with bruises and cuts around his body. He walked with a limp towards the ring, towards the man who just spoke.


    "Shut up. If it weren''t for these restrictions he wouldn''t be the one leaving here victorious."


    Dempsy massaged his shoulders and rotated them until he heard a click sound. He was only a few meters away from the man until he stopped and spoke.


    "Why are you even here Balen? Why aren''t you with Aub, aren''t you his lapdog?"


    Balen smirked while he looked at Dempsy. He walked forward, with his hands still hidden at the back. Dempsy immediately retreated as Balen took a step.


    "Hehehe you still lost to, what is he, F-rank?"


    "Why are you HERE Balen?"


    "Hohoho no need to be so angry. Like you said, Aub sent me here to monitor you."


    "Tell him I don''t need that."


    Balen suddenly disappeared from Dempsy''s eyesight. He flinched and saw Balen right next to him, touching his ruined uniform.


    "Looks like you do hehehehe"


    Dempsy immediately turned to face Balen, not letting him see his back. In his eyes were filled with caution that indicated danger.


    "How did you know I was here?"


    "Hehehehe little Dempsy, are you not listening? I''m watching over you."


    "Watching over me my a**, you just came here to stir up trouble."


    "Do you not like that? The last time I remember, you were my partner-in-crime in mission J-10. You didn''t complain then when we almost destroyed a whole country due to ''goofing off''."


    "That''s different."


    "Hehehe.......Did you like my present?"


    "Present? What present?"


    "Your favorite! Don''t you love fights?"


    Dempsy remembered the incident back in the classroom. He was squaring off with Aric, pushing each other to gain superiority. They were at a stalemate until Hugh interfered with them, breaking the equilibrium. What came next was a three-way fight that shed blood between all of them.


    "You? You did that?"


    "Hm? Why don''t I see a smile on your face? Is it because you lost."


    "I didn''t lose. Tsk. These damned restrictions."


    "Oh come on. We both know that''s not a valid excuse. You were fighting kids that hadn''t even advanced yet."


    Dempsy ignored him and looked away, not wanting to relive the shattering blow on his pride. He walked away and headed out towards the door.


    "What about this guy?"


    Balen squatted down and poked Aric''s arm. He didn''t seem to mind the blood flowing down Aric''s face and just smiled.


    "I don''t care."


    Within a split second, Balen was already next to Dempsy as they walked out of the gym.

 Chapter 21: Television

    He entered the shifting room and saw his transformation. He almost flinched, not recognizing himself. He was what people would consider ''handsome''.


    ''Remaining time on transformation: 1 second.''


    He saw his body start to deflate and lose its volume. His previous healthy body has now become skin and bones. His ribs showed themselves, his muscles disappeared, and his throat felt itchy. It wanted to eat.


    Hunger burned through his stomach. He felt tired just walking through the hallways of his house. He almost tripped so he had to use the railings on the wall to walk to the kitchen.


    He fiddled with the touchscreen on the refrigerator. He bought everything he could see, wanting to satiate his thirst and craving for nutrition. He ate raw meat, vegetables, seared salmon, spam, chocolates, sour candies, and to top it off he drank pure virgin oil.


    By the end of his binging session, his fat had returned to his body. He was back to being obese, back to being weak. He felt like he had lost a limb. He missed the power coursing through his body and how everything was in control.


    He was tired. He went on his way to the wide spiraling staircase towards his bedroom. Oil paintings of battlefields set in outer space littered the walls. It depicted a single hero walking alone amongst dead bodies humans and monsters alike.


    This was a literary depiction of Matusa, the first person who activated his Desire after venturing outside the galaxy. No one knows exactly how he did it but it was all thanks to his efforts that they now have powers for themselves.


    Another painting depicted an army of humans defending against a hoard of monsters of all kinds and shapes. The contrast of the dark and gloomy monsters against the white self-righteousness of the humans who wore a giant insignia on their chest that printed ''CDA''.


    Hugh ignored the obvious propaganda by the CDA and opened the door to his room. It was spacious. A kingsize bed was placed on the right corner of the room below a window that was covered by a navy blue curtain. In the middle of the room was a couch facing a large flatscreen tv. On the other side of the room was a digital fireplace but Hugh could feel heat emanating from it.


    The sides of the walls were lined with floating shelves waiting to be filled with books and electronics. He slid his hands across the shelves and saw no dust on his fingers.


    He laid down on his bed, comfortable like a hug from the clouds. It was neither too soft nor too hard, just enough for his taste. The pillows gave his head just enough height for his neck to be in a comfortable position. The best part of this was that the bed didn''t creak when he laid down on it. High-end mattresses really are different from the cheap ones.


    He felt bored as he spoke inside the room.


    "Open television"


    The flatscreen television opened and displayed a news section on a channel. It was a mature woman that had long and curvy black hair that complemented her perfectly oval face. Her sky blue eyes sat atop her slim eyes that had double eyelids.


    "This just in, theories about the sudden formation of a crater in the Travek forest garnered some attention in the local forums on the internet. Here''s our correspondent John for the interviews"


    The shot cut to a scene outdoors in the middle of a bustling street. Some people ignored the cameras, some looked in wonder, and some waved for attention. At the center of the screen was a young man with finely combed hair wearing a light blue long-sleeved shirt.


    "Thank you Carestina, I''m here right now in the lower right side of town questioning passengers about their theories as to why a sudden crater appeared in the forest."


    The scene then cuts to a businessman wearing a black suit and suitcase.


    "Isn''t it because of the frequent appearances of the mutated monsters there?"


    The camera then cut to another scene with a woman in her late thirties wearing casual clothes and had coffee stains on her long skirt. She was carrying groceries made of leafy greens and bread.


    "Oh my! Did that really happen? Thank goodness our house is away from that."


    The camera cut again to an old man with a full white beard and disheveled pepper hair. His face was dirty, full of oil and dirt. He was sitting in an alley with a makeshift house made of scrap metal.


    "Aliens! They''ve come to us in search of retribution! Save yourselves! No one will get out of this aliv-"


    The camera cut before the old man could finish his sentence. It immediately transitioned to a male teen wearing gold plated necklaces over his uniform. The teen was talking to his friends and being boisterous.


    "That? Yeah, I know what happened. It was Avery, I saw him fighting a giant tyrannosaurus rex with my very own eyes. Their fight was so intense it created a shockwave that created the crater."


    John the reporter showed himself behind the camera and faced the teen.


    "Did you say it was Avery? The man on the 4th seat of the power ranking?"


    "Ye- yeah. He''s just one step away from entering the fifth advancement."


    "Yo, we''re gonna be famous. I''ll upload this to MySphere."


    The teens'' friends joked around each other until the scene turned back to the beautiful female reporter on the desk. She smiled at the camera, entrancing every man and woman that saw her. That was her pride.


    "That''s all for today on our internet segment. Now onto our next piece of news, is it really safe to travel to planet Braxton with rumors of a civil war brewing?"


    Hugh still couldn''t understand what happened back at the crater. Like the people interviewed, all he could do was to hypothesize about what happened without any real evidence.


    His eyes closed as the television noise became like a lullaby that hummed him into sleep. Hugh slept comfortably that night as the mattress did wonders for his back. He didn''t notice it but the injuries he sustained in the fight disappeared completely even when his transformation was over.


    Hugh woke up to the sounds of laughter on the television. He struggled to open his eyes which wanted to sleep for another hour or two.


    "Hahahaha yeah, it truly is a wonder with this game."


    A middle-aged man with long black hair flowing down his back laughed as he crossed his arms. He had a goatee which made him look older than he seemed.


    The scene cut to a woman, the same beautiful woman from the news segment last night. She wore a red dress that complimented her curvy body and her red lips only served to allure the audience more.


    "So tell me, is this the new game the kids are playing?"


    She questioned the middle-aged man with curious eyes and her body leaned forward, indicating her interest in the subject and showing off a little peek at her cleavage.


    The man looked down at the curves she showed. When he realized that he stared at it for too long, his cheeks got red with embarrassment as he tried to calm himself down.


    "Yea-yeah. It''s called Planets&Monsters. It''s a fully immersive virtual reality system in which players can create their own worlds and have other players immerse themselves there."


    "Why does it feel like I have heard this concept before?"


    "Oh yeah, we gathered inspiration from an ancient game where people played with pen and paper using only their imaginations."


    "Wow! That sounds amazing"


    Carestina put her chin on her palm as she listened to the developer with interest.


    "Not only that but we also have an official server where we created the worlds. In there, missions and other activities could be completed to gain crunchmoney which could be exchanged to real currency."


    "You''re selling this game too good! Now I want to play it!"


    "I''m honored miss Carestina. Don''t worry, the capsule will scan your whole body to replicate your appearance and your Desire. If you want to remain anonymous, you can change your appearance but you can''t change your Desire."


    "It looks like everyone will be playing this game!"


    "I''m confident that they will. We also have a power ranking system inside the official server to attract the top powers to play this game."


    "Well, there you have it folks. If you weren''t convinced for yourself then go try it out. It''s available right now in any game store and compatible with the Ycircle and the Workmove."


    Hugh turned off the television as he focused on the daily mission he just acquired.


    ++++++++++++++


    DAILY MISSIONS:


    Eat 10 types of wood (0/10)


    Eat 10 types of metals (0/10)


    Eat 30,000 kcal (0/30,000)


    ++++++++++++++

 Chapter 22: Shop

    Hugh was surprised to see that he had the same daily mission as before. The mission from before gave him the armor as a reward so he hoped that this mission would enhance that.


    He stretched his hands, yawning as he did. Today was a rest day for him meaning there were no classes. He could do whatever he wanted to do today but his priority would be his daily missions.


    He walked over to his bathroom and was surprised to see the spaciousness inside. This was larger than his room back in the city. A jacuzzi lay inside, occupying almost half the room. The white luxurious tiles gleamed in the bright lights on the ceiling which could be controlled to change the color and intensity.


    White silky robes hung on the walk-in closet beside the sink. The walls were lined with black marble that had tiny white spots replicating the beauty and charm of the outer space. Another door led to an appendage made of high-quality wood exported from planet Braxton. As soon as he opened the door, moist hot air immediately greeted him and gave him a warm feeling. It was a sauna.


    He returned to the jacuzzi that was already filled with water. His hands tested the waters, circling and playing with the water creating ripples that propagated throughout the jacuzzi. It was neither too hot nor too cold, just enough for him to relax. He slowly dipped himself into the water and fully immersed his head, holding his breath as he did so.


    The memories of the fight that happened yesterday flashed through his mind. It was brutal. Aric will be another liability for him since he saw the transformation. If he hadn''t, he would have died right there on the arena with blood pouring down his body creating his own pool of blood. He had no choice, at least that''s what he thought to himself.


    Dempsy was dangerous too. He knew there was something wrong with him. Turns out, he was a bloodthirsty fighter whose hands were itching to take someone on. He was sure that Dempsy wouldn''t have helped even if it meant that he would die. Even though the water was warm, he felt cold. Everyone was out to get him which meant he needed to get stronger as soon as possible.


    He emerged his head from the water as he gasped for air. He looked at his hands and activated his armor. Silver and brown liquid filled his forearms and created a sturdy layer of strength and protection on his arms. The feeling of power only lasted for a second until it disappeared back into his body. He balled up his fist until it started shaking, wanting to extend the time he had with the armor. It didn''t work.


    He needed to find how to do it no matter what and no matter what it takes. The stakes would only get higher the more time passed without him having a reliable source of power. He washed himself off, scrubbing every part of his body, and drying himself with a high-thread-count towel.


    As soon as he was dry, he activated his cloth armor and white liquid filled his whole body. It formed into a cloth that replicated his uniform. He wondered why he could sustain his cloth armor for a long time but he had no clue as to how his Desire worked.


    He walked out of the bathroom, opened his television, and asked some questions.


    "Hey television, is there a store nearby that sells raw materials?"


    The television changed its display into an aerial view of the whole town. The town was a perfect rounded shape with 5 layers of concentric circles. The outermost circle was where he was now, indicated by a flickering red dot on the screen. The second circle after the outermost layer is where the 2nd years lived. After that was for the third years and the second layer before the middle is reserved for the fourth years.


    The display zoomed into the centermost area where shops and different amenities can be found. This is where different services can be found like the blacksmiths or the plaza, making it the most visited part of the town. The display highlighted the plot of land where he wanted to go. The land had a text that displayed ''Oxyiel''s materials''.


    Knowing where to go, he went out of his room and followed the hallway to the shifting room. He didn''t know if it was possible to teleport there using the shifting room but he had to at least try. He walked into the room full of mirrors and walked into the corner of the room.


    There he saw an inclined flatscreen display placed on top of a pedestal. The display had a map of the whole town with a few large icons that had the shape of a circle on top of a box, like a teleporter. Hugh touched the center of the town where Oxyiel''s materials is located but nothing happened.


    The teleporter icon must mean that those were the only places able to be teleported to. The closest teleporter to the center of the town was in the fourth years'' houses. He touched that icon and his red blinking circle suddenly shifted to the teleporter.


    He opened the door to the other side and saw a large highway that led to the horizon. On the sides of the road were houses that looked distinct from each other. No longer was it the same houses littering the street but atypical and bizarre houses with weird shapes spread out in the entire street.


    There was one house that was like a spire that reached the heavens with the top being as sharp as a needle. One house was just a giant box made of cement with no exits and no entrances. There was one where no house could be seen but instead, a miniature volcano boiling with lava replaced it. There was one plot of land where there was no house at all, nothing at all just air.


    A house had a jungle surrounding it and Hugh could barely hear the sounds of monkeys playing around. There was a house that is literally a giant aquarium and with fishes swimming around it and a house was submerged under it filled with barnacles and moss.


    He walked forward, entranced by the beauty and individuality of each and every house. The houses were less dense compared to the houses back at the outermost layer. This was due to the difficulty in reaching the fourth year, leading to students dropping out or escaping the school never to be seen again. There were even some rumors that people died during one of the thesis defense where the student has to defeat a professor.


    At the start of his journey to the central area, there were no people around. He walked around by himself, even the houses in the fourth years'' had no signs of activity. As he started getting closer to the central area, he could see more and more people walking around.


    They had the same like him huddling around themselves. He looked at them and saw that they were following a man who wore casual clothes walking with his hands in his pockets. They were following him like sheep, massaging his shoulders, and acting as bodyguards.


    Wearing school uniform is mandatory and anyone caught without them will be punished, except for the third and fourth years. They have the leisure to do anything they wanted due to them surviving for that long.


    The people flocking around the guy at the front were second years, trying to get his plot of land once he advances to the next year or when he graduates. That isn''t the only reason they were sucking up to him. Third and fourth years could invite anyone, up to five people depending on their influence and power, into some of the most prestigious parties in the school. In those parties were potential job opportunities or maybe an apprenticeship to a supreme being.


    Third and fourth years used this power over the younger years as a way to take advantage of them. The school tolerates this behavior since professor Kain was the one who told them all about this stuff.


    Hugh walked away from them and they ignored him. More and more people started appearing and socializing with each other as they walked around. He finally reached the central area when he saw a giant dome of a bluish transparent dome overseeing the whole area.


    It had no entrances or gates meaning he could just walk over it with no problem, assuming he was an official student. He stepped in, feeling no resistance whatsoever like the barrier wasn''t there.


    Inside the dome, he saw a large number of students walking to and fro from different buildings. He saw different properties with large holographic signs. ''Hep''s Blacksmith'', ''Mission Control'', ''Gateway'', and ''Salem''s Pots'' were just some of the numerous services students can buy inside the central area.


    Hugh walked around until he saw a giant factory that had rotating chimneys at the top. In front of the factory was a holographic text that displayed ''Oxyiel''s materials.''

 Chapter 23: Factory

    The shop that he wanted to go to was right in front of him. Most of the students walking around the shop were ignoring ''Oxyiel''s materials'' as they passed by, having no need to buy anything there.


    The factory had a big rectangular steel door with half a sphere on the top. Its sides were filled with bolts and screws, fully protected from any intruder and apparently any customer too.


    Hugh started banging on the door and the sound of metal clanking entered his ears and the students walking near him. They stopped for a second, confused at the fat student banging on the door. After their curiosity was satiated, they went on to their merry way.


    "Hello?"


    Hugh started to bang on the metal door harder, creating louder sounds that he was sure the people working inside could hear. He knew it wasn''t empty due to the sounds of metal banging on metal rhythmically, like an old-fashioned drum.


    ''Are they ignoring me?''


    He continued to introduce his presence to the whole shop, wanting to complete his daily missions sooner. He wanted to improve his Desire so he could fight for himself without using his transformation. He would do whatever it takes.


    As he continued to knock on the metal door, a face suddenly appeared right in front of him which made him flinch backward. The head phased through the metal door and coupled with the sunken eyes, it looked eery. The face looked down and stared at Hugh with knitted eyebrows.


    "What."


    "Uh...I would like to buy something."


    "....."


    "....."


    After a few seconds of them staring at each other, the floating head attached to the door sunk back into the steel door. Hugh frowned, not knowing what''s up with the weirdo sho ignored him. He just wanted to buy raw materials and he got ignored. He wanted to know what kind of shop ignores their customers?


    After a minute of Hugh standing there speechless, the door opened inwards and a lanky man who wore overalls came out from a dark room. His long hands reached out to Hugh, which made Hugh flinch backward. The man quickly took his hands back after seeing Hugh''s reaction.


    The man looked malnourished, the complete opposite of Hugh. After gaining his composure, Hugh stepped forward and offered his hand. The lanky man looked at Hugh''s hand and reciprocated the gesture. They introduced themselves while giving each other a handshake.


    "Hello sir, I am Hugh."


    "Van."


    "Okay....can I buy some stuff from you?"


    "Yeah. Sure."


    Van went back inside the door and closed it after himself, not letting Hugh inside. Hugh''s jaw was on the ground. He was speechless at the strange behavior of Van. Van said he can buy from him but he closed the door on him.


    "Hello!!!!!"


    Hugh knocked on the door harder than he ever did as he almost used his armor to knock on the door. Hugh''s eyebrows were knitted together as sweat poured down his uniform. He had been standing behind the door for almost ten minutes which caught the attention of the students walking nearby. Bang assumed that they must have thought that he was a weird stalker that pursued a woman to her house.


    Hugh was tongue-tied when he heard metals clanging on metals opposite the door. That meant only one thing; Van was back doing his work and forgot about Hugh. Frustrated, Hugh decided to leave the place and try his luck again later but he suddenly heard Van speak.


    "What are you doing, aren''t you buying."


    Van''s floating head appeared from the door and spoke to Hugh without any intonation. Hugh wouldn''t have known he was asking a question if not for the context clue behind it.


    "Yeah, but you closed the door on me!"


    He shouted at Van, letting his anger take over him. Van widened his eyes and looked up.


    "Oh! I always forget people can''t phase-shift like me."


    Van opened the door and finally let Hugh inside the factory. Inside, rows and rows of shelves filled the whole place. It contained everything inside like, wood, rocks, metals, pearls, gems, and everything that can be forged into something better.


    He followed Van throughout the room, walking through the shelves and seeing new materials that he had never seen before. There were also some materials Hugh had only seen in books and the internet due to their rarity. These rare materials like the ''symphonic cotton'' only harvested from planet Dendro once every 100 years. These costs millions of gold coins yet it was just displayed here on the shelves without any protection.


    The shelves here were like a junkyard of common to very rare materials. Hugh did not dare to steal anything from here due, not only his morals, but because of the strength of shopkeepers here in the central area. Most of these shop owners were at least at the 4th stage of advancement.


    Van suddenly stopped in front of a shelf, seemingly at random. He turned around and faced Hugh as he spoke.


    "What do you want to buy."


    "Uhhh...do you have any wood."


    "Yes"


    "....."


    "....."


    "Can I buy some?"


    "Sure."


    Van started walking again, traversing through the shelves without any patterns. Sometimes he would trace back his steps and go back to where he came from. He would also turn in another direction only to collide with the shelves. Thankfully, the shelves seemed sturdy and any force put upon them was absorbed.


    They walked around for at least 10 minutes until Van suddenly turned around to face Hugh. His eyebrows knitted together like he was frustrated with something.


    "Why are you following me."


    "What?!?! I want to buy wood!"


    "Then buy it."


    "How? I don''t even know where it is!"


    "Oh! It''s right here then."


    Hugh was speechless once again as Van started walking towards a direction. He wondered to himself if all the shopkeepers were like this or maybe Van was just an isolated occurrence.


    He followed Van and finally reached into part of the shelves where it was lined with all kinds of wood. The wood was arranged based on its colors from black to every color to white.


    "These are high-quality wood imported from all around the galaxy."


    Hugh had a theory about how to improve his armor. When he completed the mission, he only ate wood from the Travek forest which was arguably a low ranking quality. If he was to improve his armor, he needed to consume higher quality wood or maybe eat a larger quantity per type of wood.


    "What''s the highest quality wood?"


    "Neodiamond wood from planet Braxton."


    "Do you have that?"


    "No"


    "...."


    "...."


    "Do you know where to buy that?"


    "Yeah, here."


    "...."


    "...."


    "Then why don''t you have it?"


    "It''s already sold."


    "Who did you sell it to?"


    "To the blacksmith."


    "When is it available? Can you tell me so I can buy it?"


    "No"


    "Why?"


    "Its policy. Fourth years have dibs on everything so the blacksmith buys the highest quality."


    Hugh found it annoying that if he hadn''t asked, Van would never answer his questions. He couldn''t complain because he may rely on Van for his materials in the future. If they got on the wrong foot, Van may refuse to offer his service to Hugh and he wouldn''t know where to gather the resources for his daily mission.


    "How much for the second most durable tree?"


    "100,000 points."


    "What?!?! For one piece of wood?"


    "No, that''s for bulk order. 10 kilograms."


    Hugh couldn''t believe how expensive the wood was. Even if he bought only 1 kilogram, that would amount to his entire budget for one month. He couldn''t afford to spend that much on just one type of wood.


    "How much for the cheapest wood?"


    "They very to 1,000 points per kilogram."


    Hugh didn''t know what to do. Even the cheapest wood here would drain him of his points. He was truly backed into a corner but he wanted to complete his missions. Doing so would allow him to use his armor more consistently.


    "Is there a way to earn points in a small amount of time?"


    He needed to earn money today or else his daily mission would be over. He couldn''t let that opportunity pass by or else he would regret it for the rest of his life.


    "The fastest way is to gamble, or could try your luck at that new game called ''Planets&Monsters''."


    He didn''t know where that was but he was willing to try it. He had to get points fast, with emphasis on the fast.


    "Thanks, Van."


    Van showed his open-faced palm and his eyes were wide open, displaying surprise. It looked like he had never heard the word ''thanks'' before. Hugh didn''t wait any longer and walked out of the factory in search of any gambling place or any capsule that played Planets&Monsters.

 Chapter 24: Quest

    He walked out into the streets full of students wandering around. He didn''t know where the casino was but he was willing to walk around and observe the place. It was good to know the ins and outs of this place since it looked like he would be staying here for a long time.


    For the most part, he was following the crowd and watching out for giant holographic signs that displayed the text ''casino''. Most of them were following a third-year like sheep so he blended in with the crowd.


    They walked and talked until they reached a place that had a holographic sign that said, ''Console room''. This must be the room where he could play the new game Planets&Monsters. He briefly heard this new game from the news and wanted to try it out.


    He walked forward and put his hands on the handprint on the side of the door. It opened and let him into a dimly lit room where cylindrical tanks lined up neatly into rows and columns. The cylindrical tanks had either a red light or a green light on the top to indicate whether it was occupied or not.


    Hugh walked towards the corner of the room and chose an unoccupied capsule and opened it up. The inside had a human-shaped indentation that he could lay inside. Once in, the capsule automatically closed as he closed his eyes.


    He opened his eyes and saw himself floating in a white endless void. In it was a large holographic menu screen that displayed a text.


    [Welcome Hugh]


    Capsule Play: 10p/hr.


    [yes] [no]


    Hugh raised his hand and touched the ''yes'' option on the menu. Right after he clicked the ''yes'' option, the menu changed into rows of text that had a small image next to it. These were the games that were available to play inside the capsule. ''Planets&Monsters'', ''CounterStroke: Galaxy Offensive'', ''League of Heroes'', ''Fortday'', ''Among ours'', were the most popular games in the galaxy today. He chose the ''Planets&Monsters'' game and closed his eyes.


    Once he opened his eyes, he only saw himself looking back at him. This was the character creation portion of the game. He can change his appearance, which he will do because he wanted to test out if his transformation will be activated in the game.


    He changed his face into more of a normal-looking face with normal hair and normal body proportions. He didn''t have any distinctive features to make sure that he wouldn''t be recognized if he ever got caught transforming. He looked like an average guy.


    After confirming his appearance, Hugh''s surroundings changed into a bustling town. Hundreds of people were walking around with simple clothes, indicating that they were the same as him; they were novices. He looked around himself and saw people with a question mark on their heads.


    Multiple people were talking to the same NPC, wanting to get their beginner mission. Hugh followed them and talked with the NPC.


    "Hello, traveler!"


    "Hi, do you need help with something?"


    "What''s your name traveler?"


    "I''m Huge."


    Hugh changed his name to Huge when he was customizing his appearance. He was sure that people will not associate his real self with this character.


    "Hello, Huge. I do need help with something. Get me 20 Ruby Berries from the outskirts of town."


    A menu appeared right in front of Hugh that indicated his current mission. The text was lined with blue and white giving it a technological feel. He felt it was weird that he had two systems right now, his fat god system and the game''s system. The game''s system had a physical form that he could see and touch. The fat god system had no physical form and was always present in his mind.


    He clicked on his mission and a minimap opened up to the top right position of his sight. It directed him to the outskirts of the beginner town where he could harvest the Ruby Berries needed to complete the mission. He started walking, following the direction on the minimap.


    Most of the new players in the town dispersed in different directions since everyone had a different mission. This was one of the most unique things in the game. Everyone will get a different mission based on different factors such as the way they talked to the NPC, the way they dressed, their reputation, and other invisible factors. This would also affect the future missions of each person, creating a different experience for everybody.


    The NPC were famous for their individuality and their sentience almost feeling like a normal person. Most people talked about how the NPC were no different from the players if not for the fact that the NPC has a symbol on their heads.


    Hugh walked to the outskirts of town until he reached the shrubbery part of town. Hugh bent down and looked inside the shrubs, looking for the distinct reddish color of the Ruby Berries shaped like a gem. The shrub closest to him had no red-colored berries but it had blue berries shaped like a perfect sphere.


    Hugh walked to the next bush and found a shining red berry as he searched around. His menu appeared and the ruby berry disappeared from his hands. The quest proceeded as Hugh found more and more berries in the bush.


    *Ssssssssss*


    Hugh heard a hissing sound from beneath the bushes that alerted him of the danger that was coming towards him. He backed away from the bush and readied himself to fight the creature.


    Hissing and zigzagging on the ground, a white cobra came out of the bushes. It raised its head and looked towards Hugh with its venomous fangs ready to pierce Hugh''s skin. He remained calm and collected, ready to activate his armor at the right time.


    The snake crawled through the grass and reared its head at Hugh. The snake attacked, opening its jaws to take a bite out of his leg. Hugh saw the attack and activated his armor to his leg to protect it from the bite. Silver and brown liquid flowed out from his skin and encased his legs creating new and improved shin and muscles to guard against the snake.


    The snake bit down on his legs, indifferent to the armor that protected it. The snake''s fangs bit down on his metal skin and created sparks as it wasn''t able to pierce his armor. Hugh took this chance to counterattack and used his other leg to step on the snake.


    The leg that he used to attack the snake wasn''t protected with the armor. He wasn''t able to activate his armor in two different limbs so the force he exerted on the snake was weak. His leg felt like it stepped on a cylindrical steel tube as the snake''s skin was too tough.


    He backed away from the snake. This was the fundamental problem he had with his armor. He had to choose between attacking and defending due to its limitations. He couldn''t survive if he foregoes his defense and attacks the snake and vice versa.


    *Sssssss*


    More hissing came out of the bushes as three more snakes showed themselves to him. He backed even further from the snakes only to hear hissing on his back. He looked back and saw another three snakes circling him around. He couldn''t defend against the attacks of 6 snakes at once and he couldn''t kill them either. The only choice he had was to transform.


    He activated his transformation as his body started to release out steam. His black hair turned into white as beads of sweat dripped down his body. The character he created in this game was not morbidly obese like he was. The character had a normal weight and Hugh was curious what would have happened to his transformation if the conditions were like that.


    Surprisingly, the transformation continued like the one in the real world. He was curious about one thing so he took out a berry from the bushes and looked at his reflection.


    The face he had now was the same face he had when transforming. This meant that the transformation would not be affected by his appearance. This was a bad thing for him but it wasn''t his top priority right now. He still had to deal with the snakes.


    A snake from his back lunged forward with its venomous fangs directed at his neck. Without looking back, he grabbed the snake from behind and used it as a whip against the other snakes.


    Hugh whipped the snake in front of him and the collision made it stumble backward, disoriented from the hit. He used this chance to stomp on its head, killing it instantly and spreading blood and flesh all over his shoe. He ignored the mess as he continued to whip the snakes into submission until they were all defeated into the ground.


    [Warning! Only 1/2 of hp is remaining]


    A warning from the game''s system popped up in his vision. This left him confused at the situation since he wasn''t injured by any snake and he was confident that his regeneration would take care of any injury inflicted on him.


    He suddenly remembered an integral part of his system. It was called the ''FAT God System''. The character he had right now was not fat. Hugh wondered if that was the reason his hp was getting low. It may explain the situation if the transformation was eating his life instead due to the absence of fat.


    A whizzing arrow shot forth from the darkness directed at Hugh''s head. He caught it with his bare hands and looked towards the assailant. In the distance he could see a well armored man that wore a green fedora standing still, surprised that his attack had failed.

 Chapter 25: Pill

    The man looked at Hugh with bated breaths. The sneak attack he prepared for the beginners usually worked due to the newbies'' inexperience. This newbie was different. The man didn''t know why but he felt a chill on his back as he looked at Hugh.


    The man''s instincts told him to run, but there was a sort of elegance from Hugh''s posture in between all the greenery that made him hesitate. The way Hugh harmonized with nature was hypnotizing, to say the least.


    The man blinked and the wind whizzed past him as Hugh disappeared from his sight. Flustered, he flinched to his right and saw a handsome man with white hair. The man saw the hidden power underneath the chiseled muscles and the thin fog of steam coming out of his body. He felt afraid, intimidated at the mystery of the strength of this so-called beginner.


    He backed away from Hugh as he raised his bow in defense. There was no arrow chucked into the bow but the man still used it as a defense. Hugh didn''t know if the man just forgot that there was no arrow in his how or there was a hidden use for the bow other than for shooting arrows.


    Hugh stepped forward towards the man which made him flinch.


    "Sorry, sorry, I was wrong. I shouldn''t have attacked you."


    The man let go of his bow and raised both his hands in submission. His open-faced palm wanted to show Hugh that there wasn''t any threat hidden on his hands. The man''s sweat dropped to the ground as he waited in bated breath for Hugh''s response.


    "..."


    Hugh kept silent, observing the weird behavior of the man wearing a fedora hat. The man took a deep breath as he felt the air around them suffocating him.


    "I''m Robbi, a wandering archer in the woods. What about you sir?"


    "Huge."


    "Hello sir Huge, I deeply apologize for my behavior and would like to request a pardon from the injured party."


    Hugh looked at Robbi with a deadpan expression. His blank face only served to make Robbi apprehensive as Hugh did not give any indication to his mental state. The man spoke as he reached into his pockets.


    "Don''t attack, I''m just reaching out to give you something as a peace offering."


    Robbi reached into his pocket and retrieved a red shining object that fits into the palm of his hands. He opened his palm for Hugh to see the object. It was a Ruby Berry. Robbi reached into his pocket and more Ruby Berries came out.


    "...."


    Hugh didn''t say anything and just looked at the ruby berries with an expressionless face. He didn''t seem interested in the gift, to the dismay of Robbi. Robbi bent down and placed the ruby berries on the ground for Hugh to pick up later. Robbi assumed that Hugh didn''t trust him enough to approach him so he put it in the ground.


    "Okay, I have some more offerings for you."


    Robbi continued to rummage through his pockets and took out a white roll of cloth that looked pure and clean. This item was a bandage that can heal health points for the user.


    "How about this? It''s a bandage for any injury I inflicted on you."


    "...."


    Hugh was still disinterested in whatever Robbi was giving him. Robbi looked up at Hugh with expectations that his offerings were enough but the barren expression on his face made him rethink his decisions. At this point, Robbi wanted to run and escape from the blatant robbery that was happening here. He even thought that Hugh was scamming people by acting as a beginner and robbing them of their every belonging.


    "Okay., that''s not enough I see. How about this."


    Robbi reached into his shirt and took out a golden necklace from his neck and displayed it on his hands. The necklace was laced with gold and decorated with intricately carved gems of all colors. It gleamed from the shining sun which would tempt any person that laid eyes upon it, except Hugh. He didn''t look at the shining necklace but kept his eyes locked on Robbi.


    "That''s not enough?! This necklace is worth tens of thousands of crunchmoney and gives you 1.5% more dexterity which would be overpowered to any beginner!"


    Robbi removed his shirt and showed his chainmail armor. He also took out an earring and displayed it on the ground.


    "How about this ''Agility earrings''? Would you like my ''chainmail armor''? I don''t have anything else."


    Robbi reached into his pockets and turned them inside out to show everything he had on his pockets. What came out was a bunch of copper coins, a button, a wallet, and a red pill.


    "I have nothing else of value! I only have some copper coins you can have that. A button, if your shirt ever needs some extra buttons. An empty wallet if you want to pretend you''re rich and this sustenance pill will only fill your hunger for one day."


    Hugh''s eyes immediately focused on the red pill. Robbi described it as a sustenance pill that could fill a person up for one day. A hypothesis came into his mind and he couldn''t wait to try it out. He disappeared from Robbi''s eyes and appeared above the red pill.


    "Yeah, you can have the earrings and the armor."


    Robbi watched as Hugh bent down and grabbed the red pill from the assortment of treasures and garbage on the ground. His choice baffled Robbi, thinking that he would either choose from the earrings and the armor or even take both of them. He never expected that a cheap sustenance pill would catch his eyes.


    "Are you sure that''s what you want? Don''t you want the earrings or the armor?"


    Robbi turned from being surprised to being offended. These earrings he had were earned from countless of hours grinding missions and dying a couple of times. He had to struggle against a large python the size of a grown man just to get the quest for the earrings. The chainmail armor was given to him after being enlisted in the army for one year in the cold dead winter up in the north.


    He couldn''t believe that Hugh was able to ignore these treasures right in front of him and was humble enough to just take a measly pill that can be bought anywhere.


    Robbi kneeled with his right knee and bowed in front of Hugh. He put his right hand on his chest and spoke to him.


    "I am unworthy of your humbleness, sir Huge."


    Hugh ignored Robbi and observed the pill in his hand. Without any hesitation, he placed the pill in his mouth and swallowed it as he closed his eyes. The pill passed through his throat and into his stomach, which dissolved instantly as it touched his gastric acid.


    Hugh felt a warm relief spread throughout his body starting from his stomach, to his legs, to his arms, and to his head. He looked at the game''s system and saw that the hp stopped decreasing, meaning that the pill worked. The Fat God System was using the pill''s sustenance as fuel for the transformation instead of his hp. The best part of this pill was that according to Robbi, it was easily accessible due to it very common. If that was true, he could buy a sustenance pill every day and essentially never take off his transformation.


    Hugh smiled, satisfied that the feeling of power from his transformation is accessible to him at any time. He no longer has to hide his strength and be suppressed. He turned around to leave but Robbi spoke to him.


    "Sir Hugh, if I could just have one moment."


    Robbi bowed even further and prostrated himself to gain Hugh''s attention. Hugh stopped, willing to listen to whatever Robbi was saying. He was feeling a little bit generous due to finding a way to make his transformation basically permanent.


    "Please help me fight off the clan terrorizing our village."


    Hugh listened to Robbi without letting off any emotions. His sincerity made him consider helping the poor guy out but he wouldn''t do it for free.


    Robbi knew that he couldn''t enlist the help of Hugh without a good enough reward so he threw in a benefit.


    "The clan oppressing us has a lot of loot in their base. You can have their loot of you help us out!"

 Chapter 26: Bet

    Robbi asked Hugh for help in dealing with a clan that harassed their village. He saw Hugh''s strength and his humbleness that made him decide to enlist Hugh''s help.


    "....."


    Hugh stayed silent and just looked at Robbi. He didn''t reject nor accept the proposal but stayed indifferent at Robbi''s plead. He weighed the pros and cons of accepting the mission and there were a lot of unknown variables to determine his success in the mission. He couldn''t guarantee the money he needed quickly so he was hesitant to accept.


    "How long is it gonna take?"


    "A day at the least."


    Knowing that the mission would take at the very least a day, he would not accept the mission today. Robbi saw the slight change in expression in Hugh''s face and guessed that he was disinterested in accepting the mission.


    "Their loot will definitely have armor and weapons you can sell for a high price. I also heard they had a chest full of crunchmoney (CM)"


    Robbi saw that Hugh was still disinterested in cooperating with him so he was in panic mode. He had to recruit a strong person like Hugh in order to repel the clan. He remembered that Hugh picked up the sustenance pill instead of the armor and the necklace.


    "How about the sustenance pill? We have a ton of those back at our village you can have every single one of those."


    At the mention of the sustenance pill, Robbi saw a slight glint in Hugh''s eyes indicating interest in the subject. This was his chance to recruit Hugh and the benefit he had to give was just a mere sustenance pill.


    "We can buy more of those for you. We''ll even buy the 1-week sustenance pill for you or even the 1-month sustenance pill."


    Robbi finally saw Hugh openely interested in the discussion. His hopes were reignited and he smiled in anticipation. He didn''t know that Hugh was just interested on the fact that there were 1-week pill and 1-month pill.


    Hugh was tempted to take the mission right there and then just because of the pills but he stopped himself. He needed to focus on the money he needed to earn in order to finish his daily mission. This game that he was in was only second in priority and he shouldn''t forget his daily mission for the pills that could only be used in the game.


    "How much money do you have right now?"


    Hugh asked Robbi if he had enough money to tempt him to accept the mission. If he earns money upfront, then it was a win-win situation. He gets money for his daily mission and he gets the pills.


    "I don''t have that much money on me. I only have 1,000 CM right now. I can sell my items but it would take a whole day for it to be appraised and sold."


    Hugh felt that it was a shame he didn''t have enough money. He could have helped them with their problems and even if they lost, Hugh would have enough money for his daily missions. He had to reject the proposal.


    "I don''t have a day to spend to help you. Goodbye."


    Hugh turned to leave to the dismay of Robbi. His smile faded as the only hope he had rejected him. He needed help but he just didn''t have enough money to persuade Hugh to help him.


    "When you have the free time, can you help me?"


    Hugh heard Robbi''s last plea to him. He turned around and faced the pleading man with an expressionless face. In truth, he didn''t care that their village was getting ransacked by some clan. He only cared about the benefits he was getting.


    "I won''t promise anything but sure, I''ll do that."


    Robbi''s frown turned into a smile as he clung on to the last string if hope cast by Hugh. Even if it was not a definitive answer, he was willing to take any last bit of help he could get.


    "Let''s exchange contact information."


    Robbi immediately stood up and walked towards Hugh. In the game, anyone can contact their friends through the system. This was the first friend Hugh had in this game and it opened up a new option for his game system.


    The two of them exchanged informations and they went on their separate ways.


    "Thank you sir Hugh. I wish you all the best!"


    "....."


    Hugh went on his way back to the beginner town. There were the same amount of people when he returned, indicating the popularity of this game. There were still and endless amount of people registering and ending up on the beginner town so the devs created multiple designated beginner towns to help assimilate the new players.


    There were also some players who started at different planets other than the one Hugh was in right now. There are others who were a major powerhouse in the real world so their character in the game were boosted through connections and favoritism by the devs.


    Hugh walked towards the npc that gave him his mission. He was still being overwhelmed by the newbies that wanted to get their own mission from the npc. He walked forward and talked to the npc.


    "I completed it."


    "Thank you sir Huge! As a reward for your bravery and your strength, I shall award you 1,000 CM and 5 Ruby Berries."


    Hugh got the notification in the game''s system and he saw the change in his virtual wallet. He also got the 5 ruby berries that he picked himself. The rewards for this mission was really bad but it was expected for a beginner mission. Hugh got 1,000CM from that which meant that he had 1,000 points in the real world because the conversion rate for this game and the special class currency was 1-1. The only thing Hugh had to do now was to find a place where he could double his money.


    "Heh, you think you''re better than me?"


    "Yeah, I''m better than you. There, I said it."


    "You must be joking, I''m stronger than you and I can prove it."


    "Oh yeah, let''s see who is the strongest in the ranking facility."


    Hugh heard some boisterous conversation at his back. He turned around and saw two men who wore simple steel armor were arguing about their strength. They walked towards the so-called ranking facility. He decided to follow them since it could be an opportunity where he could earn money.


    Hugh followed a few steps behind the two fighting men. They talked and insulted each other as they went on their way to the ranking facility. Nobody minded the two since it was a normal occurrence that two fighters would want to test out each other''s strengths.


    They walked towards a white building with four pillars surrounding the corners. It''s magnificence is clearly felt by all who walked near it due to the size and the blinding white paint on it. It was also more intricately carved and constructed compared to the shabby wooden stalls beside the building. This was a beginner town so the buildings here were less than par. Only the ranking facility looked decent.


    They walked to the entrance that was guarded by nobody. Inside, the same white paint could be seem with colorful paintings of men and women wearing gowns and eating grapes. The paintings gave a relaxing feeling relaxed compared to the noise produced from the shouting men inside.


    The inside was filled with people of all genders and sizes and they cheered on whatever was in the middle. Some were waving papers in their hands and some were waving handkerchiefs but they all looked excited at the action.


    The two people that Hugh followed was already gone and disappeared in a door to the right. Hugh walked forward and looked into what was happening in the middle.


    He saw two men bloodied and exhausted facing each other with no weapons in their hands. One of the men fighting raised his hands and the ground around the other man started to enclose him. The other man retaliated by opening a hole in the middle of the enclosure by using pressurized water inside his hands.


    The crowd went wild as they cheered on their favorite fighter. A man suddenly approached Hugh, which he noticed before the man put his hands on Hugh''s shoulder.


    "Hey man, you new here?"


    Hugh nodded in affirmation. The man had a simple white shirt and long pants but he had a long roll of paper that he held in his hands. An uncapped ballpen was stuck in his right ear.


    "Would you like to make a bet?"

 Chapter 27: Intensity

    "What would I be betting on?"


    The man smiled thinking that he caught another gambler in his sights. He was a bookie who arranges the bets made in the ranking facility. He saw that a newcomer had come inside the building and he immediately approached Hugh.


    "Generally, you bet on who wins and loses the fights. There are other more complicated betting like betting on the specific minutes the fight would take and so on."


    Hugh looked towards the middle of the fight where there was a clear winner due to the extent of the injuries sustained by the other party. The bookie saw Hugh''s line of sight and spoke.


    "You can''t bet right now because the fight had already started. You can bet on the next fight though."


    "...."


    Hugh kept silent and observed the fight going on in the middle. Both of the fighters were using their Desire by projecting it outwards into a focal point. This indicated that the two of them were at the very least in the 1st advancement. Hugh calculated the power exerted by both of them and concluded that he wouldn''t lose in a fight against them.


    "These guys are both F-rank in the 1st advancement. Their desire intensity is about 200."


    "Desire intensity?"


    "Yeah, don''t you know? Desire intensity is the most basic way to know how powerful a person is. It indicates the quality of your Desire but it does not take into account the fighting skills of the person."


    The bookie then pointed his hands at a flatscreen display to the wall at the right. The text displayed rankings from the top 10 and below for different advancement levels. There were rankings for the unadvanced, the same for the 1st advancement, the second advancement, and so on.


    "See that? That''s the current rankings, the best of the best in this world."


    "What''s the Desire intensity of those people?"


    Hugh inquired about how the rankings worked and how the Desire intensity played a role in the rankings.


    "You know what, let me just give you this pamphlet."


    The bookie took out a blank piece of paper from his pockets and gave it to Hugh. Once Hugh touched the paper, it disappeared from his hands and a display appeared in his vision.


    [Desire Intensity]


    Unadvanced: 0-200


    1st advancement: 200-400


    2nd advancement: 400-600


    3rd advancement: 600-900


    4th advancement: 900-1200


    5th advancement: 1200[


    [Close]


    "The way the Desire intensity works is that once you advance in ranks, your desire intensity will advance with you but the amount it increases is up to your talent.


    For example, an S-rank unadvanced has S-level talent therefore his Desire intensity will be 200, which is the best quality of Desire. Once he ranks up to 1st advancement F-rank, then his Desire intensity will approximately be 266.


    Compare that to another S-rank unadvanced with F-level talent then his Desire intensity will be less than 200, like 160. When he ranks up to 1st advancement F-rank, then his Desire Intensity will approximately be around 210."


    The bookie explained to him how the Desire intensity worked and he now understood the way it worked. E burning question remained in his mind. What would be his Desire intensity? When he was tested for his talent, he found out that he had an F-level talent but that was before the Fat God System activated on him. He didn''t know if his talent would change or not.


    "How about those in the power ranking for the unadvanced, what are their Desire intensities?"


    "The man in the first position in the ranking has a Desire intensity of 199. He''s a one-in-a-million talent that only comes every hundreds of years or so. You might have heard of him, he''s quite famous in the news."


    "....."


    Hugh didn''t answer and looked unimpressed by the accomplishments of the top 1 spot in the power ranking. The bookie was speechless that Hugh wasn''t amazed by their top spot so he doubled down on the praise.


    "His name is Sader, you have got to know him right? He''s famous on Earth and attends the famous school, Blacklade!"


    Hugh still had an unassuming face as he looked at the bookie with disinterest in his eyes. The bookie relaxed and assumed that Hugh was ignorant and didn''t know how strong 199 Desire intensity is or he didn''t know how prestigious Blacklade academy was. He just chalked up Hugh''s indifference to naivety. However, he couldn''t believe what Hugh said next.


    "What happens if I get into the top 10?"


    The bookies'' jaw was on the ground and even the people close enough to hear Hugh''s unassuming voice turned around and faced them. In their faces was disbelief and some assumed that Hugh was joking.


    "HAHAHAHAHA"


    The bookie started laughing which cause a chain effect that carried on to the people looking at Hugh. They laughed at the absurdity of his question and laughed at the confidence he had. They had to wipe the tears in their eyes as they looked at Hugh. When they saw that he had the same deadpan face, they had to stop laughing and look at him seriously.


    "What happens if I get into the top 10?"


    Everyone was dead silent and even some of the spectators of the fight in the middle stopped to look at the commotion that was happening. They could not believe his words yet he repeated it for all of them to hear it clearly.


    The bookie looked at Hugh''s entire body up and down. He saw the white hair and the sharp jawline, a good trait to sway the ladies but useless in a fight. He looked at Hugh''s muscle and saw good proportions and volume. It looked like Hugh could take on a fight properly with just the muscles alone but it wasn''t enough to be put into the top 10. The top 10 was only reserved for the best of the best. They rarely show up in the ranking facility unannounced and without an entourage.


    Usually, those who were in the top 10 were already established in the real world, so signing up in the ranking facility was merely a formality. Hugh showed up here alone and didn''t know anything about the Desire intensity and the ranking. Being in the top 10 cannot be merely obtained by anybody.


    "You have guts kid, but the top 10 can''t be obtained by some mere nobody."


    "Just answer my question."


    The bookie looked directly into Hugh''s eyes and saw that he wasn''t relenting. He didn''t know if it was just stupidity or he had some kind of ace in the hole. If the bookie had to guess, then it was just stupidity. After seconds of waiting, the bookie answered Hugh.


    "For the unadvanced ranking, you''ll get


    10,000 for the top 10


    30,000 for the top 3


    40,000 for the top 2


    50,000 for the top 1"


    With 10,000 points, Hugh will be able to complete his daily mission and upgrade his armor. He felt confident in getting into the top 10 and maybe even the top 3. With power flowing in his body and his veins, he felt like nothing could stop him.


    After hearing the information from the bookie, Hugh immediately turned around and left. This made the crowd that was watching him become disinterested thinking that Hugh gave up. Only the bookie looked at Hugh and shouted in his direction.


    "Where are you going?"


    Without turning around, Hugh stopped in his tracks and spoke in a normal voice.


    "To get into the top 10"


    After saying his piece, the disinterested crowd became enraged and infuriated that Hugh was confident enough to take the top 10 spot. The crowd became wild as they discussed amongst themselves how Hugh will fail and what his Desire intensity will be.


    "Hear that kid? He says he''ll reach the top 10."


    "No way! That kid? He looks like he lifts but that doesn''t matter in the Desire intensity."


    "Is he like an up-and-coming talent from some rich background?"


    "No, I heard he''s a nobody."


    "Yeah, I also heard that he''s a poor man that stole a capsule to play this game."


    "What? Why did I hear different? I heard he was a rich young master that came here to play with us, low mortals."


    Different rumors and speculations about Hugh''s background came to their ears as gossip spread around the ranking facility.


    The bookie smelled the opportunity as he immediately took this chance to earn some money.


    "Who would like to bet?"


    As soon as the bookie shouted his proposal, the spectators rushed to his place to make some quick and easy money. A majority of the people believed that Hugh will not reach the top 10, some liked to bet against the odds so they bet that Hugh will get into the top 10.


    "I''d like to bet 500 on him not being in the top 10"


    "I bet 1000 that he wouldn''t even reach 160 Desire intensity!"

 Chapter 28: Test

    Hugh ignored all the commotion happening due to his actions. He heard all their bets against him and he ignored it. He didn''t need to prove himself to them or anyone else. His strength and his fists will prove it for him.


    He walked towards a door to the right, the door that the two fighting men went through. He saw a line of people at a desk inside, waiting for the teller to arrange their fights or to measure their Desire intensity. He walked forward and waited for his turn.


    After a minute it was almost his turn. There was one more person before he could register for the measurement. This man wore plain steel armor and a sword at his waist. His chin was high up in the air as he spoke to the teller.


    "Test my Desire intensity, I''ll show you all how talented I am!"


    He shouted at the teller and to everyone waiting in line. They ignored him as there were a lot of people who overestimate themselves like the guy that just spoke. He slammed his fist on the table and demanded the teller to work faster.


    "Move faster! I can''t wait to show my strength and then all of you will bow before me!"


    The female teller ignored all the words that the man spoke. For all the times she had this job, there were always boisterous people who reprimanded her just because she was a teller. She didn''t feel flustered as she continued to record the stats of the man.


    "Measuring your Desire intensity will cost 1,000CM."


    Without looking at the man, the teller spoke as she configured the touchscreen on her desk. She only heard the sound of a bell when she received the payment from the man. After she had scheduled the man''s measurement, the man immediately went on his way but he didn''t forget to belittle the teller.


    "Hmph...Took you long enough."


    She didn''t even hear the words of the man as she continued doing her work. After a few touches on the screen, she signaled for Hugh to come forward.


    "Name?"


    "Huge."


    "What do you want? Do you want to fight or do you want to measure your Desire intensity?"


    "Desire intensity."


    She didn''t speak anymore as she focused all her attention on the flatscreen display on her desk. After about a minute she asked for the payment for the registration.


    "1,000CM for registering your Desire intensity."


    Hugh paid the fees without any problem. He was glad that he completed the mission first and got 1,000CM as a reward. If he fails here and didn''t place into the top 10, he would be back to square one and he wouldn''t be able to complete his daily mission on time. Of course, he didn''t think about that because that possibility never came to his mind. He was confident in his prowess and the strength of his Desire.


    "So you''ll be registering for the unadvanced power rankings and it will take 30 minutes before you could do it."


    Hugh was inwardly surprised. The teller never asked for any more information from him like his stage of advancement so how could she have known that he was an unadvanced? He had to reassess his opinion of the teller who had mysterious powers.


    The teller finally looked up from her desk and looked directly at Hugh. She was surprised that someone had figured out that she was beyond an ordinary teller. She also had to reassess her opinion of Hugh. She smiled like she knew what Hugh was thinking and spoke.


    "That''s a secret!"


    She looked Hugh in the eye and winked at him. The men at the back of the line went wide-eyed as they saw a smile from the teller. They had been coming to this place for a while and the teller had never taken her eyes off the screen, imagine their surprise when they saw her wink at the white-haired man.


    They started to discuss amongst themselves about the reason why the teller would wink at the man.


    "Hey did you see that? She just smiled at him!"


    "Maybe you saw wrong?"


    "No, I didn''t and the man she just winked at was the man who wanted to be in the top 10!"


    "What really? Then the rumor must be true that he was a rich kid who wanted to be low-key!"


    Hugh ignored the chatter as he waited for his turn. After 20 minutes, it was the turn of the boisterous man who belittled the teller. He waved at the crowd and made them shout his name. Some screamed pleasantries at him, meaning they were his entourage. He closed his eyes and savored every waking moment in the spotlight. This was the reason he even wanted to be in the top 10, to hear the praise the people had for him.


    There were a lot of ways a person could test their Desire intensity. If the person was a fighter and like to use their fists, a punching bag would be brought out that was specially engineered to measure the Desire intensity. If it was a caster, then a shooting target would be used. If it was a support type like a healer, then a human dummy would be used.


    In the man''s case, he used a sword so a scarecrow would be used. The scarecrow was brought out, which looked unassuming and normal consisting of hay and string. The man raised his sword and held it there, building tension for everybody watching his measurement. He made sure to wait enough seconds for them to completely focus on him.


    After inhaling and exhaling for a few cycles, he shouted with all his breath and brought down his sword. The blade shined with a blue light and it left behind a light ray tracing the sword''s trajectory. The edge hit the scarecrow but it didn''t cleave through it. There was not even a cut from the scarecrow as it looked the same as before yet the crowd went wild.


    It was normal that the testing equipment would not take any damage from the Desire and it would be abnormal to damage it. The man bowed to the roaring crowds and waited for his results.


    From a screen right next to ranking leaderboards, a display showed the result of the man''s Desire intensity.


    [Desire Intensity]


    Calculated Desire Intensity: 190


    [CONGRATULATIONS MAX! You have reached the top 10!]


    The crowd went wild as a once in a lifetime event just occurred right in front of their eyes. Max was actually able to reach the top 10! They watched as Max''s name climbed the ranks of the power ranking as it stopped at the tenth place. This meant that Max was now in the leaderboards with a Desire intensity of 190.


    Max bowed again into the crowds and they went wild. Some of them bet big on the man reaching the top 10 so they won big this time. Most of the spectators bet that Max would have a Desire intensity of 170 or higher so many won the bet.


    The crowd was still in chaos about what had happened but it was Hugh''s turn to test his Desire intensity. Hugh passed by Max, who just reached the top 10, spoke to him.


    "HAHA, don''t even bother coming out there. You''ll just get overwhelmed."


    Max sneered at him but Hugh ignored the provocation. He didn''t have the time to deal with a narcissistic shrimp who had mediocre strength. When he saw the strength of Max, he knew he would surely get into the top 10. The weak display of strength by Max was actually in the top 10. Hugh just laughed that off as he walked into the testing area.


    Most of the spectators were still in disarray from seeing a top 10 born right in front of their eyes so they didn''t notice Hugh enter the testing area. Some noticed him immediately, yelling out to others of Hugh''s entrance.


    "Hey! It''s that guy! He''s the one who wanted to be in the top 10!"


    "Hahahaha, he wishes. Does he think he can really be in the top 10 after that guy? Ridiculous."


    "No, don''t discourage him! I bet 1,000CM on him getting less than 160 Desire intensity. I need the money and this is basically easy money!"


    Hugh ignored the chatter that didn''t believe in his prowess. He focused on the punching bag that was brought out into the testing area. He walked forward without worry and rush. Everyone anticipated the poor performance of Hugh and talked to themselves but Hugh suddenly moved into the punching bag. He balled up his fist and punched the testing object.

 Chapter 29: Facilitator

    Without any windup, Hugh gathered his strength into his balled-up fist and punched the bag. The sound created from the collision reverberated throughout the facility, silencing the chatter. The man from before attacked the scarecrow yet there was no sound so people wondered where the sound came from. They couldn''t believe that it came from Hugh''s punch.


    If one were to look closely, there was an indentation the shape of Hugh''s knuckles in the punching bag. The indestructible testing machine was damaged to this extent yet people did notice any difference.


    The facility was quiet. Their hearts stopped as they considered the possibility of Hugh having untold power hiding in his fists. Beads of sweat poured down their faces as they regretted betting so much of their money against Hugh.


    Even Max, who stayed around the facility to see the failure of Hugh, had his jaws on the floor as he looked at the aftermath done by Hugh. He couldn''t believe that a nobody was able to be at his level, and gods forbid exceed his strength.


    They all looked towards the display next to the power ranking with bated breaths. The results of the punch will determine whether Hugh was the real deal or not. Some dreaded the anticipation and stomped their feet in the ground. Some of them balled their fists until it trembled.


    [Desire Intensity]


    Calculated Desire Intensity: 201


    [CONGRATULATIONS HUGE! You have reached the top 10]


    The world seemed to stop as they all stared at the result of the calculated Desire intensity. 201. An unbelievable number came out from the calculations of the machine. Everyone was wide-eyed as they rubbed their eyes, thinking that their eyesight had given them the wrong information but the display was still the same.


    A Desire intensity of 201 is reserved only for those who had advanced to the first rank. It was impossible for an unadvanced person to reach 201 because that was the limit for the talent of a person with regards to their Desire. Even the teller watched the results with disbelief colored all over her face. She had a brief thought that the machine had malfunctioned but that was impossible. Even if there was a chance that the machine malfunctioned, the Desire intensity would appear lower, not higher.


    She knew that Hugh was strong enough to reach the top 10 from their interaction before but she never thought that Hugh was this strong.


    Their tongues were tied into a knot as they watched Hugh''s in-game name climb the ladders of the power ranking and settled on the very first spot. He was officially the top 1 person with a Desire intensity of 201, the best in this world and probably other worlds too. Nobody had ever heard of an unadvanced surpassing the 200s.


    "This machine is broken!"


    "There was no way that number is true right? I''m dreaming right?"


    "This guy lied! He''s actually in the first advancement, that''s the only way to explain why he has a Desire intensity of 201!"


    "Yeah! Bring us our money back!!"


    "Yeah! Yeah!"


    People started to clamor all around them as chaos dominated the facility. The money they bet against Hugh was now gone in the wind. Most of the people bet their whole life savings as a risk to have a big payoff which meant that some of them were now dead broke. Nobody believed the result given by the machine because of its absurdity.


    They rioted against the machine and forced themselves into the facilitator''s room, complaining about the unjust result of their bets. They almost created a stampede as they all knocked on the doors while shouting their pleas.


    "Is this how the ranking facility cheats?!"


    "Yeah, I can never trust this facility ever again because of this."


    "How could you guys let a guy who is in the first advancement ranked in the unadvanced power ranking?!"


    "Give us our money back!"


    "Give us our money back!"


    "Give us our money back!"


    The spectators shouted in unison towards the facilitators. While all the chaos was happening all around him, Hugh looked at the results of his Desire intensity and smiled. He was satisfied with the results given by the machine and turned to walk away from the facility.


    He was now in the center of attention so any move he made was noticed by everybody. They created a barrier and surrounded Hugh to prevent him from escaping. They will not let him get out of this place until they get their money back.


    "Where do you think you''re going, cheater?"


    "Yeah, I don''t know what tricks you used but we''re too smart to not notice that!"


    "You should have aimed a little lower than that and we wouldn''t have noticed your cheats."


    "You got too cocky eh?"


    Hugh watched the mob form a circle around him. He didn''t seem flustered and concerned about his current situation. The others might have thought that he was stuck with them but the truth was that they were stuck with him. He was ready to unleash all of his powers to teach this mob their lesson but before he could, a voice spoke in the distance.


    "Settle down, people."


    A calm voice traveled to everyone''s ears instantly as they turned to look in the direction of the facilitator''s room. They stopped rioting and anticipated the facilitator as he opened the door.


    As soon as the door opened, a bearing pressure bore down on all of them. It affected everyone that rioted in the facility and they were forced down into the ground. Hugh felt the pressure that bore down on him and remembered the incident with professor Kain. The professor used the same trick on them but this had a different feeling to it. He couldn''t explain the difference in feeling because it was abstract.


    When Hugh felt this force from professor Kain, he was forced into the ground and he had trouble keeping his head from hitting the ground. This time with his transformation activated, he was able to withstand the pressure enough to keep standing.


    His knees were bending but his back was straight with an unyielding spirit. He stared at the man that produced the domain and saw him walking towards him. The man had a beard and had thick pointy eyebrows and the two of them locked eyes.


    "Hoh...So the testing machine did not malfunction after all."


    Seeing Hugh was able to stand after putting pressure, the man affirmed that Hugh had the power to back the numbers he received. After the test, the man released the pressure and everyone in the ground panted as they felt exhaustion.


    They looked towards the facilitator with fear and worship in their eyes. The show of strength instilled a great fear in them that made them shut up about their complaints. They did not dare shout at the facilitator now.


    "Do you guys still have complaints?"


    "....."


    Everyone was silent


    "I can assure you as the facilitator of the ranking facility here in this planet that Huge was legitimate."


    Everyone looked up at the facilitator and gasped. They knew that a facilitator couldn''t lie about this but they still felt frustrated that something impossible had happened. They looked towards Hugh and people''s emotions were conflicted. If the facilitator''s words were true, and it probably is, then that means Hugh was a monster with unsurmountable talent that this world or universe had never seen before.


    They felt conflicted about how to approach him from here on out. Should they apologize or should they offer him gifts as a form of reconciliation? Some were still stubborn and still believed that Hugh had cheated but they would not say that out loud or risk infuriating the facilitator.


    "Come with me."


    The facilitator looked at Hugh and gestured for him to come into another room more private. Hugh followed the facilitator with full-on alert. He was ready to fight the facilitator if it had come to that but he still displayed the proper decorum.


    They entered the room and it was a small room with just the basic necessities. It had chairs and a desk, that was it. It was minimalistic, to say the least, and it even looked like the chairs and the desk were made with the cheap stuff. There was not much space in the room and it even felt a little cramped for a person with such high prestige.


    "So Huge, how were you able to reach the 201 Desire intensity?"


    The pressure reappeared again and doubled down on the intensity. Hugh was stuck in his chair and his head was being forced down but he used all of his strength to resist. His muscles constricted and generated more power for him to raise his head in arrogance.


    He panted as he finally raised his head and looked directly at the facilitator and smiled.

 Chapter 30: Rich

    "Why can''t I?"


    Hugh answered the facilitator in an arrogant tone. His eyes fired up in a haughty way, displaying his disdain for the show of power by the facilitator.


    "It''s impossible to reach that score."


    The facilitator put more pressure on his domain trying to make Hugh crack and reveal his secrets. This result that he displayed will surely hit the news and the ears of the hegemons up top. All kinds of experiments were done to push the limits of mankind''s talents yet they came at a dead end.


    Having a Desire intensity of 200 was the ceiling every prodigy could achieve. It was the bare minimum score for someone that had an S-class talent. Once geniuses reached further advancements, discrepancies would show and they would be weeded out from the true geniuses.


    For example, 100 people reached a Desire intensity of 200. In the next stage of advancement, only 90 people would reach a Desire intensity of 400, and the other ten would only reach 390. In the next stage of advancement, out of the 90 people, only 60 people would reach 600 Desire intensity and the others would have something lower.


    In that example, it was assuming that 100 people would have a Desire intensity of 200 but in reality, there may be less than 100 S-class talent in a whole galaxy.


    This example just goes to show how groundbreaking the result obtained by Hugh. The facilitator was generous enough to not split open Hugh''s body for examination.


    Hugh smiled as the pressure bore down on his whole body. He was confident enough here in the virtual world because he was completely anonymous from his real self. They cannot figure out his real identity by bypassing the security of the game and obtaining it from there because of the cyber protection law decreed by the CDA.


    "Hmph...then they are just trash."


    The facilitator went wide-eyed as he saw the arrogance in Hugh''s eyes. He frequently dealt with geniuses all over the world and saw that they were naive youths. Hugh was no different in his eyes but there was a sense of mysteriousness in his confidence. The facilitator would have ignored it if not for the fact that Hugh reached a Desire intensity of 201.


    "And you are not? Although you have reached 201 Desire intensity, it doesn''t mean crap in front of someone in the fourth advancement."


    Hugh looked up at the figure of the facilitator and found it to be larger than it should be. He blinked his eyes and it was just the same as before but his aura briefly showed the power of the facilitator through the intimidating pressure.


    Hugh felt a slight prick in his eyes, making him squint in the tense pressure. After he opened his eyes, the pressure was gone and the facilitator leaned back against his chair. The domain of pressure was retracted, giving him time to catch his breath.


    "You do know that they will come after you, right?"


    The facilitator crossed his arms and looked firmly at Hugh, anticipating his response.


    "Yeah, but they can''t do anything about it."


    "True, but they will harass you until you tell them your secrets."


    "Hmph....."


    The facilitator sighed. He found Hugh to be too arrogant for his own good. He did not know the dangers of the greedy hegemons who would do whatever it took to further their pursuit of power. He used to be one of those people, used to.


    "I''m Richard. You can call me Rich."


    Rich reached out his hand for Hugh to take. Hugh was not comforted by the fact that Rich had a disarming smile, contrasting the serious look he displayed when showing his domain.


    Hugh raised his right hand and grasped Rich''s hand, completing the handshake. Hugh tightened his grip on the handshake, showing off his prowess to Rich. He tried as hard as he could but it felt like he was crushing an indestructible hand made of diamond.


    Rich smiled as he put a little bit of pressure on Hugh''s hand as he accepted the challenge.


    *crack*


    Hugh''s hand cracked under the pressure, his bones broke and dislocated themselves. Hugh displayed no discomfort as he felt his hand get crushed in to a bloody pulp, to which Rich displayed a surprised reaction.


    Hugh took his hand back from Rich''s clutches and his right hand was now bent into a weird shape. Rich watched as the microscopical tears in Hugh''s hand stitch itself back together. In normal human terms, it was a rate of regeneration that put modern science into shame.


    From his perspective, Hugh had a Desire that multiplied his strength multiple times. The way that Hugh punched the punching bag only served to confirm his assumption. The regenerative healing he witnessed was way beyond someone who had a fighting Desire.


    What Rich saw was a level of healing at which was comparable to a support type Desire. The shroud of mystery Hugh emitted got even muddled as Rich could not figure out anything from him.


    Hugh retracted his hands and hid them in his pockets. He could feel the piercing stare that Rich was giving him like he could see through everything.


    "When am I gonna get it?"


    Hugh spoke to Rich, waking him up from his stupor. Rich was speechless as he looked at Hugh, confused at what Hugh was implying.


    Hugh saw the confusion in the facilitator''s eyes so he made his question clear to him.


    "My reward for reaching the top 1."


    Rich''s haws were wide open, flustered at the simplicity of Hugh. Here he was, a once in a lifetime genius who reached a 201 Desire intensity while still being unadvanced, still worrying about some measly reward for reaching the top 1. He knew numerous corporations willing to give Hugh anything and everything he wanted for a tiny bit of information on how to reach the 200s as an unadvanced.


    "Oh..ah....yeah. We''ll give it to you."


    Hugh took a big breath as he got confirmation that he would be getting the prize money. He was a little bit worried that the facilitator would not give him the money because of the complaints of some people. He was willing to fight for his reward since he followed the rules of the ranking facility. He was glad that he would be able to get the money with no fuss


    Hugh looked at Rich with anticipation while Rich just stood there staring at Hugh.


    "Aren''t you going to get it?"


    "Oh, it''s going directly at your inventory."


    Hugh opened the game''s inventory and found 50,000CM on his virtual wallet. He was finally able to get enough points to exchange materials with. Once he obtains enough wood and steel, he would be able to complete his daily missions.


    After getting what he wanted, Hugh sat up from his chair and turned to leave. This left Rich mute but he regained his composure and prevented Hugh from leaving.


    "Wait!"


    Hugh turned around and faced Rich, awaiting the reason why Rich wanted him to stay.


    "What are you going to do about the people? They will revolt and spread hatred amongst people. Those rumors will only bring trouble to you."


    Hugh looked at Rich''s face and without missing a beat, he spoke with confidence.


    "I''ll deal with it somehow."


    Rich sighed at the response he got. He put his hand on his forehead and shook it.


    "This is why geniuses only last for a couple of years....give 10,000CM back and I''ll make you anonymous."


    Hugh was intrigued at the proposition. Although id the people outside caused him trouble, he would not shy away from dishing out retribution. If this problem could be solved with money, he would do it.


    "Okay."


    "Good choice. Although I can''t make the witnesses forget about your actions or your face, I can prevent any recordings about this incident."


    Hugh nodded his head and went out of the room.


    As soon as Hugh closed the door, Rich spoke into the empty room.


    "What do you think, Raechel?"


    The wall to the side slid away and a feminine figure came out from the shadows. If Hugh could see the face of this woman, he would recognize it to be the receptionist back when he registered himself to test his Desire intensity.


    "I scanned him and he''s clean. He is truly an unadvanced kid. Even the machine showed no malfunctions, except for a slight deformation the shape of a knuckle."


    Rich put his hand in his chin and made a mysterious face.


    "Delete all the recordings here but leave one for me."


    "Already done."


    Rich leaned on his desk as he faced Raechel.


    "Find out everything you can about that guy."

 Chapter 31: Buy

    Hugh walked out of the facilitator''s room to an empty hallway. The cacophony of complaints and shouts by the majority of the spectators were nowhere to be heard. He walked forward and saw an open room devoid of all people the would surely barrage him with questions and protest the results.


    Hugh looked around and found it was the right place to exit the game and come back into the real world. Before he logged off, he checked his virtual wallet and found the 50,000CM reward money for ranking in the top 1 of the power rankings for the unadvanced tier.


    Hugh smiled as he completed what he set out to do with time to spare.


    He opened and closed his fists, feeling the power and pressure he could exert as his transformation was still active. He was maintaining the transformation all this time only because of the sustenance pill that he got from Robbi.


    Once he exits the game, he will find himself to be the same fat, obese, and weak self that he always knew. He powered himself up as he savored the blood flowing through his veins and giving him energy.


    He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, then opened the game''s system to log off.


    [40 points have been deducted]


    Hugh opened his eyes to see a dimly lit ceiling, the same ceiling he remembered to be the ''Console room''. He laid flat on the capsule and used all of his strength to prop himself up due to his weight.


    He already missed his transformation.


    He stood up and walked away from the capsule towards the exit. On the corner of his eye, he saw a glimmer of light that caught his attention. He turned his head and saw a brand new capsule on a pedestal.


    Most of the capsules here were well-maintained but had unmistakable shreds of evidence of multiple uses throughout its tenure. This new capsule had a holographic sign that displayed a price.


    [100,000 points]


    For a hundred thousand points, he could buy his very own capsule to use on his house. He would not have to worry about the price per hour to use the machine. It would be extremely efficient to save up and buy his own capsule if he planned to play Planets&Monsters for a very long time.


    Because of the sustenance pill, he planned on returning to the game soon to complete missions and gather enough points to buy the capsule. In the meantime, he had to buy the materials for his daily tasks.


    He walked past capsules that had either a red or green light indicating their vacancy. He looked towards the entrance and saw multiple students chatting and playing around, excited to play the game with their friends.


    Hugh noticed that the students coming in the ''Console room'' had the standard uniform indicating their year levels. Hugh guessed that most, if not all, of the upper year levels could buy their own capsules to use for their houses.


    He thought back to the unique and lavish homes he walked past in the area where the third years lived. They had artificial wood, soil, water, and every detail, which would have cost more than a hundred thousand points.


    He walked to the entrance, and the blinding sun hit his eyes. Only four hours had passed since he played the game, and the sun was still up in the sky. It was not on its zenith, but neither was it close to setting.


    He walked the streets he walked from before to find himself at the entrance of ''Oxyiel''s materials''. He was once again on the steel door, which he previously had trouble going into due to Van being too busy.


    He raised his hand and prepared to knock on the door multiple times in an intense way to get Van''s attention. He curled his fists and knocked on the door.


    *knock* *knock*


    Not expecting to be answered the first time, he prepared to knock harder, but the door suddenly opened to reveal Van with his lanky stature.


    Hugh was tongue-tied as he still had his hands raised and positioned to knock on the door. Van looked at him and titled his head as he inquired for the reason why Hugh visited him.


    "What do you want."


    ".....oh! I came here to buy the materials."


    Van stared at him for a minute while Hugh just stood there waiting for a response.


    "Materials."


    "...?..."


    Hugh was confused as it seemed that Van just stated a word without any context. It only took half a second to realize that Van was questioning him about the materials. Due to Van''s tone, it didn''t seem like a question.


    "The woods. I came here four hours ago to discuss that."


    "Hmm...sure."


    Van turned around and walked away, leaving Hugh behind. Hugh ran towards Van only to remember that he did not close the door. He turned around to close it, but he saw the door close by itself.


    Van walked towards the shelves and didn''t stop to look at Hugh. This was a similar occurrence to when Hugh first came here, so he already knew how to deal with Van.


    "Can you lead me to the woods section?"


    "...."


    Van did not seem to acknowledge Hugh''s words and just suddenly turned to a corner to the right. Hugh did not know if Van heard him, but he saw a familiar section of the factory that led him to believe that he was close to the woods section.


    Van stopped next to the shelves that contained different kinds, shapes, sizes, and colors of woods available for Hugh to buy.


    Hugh almost salivated at the thought of biting into the crunchy exterior of the bark and feeling the texture of the wood itself. Then he thought that there might be some other kind of wood with a different texture and perhaps had no crunchy bark to chew.


    He steeled himself and cleared his mind. He had to focus and deal with buying the materials first before he thought about eating them.


    "I need ten different kinds of wood. Preferably the greater the quality, the better with the limitation of 30,000 points."


    Hugh had 50,000 points from the prize for being rank 1 in the unadvanced tier plus the 9,200 he had in his pocket; he only had 59,200 points. He still needed to buy ten different kinds of metals to complete his daily mission. Not to mention that he had to use 200 points every day for his buffet of food.


    "Hmm...."


    Van closed his eyes and did not consult the woods that was displayed on the shelves. As the keeper of Oxyiel''s materials, he had to know every piece of object in here.


    After a few seconds of thinking, Van thought of the possible wood that Hugh could buy with his budget.


    "You could buy 1kg of dark bark wood, 1kg of oceanic wood, 1kg of ..."


    Van listed all of the wood that fit Hugh''s criteria. Hugh did not know half of these woods, but he still believed in Van''s ability to assess the materials.


    "How much is that?"


    "27,350 points."


    Hugh nodded in affirmation to the price of 10 different kinds of wood. This was still in his budget, and he was relieved that he could buy all of these woods today. It was only due to his luck that he could get that kind of money in a short amount of time.


    "I''ll buy it."


    "Do you want to carry it, or do you want it delivered?"


    "I want it delivered."


    Van nodded and reached out to one of the shelves in the area. He pushed a button, and a handprint pad came into being. He gestured for Hugh to place his hand on the machine to complete the transaction.


    Hugh obliged, and blue light scanned his hands to transfer the points needed to buy the woods.


    [27,350 points have been deducted]


    The tablet displayed the confirmation of the transaction between Hugh and Van.


    After it was done, Van turned around and started to walk away from Hugh. He did not dally on and just went on his way to finish whatever he wanted to do.


    Knowing there he still needed to buy ten different kinds of metals, Hugh stopped Van.


    "Wait! I still need to but ten different kinds of metals."


    After hearing Hugh''s declaration, Van did not stop and turn to look at Hugh but instead turned to a sharp corner to his left. Hugh already knew of Van''s peculiar behavior, so he followed him to another set of shelves.

 Chapter 32: Walk

    Van turned to a part of the factory that shelved different kinds of crude metal ores available for Hugh to buy. There were all kinds of colors and shapes of materials that seemed more like a gem than a metal.


    Van stopped in his tracks and turned to face Hugh, waiting expectantly for the purchase.


    "My budget is the same. Ten different kinds of metals under 30,000 points."


    Van once again closed his eyes and thought for a moment. Hugh waited patiently for Van''s recommendation.


    "You can buy 1kg of Spider ore, 1kg of translucent stone, 1kg of Wind powder, 1kg of..."


    Van listed off the metals that Hugh could buy with his budget. Judging by the fact that Hugh had never heard of these metals before, he assumed that most of those were imported from different planets. Some metals could be found here on Earth by going through dungeons and tombs. This made it less expensive than the metals that were imported from other planets


    "How much is it going to cost me?"


    "26,920 points."


    Hugh noticed that the metal prices were lower than the raw wood he bought before. As far as he knew, metals were more expensive than wood because wood could be grown and harvested many times. Metals cannot be reproduced, the normal ones anyway.


    This meant that the wood he got was probably bred differently, making them more durable and rarer than regular timber.


    "I''ll buy it."


    "Do you want to carry it, or do you want it delivered?"


    "Please deliver it."


    Van did not wait any longer and took out another tablet that had an indentation the shape of a handprint. He gestured for Hugh to complete the transaction by identifying himself on the machine.


    Hugh obliged and put his right hand on the tablet, which made it shine a blue light that scanned his whole hand. After the confirmation, a text was displayed on the tablet.


    [26,920 points have been deducted]


    Van pushed a button and turned around to leave for his work. He ignored Hugh and went on his way.


    "...thanks."


    Hugh let out a word of gratitude for Van even though he was not sure if Van heard it. He planned to revisit this place if he needed more materials for his daily missions.


    For now, Hugh was just excited that he will finally be able to finish his daily missions. Many things had transpired today, and a good meal will definitely replenish his energy for tomorrow.


    He walked out, following the turns and curves he took to get here. He had memorized the path since he knew that Van would not help him get out of the factory maze of shelves.


    He reached the metal door and pushed it lightly, to which it opened without any problems.


    He walked outside to the sun losing its intensity, indicating that it was now in the afternoon.


    There were still students walking around and socializing with each other at this time of day. Many were formed in groups, cliques to be exact.


    Hugh observed that most of these cliques were made up of first-year students and sophomores following a junior. He had yet to see juniors and seniors grouped; in fact, he had never even seen a senior yet.


    He did not know if seniors were truly small in numbers or that they were just stuck in their homes studying or practicing.


    He walked away from the crowd towards the path back to his house. He was near the dome border that encompassed the central area and was surprised to see a large group of people flocking together.


    Hugh did not want to go near the chaos, but the group was directly in front of the exit. He had to go through them to go back to his house and finish his daily mission. He exhaled and walked forward to the chaos.


    Up close, he could see that the group was flocking around one person. This person had distinct chestnut-colored hair in a side-parted bob that curled on the ends. Hugh recognized this person to be Elise, the 17-year-old S-rank talent.


    He remembered back when Elise dispersed the crowd when Garth was blocking his way towards the Main building. She commanded the flock with her presence alone.


    Hugh stole a glance at her and saw that she was neither annoyed nor happy about the flock of people surrounding her. She had a deadpan expression, hiding her emotions in a veil of mystery that only served to flare up the men''s libido even more.


    Out of the sea of plain uniforms, there was one person that Hugh saw who wore a formal black tie suit. This guy walked the nearest to Elise, followed by the crowd of freshmen and sophomores who did not dare get closer to Elise than the junior.


    "Elise, how about we go to my castle? My help will be beneficial to you as a freshman."


    "...."


    Elise did not answer the apparent pick-up line by the junior. She stared straight at the horizon and kept walking, ignoring the man next to her.


    Seeing this rejection, the crowd behind her started to whisper amongst themselves.


    "No way! James got rejected?!"


    "James? Is it that guy in the front?"


    "Yeah. He''s a junior, you know!"


    "I wish James would let me accompany him to exclusive partied in the central area."


    "Parties? Can''t you go by yourself?"


    "No! The nightlife in the central area is only reserved for the third and fourth years. We first and second years only get to party in a designated location away from the others."


    Hugh peeked in on the whispers around the group. Professor Kain had told them that during the night, first-year students and sophomores were only allowed to visit one place in the central area. He did not tell them that the juniors and the seniors had reserved everything in the central area for themselves.


    Hugh was so entranced by the conversation that he overlooked a collision course at the front. He turned around too late to see a man bump into him.


    Hugh was thrown to the ground from the collision even though he had a greater weight. He winced from the pain and looked up to the man that he collided with.


    The man had well-kept blue hair that obviously used gel to keep it neat and tidy. He wore glasses that shined in the light, obscuring the sharp eyes underneath.


    Hugh noticed that the man wore the standard Wolrath Academy uniform, indicating that he was either a freshman or a sophomore.


    The man looked at Hugh and reached out his hands to help Hugh.


    Hugh accepted the aid from the mysterious man and used it to prop himself back up. He patted his uniform down and looked at the man that collided with him.


    "Thanks. Sorry about that, I was not looking."


    "No, worries."


    There was an awkward silence between the two until the man decided to speak.


    "I''m Michael. Who are you?"


    "Hugh. I''m a freshman."


    "Me too. I''m from class B, are you from class A?"


    "Yeah."


    Hugh found it weird that Michael guessed his class correctly. There were plenty of other classes that Michael could have guessed the first time, but he strangely picked class A.


    Hugh did not pay this any heed as Michael spoke to him.


    "Well, nice to meet you Hugh. I''ll be going now."


    Michael did not wait for any response from Hugh as he tapped Hugh''s shoulder before he went towards the central area. Hugh turned around to look at Michael, and he saw him wave his hand without turning back.


    This was a strange occurrence but not enough to impede Hugh from his current objective. He needed to get to his house and eat the materials to complete his daily missions.


    He walked forward and saw that the crowd, together with Elise, was gone from his sight. They must have gone ahead when Hugh bumped into Michael.


    Hugh walked towards the path to the shifting room that he used to teleport to this location. On the way, he once again saw the unique houses in the junior''s area. The sky was getting dark, and lights started to become the dominant source of clarity.


    The atmosphere became different; it became cozy, like a walk in the park at night with just the lamps in the streets guiding him. Hugh cherished this moment as he felt like he was in a different world.


    He turned around and saw the central area full of blinding lights and intense vitality by the so-called nightlife experience. He had no plans to visit the nightlife in the central area if he did not need anything from there.


    He would much rather stay at home and practice his Desire.


    After a while, Hugh reached the shifting room that led him back to his house.

 Chapter 33: Spicy

    Hugh ignored the room full of mirrors and walked directly to the hallway leading to his door. In there were some boxes that he guessed to be the materials that he bought from ''Oxyiel''s materials''.


    He walked forward and opened the biodegradable plastic boxes with excitement. His heart sped up as he smelled the wood wafting in his nose.


    He was like a kid on Christmas day, underneath the Christmas tree full of ornaments and lights. He was thrilled as he opened the first box and saw a green bark covering blue wood.


    He immediately took it out of the box and smelled the exotic-looking wood, like a connoisseur judging the quality of the material. He opened his mouth and took a bite out of the green bark and immediately felt a spicy taste in his mouth.


    His mouth started to water, and sweat poured down his face as he closed his eyes and savored the spicy taste of the wood.


    He looked at the box''s packaging, and it displayed a dynamic holographic sign that spilled out the information about the wood.


    [Greed fan wood]


    Quantity: 1kg


    Imported from Planet Braxton


    [more...]


    Hugh ignored it as he took a bite on the primary wood of timber without the bark. It immediately activated his sweet tooth as it felt like eating sugary candy that had a tint of chocolate taste.


    Hugh was instantly hooked.


    He looked at the wood and wondered how the whole timber would taste, combining the spicy exterior of the bark contrasting the sweet and comforting taste of the blue wood.


    He could not wait any longer as he took a big bite out of the wood, filling his whole mouth with a plethora of tastes and experiences. He had never tasted something so lovely yet so spicy before.


    Another bite only seemed like the most natural thing to do to try and prolong the experience he was having. All this time, his eyes were closed as he took another bite and another.


    It wasn''t long until the wood was gone entirely from his hands that left him craving for more. He plopped on the ground, speechless at how delicious lumber can be.


    He looked back at the stacking boxes beside his door, salivating at sight. That was only one of many more that could give him the same taste as the Green fan wood or even better.


    He crawled on the floor towards another box. This box had holographic texts that displayed the information about the material.


    [Cab wire steel]


    Quantity: 1kg


    Imported from Ogre''s comet


    [more...]


    This metal was a thin strip of wire that was neatly folded into a circle. It was violet in color and had no distinct smell coming off of it.


    Hugh took one end of the string and started to put it in his mouth. As soon as the metal hit his tongue, it emitted cold waves that gave him chills through his back.


    He started to taste the metal more and more like a lollipop, each time giving him bursts of coldness that counteracted the spicy taste of the green fan wood.


    Eating it like a lollypop would take a long time, so Hugh decided to chew it in his mouth for maximum efficiency. It gave him a refreshing feeling as if he was walking on a cold winter night on a ski slope, sliding down with snow falling on his face.


    Hugh continued to open the boxes and eat them for pleasure and business. Even if it were not needed to complete his missions, he would eat these materials just to satiate his hunger.


    He even mixed it up and ate two different metals and woods together to create a new experience. It was like eating pork cutlets with rice, giving each other a harmonic taste that only complemented each other.


    ++++++++++++++


    DAILY MISSIONS:


    Eat 10 types of wood (10/10)


    Eat 10 types of metals (10/10)


    Eat 30,000 kcal (0/30,000)


    ++++++++++++++


    Hugh finished two of his three daily missions for today. He found it weird that he had not eaten a single meal today or even a snack when usually, he would not go anywhere without his junk food carried with him.


    He had been so preoccupied with finishing the missions that he forgot to eat. This had happened last time too.


    This was the only time when Hugh was worried that he would lose weight. If it were before, he would rejoice at the fact that he suppressed his hunger to lose weight. With his Fat God System, he needed to be as fat as possible to have fuel for his transformation.


    After finishing the woods and metals in the boxes, he propped himself back up and walked towards the kitchen. His steps were light, indicating his joy at completing his daily missions.


    He pressed on the holographic display on the refrigerator and bought an all-you-can-eat buffet for 200 points.


    He felt like celebrating today, so he ate all kinds of sushis with caviar harvested from the Iranian Beluga fish. The food tasted bland in comparison to the myriad of flavors a metal and a wood could offer.


    ++++++++++++


    DAILY MISSION COMPLETE!


    The armor has been upgraded.


    ++++++++++++


    Just like he guessed, Hugh was rewarded with an upgrade to his armor. He was excited to try it out and see how much his armor had improved.


    He closed his eyes and concentrated on his armor to appear on his fists.


    Silvery gray liquid seeped out from his hands and formed a protective skin as hard as most metals. Then a brown liquid seeped out after the silver liquid, which created a tough muscle-like exterior that gave Hugh the explosive power that he needed.


    The armor only appeared on his right hand, even though he was concentrating on both of his hands. He was a little bit disappointed that the reward did not give him access to more armor, but he was not disheartened about it.


    He concentrated on his right fist until it trembled, pushing his endurance to its very limits.


    He counted the seconds that he could maintain the armor.


    1.....2.....3


    After three seconds, the silver and brown liquid retreated into his skin. He panted as he released the tension in his hands, feeling a little bit tired and exhausted from overexerting himself.


    He tried to summon his armor again right after it disappeared, but it was of no use. He concentrated on releasing the liquid, but he could not muster enough strength to do it.


    He relaxed and recuperated his stamina, counting the seconds that his armor was on cooldown. This was the perfect time to experiment with the limits of his armor.


    He did not want to be blindsided without knowing his own powers. That would only lead to failure. He briefly read a quote from a very ancient book written by a famous general.


    "If you know yourself and the enemy, you do not have to worry about the results of the battle."


    After four seconds of rebuilding his stamina, he felt a burst of power that could reactivate the armor.


    The silver and brown liquid came out and created a strong enough armor that will be able to protect Hugh from attacks. The only downside was its short timespan and its long cooldown.


    Hugh knew that growing and building his power would take a long time. Rome was not built in a day.


    He was just glad that he could see positive results, and he could track his progress. In truth, he was fortunate since he was able to complete quests and immediately receive rewards that improved his Desire.


    All of the people who had Desire do not have that luxury. They had to figure out for themselves how to improve their Desire even if that took months or even years.


    Right now, he was probably the weakest person in the special class without his transformation. He knew that once people found out about his weak power, he would be the subject of ridicule.


    He will not care about those as he slowly but surely improved on his strength.


    He walked to the staircase and headed for his room.


    He laid on the bed, comforted by the soft and luxurious sheets that laid on top of it. He looked at the ceiling and raised his hands, closing and opening it as he did.


    He tried to sleep, but his mind told him not to. His years of sleepless nights studying prepared him to always use free time as a way of sharpening oneself.


    He spent most of the night practicing his Desire until sleep took over him.


    He woke up, refreshed, and ready to go to school.

 Chapter 34: Veer

    Hugh woke up early in the morning and found the sunlight seeping through his window. He rubbed his eyes and walked up to the window, and opened the curtains.


    Blinding light filled his vision as the morning sun greeted him with warm air. It took a second for his eyes to adjust to the light of the sun, but once he did, he looked out into the outside.


    He took a deep breath and calmed himself. He was still in a haze as if everything that happened to him was a dream. All of a sudden, his world turned upside down, and his future could now be soaring in the heavens or falling in the ground with disgrace.


    This life that he currently had was just a house of cards, and once the CDA finds out about his condition, it will crumble into pieces.


    He summoned his uniform, and white liquid came out of his skin. It morphed into the standard Wolrath Academy uniform that freshmen and sophomore wore into school.


    ++++++++++++++


    DAILY MISSION:


    Eat 100,000 kcal (0/100,000)


    ++++++++++++++


    A system notification appeared in his mind. This was his daily mission that granted him the ability to improve his Desire.


    Today''s mission was simple, which made him disappointed. He thought that if he continued to get tasks to eat wood and metal, he would continuously improve his armor to be a more viable option in a fight.


    When he thought about it, having a rest day was not bad. Maybe the system needed time to absorb and consolidate the new materials that he ate.


    He walked to the stairs and went down to the kitchen. He configured his touchscreen refrigerator to buy another buffet to finish his daily mission.


    He closed the refrigerator and waited half a second before his food was delivered. He chowed down on every food he ordered at top speeds. He did not even take the time to chew his food and just shoved it down his mouth.


    The food tasted somewhat bland, so he treated the food as nourishment or mandatory for his mission rather than for pleasure.


    He looked down at his belly and found that it was not getting bigger. It seemed like the tons and tons of food he ate were stored in a different space in his body.


    He waited for a few seconds but there were no notifications about his reward for finishing the mission. He tried to summon his armor and found that it was much easier to control than before.


    He took a bath and got ready to go to school.


    He did not dally any longer and went into the shifting room to teleport to the classroom. He came across the mirrors and patted himself down, ensuring that his uniform was in good shape.


    He brushed his hair nervously to calm himself down. Hugh felt little vertigo when the shifting room reached the classroom.


    He walked out onto the hallway, the same lockers and windows greeted him. He was alone, and only the sounds of his footsteps accompanied him towards the classroom.


    He started to sweat, a regular occurrence for him in his everyday life due to his high metabolism. A cacophony of chattering reached his ears as he got near the classroom.


    The students were lively, judging from how much they were socializing with each other. During the first day of school, hardly anyone talked to each other. They were still awkward with each other, keeping them from mingling.


    It seemed that during the day off from school, his classmates got acquainted with each other. They were developing friendships while Hugh was busy completing his daily missions.


    Hugh did not care that he was left out. His only focus in going to this school was to improve his Desire and live a comfortable life.


    He stopped at the door and took a big breath. He steeled himself and opened the door to the classroom.


    As soon as the door slid away, the chattering stopped, and Hugh could feel the gazes directed at him. He was a little bit late in class, but he did not think it warranted this kind of reaction.


    He ignored the stares and pinpointed his eyes towards an empty seat in the back. He wanted to be away from the front because that would give him the attention he did not wish to have.


    He noticed that his classmates were whispering to each other while looking in his direction. This left him confused as he did not know what he did to be the center of rumors.


    He looked at his seat and positioned to sit on it, but he noticed something on the chair. There was a holographic pamphlet in his chair that had weird text written on it.


    He picked it up and read it.


    [Hello, Hi, and Greetings to Everyone,


    This one''s ears have heard of an exciting tale


    A fight that sent a burning jock running behind his tail


    Even a white-haired bad boy was left black and blue


    They were defeated by a fat man, was this true?


    Oh, how exciting Class A will be!


    Your mysterious reporter will be watching behind a tree.


    Tune in for more


    For I''m sure, everyone has something in store.


    From yours truly, Veer]


    Hugh read the strange pamphlet that led him to curl his eyebrows. He had already guessed that the mysterious reporter was writing about his fight with Aric and Dempsy. His heart stopped as the thought of his transformation being found out.


    How did this person know? All kinds of thoughts ran in his head as he tried to think of a solution to his current problem. He was ready to burst out of the classroom and make a run for it.


    He tried to calm himself down as he looked at the pamphlet once more. He heaved a big sigh of relief that it did not mention his transformation. More importantly, it was just a rumor that he could deny every time.


    Hugh looked away from the pamphlet, afraid of what it will imply. He looked around the classroom and saw that they were all looking at him while holding the same booklet that he had read.


    It all clicked in his head. His classmates had read the strange report and were whispering around themselves.


    He looked to the corner of the classroom, and his heart stopped. Aric was leaning on the blackboard, his face was full of bandaids, and his arm was on a cast.


    Hugh gulped. Aric knew about his transformation, and he could use that to take revenge on him. Cold sweat poured down his back as he stared at Aric.


    After a few seconds, Aric withdrew his gaze and started to talk to the three male students surrounding him. He did not seem angry or distraught.


    The only consolation to this was that Aric did not seem to tell everyone about his transformation. If he wanted to, he would have already done it yesterday and reported him to the CDA.


    Aric was smart enough to know that the transformation was too powerful to be a low-class Desire pill. Even the top quality Desire pill did not give that high of jump in power levels.


    Aric was holding on to his secret, but he did not know why.


    His anxiety seemed to multiply as time passed. Everyone waited for the professor to show up while they socialized with each other.


    Hugh watched from the sidelines as his classmates formed cliques around each other.


    Aric seemed to be the one most of the men looked up to. His charisma led them to be his follower, and most wanted to get to his inner circle.


    Aric formed a natural rapport with the men as he exuded what most people call Alpha energy. In high school and even in this academy, Aric was always the leader of the jocks.


    One of the men inside Aric''s inner circle was called Tanner. Hugh remembered him from the introduction on the first day of school. He wore his uniform tight, accenting his muscles for all the girls to see. His hair was styled to be a buzz cut.


    Brad was another one of Aric''s friend. His red-colored mohawk was his most noticeable trait. Traces of tattoos were visible under his uniform.


    Another man in the inner circle was called Chip. Everything about this guy was what most people would call normal, except for the nose piercing.


    They all joked around and was boisterous enough to cause trouble inside the classroom. They pushed each other around jokingly until Chip collided with a girl.

 Chapter 35: Cliques

    "Hey! Watch where you''re going!"


    A high-pitched voice shouted at the boisterous boys in the classroom. She was not the one who collided with Chip, but she reprimanded the boys for her friend.


    Hugh looked at her, and her blonde hair almost blinded his eyes. Her slightly curly hair was tied up in a ponytail, giving her a refreshing look. Her face was without blemishes, a perfect definition of femininity.


    She sat on the desk of a chair with her legs crossed, slightly revealing her silky white thighs underneath her skirt. She was surrounded by girls that chatted around her. Hugh guessed that she was the diva in the classroom.


    Hugh remembered her name to be Serena.


    Serena did not look at Chip, the man who collided with one of her girls, but at Aric instead. Their eyes met, and everyone stopped what they were doing.


    Hugh looked at both of them as they shared similarities. Aric was the alpha of the boys, and Serena was the diva of the girls. They were a match made in heaven, as most people would say.


    They were the type of people that would be voted prom king and queen.


    Everybody waited as they anticipated the interaction between the two people.


    Aric smiled as he pushed his friends away and made his way towards the girls'' side. His footsteps sounded throughout as everybody went silent. His walk had a confident swagger that made the girls'' hearts speed up.


    Time seemed to slow down for everyone as Aric walked over towards where Serena was sitting. They did not break their staring contest; Aric walked over to her, and Serena did not get up from her seat.


    Aric stopped walking as he reached Serena. They were only one feet away from each other. Aric leaned over to her and put his hands on the desk, and their heads were closer than ever.


    Aric still had his charismatic smile as he observed her face. Serena''s face showed no emotion as Aric put his head closer to hers. Her eyes showed defiance as she stood her ground and did not let Aric get the upper hand.


    Aric chuckled as the light from the classroom bounced off her face, enlightening her face and accenting her red lips.


    The tension inside the room was palpable as the two of them were only a little bit of space until their lips touched, yet their lips did not quiver. They did not advance nor back away from each other.


    "Ooooooohhhhhh"


    The boys behind Aric teased them, showing their support to their leader.


    "Kyaaaaaaaa!"


    The girls screamed a high pitched noise that signaled their excitement for Serena.


    They all wanted Aric and Serena to get together. Once they did, they would be considered a power couple that could shake the whole system down.


    *smack*


    The door suddenly opened, taking everyone''s attention away from the two. Professor Kain walked into the classroom; his suit was neat and tidy ready for today''s class. He ignored the crowd of people as he started to write on the board.


    Aric smiled as he withdrew his head away from hers and walked back to his seat.


    Serena also withdrew her gaze from Aric as if he never existed at all. After Aric went away, the girls in her group swarmed her and asked a lot of questions.


    "Is there something between you guys?"


    "Do you like him?"


    "Why didn''t you kiss?"


    Serena was not flustered at all when the sequence of events happened. She still had her full composure as she dealt with Aric. She spoke with a lighthearted tone as she addressed her friends.


    "I don''t know."


    In the ears of girls around Serena, a vague answer meant that them getting together was not out of the question. They whispered amongst themselves and squealed as they imagined Serena and Aric getting together.


    The boys, on the other hand, were silent as they nodded furiously to their leader''s coolness. They aspired to be as charismatic as Aric, and they lived vicariously through him as Aric went towards Serena.


    She was the most beautiful pearl in the class, and there was a sense of pride in them that Aric would be getting together with her. They silently fist-bumped and chest bumped as they celebrated Aric''s return.


    "Quiet."


    Professor Kain spoke silently as he gathered their attention. The classroom immediately went silent, wary of their professor''s show of power like the first day of school.


    The professor continued his lecture about various planets, tombs, forests, and everything of that nature that abruptly spawned after Desire was discovered.


    Hugh listened carefully as he gathered all the information that their professor gave them, being a diligent student. He seemed to be the only one taking notes, except for a girl on the corner of the other side of the classroom.


    He looked to his right and saw her long black hair that fell to her shoulders. She wore rounded glasses that gleamed in the light, hiding her clear blue eyes. She was writing on her tablet as she looked up to their professor.


    Hugh did not notice her with the other girls in the classroom. Even though not all of the girls were on Serena''s side, most of them had their own groups.


    She seemed to be the only one without any friends that she interacted with, except for Hugh. Hugh was always alone and never had friends, even in high school, so he did not expect to make friends here in the special class.


    She suddenly stopped writing as she turned her head towards Hugh, a little bit annoyed at his gaze. Hugh was flustered as he retracted his gaze and focused on the professor.


    Hugh remembered her name to be Jane.


    He focused on the lecture at hand until the professor raised his voice.


    "Okay class, today will be your sparring day."


    Murmurs filled the classroom as a cacophony of excitement mixed with thrill stimulated everybody, except Hugh. He dreaded this part of the class since he did not have an excellent way to fight correctly.


    He looked at his right hand and focused his power on it. Silver and brown liquid formed an outer skin and outer muscle that gave him defense and explosive power.


    It only lasted for three seconds until it disappeared, and disappointment filled his face. He would have to move with precision to time his defense to use his armor three times, each using one second to defend.


    The professor led the students outside towards the sparring area. They all lined up, with Hugh standing at the back. Aric stood at the very front, followed by his lackeys.


    Hugh noticed that Dempsy was nowhere to be seen. He did not go to class today, which gave him anxiety. He was worried that Hugh would report him to the CDA because he lost.


    Sweat poured down his back as he tried to calm himself. He had to assume that Dempsy would not do that, or else he would not have waited until today.


    They walked out of the building towards the bare solid ground that stretched towards the horizon. There were multiple big white circles in the field. Hugh guessed it to be the place where the students would spar.


    It was like one of those ancient sports where gigantic humans pushed each other off; its name was sumo, if he remembered it correctly.


    Professor Kain faced them all as he shouted to get their attention.


    "Okay! You will be sparring here in these circles. If you step outside the circle, you are out. If you cannot take it anymore, you surrender. You can use your Desire, but there is absolutely no killing. That is all."


    The men were giddy as they punched each other jokingly, excited to flaunt their Desires. The women were also competitive as they tried to get the attention of their queen, Serena.


    Serena was an A-rank talent, as well as Aric, who had the same talent. They were sure to be strong and important people in the future, so it would be wise to get in their favor while still young.


    "Betty vs. Carla. Go to the first ring


    Chad vs. Mike. Go to the second ring


    Bower vs. John. Go to the third ring


    ...."


    Professor Kain listed the students who would face each other in this sparring session.


    "Tanner vs. Hugh. Go to the tenth ring."


    Hugh''s name was called, and his heart sped up. He remembered that Tanner was one of the guys in Aric''s inner circle.


    He would surely try and gain Aric''s attention by severely injuring Hugh. After what the mysterious reporter had said, Tanner would take revenge on Hugh in place for Aric.


    Hugh gulped and practiced his armor once again. He walked over to the tenth ring and calmed himself down.


    He closed his eyes and stood on one side of the ring. Feeling ready, he opened his eyes only to see Aric standing opposite him with a wicked smile.

 Chapter 36: Ring

    Hugh''s heart stopped as he saw Aric on the ring. He was supposed to fight Tanner, but Aric was the one standing in front of him.


    He looked around and found his professor, but it seemed that he was busy dealing with other students. His eyes spotted Tanner in another ring, and they stared at each other.


    Tanner jeered at him while letting his tongue out, taunting him as he flexed his muscles. He looked towards Aric again and guessed that Aric switched places with Tanner to fight him.


    Hugh''s eyebrows furrowed together as he was in a predicament. His fists balled up, trembling as he gathered all the strength in his arms.


    He knew that fighting with Aric would only lead to a loss or worse; he would be forced to use his transformation. Hugh decided that he should not fight Aric, so he walked away from the ring and ask professor Kain to switch him with someone else.


    Aric moved quickly as he pushed his hand on Aric''s chest, successfully stopping him. Hugh frowned at Aric, annoyed at his arrogance.


    Aric smiled, seeing that he had riled up Hugh. He still had his smile on his face, yet it was not charismatic like the one he always had. It was more of a sneer with a tint of anger. He looked towards Hugh and found nothing special on him, just his plain weak self.


    He could not stop his anger as reddish flames burned in his hair.


    "Where are you going, fatty?"


    Hugh did not want to back down from a fight with Aric. With Hugh''s feet planted firmly on the ground, he activated his armor on his left hand and tried to push Aric away.


    Aric seemed to have guessed his thoughts as he slid away from the hand, making Hugh lose his balance. His hands tried to grab Aric''s clothes, grasping at anything to keep him from falling.


    Aric slapped his hands away while he used his other hand to push Hugh down the ground.


    *boomf*


    Hugh fell on his face, eating the ground. His weight only served to increase the damage when he fell. His eyebrows knitted together as he spat out the soil in his mouth. He used his strength and gathered it on his legs as he tried to stand up.


    Aric was not going to let this chance slip by as he pushed Hugh''s head on the ground. He used his hands to keep Hugh from getting back up as he squatted and whispered next to his ear.


    "Where''s your transformation now, bastard."


    Hugh''s face contorted into anger as he felt the humiliation from Aric''s actions. He was once again forced into submission, even when he thought his life had changed because of his Desire.


    He only felt a split second of self-pity until he channeled it all into his rage. He activated his armor again, leaking silver and brown liquid on his left arm. It solidified into explosive power, ready to be released at any time.


    Hugh reared his left hand and punched Aric''s body. Aric already saw Hugh''s preparation as he separated from his body, dodging the attack.


    This left Hugh to recover from his fall and try to regain his footing. He wiped the dirt on his face, stood up, and faced Aric. He was ready for a full-on fight after the humiliation he just endured.


    As he stood up, he noticed an eery lack of sounds coming from his surroundings. He looked around and saw that everybody was looking towards the ring where he and Aric fought.


    They were not fighting like they were supposed to, but instead were chatting and gossiping about his fight. He looked to the right and saw the professor observing him with interest. Hugh looked at his hands and saw a pamphlet; it was the same pamphlet that Veer, the mysterious reporter, had given everybody.


    It became clear to Hugh that everyone wanted to watch the fight between him and Aric. They wanted to know if the contents of the pamphlet were correct; even the professor was interested.


    It seemed that it would be useless to complain to the professor about the sudden change of fighters in the ring. The professor probably noticed from the beginning and did not want to change it.


    This fight got harder. With everyone''s eyes on him, Hugh would not be able to use his transformation. He felt truly alone with everybody against him and out to get him.


    He backed into a corner of the ring as he faced Aric with anger plastered on his face. He had no choice but to fight to the best of his abilities without the transformation.


    "Why? Why do you want to fight me?"


    Aric did not answer him as his whole body flared up into a reddish flame. The ground beneath him burned into a crisp as he accelerated towards Hugh.


    Hugh did not back down any longer as he activated his armor on his left arm. Hugh matched Aric''s attack as their fists met at the center, creating shockwaves throughout the surroundings.


    Aric did not stop his attack as he used his other hand to punch Hugh in his gut. Hugh reacted by releasing the tension in his arm, retracting the silver and brown liquid back into his body. He gathered it all into his core as his armor transferred to his belly, making it as strong as steel.


    *boom*


    Aric''s punch collided with a solid gut, negating its damage and creating reverberations in his arm. His eyebrows furrowed as it seemed that Hugh improved his Desire.


    Previously, Hugh was only able to defend for a moment until his Desire ran out. Aric planned to take advantage of that fact and attack Hugh in different parts of his body so that he would not be able to defend himself.


    In such a short amount of time, Hugh was able to improve his Desire. It was almost a monstrous rate of improvement that seemed to rival S-rank talents. Aric threw the scary thought out of his mind as he continued to attack Hugh.


    Aric lifted his right leg and reared it back. The reddish flame gathered in his foot, almost looking like it would explode. The sole of his foot spout intense flame, accelerating the kick and doubling the damage.


    The attack was too fast for Hugh to dodge. The only possible way out of this was to tank the damage by gathering his armor on his thighs.


    His silver and brown liquid gathered at his thighs, just in time for the kick to arrive at his body.


    *boom*


    The kick collided with Hugh''s armor, but the force was too great as Hugh was forced back. Hugh felt a stinging pain from his thighs that made him limp away.


    "Oooohhhhhh"


    Everybody watched the fight with awe and interest. Judging from the first few attacks, it seemed that the two of them were at a stalemate.


    Serena was observing the fight without any visible expression. Her thoughts were mysterious as she eyed the dispute closely.


    "Serena, who do you think will win?"


    One of her friends tapped her shoulder and asked her about her opinion on the fight. She did not look back as she answered confidently.


    "Aric will win."


    The declaration was like a cheerleader who was proud of her boyfriend in the varsity team. This made the girls in her circle giddy with excitement.


    "Kyaaaaa. You''re so sweet cheering for your boyfriend!"


    Even though Serena and Aric had just met, the people around them were already assuming they were a couple. They ignored the fact that they had not even spoken a word at each other.


    "....."


    Serena was silent at the girls'' implication, essentially a stamp of approval in the girls'' eyes. They laughed and teased each other as they felt the sweetness of love in the air.


    Jane looked towards the fight with disinterest. She observed the battle for a mere moment until she turned around and minded her own business. She took out a tablet and scribbled some notes as she practiced her Desire.


    Professor Kain crossed his arms as he watched the spar between Aric and Hugh. He had received a mysterious pamphlet in the desk of his office that wrote about his class. It was easy to guess who the subjects were in the report.


    Hugh had a veil of mystery in his eyes. He had suddenly appeared in his class only a day before school started. The only way for that to be possible was to have powerful connections, but Hugh did not seem to have any connections at all. Hugh was a poor kid with an F-rank talent.


    Two other students came into his class the day before school started; that was Dempsy and Balen. He knew that they were from the special troop squadron in the CDA, which made it even stranger that they enrolled in class. Could they be connected to Hugh?

 Chapter 37: Defeat

    Hugh separated from Aric. His leg felt a stinging pain, indicating the tremendous kick that Aric had done. He shuddered at the thought of receiving it without his armor.


    Aric had a frown on his face as he looked at Hugh. He had thought that his attack would do more than force Hugh back a few steps. He had trained until his legs gave out, yet it still did not seem enough to defeat Hugh.


    His flames fired up as he charged at Hugh. His arrogance did not allow him to accept the stalemate that they were in. He balled up his right fist, leaving embers in the air as it traveled towards Hugh.


    Hugh did not want to back down as he saw the same attack from Aric. He balled up his left fist and punched it towards the flaming fist, activating his Desire as he launched it.


    He activated his Desire, yet he did not feel the strength in his fist. He looked at his fist and saw no brown and silver liquid forming his armor. A flash of regret filled his face as he remembered that his armor had a cooldown. Three seconds had already passed, meaning he could not use his Desire for four seconds.


    He had realized this too late as the flaming punch was directly towards his fist. He tried to move away from his arm, but his body was too slow. The flaming fist collided with his unarmed fist.


    *crack*


    The collision destroyed half of his fingers and burned his skin. His arm was thrown back, as well as his whole body. Aric did not expect that Hugh would not be able to defend the attack. The punch was merely a decoy while he reared for another kick.


    This threw him off his game as he stood there, confused. It only took him a second to seek this opportunity to destroy Hugh.


    Hugh was on the ground, holding his arm in pain. The pain occupied every part of his brain, ignoring Aric, who intended to inflict more damage to him.


    Aric approached Hugh while flaring up his reddish fire. He raised his left foot and kicked Hugh''s shin, breaking the bones into pieces.


    *crack*


    Hugh felt tremendous pain as his breath seemed to be taken away from him. He wanted to scream in pain, but something inside of him prevented it. He did not want to show any indication that he was hurt.


    His head was full of pressurized blood as he endured the pain in his arm and his leg. Sweat and blood poured out of his injuries and mixed with the ground. Everyone could see who was the clear winner in this fight.


    Aric did not stop as he squatted down and curled his flaming fist into a ball. He gathered all the strength he could muster and punched Hugh''s gut, reverberating the force throughout his body and creating waves in his fat.


    Underneath Hugh''s shirt, his belly had turned black and blue from the attack. Hugh had experienced hell within the four seconds that his armor was on cooldown.


    Aric had no intention of stopping even though Hugh was clearly injured to a great extent. He balled his fist and created a flaming hot reddish ball of fire that radiated heat throughout the environment. This was clearly his strongest attack.


    Without mercy, his attack aimed for Hugh''s head. He wanted to finish him off for good.


    Everybody cringed as they could not bear to watch the massacre that would happen in the ring. Hugh will undoubtedly be hanging from death if this hits.


    Aric''s fist traveled through the air while his eyes glared at Hugh''s head. Just as everyone thought the fist would hit Hugh''s head, a loud sound of a fist hitting metal resounded throughout the ring.


    *cling*


    Everyone could see a fist that was colored silver and brown that caught Aric''s attack before it hit Hugh''s head. Hugh had activated his attack just in time to block the attack.


    Hugh took this chance to throw Aric''s hand away and open his head for an attack. Hugh''s armored hands reached Aric''s cheeks at top speeds, throwing him off towards the ring''s end.


    Aric''s cheeks were bleeding from a cut. He put his hand on his face and looked at the blood with an incredulous face. He almost could not believe that Hugh injured him.


    He did not think that Hugh could deal damage to him without his transformation. In just two days, Hugh was able to improve his Desire at an unbelievably fast rate. His heart felt fear and envy.


    He had worked hard for his power, and yet Hugh seemed to have gained power out of nowhere.


    He stood up with his wide eyes looking straight at Hugh. His thoughts were mysterious as he was displaying a weird aura.


    Hugh took this chance to try to stand up and settle himself. His whole body weight was dependent upon his one leg that was not broken.


    Aric''s flames cooled down and simmered into a barely visible ember. Hugh knew that he was not out of energy. This was the calm before the storm. Aric was pulling all of his power into one attack.


    Aric walked towards Hugh at a slow pace. It was slow enough to give time for Hugh to back away, but he did not retreat. He faced Aric, ready to attack for the last time.


    Aric got close enough for Hugh to attack him. Hugh was barely standing from his injuries, and he was not sure how long he could last. This was his final chance to attack, so he took it.


    He gathered the armor to his fist, leaking silver and brown liquid onto his skin. It solidified in a blink as Hugh reared his fist. Aric did not seem to mind the punch as he stood there without any intentions of dodging.


    Hugh''s fist traveled through the air and towards Aric''s face. It had no impedance and went straight towards his cheeks.


    Hugh felt the collision of his fist and Aric''s cheeks, yet it was not hard as he was expecting. The moment that his fist hit Aric''s cheeks, Aric turned his head skillfully to lessen the blow.


    Aric''s head turned away from the punch, yet his body did not move an inch. His cheek was bleeding from the punch, and there was a tinge of black and blue on his skin. He turned to the ground and spat out blood from his mouth.


    The attack did nothing except for some skin deep wounds. Aric turned his head towards Hugh and spoke.


    "It''s my turn."


    The flames in Aric''s body extinguished themselves as it all gathered in his fist. The reddish flame intensified and almost turned yellow as Aric punched Hugh''s chest, sending him flying with broken ribcages.


    Hugh felt the air inside of him get sucked away. He literally could not breathe as he was starting to lose oxygen. His eyesight began to see spots as he saw Aric walk towards him.


    Aric had an open palm, like a chop from karate. His middle finger seemed to sharpen as his flaming hands turned into a flaming blade.


    Aric looked at Hugh''s body as his hand traveled towards Hugh''s heart. Aric''s fingernail stopped a few millimeters away from Hugh''s chest stopped by a hand.


    Aric looked towards who had stopped him and saw professor Kain with an easygoing expression. He heard his professor speak.


    "No killing. He''s already out of the fight."


    Professor Kain gestured to Hugh''s finger that touched the outside of the ring.


    Aric shook his hand away from the professor''s clutches as he walked away from Hugh''s unconscious body. His lackeys swarmed him as they congratulated him on his fight. They all seemed happy that Aric won the battle, but there was no smile on Aric''s face.


    He saw how fast Hugh had improved over two days. It irritated him and prevented him from celebrating. He may have won today, but who could say that he would win tomorrow or the next day?


    He curled his fists into a ball with his nails digging into his palms. He swore to himself to train harder.


    The conclusion of the fight baffled everybody present. They did not expect such a one-sided battle given the reports of Veer, the mysterious reporter.


    From the fight, it even looked like most, if not all, could win against Hugh easily. It even looked like he did not deserve to be in the special class at all.


    Whispers and rumors circulated in the class about how Hugh was able to get in with such a weak Desire. The only logical conclusion was that he was here through wealth and connections.


    Hugh''s reputation immediately plummeted in the eyes of everyone in the classroom.


    Professor Kain looked at Hugh''s unconscious body with a complicated expression. He was genuinely baffled at how weak Hugh was. The question of how he got in the special class seemed more critical now.


    He took out his clipboard and wrote some text on it.


    [Aric


    Talent: A level


    Unadvanced - D rank


    Hugh


    Talent: F level - (A level?)


    Unadvanced - F rank]

 Chapter 38: Hospital

    Hugh woke up from being unconscious to a bright white light. It blinded him, making him close his eyes back up.


    "Oh, you''re awake."


    A feminine voice filled his ears. Her voice was a bit rough, indicating that she was not young. Hugh opened his eyes slowly, his pupils constricted, trying to adjust to the bright light.


    What he saw first was the face of a youthful girl in her early twenties. She had black hair tied up into a bun, and her skin was silky smooth. Her eyes were a clear blue, and her lips were naturally pink without any lipstick. He immediately sat up from his seat, but his stomach ached in pain as he moved too fast.


    "Aghhh"


    Hugh held his stomach in pain. He remembered Aric''s attack towards his gut, making his face contort in pain and anger.


    "Be careful now, kiddo. I haven''t healed that yet."


    He looked at the person with the rough voice. It did not match the youthful and beautiful face that was in front of him. She wore a white doctor''s coat, and a white curtain surrounded them. The walls were painted green and white, giving him a peaceful and relaxing feeling.


    He realized now that he was in a hospital, and this woman was his doctor. His eyebrows furrowed as he looked at her face, confused and intrigued at the contrast.


    "Forget it, kid. I''m way older than you think I am."


    "Ah I-i"


    Hugh struggled to speak to his doctor. He was embarrassed to have come off as rude to her. Seeing that Hugh was distressed, the doctor chuckled.


    "I''m just messing around with you, boy."


    She put her hands towards his broken foot and grasped it with her warm hands. Hugh could feel a warm feeling emanating from the point of contact where she touched him. He could see the black and blue bruises started to lose their color at a fast pace.


    "I must say I am impressed at today''s youth."


    Hugh''s eyebrows raised, not knowing what she was talking about.


    "You regained your consciousness too fast."


    As she said that, her eyes immediately became sharp as she looked at Hugh''s eyes, scrutinizing his reactions.


    *gulp*


    Hugh gulped, anxious at the sudden interrogation. He did not know what she was talking about, but he can infer from her statement that his recovery speed was abnormal. It was only natural to think that the Fat God System caused this.


    He did not know what to do, so he avoided her eyes, afraid that his secrets will spill out. She seemed to have retracted her gaze as Hugh avoided his eyes. He was thankful that she did not press any further.


    *smack*


    "Okay, that''s done."


    She smacked Hugh''s legs, making him wince in pain. He only realized a second later that his leg did not hurt as bad. He looked at his leg and saw that it looked good as new. He stretched it up and felt no discomfort from it, which made him smile in marvel at the miracle.


    The doctor nodded to herself, satisfied with her work. She walked towards the bed and placed her hands on Hugh''s belly.


    Hugh was still amazed by her power to heal. It gave him a sense of wonder at the limits of human Desire. Hugh guessed that she must have been at least in the fourth advancement because she was able to work here in Wolfram academy.


    "What''s your name?"


    The doctor looked at Hugh''s belly while she asked the question.


    "Hugh."


    She moved her hands towards a different part of his belly as she continued the conversation.


    "I only asked because you are probably going to visit this place more in the future."


    She stopped her hands and looked towards Hugh while she waited for an answer.


    "I hope not."


    Hugh honestly did not want to be beaten up every day. He wanted to be strong enough to defend himself and maybe be the one who was dealing the damage.


    "Oh, you will. You seem like the troublesome type."


    She continued to heal Hugh''s body. Hugh did not retort because he did not believe her.


    After a few minutes of her putting her hands around Hugh''s body, he was finally fully healed. He moved every part of his body and found that he was full of vitality.


    "Most students would take a day or two to be fully healed, but you only took a few minutes. Is that part of your Desire?"


    "Yeah."


    Hugh had no choice but to confirm her guess. He had no way to explain it, and he was grateful for her work, so he told her the truth.


    The doctor looked at Hugh''s body once again until she turned around to leave. Before she left, Hugh looked at the nameplate on her chest.


    "Thank you, Dr. Heidi."


    She did not turn around as she waved goodbye to Hugh.


    "Don''t get into too much trouble, mmkay?"


    The white curtains closed, leaving Hugh all to himself. He laid down on the bed and thought about the fight with Aric. If he had more time on his armor, he would have held his ground against him. If he knew how to move his body better, he would have given Aric some hits.


    It became apparent that he still needed to work on himself. He had to work on his body even without the system''s orders. He could start by learning some essential martial arts or something of that kind.


    He sat up from his bed and opened the curtains as he went outside the partition. He was one step away from opening the curtains until he heard a voice.


    "Hey, is that you, Hugh? Are you there? I thought I heard your voice. Are you here in this place too? Me too!"


    An annoying voice came from the bed next to his. A white curtain separated it, so Hugh opened it up to see where the talkative voice came from; it was Bob. They had not seen each other since the first day of school, even though they were neighbors.


    Bob was lying on the white bed with his hands on the back of his head, as comfortable as he could look. Hugh did not think that he would meet him again in this place.


    "It is you, Hugh! It''s so good to meet you. It has been a long time, right? Maybe not. I think it has only been a few days."


    Once Bob''s mouth talked, it was hard for him to stop. Hugh was forced to listen to his long speech until he ran out of breath, which gave him the chance to speak.


    "Hey, Bob. What are you doing here?"


    Bob looked at Hugh and gave him a weak smile.


    "Nothing. Just a check-up."


    Silence filled the hospital room, and only the smell of rubbing alcohol filled their senses. Hugh felt awkward, and he still had a lot to do, so he turned to leave. Before he could, Bob seemed to have remembered something.


    "Oh right! Hugh! I heard that you fought with two people and won against them, is that right? Are you that strong? Wow, I wish I could be that strong."


    Hugh creased his eyebrows and turned to face Bob, confused at his words. It only took a second for him to realize what he was talking about.


    "Are you talking about Veer?"


    Hugh walked near to Bob as he listened closely for his response.


    "Yeah! I got the pamphlet in my chair. It said that a fat guy from class A defeated two guys. That''s you, right? You''re the only fat guy in your class, right?"


    Hugh bit his lip. It looked like even the other freshmen classes got the pamphlet from Veer. This made him anxious because this was another liability he had to worry about, along with Dempsy and Aric.


    He was worried that Veer would somehow discover his secret and spread it all over the school. At that point, he would truly be doomed.


    He needed to improve his armor ASAP. With good enough armor, he would not be forced to use his transformation every time. That would severely minimize the chances of his transformation being found out.


    The plan he had in mind was to eat more materials even if the system did not give him the mission. The only problem with this plan was that he did not have any money to buy the materials.


    He had to think of another way to get the materials. The thought of stealing from Oxyiel''s Materials crossed his mind, but he quickly perished the thought. That was idiotic, and he would not even know how he died once he tried that.


    How did the factory even get the raw materials? That question flashed in his mind and inspired him. In one of Professor Kain''s lectures, he had talked about the dungeons controlled by the school.


    If he could go there, he could mine the materials himself.

 Chapter 39: Council

    With the plan of adventuring in the school dungeons, Hugh nodded to himself with renewed resolve. He knew where he wanted to go; he just needed to know how to go there.


    Hugh turned towards Bob and asked him for information. When they first met, Bob seemed like the type of guy who knew things about the school. He was the one who showed him where to find his own house. He probably knew where the school dungeons are.


    "Bob, do you know where the dungeons are located?"


    Bob looked at Hugh with uneven eyebrows. It only took him a second to respond to Hugh with his chattering mouth.


    "Yeah, the school dungeon is near the central area. Well, the physical dungeon is not there, but the shifting room that leads to the dungeons is in the central area. Why? Do you want to go there? I don''t have the courage to go there, but good luck to you."


    Hugh let Bob finish talking as a sign of respect, given that Bob answered his questions. It looked like he would need to go to the central area.


    "Yeah, I''ll go there."


    He closed his fists into a ball as he readied himself to venture towards the dungeon. He turned around to leave Bob''s bed, but Bob stopped him.


    "Wait! If you''re going to the dungeons, you would need the approval of the student council. They manage everything in the school regarding the freshmen and sophomores."


    Bob''s words made Hugh stop in his tracks. The student council seemed to be a powerful group inside the school, and he would have to go through them if he wanted to go to the dungeons.


    Before he did that, he needed to know more information about the student council. He wanted to be prepared if things go wrong, and he would have to force himself on them to go to the dungeons.


    "Student council? Who are they?"


    Bob turned around and looked at Bob with a serious face. He listened patiently to whatever Bob would tell him.


    "They''re mostly made up of 2nd years, but there are some promising 1st years that they recruit. They enforce the school''s rules on everybody, and those who oppose them will face severe punishment. I heard they are an elite group made up of only A-level talent and above. I wish I could be like that. Then again, I probably could not handle the responsibility, but maybe I cou-"


    "Who do I need to ask permission to go to the dungeons?"


    Hugh stopped Bob from speaking too much and steered the conversation back into the essential parts. Bob did not seem annoyed that he was interrupted as he answered Hugh''s question with the same intensity.


    "Well, there''s the President, the Vice-President, the Secretary, the Treasurer, the Committee Chair, and the Committee Hands. You should probably ask the Committee Chair, although I am not sure about that. I stay away from them because I have heard bad things about them."


    Hugh furrowed his eyebrows at the mention of nasty rumors about the Student Council. If some problems could arise from interacting with them, Hugh would want to know them beforehand.


    "Bad things? Like what?"


    Bob looked around and opened the beds near him, making sure that there was no one to hear him speak about the Student Council''s rumors lest they come for him.


    Bob spoke in a low voice, almost a whisper, as he moved nearer to Hugh.


    "I heard that they abuse their power for their own gains. They enforce rules that are nonsensical and give the members of the Student Council have an unfair advantage. I guess that''s the upside to all the responsibility that they have to take."


    Hugh''s eyebrows furrowed even further. A corrupt Student Council seemed to be the main problem, but if it was so rampant, couldn''t they just complain to the teachers? He asked that question to Bob.


    "The teachers don''t care about the students. If it does not happen in their classes, they let anything pass. The true powerhouse in this school lies in the Student Council''s hands. It would be best not to provoke them or else..."


    Bob shuddered as he spoke. He seemed to have heard worse rumors about the Student Council that he did not dare say in public.


    Hugh put his hand on his cheek as he deliberated his plans after this new revelation. He would have to deal with the Student Council if he wanted to go to the dungeons. He hoped that it would go smoothly, but with his luck, he would not hope for much.


    He always needed to plan for the worst. The Student Council was a juggernaut that he would have to face in the meantime.


    "Where are they located?"


    "They have their own building in the second years'' housing circle. It''s the only building customized to such a great extent in the second years'' house circle. Isn''t that great? They basically have two houses! I guess they only need one, but two doesn''t seem to be bad."


    Hugh now knew where he wanted to go. He would have to go to the Student Council building to speak to them about his venture''s approval in the dungeons.


    He nodded his head and turned towards the door. He stopped after two steps and turned his head towards Bob as he spoke.


    "Thanks, Bob. Hope you recover soon."


    Bob flashed a massive grin as Hugh said that. Hugh felt that he would have a much harder time adjusting to the special class if it weren''t for Bob''s help. He gets chatty sometimes, but Hugh could see that he was a good guy.


    He walked near the door, and it slid away, allowing him to go outside. The weather was still sunny, which meant that not much time passed from him passing out to him recovering. He was awed by his rate of recovery due to the Fat God System.


    *grumble*


    His stomach burned in hunger. It felt like a void was eating all of his insides like a giant maggot. He held his stomach and his eyes turned reddish. He needed to eat.


    He looked at his surroundings and saw that the hospital was just beside the school building. He started to walk towards the building, picking up his pace as the hunger burned with more intensity.


    A walk turned into a brisk pace, to a jog, and a full-on run as he raced towards the shifting room. He needed to get to his house and order some food in the refrigerator, or else he would go crazy in hunger.


    His head started to go fuzzy, and his inhibitions were down. He was now at the school''s hallways, and the steel lockers seemed much more appetizing now.


    He stumbled on his way to the shifting room and had to grab the lockers as a way to balance himself. He felt the smooth cold exterior of the lockers as the smell of iron wafted in his nose.


    He was just a few steps away from the shifting room, but it seemed like the smell of iron was the last straw that broke the camel''s back.


    He turned into a frenzied state as he turned towards the locker to his left as he punched right through it.


    *boom*


    He subconsciously activated his armor right as he punched the locker, busting a hole in the middle. Hugh retracted his balled-up fist and opened it, revealing a remnant of the hole he punched in the locker.


    He did not wait any longer as he crunched on the metal, and his teeth were crushing it into little bits before he swallowed it.


    The taste was immaculate. The intensified hunger coupled with the metal only served to multiply his desire to eat more metal lockers.


    *boom* *boom* *boom*


    Hugh punched more holes in the lockers using his hands and eating them as he retracted his hands. He used his teeth and tore a massive metal piece from the locker as he munched on it with a reddish eye. As he ate more, his hunger for the metal grew with it, but he at least gained some of his sanity back. He was now consciously tearing apart the lockers for his own hunger.


    *step*


    A footstep in the hallway froze his whole body. His heart stopped as all kinds of thoughts came into his head. He slowly turned his head towards the sound and saw a black-haired woman looking at him with an expressionless face.


    Her glasses prevented Hugh from knowing her thoughts, but he knew who she was; she was Jane, the studious girl who did not join Serena''s group.

 Chapter 40: Prestige

    At the same time that Hugh was transferred into the hospital, Aric and his lackeys were still celebrating Aric''s victory over Hugh.


    "Yooo, Aric, looks like Veer''s rumors are just trash, huh?"


    Tanner bumped shoulders with Aric, teasing him about his victory. Even then he had bigger muscles than Aric, he did not dare get too rough with him, if he could even do that.


    "Hahaha, I never even doubted Aric in the first place!"


    Brad put his arm around Aric''s shoulder, pandering to his strength. Truthfully, he did doubt Aric a little bit because he saw injuries on him the day before. Of course, he would not tell this to Aric.


    "Let''s go to The Prestige tonight, eh, to celebrate!"


    Chip looked towards Aric, waiting for his confirmation of the plan. The Prestige was a club in the central area that the freshmen and sophomores could have access to. It was a high-class club full of people that were socializing and building their connections for the future.


    It was also the only place where first-year students and sophomores could go at night in the central area. Everything else in the central area was restricted, and only juniors and seniors could go there.


    Aric looked at his inner circle of friends and flashed a big smile. He had to forget about his problems with Hugh. Right now, he needed to unwind and let looses in the club.


    "Yeah, we''ll go. My treat."


    "Woooooooooooh"


    The boys in the area howled in excitement as they planned for tonight''s endeavor. They got rowdy again as the thought of socializing with girls filled their minds. The best part of this was that Aric would pay the bill, which meant they could do anything they wanted.


    The girls heard the rambunctious boys in Serena''s side. They started to whisper to each other until they all looked towards Serena and asked her for her permission.


    "Serena, I heard that Aric and his boys would go to The Prestige tonight. Are you going?"


    Since their queen bee was Serena, they would not dare go to the club without her or, at the very least, her permission. They looked at her with expectant eyes.


    Serena looked over to the boys in the class as her blond ponytail danced in the wind. She looked at Aric as he noticed her looking at him. He turned towards her and flashed a big taunting smile with his charisma in full force.


    She flashed a half-smile towards him and turned her attention towards the girls. She spoke with confidence and grace, a trait that the girls wished they had.


    "We''re going tonight."


    "Kyaaaaaaaa"


    The girls squealed as they felt the same excitement as the boys. They were also looking forward to mingling with the boys and maybe even flirting with them. Whatever happens tonight, they knew that it would be exciting.


    Serena touched the end of her wavy ponytail, feeling it with her fingers as she spoke.


    "But first, we should visit the salon. My hair''s feeling a bit frizzy today."


    The girls jumped giddily for today''s plan. A visit to the salon meant buying new clothes, new shoes, and unique accessories. After that, they could get their hair styled into the most popular look today. Before they went to the club, they would do each other''s make up as a final preparation before entering the battlefield.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Somewhere in a room with just white walls, Dempsy was panting as he tried his hardest to stand up. His mouth was flowing blood on the floor, staining the pure white base. His one eye was swollen, and his cheeks were cut up.


    Dempsy did not seem to be in good shape, but his eyes still flared a defiant fire. He looked up, and a mix of fear and contempt colored his eyes as he looked at his opponent.


    His opponent was standing straight, with not a blemish on his clothes. His black robe with gold embroidery seemed to dance in the wind even though the air was stale inside the room.


    This was Auberron, the leader of the Elite Troop Squadron. His long golden hair gleamed in the white room, making him seem much more ethereal. His beautiful features only seemed to accentuate that feeling.


    "Are you done, Dempsy?"


    Dempsy panted even harder as he gathered all his strength in his legs and stood up. His knees buckled, but he kept his back straight as he slowly stood on two feet.


    "Not...yet....."


    "You know you have no chance against me, why even bother? I would love to do this if it helped you in any way, but it does not."


    Dempsy stayed silent as he bit his tongue, trying to keep his consciousness afloat. He was starting to see spots in his vision, but he still kept his focus on Aub.


    "Your special talent to improve at a rapid pace when fighting a stronger opponent does not work when you are facing me. We already figured that out before, right?"


    Dempsy gathered the blood in his mouth and spat it on the ground. He would always improve by bounds and leaps once he fights people stronger than him, but it never worked when fighting Auberron.


    This annoyed him greatly since he could not find a way to beat Auberron. He then dedicated his life to fighting stronger people to improve, and then he would have a chance at beating Aub.


    Luckily, he found Hugh, and he was able to improve his Desire after their fight, but it was not enough. He still could not land a single hit against Auberron no matter what he did.


    Dempsy could not take it anymore as he fell on his back, exhausted beyond belief. Auberron wordlessly went out of the room while staff came to heal Dempsy.


    "You got beat again? Kukukuku...you''re really weak!"


    Balen appeared from the shadows and visited Dempsy as he laid on a bed. Dempsy ignored him and closed his eyes, focusing his energy on recovery.


    "Not even a greeting? How cold."


    Dempsy stayed silent and pretended to sleep to try and get rid of Balen''s annoying voice. It did not work.


    "All this loss takes a lot out of a person. Tell you what, why don''t you join me tonight at The Prestige?"


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    In a dark room, a spotlight dominated the room. A throne sat in the middle, laced with black, red, and silver linings, fit for an overbearing aura, fit for a demon king.


    A man sat in the middle, comfortable as if he was born inside the throne and as if it was made specifically for him. He had a wide and sharp jaw complemented by his short black hair with a tint of violet-red under the light.


    He had rested his chin on his hand, while the other hand tapped the chair impatiently. He had a serious look while he looked at the darkness in front of him.


    "What''s the report?"


    His voice was deep, deep enough to create reverberations in the room.


    A figure came out of the shadows, and his thin eyes immediately reflected the spotlight in the room. His mouth was as narrow as his eyes, giving him a creepy smile.


    "The Hands reported no unusual sightings so far. It looks like they haven''t started their attack. Although, there is something weird that happened regarding the freshmen."


    The man on the throne looked directly at the man in the shadows. He stopped his fingers from tapping the throne, but he did not say anything. The man in the shadows continued his report.


    "A reporter appeared in the pseudonym ''Veer''. As of now, it only reported about some fight in the freshmen in class A."


    The man on the throne sneered.


    "Hmph...I did not permit rumors in this school. Shut him down."


    The man in the shadows smiled as the man on the throne gave his command. He nodded to himself as he retreated to the shadows. Before he disappeared completely, he spoke to the man on the throne.


    "Greyson, if you have anything more done, I''ll be at The Prestige."


    "Good. I''ll need your help even more in the future, Felix."


    Felix smiled as he retreated to the darkness. His smile was thin, yet it seemed to have a dangerous glint to it. In the dark, he spoke again.


    "I know you do."

 Chapter 41: Locker

    Hugh''s heart stopped as Jane stared at him. She had one of her hands on the door while the other held books. Her long black hair was dead silent as it gleamed in the light.


    He did not move an inch, trying to look inconspicuous as ever, even though he still had metal fragments in his hand. He opened his mouth as he was about to explain and lie to her about this situation, but his stomach grumbled in protest.


    His gut burned, and the smell of iron got stronger as he put the metal fragments in his hand near his mouth. The temptation to take a bite out of the metal became stronger as he almost lost himself in the thirst.


    He was able to keep his sanity due to Jane''s piercing eyes under her round glasses towards him. He definitely could not show her that he eats metals, or else he would not know how to explain it.


    He had to get out of here ASAP. If he waited any longer, he would lose himself in the hunger and show Jane his greed towards inedible materials. He did not have the time to explain today; he would have to do it some other time.


    He pushed himself off the lockers as he stumbled his way towards the shifting room. He held the metal fragments in his hand as he was still hungry for them.


    Jane stood still as she watched Hugh try to get out of the lockers and towards the shifting room. She had an expressionless face that hid the mysterious thoughts running through her head.


    Hugh finally reached the shifting room as he disappeared from Jane''s sight. It was at this moment that Jane started to walk towards the lockers.


    *step* *step* *step*


    Her footsteps echoed in the empty hallway as she had her eyes focused on the torn-up lockers in front of her. She reached out her hands and touched the holes in the lockers, feeling the sharp edges on them.


    There were missing pieces from the holes in the lockers. They should have been somewhere on the floor, but there were hardly any that she could see. She thought back to when she first caught Hugh red-handed.


    Hugh was about to put the metal fragments in his mouth but stopped when he noticed Jane. Was he trying to eat the metals?


    This question floated in her head as the mysterious veil seemed to come over Hugh due to this incident. There were so many more questions that were not answered. Why did Hugh try to eat the metal lockers? Why here? Why that? Why now?


    The more she tried to probe, the more questions popped up in her head. She had dismissed Hugh as a weak student due to his loss to Aric. She thought that Hugh was only able to get in the special class due to connections, but it seemed like there was more to this story than she thought.


    She took out her personal tablet and wrote some text regarding Hugh.


    [Notes]


    Hugh: Fat guy


    Desire: Silver and Brown Armor


    Strength: Defensive ability


    Weakness: No attacking ability, and Desire has a timer


    Extra:


    Allegedly beat Aric and Dempsy in a three-way fight


    It was proven wrong when Aric beat Hugh one on one


    He was found trying to eat metal fragments.


    Threat: ???


    [End]


    She thought that only Aric and Serena were her most significant threat, but it seemed like she also had to keep an eye on Hugh. He was the most mysterious of all of them, which meant that he could pose the greatest threat.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Hugh navigated the shifting room towards his house as he held his stomach from hunger. He just had to hold on for a little longer so that he would be able to eat food from the refrigerator.


    In the meantime, he ate the metal fragments in his hand. His teeth crunched the metal and tore it into little pieces as it instantly dissolved when he swallowed it in his stomach acid.


    The metal was able to satiate him for a little while as the shifting room reached his house, but his stomach quickly burned again as he stepped foot in his house.


    He ran through the hallways, bumping into chairs and sofas as he had tunnel vision on the kitchen. He was starting to see spots in his vision, almost losing his sanity.


    Thankfully, he reached the refrigerator in time as he ordered anything on display. He opened the fridge and started to eat the food right there on the spot.


    His head was holed up on the refrigerator''s cold interior as he filled his mouth with any food he could see. He did not bother chewing the food as it felt too soft compared to the metals he ate before.


    After a while, Hugh was satisfied as dirty plates laid all around him. He laid down on his back, exhausted and content at the food inside his stomach.


    He had fully regained his sanity, and he was now able to think properly. His comfort quickly fell apart as he remembered the incident with Jane.


    He did not know the extent to what she saw him doing to the lockers. She could have just seen him punch the lockers, which he could make the excuse of anger taking over. If she saw him eat the metal, that would be a lot harder to explain.


    His heart accelerated as anxiety filled his body. He took deep breaths to try and calm himself down. He was just thankful that this situation was not as bad as it seemed. He could just say that he has a unique power that lets him eat metals. If she saw him transform, that would be a different story.


    He had to calm down. He laid on his back and closed his eyes as he recalibrated himself. He had to focus on his task at hand; he had to improve his armor so he could fight better.


    With this plan in mind, he planned to visit the Student Council''s building to ask for their permission to go to the dungeons.


    Even if they had a bad reputation, he still had to try. If worse comes to worst, he would have to bribe or force them in some way.


    He stood up and patted his uniform down. He slowly walked on the hallway towards the shifting room as his steps echoed a muffled sound on the velvet flooring.


    He went into the shifting room and went towards the navigation tablet. Bob said that the Student Council building was located in the sophomore''s house circle, so he searched the map there.


    Amid gridline shaped houses, there was a building in the middle that occupied the whole street. The top view of the building had a hexagram shape with a 6-sided star on the inside.


    Hugh was not able to directly travel towards the building using the shifting room, but there was a small building near it that accommodated the shifting room.


    Hugh did not wait any longer as he confirmed his destination to the navigation tablet. The room shifted, and it only took a second to transfer him to the location he wanted.


    He walked out of the shifting room and onto the cement floor. He looked around and immediately saw the magnificent building owned by the Student Council.


    It was colored black and gray, a complete contrast to the bright blue sky in the background. It looked intimidating with its completely dark exterior like prison walls.


    Hugh walked towards the building while he observed the building. There seemed to be no life inside it as he could see no light or windows that let him take a sneak peek at the happenings inside.


    He walked around and found the building entrance, manned by two students with a black armband around their right bicep, which had a bright red embroidery that displayed - ''Student Council''.


    The two students also had black gloves that they wore as they pointed towards Hugh.


    "You there! What do you want?"


    One of the guards spoke towards Hugh with a commanding tone. Hugh guessed that these guards were part of the Student Council, but there were probably at the bottom of the food chain.


    Hugh walked forwards and faced the two guards as he spoke his intentions.


    "I would like to speak with one of the Student Council Officers."


    The two guards knitted their eyebrows as they heard Hugh speak. They looked at each other, seemingly in disbelief about Hugh''s intention.


    "Why?"


    "Do I have to tell you guys that?"


    Hugh''s rebuttal annoyed the two guards as they almost raised their hands in anger. They looked back in the door and calmed themselves down.


    One of the guards looked at Hugh then spoke.


    "No one''s here."


    "Really? I don''t believe you."


    The guard balled up his fist as it trembled in anger. Hugh was surprised that the guard was able to keep his cool. The guard flashed a half-smile as he spoke to Hugh.


    "Believe it or not, there''s no one here to entertain your questions."


    "Where are they then?"


    The guard smiled as he spoke.


    "You should go to The Prestige tonight."

 Chapter 42: Club

    "The Prestige? Where is that?"


    Hugh furrowed his eyebrows. Judging from the two guards'' reactions, they were planning something terrible. He had never heard of The Prestige before either, so he was skeptical.


    "You don''t know? That''s the club in the central area."


    The two guards looked at Hugh like he was an idiot. The Prestige was something that all students wanted to go. Just from its name, one could tell that it was very exclusive.


    "Why should I go there?"


    Hugh did not know the guards'' plans for him. He was still wary of them, but he was curious about why they wanted him to go there.


    "Felix is going to be there. You wanted to talk to an officer, right? Felix is the one you should talk to."


    Felix? Hugh remembered that name. The two guards were snickering together under their breaths, which made it evident that they were making fun of Hugh.


    Hugh guessed that this Felix guy would have an adverse reaction towards him when he approached Felix. He needed their permission, and he could not go into the Student Council building, so he had no choice but to go to The Prestige.


    Hugh turned his back to the two guards as he went on his way towards the shifting room. Before he disappeared completely, the two guards shouted one last thing towards him.


    "Oh, you should probably address him as Vice President *kukukuku*."


    Hugh stopped to hear what they had to say, but he did not turn to face them. Whatever they said would probably irritate Felix even more if Hugh were to follow it.


    He opened the door to the shifting room and navigated it near the central area. After a few seconds, he reached the fourth years'' house circle with unique gigantic houses full of personality.


    The sky was getting dark, and the lights turned on to illuminate the way for Hugh. He could see that most of the fourth-year houses glowed in the dark, which made it even look more beautiful.


    It was a different experience walking through here in the night. The cold air and the contrast between the dark sky and the bright buildings gave a comforting feeling in Hugh''s heart.


    As he walked, he could see students start to crowd the road. They wore the standard uniform, so Hugh could guess that they were either freshmen or sophomores.


    The crowd was grouped into different cliques; some had five people, some had as many as ten, and some were just couples who enjoyed a nice date in the evening.


    They all chatted as they went on their way towards the central area. The excitement in everyone''s heart quadrupled as soon as they could see the dome barrier encompassing the central area.


    Hugh noticed that the central area completely changed. The buildings that were supposed to be for retail became party buildings with neon signs with booze.


    It did not feel familiar at all; Hugh could not even see Oxyiel''s materials in there. He could now understand why people said that the central area had a ''nightlife'' that no one should miss.


    Truthfully, even Hugh was starting to feel a sense of excitement as the endorphin rush of partying came to his mind. He shook his head and focused on his task at hand; he needed to talk with a Student Council officer.


    Hugh stepped foot into the central area and immediately saw the gigantic holographic sign that displayed ''The Prestige''.


    It was misleading to call it a club since it was more like a city and an amusement park put together. There were bars, disco rooms, karaoke booths, a Ferris wheel, and many other more entertaining amenities. The students around him started to yell in excitement as they raced through the streets.


    It was almost too overwhelming for Hugh as he did not know how to even search for Felix. Thankfully, there was a gigantic building in the middle that had many students walking in. He looked at the sign that displayed ''The Prestige Club''.


    Hugh decided to search there first before he tried to wander around the area. Male and females had a different entrance, which Hugh found weird until he went inside.


    There were was a shower room that the male students used to freshen themselves up before going inside the club. Hugh looked around like a lost child as the men changed their clothes into something more stylish.


    Hugh scratched his head. He thought that students could not wear anything else besides their uniform, but the blazers and the suits that these guys wore disproved that.


    He bypassed the shower room and went directly into the club. As soon as he stepped foot in it, he could see the colorful lights hit the black floor accompanied by funky music.


    There was a circular dance floor in the middle that most students had gathered in. The dance floor flashed different lights that gave dynamic movement to the inanimate objects. Hugh noticed that the students were wearing expensive clothes that accentuated their bodies.


    Men wore polo shirts with tight pants, while the women wore skimpy dresses that showed off their skins. They all mingled together on the dance floor as the lights rained down on them, and the music guided their movements.


    Around the dance floor were booths where people in groups gathered. There was a table in the middle where alcoholic drinks were served as they let themselves loose.


    Hugh looked around the wild place as most people danced like there was no tomorrow. He found it fascinating because he had never been to this kind of place before.


    He would always go back home after school and study for his classes. He also preferred not to go outside because his clothes do not look as good as the others.


    Hugh''s head moved around the place as he observed every little thing that happened. He was searching for anyone with an armband around their bicep, an indication of being a member of the Student Council.


    As he was looking around, he did not notice that he was on a collision course with someone. The other person was also distracted as they bumped into each other.


    Their shoulders bumped into each other as they retreated due to the force. Hugh looked at the person who bumped into him and immediately saw the bright blonde hair on her head.


    Her wavy blonde hair was fully down and covered her shoulders. Hugh almost could not recognize her, but that attractive face without blemishes could only belong to one person; Serena.


    She wore makeup on her face that was not too noticeable and just accentuated her natural beauty. Her ears that were hidden by her hair gleamed in the dim light, showing off her new diamond earrings.


    Her outfit was a pink cotton shoulderless sweater that went down to half her thighs. Her milky white thighs were in full display that went down to her red high-heeled shoes.


    She looked at him with furrowed eyebrows, offended that he dare bump into her.


    "Watch where you are going."


    Hugh looked at her hands and saw that she held her pink sparkly bag in one hand and a cellphone in the other. It was clear to Hugh that she had been preoccupied with her cellphone, making her bump into him.


    "Watch where YOU are going."


    Serena put her hand on her chest as she opened her mouth in disbelief. She could not believe that Hugh had the gall to repeat that to her.


    She had uneven eyebrows as she looked at Hugh from his feet to his head. She could see no outstanding features from him, and he still had his uniform on. As far as she knew, Hugh had no power at all to correct her like that.


    Serena pointed at Hugh then waved her finger in disapproval.


    "YOU don''t get to say that to ME."


    Hugh did not back down as he responded to her.


    "Why? Because of YOUR popularity?"


    Hugh hated those kinds of people who felt entitled to everything just because they were more popular than everyone else.


    "No, it''s because of my strength. You couldn''t even defeat Aric."


    She had dismissed Hugh as a person who got into the special class because of his connections. She did not want to even look at him because of her disgust towards leeches.


    "At least I''m not an elitist socialite."


    "At least I''m not a leeching parasite who can''t stand up for myself."


    The two were at a stalemate as they both insulted each other. It was not long until the sounds of high-pitched voices interrupted them.

 Chapter 43: Clap

    "Serena~~ where are you?"


    Serena''s girl friends shouted at the noisy club. They were looking for her since they got separated due to the busy dance floor.


    They wore dresses that revealed most of their skins, and they had colored drinks in their hands. They all locked arms with each other as they stumbled with their high-heels on the floor.


    They had shiny accessories all over their bodies that complemented their styled hairs. Hugh could see many male students look in their direction.


    Once Serena heard her friends'' voice, she turned away from Hugh and kept quiet, even though Hugh insulted her.


    "I don''t need other people''s validation, unlike you."


    Hugh continued their banter, but Serena ignored him. She treated Hugh as if he did not exist at all. Judging from her reactions before, she would not have taken Hugh''s words lightly, but strangely, she kept quiet.


    Hugh then noticed the girls come over towards them, and he understood why. She did not want to be seen by her friends talking to him - talking to Hugh would severely lower her standings in the social ladder.


    Hugh sneered at her in disappointment. He was about to turn around and leave when he heard the voices of Aric''s friends.


    "Yoo, dude. Is that Hugh talking to your girl, Aric?"


    Tanner put his hand on Aric''s shoulders as he pointed in Hugh''s direction. The guys around Aric wore polo shirts with tight-fitting jeans with expensive watches on their wrists. Tanner had sunglasses even though it was dark inside.


    Aric wore a black leather jacket with fur on the edges over a white t-shirt. His hair was gelled neatly and parted to the side. Hugh could also see women all over look in their direction.


    "Dude, you''ll let Hugh approach your girl like that?"


    Aric''s friends goaded him into confronting Hugh, which worked because Aric walked towards Hugh with a menacing smile.


    Serena took this chance to split away from Hugh and reconvene with her girl friends. She glanced at the battle between Hugh and Aric before she disappeared with her friends on a booth.


    "What are you doing here, fatty?"


    "None of your concern, jockhead."


    Aric did a half-smile as he looked back at his friends like he was incredulous at what had just happened. He did not think that Hugh had the guts to talk to him like that.


    "It is my concern. This is my territory you are stepping in."


    Aric stepped closer to Hugh as he pushed him away. He had his chin up while he looked down at Hugh.


    "I didn''t see you piss in it."


    "Oooohhhhhhh"


    The jeering sounds in the background were made by the people watching the confrontation. It was at that moment that Hugh realized a lot of people were watching their movements.


    He looked around, and the people in the club were looking at him and Aric while whispering.


    "Is it that guy?"


    "Yeah, I heard it''s those guys from class A."


    "What is it?"


    "Didn''t you read Veer''s pamphlet? That fat guy supposedly defeated the jock and another guy."


    "That''s them?"


    Aric looked around the club and felt his reputation being tarnished. They had not yet known that Aric beat Hugh one on one in class, so the boys from class A spread the news to salvage Aric''s reputation.


    Tanner approached one group and spread the information.


    "Hey, did you know they already fought in class? Aric beat that fat guy up with no scratch on his body. You can ask anybody in class A; they witnessed it happen with their eyes."


    "Is that true?"


    "Yeah, I heard the same thing from a guy in class A."


    "Then what about what Veer said?"


    This time, Tanner lied to the masses and discredited Veer.


    "Don''t believe the lies that mysterious reporter said. That person had no evidence while we have multiple eyewitnesses."


    The doubt started to spread throughout those who were bored inside the club. Not everyone was interested in the confrontation with Aric and Hugh as they kept minding their own business.


    "You want to be reminded again why I''m the alpha?"


    Aric confronted Hugh as he raised his hand, and it erupted into a reddish flame. Hugh would never back down from a fight, but that is not what he should be doing right now.


    He should be searching for a Student Council officer to ask permission to go to the dungeons. Once he gets there, he would eat tons and tons of materials to improve his armor.


    Once he powers up, he would have enough power to stand up to Aric, but right now, he needed to be low key. He needed to avoid getting into fights, or else he would be forced to use his transformation.


    "Hmph...whatever."


    Hugh decided to keep his anger in check and save it for a later date. He needed to remain calm and not let Aric''s insults into his head.


    Hugh turned to leave Aric, or else he would have punched the guy and turned it into a fight. Aric knew that Hugh would not display his transformation, so he took advantage of this fact.


    "See that? How could I have lost to that coward?"


    Aric spread his hands and shouted towards the crowd. It was unacceptable to him that people doubted his strength behind his back. He needed to assert his dominance right now while the attention was on him.


    Hugh stopped in his tracks as he balled his fist until it trembled in anger. Silver and brown liquid leaked out from his body and was about to form into his arm when the entrance door opened with a bang.


    *bang*


    Two men came in; one had a full white suit while the other had a full black suit. The man who wore the white suit had appropriately white spiked hair, and Hugh recognized him immediately; it was Dempsy.


    The man in the full black suit had a bowl cut hair that hid his calculating eyes was Balen. They both came into the club to wind down after a stressful day.


    The girls'' attention shifted their focus from Aric to Dempsy as they found him to be dashing in his clothes. If Aric was considered handsome, then Dempsy was deemed to be hot in the girls'' eyes.


    They gave Dempsy seductive looks as they watched him enter the club. Dempsy had his hands on his pockets as he leisurely walked into the club until he saw Hugh.


    The three of them met yet again. The last time this happened, they ended up beating each other near death. Dempsy smiled as he walked towards them.


    With the added attention that Dempsy was getting, things got tense again as the three faced off. Aric frowned as he saw Dempsy get the attention he had.


    Aric might get away from berating Hugh, but if he insulted Dempsy, another fight would break loose. He was not confident about that fight. He needed to lay low first before he tried to rechallenge Dempsy.


    "Fight me again, Hugh."


    Dempsy''s voice was filled with seriousness and excitement. His voice might not have been louder than the music inside the club, but it took everyone''s attention.


    "It''s that guy, right?"


    "Who?"


    "That white-haired guy! That''s one of the people on Veer''s pamphlet."


    "Did I hear him say that he challenged the fat guy? Did he say again? Then, did it happen?"


    Fight him again? Did that mean that the three-way fight from before really happened? The consensus about the validity of Veer''s report turned on its head again. Now, people are starting to believe it happened based on Dempsy''s reaction.


    "You may have defeated me the first time, but I''m stronger now."


    That seemed to be the nail in the coffin as it confirmed that Hugh defeated Dempsy. The crowd whispered amongst themselves as they discussed the rumors.


    "If that''s true? Then why did Aric lie?"


    "Are you kidding me? Of course, he lied! He wanted to keep the fact that he lost a secret."


    "Ohh!!!"


    Although they were whispering, it was loud enough for Aric to hear what they were saying. He balled his fist in anger as his social standing plummeted because of Dempsy.


    Dempsy wanted to fight Hugh again because he wanted to improve his Desire. His power would increase every time he battled with a person stronger than him, so he took this opportunity to fight with Hugh.


    *clap*...*clap*...*clap*


    A slow clap emerged from the shadows of a dark booth, and everyone could feel the air tighten around them. They all looked towards the booth, and a man in loose clothing appeared.


    Most of the freshmen recognized him, and they whispered amongst themselves.


    "Hey! Isn''t that a second year?"


    "What''s a second-year doing here?"


    As Hugh looked at the man walking towards them, he noticed the armband on his bicep. It displayed ''Student Council''.

 Chapter 44: Blackout

    *clap*...*clap*...*clap*


    From the shadows of a booth, a man who had thin eyes and thin mouth appeared. He had a smile while he slowly clapped at the three freshmen who were making a scene.


    His presence was quickly known to everyone there as they could feel the air become tight. This meant only one thing; this was a person who reached the second advancement.


    Some people noticed the armband on his bicep, and their reverence towards the guy increased. Only those who are the elite of the elites could even be considered to be a part of the student council.


    He was not the most handsome of the bunch, but his presence alone became attractive in most females'' eyes in the club. The men in the room envied his strength as they wished they could advance to the second level.


    Hugh, Aric, and Dempsy felt the invisible pressure from the guy, but it was very weak compared to professor Kain''s pressure.


    "So you guys are the infamous trio?"


    Dempsy looked at the man up and down, criticizing every bit of physical power he could see. Judging from his lack of muscles, Dempsy deemed him to be physically weak. That did not mean that the man could not fight; that only meant that his Desire was strong enough to make up for it.


    "Beat it. We''re talking here."


    Dempsy did not see anything special with the guy. As a member of the Elite Troop Squadron, he saw multiple geniuses in his travels. There were plenty more powerful people than the guy. Hugh was the only one he saw different, like a wolf in sheep''s clothing.


    "Woah, that guy just brushed off that Student Council officer, how brave!"


    "He must be strong, right?"


    The crowd was whispering to each other in disbelief. They were having fun talking about the lives of others, and they relished the fact that there may be a fight happening soon. They felt pleasure in people getting beat up.


    "I think I have heard of that officer before; was it Fenix, Relix?"


    "Felix?!?! That guy is the Vice President!!!"


    Now, the crowd felt even more surprised that Dempsy dared to talk down on the Vice President.


    "See that guy? That''s Dempsy. That''s Hugh, and that''s Felix."


    Balen was going around putting more fuel in the fire. He made sure that people were looking at the fight and spread more rumors about them.


    Hugh got terrible vibes when he looked at Felix. This must be the guy that the guards back at their headquarters wanted him to meet. Judging by his sinister smile, Hugh did not want to deal with the guy, but he had to. He needed to get stronger.


    When Felix heard Dempsy''s comment, he did not have an aggressive reaction. Instead, his smile got even wider, giving him a creepy aura.


    "I heard you got beaten black and blue by this fat guy, and you retreated like a chicken."


    Felix had a teasing smile as he put both of his hands around Dempsy and Aric''s shoulder. They tried to get away from Felix''s arm, but the arm was like a lock that prevented them from getting out.


    Aric did not like being talked to that way, so he displayed a fierce look towards Felix. It was only Dempsy who dared to speak to Felix with superiority in his tone.


    "What? You want to fight?"


    The declaration of the challenge gave the crowd excitement and anxiety as they waited for Felix''s response. There was no way that a Vice President would let Dempsy''s words go; that would lower his standing.


    Felix smiled and responded to Dempsy


    "Hahaha, don''t get too overexcited. Are you even the strongest in your group of three?"


    Felix quickly disassembled the tension with a lighthearted tone. He looked easygoing, but Aric knew that he was a controlling and manipulative bastard. He was a snake, and the man who does the dirty work for the President.


    Aric knew that he was controlling the room in his favor by his words and his posture. Aric just did not know what he was planning to do.


    "I''m stronger than this guy."


    Dempsy pointed at Aric, demeaning him with his words. This infuriated Aric and prompted him to burst flame in his hair and confront Dempsy. Aric was now head to head with Dempsy.


    "You want to try this again, hothead?"


    Dempsy spread his hands as he asked for a fight. He was itching for any fight that he could take. It did not matter if that was a second-year or a third-year; he just wanted to fight.


    "You only won once, slimy boy."


    Hugh let the two of them duke it out. It was better that they forget about him so he could silently get out of this situation. If a fight broke out, he was not sure that he could survive without his transformation.


    He was about to slip out when Felix stood behind him, preventing him from getting out.


    "How about this guy? You stronger than this guy?"


    Dempsy turned his head from Aric''s direction and looked at Hugh. Right now, he was not stronger than Hugh, but if his restriction were released, he would be stronger than him.


    "Yeah, I''m stronger than him."


    The information spread in the crowd around them. This confused them greatly since they thought that Hugh won against Aric and Dempsy. That meant that Hugh should be stronger than Dempsy. Does that mean that Veer''s report was not accurate?


    Aric''s inner circle took this chance to spread the information that Hugh got beat up by Aric.


    "Yeah, that Hugh guy is weak. Don''t believe Veer''s report."


    "I think so too. If Dempsy says he is stronger than Hugh, and Aric defeated Hugh, then that means the report was fake."


    Felix smiled as he heard the murmurs around him. This was exactly what he wanted to happen; he wanted to discredit Veer''s words. No one should go against the Student Council, which meant no one should report information other than them.


    Felix decided to put the nail in the coffin by speaking towards the crowd.


    "This Hugh guy is just an F-rank. He got in the special class because of his connections."


    Gasps were heard throughout the club as they looked at Hugh in a bad light. They worked hard for a place in the special class, and Hugh got a golden ticket because of his wealth.


    Felix did not say that Hugh was poor, as he let the crowd build their own conclusion.


    "Boo!!!!"


    "You suck!"


    "Get out of the special class!"


    The crowd now looked at Hugh with disgust in their faces. Hugh''s head was down as he heard the jeers directed towards him.


    Dempsy was the only one who knew the truth. He was the one who let Hugh into the special class, and he knew about Hugh''s transformation. He could have dispelled the misinformation by speaking out, but he did not.


    Dempsy looked at Hugh and his trembling balled-up fist. He could tell that Hugh was angry and furious at the situation he was in. It was only a matter of time until Hugh''s frustration burst out and lead him into transforming.


    Dempsy wanted Hugh to get mad and transform. That would mean that he could fight him again, and this time he could have a better chance of defeating him.


    Felix looked down at Hugh as he spoke to the crowd.


    "See that, people of the special class? He does not have the power nor the courage to defend himself."


    The crowd nodded to themselves as they now believed that Hugh was a fraud. Hugh was not even reacting, which in their eyes meant that it was true. They thought that Hugh hung his head in guilt.


    "Do not believe the lies of this Veer person. They are telling you lies to gain more traction for themselves."


    The crowd now looked at Felix, wholly absorbed at his words. They were now willing to believe everything he had to say.


    "Who knows, maybe Veer and Hugh are the same person. Maybe they are colluding with each other to climb the social ladder."


    They all listened with righteous indignation. They were all ready to stampede and riot at Hugh. They could not let Hugh''s manipulation control them. They did not know that they are the ones being manipulated.


    *BOOM*


    The light in the club went out in a split-second. The angry tension was quickly dispelled as most students got confused at the blackout. This was supposed to be a high-end club inside the special class; a blackout was impossible.


    *plop*


    The crowd felt something fall on their heads as it rained from the ceiling. Everybody looked up and saw pamphlets pour down into their hands.


    Everyone got a copy of their own as they looked at the title of the pamphlet.


    ''Hello, Hi, and Greetings to Everyone. Veer here..."

 Chapter 45: Mission

    [Hello, Hi, and Greetings to Everyone


    I heard some spicy news on The Prestige.


    It details some misinformation that I hope I could bridge.


    Some have started to viscously spread doubt.


    I want clout? Careful what you spout, else we''ll have a fallout.


    To regain my dignity, I have a mission to offer.


    The reward is a million points stored in a coffer.


    The Fat Guy is hiding his real power


    Whoever could unleash it will be the man of the hour.


    From Yours Truly, Veer]


    Everyone read the report with the sounds of silence filling the crowded club. Felix frowned as he looked at the pamphlet in his hands and crumpled it into a ball. He did not think that Veer would have the audacity to give out pamphlets while he was here.


    Felix was at a standstill. He did not know if Hugh truly had a hidden power, but he had to assume that it was true since Veer bet a million points on it.


    If the students started to riot, and they force Hugh to reveal his hidden power, then Veer''s words would be correct. The students would believe every word that came out from Veer''s pamphlets. They would have lost control of the students, which would be unacceptable as the Vice President of the Student Council.


    If Felix prevented the students from getting to Hugh, they would assume that Veer was right. He could not see a situation in which he would win, which frustrated him even more. He bit his fingernails as he quickly thought up a plan.


    Hugh held the pamphlet in his trembling hands, shocked at its contents. He was obviously the subject of the crusade, and everyone would come after him. The freshmen and the sophomores would live a comfortable life with a million points, so they would try to complete the mission.


    Hugh slowly raised his head from the pamphlet, only to see sharp eyes directed at him. He could see the greed flowing from their mouths, and it was made clear that they would come after him.


    He backed away with a step, only to be stopped by a sophomore behind his back. He was slowly cornered as students blocked every exit.


    He had to get out as soon as possible. He could not survive the riot of a hundred students without his transformation, which was their goal.


    He gathered strength in his fist, and a silver and brown liquid flowed out of his body and formed into his armor. He did not want to escape his way out by fighting a sophomore because he would instantly lose.


    He scanned the room and saw some of his classmates joining in on the barricade.


    He noticed that they were Aric''s inner circle, and behind them was the exit to the club. They became Hugh''s escape plan because he was not sure who was weak and who was strong amidst the students.


    Before the students could enclose Hugh''s escape, Hugh rushed towards Tanner. They were not surprised that Hugh tried to run, so Tanner was prepared to take on Hugh.


    Hugh punched towards Tanner, and Tanner activated his Desire to absorb the impact. Tanner''s body started to balloon and filled with air, like a pufferfish.


    Hugh used all of his strength to punch Tanner''s puffed up body and launched him across the room. Tanner felt a small prickle in his body, and he was unhurt, but he was thrown towards the room.


    Tanner underestimated Hugh''s power because he thought that Hugh was only an F-level talent. Just like everybody in the room, he was surprised that Hugh overpowered him.


    Hugh did not linger any longer as he dashed towards the exit. Brad and Chip were at Tanner''s side before he was launched across the room. They acted quickly and caught Hugh''s uniform.


    Brad got a good grip on Hugh''s uniform as he tugged it back, expecting Hugh to be brought back. Chip did the same as they both tried to pull Hugh back.


    As they pulled Hugh''s shirt away, it turned into liquid and flowed out of their hands. They could not grasp his shirt, and Hugh was able to get away from their grasp.


    Brad and Chip looked at their hands and massaged their hands. They remembered the slimy feeling of the liquid as they tried to grasp it. They looked at Hugh''s back, and his uniform was as good as new as if they had not caught it.


    Hugh''s uniform was without any creases like it was newly ironed. There should have been some creases from where Brad and Chip grasped it, but there were none.


    Brad and Chip were not stupid, so they realized that Hugh was wearing a uniform made out of his Desire. They remembered that Hugh never took off his uniform, meaning he had his Desire activated all this time.


    They looked at Hugh with confused eyes because they were still freshmen; Desires that have not reached further advancements could not last that long.


    Hugh ran towards the exit without any regard to the thoughts of Brad and Chip. There were still some students that tried to catch up to him, so he had to focus on not getting caught.


    Some Sophomores chased after Hugh in an attempt to get an easy million points. The stronger sophomores tried to run after Hugh, but they felt that their legs were constricted.


    There were black snakes that tied their feet to the ground. Felix looked at Hugh while he controlled the black snakes to prevent the strong sophomores from fighting Hugh. He did not want Hugh to transform since that would prove Veer right.


    Hugh put all of his strength into his shoulder and created the armor there. He bulldozed his way through the students that tried to stop him, and Hugh successfully reached the exit.


    Once he stepped foot onto the outside, he could see Veer''s pamphlets all over the ground. The students around him held the pamphlets while they discussed with each other.


    Hugh''s heart stopped as he realized that there were more people outside than inside the club. He was prepared to get stampeded, but it did not happen.


    The students gossiped to one another, and Hugh realized that they did not know who the fat guy was on Veer''s pamphlet. He heaved a sigh of relief as he used his armor on his legs to run far away.


    Multiple students got out of the club and started to run towards Hugh at full speed. The students on the outside were confused at the sudden race that was happening.


    Some people quickly picked up on the fact that the rallying students came from the club, and they were running towards a fat guy. They joined the race as they tried to catch up to Hugh.


    Hugh ran through the streets and dodged through the various buildings to try and lose the crowd. He had used up his three seconds of armor, so he had to wait another four seconds before he could use it again.


    He put his back onto an alley building hidden from the crowd of people. He panted, trying to regain his strength from running at a fast pace. He heard the stampede of footsteps outside, so he quickly stopped breathing.


    He held his breath as he tried to hide his presence from everyone. Fate was not kind to Hugh as he heard someone shout from the crowd.


    "He''s there! Catch him!"


    As soon as he heard that, he bolted away from the crowd. His armor was still on cooldown, so he had to run with his bare feet. He was slow enough for the fastest in the group to catch up to him.


    The fastest man in the crowd reached towards Hugh, about to catch his shirt, when Hugh accelerated away. Thankfully, Hugh''s cooldown was off, so he was able to use his armor again.


    Hugh tried every alley and building he could find, but there were always students there to stop him. Even if he hid in a dark place, someone from the crowd had a homing Desire that would lead them to him.


    At this rate, Hugh would be caught by the greedy students. He could not use his Desire so much without getting exhausted. He had to think of a way to get out of the crowd.


    He looked around and saw the exit, and a flash of inspiration hit his mind. He changed his direction and charged towards the barrier between the central area and the housing circle.


    He felt no resistance that prevented him from getting out, so he continued to run away. After a few seconds of getting out of the central area, he stopped in his tracks and looked back at the crowd.


    The students chasing him were all stuck inside the central area, unable to go outside it. They did not wear the uniform, so they were not permitted to go outside.


    Hugh continued to run away with all his might. After a few minutes of running, Hugh was tired. He was about to lay down on the ground when he felt a tingle in his neck.


    His instinct told him to turn towards a direction as he saw a man in the darkness walking towards him.

 Chapter 46: Friend

    Hugh''s heart stopped as he looked at the man in the shadows. He turned to face him, fearing that his back would be vulnerable.


    He had been using his armor to escape, so it was still in cooldown right now. He had to wait for a few more seconds until he could activate his armor.


    He was relieved that the man did not attack him without any pretenses and just looked at Hugh with a tilted head. His face was still obscured by the dark night, so Hugh did not know who he was.


    "Do you really have a hidden power?"


    The man''s voice had curiosity built into it. He genuinely wanted to know if Hugh was hiding a power, which meant that he would want to fight Hugh to find out.


    Hugh planted his feet firmly in the ground as he prepared to take out his armor if the man decided to attack. He had his eyes wide open, observing the posture and physicality of the man to judge his chance on the fight.


    The man had a slim figure, and he wore the school uniform. This meant that he was either not in the club during the incident, or he changed his clothes super fast. The man was either a freshman or a sophomore.


    Hugh was thankful that the man was wearing his uniform. If he wore casual clothes out in the open, that meant the man was either a junior or a senior. He did not want to think about that possibility because even with his transformation, he would not stand a chance.


    Seeing that Hugh did not answer his question, the man stepped forward. His face was now visible in the light, and Hugh could see his face.


    Hugh did not see a familiar face in the mysterious man. He was not familiar with him, and he had not seen him in his class.


    If Hugh were to describe his face, he would describe him as a plain-looking man. This guy would blend perfectly into the background without anyone noticing. He did not have any special facial features, nor did he exude strength, which made Hugh even more confused.


    How was this guy able to chase him while the others were trapped inside the central area?


    "Are you a friend?"


    The average looking man asked Hugh a nonsensical question. Hugh furrowed his eyebrows as he tried to decipher the question that was asked.


    Friend? Hugh did not even know this guy had existed before this. There was no way that the man meant friendship; there must be a hidden meaning behind those words.


    The man saw Hugh struggling with the question. This gave him confirmation that Hugh does not know what he was talking about.


    "You''re just a student?"


    "Who are you?"


    Hugh did not answer the man''s question and just countered with his own inquiry. Hugh was ready to trigger his armor and initiate the fight since the man looked unguarded.


    Hugh had the disadvantage of limited activation time, so he had to strike first and strike hard, or else he would be beaten up like his fight with Aric.


    "Me? I''m Joub, a second-year student."


    Hugh did not think that Joub would tell his name so quickly. Judging from his mysterious behavior, he was definitely hiding some things.


    Hugh''s hearts stopped when Joub mentioned his year-level. A second-year was someone who had at least advanced to the first advancement.


    In comparison, Hugh was still unadvanced while having an F-level talent. Even the A-level talent Aric was still unadvanced and an F rank.


    "You, what''s your name?"


    Hugh did not answer Joub. He distinctly remembered his name being thrown around in the club for everybody to know. This meant that Joub was not in the club, or else he would have known Hugh''s name.


    "Not going to answer? That''s fine. I just need to know if you truly have a hidden power."


    Joub gathered his hands together and slowly separated them together as if it had a resistance band. Hugh could see Joub''s body start to blur and tremble, creating a dizzying feeling.


    Hugh did not activate his armor yet because he could only use it for three seconds. He needed to wait for the right moment to attack since he did not know what kind of Desire Joub had.


    Joub''s body split and became two bodies that mimicked each other''s movements. Joub''s bodies stopped trembling, and Hugh could now see his bodies clearly.


    It was a perfect copy of Joub, and Hugh could not distinguish who was the original body. There were still more questions that Hugh wanted to know to come up with a game-winning plan.


    He first needed to know if the other body was corporeal or just a projection. If it was corporeal, would damaging one body damage affect the other? If it were a projection, it would be easier to find which is real.


    Joub''s bodies went in separate directions as they walked towards Hugh. Their bodies were bent low, like a cheetah ready to pounce.


    Hugh planted his feet firmly in the ground. He was not confident in dodging the attacks, but he was confident in his guarding ability using his armor.


    It would be disadvantageous for Hugh to match Joub''s speed because it would lead to vulnerabilities that Joub could exploit.


    The two bodies of Joub were now opposite each other, with Hugh in the middle. Hugh sharpened his senses and tried to catch their movements.


    The night was silent, and only the breezing wind was heard before the two bodies rushed towards Hugh. Their feet left dust in the air as they ran with their upper bodies parallel to the ground for maximum speed.


    At this rate, the two bodies would attack Hugh at the same time. This was troublesome for Hugh because he could only protect one limb with armor at a time.


    To counteract this disadvantage, Hugh ran towards one body to protect that attack first before the other body reached him.


    Hugh was slow, courtesy of his obesity, but he could reach the left body first. He raised his fist and punched it towards the body without using his armor.


    Joub did not know about Hugh''s armor, so he assumed that Hugh''s punch had a special power. Joub''s left body dodged Hugh''s punch and counterattacked with a leg sweep.


    Hugh was expecting that attack, so he activated his armor. The silver and brown liquid formed his leg armor just in time as Joub''s foot hit his leg and rebounded the attack.


    Joub frowned as he felt like he had kicked a steel wall. He did not expect Hugh to have a strong defense.


    Hugh retreated from Joub''s left body and confronted the right body. This time, Hugh waited for the attack without feigning a punch. He did this so that Joub would hesitate in his actions.


    Joub did not immediately attack Hugh because he knew first-hand about Hugh''s defensive capabilities. He thought that if Hugh were capable in defense, then Hugh would not care about his attack and just use a counterattack.


    With this hesitation, Hugh took this chance to create armor in his fist as he punched Joub. It was fast and created a small shockwave behind his fist.


    Hugh aimed towards Joub''s head with precision and power. He expected Joub to dodge his attack but was surprised to see that his fist had hit Joub''s face.


    Hugh could feel his fist hit Joub''s cheekbone as he put his full power on the punch. Joub''s head was forced to turn away from Hugh''s punch, but something unexpected had happened.


    Hugh watched as Joub''s head turn 360 degrees like it was made of clay. He could see the stretch marks and the flaps in Joub''s head as it completed a full rotation.


    Joub stopped moving like he was dead. Then, Hugh saw Joub''s hand grasp his own head and turn it in a different direction to return it into its normal state.


    It was a weird feeling seeing that strange gymnastics Joub''s head had done. Hugh could not see any scratch on his head, meaning that his punch did no damage to him.


    Hugh retreated after his attack was unsuccessful. He only had one second left of the armor, so he would use it wisely. He decided to use it to protect himself from Joub''s attacks.


    "You pack quite a punch."


    The two bodies spoke simultaneously, creating a weird effect on Hugh''s ears. The two bodies rushed towards Hugh. This time, they did not give Hugh enough time to develop a plan to counter their movements.


    The two bodies kicked towards Hugh, not giving him any place to retreat towards. Hugh had no choice but to endure one of the attacks.


    One of the kicks was aimed towards his chest, and the other was aimed at his back. With the two choices, Hugh decided that his back was more important than his chest.

 Chapter 47: Smart

    Hugh felt the impact of the kick directly at his chest, taking his breath away. His body bent backward and rotated in the air until he fell with his back on the ground.


    Hugh inhaled deeply as he tried to recover from the fight, but Joub did not give him the chance.


    One of Joub''s bodies restrained Hugh''s arms. Hugh was still coughing as he tried to recalibrate his breath until Joub lifted his head to look at his eyes.


    "Come on! Transform!"


    Hugh did not answer and continued to cough. He gathered the saliva in his mouth and spat it towards Joub.


    "Go to hell."


    Joub wiped the spit in his face with a creepy smile on his face. He seemed to be intrigued at the fact that Hugh was stubborn as all hell.


    Joub did not hear a denial in Hugh''s words, which meant that there really might be a possibility that he had a hidden power.


    Joub raised his right hand, and stubs formed in his wrist. The stubs continued to grow until it became hands that Joub opened and closed until he got familiar with it.


    Without any warning, Joub punched Hugh''s fatty body with his hand that had multiple fists. With just one attack, Hugh felt his whole body hit with numerous punches.


    He could feel his bones being broken and his muscles being broken down. It hurt like hell. The only thing that he could do was to endure the beatings.


    Hugh was starting to feel numbness in his upper body as the barrage of fists continued to hit him. Hugh had no choice but to cough up blood until he felt his strength come back to him.


    The four-second cooldown was now gone, and he could finally summon his armor to fight back.


    Hugh activated his armor on his left arm, and silver and brown liquid formed into an explosive armor. He burst out power in a short amount of time that allowed him to escape from Joub''s clutches.


    Hugh quickly ran away as he regained his control of his own body. He held his chest as it still ached from the beatings, but he felt revitalized.


    He finally got the chance to fight back for at least two more seconds.


    Hugh wiped the blood from his mouth and taunted Joub to come for him with a cheeky smile and an inviting wave. Hugh wanted to irritate Joub so that he would somehow make a mistake that he could use.


    The calm and collected demeanor of Joub proved that he was not easily agitated. Hugh disliked dealing with people like this. He could not read their thoughts, which made them even more dangerous.


    When Joub''s other body restrained Hugh, he realized a vital flaw in Joub''s Desire. Hugh was able to get out from Joub''s arm lock successfully, but Joub could have created more hands to restrain him.


    Hugh remembered that Joub still had his freak arm with multiple fists when he tried to escape, which meant only one thing; it meant that only one body could be deformed.


    This was still a guess by Hugh, but he had to try or lose the fight. While Joub was preparing his attack, Hugh thought up of a plan.


    Joub''s two bodies ran towards Hugh while holding hands. Hugh was surprised to see that Joub''s speed increased once they held hands, which must have been a unique attribute of his Desire.


    Hugh lightly jumped as he readied his attack. His attacks need to be precise, or else his plan would not work.


    With the two bodies in Hugh''s attack area, Hugh lifted his leg and performed a roundhouse kick towards their heads. It was sloppy because Hugh was not a martial arts master, but his explosive strength made up for that fact.


    Hugh activated his leg armor as soon as his leg was about to hit Joub''s face to maximize his efficiency with his armor.


    Joub''s right body did not dodge his attack and let Hugh''s armored leg hit his head. Like before, Joub''s head twisted around, negating the damage done to it.


    Joub''s head did a full turn and faced Hugh as he showed a grin. Joub displayed a smile that showed Hugh''s attack to be null.


    Hugh''s leg continued to sweep past Joub''s head and headed towards Joub''s other head. This was the moment of truth that Hugh waited for to know if the hypothesis was correct.


    Joub furrowed his eyebrows as he looked at Hugh''s armored leg. This time, his head moved backward and dodged Hugh''s roundhouse kick.


    Hugh smiled as his guess was confirmed. Joub could not use his ability in two bodies at the same time. Hugh flashed a cheeky smile towards Joub that told him his secret was blown.


    Hugh''s armored leg continued to swing as it landed on the ground, destroying the pavement below it.


    Joub no longer had a carefree smile as his face turned serious. He seemed to have figured out that Hugh knows his only vulnerability.


    This agitated Joub and forced him to finish the fight before Hugh gains any more information about him. His moves got faster but were more wild like he was acting with haste.


    Hugh dodged away as soon as his kick was finished. Joub formed spouts on his wrists and created fists that were like the one he used to beat up Hugh.


    Joub clearly wanted to finish this fight as soon as possible, which gave Hugh the advantage. As a counterattack, Hugh created his armor in his fist and punched towards Joub.


    Joub''s arm full of fists versus Hugh''s armored fist launched towards each other. Hugh was aiming towards Joub''s face, and Joub was aiming for Hugh''s face.


    Joub was more confident in his fist, and he was sure that he would deal more damage in this exchange. If he were more observative, he would have noticed the ground was destroyed underneath him.


    Joub stepped on the uneven surface, which made him lose his balance. His body started to fall, and his fist missed Hugh''s body.


    Hugh continued his punch, and it headed towards Joub''s other body. Hugh created that uneven ground when he finished his roundhouse kick, so it was in his calculations that Joub would lose his balance.


    Hugh''s real aim was towards Joub''s other body. Joub had already used his Desire to punch it towards Hugh, so his other body was undefended.


    Joub''s other body tried to dodge, but Hugh caught him off guard, and Hugh''s punch landed directly on Joub''s face.


    This time, the armored punch was explosive enough to dislocate Joub''s jaw. Hugh could feel that his fist connected a direct hit as Joub''s body flew across the air.


    Joub was down on the ground while Hugh was panting as he barely stood straight. He was able to deal a ton of damage with his armor, which gave him confidence in the fight.


    Hugh did not waste this chance as he rushed towards Joub''s body and used his last second of armor to pummel him to the ground.


    Joub''s face was now beaten and bloodied like he had been through hell. Hugh''s armor was now on cooldown, but that did not stop him from punching Joub while he was still down.


    Hugh''s knuckles were red from his own blood, as his fist was not used to punching a hard surface this many times.


    Hugh panted as his fists became slow, and his arms started to ache. Right at this time, Joub used his strength to elbow Hugh in the gut.


    Hugh saw the attack coming, so he was able to mitigate some of the attack. He held his stomach as he separated away from Joub''s body.


    Hugh panted as he wiped the blood away from his knuckles. He saw Joub slowly get up while blood was still flowing from his face.


    Joub''s other body disappeared and melted into a liquid that flowed towards Joub. It absorbed back into his body, and Hugh could see Joub''s injuries start to heal themselves.


    Joub spat blood on the ground and wiped the dirt off of his face. He looked towards Hugh while he spoke with a chilling soft voice.


    "Not bad...you''re smart, but that won''t be enough to defeat me. Let me show you the difference between a first-year and a second-year."


    Hugh physically felt the aura from Joub start to change. He felt a chill on his back as he heard Joub speak.


    "Ruination Imitation."

 Chapter 48: Skill

    Hugh felt the air around him get thicker, and skin felt prickly. He had to back away from Joub because of the aura he was emitting.


    Joub''s body started to split in half from his head down to his crotch. The halves split and formed into new bodies that were also divided into two. This process continued until there was an uncountable amount of Joub''s body in the area.


    From the quality difference of Joub''s Desire, Hugh could tell that this was a skill. He distinctly remembered professor Kain telling them about the difference in power between first-year students and sophomores.


    Sophomores have a skill of their own that they could use to turn the tides of the battle. Sophomores focused their efforts on sharpening their skills to be better equipped at fighting.


    Hugh bit his lip. He was now overwhelmed and was at a disadvantage. He was already having trouble dealing with two bodies; it would be impossible to deal with tens of bodies coming his way.


    He did not have any more seconds left on his armor, which meant it was on cooldown right now. The bodies simultaneously looked at Hugh as they started to run towards him.


    Hugh got a chill in his neck and started to run to the opposite side of the Joub''s bodies. He was slow because his own weight was tying him down. He could not use his armor to boost himself because he still had to wait for four more seconds.


    The bodies ran in-sync. They did not trip on each other, which meant that Joub had full control over all his bodies. This gave Hugh a disadvantage because he could not use chaos to throw off the hordes of bodies coming his way.


    Hugh panted as he ran away from them, with sweat pouring down the ground. He was doing his best, but it was not enough. The horde was getting closer towards him, and he could feel the tremor they produced on the ground.


    He would be squished flat if they run him over, which would painfully kill him. He looked back, only to see the front line of the horde only a few meters away from him.


    He had no choice but to use his transformation to survive this battle. He did not want to do it out in the open, but they forced his hand.


    After a few seconds of running, the horde of Joub''s bodies piled themselves onto Hugh''s fat body. They used their numbers to suppress him completely. Joub now expected Hugh to be completely crushed under the pile of bodies.


    One body stood behind and watched the show; this was the original Joub. After a few seconds of the bodies piling onto Hugh, Joub could feel a tremor in the ground.


    He planted his feet in the ground and looked everywhere for the source and could not find it. Finally, he looked towards the pile of bodies and saw some bodies start to fall away from the stack.


    Joub furrowed his eyebrows as he watched this strange occurrence. It felt like something was ready to burst out of there, but the only person inside the pile was Hugh. There was no way he could escape that, right?


    *BOOM*


    Like a big explosion, the bodies started to burst away from the pile to reveal Hugh''s body. Joub did not recognize this guy.


    Hugh had lost all of his fat and transformed it into power. His previous black hair had turned into white, and his sharp haw was enough to cut the tension in the air.


    Hugh''s uniform fit his muscular body that complemented his chiseled body. The edges of his muscles were made even more impressive by the shadow cast by the light above him.


    Sweat was pouring down his body like it had an endless supply, accompanied by steam that rose into the air. Joub could not understand what had happened. He did not associate Hugh''s fat body with this white-haired monster.


    Joub could feel Hugh''s aura, and it gave him the creeps. It almost seemed like it bordered around the first advancement, but that was impossible. He could clearly feel that this white-haired guy was unadvanced, yet his power exceeded that.


    Joub felt danger coming off of Hugh''s body. It was abnormal, and he could not comprehend it, which made him fear it. Hugh was just standing there, so Joub decided to fight him while he was unguarded.


    Joub''s bodies picked themselves back off the ground and ran towards Hugh with their fists extended. Joub decided to overwhelm Hugh with numbers.


    Like before, the bodies started to pile themselves upon Hugh''s body and beat him up. They used their fists, their bodies, and their legs to deal the most damage out towards him.


    *BOOM*


    In just one second, the pile of bodies bursted away from Hugh''s body. Joub could feel that some of the bodies closest to Hugh''s body were severely injured. He had never felt this kind of power before.


    "Who are you?!"


    Joub spoke out with all of his bodies. They created a screeching sound that directly attacked Hugh''s ears, but it seemed like it did not affect him.


    Hugh stayed silent as he observed the bodies around him. After surveying the land, he quickly turned his head towards one particular body.


    Joub''s heart stopped as he saw Hugh pinpoint his main body. He could not understand how he could do this, but before he could think about it further, he saw Hugh''s body disappear.


    His experience as a second-year told him to dodge away. He tried to move his chest out, but he suddenly saw Hugh appear right next to him with Hugh''s fist aimed at his chest.


    Joub had no way to dodge as he looked at Hugh''s face up close. He memorized it and saw a striking similarity to Hugh.


    If Hugh had lost all his fat and his hair had turned white, he would look exactly like this guy in front of him. Could this be true?


    As he thought about it more, the more it made sense. Hugh had suddenly disappeared and was replaced by this white-haired guy. The most straightforward explanation was usually the correct one.


    How was Hugh able to possess this kind of power? Hugh''s Desire was his armor, right? Then how was he able to turn this strong?


    Those kinds of questions rang inside Joub''s head as Hugh''s hands collided with his chest.


    "You''re the fat guy!!!"


    *crack*


    His ribs cracked and were destroyed under pressure. He was forced a few meters back as he vomited blood on the ground.


    Joub fell and was incapacitated on the ground. Hugh stood over him without any words. It was not until Hugh felt cold air coming towards the back of his head that he dodged away.


    Hugh looked back and saw Joub''s numerous bodies coming towards him. They were still well and active, which meant that Joub was still okay.


    Joub continued to barrage Hugh with his bodies, resulting in some of his clones dying on the spot. He did not worry as they got reabsorbed back into some other clone and healed it.


    Hugh continued to defend himself from the attacks, and he would always go for Joub''s real body. He was able to pinpoint them and injure them, but his clones were still alive.


    This meant that Joub was able to switch from different clones to save himself from Hugh. This was a troublesome skill for Hugh because he only had a limited time for his transformation.


    ++++++++++++++


    FAT RESERVES


    ________________


    |########## |


    ________________


    Estimated time remaining: 30 sec.


    ++++++++++++++


    Hugh only had half of his time left; he needed to finish this as fast as he could.


    Joub did not stop his barrage of clones. He wanted to exhaust Hugh''s energy to win the battle, but it seemed endless.


    Joub needed an attack that would turn the battle''s tides, but that would cost him most of his energy. He needed to decide if it was worth it.


    With a big breath, Joub decided to go for it. He waited for the perfect opportunity for his plan to work completely. With Hugh busy with his clones, he was able to prepare an attack.


    As Hugh was punching away the clones, some of the clones reconvened into one spot. The clones put their bodies together and formed into one single body. Joub joined into the special body as he controlled their movements.


    The special body sneaked into the barrage of clones. They waited for the special chance to attack Hugh until an opportunity presented itself to them.


    The special body punched towards Hugh, and Hugh caught it with his hands. This was the opportunity that they wanted, so a special blade made of his own body launched towards Hugh.


    With this, the blade successfully penetrated Hugh''s body.

 Chapter 49: Pierce

    A blade made from Joub''s body penetrated Hugh''s body. Hugh looked down and saw blood spilling on his uniform, yet his face was still expressionless.


    Joub had a smile as he felt his attack successfully hit Hugh''s body. It quickly disappeared as he realized how shallow the blade had gone through.


    Joub expected the whole blade to pierce right through his body, yet he could only go through less than half an inch before it stopped.


    The blade was stopped by Hugh''s ribcage and was not fatal. Joub tried harder to pierce through, but Hugh held the sword in his hand.


    Hugh slowly separated himself from the sword, and Joub could see the wound slowly heal itself. After a few seconds, Hugh''s skin was as good as new. There was not even a scratch left to indicate that it was cut through.


    Joub had his jaws on the floor as he witnessed Hugh''s regeneration. He had felt Hugh''s strength through his clones, so he thought it was Hugh''s specialty. His regeneration could be a Desire all on its own, which made Hugh a monster.


    Joub stepped back with fear in his eyes. He had used his energy to channel that skill, and he was now without any attacks left. His clones turned into liquid and flowed back to his original body.


    "Y-you!"


    Joub pointed at Hugh''s transformed body with trembling fingers. He did not stop backing away from the monster in front of him.


    "You do have hidden powers!!! You are Hugh!!!"


    Joub had a crazed look as he stated Hugh''s identity to him. Hugh started to walk towards Joub''s trembling body without any hurry or haste. His stride had confidence built into its DNA.


    Hugh''s body blurred from Joub''s vision, and Hugh was next to him in a blink of an eye. Hugh walked over his body and sat on his chest.


    Hugh held Joub''s hair and lifted his head with a curious look. Suddenly, Joub felt a tremendous force on his cheeks as Hugh punched his face.


    The punch was fast and robust, which made his mouth bleed. His suffering did not stop there as Hugh pummeled Joub''s face into the ground with multiple punches.


    Joub''s face became bloodied as his face deformed into a swollen mask. His teeth flew away from his teeth as Hugh continued his relentless attacks on his face.


    It was hell, and Joub thought that he would die. After feeling an immense amount of pain, the punches stopped and gave him time to recover.


    ''Estimated time remaining: 0 sec.


    Transformation over''


    Hugh heard the notification in his mind. He felt the strength in his fists fade into obscurity like it never existed in the first place. His previous confident demeanor became one of exhaustion.


    His muscles started to deflate, and his body turned into skin and bones. His face was sunken like he was a mummy. Joub could feel the dangerous and powerful aura coming from Hugh dissipate into the wind.


    Joub looked at Hugh''s pathetic body and saw his chance. He was still damaged to an extent, but he could safely escape from Hugh''s clutches now that he had lost his power.


    Joub did not know why Hugh suddenly lost his power, but he will take advantage of it.


    "Where''s your bravado now, fat guy?"


    Joub gathered all the strength left in his body to stand up. His knees buckled as he tried to balance himself. His sense of direction was still of from the beatings his head had endured from Hugh.


    "You do have a hidden power! Wait till everybody hears of this! We will find out how you gained such a power, and then we will take it for ourselves!!!"


    Joub shouted like a madman. Hugh could see the greed on his face, and he felt the danger he possessed. Hugh''s mind was filled with burning hunger. That was all he could think about until he heard Joub speak.


    His head was in a critical emergency as his secret was about to be spread throughout the school. That was the only thing that should not happen, or else he would be hunted down by every power that be.


    Hugh''s stepped forward and rushed towards Joub. His armor had subconsciously wrapped around his one leg to give him a speed boost to get to Joub as fast as he could.


    Joub did not expect that Hugh was able to burst out power due to his weak body. He was too surprised to be able to dodge away from Hugh''s attack.


    Hugh''s hunger had turned into bloodlust. His instincts told him to protect his secret at all costs. That was all he could think about as he formed the armor on his fist.


    Silver and brown liquid enveloped Hugh''s right fist and gave him explosive power. Hugh punched it towards Joub''s body.


    Joub was expecting his ribcage to be broken from the punch''s impact, but instead, he felt a stinging pain.


    Joub looked down and saw Hugh''s fist embedded on his chest up to his wrist. His mouth bled and dripped on Hugh''s hand.


    Hugh did not make a fist as he punched Joub''s chest. He made a claw shape and aimed at Joub''s heart.


    Hugh''s heart was calm as he aimed for the kill. He did not blink an eye as he rationalized it as self-defense. Joub would have spread his secret and indirectly kill Hugh.


    Hugh could never let that happen as the bloodlust in his body allowed him to do what is needed.


    Hugh could feel Joub''s beating heart in the palm of his hand. It was beating as hard as it could, as Hugh held Joub''s life in his palms.


    With just one move, he could end Joub''s life.


    Without hesitation, he crushed the heart with his armored hands, making Joub''s body bleed profusely. Joub''s face was now pale as he looked in horror at Hugh''s face.


    Hugh retracted his bloodied hand and looked at it in wonder. He did not feel anything as he killed a person. He did not want to admit it, but it felt good. He did what was right; he protected himself from any harm that Joub could cause him.


    *plop*


    Joub''s dead body fell on the ground, lifeless and creating a pool of blood underneath his cold body. For a second, Hugh forgot the hunger in his stomach as he was satiated from the thrill of killing a person.


    "YOU!"


    A cold robotic voice came from nowhere and surprised Hugh. He turned around only to see a person in a cloak wearing a faceless mask.


    The voice snapped Hugh back to reality. He had now realized that he had killed a person, and worse, someone saw him do it.


    Hugh did not hesitate as he bolted away from the scene of the crime, leaving the masked individual alone with Joub''s dead body.


    With Hugh gone, the masked individual walked forward and inspected the dead body in front of it. It did not squat down as it checked it with the mask.


    After a while, the masked individual kicked the dead body.


    "Get up. I know you''re not dead."


    The dead body did not respond. It continued to be dead.


    Without any more words, the masked individual raised their hands and pointed towards Joub''s dead body. The pressure around the finger multiplied as it signaled a strong attack about to come.


    The masked individual was about to fire his Desire when Joub''s dead body spoke up.


    "Okay, okay, wait!"


    The masked individual turned Joub''s body around to see his eyes wide open and his mouth was speaking. Joub was not dead even though Hugh had crushed his heart.


    There was still a hole in Joub''s chest devoid of any heart, but he was still alive and well. Joub wondered how the masked individual was able to tell that he was still alive.


    As a last precaution, he had created another heart somewhere in his body. The one that Hugh had crushed was only a clone heart, so he was still alive, although barely.


    "Please help me!"


    Joub begged for mercy. He did not know what the masked individual''s plans were but left untreated, he would die.


    The masked individual did not speak. It squatted down as it looked directly in Joub''s eyes. Joub could feel the piercing glare even though its eyes were covered in the mask.


    "From what faction are you?"


    A robotic voice came out and questioned Joub. Joub had a frown as he tilted his head to convey confusion.


    "I-I don''t know what you''re talking about."


    The masked individual did not seem to be up in the mood for jokes as it raised its hands again and focused on its Desire.


    Joub could feel the danger emanating from that one finger, and it gave him even worse vibes than Hugh''s aura. He could feel the masked individual''s deadly intent if he did not give it the right answer.


    "I''m from Blacklade academy!"

 Chapter 50: Information

    "Blacklade academy..."


    The masked individual muttered those words under its breath. Joub flinched and covered his face as he expected the masked individual to come for him.


    "Tell me more."


    The masked individual grabbed Joub''s collar and lifted him in the air. The spotlight in the air blinded Joub to the point that he had to cover his eyes.


    "I''m a spy sent here to monitor this school. Please don''t kill me, every school does espionage!"


    Joub begged for his life. Like he had said, all the schools participate in espionage to monitor each other. It was not uncommon to find someone enrolled as a spy. In fact, there were also spies sent to Blacklade academy courtesy of Wolrath academy.


    A spy''s life could be unpredictable. If the spy was caught doing harmless stuff like normal canvassing, then they would be let off with their life. If a spy was caught doing malicious things to the school, their heads would be cut off and sent to the school where the spy came from.


    As far as Joub knew, he had done nothing wrong. His mission was to lay low and observe his surroundings for abnormal things.


    He had heard of the rumor that Hugh was hiding something, so he got tempted to come after Hugh. If he successfully brought back Hugh''s information, he would be set for a life of luxury.


    "What were you sent here for?"


    The masked individual continued to question his mission. It seemed that it wanted to know everything about the spy.


    "I''m just here for to survey the school, nothing more."


    The masked individual heard Joub''s response and it tightened the grip on his collar. Joub was surprised at the sudden aggression and made him flinch.


    "Don''t play with me. Who were here with you?"


    Joub closed his eyes and flinched away from the aura that the masked individual was producing. It was too strong for him right now because he was severely injured.


    "I don''t know! I don''t know! They don''t tell us those things!"


    *slap*


    The masked individual slapped Joub right away as he gave the answer. It jolted him and made him fear for his life.


    "There is no way that they sent you here just to survey the area. You spies have been strangely active lately. What are your plans?!"


    The masked individual shook Joub''s body, making him bleed more. Joub was starting to feel sleepy as his strength was fading away from him.


    "What is Maverick planning?!"


    At the mention of the name ''Maverick,'' Joub was jolted awake. He did not think that the masked individual would know his superior''s name nor his plans.


    Joub''s reaction was too obvious to tell that the masked individual hit the right mark. The masked individual seemed to know about the name of the perpetrator who sent the spies.


    Joub tried his hardest to hide his reaction but it was too shocking. He put his hands on his mouth as he physically prevented himself from saying anything more stuff that could backfire on him.


    Joub''s life was now in danger. If he were to somehow survive this incident with the masked individual, Maverick would send someone to kill him in his sleep because he tattled. Maverick always knows.


    "What are his plans?! Answer me!"


    Joub was forced under the pressure. He did not know what to do, so as a last resort, he bit his own tongue to prevent himself from accidentally spilling out more information.


    The masked individual gripped Joub''s collar and twisted it hard. It seemed to be frustrated that Joub was not willing to tell it anything.


    Joub body fell to the ground, dead. Biting one''s tongue off is a skill that all spies learned in order to die peacefully.


    The masked individual let Joub''s body down with a thud. It knew that Joub could still live, so it pierced its hands towards Joub''s belly.


    The masked individual retracted its hands and revealed a heart on its palms. This was Joub''s true heart, so Joub was now truly dead.


    With the confirmation of Joub''s death, the masked individual started to walk away from the scene and disappeared into the darkness. Joub''s dead body was left in the spotlight.


    After a few hours, some students who came back from the central area discovered Joub''s dead body. Gasps were heard all around as they saw Joub''s cold dead eyes tainted by blood.


    First there was horror, as the students'' knees buckled under the pressure. This was the first time they had seen someone dead, and with so much blood.


    Their privileged lives had been filled with sparring that only led to injuries, but never deaths. This was their first encounter with death.


    They were still freshmen, so it was natural that they had not yet seen gore. Some students had weak stomachs as they vomited on the ground.


    Their previous happy demeanor had soured into something terrible. The academy had forbidden killing inside the school, so they were confused at why someone dared to disobey those rules.


    They ran away from the body, fearing that they would get caught up in the crime. They entered the central area and spread the news that someone had died.


    At first, some students did not believe them, but some went back to confirm their claims. It only took a couple of minutes until the rumor about someone''s death spread throughout every student.


    Of course, the Student Council was quick to act on this crime that happened in their watch. The scene of the crime was quarantined and only members of the Student Council could go near it.


    The students who had first discovered the body were questioned thoroughly. Once Joub''s body was identified, the Student Council asked his fellow classmates.


    It was not long until the Student Council found the information they were looking for.


    "I remember seeing him chase after that fat guy. You know, the one in Veer''s pamphlet."


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    In a dimly lit office, a man had his elbows on the wooden table. The table was made of dark oak wood and was filled with holographic signs that contained various information about a school.


    Upon closer inspection, the holographic sign displayed ''Wolrath Academy.''


    The man had a rugged look with his beard. It complemented his sharp looks and brooding expression. He wore a suit laced with protective armor at the seams. He was physically fit, but his muscles were not buff.


    *knock* *knock*


    A knock was heard from the door opposite the desk. The man did not look up and continued to monitor the information on his desk. Instead, he spoke with a resolute voice.


    "Come in."


    The door slid open to reveal a woman in a business suit with violet hair. She was curvy in all the right places, which complemented her glasses to make her look booksmart.


    Her footsteps were muffled under the red velvet flooring, yet it was the only sound in the room. It was eerily quiet until the woman spoke up.


    "We have received word that one of our spies in Wolrath academy died of suicide."


    The man did not respond as he looked like he was deep in thought. He tapped his fingers on his knuckles and waited for the time to pass. After a few moments, he spoke up.


    "Did he say anything."


    The woman stood up straight and looked at the tablet in her hands. She read the report again and confirmed its contents.


    "He did not say anything, but it seems that someone became wise to your movements."


    The man nodded and closed his eyes. He was calm the whole time as he received word of one of his spies dying. He did not even bat an eye as he spoke again.


    "Replace him."


    The woman clicked on her tablet and spoke up.


    "Already done, Sir Maverick."


    "Good."


    Silence once again filled the whole room. The woman stood there silently until her curiosity got the best of her.


    "Do I have to do something to the person who found out that you, sir, are behind the spies?"


    She waited for the response with bated breaths. She was ready to do anything and everything to fulfill his wishes.


    "No. It does not matter. It will not affect my plans."


    "Understood sir."


    The woman bowed towards Maverick and turned around towards the door. She was about to twist the door open when she remembered something.


    She turned around again towards Maverick and spoke.


    "Your son has requested your presence."


    Maverick still had an expressionless face as he heard that his son was calling for him. He was not happy, nor sad, only indifference.


    "Bring him in."


    The woman nodded and went away. After a few minutes, the door twisted open without any knocking. Maverick knew that this was his son that came in the door.


    "What do you want, Aric?"

 Chapter 51: Workout

    After the chaos that ensued in the club, Aric returned home from the central area. He had no intention of hunting down Hugh because he already knew that Hugh had a hidden power.


    He did not care if people found out about Hugh''s secret; he only cared about his loss to Hugh''s transformation. This angered him deeply as he suffered the humiliation.


    It gave him the motivation to improve further than before and try to surpass Hugh. He would not sleep well at night, knowing Hugh could beat him if Hugh used his transformation.


    Aric had a frown plastered on his face as he stepped onto his house. It was dim, devoid of any artificial light. He did not like having the lights on, even if it was nighttime. Only the moon''s reflection of the sun served as his source of light.


    He entered the living room, but it was more of a gym than a living room. Weights and barbells replaced the sofas and the televisions.


    There was a treadmill right next to a window lit up by the moonlight, and he activated it. With a few adjustments, Aric started to run as fast as he could.


    *STEP* *STEP* *STEP*


    The sounds of his footsteps echoing in the room filled the silent night. He was exerting every energy he could in running, and beads of sweat fell on the floor.


    The treadmill displayed his heartbeat, and he had a low heartbeat even though he was running at a fast pace. After ten minutes of running, he was exhausted. He panted as the treadmill slowed down to a halt.


    He looked at the display and found that he had only improved his time by one second. This infuriated him as he bit his lip. He had been working hard every day, yet he had only gotten one second faster.


    Sweat poured down his clothes as he sat alone in his gym room. His head was down as he recovered his strength, and his breaths became slower and slower.


    All he could think about was how Hugh could trounce him without breaking a sweat. He could not even land a hit on Hugh''s body before he got utterly beat up.


    It made his blood boil, and his heart rate sped up. It was going even faster than when he was running at full speed. This is an indication of his fury at losing to someone he considered weaker than him.


    He could not let that happen ever again. He stood up and went to a punching bag in the corner of the room. The area was dark until Aric lit up his fists with his fiery red flame.


    The red light bounced off Aric''s frowning face and made him look sinister. Aric started to punch the bag with all of his might and practiced his punching skills.


    He used jabs, hooks, and even uppercuts that were boosted by his Desire. The sounds of the collision echoed in the room and filled Aric''s ears.


    Aric saw Hugh''s transformation in the punching bag. It made him furious as he imagined shadow boxing with him. He remembered the aura that Hugh was emitting and the way it gave him chills.


    He had never felt fear from someone his age before. He was supposed to be the one emitting it. He remembered Hugh''s fast movements that were impossible to track. All he could see was a blurry motion, and then he would be hit in the face.


    His imagination proved to be too effective as he felt Hugh''s punch in his face. His cheek itched as he remembered Hugh''s punch towards him.


    Even in his imagination, Hugh would win. That free-loading, lazy, obese son of a gun suddenly gained power that was beyond him. That lucky bastard got a free pass in life while Aric was stuck fighting tooth and nail to improve.


    He could not understand why Hugh was the one who got the boost in power. He was working day and night to improve his Desire while Hugh would just eat throughout the day. It was unfair.


    He changed his imagination, and Hugh''s obese self replaced his transformation. This Hugh was weak, and he could easily win against.


    Aric put all of his frustration into beating Hugh up. If he could not beat Hugh''s transformed version, he would beat Hugh''s regular version first until he got stronger.


    His punches got more intensive, and his flame burned hotter, but it was just not giving him the joy he wanted. He could not feel as if he was just taking the easy route by beating the normal Hugh.


    This frustrated him even more as he stopped punching the bag. He panted, exhausted and angry at Hugh. He needed to beat Hugh''s transformed version if he wanted to feel good about himself.


    He looked at the myriad of gym pieces of equipment in his room and found that nothing in here could make him improve at a faster rate. These were not challenging enough; he needed to find something with more risk.


    There was only one solution left, but he hesitated to do it. A picture of his father, Maverick, flashed in his mind. Maverick had an oppressive aura that pressed down on him, making him get chills in his skin.


    His father would be his road to improvement, but he knew it would be a harsh road full of suffering. His hand trembled as he thought about his father, but he steeled himself. He needed to do this.


    Students were not usually allowed to go outside of the school, but with special permission, they could. Aric''s father was a powerful man, and he could get approval for Aric to go out.


    Aric took a bath and went into his room. He kneeled on his floor and reached for something under his bed. After scouring it, he touched a black box that had a seal on the opening.


    Aric looked at the black box and heaved a big sigh. He hesitated for a moment, but when he thought about Hugh''s transformation winning over him, he suddenly got the resolve to open it.


    He put his thumb on the lock, and a blue light shined on his fingerprint. Once his identity was confirmed, the box opened to reveal a phone that laid rest on a black velvet casing.


    This phone was only for emergencies and communication, so Aric called his father''s secretary.


    The phone displayed a holographic sign that said, ''ESME." That was the name of his father''s secretary. He pushed the button and called her.


    Within a second of Aric calling, the phone picked up. Aric put his phone near his ear and spoke.


    "Esme? I''d like to meet Maverick."


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Aric entered his shifting room, and it teleported outside of school and into Maverick''s house. He opened the door, and the wooden walls and ceilings greeted him.


    It was all made of dark oak wood, a favorite of Maverick. Aric remembered that when he was a child, he spilled some of his drink on the wood, and Maverick gave him corporal punishment.


    He was just a kid then, but Maverick was unwilling to forgive the slight disrespect from his own son. One can only imagine what happened once he got older.


    Aric shook his head as he tried to toss away those memories. He had already grown up, and he had outgrown those days.


    After walking in the hallways, he came across the dark door that led his Maverick''s office. He took a deep breath and opened the door with trembling hands.


    "What do you want, Aric?"


    Maverick had not changed a bit. The years did not do a thing to his demeanor and appearance, as if he was immortal. Aric frowned as he met his father again after a long time.


    "Train me."


    His voice cracked under pressure. His father was just as overbearing as he was before, and the hit of nostalgia made him remember the torture he had to endure as a kid.


    Maverick still had his elbows on the table as he was in deep thought. He raised one of his eyebrows to his son''s request. If one looked closely, there was even a slight smile forming on his face.


    "Hoh? As I remember, you declined my teachings when I offered it."


    Maverick slowly stood up from his seat as Aric saw his father''s full figure. Cold sweat poured down Aric''s back as he felt like he had awoken a monster.


    Maverick walked forward towards Aric without a sense of urgency. His face was expressionless, hiding his thoughts behind his deadpan face.


    Aric could not bear to look up at his father''s eyes. He balled up his fists until it trembled and waited for his father''s response.


    *SLAP*

 Chapter 52: Nostalgia

    Aric felt a sharp pain on his cheek. It burned hot as it turned red from the slap and turned Aric''s head to the side. He was not surprised; he was already expecting some kind of physical punishment as soon as he arrived here.


    He looked at the ground, trembling and humiliated by his powerlessness to disobey his own father.


    "Your voice cracked. What did I tell you about weaknesses?"


    Aric did not answer and just looked at the wooden flooring beneath him. He already knew that Maverick was posing a rhetorical question. He would have been punished for insubordination if he answered.


    "We crush them until it disappears."


    Maverick raised his hand as he spoke. He closed it in one big swoop as he finished his sentence, creating a shockwave just from that small action.


    Aric flinched as he felt the shockwave coming towards him. It had been a while since he had been in the presence of his own father, and he had forgotten how strong he was.


    It looked like his father had gotten even stronger these past few years, which made Aric fear him more.


    *SLAP*


    Aric was slapped again by Maverick. This time, the force was too powerful and made Aric tumble away with a cut on his cheek.


    Maverick looked down at his own son with a cold glint. His chin was high up in the air as he spoke with a superior voice.


    "We do not cower around here. We do not flinch in the face of power. I had taught you that when you were a kid, it seemed that it was not enough."


    Aric held his cheek, and fury filled his face. Even though he could not do anything against his father, he could not let himself be tossed around like this. Aric gathered the courage in his heart and looked at Maverick with a fierce stare.


    Aric''s hair started to burst aflame, and the temperature around him rose until steam was produced in the air. His fury was displayed in his reddish fire.


    Maverick looked down at Aric and flashed an imperceptible smile. His thoughts were mysterious, but strangely, there was a flash of joy on his face.


    "You dare fight me, boy?!"


    Aric still had his fierce eyes directed at Maverick. It was unwavering as the pressure around him multiplied until his head was forced down.


    Aric tried his hardest to break the pressure, but it was too overbearing for him. The pressure continued to rise until his body was forced to the ground, and his flame dwindled in the windless room.


    His wild fiery flame became a mere ember in the face of real power. Maverick just stood there as he looked down on Aric with a cold glint.


    Aric panted as the pressure lessened his oxygen intake. His sweat was pouring down the floor, making it too slippery for him to try and stand up.


    This was the kind of power that Aric wanted. He wanted the power that would force others down with just a mere look. He craved for this power, and he would pay for it at any cost, even if he had to learn it from his own father.


    Maverick turned around and walked towards his desk. The pressure around Aric did not lessen one bit as Maverick walked away. Maverick sat on his black leather chair and sat on it with a carefree demeanor.


    He spoke towards Aric, who was still struggling in the ground as he tried to break out of the pressure.


    "Why now? Why do you suddenly want to learn from me?"


    Aric heard the question and was prepared to answer. He tried to lift his head up, but the pressure was too intense. He tried to speak, but the pressure prevented him from accessing his vocal cords.


    Maverick saw Aric struggling, but he did not lessen the pressure on him. Instead, he continued to amp up the tension. It was as if he was deliberately making things hard for Aric just to see him struggle.


    Aric''s whole body was shaking as he gathered all of his strength to open his mouth. He was able to open it, but no voice came out.


    As Aric was struggling to speak, Maverick was looking at the holographic signs on his desk. He configured some of its settings, and he saw the information he wanted to know.


    His eyebrows furrowed as he read the news on his desk. The frown turned into full-on anger as he figured out why Aric came to him.


    Maverick read the pamphlet that Veer had spread throughout the school. It was presumably given by one of his spies inside the school, and it also depicted the events in The Prestige Club.


    Maverick gripped his armchair tight until it burst into splinters. His anger was then transferred onto the pressure that Aric was enduring.


    Aric had been progressing little by little, but once Maverick got angry, his whole face was shoved back into the ground.


    It felt like his head was being squished until it would pop, and his body was starting to lose its blood flow. This was when Aric knew that Maverick was angry.


    "What is this?"


    Maverick spoke with a cold voice. It sent chills down Aric''s spine as he figured out instantly what his father was talking about. He did not think that Maverick would find it so quickly.


    Aric could not answer because his whole body was being pressed down to the floor. Maverick did not care about it as he continued to question Aric.


    "You...you lost?"


    Aric was now in a critical emergency. He knew that his father''s wrath was nothing to scoff about. With his adrenaline pumping, he was able to open his mouth and speak.


    "...I...he..."


    Maverick did not seem to listen to Aric''s excuses as he reread the contents of the pamphlet. It made him angrier and angrier as he looked at it.


    "You what?! There is no excuse for losing!"


    Maverick disappeared from his desk and reappeared right next to Aric. His leg was raised, and in a second, he kicked Aric''s head down.


    *crack*


    Multiple bones in Aric''s head broke and gave him injuries. He could feel the pressure of Maverick''s foot digging into his skull with the attempt to break it.


    Aric could do nothing as he tried hard to endure the pain in his head. He could not last for more than a second until he lost consciousness.


    Maverick noticed this and pushed his leg further towards Aric''s head. Aric was jolted awake from the pain, and he was forced to feel all the sensation of pain in his head.


    His brain would shut down, and Maverick would force it to boot back up. This cycle continued until Aric was close to suffering permanent brain injuries.


    Aric did not suffer permanent brain damage, but he suffered psychological trauma from this encounter. He had already expected this to happen because this had happened before when he was a kid.


    Maverick would always give him corporal punishment until he learned his lesson. It forced him to work on his body and his techniques at a very young age. As Maverick would explain, ''it''s for your own good."


    Losing is not an option. This kind of thinking was engraved onto his brain until it became his nature. He hated Maverick for that, but it did give him the power that he always wanted.


    As Aric got older, he started to rebel against his father and reject his teachings. It was too brutal, and Aric despised his father.


    Aric did not know that Maverick''s teachings would influence all of his actions. He did not know when, but he started to hate all those people who are weak. They just deserved to die for their weakness.


    No one was weaker in Aric''s eyes than Hugh. Hugh would always eat in the classroom and neglect his own physical hygiene.


    Aric was forced to work out at a very early age, so when he saw Hugh taking it easy, it sparked a hatred in him. All Hugh did was eat and study, which would be useless in the real world; the thing most important in the world is power.


    Without power, you would be less than garbage. That was what Maverick had taught him.


    Now, the person that was lazing around and eating all day was stronger than him. He could never let that down. It should have been him who got the power.


    Maverick looked down and saw Aric''s hateful eyes. He knew that Aric hated the guy who had defeated him. He smiled, content to know that his son still had the will to crush his opponents.


    Maverick reached down towards Aric''s neck and twisted it with his own hands.


    *CRACK*

 Chapter 53: Heat

    Aric woke up to a dark place devoid of any light. He tried to move his hands, but some shackles prevented him from escaping.


    He was standing, and his shackles prevented him from falling. Aric tried to break out as he burst out physical power in his arms.


    The sounds of metal clinking reverberated throughout the dark empty room. He knew that it would be useless to try and escape, but he hated being tied down like this.


    He summoned his Desire, and the reddish flame enveloped his whole body. He concentrated all of his fire onto a single point in his wrist as he tried to burn the shackles.


    His fire sizzled, but it did not do anything to the black shackles. It was no ordinary shackle as it seemed that it could withstand Aric''s Desire.


    He struggled in place even though he knew that he would not be able to get out. After a few minutes, he heard the sounds of footsteps coming his way.


    *step* *step* *step*


    The sounds were clear and definite, which gave Aric fear in his heart. He recognized this sound as his father''s footsteps, domineering and overbearing.


    His assumptions were proven to be correct as he felt the pressure around him start to increase. He recognized this pressure, and he knew he could not do anything about it.


    Aric''s head was forced down, and he could only look at the ground. He saw Maverick''s black shoes come towards him with a clam swagger.


    Aric''s hair got pulled up as Maverick raised Aric''s head to meet his eyes. Aric could see the same red cold glint in his father''s eyes. His fire was hot, but all he could feel was coldness as he stared into Maverick''s eyes.


    "You are as weak as ever. I do not remember raising a fragile son!"


    Without any warming, Aric was punched in the face. His head was thrown aside, and his body wanted to follow, but the shackles prevented him.


    Aric could feel his brain shake as he felt whiplash from Maverick''s punch. He remembered the pain his father had inflicted on him when he was a kid, and it did not make it any easier.


    Maverick did not give Aric any time to recover as he punched Aric in the gut. Aric''s breathe was taken away from him as he was forced to spit it out.


    Maverick continued to beat up every single part of Aric''s body. It gave Aric bruises and cuts all over, and blood started to pool underneath him.


    Aric did not know how much time had passed, but he remembered every punch and kick his father had done to him. He was forced to feel every crevice of pain Maverick had inflicted on him, or else he would be beaten up more.


    Aric was like a punching bag as he stood there taking punches from his father. After a while, Maverick seemed to be finally done, but Aric knew he was just getting started.


    "Heal him."


    Maverick spoke in a cold voice towards the door opposite Aric. Out from the darkness, a man in glasses and a white coat appeared in his eyes.


    Aric recognized him to be the family''s physician. His name was Josef, and his job was to ensure the family''s safety and heal them if necessary.


    When he was a kid, Aric would always get a visit from Josef after Maverick''s teaching session. He would feel relief and comfort from Josef''s healing, but it would turn sour once it ended because he knew that Maverick would once again beat him up.


    Josef stepped forwards and took out a large syringe from his pocket. It seemed to have appeared out of nowhere because the syringe was too big for his pockets.


    Josef pricked Aric''s skin with the syringe and injected him with a violet liquid. As soon as the liquid entered his bloodstream, Aric felt an overwhelming sense of relief.


    Aric closed his eyes and savored the ecstasy he felt from the drug, but it disappeared soon after Josef finished his treatment.


    He looked down and saw that his wounds healed at a fast rate, and after a minute, he was as good as new. He could feel vitality flowing in his body, but this made him more miserable.


    As soon as he felt his body''s good health, he heard Maverick''s footsteps ringing inside the room. His heart stopped, and anxiety filled his mind. Maverick''s torture would only ramp up from here.


    Aric panted as he looked up at Maverick. He could see a hideous smile on his face as he spoke.


    "Bring it in."


    This time, a man in a suit came in and hauled in a big tub covered in a protective layer of steel. Aric did not know what was inside the tub, but he could feel that it would inflict pain on him.


    As the tub got closer and closer to Aric, he could feel the heat coming off from the tub. It was dangerously hot, and he was starting to sweat.


    Even with his reddish fire, Aric never felt this kind of heat before. He had resistance to fire since his Desire had fire properties, but it felt like he could not endure the heat coming off the tub.


    Maverick''s hideous smile continued until he opened up the tub for Aric to see. Immediately, yellow light escaped from the tub and illuminated the room.


    Steam came out of the tub, and it rose to the ceiling. The heat that Aric felt before multiplied in intensity. From the tub, he could feel it bubbling on the surface.


    The yellow light hit Maverick''s face from underneath and gave him an even more horrifying smile as he spoke.


    "Come and immerse yourself into this lava pool."


    The lava in the tub was bubbling under the surface, and as it popped, some drops spilled onto the ground. The lava burned the floor and corroded the pavement.


    There was no way that Aric could endure the heat of the lava pool. Aric struggled even harder as he tried to escape from the tub that was coming near him.


    Maverick came near Aric and gripped one of the shackles that were restraining Aric''s hands. With one tug, the bonds were destroyed and pulled out from the wall, leaving Aric free with one hand.


    Maverick held Aric''s wrist and gave him a deathly grip. Aric could feel his wrist bones being crushed, but that was the least of his concerns.


    Maverick pulled Aric''s arm closer to the tub until it was directly on top of it. Aric could feel the steam burning his hands, which made him fear it even more.


    Aric''s hands started to have first-degree burns as he got closer and closer to the lava. He tried his hardest to pull it back, but Maverick''s strength was immovable.


    *TSSSS*


    Aric''s finger submerged into the lava and burned his skin, then his flesh, then his bones, until there was nothing left. Aric could feel an immense amount of pain and could only shout it out.


    "AAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!"


    Aric continued to scream in pain until he felt a grip on his neck, preventing his vocal cords from working. Maverick gripped Aric''s neck and squeezed it, almost suffocating him.


    "We do not scream! That is a weakness that losers show in front of the strong!"


    Maverick continued to push Aric''s hand into the lava until his fingers were nothing more than evaporated liquid. He did hesitate as he pushed Aric''s limits until he was strong enough.


    "Feel that heat? That should be the intensity of your fire, not that puny red ember!"


    Aric''s hands were now submerged into the lave until his palms. The pain that he was feeling now cannot be expressed, and he could not even scream in pain.


    "Remember this lava and make it your own! Do it, or else you will always be weak!!"


    Aric''s fist was now gone. It was only a mere stump as Maverick pulled it out from the lava. The smell of burning flesh did not seem to be bother Maverick.


    Aric passed out from the pain long before Maverick pulled his hand out. His stump was burned away, so there was no blood flowing out.


    "Heal him."


    Josef came back into the room and gave another injection to Aric''s unconscious body. The stump healed at a fast rate and regenerated Aric''s arm in under an hour.


    If Aric were at the first advancement, it would have taken longer. Since his body was still unadvanced, Josef could regenerate any part of his body.


    After a few hours, Aric woke up in the same dark dungeon. His arms were still shackled, and he could not do anything except look at Maverick standing in front of him.


    After a moment, Maverick spoke again to the door.


    "Bring him in."


    A man in ragged clothing came from the door with evident fear in his eyes. His legs buckled, and he tumbled on the floor.


    Maverick looked at Aric''s eyes and pointed in the ragged man''s direction.


    "That is a man without any Desire. He is weak, and has no use of society. Bring me his head."

 Chapter 54: Choice

    Aric looked at his father''s eyes, looking for a hint of jest, but all he saw was seriousness. He looked at the man crouching on the floor with no protection for himself.


    Aric hated his father down to his very core. He had regretted ever asking for his help to improve his strength as it only gave him endless suffering.


    Aric could not take it anymore and snapped. He never wanted to do anything with Maverick ever again, and he would surely never agree to his request.


    "No."


    He did not feel sorry for the ragged man, nor did he hesitate on killing him. He just did not want to obey his father''s orders even if Maverick killed him. Enough was enough.


    Aric''s eyes had a fiery red glare that pierced towards Maverick. This was disrespect and disobedience on Aric''s part, which drew his father''s ire.


    "What?"


    Maverick''s slight smile disappeared as he questioned Aric''s answer. The temperature in the room seemed to have dropped below zero as tension was up in the air.


    Maverick''s eyes were wide open as he looked at Aric. He could not believe what Aric had just said. ''No'' was not in his vocabulary; if he ordered something, it would happen no matter what.


    "You dare disrespect me? ME?!"


    Maverick''s body disappeared and reappeared next to the ragged man. The scruffy man was in a fetal position as he recoiled from Maverick''s oppressing aura. One could see a pool of yellow liquid forming in his pants.


    "You have grown weak. You show mercy to the weak, and it has rubbed off on you."


    Maverick picked up the ragged man and threw him towards Aric. The scruffy man''s body collided with Aric and slid down the ground.


    Maverick disappeared again and reappeared next to Aric and the rugged man. He picked up the rugged man''s arm and spoke towards Aric.


    "Choose, your arm or his?"


    Aric did not answer. He wanted nothing to do with his father, and answering Maverick would mean that he was afraid. He looked at Maverick straight in the eye and spat on the ground.


    Maverick did not hesitate as he grabbed Aric''s arm and twisted it until it came off. Aric''s face contorted in pain, but he did not let put a peep. He had suffered worse pain than this, and his resolve did not want to show weakness towards Maverick.


    Aric''s left arm was now gone, and his shoulder was now spurting out blood. Aric did not care as he activated his Desire and burned off the flesh to stop the bleeding.


    He did not break his eye contact with Maverick as he showed his resolve to defy him. Maverick had a cold glint as he raised Aric''s severed arm and swung it down towards the rugged man.


    In an instant, the rugged man''s left arm separated from his body and slid down the ground. The rugged man was in a state of shock as he saw blood spurting out of his body and staining his own face.


    After a moment, the man realized what had happened, and the pain kicked in. The man held his bleeding stump and wailed with a high pitched scream.


    "AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!"


    The man was flailing around the ground while swimming in a pool of his own blood underneath him. Underneath the high-pitched scream, Maverick looked towards Aric and spoke.


    "Your head, or his?"


    Aric could tell that his father was serious. He had done things that would signify that he had the courage to go through his words. He had never said something and took it back.


    Even after knowing this, Aric did not falter. He looked at his father and spoke.


    "Go to hell, bastard."


    Aric blinked, and his father disappeared. He saw a hand coming for his neck with such speeds that would cleve it without any problem. His eyesight went dark as he saw the world tumble.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Hugh was running away for his life in the dark night. His transformation had just ended, so he had no power at all. His muscles were deflated, and his body was only skin and bones.


    He had killed Joub and crushed his heart. His hunger made his mind hazy and made his actions unpredictable.


    He did not hesitate as he carved into Joub''s chest, not even thinking about the consequences it could bring. He remembered the robotic voice that witnessed him in the act, and he ran even harder.


    He put all of his thoughts aside as he focused on running towards the shifting room to go back to his house. His stomach was burning in hunger, and it seemed like it was eating itself.


    As he ran, all he could think about was food. The pavement underneath him seemed even tastier as he ran across it. The nagging pain of his bones corroding did not help his urge to eat anything.


    He had no physical power, so his speed was abysmal. The shifting room was still a few blocks away from where he was, but it seemed like he was not going to make it in time.


    His strength was fading away from him and his knees buckled under the pressure. He was stumbling his way towards the shifting room, but he fell to the ground.


    He had no energy even to crawl his way there. He was starting to feel sleepy as he closed his eyes. He did not know how dangerous it would be for him if he slept at this rate.


    As his head was on the ground, he smelled the pavement of the road. It was rocky, and the powdery texture was felt on his cheeks. He suddenly felt the energy to taste the pavement below.


    He opened his dry lips and licked the pavement below, tasing the powdery exterior. It gave him a whole new flavor that he craved.


    He seemed to have regained enough strength to scoop some of the pavement off the ground and put it in his mouth. It was like a refreshing taste of ice cream on a hot summer day.


    There were some pieces of pebbles on the ground that he ate without chewing. With this pavement as fuel, he finally regained his strength, but he still had a crazed look on his face.


    Hugh''s sanity still had not been regained as he looked for more food for his body. He had recovered a little bit of strength, but his body quickly used it up. He needed something more substantial.


    *clink-clank*


    Hugh suddenly heard metals banging on metals from a distance. He turned around and saw a woman that had stopped in her tracks and was looking in his direction.


    If Hugh were conscious, he would have recognized her immediately; she was Serena, the queen bee of class A. Hugh''s crazed state was not looking at Serena''s face but the shiny jewelry that made the noise.


    Serena still had her wavy blond hair down as she had just come from The Prestige club. She was not wearing the fancy dress she wore in the club but was wearing the school uniform.


    Even with the plain uniform, she still looked beautiful under the moonlight. Her minimal makeup complimented her naturally attractive look.


    She stood there, confused at what she had just witnessed. She saw Hugh licking the pavement like some madman, and she was disgusted by it.


    "Who are you? What are you doing?"


    She did not step back as she confronted Hugh. It seemed that she did not recognize Hugh because Hugh was not fat in this state; he was just skin and bones.


    She had never even memorized Hugh''s face and only recognized his obese body. She did not correlate the man in front of her to Hugh.


    Without any warning, Serena saw Hugh pounce towards her. She frowned at the thought of the guy who licks the street, touching her. She gracefully dodged out of the way.


    Hugh was like a crazed animal as he only had tunnel vision for the jewelry on her body. Her earrings were dangling in the air and shining under the moonlight, making him crave for it.


    Hugh''s moves were wild and untamed, so it was easy to dodge, but it held a tremendous amount of power. She could feel the shockwaves in the air as she eluded his attacks.


    She was surprised that the man that licked the pavement was hiding this much power. She put on a serious look and carefully dodged out of the way.


    Hugh''s hunger was starting to burn his stomach yet again. His movements became more and more crazed while Hugh pounced on her.


    Serena dodged out of the way, but Hugh changed his direction in the last second. As a last resort, Hugh put all of his energy into activating his armor on his leg to produce a burst of power.


    At this rate, Serena would be hit.

 Chapter 55: Jewelry

    Serena furrowed her eyebrows as she saw the fist coming to her face. She did not think that she would be forced to use her Desire, but she had no choice.


    Pink smoke came out of her body and rotated around her. Hugh could smell a sweet scent coming from the pink smoke around her.


    The pink smoke enveloped Serena''s body and got reabsorbed back into her body. Her eyes suddenly had a pink glow that exuded a powerful aura.


    Just as Hugh''s fist was about to come for her head, she dodged out of the way without a problem. It looked like her body moved on her own to avoid Hugh''s attack.


    She frowned at Hugh and decided to counterattack. She did not want to fight because it would crease her uniform, but she could not forgive this indignation.


    Serena did not wait for Hugh''s attack as she kicked towards his body before recovering his positioning. Her pink smoke revolved around her leg as she kicked it towards Hugh.


    Hugh''s instincts were now in control of his body. His eyes were still focused around the jewelry dangling around her neck as if seducing him to come after it.


    Hugh''s body dodged in an awkward position, and if he were conscious, he would not have been able to avoid the attack.


    From Hugh''s instincts, he knew that he was able to dodge Serena''s attack successfully. He was thrown back when he felt a sharp pain in his gut.


    Hugh looked down and saw a shoe print on his uniform. It hurt a lot more than ordinary shoes because she was wearing high-heels.


    Hugh held his stomach as he looked at her with a confused face. He did not understand what had happened, but if Hugh were sane, he would have known what happened.


    Serena was now limping on one foot because one of her legs was longer than the other. Serena had a prideful face as she looked at Hugh and the damage she had inflicted onto him.


    After a second, the pink smoke came out of her leg, and the leg shrunk back to its standard size. It seemed that it was one of Serena''s powers in her Desire.


    Hugh had an angry face as his stomach continued to burn in hunger. He was getting more agitated the more he saw the bright and colorful jewelry on her neck. He knew that if he ate it, it would taste heavenly and bring him so much joy.


    Hugh pounced on her again as if he had not learned his lesson. Serena frowned as she saw Hugh with renewed energy that seemed to come out of nowhere.


    She produced her pink smoke again, and this time, it got reabsorbed back into her eyes. She could now see the world in slow motion, and Hugh was as slow as an average person.


    She would not have trouble dodging Hugh''s attack, and that gave her confidence in defeating him.


    Hugh activated his Desire on his arm and created a claw that attacked Serena''s neck. She saw his attack and thought that he was coming for her head, so she prepared to dodge and counter attack.


    She moved her head sideways and performed an uppercut towards Hugh''s chin. She had reacted fast, and she knew that her attack would reach his head first.


    She thought that Hugh was sane, and Hugh would try to dodge away from her uppercut. Her eyebrows furrowed as she saw him continue to pounce on her, but she thought nothing of it and continued her attack.


    Her fist hit Hugh''s chin, but she felt a hard surface resist her attack. She looked and saw Hugh''s silver and brown armor on his chin.


    Hugh''s head was only thrown a few inches upward, but his eyes were still focused on one thing. Serena had lowered her guard as she thought that Hugh would dodge her uppercut, so she was unprepared for Hugh''s attack.


    Hugh''s claw-like hands came after her neck. She thought she would get seriously injured, so she closed her eyes and gathered her pink smoke around her neck.


    After a second, she did not feel any pain, so she opened her eyes. She caressed her neck and found no cuts on it. She continued to feel around her neck when she noticed something; she lost her pieces of jewelry.


    She had a confused face as she looked at Hugh, who had her pieces of jewelry in his hands. She could see that greed in his eyes, and she thought that he would sell those pieces of jewelry for a lot of money. The next thing Hugh did shocked her to her core.


    She saw Hugh put the pieces of jewelry in his mouth and crunch on it like it was candy. She put her hands around her mouth as she gasped.


    Hugh felt like he was in heaven as he the savory flavor of the gems inside her necklace. Each of the gems had a different taste that gave him a different experience.


    The green gem gave him a refreshing feeling, the red gem gave him a spicy sense, and the yellow gem gave him a warm and juicy consistency.


    He was too caught up in the gem''s deliciousness as he did not see Serena''s disgust towards him.


    "You...you...YOU!"


    Her scream was like a bucket of cold water that was splashed on Hugh''s face. With the gem''s nutrients, Hugh was able to gain back his sanity.


    He stopped eating the gems like a robber caught in the act. He formed an awkward smile that still had shards of gems on his mouth to appease her anger.


    "That''s my JEWELRY!!!"


    Her anger seemed to have agitated her pink smoke as it created a tornado around her body. Hugh felt her aura, and he wanted to run away.


    Hugh''s body was still skin and bones, and he had no power to fight her again. He needed to get to the shifting room and go back to his house.


    Hugh ran away from her with all of his strength, stumbling his few steps. He was only a few meters away from the shifting room, but he could feel her closing in on him.


    "That''s the only necklace that matches my dresses! Come back here!!!"


    Hugh ignored her as he opened the door to the shifting room and closed it before she could get in. The door closed behind Serena, and she could only knock on the door with anger.


    *BANG* *BANG* *BANG*


    Serena pounded on the door with her arms that were modified by her Desire. Even though she put all of her strength into knocking, the shifting room entrance did not budge.


    Hugh slid down the door and panted as he heard Serena''s muffled shoutings. He heaved a big sigh of relief as he found out that Serena could not follow him in.


    It was a close call, and he did not know what would happen to him if Serena caught him. Her brutish strength that contrasted her graceful demeanor gave him chills in the neck.


    Serena could only stomp her foot in anger as Hugh did not answer her. She touched her neck, the place where her pieces of jewelry should have been.


    Hugh immediately got up and navigated the shifting room towards his house. As soon as he stepped foot in the velvet flooring of his house, he rushed towards the hallways and kitchen.


    He ordered all kinds of food to return his body to his obese state. Plates piled up beside his refrigerator as he laid on his back in exhaustion.


    His heart could have burst due to the anxiety that he felt during those stressful times. He had been caught killing inside the campus, and now, Serena may have also found out about his secret.


    He had promised himself he would be low-key, but he was always forced into the spotlight.


    The situation that happened tonight only served to remind him that he needed to improve his armor. He could have won against Joub if he had a longer time with his armor.


    In the end, he was not able to ask permission from the Student Council about an excursion to the school dungeons.


    He planned to do it tomorrow because he was now beyond tired. He walked back up to his room and plopped down on the bed. Within a few seconds of closing his eyes, he went to sleep.


    The morning came, and it was another day at Wolrath academy. Hugh opened his eyes and the problems of yesterday immediately soured this excellent morning.


    He was already anxious in the morning, and now he had another thing to be worried about. There was a notification in his daily mission.


    ++++++++++++++


    DAILY MISSIONS:


    Eat 10 types of gems (0/10)


    Eat 10 types of rocks (0/10)


    Eat 30,000 kcal (0/30,000)


    ++++++++++++++

 Chapter 56: Story

    Hugh looked at his daily missions and sighed. As of right now, he did not have sufficient money to buy any gems or any rocks that would satisfy his daily missions.


    This was just another problem that he had to deal with. He still had to deal with Joub''s death and how it could be traced back to him.


    There was also Serena and Jane, who saw him doing weird things. He could explain to Jane that it was just part of his Desire, but he would have trouble explaining what Serena saw.


    Hugh was just holding on to the hope that she did not recognize him because he was just skin and bones when she saw him. Even though that had a low probability of happening, it was his only hope to deal with the problem.


    Remembering back to the anger in her eyes, Hugh was sure that Serena would hunt him down. He did not want to go to class and deal with those problems, but it would seem weirder if he were absent.


    If he were there to lie and explain what happened, he could get himself out of trouble. If he did not show up, he would be labeled guilty of whatever they had assumed of him.


    Hugh took one big breath and took a shower. He took a long shower as he tried to procrastinate going to school.


    After preparing his things, he walked back down the stairs and went to the kitchen. He wanted to finish one of the daily missions for today.


    As he stepped foot onto the hallway with lockers, he remembered something. It made him stop in his tracks, and cold sweat poured down his back.


    In the midst of him committing murder, he forgot that Veer had commissioned a witch hunt for him. The prize for discovering his hidden power was 1,000,000 points, which would tempt anybody in the room.


    This meant that all kinds of eyes were directed at him with malicious thoughts. He was definitely not safe, and he would have to keep an eye out for every second that he was outside.


    If he had remembered this before going to school, he would have stayed at his house and let the heat pass. He would wait for a few days until the excitement died down, and hopefully, they would forget about him since youth''s attention span was abysmal.


    It was too late to turn back now as he was already at school. His only solace was that he would be safe inside the classroom whenever professor Kain was around.


    The professor would stop anyone that would attack Hugh if it happened right in front of his eyes since it was his job as a teacher to do so.


    Hugh took another big breath as he stepped forward and slid the door to class A''s room.


    The murmurs stopped as soon as the door slid away and revealed Hugh''s obese figure. They tried to hide the fact that they were looking at him, but he could feel their piercing glares.


    Hugh ignored them and walked towards his seat. Once seated, he was a little bit comforted by the fact that his classmates had not yet attacked him.


    He looked around, and the cliques were once again gathered around their groups.


    The boys were standing near the blackboard as they talked with each other. Hugh noticed that they were missing their Alpha male, Aric.


    Hugh still remembered how Aric beat him up, and he wanted to take revenge some other time once he got stronger. It was weird that Aric was not there to flaunt his strength to Hugh and bully him.


    Her girl friends surrounded Serena like always. Hugh looked around her neck and found a lack of jewelry. Hugh was sorry that Serena got involved in his crazed state, and he even ate her pieces of jewelry.


    She noticed Hugh looking at her, so she turned her head towards him. Hugh immediately took back his stare as he pretended to study with his tablet.


    Serena stopped talking as well as her friends, which made Hugh anxious. He was afraid that Serena recognized his face, and now she was going to confront him.


    After a few seconds, Hugh did not feel any movements from her, and they continued to chat. Hugh heaved a big sigh of relief until he heard some of their conversations.


    "Hear this! I met some crazed maniac when I was walking down the street. He was licking the pavement; how disgusting is that!"


    The girls around Serena gasped and contorted their faces full of makeup to show their disgust. They consoled Serena for witnessing such a disgusting act until she continued her story.


    "Not only that, but he also attacked me like a wild animal! Thankfully, he was weak, so I was able to brush him off."


    Serena had a look of superiority as she narrated what had happened the previous night. The girls were awed at her bravery and strength for confronting such a maniac.


    Hugh buried his head in the desk as he felt ashamed. He looked like a crazed maniac eating the pavement. He could not even defend himself because that would give away his identity.


    "The crazed man then performed an underhanded technique that caught me off guard. Thankfully, he was only able to grab my jewelry."


    Serena had been telling the truth before, but now, she was twisting the incident to her favor. Hugh never did an underhanded technique, but she lied and painted him as such.


    Hugh also remembered that she flinched away as he attacked her neck. He could have severely injured her, but he only took her jewelry. She was trying to pass it off as part of her plan.


    "You would not believe what happened next! He ate the necklace that he stole from me!!!"


    The girls around her were beyond shocked. They all had their jaws on the ground as they looked at Serena. Hugh thought they were amazed at how someone could eat the necklace, but their words amazed him.


    "How could he?!"


    "Such a shame! It fit your dress so much! What are you going to wear then?"


    "This is a crime against humanity!!!"


    When Hugh heard their concerns, the only thing he could do was put his hand in his face as he shook it. They were concerned about her jewelry, not the man who ate it.


    Unbeknownst to Hugh, someone was also listening to Serena''s story. Jane was sitting on the opposite side of the classroom, but she could hear Serena''s loud voice.


    When Serena mentioned the man eating the jewelry, someone came into Jane''s mind. She immediately stole a glance at Hugh while she had mysterious thoughts.


    "Right, that''s what I said! The man was as thin a stick, and he looked very malnourished, so I let him eat the jewelry. I let him get away as I gave my jewelry as a charity."


    The girls around Serena clapped in amazement at her selflessness. They thought that Serena was merciful, but in truth, Hugh was able to get away from Serena when she tried to catch him.


    Serena finished her story and was praised all around. She was able to turn the story around in her favor to have a better social standing.


    Hugh did not listen anymore as he put his head down in relief. It looked like Serena did not recognize him because he was not obese at the time. This was one problem solved, but he still had other things to worry about.


    He heard the door slide, and Dempsy entered the room. There were girls in Serena''s group that immediately stopped talking and murmured in his direction.


    They were enthralled at the swagger of his walk, giving him rebel vibes. They felt that Dempsy was the bad boy type, and some of them fell for him straight away.


    Dempsy did not care about the girls'' stare as he pulled the chair underneath the desk and sat right next to Hugh. Hugh frowned as he saw Dempsy sit right next to him.


    Dempsy had always challenged him whenever possible, and Hugh did not want that right now. He already had a lot to deal with, and he did not want to deal with a muscle-head.


    Thankfully, before Dempsy could speak, the door opened, and professor Kain entered the room. Everyone stopped what they were doing and went back to their seats.


    After seeing his students in order, professor Kain crossed his arms and spoke towards the door.


    "Come in."


    The door opened to reveal a student in regular uniform, except he had an armband on his bicep that displayed ''Student Council.''


    This student was a member of the Student Council, and he was a Council Hand, which was evident by the black glove on his hands. They were the Student Council''s foot soldiers, and a council member appearing here was not a good sign.


    Hugh''s heart stopped as he got a bad feeling. His nightmares seemed to come true as he heard the Student Council member speak.


    "We request Hugh to come to the Student Council Headquarters."

 Chapter 57: Coffee

    The Student Council member had his eyes straight towards Hugh as he spoke. His voice was not loud, but the armband around his bicep amplified his presence.


    Everyone looked towards Hugh as they heard the declaration. It was not long until they started to whisper around each other regarding their guesses as to why the Student Council wanted Hugh to be restrained.


    "Woah, Woah, what happened?"


    "Is it because of the incident back at The Prestige Club? Are they going to punish him for conspiring with Veer?"


    "What? Did you guys not hear about what happened outside the Central Area?"


    "What happened?"


    "They found a dead body! The Student Council started their investigation last night."


    "Yeah, and I heard something interesting too. Don''t tell anyone about this, or else it will come back to me, but they said that Hugh had something to do about the dead body."


    "What?!?!"


    "Wasn''t the dead student a second-year? How did Hugh kill him?"


    "If that''s true, then is Veer''s words also true? Does Hugh really have a hidden power?"


    "I don''t think that''s true. I heard that the student committed suicide. There''s no way that the F-level talent Hugh could defeat a second-year."


    With all these speculations going around, the Student Council member had a frown on his face.


    "Tsk."


    He did not like what they were talking about. The Student Council''s reputation was being tarnished by the mysterious reporter called Veer. If the students started to believe Veer''s words, the Student Council''s control over the students would lessen.


    Hugh''s heart was beating as fast as possible when he heard the Student Council member''s words. He did not know why they were summoning him, but he could only guess that they talked about Joub''s dead body.


    His mind was in double overtime as he tried to think of a solution to this predicament. If he went to their headquarters and he was found guilty, he would have nowhere to run.


    If he were to resist and run away right now, he would be immediately found guilty without any questions. He would have to leave the school and hide out in the wild.


    He did not even know if that would be possible because they probably had the power to scour the entire world for him. The only possible way he could survive at that point was to leave the world, but he had no way to do that.


    The guy that had a mask on that night must have tattled on to the Student Council. He had to think about the right answer, or else it could lead to his doom.


    Hugh took a big breath and stood up from his chair. He decided to go to the headquarters because he could still defend himself.


    He would just have to hold on to the hope that they did not have evidence against him.


    His footsteps echoed in the classroom as the students were silent. They watched him with curiosity in their eyes. Hugh walked towards the Student Council member and stopped when he was in front of him.


    "Let''s go. We have a lot of questions for you."


    With that, the Student Council member took out handcuffs from his back pocket and put them on Hugh''s hands. He was now restrained using a unique material that has resistance against Desires.


    There was now no turning back. He would have to go through with this because he had no way to escape now. He would have to double down on his lies to try and convince them of his innocence.


    The students'' eyes were still glued onto Hugh, and some gasped as they saw him being restrained. Some assumed that this was a confession of guilt.


    Hugh and the Student Council member walked towards the shifting room with silence above their heads. Hugh was sweating from his anxiousness, but his eyes were as clear as day.


    If worse comes to worst, he would have to fight his way out; that was the only way he would survive.


    They stepped onto the shifting room full of mirrors, and the Student Council member navigated the room towards their headquarters.


    Once they stepped out, the hexagram shaped building that was colored black and white immediately entered Hugh''s eyes. It was still intimidating as ever with its windowless floors. It was more like a prison than a building for the Student Council.


    The Student Council member dragged Hugh''s handcuffs towards the entrance. There were still two students guarding the gate, and they opened the door once they saw Hugh being pulled by one of their members.


    As Hugh stepped inside, the grayish interior greeted his eyes. There were students on the inside sitting on their desks full of holographic signs. They all wore the school uniform, but they had an armband on their biceps.


    Hugh took a peek as to what the students were doing, and he saw various students'' information in full view. It had a tremendous amount of details about a student, including their history.


    There were also security cameras inside the classrooms to monitor the classes all over the school. Hugh now realized the power and the control of the Student Council had over everyone in the school.


    Then, he thought about the night where he killed Joub. Was there a security camera that caught all of his actions? This thought gave Hugh deep anxiety as he regretted ever coming inside their headquarters.


    He looked at more screens to determine if the Student Council had more information about him, but before he could, the Student Council member tugged on him to follow along.


    Hugh calmed himself down. If they had known he was guilty from the start, they would not have taken him for questioning. They would have enacted their powers, expelled him from the school, and gave him to the CDA.


    The best thing for him to do now was to relax and try his best to present a poker face. They would probably pressure him to tell the truth, but if he stayed quiet, he would not get caught.


    The Student Council member led him towards a room without any windows. It had a boring gray painted wall and just a small table with two chairs.


    Hugh was forced to sit on one of the chairs and wait for somebody to come through the door. Hugh could not help but sweat and wait for the person that would interrogate him.


    The only Student Council officer that he had met was Felix, the Vice President. He did not want to be interrogated by that man since he was creeped out by his thin smile and narrow eyes.


    As Hugh was in deep thought, the door opened and jolted Hugh out of his stupor. The man that walked into the door was not Felix, which gave Hugh relief.


    The man that came in was a Student Council officer that had short black hair and had a stubble beard. He looked older than his actual age, but Hugh was sure that he was only a second-year student.


    The man started to unbutton his uniform and took it off completely. He put in on the chair as he sat down opposite Hugh.


    Hugh felt the pressure emanating from the guy, and it was sharp. It felt like a prickling pain on his skin if he looked at the guy for too long.


    The man coughed to clear up his throat and spoke to Hugh.


    "I''m Ace, and I''m the Committee Chair for the Student Council. Basically, I am in charge of the Student Council Hands."


    Ace had a deep voice that matched his mature look. If Hugh were to compare Ace''s rank in the Student Council, he would be a general.


    Ace was the general while he commanded the Student Council hands, which were the foot soldiers.


    Ace''s demeanor leaked his confidence and his strength, which was fitting for his rank. Hugh could feel an intimidating pressure from Ace, but he did not show it in his face; he needed to remain calm.


    Ace had a carefree sitting position as if he could sit there for hours at a time. Ace finally looked at Hugh''s eyes and gave him a fierce glare.


    Hugh did not flinch, nor did he cringe away. He reciprocated the fierce glare as he tried not to be the first one who broke the staring contest.


    After a few seconds of the silent competition, Hugh was starting to lose focus. He could not take it anymore and was about to look away when Ace closed his eyes.


    Ace then put on a carefree face as he spoke towards Hugh with a relatively soft voice.


    "I''m thirsty for some coffee. Do you want some?"

 Chapter 58: Questions

    The sudden gesture made Hugh surprised. He was busy thinking about his lie when Ace asked him if he wanted coffee. It was not appropriate for the tension in the air.


    "No thanks."


    Hugh shook his head and rejected the offer. He had heard bad things about the Student Council, and he was not sure if they would put some weird concoction in his coffee.


    He does not trust the carefree demeanor of Ace. It must have been a ruse to get him to relax and be more prone to telling the truth.


    Ace stood up from his chair and went out the door. Hugh was once again alone in the room devoid of any color and life. Hugh tapped his fingers on the table as he waited for a few minutes until Ace came back with a cup of coffee in his hand.


    Ace sat down on his chair and took a sip of the coffee that was still giving off steam. He seemed to enjoy the strong taste and aroma of black coffee.


    "Hmmm... that''s good. Are you sure you don''t want anything?"


    Hugh did not answer and just sat straight in his chair. He did not give off any indication that he was nervous, or else they would be less likely to believe his lies.


    "Okay...your loss."


    Ace put down his cup of coffee on the table and took out a tablet from his pockets. He scrolled through the holographic contents until he found what he was looking for.


    "So...Hugh...is that your name?"


    Ace asked a simple question, yet it made Hugh nervous. They already knew his identity, yet Ace still asked about his name. Each second that time passed, Hugh started to get more and more impatient.


    It was only when he noticed that he was tapping his foot on the floor that he noticed his own impatience. He stopped and shook his head. He needed to relax and not let the pressure from Ace disturb him.


    "Yes. That is my name."


    Ace looked at Hugh longer than a second, seemingly surprised about something. His stare did not last long as he looked at his tablet again.


    "Hugh from class A with F-level talent. How has school been going for you?"


    Hugh did not know why Ace was asking him these types of questions, but he answered him with resolve in his eyes.


    "It''s fine."


    Ace looked at Hugh again with a bit of visible doubt in his eyes. He asked a follow-up question.


    "Are you sure? An F-level talent like you would definitely get some bad looks coming your way."


    Hugh furrowed his eyebrows and continued to answer Ace.


    "It''s fine. It was all a little bit of banter."


    He did not want to say that he was bullied because that would give Ace more information about him. Ace could twist his words and use the excuse that he killed Joub as a way of retribution from bullying.


    Hugh needed to paint a picture of a typical student that was not getting into any trouble.


    Ace looked at his tablet again and scrolled through it. It was not long until he asked another question.


    "So your fights with Aric was not due to grudges?"


    Hugh guessed that Ace had a lot of information about him during classes. It seemed like Ace was trying to guide his words towards a direction, so Hugh had to lie not to get caught up in Ace''s momentum.


    "No. It was just a friendly spar."


    Ace continued to look at the tablet in his hands. He looked at Hugh with a sharp eye and asked another question.


    "Do you know about an individual named Veer?"


    The question made Hugh''s heart skip a beat. He did not know who Veer was, but it seemed like Veer was targeting him. He had heard rumors that he and Veer were colluding with each other, which was not true.


    Seeing that Ace asked about Veer, Hugh guessed that they wanted to know Veer''s identity. It also seemed like they hated Veer for spreading information without their permission.


    "I recall my classmates talking about Veer, but I do not know Veer."


    Ace continued to browse his tablet as if he was not listening to Hugh''s answer.


    "You claim not to know Veer, but it seemed that Veer knows about you. All of Veer''s pamphlets have you as the subject."


    Hugh genuinely did not know how to respond to that. He also wanted to know why Veer was targeting him and if Veer really knew about his transformation. He did not have to lie to Ace as he said his answer.


    "I do not know why Veer seemed to care about me, nor do I care about it."


    Ace took a sip of his coffee as Hugh answered. He seemed to be relaxed with his questions even though every question of his had a hidden meaning.


    "You are a very valuable guy, do you know that? You are worth 1,000,000 points, according to Veer."


    Ace seemed to praise Hugh, but Hugh knew that Ace was just sarcastic. That was also one of Hugh''s problem with Veer; he could not let his guard down, or else somebody would attack him from the back.


    "That is probably a joke. I would also turn myself in for 1,000,000 points, but I do not have a hidden power."


    Hugh answered back in a joking manner as he shrugged his shoulders. It truly seemed like Hugh would cash in on the million points if he could. Even Hugh was surprised by his own acting ability.


    Ace let out a soft pity chuckle as the tension in the room was lifted for just a second. Then, Ace continued with the interrogation.


    "Were you surprised when you saw this bounty at The Prestige Club?"


    Hugh immediately knew the real question that was being asked. Ace did not want to know if Hugh was surprised. Instead, he wanted Hugh to confirm that he was in the club that night.


    Hugh could not lie because it would get quickly found out. There were multiple eyewitnesses at the club that observed him during all of the events, so he could not deny it.


    "Yeah, but who wouldn''t? I was surprised that I was even worth that much."


    Ace then put on a curious face as he put his chin on his hand and leaned in towards Hugh. It was as if Ace was genuinely interested in what Hugh had to say.


    "Wow, I would too. Then, what did you do with all those greedy eyes looking at you like you were a prize?"


    Hugh did not fall for Ace''s act. He knew that Ace just wanted to know what happened to Hugh that led to the chasing scene.


    "I ran away. I did not want to get caught up in a stampede."


    Ace nodded to himself as he listened to Hugh talk. He then asked more questions like he was an engaged listener.


    "How were you able to escape? Multiple people were coming after you."


    Hugh did not have to lie as he answered Ace''s question. He only had to say what truly happened to seem like he was believable.


    "I ran away from the Central Area. I wore my uniform, so I was able to get out. The people chasing me wore casual clothes, so they could not get out of the Central Area."


    Ace raised his eyebrows as if he was surprised at Hugh''s brilliant move. He seemed like he was impressed, but Hugh knew Ace was only pandering to him.


    "Were you followed outside?"


    Hugh was now starting to feel the pressure. Ace was getting closer and closer to asking the real question that he wanted to ask. Hugh had to pick his words carefully.


    "I do not think so."


    Ace furrowed his eyebrows as if he was doubtful of Hugh''s words. This made Hugh anxious, but he kept his wits.


    "Are you sure? There were multiple accounts that somebody was able to follow you outside."


    Hugh gulped as he tried to think about the right answer to get him out of this situation. With resolve in his eyes, he answered.


    "Hmm..maybe I did meet someone. I don''t remember; I was drunk."


    Ace squinted his eyes and laid back on his chair. He put his hands on his head and spoke to Hugh.


    "Yeah, you must have met Joub."


    Ace had a carefree expression, but Hugh knew he had a careful eye on him.


    "Maybe. I just went home as fast as I can."


    Then, Ace took a sip and stood up from his chair. He put his hands on the table and leaned towards Hugh.


    "Did you not remember killing him?"

 Chapter 59: Lies

    As soon as Ace said those words, the pressure towards Hugh seemed to have multiplied. Hugh could feel a prickling feeling on his skin, and he was trying his hardest not to crack under pressure.


    The pressure did not just come from Ace, but also the room itself. Hugh''s vision started to blur and made it seem like the walls were becoming closer and enclosing him on the four walls.


    Hugh steeled himself and balled his fist until his nails dug on his palm. His fist trembled until he cut his own skin, flowing out a small bit of blood.


    This pain allowed Hugh to ground himself and focus on keeping his wits by himself. He knew that Ace was starting to pressure him to tell the truth, but he would never relent.


    "I did not kill him."


    Hugh''s eyes were clear, and it fought back against Ace''s sharp eyes. He was showing his resolve not to crack under pressure.


    Ace furrowed his eyebrows as he saw Hugh resist the pressure weighing down on him. Most of the students that were forced to go through this pressure relented their secrets in no time.


    Most of the delinquents were B-level talent and above, so it was weird that the F-level talent Hugh was able to keep his composure.


    "You killed him when he went after you! Tell me the truth! *BANG*."


    Ace raised his voice into a shout as he punched the table to try and intimidate Hugh. Ace looked at Hugh and did not see him flinch nor break his gaze. He knew that he would not be able to crack Hugh with this kind of technique.


    Ace decided to change his tactics in making Hugh confess his crimes. He sat down and released the pressure on Hugh. He unbuttoned his collar as if he was now taking it easy.


    Hugh panted and took a big breath as he felt the pressure release. His body was sweating, yet his face showed no fluster nor any indication of fear. He was going to double down on his lie to try and get out of the situation.


    Ace put both of his elbows on the table and leaned towards Hugh. He now had a disarming voice that seemed like he wanted to help Hugh.


    "Hugh, let me help you. Tell me you killed Joub, and we will let you off easy. We value honesty, and we will reward those who give us that respect."


    Ace had an earnest smile as if he was starting to pity Hugh. If Hugh had his guard down, he might have fallen for that false sense of security.


    He knew that he should not trust the Student Council because he had heard bad things about them. He was already deep in this hole of lies so that he would go through it to the end.


    "I. Did. Not. Kill. Him."


    Hugh enunciated each word as he tried to convince Ace of his innocence. His voice was clear and full of resolve.


    "Do not play with me, Hugh. If you do not help us, we cannot help you. Murder is an offense that will warrant the CDA to interfere. If you do not have our help, they will send you to hell."


    Ace had a fierce face as he tried to warn Hugh of the outcomes of his crimes. Ace was trying to paint a picture of a better result if Hugh relied on the Student Council.


    Hugh was not afraid of being found guilty of murder. The CDA already wanted him just by the nature of his Desire.


    With Ace''s attempt to make Hugh confess, Hugh gathered that they do not have sufficient evidence to convict him. They would have already sent him to the CDA if they had enough evidence, so all Hugh had to do was deny everything they said.


    With this confidence, Hugh was able to stay strong in his lies and not let Ace persuade his decision. Hugh just stayed silent and did not respond to Ace.


    Ace stood up and made his chair squeak from the floor. He crossed his arms and looked at Hugh with furrowed eyebrows. Ace figured out that Any of his techniques would not work on Hugh.


    Ace took a big breath and took his uniform back from the chair. He opened the door and went outside, leaving Hugh all to himself.


    Ace walked towards the next room and opened the door. Inside, he could see his fellow Student Council members fiercely discussing with each other.


    They were all looking towards the wall to their right, and they could see Hugh sitting quietly. This was where they observed their detainees when it was time for the interrogation.


    Ace ignored the Student Council members arguing and went directly to a man sitting in a luxurious chair in the middle of the room. This man had a distinct thin smile and thin eyes, and Ace recognized him immediately.


    "Felix, I could not crack him."


    Felix had his elbow on the arm of the chair, and his chin was on his hand while watching Hugh sitting alone in a room.


    "Yeah, I saw that."


    Ace crossed his hands and turned to look towards the wall where they could see Hugh. He spoke towards Felix.


    "I could make him speak, but that would mean it was off the records."


    Felix heard this suggestion and shook his head. It was usual for them to inflict some torture on the detainee to get them to speak, but it was illegal to do so. To circumvent this, the torture took place deep underground their headquarters.


    "No. We still do not know who Veer is, and Hugh is one of Veer''s favorite subject. If we torture Hugh, Veer could expose us."


    Ace nodded as he heard Felix''s reason. Felix was in charge of everything that happens in the Student Council, and he was the one who gets his hands dirty. They all had to follow Felix''s words.


    "What do you think? Did he kill Joub?"


    Ace asked the critical question. They had no concrete evidence against Hugh, so it was all just a hunch. In fact, the evidence suggested that Joub died of suicide.


    Further inspection of the crime scene depicted three people during the incident. They could tell that Hugh and Joub were there during the night, but they did not know who the third person was.


    Felix was usually able to tell if a person was lying or not, so Ace trusted Felix''s instincts.


    Felix furrowed his eyebrows as if he was in deep thought. This surprised Ace because Felix was never confused. Felix always had a plan and an answer. It was rare to see him speechless.


    "He''s lying, but I know that he did not kill Joub due to the evidence. He seems to believe that he killed Joub."


    Ace furrowed his eyebrows and looked at Hugh. This had never happened before, so he did not know what to do. The only way to convict Hugh was if Hugh confessed to his crimes, but that seemed like it was unlikely to happen.


    "He''s also hiding something, but I do not know what it is."


    Felix still had his eyebrows furrowed as he told Ace of his remark. Felix was usually able to observe a lot about a person, but Hugh had a veil of mystery around him.


    "Is he a spy from another school?"


    Ace told Felix of his assumptions. They were currently seeing many movements from the spies from other schools, so he thought that Hugh was part of the spies.


    "No. His background is clean; he is not a spy."


    If Hugh were a spy, it would explain why he had a conflict with Joub since different spies from different schools usually eliminated each other.


    "Then, does he truly have a hidden power?"


    Ace then asked about the rumor that Veer spread throughout the school. Ace was also curious if that was true, so he asked Felix.


    "I do not care if he has a hidden power. I only care that the students should not believe Veer."


    Ace nodded and agreed with Felix''s point. With the appearance of Veer, they could not control the information inside the school. Misinformation could spread and cause chaos throughout the school.


    "We''ll have to get rid of him some way until we catch Veer."

 Chapter 60: Permission

    "How are we going to do that?"


    Ace asked the question and looked at the wall where they could see Hugh. Hugh did not seem irritated for being enclosed into a space wiring for his release.


    "I do not care. Get him to solitary confinement or whatever. No student can go near him until we find Veer."


    Ace nodded and thought up of a plan on where to detain Hugh. There were many jail cells underground the Student Council Headquarters, which detained some of the most dangerous students in the school.


    "We cannot hold him for longer than a week, or else the students are going to ask questions."


    With Felix''s order, Ace headed out towards the door. He went to the next room where Hugh was detained.


    Hugh saw Ace with a serious face. His irritated demeanor seemed to have disappeared once he showed his face to Hugh. This gave Hugh the creeps as he felt a bad omen coming towards him.


    "Get up."


    Ace gestured for Hugh to stand up from his seat. Hugh did not follow his orders and just looked at the handcuffs restraining his hands.


    If Ace were not going to release him from the cuffs, he would not release him back to school. Hugh could only think of the worst-case scenario that might happen to him.


    With the Student Council''s bad reputation, Hugh would not be surprised if they resorted to torture as a way to force confessions on detainees.


    Cold sweat poured down Hugh''s back as he thought about what would happen if he got tortured. If they were to torture him for days on end, he would get injured beyond belief.


    With his injuries, his Fat God System would regenerate it as fast as possible, which would cost food as fuel. He knew that tortures included forced fasting, which meant they would starve him to death.


    He could only imagine what would happen to him if he was forced to that point. He might be forced to activate his transformation just to survive. That would not be a good thing because he was inside their headquarters.


    Hugh needed to avoid getting tortured at all costs. He did not get up and protested to Ace.


    "Are you not going to release me?"


    Ace did not answer his question and just crossed his arms while he waited for Hugh to stand up.


    "You do not have any evidence to convict me. You cannot hold me here any longer."


    Ace furrowed his eyebrows as he heard Hugh start to get agitated. He calmed Hugh down with a disarming voice.


    "We just need you to stay here for a couple of days."


    Hugh did not believe his words. There must have been something going on if they were to detain him inside their headquarters for a few days.


    The most important reason why he could not stay inside their headquarters is his daily missions. He had not even completed his daily missions yet, and he did not want to miss the rewards it would give.


    He has not yet missed a single day, and he was not about to break that streak. He needed to talk his way out of this situation.


    "Why?"


    Ace sighed and sat on the chair opposite Hugh. He was not planning to tell Hugh everything in their plans, but he would tell him a valid reason for him to behave well.


    "You said you did not know Veer, correct? We cannot allow you outside while we still haven''t caught the mysterious reporter."


    Hugh stopped and looked at Ace''s face. It seemed like Ace was telling the truth, but Hugh knew there was always a catch in this situation.


    Ace tilted his head and asked a question to Hugh.


    "You do not want to be hunted down by the students, right? We''ll offer you a safe haven right here."


    Ace tried to entice Hugh with the offer. Hugh did want a safe place away from the students aiming for him, but he did not want to stay in the Student Council Headquarters.


    Bang tried to digest the information given to him until he thought up an idea.


    "You just want me to stay low-key for a while, right?"


    Ace furrowed his eyebrows as he tried to decipher Hugh''s words. It seemed like there was a compromise that Hugh wanted. He did not want Hugh to cause any trouble, so he listened to Hugh''s proposition.


    "Yes, we do not want you in front of the students."


    "Then, can I go to the dungeons? I can stay there while you guys catch Veer."


    Hugh thought up a win-win situation for him and the Student Council. He needed to go to the dungeons to improve his Desire, and the Student Council wanted Hugh to disappear for a little while.


    Ace raised one of his eyebrows as he listened to Hugh''s suggestion. It would solve the problem, but he did not know why Hugh wanted to go to the dungeons.


    He could permit a student to go to the dungeons, but this was an abnormal situation. He needed Felix''s permission to give Hugh this leeway.


    Felix had many plans in his mind, and Ace did not want to disturb that by nonchalantly permitting Hugh to go to the dungeons.


    Ace looked towards the wall where they were being monitored and waited for Felix''s signal.


    Inside the monitor room, Felix was in deep thought. He had heard Hugh''s proposition, and he had to guess the reason why Hugh wanted to go to the dungeons.


    Usually, only second years go to the dungeons. If the first years were to go to the dungeons, they would plan it at the end of the school year.


    As a first-year, they only had to improve their Desire and bring up their Desire Intensity. Fighting techniques were not given that much priority until the later months of the first years.


    Dungeons were an excellent place to sharpen your fighting skills because of the risk involved whenever someone goes inside them. If you did not have a good Desire Intensity, you would not survive long inside a dungeon.


    Felix could accept first-year students that had, at the very least, a B-level talent and above to test their strengths at a dungeon. He found it weird that the F-level talent Hugh wanted to go to the dungeons.


    The only reason he could think of was the hidden power that Veer was talking about. Felix smiled as Hugh became more and more interesting in his eyes.


    Felix nodded upwards as he gave the confirmation that Hugh could go to the dungeons.


    *knock*


    Ace heard a knock from the wall that signaled the verification. He turned towards Hugh and nodded his head as he spoke.


    "We''ll allow it."


    With this plan, Hugh was able to complete one of his objectives. He could find materials that he could eat inside a dungeon to give him a better improvement on his armor.


    "Do you have a preference on your dungeon?"


    Hugh thought about it deeply. He needed to have a place where he could get metals or wood that he could eat. His daily mission also required him to eat ten types of rocks and gems.


    With all these materials that he needed to eat, there was only one dungeon that could accommodate him, the underground dungeon.


    "Get me to the underground dungeon."


    Ace nodded as he took Hugh''s suggestion in mind. Since Felix gave permission, he did not worry about what kind of dungeon Hugh would go to.


    Hugh raised his hands, and the handcuffs made a clacking sound. He looked at Ace and spoke of another request.


    "Can you take out my bonds?"


    Ace looked at Hugh for a few seconds and did not respond to him.


    "We''re working together, right? Don''t we need a bit of trust?"


    Ace took a deep breath and took out a key from his pockets. He unlocked Hugh''s cuffs and set him free from the restraints that prevented him from using his Desire.


    Hugh was not planning to escape because he would be immediately caught. There must be security measures in place that prevented anyone from escaping.


    Ace stood up and walked towards the door. He gestured for Hugh to come along with him.


    Ace led Hugh towards a shifting room in their headquarters. With Felix''s permission, this shifting room can go to the dungeons.


    Hugh stepped onto the shifting room as he waited for it to transfer him to the dungeons. Once he arrived, he stepped foot inside the dungeon.


    Hugh went wide-eyed as he looked at the dungeon he was currently in. Instead of the dark interior of the underground dungeon, a bright blue sky greeted him. Not only that, the floor here was made of clouds.

 Chapter 61: Clouds

    Hugh was expecting a dark interior filled with rocks and stone formations, but he was surprised to see the fluffy clouds in front of him.


    He rubbed his eyes, not believing what he had seen. The cool wind breeze that blew over him made him realize that he was in a different dungeon. He had explicitly asked for an underground dungeon, yet it seemed like the Student Council meddled with the navigation.


    He should have expected this, but he had no choice but to trust them. If he had not said he wanted an underground dungeon, he would have also been put in a different dungeon.


    Hugh decided that he would just have to make do with what he got. A dungeon is a mysterious place, and many things are in store here that he could eat.


    He took a big breath and stepped forward the floor of clouds. He had always wondered how a cloud feels like, but that was when he was a child.


    Right now, he had a chance to walk in the clouds that all kids dreamed of. He knew that a cloud was just a frozen crystal made of water, so he was not expecting a solid ground.


    He put more pressure onto his foot outside, expecting that his foot would go through the clouds. Contrary to his assumptions, the clouds felt like cotton.


    He stepped onto a small mound of clouds, and it flattened under his foot until it felt like he was on solid ground. This gave him the confidence to walk with his other foot.


    Now that he was in the dungeon, Hugh looked around the cloudy floors and the bright blue horizon. It felt empty, and there was nothing in sight.


    It was just a never-ending expanse of clouds with just him in the center. He did not know where to go since this was not part of his plan.


    If he had been in an underground dungeon, he would have looked for rocks and gems that he could eat to finish his daily missions. He bent down and touched the floor, and it felt like he was touching cotton wool.


    There were no rocks nor gems in here, only clouds. He did not know where to go, so he just started to walk in a direction hoping for something to catch his eye.


    Hugh walked and walked in the cloud desert with no goal in mind. He just kept his eyes out in the distance as he searched for any building or any movement.


    After about an hour of walking, Hugh started to feel bored. He wanted to do something, so he looked around the clouds.


    Then, a thought formed in his head; what if he were to eat these clouds? He could not ignore his curiosity, so he bent down and inspected the cotton-like clouds beneath his feet.


    He grabbed a handful of the clouds and tried to rip it apart for him to take a bite out of. It quickly separated from the bodies of clouds like unprocessed cotton.


    He smelled the cotton first and found that it smelled like a mint candy, cool and refreshing. He opened his mouth and let the clouds meet his tongue.


    As soon as the clouds reached his tongue, it melted like snow on a hot day. Then, he tasted it as he closed his mouth and savored the taste of this fantastic food.


    It was spicy and sweet at the same time. It had the consistency of cotton candy, but it tasted nothing like it. Cotton candy was just glorified sugar, but the clouds tasted like it was a dessert from a five-star restaurant.


    He was instantly hooked, and he grabbed more of the clouds beneath his feet. Before he could fill his mouth with the delicious clouds, the floor started to tremble.


    Hugh did not know what was happening, so he stood up and looked around with wary eyes. He was at a dangerous dungeon, and mutated monsters could come at any time.


    He looked around until he saw a movement from a mound of clouds nearby. Suddenly, something burst out of the clouds at high speeds. That was not the only thing that popped out as Hugh saw multiple more pop out, surrounding him.


    Hugh looked around and saw a worm-like creature with white wings on its backsides. This was not a bitterly nor a moth because it seemed like it was still a caterpillar that had sprouted wings.


    They had a white color, perfectly blending into their surroundings. Hugh had a hard time counting their numbers because he could not see them properly.


    He felt an itch in his back as he observed their white hairy bodies. They had small little eyes that were directly looking at him like he was prey.


    Their wings were pure white as if it was made of marble. Its design mimicked the mounds and curves of the clouds on the floor, giving them a stealthy nature.


    As he observed the sudden monsters that appeared out of nowhere, something in his mind popped up.


    ++++++++++++++


    INSPECT


    Species: White Winged Caterpillars


    Stage: *unadvanced*


    Rank: F-rank


    *Locked*: *locked*


    ++++++++++++++


    His inspect skill came in handy and gave him information about the winged caterpillar. His heart stopped when he saw that his opponents were at the F-rank.


    He could probably defeat one of the winged caterpillars if it were one-on-one, but multiple caterpillars were coming his way. He had to separate one of them from the pack.


    He looked around and saw that they were floating towards him with their mouths wide open. He could see their sharp teeth ready to tear out his flesh at any moment.


    With this kind of numerical advantage, there was only one thing that Hugh could do, run. He gathered the strength in his feet and bolted out of the enclosing circle of winged caterpillars.


    Luckily, the winged caterpillars did not seem to be fast with their wings. Hugh was able to get away from them, but they were closely following him.


    Hugh did not use his armor, so he was comparatively slower than the winged caterpillars. He could feel their hairy bodies coming straight towards him.


    He turned his head and saw that one of the winged caterpillars was closing in on him. Seeing that the caterpillar was alone, Hugh took this chance to cleave their numbers one by one.


    Hugh activated his armor on his fist as he was running. Then, he came to a complete stop as he turned around and punched the caterpillar right in its face.


    Hugh felt a squishy feeling as he dented the face of the caterpillar. It was flung away due to his force, further separating him from the caterpillars.


    Seeing that his attack was effective, Hugh continued to run away. Hugh observed the caterpillar that he beat up and saw it continue to chase him with a dented face.


    It seemed like his explosive power was not enough to kill the butterfly in one punch, so he continued to run away.


    Hugh noticed that the caterpillars were following him mindlessly like they were on autopilot. Hugh used this fact to use a hit and run tactic to cleave the caterpillars'' numbers.


    Hugh would stop, turn around, and punch the caterpillar nearest him, then run away again. Hugh continued this cycle until he found that he could kill a caterpillar once he had struck them three times.


    As he continued to run in the endless clouds, he noticed something in the distance. He squinted his eyes and saw a caterpillar lying on the clouds.


    Upon closer inspection, Hugh saw that the caterpillar had a deformed face as if a strong force bashed it in. Hugh remembered this caterpillar as the first one he had killed.


    Hugh furrowed his eyebrows as he continued to run in a straight direction. As he ran, he saw more and more bodies of the caterpillars, dead, the same way as the first one he had seen.


    These were the caterpillar that he had defeated, which meant only one thing; he was running around in circles.


    He looked back and saw that there was only one caterpillar left alive. He slowed his run and let the caterpillar catch up to him.


    When the caterpillar was about to take a bite out of his neck, Hugh turned around and punched it in the face with his armor.

 Chapter 62: Eagle

    Hugh panted as he felt the squishy face of the winged caterpillar. It fell down his fist and had on the cloudy floor, dead and not moving.


    He had finally killed all of the winged caterpillars in the area. His whole body was sweating, and his muscles ached from running all over the place.


    *Glrrrgh*


    His stomach grumbled in protest as he got hungry from exhausting all his energy in defeating the winged caterpillars. He looked at the clouds underneath his feet and contemplated eating them.


    The clouds were delicious, but it was not filling in his stomach. It was more of a dessert than a full meal, so he would have to eat many clouds if he wanted to satiate his hunger.


    He looked around the dungeon''s space, and only white clouds, the blue sky, and the carcasses of the winged caterpillar could be seen.


    His stomach started to burn as he looked at the dead winged caterpillar near him. He was disgusted at the winged caterpillars when he first saw them, but now, they were looking scrumptious.


    He thought about the squishy feeling of the winged caterpillar when he punched its face. What kind of juices was inside the body of the mutated monster that was hell-bent on eating him?


    His hunger overcame his disgust as he bent down and looked at the winged caterpillar up close. It had tiny little hairs on its head that acted as sensory parts for the caterpillar.


    Its head was bashed in, and there was a green liquid oozing from the bruises on its head. He scooped up the liquid with his finger as he tasted the creature''s blood.


    As soon as he put his finger near his mouth, he could smell a faint sweet smell coming off from the green liquid. This made him crave for it more as he tasted it, putting his whole finger in his mouth.


    It was strangely sweet, like honey. It changed his whole perspective on the caterpillar as a sense of craving replaced his disgust.


    He put his head down and opened his jaws wide as he took a bite out of the mutated monster''s body. As soon as he bit down on it, sweet green liquid spilled out of his mouth.


    Just from biting the meat, Hugh could feel the caterpillar''s savory insides. It melted directly in his mouth, and as soon as he chewed it, the more sweet green liquid was squished out, giving the tasty meat a sweet taste.


    He would have never thought that a caterpillar could taste this delicious. One bite was not enough as he continued to devour the caterpillar, one bite at a time.


    He closed his eyes and savored the taste of the delicacy that is the White Winged Caterpillar. He reached his hand to grab more meat when he felt nothing.


    He opened his eyes to see that he already devoured the whole caterpillar. Only the wings were left on the cloudy ground.


    If the meat was juicy, how would the wings taste? He took the pair of wings in his hands and saw that they were as light as a feather.


    It was more like a film of bendable plastic than normal cartilage. He could easily fold the wings into a more compact version that could fit in his mouth.


    As soon as he took a bite, he felt the chewy exterior of the wings. Its consistency was like gum, and he could feel the sweet juices flowing with every chew.


    He continued to chew the wings until it was all out of juices, then he swallowed the remaining parts. He had now eaten every aspect of the winged caterpillar with nothing left on the ground.


    He had eaten one whole caterpillar, but there were many more dead caterpillars on the ground. His greed for them could not be hidden as he raced through the clouds, searching for more dead caterpillars that he defeated.


    Time continued to pass as Hugh munched on the remaining caterpillars on the cloudy ground. He had folded the wings and saved them in his pockets to eat later.


    The wings were more suited to eating while walking because of their gum-like consistency.


    He looked around and saw that there were only three caterpillars left on the ground. It felt like his hunger for them had not yet been satiated as he continued to crave for their juicy bodies.


    As he was about to come towards a different caterpillar, he saw a shadow cast over him. He felt a chill in his neck as his instincts told him to dodge.


    He did not forget that he was in a dangerous dungeon, so his guard was always up and ready for anything that could attack him.


    Hugh ducked and rolled out of the way as he felt a cold wind blow past his body. He tumbled in the cloudy ground and stopped himself when he saw that he was safe.


    He raised his head and saw a majestic creature right in front of him. He could see feathers floating in the sky as the beast landed on the winged caterpillar.


    It was an eagle-like creature with brown and white feathers and an orange beak. It opened its beak and used its leg to tear off the caterpillar''s body and feed on it.


    It was bigger than him, so Hugh was intimidated. He did not dare move as he did not want the eagle to notice him. It was only interested in the caterpillar, so Hugh wanted to get out.


    ++++++++++++++


    INSPECT


    Species: Caterpillar-eating Bald Eagle


    Stage: *unadvanced*


    Rank: D-rank


    *Locked*: *locked*


    ++++++++++++++


    As Hugh saw the creature''s rank, he immediately decided to run away. He could not fight against this creature only using his armor, so he would have to inevitably use his transformation.


    He did not want to use his transformation because his journey through the dungeon has only started. If he were to use it prematurely, and an even more terrifying creature came, he would not be able to defend himself.


    He also wanted to improve his armor, so he wanted to fight only using his armor this time.


    Hugh backed away a step, and the bald eagle stopped moving. Hugh''s heart skipped a beat as the eagle slowly turned its head towards Hugh.


    Hugh flashed an awkward smile as he tried to disarm the creature from attacking him. The creature looked at him for a second, then screeched as it unfurled its mighty wingspan.


    Hugh activated his armor on one of his legs as he sprinted away from the angry eagle.


    He was fast due to the armor in his leg, but it seemed that the eagle was faster than him. Hugh saw a large shadow in front of him, signaling the eagle''s proximity to him.


    He would not be able to run away from the eagle, so Hugh decided that the only way to survive was to fight it head-on.


    Hugh stopped in his tracks and turned around towards the bald eagle coming for him. It was high up in the sky, but as soon as it saw Hugh stop running, it dove down.


    The eagle was like a comet falling through the sky, creating shockwaves in the air behind it. Its beak was in front of it, ready to pierce through Hugh.


    Hugh was intimidated by its speed, but he did not back down. He planted his feet firmly in the ground and activated his armor on his right fist.


    As the bald eagle down towards him, Hugh reared his hand and greeted the beak with a punch.


    *BOOM*


    A shockwave was heard from the collision as Hugh successfully stopped the eagle from and advancing further.


    Even though he stopped the eagle, Hugh''s body was flung meters away from the point of collision due to the eagle''s force.


    Hugh shook his smoking hand as he felt a stinging pain from the piercing ability of the beak. He looked at his knuckles and saw a small dent on the armor.


    Hugh was glad that he was able to intercept the bald eagle. This gave him hope that he could defeat the eagle using only his armor.


    The bald eagle shook its head out from confusion. It seemed to have suffered a concussion of some sort due to the collision, but it recovered quickly.


    It spread its wings and looked at Hugh with a deathly stare. It flew up again in the air; this time, it flew even higher as it got ready to attack Hugh.


    Hugh looked up at the blue sky and only saw a small figure of the bald eagle. It got ready for another attack, so Hugh got prepared with his defense.


    He planted his feet firmly in the ground and got ready to punch the eagle back again. As he reared his arm, he remembered something critical.


    He looked at his arm and saw that no silver and brown liquid was protecting it. He could no longer summon his armor, which meant it was on cooldown.


    He could only look up at the eagle that was coming towards him at full speed.

 Chapter 63: Chew

    Hugh''s brain worked in overtime as he tried to think up a way to get out of this problem. The eagle was coming at him with breakneck speeds while he had no way to defend himself.


    He could not dodge away from the eagle''s landing because its wingspan was too broad; he would get caught up even if he tried to roll away in the last second.


    The best option to do here was to use his transformation, but he did not want to do that. He did not want to rely on his transformation every time his life was in danger. He had to solve it himself, but if he were going to die, he would use his transformation.


    *Gluergh*


    His stomach grumbled in protest as he had not finished his meal. He was supposed to eat all of the winged caterpillar carcasses, but the eagle took his prey from him.


    Since he had nothing to do, he took out a winged caterpillar wing from his pocket. This wing had been folded down until it was the size of a cubic gum.


    He put one in his mouth and started to chew on the wings like it was a piece of gum. Immediately, it gave him the sweet juices of the caterpillar, reminding him of its delicious sweetness. He felt refreshed as the green liquid got squeezed out from the wings and traveled to his stomach.


    He felt good, better even. It felt like he had gotten a renewed sense of vitality and strength. Before he could contemplate what happened to his body, he heard the sound of the wind whistling.


    *shwoooooo*


    The eagle was whizzing through the air, ready to pierce through his fatty body. Since he could not do anything else, he prepared to activate his transformation.


    As he was about to activate his transformation, he suddenly felt like his instincts were telling him to do something else.


    He wanted to transform, but something in his mind itched that made him not want to transform. Then, before he could even debate with himself, he saw the eagle''s beam up close.


    The eagle had reached him while he was busy arguing with himself, so he had acted on instinct. He balled his fist and punched it towards the beak.


    He had done this subconsciously, and he did not know why his body wanted to do it. His fist was only a few inches away from the eagle''s beak, so he decided to go all-in even though he had no armor protecting him.


    He closed his eyes and hoped for the best as his fist met the eagle''s beak. The sudden impact blew him off a few meters away from the point of impact, and his body was hurt from skidding in the ground.


    He opened his eyes and was surprised to see that he was still alive. He looked at his whole body and saw that his body was still whole without any holes or injuries.


    He thought that he would die from the impact, but surprisingly, he was still alive. He only felt a prickling pain from his fist, and that was it.


    He looked at his fist and saw that it was covered in silver and brown liquid, making a protective armor that saved him from the impact of the eagle''s beak.


    He was confused because his armor was supposed to be on cooldown, yet he could activate it in time. He did not know what happened until he remembered the time before he collided with the eagle.


    He had eaten winger caterpillar''s wings, and the juice he drank from it gave him a sense of strength. He had felt something weird when he ate the wings, but he did not have the time to investigate it due to the eagle coming for him.


    When he had eaten the wings before, it did not have this kind of effect. It was only when he was tired, and his armor was on cooldown.


    Could he extend the time on his armor by eating?


    This question filled his mind and gave him hope. If he could do this, then he would not have to worry about the cooldown of his armor anymore.


    His face showed an ecstatic expression as he discovered this new tactic that he could employ in fights. Before he could relish this happiness, he heard the sounds of wings flapping in the distance.


    He looked and up and saw that the eagle had his feathers ruffled up. It had a menacing look towards Hugh as it scratched the floor with its claws.


    Hugh could see that the eagle was preparing for another attack, so he repaired himself. He tried to activate his armor again and found that he could not do it.


    It was still on cooldown, which meant that the nourishment he ate could only give him a second of armor. He took out another compressed cubic wing from his pockets and got ready to eat it.


    *flap* *flap*


    The eagle flapped its wings, gathering air under its wings. It had its wings spread out, showing its full wingspan to Hugh as a form of intimidation.


    Hugh could not fly, so he could not initiate an attack on the eagle. He would ah e to wait for the eagle to come to him to try and counterattack.


    This was dangerous because he would be torn to shreds if he did not react quickly. He put the wing in his mouth and let it start in his tongue without chewing on it.


    As the eagle rose in the air and hovered in the sky, it had its sharp eyes staring at Hugh the entire time. Hugh got ready to intercept the eagle as he put the wing beneath his teeth, ready to bite it at any time.


    The eagle stopped flapping its wings, and it stopped in the air for a moment, then fell down the sky at breakneck speeds. Hugh planted his feet firmly in the ground as he balled up his fist.


    Hugh waited for the eagle to come towards him until it was only a few meters away. With the wind blowing in his face, Hugh bit down on the wing in his teeth, and the green liquid was squished out from it. The sweet liquid flowed down from his throat and nourished his stomach.


    Hugh felt the power in his body and activated his armor. Silver and brown liquid flowed out from his skin and created a protective membrane in his fist.


    Hugh gathered the strength in his fist and punched towards the oncoming beak. He had already experienced the force that the eagle would push into him, so he buried his feet onto the clouds.


    As his armored fist collided with the eagle''s beak, he did not feel the expected explosive force from the eagle. The beak slid away from Hugh''s fist, throwing his fist to the side.


    Hugh was caught off guard and was vulnerable. The eagle took this opportunity to use its claws to grab Hugh''s body from the ground.


    Hugh felt a strong restricting force around his waist as the eagle flew up with his body. He thrashed around the eagle''s grasp, but he could not get away from it.


    Hugh looked down and saw that he was multiple stories away from the ground. If he fell from this height, he would break his legs and be incapacitated. Then, he would just be food for the eagle.


    Hugh stopped struggling from the eagle''s grasp as he did not want to fall to the ground. The eagle kept flying towards a direction, and Hugh did not know where it wanted to go.


    Then, he suddenly felt his strength come back to him. His cooldown was off, and he could now use his armor again. He put his armor on his fist and grabbed one of the eagle''s claws.


    With his grip, he pried off one of the eagle''s claws on him. The eagle did not like Hugh struggling off one of its claws, so it screamed.


    "Krrrawwwwww"


    Hugh did not stop struggling as he pried off the eagle''s grip on his body. He was now dangling off the eagle''s leg using only his grip.


    The eagle got furious and sped up its flight in the sky. It then took a sudden descent that tried to make Hugh lose his grip on its leg.


    Hugh had a tight grip that would not loosen, but that was only because of his armor. Hugh had been counting the seconds, and it was about time for his armor to be on cooldown.

 Chapter 64: Ride

    Hugh could only hang on to the eagle''s leg because of his armor. He held on to the creature''s leg with a tight grip and used his other hand to reach down his pocket.


    He took a handful of wings in his storage and put them in on his mouth. He started to chew on multiple wings as he tried to fuel his armor from being in cooldown.


    With the juices flowing in his stomach, he could feel his hands gain power and strength. He knew that he could now hold on to the eagle''s leg for a few more seconds.


    He used his exceptional grip to climb his way up from the eagle''s leg towards its back. The eagle could feel Hugh grabbing its body to try and maneuver to its back, so it tried to throw Hugh off.


    The eagle changed its direction quickly, trying to loosen Hugh''s grip on its body. Hugh''s arm grip proved to be superior to the force that the eagle was exerting, so he was able to keep holding on.


    The eagle was annoyed at Hugh, so it continued to fly in a zigzag pattern. Hugh''s body flailed around, but he never let go of his grip. If he did, he would plummet to the ground and instantly die.


    Hugh was running out of time for his armor, so he hurried climbing up the eagle''s back. He would alternate between his armor on his left and right hand to pull himself up on the eagle''s back.


    He had to be careful in grabbing the eagle''s body because the feathers could be quickly plucked out, and he would have nothing to hold on to.


    With his life on the line, Hugh''s focus was directed on climbing the eagle''s back. Even the wind blowing on his face could not take him out of his focus.


    His eyebrows were furrowed together as, with one pull forward, he was successfully able to climb the eagle''s back.


    Once he had mounted the eagle, he put his body parallel to the eagle as he hugged it tightly. His armor was now on cooldown, and he had no more wings to eat. He would have to wait four more seconds before he could use his armor again.


    He held on for his life while the eagle soared through the skies. It realized that it could no longer throw Hugh off, so it decided to fly straight towards its destination.


    Seeing that the rise had become smooth, Hugh dared to lift his head up. Immediately, the strong winds blew across his face, making him squint for a second.


    Once his eyes got adjusted, he opened his eyes fully to see the magnificent view of the sky. He could see the endless horizon beyond his eyes, curving at the edges.


    He had never seen this kind of scenery before, and if he weren''t on a dangerous animal that was planning to kill him, he would have enjoyed the experience more.


    Then, up in the distance, Hugh could see a green object that was standing tall with nothing to its sides. He recognized this object, but he could not believe how massive it was.


    The eagle was currently heading towards a giant tree in the middle of the clouds. He could see the leaves on the branches sway on the winds, and the brown bark was like a sturdy building.


    This was a majestic tree, and as Hugh could not estimate its bigness. Hugh estimated that they were traveling for an hour, but they were still not near the tree. This kind of perspective told Hugh that the actual tree was more gigantic than he first thought.


    After traveling for hours and hours, they were finally close to the gigantic tree. He could not see the minute details inside the tree, and he could faintly see movements inside the tree.


    As he squinted his eyes to try and see more of the tree, he saw multiple shadows spurt out from the branches. Upon closer inspection, Hugh could see that they were flying creatures.


    The eagle was trying to bring Hugh to its nest. This realization was like a bucket of cold water on his face. He had been traveling with the eagle for hours, so he was starting to feel comfortable.


    The shadows inside the tree were eagles that bore the same resemblance with the eagle he was riding. It looked like the eagle wanted him to be eaten by his fellow eagles.


    Hugh was mad. He did not try to kill the eagle because if he did, they would both plummet to the ground, and the fall damage would kill him.


    Now that the eagle was trying to feed him to other eagles, Hugh wanted to kill the eagle. He would rather take his chances with falling than taking on multiple eagles at the same time.


    Hugh activated his armor on his fist and created a claw shape. With his sharp nails, he plunged his hand on the eagle''s body, piercing its skin and tearing apart its flesh.


    *KYOOOAAAAA*


    The eagle howled in pain as it felt Hugh''s attack. It could only howl in pain as it could not do anything to Hugh. The eagle flew again in a zigzag in an attempt to throw Hugh off, but he had a firm grip under the eagle''s skin.


    Hugh could feel the flesh of the eagle in his hands, wet by its blood. With one strong pull, he tore apart a large chunk of the eagle''s meat.


    *KKKKKYYYYOOOOAAAAAA!!!!!*


    The eagle was feeling the pain from its flesh being torn apart. This weakened the creature as it stopped flying in a zigzag and just tried to reach the tree where there were multiple other eagles inside.


    Hugh looked at the giant tree in the front and saw that the other eagles heard the howling pain of the eagle he was in.


    Their wings flapped, and they took off towards Hugh, so Hugh had no choice but to kill the eagle faster.


    The torn flesh that he took was immediately put in his mouth as he tasted it. It was meaty and full of protein, so Hugh was satisfied with the taste.


    It was like eating chicken soup. The blood of the eagle soaked the flesh and made it more flavorful in his tastebuds. Hugh wanted more, so he pierced his hand again on the eagle''s body.


    *KYAAOOOO!!!*


    The eagle was starting to weaken, and its wings were beating at a slower rate. Hugh could feel the eagle start to descend as the eagle was slowly dying.


    Hugh looked up and saw that they were at a collision course towards the tree, so Hugh decided to bury himself on the eagle''s body to lessen the collision force.


    Hugh dug deeper into the eagle''s body as he kept eating the flesh. He had also come upon the eagle''s organs, which he did not hesitate to eat.


    He just kept munching on the innards of the eagle as it ultimately died while on the air. As the wings stopped flapping, the eagle''s dead body started to descend at a fast rate.


    It still had forward momentum, so the descent was not straight down. Hugh braced himself for impact by protecting his head with his armor and assuming a fetal position.


    *BOOM*


    The dead eagle''s body landed on the tree''s branch and skidded across the wood. Hugh could feel the eagle''s body roll around, but he was not seriously hurt.


    The eagle had absorbed most of the damage, so the only thing Hugh got was a bit of dizziness from rolling around. He did not immediately get out of the eagle as he started to finish his meal.


    He was craving for more eagle meat as it felt like the eagle meat surpassed premium grade beef. His whole body was soaked in the eagle''s blood, but that did not stop him from eating the eagle''s innards.


    He was like a rat that burrowed itself on a dead body. With the innards gone and completely eaten, Hugh set his sights on the skin of the eagle.


    As he opened the eagle''s body to the outside, he immediately saw another eagle staring at him. He had forgotten about the other eagles due to his craving for the eagle''s meat.


    *flap* *flap*


    Then, more and more eagles landed beside the other eagle as they all stated at Hugh with sharp eyes. Hugh''s whole body was soaked in the eagle''s blood, so he looked dirty, but he flashed a disarming smile towards the eagles.


    *KYAOOO!!*


    The eagle at the front then screeched towards the other eagle, then opened its wings.


    *flap*


    It flew up in the air and headed straight for Hugh.

 Chapter 65: Tree

    Hugh peeked out of the eagle''s body and saw multiple large eagles looking back at him. His whole body was covered in blood and bits of the eagle''s innards, and he was sure that the smell wafted over the other eagles.


    Hugh saw that five eagles were looking at him. Two eagles were at the same branch that he was, and the other three were in the background, standing on a different branch.


    As soon as the eagle in the middle flapped its wings towards him, he knew that they were angry. He had just come out of the dead eagle''s body, which meant that they knew that he killed the eagle.


    He ripped open the dead eagle''s body and burst out from its carcass. Hugh rolled away from the dead body just in time as the eagle flying towards him snatched the dead eagle.


    Hugh tumbled on the wood and stopped himself when he was away from the eagle. He lifted his head and saw that the eagle did not pay him any attention anymore.


    The eagle only snatched the dead eagle''s body and landed on a different branch. Hugh saw as the eagle ripped apart the carcass and fed it into its mouth, not caring that they were from the same species.


    It turned out that the eagle only wanted the carcass for itself, which meant that Hugh was safe. Hugh''s body was small compared to the dead eagle, so he would have less meat than it.


    Hugh slowly backed away from the eagle, but he could still feel the flares coming off the four other eagles in the branches. He did not know why they were not moving, but he did not question it.


    He took this opportunity to get out of the spotlight and get to a safer place. He took four steps back, minding the sound of his footsteps not to disturb the feasting eagle.


    Just as he thought he was safe from their stares, Hugh watched as the eagle feasting on the carcass stop its movements. It looked at the empty body of the dead eagle, devoid of any innards.


    Hugh had eaten all of the meat inside the eagle as the eagle died. The feasting eagle now looked at the carcass and lifted it, trying to see if any innards fell out.


    Once it had realized that everything inside the carcass was gone, it lifted its head and sniffed the air. As soon as Hugh saw the eagle smell the air, he looked at his body stained with blood and bits of meat.


    The feasting eagle turned its head towards Hugh''s direction, pinpointing the thief that stole all of its food. Up opened its large beaks and screeched as it unfurled its wings.


    *KYAOOOO!*


    This screech was like a signal that activated the four other eagles in the vicinity. The four eagles unfurled their wings, mimicking the feasting eagle that had its eyes towards Hugh.


    Hugh knew that they were coming for him, so he bolted out away from the eagles.


    *flap* *flap* *flap* *flap* *flap*


    He could hear the flapping of wings as he could feel the cold air hit his neck, giving him the chills. His guard was always up, and his instinct told him to dodge, so he rolled away from his original position.


    Just as he dodged away, his skin was grazed from the beak that was piercing towards him at breakneck speeds. Hugh did not mind the skin-deep wound as he got up and started to run again.


    He had to frequently look back at the flock of eagles coming his way. Thankfully, he had already experienced their fighting patterns when he first fought the dead eagle, so he knew the timing to dodge away from their attacks.


    The eagle in the middle, the one who feasted on the dead eagle, seemed faster and bigger than all the other eagles following it.


    Hugh would try to dodge that eagle''s attacks, but it would always end up too close for comfort. He would get cuts on his body as he was too late in dodging the eagle''s beak.


    Hugh was looking back when he suddenly felt an urge to look forward. Then, he saw the wide-open expanse of the horizon just a few steps ahead of him. If he continued down this path, he would plummet down thousands and thousands of meters down.


    His heart stopped, and he tried to decelerate his body, skidding his feet on the ground to create friction. His blood circulated on his body as he saw the edge of the branch just a step away.


    His feet stopped just in time for him to stop himself from falling off the branch of the tree. He successfully stopped himself, but he still had forward momentum, so he flailed his hands around to keep his balance.


    Hugh''s body was leaning outwards, but with the help of his hands as a balancing force, he was able to keep his body from falling into certain death.


    He was about to feel relief when he felt cold wind breezing in his neck. The eagles were still coming after him, and he could not advance any further to try and dodge their beaks.


    He turned around and saw that the largest eagle was coming straight for him with its sharp beak ready to pierce through his body.


    He could try and punch the beak with his armored fist, but the recoil would throw him off the branch. His mind went into overtime as he tried to think up a solution to his predicament.


    With the eagle''s beak just a few meters away from his face, Hugh activated his armor on his fist and created a claw shape.


    His silver and brown armor reflected the sun''s light, so the largest eagle quickly noticed it. Hugh had his eyes focused straight onto the eagle''s beak as if he had the full intention of punching it back.


    The eagle''s pride seemed to have flared up as it saw that Hugh dared to resist its attack. It flapped its wings even harder and increased its speed towards Hugh.


    Hugh reared his fist into a punch and got ready for the eagle''s beak to come close to him. Just as the beak was supposed to collide with his fist, Hugh bent his whole body down and punched the wood underneath his feet.


    The largest eagle''s beak missed Hugh''s whole body as it flew right above him.


    Hugh pierced the wood, grabbed a handful, and put it directly in his mouth. He started to chew and eat the wood as fast as possible before the eagles could attack him again.


    Hugh continued to pierce through the wood and eat it while he created a hole that he could burrow himself into.


    With the time he took to burrow the hole, more eagles came towards him and landed near the spot. They all looked at the hole and tilted their heads in confusion.


    *KYAOOO!*


    The largest eagle flew back towards the rest of the eagles as it screeched towards them. The four eagles listened to the screech and looked at the largest eagle.


    *flap*


    The largest eagle hovered above the hole that Hugh made and landed on top of it. It raised its beak high up in the air and, in one fell swoop, pierced through the hole.


    The largest eagle raised its beak again and spat out some wood on its mouth. The four eagles seemed to have understood what the largest eagle wanted to do, so they mimicked its actions.


    The eagles continued to do this until they made the hole large enough to peek inside.


    Hugh had continued to use his armor to pierce through the wood. The wood became his fuel as he continued to use his armor without any cooldown.


    He was like a crazed madman as he continued to dig and eat through the wood until his fist pierced through empty air. He continued to dig around the wood and saw that there was an open space inside.


    He peeked his head around the wood and saw that it was dim inside. The only light source inside this empty space was the light coming from the sun that seeped into the hole that he made.


    Hugh could not see the bottom of the empty space, so he did not know if it was safe to go inside. He peeked his head further inside to observe more, but the wood underneath him broke, leaving him falling into the empty space.

 Chapter 66: Burrow

    *CRACK*


    The wood underneath Hugh gave way under his weight and resulted in Hugh''s free fall towards the empty space below.


    He could not see what was down the hole, but he knew that it was deep enough to give him severe injuries with the fall. If he were to guess, he would say that it was 15 meters deep, which was fatal in some cases.


    Hugh''s arms flailed around the air as he tried to grasp at anything to try and slow his descent, but there was nothing around him. He could feel his heart in his stomach as the feeling of air blowing in his face made him squint.


    He looked down and saw that he was landing on the solid ground made of wood, which would not be a good landing spot.


    He looked around the empty place and saw a curved incline in the room, which would decrease his chances of dying in the fall. Hugh rolled around in the air as he aimed for that spot.


    He positioned his body feet first as he knew that he would increase his chances of surviving if he did it. He needed to protect his head so that it would not collide with the ground.


    Hugh put both of his hands on his head as he braced himself for the impact.


    *CRACK*


    His legs landed first on the inclined curve, which immediately broke his bones. His legs mostly absorbed the force of his descent, so the other parts of his body were not in critical condition.


    As his legs broke, his whole body started to roll down the incline, breaking more bones inside his body. As he was rolling down the ground, he protected his head and his neck fist and foremost.


    The pain from his broken leg occupied his whole mind as it gave him suffering that he could not describe. After rolling around in the ground, his body finally stopped.


    His body was beaten up, and he could feel his ribs broken as well as other parts of his body. He could not move his legs, and it still gave him untold pain.


    Underneath the pain inside his body and the adrenaline flowing in his veins, he was relieved that he was able to survive the fall from that height.


    He was incapacitated, but he was still alive, which was the most critical part. He was now lying on a strange empty space that was inside of the giant tree with carnivorous eagles right outside.


    He did not know how he would recover from his injuries, but all he wanted to do now was to relax and try to ignore the pain in his legs.


    He looked down and saw that his legs were mangled and bent in a strange shape. All in all, he was in a better position than he first thought.


    The fat in his body must have helped absorb the fall damage and made him thankful for the first time that he was fat.


    Just as he was about to close his eyes, he felt movement from the ground. It was rhythmic, like footsteps from an unknown creature.


    The reverberations in the ground told him that this was a giant creature, and it was slowly walking towards him. He looked at his body and tried to move his arms, but it only amplified the pain.


    Whatever was coming towards him was deadly in his eyes because he could not do anything to them. He tried to move both of his hands to crawl out of the empty space but found that his left arm was broken.


    The shock must have prevented him from feeling the pain, which he was thankful for because the leg pain was taking all of his mental strength to endure.


    He activated his armor on his movable hand and found that he could still use his armor. The silver and brown liquid filled up his fist and made it into a weapon full of explosive power.


    *DUGN* *DUGN*


    The steps are getting closer and closer while Hugh was still incapacitated on the ground. Even though he could still activate his armor, it was useless if he could not move his body.


    Hugh turned towards the sounds of the footsteps and saw a large tunnel that led into the darkness. Whatever creature was making those noises, they were going to come from that tunnel.


    Hugh waited with bated breaths as he turned his head to see the creature coming out of the tunnel.


    Immediately, Hugh could see that the creature had brown fur and a tail on the back. Its eyes were black, and it was looking directly at the disfigured Hugh.


    The most distinguishing feature of the mutated monster was its cheeks. It was puffed up cheeks that seemed to be full of something it was eating.


    Its hands were close together and were positioned near its mouth. The creature opened its mouth, and a giant acorn full of saliva came out and rolled on the ground.


    ++++++++++++++


    INSPECT


    Species: Burrowing Giant Squirrel


    Stage: *unadvanced*


    Rank: C-rank


    *Locked*: *locked*


    ++++++++++++++


    The creature''s information popped up in his mind. It was a giant squirrel that was three meters in height, towering over Hugh. It tiled its head in confusion at the strange creature lying in its burrow.


    The giant squirrel bent down on all fours and started to crawl towards Hugh, sniffing the air as it did so. It was careful and cautious at first, but once it realized that Hugh was incapacitated, it crawled even closer.


    Hugh''s brain was working overtime as he tried to move his body away from the giant creature in front of him. He ignored the pain in his legs as he used his movable hand to lift it out.


    *DUGN* *DUGN*


    Hugh saw that the giant squirrel was only a few meters away from him. It looked at him with curiosity, and then it raised its nose in the air as if it smelled something.


    Then, he saw as the curious eyes of the giant squirrel turn into anger and rage as its claws grew from its tiny hands. Hugh could feel the difference in power emanating from an unadvanced C-rank creature.


    Even if he was able to fight, he did not think that he would win against a C-rank. He was only at the F-rank, and the difference in levels was too big for him to try his luck.


    The squirrel seemed to be in a crazed state as it slashed its claws towards Hugh without any hesitation.


    Just as Hugh found no more way to defend himself, he activated his transformation.


    ''Fat God System Activated.


    Using excess fat as mana.''


    ++++++++++++++


    FAT RESERVES


    ________________


    |####################|


    ________________


    Estimated time remaining: 1 min.


    ++++++++++++++


    Hugh''s body started to steam up as the fats inside his body burned. Sweat poured out from all over his body muscles, replaced his fat, and gave him an extraordinary amount of power.


    His black hair turned into white, and his jaw turned sharp from losing its fat.


    His legs started to heal at a visible rate and revert into their original state. Underneath his skin, the bones in his legs repaired themselves and locked themselves back on his joints.


    His arms now adorned chiseled biceps that exuded power, repaired of all its injuries. His fast heartbeat turned slow as if he was sleeping, showing a calm and collected demeanor.


    The squirrel felt a chill on its back as it saw Hugh transform into a monster that exuded a powerful aura. The squirrel''s natural instincts told itself to run away as fast as it could, but its claws could not be stopped.


    Just as the sharp claws of the squirrel were about to pierce Hugh''s chest, his hand grabbed it and stopped it from advancing any further.


    Hugh was sitting up when he caught the claw in his hand. He looked at the giant squirrel and started to stand up tall while twisting the claw in his hand.


    The squirrel felt a crushing force on its claws and was forced to kneel down or else its claws and arms would be broken.


    Its three-meter height was now forced down to Hugh''s height, meeting its eyes directly onto Hugh. As the squirrel looked into Hugh''s eyes, all it could feel was fear on its heart. It wanted to run, but Hugh had a tight grip on its claws.

 Chapter 67: Nest

    Hugh looked at the squirrel with a deadpan expression. He did not have any facial expression as he tightened his grip on the squirrel''s claws.


    *TWIIII!!!!*


    The squirrel screamed in pain as it tried to endure the crushing force Hugh was exerting onto its claws. It was now completely afraid of Hugh and wanted nothing to do with him anymore.


    As a last resort, the squirrel bit its own claws and separated it from its own arms. It sacrificed its claws for freedom, and once it had achieved that, it bolted out towards the tunnel where it came from.


    Hugh held the claws in his hands and just watched the squirrel rush away from him. He did not immediately chase after the squirrel as he merely observed it move away from him.


    Hugh dropped the four claws in the ground and stepped forward without any hurry. As soon as his foot stepped on the floor, he disappeared and went after the squirrel in the tunnel.


    The squirrel was running through the tunnel with four legs. Its arms were still bleeding from removing its claws, but it did not impede it from running away.


    Hugh followed the trail of blood in the tunnel as he sped through the dark tunnel. He did not seem to be having trouble seeing in the dark as he could sense his surroundings.


    The squirrel''s heart was beating wildly as it tried to get away from Hugh. It looked back from where it came, only to see a speeding Hugh coming towards it.


    The squirrel even harder through the hardwood tunnel that is created. The tunnel had a dome shape and was a little bit shorter than a standing squirrel. It was only meant for transportation, so the squirrel built it, intending to run through it with four legs.


    The squirrel saw the light at the end of the tunnel and knew it was getting close to where it wanted to go. If it wanted to survive from Hugh, it would need a lot of help.


    Hugh continued to run through the tunnel and follow the squirrel towards the end of the tunnel. Once out, blinding light hit his eyes and almost blinded him.


    He realized that he was now outside of the tree, and the cool breeze of the wind greeted him. He saw the squirrel stop in its tracks and look at Hugh with a superior face as if it had won the battle with Hugh.


    Hugh did not know why the squirrel was so happy, but he knew it planned something to kill him. It would not have led him to this tunnel if it did not have a plan, but Hugh was not worried.


    Any plan would crumble under his power.


    *flap* *flap*


    Then, he heard the familiar beating of wings in the distance. He immediately turned his head and saw a giant eagle landing on a branch near him.


    Hugh noticed that it had landed on a strange gathering of woods and sticks that created an oval shape. Then, he saw the figures of eggs peeking out of the upside-down dome of sticks; it was the eagle''s nest.


    Just as the eagle landed on the nest, it smelled something in the air. Then, it immediately pinpointed Hugh''s location right away, and its eyes turned red.


    The eagle was angry. It had thought that Hugh came to this place to catch its eggs and was infuriated. Its motherly instinct bubbled up to the surface and immediately wanted to exterminate the threat.


    It flapped its wings hard and soared through the air. Judging from the wingspan, this was the biggest eagle he had seen in this place. He could also see a large bulge on its stomach, meaning it was pregnant.


    The guarantor eagle pierced through the air, creating shockwaves in the air and leaving a trail of smoke in its wings. Hugh could feel the immensity of the eagle''s power, but he did not move an inch.


    The squirrel was watching from the side with an evil smile on its face. It had led Hugh of this place so that the eagle and Hugh could fight it out. Once they were both injured and weak, it would come and finish both of them.


    The squirrel furrowed its eyebrows as it watched Hugh raise his hand towards the eagle. It was confused as to why Hugh was not moving, so it thought that Hugh was just paralyzed from fear.


    The squirrel watched as the giant eagle dive towards Hugh with its beak ready to pierce through anything. Hugh was still not moving, and his hands seemed like it was about to grab the eagle''s beak mid-air.


    As the eagle''s beak collided with Hugh''s palm, a large shockwave reverberated throughout the branch they were in. The squirrel could feel the ground start to shake up and down from the force from the collision.


    With the leaves falling gracefully, the squirrel watched as Hugh stopped the eagle with its full force without any problem. The ground underneath Hugh was dented, but he did not move an inch.


    Inside his hand was the eagle''s beaks grabbing it with such force that the eagle could not force it open.


    The squirrel''s jaws were wide open with shock as it saw the apparent difference in power between the two. Even with the eagle''s force and the beak''s sharpness, it was not enough to harm Hugh.


    The eagle had wide eyes as it watched the world suddenly turn upside-down. Hugh raised the whole eagle in the air, and after a moment, slammed it back down the ground.


    *CRACK*


    The bones inside the eagle were crushed under the force, and the reverberations caused another earthquake in the branch.


    The eagle felt immense pain from all over its body, and it felt that its own life was in danger. It tried to flap its wings hard to get away from Hugh''s grasp, but Hugh''s grip prevented the eagle from flying away.


    Then, Hugh raised the eagle again and slammed it back down, creating more injuries in the eagle. Hugh continued to slam the eagle in the ground in a ruthless manner.


    The eagle was now in critical condition, and it had no strength to run away from Hugh. It could only endure the pain it was feeling.


    The eagle''s deformed body fell on the ground as Hugh released his grip. The eagle was now slowly dying of pain, so Hugh walked near it and grabbed its head.


    In one swift motion, it broke the eagle''s neck and killed it without any hesitation.


    The squirrel watched all this unfold with its very own eyes. It looked on in horror at what the eagle''s fate had become.


    It thought that the eagle would win the fight because it had always feared the eagle, but now it was dead without damaging its opponent.


    If the eagle could not win against Hugh, what would be the squirrel''s chances?


    The squirrel was paralyzed from fear that it forgot to run away. It was only reminded of the dangerous situation when Hugh turned his head to look towards the squirrel.


    The squirrel felt a chill on its back as it saw Hugh''s cold eyes. It was going to die if it did not run away from Hugh as soon as possible.


    The squirrel turned around and bolted out towards another tunnel, leaving Hugh behind. Its instincts were telling it to run away without looking back, but it could not hold back its curiosity.


    It turned to look back only to see that Hugh was gone from its sight. It did not feel comforted by that fact and instead only served to horrify the squirrel more.


    The squirrel knew that it would have to do everything and anything to survive, so it led Hugh towards an empty space that only the squirrel knew about.


    It reached the end of the tunnel and onto what seemed to be a wooden wall. It looked to be a dead-end, but the squirrel continued its momentum without stopping.


    The squirrel continued to run towards the wall headfirst while closing its eyes for the impact. Then, the wall broke and was revealed just to be a thin piece of wood that could be easily broken.


    Then, the interior of the space was revealed, a dark and dim place except for the sparkling treasures piled up in the corner of the room.

 Chapter 68: Delicacy

    The squirrel ran inside the room where it had burrowed treasure to hoard for itself. There was a pile of gold and silver jewelry in the corner of the room that glistened in the dim light.


    The squirrel was going to bargain its life in exchange for the jewelry inside this burrow. It was about to turn around and face Hugh when it felt a tight, crushing grip on its tail.


    This sent shivers down the squirrel''s spine and made it dear for its life. It knew who had a grip on its tail, and before it could turn around and look, it saw the world tumble.


    Hugh had caught the squirrel''s tail and used it to throw the squirrel on the ground like he did the eagle. He was merciless in his attacks, and he continued to barrage the squirrel on the floor.


    He ignored the pile of treasures in the corner of the room and just continued to beat up the squirrel. The squirrel could feel its bones broken down like Hugh wanted it to be crushed down into a powder.


    Its legs and arms were crushed, leaving the squirrel incapacitated on the ground as Hugh released his grip on the squirrel''s tail.


    Its tail was relatively unbroken and was just crushed at the end hue to Hugh''s grip. The squirrel had fear in its eyes as it dragged its body away from Hugh using its tail.


    The squirrel looked directly into Hugh''s eyes and gestured its head towards the pile of treasures in the corner of the room. It was like it was telling Hugh to take the treasure for himself in exchange for mercy.


    Hugh did not even spare a glance towards the treasures as he raised his hand and pierced it towards the squirrel''s heart.


    Hugh''s fist traveled towards the squirrel''s chest, penetrated through the flesh, and continued towards the heart.


    Just as it was about to pierce through the squirrel''s beating heart, Hugh heard a notification in his mind.


    ''Estimated time remaining: 0 sec.''


    Hugh''s transformation came to a close, and his power was quickly sapped out of his body. His chiseled muscles deflated until they were gone with just skin and bones left.


    His white hair slowly turned darker and darker until it became black, and his sharp jaw only accentuated his sunken face.


    From a fit and healthy body, Hugh turned into a malnourished teen that exuded no power and was just a shell of his previous strength.


    Hugh''s hands could not penetrate the squirrel''s hands any longer and stopped just before it hit the heart. The squirrel was shocked to see how Hugh became weak to the point that he could not feel his presence any longer.


    The overbearing and all-powerful aura that he exuded was gone like the wind. It had noticed that Hugh''s hand was still lodged inside its chest, unable to advance any further.


    The squirrel thought it would die, but it seemed that Hugh could not finish the job. It gathered all the strength in its jaws and opened it wide.


    With Hugh''s hand still stuck in the squirrel''s chest, it took this opportunity to bite off Hugh''s head.


    Hugh could feel the hunger in his stomach as it tried to burn through his organs. His mind was hazy, and all he could think about was food.


    Then, he smelled something in the air; he followed this scent until he looked at where his hand was stuck. The squirrel''s blood had awakened his hunger, and he was now craving for some squirrel meat.


    Hugh gathered all the strength in his body to rip out his hand from the squirrel''s chest, gripping a handful of flesh and blood from the squirrel.


    Hugh did not hesitate any longer as he put it in his mouth, just in time for the squirrel''s jaw to bite off his head. Hugh did not seem to notice the looming threat above his head as he continued to savor the squirrel''s blood and meat.


    The blood was like a refreshing cup of water in a dry desert, filling his whole body with coolness and prosperity. It had felt like he had not eaten for centuries, and this blood was the first thing he drank after the fasting.


    The squirrel''s toothy jaws bit down on Hugh''s skull with all the force it could muster. Hugh no longer had the strong appearance he once had, so the squirrel was confident in killing Hugh with one blow.


    As the squirrel''s teeth hit Hugh''s head, it felt a strong resistance from Hugh''s head that made the squirrel''s teeth ache.


    The squirrel was confused because it thought that it could penetrate through Hugh''s skull. When the squirrel looked down, it saw a silver and brown liquid protect Hugh''s head from its teeth.


    Hugh had subconsciously protected himself while he enjoyed the blood from the squirrel. He could feel a force squeezing his head, but he did not give it any heed.


    The blood and meat that he tasted were more important to him. Like a crazed animal, he was not satisfied with just a bit of taste; he needed more, much, much more.


    He looked at the blood pooling on the ground and saw that it came from the squirrel''s chest. It was like finding the holy grail of food.


    He found a place where he could get more of the delicious food that he had tasted. He did not tarry any longer as he plunged his hand into the squirrel''s injury.


    *TWIIIII!!!!!!*


    The squirrel screamed in pain as its injury got worse. It could not move its body and could only try to bite down harder on Hugh''s head, but it was no use.


    The squirrel could only endure as it felt a squeeze on its heart. Hugh had grasped the most important organ of the squirrel and squeezed it with his hands.


    He did not have any armor on his hands, but the squirrel''s heart did not have any defensive capabilities, so it was quickly crushed.


    *TWwii*


    The squirrel let out one final scream of pain until it finally lost all the strength in its body and fell to the ground. Hugh held the heart in his hands and observed it with curiosity.


    This is the thing that decides if a creature lives or dies. It was such a vital organ, yet Hugh could only think of one thing; what does a squirrel''s heart taste like?


    He did not hold back his curiosity as he took a bite out of the heart. Blood spilled out of the heart and stained Hugh''s face, making him look like a psycho.


    The heart was the most savory part of anything he had ever eaten. It was a myriad of tastes that he could not explain. It felt like he had gone through multiple years back in time with just a bite out of the squirrel''s heart.


    It was a strange feeling like he was experiencing a different life in just a split second, and then it was gone.


    He did not think more about this feeling as he was craving more meat. The heart took three full bites to fill it due to its size, but Hugh still felt like it was not enough.


    He looked at the carcass of the dead squirrel, and his hunger problem was solved. He started to rip apart the squirrel but by bit and consume it into his stomach.


    As he ate the squirrel, his body fat started to come back to his body, blowing him up until he was back at his obese state. He also regained his sanity, but he continued to eat the squirrel until it was completely done.


    There was nothing left of the squirrel, and the only evidence it died here was the blood on the ground.


    Hugh laid on the ground as he felt satisfied from the feast that he had just eaten. It was indeed a different feeling to eat a delicacy such as the giant squirrel.


    If he had the chance to eat that kind of meal again, he would do it. It was too delicious to pass up, but he did not know if he could defeat a giant squirrel again.


    He was only able to defeat the squirrel with his transformation, but he should not always rely on it to solve his problems.


    He sat up on the ground and looked at the pile of treasures the squirrel left behind.

 Chapter 69: Tunnel

    Hugh had regained his sanity and his fats, but he was still hungry to eat more. He craved for the glimmering gold and silver jewels piled up in front of him, ripe for the taking.


    He stood up and walked towards the pile of treasures while his eyes stared at it, fearing that it would somehow disappear once he took his eyes off.


    Once he got closer, he could smell the metallic scent of the treasures in front of him. It was two meters in height and four meters wide, creating a pyramid shape of treasures.


    Hugh bent down, took one of the treasures in the pile, and held it in his hands. It was a golden chalice adorned with red jewels, a symbol of luxury.


    He put it near his nose and smelled nothing, which meant that it was real gold. Gold did not have a smell; only the oxides, sulfide, and any other chemical compounds in the metal created that smell.


    He opened his jaw wide and took a bite out of the chalice, making sure only to eat the gold part. It was a little bit hard, but his teeth were strong enough to rip out a part of the chalice.


    The gold in his mouth had a cool and refreshing taste but was immediately followed by a smooth texture. The gold seemed to have melted in his mouth like chocolate and gave him a minty flavor.


    It was delicious, like eating a luxurious candy that only he could eat. He looked at the ref gems embedded on the gold chalice and plucked them out one by one.


    He set them aside for now and chowed down on the golden chalice. He enjoyed the gold chalice bite after bite and ate the red gems as his dessert.


    ++++++++++++++


    DAILY MISSIONS:


    Eat 10 types of gems (1/10)


    Eat 10 types of rocks (0/10)


    Eat 30,000 kcal (30,000/30,000)


    ++++++++++++++


    Just like he thought, the gems he ate were a part of his daily missions. With this opportunity presented to him, he did not hesitate to feast on the pile of treasures in front of him.


    Hugh spent the next hour and two to eat the gold and silver pieces of jewelry in the pile. One by one, it was all digested into his stomach that seemed to have no limit to what he could eat.


    He ate all kinds of gems that he could see in the treasure pile and downed them in his stomach without chewing. It was like candy, but it would take too long to melt, so he just swallowed it and let his stomach do all the work.


    He did not even look at his daily missions until he saw no more treasures in front of him. He had eaten everything in sight to satisfy his never-ending hunger.


    ''Eat 10 types of gems (10/10)''


    He had now completed two of his three daily missions for today. He plopped down on the ground and let his stomach digest the food that he ingested.


    This trip had been more fruitful than he thought. He just needed to eat ten more types of rocks to receive his reward from his system.


    He did not know where to find rocks in this type of place. It looked like he was thousands of meters up in the air, so there were no natural rock formations that he could consume.


    He had to think of a way to get rocks in this place. He did not know how much time had passed, but he did not want to waste time here while his daily missions were still not complete.


    As he thought about his situation, he realized that he was in a giant tree. A tree needs something to grow on, which means that there is ground somewhere down the tree. Wherever there is ground, there are rocks.


    With this plan in mind, he decided to climb down the tree to get to the ground. This was not an easy feat as he was still thousands of meters up in the air.


    Unless he had a way to fly down, he would have to slowly maneuver through the branches to get down safely. That would be hard because he did not have a way to rappel down the bark.


    If he were to climb down, he would need a good grip at all times to keep himself from falling. He could only do that if he used his armor, but his armor was not always available.


    He could try and tame an eagle to take him down, but that would be near impossible. He could not fight them right now because he just used his transformation.


    He almost died when he tried to fight an eagle using only his armor, so he could not risk taming an eagle right now.


    The only way for him to get down safely was to eat his way down. If he were to dig a hole down, he would safely get to the ground. The only problem with this was that it would take a long time to do that.


    He did not have any other choice but to start digging down until he reached the bottom of the tree. He had to be fast, or else he would miss his daily missions.


    Hugh activated his armor on his fist and created a claw shape. With this piercing fist, he started to dig down the wood and put it in his mouth to eat.


    This was also part of the reason why he wanted to dig down. He wanted to take this opportunity to eat as much wood as he can to see if it would affect his armor.


    Hugh continued to dig down while he ate the wood to fuel his armor. He kept on digging and digging until his fist burst through another empty space.


    Hugh looked down and saw that this empty space was a tunnel like the one that the squirrel made. It was only three meters in height, so Hugh jumped down safely.


    Once he was in the dark tunnel, he chose a random direction and started to walk there. If there were tunnels here, then that meant there were more squirrels inside the tree.


    More squirrels meant that there were more piles of treasures that he could eat. If he had more time, he would try and steal some of the treasures inside the squirrel''s burrow.


    Hugh walked in the tunnel until he saw a dead end. It was the end of the tunnel, but Hugh knew that it was just a ruse to hide the room of treasures.


    Now that he had reached this dead-end, he was sure that another squirrel lived here and hid their treasures here. Hugh used his armor to burst a hole in the dead end.


    His hand quickly pierced through the thin wall, creating a peeping hole for him to see through. He peeked his head through and saw a giant squirrel ahead.


    It was currently on its back, presumably sleeping since it had its eyes closed. Hugh looked around the room until he saw a pile of treasure in the corner.


    His eyes immediately displayed greed, but once he looked closely, he saw a different kind of treasure.


    The pile of treasures was not glimmering gold and silver but instead had different colors put together. His nose immediately picked up a floral scent in the room, and it helped him identify the pile of treasures.


    The squirrel in this room did not store pieces of jewelry but instead gathered flowers. It had different types of flowers in different shapes that gave the room a pleasant smell.


    Hugh took out his head from the hole and went away from the squirrel''s burrow. He did not need the flowers, so he would not spend the time to steal them or wrestle them away from the hands of the giant squirrel.


    He continued down the other path of the tunnel until he saw a fork in the road. It led to two different directions, and Hugh chose the left route at random.


    Once he followed the left road, he came across another fork that led to two different paths. This time, he also chose the left path.


    Hugh continued to walk through forks in the tunnel until he saw another dead end.


    Just as he saw the thin wooden wall that separated the tunnel from the treasure room, he felt a feeling in his body.


    *yawn*

 Chapter 70: Rocks

    He had subconsciously yawned and stretched his body. He was starting to feel sleepy, which was terrible. This meant that he only had a limited time to finish his daily missions, or else the day would be over.


    At this rate, he would not be able to get down fast enough to eat ten different kinds of rocks. He had to eat them, or else he would fail his daily missions.


    He needed to get stronger, and if he missed the rewards for today''s daily missions, he would lose a day''s worth of potential strength.


    The problem was that he had no way to get down. If he were to free fall, then he would die, and what''s left of him would be liquified on the ground.


    If the ground was inaccessible, then he had to think of another way to get ten different kinds of rocks. Then, he saw the dead-end right in front of him.


    This wall led to a squirrel''s burrow, which had a pile of treasure that the squirrel amassed. He had seen that the pile of treasures was not always jewels and golds; it could also be flowers and other stuff.


    If a squirrel could gather many types of flowers, couldn''t there be a squirrel who gathered rocks as its pile of treasure?


    This possibility flared up his psyche, and he forgot the sleepiness in his body. He just needed to find a squirrel that had stored rocks as treasures.


    It was easier said than done, but he had to start looking somewhere. Many tunnels led to different squirrel burrows, which Hugh could travel to.


    He first looked at the wall in front of him. He busted a hole in it and looked inside. He immediately saw the giant squirrel inside. This squirrel was sitting down and eating some kind of acorn, but it had its back on Hugh, so it did not see Hugh''s head.


    Hugh looked around and saw a pile of plants and greenery in the corner of the room. This squirrel amassed different leaves and plants that Hugh had no use for, so he left the burrow.


    Hugh retraced back his steps until he found a fork in the road. He took a different path, hoping that it would lead to a different burrow.


    Hugh continued to maneuver through the tunnels looking for a squirrel''s burrow. He would get lucky and happen upon a squirrel''s den, but it did not have what he wanted.


    When he had explored all the tunnels that he saw, he started to dig down and search for some more tunnels. After digging for a few minutes, his hand burst through an open space, meaning he found another tunnel.


    He looked down and saw that the empty space was too big to be a tunnel. He observed the surroundings and saw a sleeping squirrel in the corner of the room.


    Hugh was going to dig in a different spot when he spotted something under the squirrel''s body. Upon closer inspection, the squirrel was sleeping on a pile of pebbles and rocks of all colors.


    Hugh rejoiced as he finally found a squirrel that hid rocks that he could eat to finish his daily missions. The problem was that the squirrel was sleeping directly on top of the pile of rocks.


    Hugh did not want to fight the squirrel because this squirrel was a C-rank creature. He could not fight it with just his armor, and his transformation was still on cooldown, so he could not fight the squirrel yet.


    Hugh dug horizontally away from the ceiling of the squirrel''s burrow and dug down until he was sure that he was at the same level as the bottom of the room.


    He then dug into the room and snuck inside without making any noise. The squirrel had its eyes closed, but Hugh was still cautious of any movement from the squirrel.


    He tiptoed towards the squirrel and looked at the pile of rocks underneath it. He squatted and looked at the rocks underneath the squirrel.


    Most of the rocks were smaller than his fist, so Hugh decided to put some in his pockets. He did not want to crunch on them while close to the squirrel in fear of waking it up.


    He gathered as many rocks as his pockets could collect and walked away from the squirrel. Once he was out of range, he started to munch on the rocks as fast as he could.


    The powdery texture of the rocks, once his teeth broke it down, was immaculate in taste. Even though he would like to savor this feeling, he had no choice but to eat fast.


    ''Eat 10 types of rocks (5/10)''


    Hugh was slowly completing his mission, and he was getting closer and closer to earning his reward. He just needed to go back to the pile of rocks and bring it back to a safe place and eat it.


    Hugh continued this cycle of sneaking around the squirrel and eating rocks until he was only one type of rock away from completing his mission.


    ''Eat 10 types of rocks (9/10)''


    Hugh made sure to bring back unique-looking rocks so that he would eat a different type of rock every time. He was convinced that he had brought back every unique rock from the pile, but he still needed one more type of rock.


    There was only one place left to look; he needed to eat the rocks directly underneath the squirrel. He did not know how to do that because he was sure that if he tried to move the squirrel, it would wake up.


    The time was ticking, and Hugh needed to be quick. He had no choice but to hope that the squirrel does not wake up when he tips it over.


    Hugh walked towards the squirrel and positioned himself on its back. He activated his armor on his arm and started to push the squirrel away from the pile of rocks, making sure to do it slowly or else the squirrel might wake up.


    Hugh pushed the squirrel away and saw the pile of rocks underneath it. He could see more unique-looking rocks there, so he was sure that if he ate it, he would be able to finish his mission.


    With his one hand still pushing the squirrel away, he bent down and reached for a rock the size of his fist. Just as he was about to reach the rock, he felt a vibration from the squirrel''s body.


    He could feel the muscles in the squirrel started to spasm, indicating that it was awake. Hugh felt a chill in his neck as his instincts told him to dodge. He had no choice but to roll away from the squirrel.


    Just as he rolled away, the squirrel''s tail sweeper barely passed by him. If he had been late for even a split second, he would have been hit by the squirrel''s tail.


    The squirrel opened its eyes and looked around. It ignored Hugh and looked at the pile of rocks underneath it, making sure that it was safe.


    It looked at the pile of rocks, confused as to why it was less than before. Then, it smelled something in the air and turned to look at Hugh.


    Its confused face suddenly turned into a look of fury as it understood what happened. An intruder stole its precious rocks away from it while it was sleeping.


    The squirrel could not forgive this crime, so it charged towards Hugh at full speed.


    Hugh saw that the squirrel was running at him with four legs like a bull, so Hugh activated his armor on his leg and burst power to dodge to his left.


    Like a speeding train, the squirrel sped past Hugh and continued to ram towards the room''s wall.


    *BOOM*


    The squirrel collided with the wall and created a dent in it. The collision sent reverberations throughout the room, indicating the intensity at which the squirrel bumped into the wall.


    If Hugh had not dodged, he would be squashed flat by the squirrel''s mad dash towards him. This was a C-rank creature, which was two ranks above him.


    Although a mutated animal was weaker than its human counterpart, it was strong enough to beat Hugh in his sleep.


    Hugh still had a cooldown on his transformation, so he had to rely on his wits and tactics to defeat the squirrel since it mainly uses instinct to fight.

 Chapter 71: Hole

    The giant squirrel shook its head as it got disoriented from colliding with the wall. It took a moment for it to recover, but once it did, it immediately glared at Hugh as if trying to blame him for the indecent.


    Hugh knew that the squirrel was mad and was about to charge towards him. He had no way to protect himself against the creature''s attacks because it was two ranks higher than him.


    He was sure that even if he uses his armor to protect himself, he will sustain severe injuries if he were to take the squirrel''s attack head-on.


    The squirrel bent down on all fours and looked menacingly at Hugh. It was revving up its muscles to burst out speed towards Hugh.


    Hugh walked in the middle of the room as he tried to prevent the squirrel from cornering him into a wall, or else the squirrel would crush him.


    The squirrel took a deep breath and made a mad dash towards Hugh with the full intent of killing him. Hugh had to stand still and wait for the perfect opportunity to dodge out of the way, or else the squirrel would change its direction towards Hugh''s dodge.


    Hugh''s heart rate was soaring through the skies as the giant three-meter squirrel was bulldozing towards him. He could feel the reverberations in the ground, and it did not do any good to his anxiety.


    Hugh watched as the squirrel got close to him with only a few meters left. Hugh was counting down the seconds left until he had the golden opportunity to dodge.


    The squirrel was no only four meters away from him, and he decided that it was the perfect time to dodge. He activated his armor on his leg and dived to the side, avoiding the squirrel''s dash towards him.


    Hugh rolled around in the ground as his dive proved to be too powerful. He rolled three times until his body plopped down on the floor, happy that he was able to survive the attack.


    As the sense of relief was about to come over him, he felt the vibrations in the ground that made him anxious. He turned his head to the left and saw the squirrel running on all fours towards him.


    Hugh looked at the wall and saw no indentation on it. He also did not hear a loud collision between the squirrel and the wall, which meant that the squirrel could stop itself before smacking itself on the wall.


    It was able to stop itself and turn around towards Hugh and make another attack. Hugh immediately got up and prepared to dodge the squirrel''s attack.


    Then, Hugh noticed that his back was facing a wall. He had rolled far enough to now be in the corner of the room. He had a limited amount of space to dodge the squirrel, which is terrible.


    He could not run towards the center of the room because he would be running towards the squirrel. The only choice was to run along the walls to try and dodge the squirrel.


    Hugh gathered the strength in his legs and ran along the walls of the room. He looked back and saw that the squirrel changed its direction to match Hugh''s body.


    At this rate, he would have a collision course with the squirrel and die from the crushing force of its C-rank body. Then, Hugh saw the dent on the wall, which the squirrel collided with.


    His instincts were telling him to run towards the dent, but if he continued down this path, the squirrel would catch up to him. Under these critical times, Hugh decided to trust his own gut and run towards the dent.


    Hugh used his armor to power up his leg and boost his speed towards the dented wall. He was running to the best of his ability even though the squirrel was only two meters away from him.


    The squirrel''s gigantic shadow cast upon his face, telling him that the squirrel was about to hit him. As a last resort, Hugh dived along the dent on the wall and turned his body towards the squirrel.


    Hugh raised his left arm and used it to guard his body against the squirrel''s attack. The squirrel continued its mad dash towards Hugh even though it would hit the wall; its only focus was to deal the most damage to Hugh.


    The squirrel''s head hit Hugh''s guarding arm and blew it away. Hugh could feel the crushing force of the squirrel even though he was wearing his armor.


    He had never felt this kind of damage using his armor. He would always only feel a little prick, but never an aching pain.


    *crack*


    He heard a slight crack in the bones of his guarding hand. It was broken under the squirrel''s attack, and his whole body was flung outwards.


    *BOOM*


    After hitting Hugh''s hand, the squirrel could not stop itself on time to dodge away from the wall. This was the consequence of tunnel vision on Hugh.


    The squirrel''s head hit the already dented wall and destroyed it even further. The collision sent shockwaves throughout the room, and dust was displaced everywhere.


    The wood on the wall was destroyed in some parts, leaving a tiny hole.


    Hugh held his arm in pain. It was broken, and he could not move it anymore, or else the pain would be magnified. He looked towards the squirrel and tried to separate himself from it.


    As he looked at the squirrel, which shook its head from the collision, he saw something that took his attention. There was a small bright spot on the floor of the room.


    It looked to be sunlight, but how could sunlight get inside the tree?


    Hugh followed the ray of light to its source and saw a tiny bright hole in the wall where the squirrel collided with. The collision destroyed that part of the wall and seemed to have broken a hole to the outside.


    Hugh could see the bright blue sky from the outside, and he smiled. He had figured out a way to defeat the squirrel. He immediately came up with a plan and readied himself to act upon it.


    The squirrel shook its head and tried to recover from the headache it was feeling. As the pain left its body, the squirrel looked towards Hugh and saw him cradling his arm.


    The squirrel recognized Hugh to be injured, making its attack successful. It wanted to kill Hugh in one attack, but it seemed that Hugh was more resilient than he appeared.


    Hugh ran towards the center of the room as the squirrel was about to regain its footing. Hugh did not stop as he continued to run towards the pile of rocks in the squirrel''s den.


    Hugh picked a rock at random and grasped it in his hands. Then, he turned around and faced the squirrel with a smile.


    The squirrel saw Hugh near its pile of rocks. It looked at Hugh''s hand grasping a rock, then locked eyes with Hugh. It saw the condescending smile on Hugh and watched as Hugh opened his mouth and put the rock in it.


    There was silence in the room until the sounds of munching broke the tension in the room. Hugh dared to eat the rock in front of the squirrel, disrespecting it in its den.


    The squirrel''s fur raised on ends, and its tail raised in the air. Its anger could not be expressed, and all it wanted to do now was kill Hugh at all costs.


    Hugh grabbed more and more rocks and stored them in his pockets. He munched on some of the rocks hoping that it would finish his daily missions, but he could not eat a new type of rock.


    As Hugh was munching on the rocks, he again felt the reverberations in the ground. He turned around to look at the squirrel that was had its tail upright and running towards him.


    Hugh activated his armor on his leg and ran around the walls of the room. He ate the rocks and fueled his armor to be used for more than three seconds.


    With his speed at maximum, Hugh reached the dented wall before the squirrel could get to him. Hugh did not stop as he activated his armor on his fist and punched through the hole on the wall.

 Chapter 72: Fall

    With his armored fist, Hugh penetrated through the bark of the giant tree. The dented wall counted to be destroyed, and the splinters fell away from the hole.


    Hugh did not stop with one punch as he continued to obliterate the wall and widen the hole on it. He did not forget to eat the rocks in his pockets as fuel to keep activating his armor.


    He could feel the reverberations in the ground getting louder and louder, indicating that the squirrel was getting close to him.


    The wall was now as big as him, but it was still small compared to the squirrel''s size. Hugh was satisfied with this result.


    After Hugh punched the wall and made the wall bigger, he turned around and looked at the squirrel coming towards him.


    He picked up another rock in his pockets and chewed it like it was candy. He massaged his belly as if he was content with the food that he ate.


    The squirrel could only look at the rocks inside Hugh''s hands. It had been gathering those rocks for a long time, and it was guzzled down in Hugh''s belly in a heartbeat.


    It could not forgive this crime and was ready to deal out punishment towards Hugh. It did not notice the gaping hole behind Hugh and could only focus on Hugh''s condescending face.


    The squirrel was running on all fours with its tail slamming the ground rhythmically. It did not believe that Hugh would be able to dodge its attacks again.


    It was stubborn in trying to kill Hugh by trampling him. The squirrel continued to run towards Hugh until it was only three meters away from Hugh.


    Hugh did not move yet. He was waiting for the very last second until he dodged away for his plan to work successfully.


    If he had dodged now, he would be able to avoid the squirrel''s attack, but the squirrel would be able to stop itself from colliding with the hole in the wall.


    He needed to wait for the very last second, even if it meant that he would have to sacrifice a part of his body. This was the only way he could defeat a C-rank creature by letting them plummet thousands of meters down the ground.


    Hugh could feel the wind from the outside blow to his neck, making him have chills. He waited until the squirrel was only less than a meter away from him, then he activated his armor on his shoulder.


    He tried to dodge out of the way, but because he did not use his armor on his leg, he was slow. Instead, he used his armor to protect his shoulder from colliding with the squirrel.


    Even if he used his leg to dodge out of the way faster, he would still be hit by the squirrel''s attack because the squirrel was only less than one meter away from him.


    The squirrel''s head crashed onto Hugh''s shoulder and immediately dislocated it from his joints and cracked it. Hugh could feel the pain envelop his whole body as he was flung away from the squirrel.


    He had sacrificed his shoulder for his plan, and it looked like it worked. The squirrel continued its momentum towards the hole in the wall.


    After hitting Hugh, the squirrel finally realized that gaping hole in the wall. It tried to stop itself, but it was too late. The squirrel was too close to the border to try and decelerate its body.


    *BOOM* *CRACK*


    The squirrel''s head struck the hole in the wall and continued to pierce through the bark. The wood started to give way under the squirrel''s force and create a giant hole for the squirrel''s whole body to go through.


    The wooden walls continued to break until the squirrel''s whole body was thrown outside due to its momentum.


    Hugh turned his head towards the squirrel and smiled, content that his plan had worked.


    The squirrel struggled to stop itself from falling by grabbing onto the ledge of the hole. It was holding on with one hand and its claws extended to create a better grip.


    Hugh immediately stood up as he saw this unfold. Squirrels are natural tree climbers, and they could easily climb back up in this position.


    Knowing this information, Hugh ignored the pain in his body and walked towards the squirrel. It was currently trying to push itself forward to climb the hole, and Hugh looked down on the struggling squirrel.


    It continued to use its claws to climb up until its head was on the same level as Hugh. It was surprised to see that Hugh was standing there watching it.


    Hugh activated his armor on his foot and gathered all the remaining strength in his body to kick the squirrel away. The squirrel saw this and weaved its head back to try and avoid Hugh''s kick.


    Without any hesitation, Hugh did a roundhouse kick towards the squirrel''s head and launched the squirrel flying outwards.


    The squirrel flailed its whole body in the air as it tried to grasp onto anything, but there was nothing around it. Hugh watched as the squirrel started to descend into the ground at breakneck speeds.


    Hugh did not look down to see the result and just turned towards the room. It was now empty, and only the shreds of evidence of their fight remained.


    He limped towards the pile of rocks in the ground, making sure not to move his arm and his shoulder too much. He reached the rocks and sat down without much energy left.


    With his usable hand, he started to munch on the rocks as if it was the last thing he was to do. He could feel his power slowly coming back to him, but his exhaustion remained.


    He had been awake for the whole day, and it was now time for him to sleep. After he had eaten all the rocks in the pile, his eyes got heavy, and he plopped into the ground.


    As he was starting to lose his consciousness from sleep, he got a notification in his head.


    ''DAILY MISSION COMPLETE!''


    ''Armor upgraded!''


    ''Storage Pouch unlocked!''


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    In a dark and moist room, Aric regained consciousness and looked around. He was at the same place that Maverick had left him.


    The last thing he remembered was Maverick slicing off his head. He flinched his whole body as he remembered that scene. His arms were still restrained, but he had enough freedom to touch his neck.


    With trembling hands, he touched his neck and tried to see if he had been decapitated. His hands touched every part of his neck, but he did not feel any signs of injury.


    Maverick had pulled some stunt on him and made him believe that he was dead. He could never forgive his own father for doing this to him.


    His anger turned into rage until his whole body burst into flames. He closed his eyes and felt the fire around his body. He noticed that his flames were burning hotter than ever, even though he had barely exerted his power.


    His flames had improved from the torture his own father had inflicted on him. He remembered how his hand was disintegrated from the lava, the pain, and anguish that had caused him.


    Even though the results he got were beyond what he expected, he could not feel anything but hatred for his father. He regretted ever coming here and letting Maverick torture him like this.


    He wanted to get out from this hell hole. He flailed his whole body to try and get out from the shackles on his body even though he knew it would not do anything good.


    Then, he heard footsteps coming towards him. These footsteps were engraved into his heart and caused him to have fear all over his body.


    Maverick came out of the shadows with the same swagger and domineering aura that he had. He observed Aric with a smile on his face.


    "See what happened? You improved."


    Maverick''s tone could have been mistaken as a parent proud of his child for achieving a milestone. Aric could not accept this kind of attitude from Maverick, so he glared at him and spat on the ground.


    "You despise me, yet I made you improve. You should be grateful."


    Maverick had his nose up in the air as he spoke to Aric. He seemed to be genuinely waiting for Aric to give him thanks.


    Seeing that Aric was silent, Maverick continued to speak.


    "The board members at the Blacklade academy have been getting anxious lately, and I need to quiet those thoughts. As for your thanks, you just need to do something for me, sabotage Wolrath Academy."

 Chapter 73: Caterpillars

    Hugh felt the cold breeze whizzing past his face. The ground he was sleeping on was soft like he was on a high-three count bed.


    He was exhausted before, so he wanted to sleep more to rest his body. He still had his eyes closed as he turned his whole body to the side as a way to make himself more comfortable.


    As he turned, he felt the soft and silky texture of the place where he slept. It was soft enough for his head to dent the floor.


    He was half-conscious at this state, and he smelled something in his sleep. Curious, he opened his nostrils more and sniffed the air surrounding him, only to feel a familiar scent overcoming him.


    This scent was from a certain kind of delicacy food that he ate before. As fast as he could remember, the texture was like eating cotton candy, and it was refreshing as drinking a cold cup of water.


    He did not know why, but he wanted to take a bite out of it again. Still half asleep, Hugh opened his jaws wide and took a bite out of the miniature hills on the ground.


    As he remembered it, the scenario came back to his mind. This was the same taste and texture as the clouds he had eaten before.


    Like a flash of lightning, he suddenly remembered where he was. He was still in a dangerous dungeon, and he had just woken up from a deep sleep after an exhausting day.


    Adrenaline filled his body as he opened his eyes wide and looked at his surroundings. He remembered that he had slept on a squirrel''s burrow that had rocks as a pile of treasure.


    He expected a dark and woody interior as soon as he opened his eyes, but he was surprised to see a bright and blue scenery.


    He quickly sat up and looked at his surroundings. He was not at the tree, but instead, he was at the same place he had been when he entered the dungeon.


    The floor was filled with clouds, and the horizon was as flat as the blue sky. Professor Kain had not yet discussed things about dungeons'' specifics, so Hugh was not knowledgeable in this regard.


    He did not know that a dungeon resets every day. He could only look at his surroundings and marvel at the eternal horizon.


    Seeing that there were no enemies near him, Hugh''s heart rate started to slow down. He slumped his whole body on the ground and looked at the sky.


    There was a vague memory of him receiving his rewards for completing his daily missions. He did not know if that was true or not because at the time that it happened, he was already half asleep.


    Hugh raised his hand and looked at it. This hand was supposed to be broken after battling with the giant squirrel, but he could freely move it now.


    It was the same with his shoulder as he could rotate it without any problem. This kind of recovery could only be explained by his Fat God System.


    *GRUMBLE*


    As if calling him, Hugh''s stomach started to rumble in protest. He felt hungry, probably due to using up his energy to recover from his injuries.


    There was nothing around him, so Hugh decided to munch on the clouds on the floor. He picked a handful of clouds from the floor, and it separated like cotton candy.


    He ate it without any hesitation and grabbed some more from the ground. The clouds were tasty, but they were not filling. He needed more meat to satiate his hunger, but because there was nothing around him, he had no choice but to eat the clouds.


    Hugh started to mow down the clouds like a cow grazing on the grass. Even though it felt like he had eaten a ton of clouds, he still was not satisfied.


    As he was busy eating the clouds, the ground started to rumble, and small lumps in the ground began to form. Hugh remembered something like this happening before.


    He did not feel anxious about the strange occurrence, but instead, he was excited. He had a smile on his face, and his eyes signaled greed as winged caterpillars burst out of the ground.


    He remembered the sweet and juicy tastes of the caterpillar and how tasty they are. This was the kind of meat that would satisfy his hunger.


    Hugh looked around and saw seven caterpillars surrounding him. He knew that they were virtually useless in fighting, so he did not worry about escaping.


    He wanted to fight these caterpillars and take their bodies to fuel his hunger. The first time he met these caterpillars, he was the prey, but now, he was the predator.


    He activated his armor on his leg and sped forth towards the nearest caterpillar. With his momentum, he armored up his fist and punched towards the caterpillar.


    As his fist collided with the caterpillar''s face, he felt the squishy face of its head. The caterpillar was thrown backward with its head bleeding from Hugh''s punch.


    Hugh looked at his hand and saw a tiny bit of blood from the caterpillar. He never took his eyes away from the caterpillar as he licked the blood off his knuckles.


    His greed for the caterpillar seemed to give him a crazed state as he ran for the caterpillar again. He used his armored fist to bash the caterpillar''s head into its skull.


    He did not let it go as he continued to punch the caterpillar until its blood spurted in his face, making his face look horrifying.


    The caterpillar was now dead, and its blood was spilling in the cloudy floor. He started to munch on the caterpillar without hesitation, even though there were still six caterpillars surrounding him.


    He did not seem to notice that he had used his armor for every punch that he did to the caterpillar.


    As Hugh was munching on the winged caterpillar''s savory meat, he felt a chill on his back. His instincts led the charge on his body, and he dodged away while still holding the caterpillar''s carcass.


    The six other caterpillars had closed in on him and tried to take a bite out of his neck, but he was able to dodge them.


    He did not see them as a threat, but as a meal waiting for him. He took another bite out of the caterpillar, with the creature''s blood dripping from his mouth, and activated his armor to punch the remaining caterpillars.


    One by one, Hugh punched the winged caterpillars'' heads three times until they died. With his meal served up like a plate, he gnawed at the juicy carcasses of the caterpillars.


    Once he had eaten his fill, he started to regain his sanity from hunger. It was then that he noticed that he had used his armor for longer than three seconds.


    This discovery was a thing that Hugh rejoiced with all his heart. The rewards from his daily missions must have been real. His armor was now upgraded.


    He could not wait but to try it out for himself. He raised his hand and activated his armor. The silver and brown liquid flowed out of his skin and covered his whole fist.


    He could clearly see his silvery skin and his wooden muscles in high definition. He continued to activate the armor and count down the seconds until he felt the armor disappear.


    1...2...3...8...9...10


    After the tenth second, Hugh felt the power in his hands disappear. The armor returned into its liquid state and disappeared inside his skin.


    He smiled and flexed his muscles. He could now use his armor for ten seconds and with a cooldown of five seconds.


    He jumped up and stretched his whole body. He felt stronger than ever with this power-up. One of his weaknesses was his armor''s transient activation, which led to him being vulnerable for most of the fights.


    With this, he could fight with his armor longer and deal more damage to his opponents. The caterpillars were now easier to defeat with his armor, which meant that he could kill a lot more than seven at a time.


    He looked at the left-over wings from the caterpillar''s carcasses. There was also one more thing that the mission rewards gave him; it was the storage pouch.

 Chapter 74: Stockpile

    He had saved up the wings of the caterpillars to be eaten at a later date. Now that he had gotten a storage pouch, he could stockpile on wings and eat them while in battle.


    Even though the system told him he had a storage pouch, he did not know where it was or how to access it. He just had to experiment on himself.


    He bent down and picked up a caterpillar wing and folded it until it was like a piece of gum. He opened his jaws wide and swallowed the wings without chewing them.


    He gulped, and the wings traveled through his throat and towards his stomach, where it was instantly dissolved for energy. He then poked his throat to try and vomit the wings out, but he only gagged.


    It looked like that was not the right way to access his storage pouch. Thinking to himself, he looked at his own body and thought up an idea.


    He folded another pair of wings and held it in his hands. He then pushed it towards his belly until it sank between the folds of his fats.


    Hugh watched as his fats gobbled up the pair of wings and made it disappear in his body. Hugh was surprised that it worked, and he got a notification in his mind.


    ++++++++++++++


    STORAGE POUCH


    Size: 20cm x 10cm


    Items:


    - Winged Caterpillar wings x1


    ++++++++++++++


    He now had a storage space inside his body. This kind of ability was a tremendous help to Hugh because he could store materials inside his body.


    The reason he wanted to go to the dungeons is that he could eat all the materials here that would benefit him in some way. With this ability, he could save valuable materials and eat them for later.


    He could also store some food inside the storage that he could eat while fighting. This would give him tremendous help and could extend his armor for an extended time.


    The only problem right now was that it only had limited space. He would have to find a suitable food source that would fit many quantities but still give him enough nourishment for his armor.


    Then, he imagined the wings inside his storage space to appear in his hands. A smile started to form on his face as the wings grew from his palms. His problem was solved in his mind.


    The caterpillar wings gave him enough energy to extend his armor by one second. It could also be folded in small sizes that could fit inside his storage space.


    The caterpillar wings were the most efficient food source that he could stockpile in his storage space. It was also easily digestible and would not hinder his fighting skills.


    ++++++++++++++


    DAILY MISSIONS:


    Eat 30,000 kcal (2,100/30,000)


    Eat 5,000 kg of wood (0/5,000)


    ++++++++++++++


    His mission for today was also simple to complete. He had already eaten seven caterpillars today and gave him 2,100 calories. The rest of the wood he could get on the giant tree.


    His plan for today was simple, hunt all of the winged caterpillars that he could find. That way, he would stockpile all the wings that could fit inside his storage space.


    He thought back to the time that the winged caterpillars suddenly appeared. From what he remembered, the caterpillars appeared after he had eaten a certain amount of clouds on the floor.


    He did not know if this was a coincidence or not, but he was willing to try. If it was true, then he could spend the whole day just killing caterpillars and gathering them for their wings.


    After he had gathered the rest of the wings on the floor, he started to tear apart the clouds and eat them. He did not stop and munched on the clouds waiting for the caterpillars to appear.


    He had eaten tens of meters of clouds, but the caterpillars still had not appeared. He continued to eat clouds on the floor for an hour until he felt a rumbling on the floor.


    Lumps of clouds shot up and revealed the juicy caterpillars that he had been waiting for. There were only ten caterpillars this time, but he was not discouraged.


    He started to kite them away from the group and defeat them one by one by punching their faces three times. It had become so much easier dealing with the caterpillars now that he could use his armor for ten seconds.


    It also helped that he knew the attack patterns of the caterpillars. He only had to worry about a potential bite here and there, but he could defeat the caterpillars without a problem.


    Hugh continued to hunt for the caterpillars and fill his stockpile for hours on end. He did not feel tired because all he could think about was the caterpillar wings. It also helped that the caterpillar meat was so delicious that he could eat them every day.


    Hugh would sometimes get lucky and find caterpillars after thirty minutes, but most of the groups only showed up after about an hour or so.


    He did not know how much time had passed, but he was happy to see the results of his grinding.


    ''-Winger Caterpillars x150.''


    With this stockpile, he would be able to use his armor for two and a half minutes. Of course, he would only use these in case of critical times where he had to defend himself or else he would die.


    There was still an unfinished caterpillar carcass near his feet, so Hugh decided to finish it because he did not like to waste food.


    As he was about to pick it up, he saw a dark shadow loom past the caterpillar carcass. He heard the sounds of beating wings and cold wind breezes past his neck.


    Hugh looked up and saw a giant eagle hovering above him. It did not look directly at him but towards the caterpillar carcass near his feet.


    Hugh immediately put up his guard as he got ready to battle the eagle. As he observed it up close, Hugh noticed that the eagle was identical to the one he had encountered before.


    It was the same size and the same wingspan, so Hugh wondered if it was the same creature from before. It seemed more and more plausible since he was also in the same place before.


    Since the dungeon resets every day, that must also mean that the creatures also reset. Before he could think about it any further, he saw the eagle soar through the skies at high speeds.


    Hugh already knew what would happen because he already experienced this before. Like in his memory, the eagle stopped mid-air and fell in the air with its beaks directed towards him.


    The eagle was planning to attack him using the same tactics that it used before. Since he already knew what would happen, Hugh was not worried.


    He could now use his armor for ten seconds, which he could use to fight the eagle. Yesterday, the eagle was able to drag Hugh to the air and bring him to the giant tree.


    This time, Hugh did not want to experience life or death scenarios up in the air again, so he planned to avoid getting caught.


    As he watched the eagle fall through the skies, he realized something. Would the treasure pile of the squirrels also be reset?


    As the eagle pierced through the air aimed for Hugh''s body, he changed his mind at the last second. Hugh planned to dodge the eagle, but he decided to take it head-on.


    The eagle dove down and was only a few meters left until it would pierce through Hugh''s body, but Hugh did not move. That was the perfect time to dodge, but he only powered up his armor on his fist.


    At the very last second, Hugh sidestepped the eagle''s beak and let its body pass through to the side. Then, Hugh grabbed onto the eagle''s claws and did not let go.


    The eagle felt a heavy weight on its claws and looked down at Hugh. It was surprised to see Hugh hanging on, so it tried to throw him off.


    Hugh already knew that the eagle would try to do this, so without hesitation, he started to climb the eagle''s body. The eagle soared through the air in a zig-zag to try and throw off Hugh, but Hugh had a firm grip that would not let go.


    Hugh climbed on top of the eagle without any problem because he used his armor for an exceptional grip. Once in the eagle''s back, he made himself comfortable and waited for the eagle to bring him to the giant tree.

 Chapter 75: Sleepy

    Hugh could feel the strong winds blow past his face as the eagle continued to soar through the skies. It tried to throw Hugh off, but Hugh had a tight grip on its body and would not let go.


    He already knew where the eagle would go, so he just bided his time and stored his energy. The eagle seemed annoyed at Hugh, but he just slapped the eagle''s body to try and make it go faster.


    After a few hours of traveling in the air, they finally saw the giant tree in their sights. Hugh mentally prepared himself to for the fight that was about to happen.


    Hugh kept his eyes open on the tree to see if any more eagles were flying around. The last time he was here, he was cornered by four eagles that were hell-bent on killing him.


    Thankfully, there does not seem to be any sign of the eagles in the vicinity. This time, Hugh did not immediately kill the eagle and let it land on the tree by itself.


    He knew that it was risky to try and kill the eagle in mid-air because the eagle could crash land on the floor, which would kill him.


    He was lucky last time because the eagle that he killed landed on the tree. The eagle flew through the air and hovered around a large branch of the tree.


    Hugh looked around and saw no signs of any eagles nearby, which gave him relief. As the eagle was about to land on the branch, Hugh decided to take this opportunity to kill the eagle.


    With his armored hand, he pierced through the eagle''s body and took out a large portion of its meat.


    *KIAAAOOOO!!*


    The eagle screamed as it felt a sharp pain on its back. It knew that Hugh was trying to kill it, so the eagle was alarmed.


    Hugh continued to pierce deeper into the eagle''s body to try and instantly kill it. If he were to find the eagle''s heart, he could kill it without any problem.


    Because he was on top of the eagle, the eagle could not do anything to him except flail around in the air. Hugh was not thrown off because his hand was lodged inside the eagle''s body while blood spurted from its injury.


    The eagle was screaming in pain and could not take it anymore. It flapped its wings and flew towards a vertical branch at full speed.


    It intended to hit its own body to the branch and hopefully squish Hugh''s body. It did not care if it would be injured because Hugh would deal more damage to its body if left alone.


    Hugh was piercing through the eagle''s body as fast as he could, but it was not fast enough. He saw the eagle fly towards the branch at full speed, and he knew what the eagle wanted to do.


    Hugh had no choice but to take the hit and hope that he would survive the damage. He activated his armor on his back and protected it from the collision.


    *BOOM*


    Hugh felt the oxygen leave his body as his chest was crushed from the collision. He had protected himself with his armor, but he could not cover every part of his body.


    He felt the crushing pain and was forced to let go of his grip on the eagle. He slid down and fell to the branch while the eagle flew in the skies.


    *COUGH*


    Hugh coughed as hard as he could to regain the oxygen in his body. He was too preoccupied with it that he did not see the eagle fly towards him with its beak in tow.


    As Hugh was coughing, he felt the cold wind in his neck, and his hairs stood on end. The flapping of the wings gave away its identity, so Hugh dodged away.


    The eagle dove down towards Hugh, but Hugh was able to dodge it. It was still injured, so its speed was lessened from the pain it was feeling.


    The eagle tried to fly back up, but its downward momentum was too strong for its current strength. The eagle that had missed its attack on Hugh skidded on the ground while bleeding from its back.


    Hugh stopped rolling on the ground and saw the eagle in his sights. This was the only time he would be able to fight the eagle head-on, or else it would fly away, so Hugh rushed towards it.


    The eagle was trying to pick itself back up, but it kept tumbling in the ground. Hugh had done a great deal of damage by injuring its body, so it could only watch as Hugh run up towards it.


    Hugh''s body ached, but he ignored it as he ran towards the eagle with his armor activated on his fist. With his momentum, Hugh punched through the eagle''s injury and damaged it even further.


    *KIAAOOOO!!!*


    It screamed in pain once more, so Hugh knew that it was on its last leg. Hugh grabbed a large chunk of its meat and tore it away from its body.


    The eagle''s blood spurted on his face, but he did not care as he continued to kill the eagle.


    The eagle tried to peck Hugh to get him to stop, but Hugh used his armor to defend himself from the sharp beaks. As a last resort, the eagle tried to flap its wings and fly away, but Hugh anchored himself on the ground and did not let the eagle fly away.


    If the eagle were at full strength, Hugh would not be able to prevent it from flying away, but it was about to die from its injuries, so it did not have enough strength.


    Hugh would dodge away from the flailing body of the eagle and attack its vulnerable injuries when he could. It became easier and easier as the eagle started to lose strength, and it could not move anymore.


    With its final strength, it tried to pierce its beak towards Hugh, but he could block it with his armored hand. The eagle''s head fell helplessly on the ground as its heart stopped beating.


    Hugh panted as he saw the fight finally over. He had sustained some minor injuries during the battle, but he was able to kill the eagle.


    He plopped on the ground and regained his breathing to its normal state. He was sweating all over, but he felt good.


    He no longer had to worry about his armor because he could now use it for ten seconds. He looked at the carcass of the eagle and decided to eat it now.


    If he were to leave it here, the smell would have attracted more eagles in the tree. He did not want to fight another flock of eagles while he was still recovering.


    He could only win against one eagle, so he had no chance against a flock of eagles. Hugh picked himself back up and started to munch on the eagle.


    He tore apart the eagle''s insides and devoured it like it was a regular meal. Blood dripped from his mouth as he enjoyed the delicacy that is the giant eagle''s meat.


    The skin and the feathers were no exception to his craving as he picked them off and ate them as a dessert.


    As he was enjoying his meal, he heard the low rumble of wings flapping in the distance. He stopped eating the eagle and looked around with wary eyes.


    He recognized those flapping wings as the same ones that the eagle made. He had a bad feeling in his gut as he saw four eagles reveal themselves from a distance.


    There was one eagle among the four that showed up that was the largest among all of them. Hugh recognized it to be the same one that had forced him to bury himself in the wood.


    Their wings were beating, displacing wind downwards, and created a cool breeze. Hugh gulped the eagle meat in his mouth and readied to take out his armor.


    In the middle of all this tension, Hugh felt a feeling in his body.


    *yawn*


    This yawn only meant one thing; it was nearing the end of the day.


    He had no time to deal with four eagles at once because he had to finish his daily missions for today. He still had to eat thousands of kilograms of wood to get a reward, so he had to escape the eagles.


    He did not tarry any longer and activated his armor on his fist. He pierced through the wooden floor and started to dig down as fast as he could.


    With his ten-second armor, Hugh was able to dig down far enough to escape the eagles'' diving beaks outside.


    Hugh did not stop there as he continued to dig through the wood and eat it. The tree''s wood was like red meat in his mouth as it tasted as good as it looked.


    He did not know how long he had been digging around, but he knew that he had eaten a lot of wood in the meantime.


    Hugh created a tiny room in the tree by carving the wood until he could lay in it. His eyes were heavy, and he wanted to sleep, but before his eyes fully closed, he heard a notification in his head.


    ''DAILY MISSIONS COMPLETE!''


    ''Armor upgraded.''

 Chapter 76: Improve

    ++++++++++++++


    DAILY MISSIONS:


    Eat 30,000 kcal (0/30,000)


    Eat 7,000 kg of wood (0/7,000)


    ++++++++++++++


    Hugh woke up to the bright light hitting his eyes. He was lying on a soft and smooth surface that he recognized to be the floor of clouds. He opened his eyes and confirmed his suspicions.


    He was back at the place where he had started before. It seemed like every reset of the dungeon takes him back to the same site every time.


    He remembered what had happened the day before, and it seemed like he had finished his mission on time. The last time he had finished his daily missions, he had gotten a reward of a longer time with the armor.


    From three seconds, it turned into a staggering ten seconds. That was a seven-second difference. This had never happened before, so Hugh started to think about why it happened.


    He traced his steps back and realized that he had eaten a lot of wood from the giant tree. Back then, he did not think about the amount of wood he had eaten because he just focused on digging his way down.


    He hypothesized that he had gotten a longer time with his armor because of the amount of wood he had eaten. Yesterday, he also ate a ton of wood to finish his daily missions and then some.


    If his guesses were correct, he should have a reward that would elongate his time with the armor. To test out this hypothesis, he raised his hand and focused on it.


    He activated his armor; brown and silver liquid flowed out from his skin and solidified into his armor. The silver liquid became a layer of skin, and the brown liquid became wooden muscles that gave him explosive strength.


    He counted and waited for the seconds that his armor would be available.


    1...2...3...10...13...16


    After the 16th second, Hugh felt the strength in his hands disappear. His armor turned back into its liquid stare and flowed back into his body.


    He planted, but his face had a smile. He had discovered that his armor could now last for 16 seconds. This was a tremendous amount of time that he could use his armor.


    Back then, he was always struggling to regulate his armor''s use because it only had three seconds of activation. Now, he was able to improve his armor fivefold in just two days.


    This discovery also proved his hypothesis to be true. He had improved his armor due to the wood that he ate from the giant tree.


    The day before yesterday, he earned seven seconds of armor time from three seconds to ten seconds. Now, the ten seconds became sixteen seconds.


    The amount it increased had lessened. He did not know if that was just the natural limit for improving or that he did not eat enough wood yesterday.


    To answer the question, he would have to go to the giant tree again and test it out for himself. He would try to eat a lot more wood than he ate before and compare the results later.


    To do that, he would have to find a way to get to the giant tree. From the times he had traveled there, he gathered that it was a long way to get there. If he walked there, it would probably take him a whole day, which is not good since he wanted to eat more wood for his daily missions.


    The only feasible way to get to the giant tree was to fly there with the eagle. That was what he had always done, but it was still a life-or-death situation for him.


    With one wrong move, he would plummet thousands of meters to his death. He would immediately be liquified and be fed on by the caterpillars.


    Since that was the only way he was going to the giant tree, he decided to risk it. He would not gain anything if he did not at least try to get there.


    The problem was that he did not know how to summon the eagle. It would only just appear as he was eating his caterpillars. Then, like a flash of lightning, he got a guess on how to summon the eagle.


    Since the eagle always appeared in the middle of his meal in the caterpillars, he would just have to use that as bait. First, he needed to summon the caterpillars and lay their carcasses into the ground.


    He remembered that the caterpillars appeared after he had stripped the floor of clouds. He bent down and started to munch on the clouds as fast as possible. It was not a guaranteed chance that the caterpillars would appear, so Hugh decided to eat a lot of the clouds.


    After thirty minutes, Hugh felt a tremor in the ground. He looked up and saw mounds of clouds appeaser near him. A smile formed on his face as the caterpillars slowly emerged from the ground.


    This time, there were five caterpillars in the group. Hugh did not hesitate and activated his armor and charged towards them.


    With sixteen seconds of use on the armor, he did not have trouble defeating the five caterpillars. With three strikes, he was able to kill them without a problem.


    As he saw the juicy inside of the caterpillar, he started to get hungry and greedy to eat the caterpillar carcasses for himself. He opened his jaws wide as if he was about to take a bite, but he stopped himself on time.


    These caterpillars were bait, and he would have to spend more minutes trying to find caterpillars if he ate the carcasses right now.


    He had to remind himself that he was doing this to improve his armor further. He resolved to fast and ignore the juicy insides of the caterpillar.


    The thought of eating eagle meat was the only thing that stopped him from eating the caterpillar juices. The eagle would taste so much better than the caterpillars, so he waited.


    He tapped his foot onto the ground as he waited impatiently for the eagle to come. He was starting to get hungrier, and the smell of the caterpillar juices wafted over his nose.


    Looking down at the carcasses, he could not help but cheat on his diet. Thinking to himself that he would just take one bite, he bent down and munched on a caterpillar.


    The juices flowed out of his mouth and stained the ground. The meat immediately melted in his mouth in savory fireworks that made him crave for more.


    His promise of only taking one bite seemed to be extended until he ate every piece of the caterpillar. The juices were pooled up in the ground, and the distinct smell of the caterpillar wafted in the air.


    Hugh''s hunger seemed to bury out like a dam gate and let out all of his greed onto the caterpillar. He eyes the second caterpillar with no intention of holding himself back.


    The second caterpillar was finished, as well as the third and the fourth until there was only one caterpillar left. Since he had already gotten this far, Hugh decided to just hunt for more caterpillars later.


    As he was about to bite the caterpillar, a muffled sound of wings beating was heard above him. Hugh looked up and saw the familiar face of an eagle.


    It was soaring through the sky while looking down at the caterpillar in Hugh''s hands. It circled the air and screamed in the air.


    *KYAOO!!!*


    It seemed to warn Hugh to let the caterpillar go or else it would attack. Hugh stared at the eagle above him with a smile on his face.


    The caterpillar was delicious, but eagle meat was better. He stared at the eagle and took a bite out of the caterpillar, making sure that he locked eyes with the eagle.


    *KYAAAAAAOOOOOOO!!!!!*


    The eagle was angry at the disrespect it saw from Hugh. With its sharp beak ready, the eagle dove down and went straight for Hugh.


    Hugh took another bite out of the caterpillar as he waited patiently for the eagle to come to him. He was not anxious like he was before because he already knew the eagle''s attack patterns.


    With the eagle only a few meters away from him, Hugh activated his armor on his leg and jumped up. With his upwards momentum, Hugh released his armor on his leg and transferred it into his hand.


    With his exceptional grip, Hugh grabbed onto the eagle''s body and rode its back like riding a bull. The eagle was irritated at Hugh and wanted to throw him off, but Hugh already knew it would do this.


    Like an exceptional bull rider, Hugh balanced his body by going with the flow of the eagle''s movements. He smiled as the eagle continued to soar through the skies as it gave up on throwing Hugh off.


    Its destination now was the giant tree that Hugh wanted to go to.

 Chapter 77: Branch

    Hugh braced himself on the eagle''s back. He had no trouble getting into the eagle, but there was still the danger of falling off the eagle. He had to make sure that he was alert the whole time that the eagle soared through the skies.


    After a few hours of travel, they finally reached the giant tree. Hugh braced himself and looked out for the eagles that could appear from the tree.


    Seeing that the coast was clear, Hugh activated his armor on his hand and pierced it through the eagle''s back. This was identical to what he had done before since he wanted to kill the eagle for its meat.


    With his armor activated for sixteen seconds, Hugh had an easier time killing the eagle. He had injured it while they flew in the sky, so it was already close to dying.


    The last time he had fought the eagle, he had cuts and bruises all over his body. This time, there were fewer injuries than before since he knew what to do and avoid.


    His hunting for the eagle was more organized as he used the eagle''s flight patterns to kill it. Although he had killed an eagle, he was not confident fighting it if it was in its healthy condition.


    He could kill a healthy eagle, but it would probably cost him multiple injuries and probably a broken limb. Hugh looked at the carcass of the eagle and started to eat it.


    The meat was savory and was filled with nutrients that nourished his stomach. He broke its bones and drank the liquid in the bone marrow as he saved it for last.


    Its skin and feathers were all eaten up, and there was nothing left of the eagle except some blood and bits of meat on the ground.


    He sat on the ground as he patted his stomach. He was satisfied with the meat of the eagle and wanted to eat more. If it were not for the difficulty in killing the eagle, he would actively hunt for more.


    As he thought more about it, the more he craved the eagle meat. If he could find an isolated eagle, he could kill with his bare hands and strip it of its flesh.


    Since he had a lot of time, Hugh decided to explore the giant tree and look for more eagles. Since the dungeon resets every day, it would be good to familiarize himself with the giant tree that he would be going to every day.


    He was excited at this new adventure he was going on. Even though he was eager to explore the tree, he did not forget to stay calm and observe his surroundings.


    He was still at a dangerous dungeon, and any creature here could kill him if he dropped his guard. He started to walk along the thick gigantic branches of the trees like they were roads.


    Within thirty minutes of searching, Hugh heard the sounds of ruffled leaves in the distance. Alarmed, Hugh hid away from the open area and observed his surroundings. Out from the sky, a large shadow was cast in the space where Hugh was initially positioned.


    Then, two giant eagles landed on the ground, their claws digging into the bark of the tree. Hugh hid even further away from the eagles, fearing that they would notice him.


    These were two healthy eagles. Hugh had almost no chance of killing the two of them together, so he had to avoid fighting them at all costs.


    The two eagles looked around the place after they landed; their sharp eyes glinted under the bright sun. Hugh held his breath as he hoped that they had not noticed his presence.


    After a minute of waiting, the two eagles stopped observing their surroundings and started to peck their own bodies as a way to clean themselves.


    Hugh finally took a breath, but he still kept up his guard. It looked like the eagles had not noticed his presence, but he still needed to be stealthy.


    Hugh waited for tens of minutes for the eagles to fly off, hit, they stayed in place. They looked like they were dozing off and playing with each other.


    Hugh frowned as he waited for the eagles to take off. He needed to get out of this place and explore the other parts of the tree.


    He would familiarize himself with the tree to be easier to navigate through it in the next days. He could dig down, but the sharp ears would probably hear it of the eagles.


    Even if he dug down, he would only have a limited space to dig down. He was only at a branch of the tree, not the main shaft, so there was no place to dig down.


    As Hugh was observing the eagles, he saw their eyes start to feel heavy and close their eyes. It looked like the eagles were starting to sleep, which was an excellent opportunity for Hugh to escape.


    Hugh waited for a few more minutes to make sure that they were still asleep, and then he started to tiptoe his way out of their presence.


    His steps were precise, and he made sure that he did not make any noise. Hugh started to progress out of their place step by step until he was a few tens of meters away from them.


    Hugh kept his eyes locked onto the two eagles to make sure that they were still asleep. He also prepared his armor to be taken out of a crisis arose.


    Hugh continued to walk in the tree branch until he heard a loud screeching sound from somewhere.


    *KYAOOOO!!!*


    As soon as Hugh heard this scream, he knew that he was in deep trouble. The sound traveled towards the two eagles, and their eyes immediately opened. They looked towards a specific direction to the north as if they knew where the sound came from.


    Their wings spread forth, and they started to take off from the ground. With one large flap, they left the bottom and hovered in the air.


    Hugh did not move as soon as the eagles opened their eyes. Eagles had good eyesight for things that were moving, so Hugh was hoping that they would not notice him if he did not move.


    It seemed to have been an effective method to evade the eagles'' eyesight as they started to fly off. Hugh felt relieved that the eagles flew off, but it was short-lived. Hugh heard another sound from his back.


    Hugh turned around and saw a large squirrel squeaking towards the air as if communicating with the eagles. The eagles were forced to turn back and look at the squirrel, putting their vision near Hugh.


    As they turned their heads, they saw Hugh standing there in the open. As soon as Hugh noticed his presence was known to the eagles, Hugh bolted out.


    Hugh activated his armor on his leg and sped out from the eagle''s view. It proved useless as he was still out in the open, ready to be picked off by the eagles.


    Hugh frowned as he felt frustrated from the event that had happened. He almost escaped, if not for the squirrel that took the eagle''s attention.


    He looked around and saw that the squirrel bolted out as soon as it had taken the eagle''s attention. Hugh''s blood boiled as he felt a deep hatred towards the squirrel.


    He swore to himself that he would hunt as many squirrels as he could if he ever got the chance. For now, he had to deal with the two eagles behind him.


    Hugh knew that he stood no chance against the eagles if he was out in the open, so Hugh decided to dig under the wood. It was not deep, but it was enough to escape the clutches of the eagles.


    He was only at a branch, so he had limited space to dig under. With his armored fist, he took out the wood and ate it as he carved a hole big enough for himself.


    The two eagles landed on the hole that Hugh was in. They tiled their heads in confusion on what to do. They could not reach Hugh with their claws, so they tried to peck him from the hole.


    Hugh dug down deeper, just a few centimeters away from the eagle''s beaks. He did not want to dig further down because he did not know if he would fall.


    He was safe at this place, but he had to think of something that could get him out safely. Hugh spent hours as he poked the eagles through the hole and gave them small injuries that piled up.


    When the beaks came into his hole, he would punch them the best that he could. After a while, the two eagle''s beaks were broken.


    Hugh used this chance to get out of the hole and piece his armored hand on an eagle. He would quickly burrow himself back again in the wood because the other eagle would attack him if he stayed on longer.


    It took a long time, but Hugh finally did enough damage towards the eagles that he could finish them off. He panted as he looked at the carcasses of the two eagles in front of him.


    His left arm was broken and dismantled from one of the eagle''s beaks, and his right leg was broken from an eagle trampling his leg.


    He was exhausted, but he finally defeated two eagles. He ate their carcasses with joy on his face as he felt like he had earned this meat.

 Chapter 78: Cycle

    Hugh walked back towards the main shaft of the tree. He was exhausted, and he did not want to encounter more eagles for the time being.


    He had canvassed the tree enough not to be lost if he ever explored it again. He looked towards the main shaft of the tree and started to dig down.


    This time, he wanted to explore more of the connecting tunnels in the tree. He would also eat the wood that he dug so that he could finish his daily missions.


    He would encounter squirrels'' dens as he explored the interconnecting tunnels of the squirrels. He did not make his presence known to them because he did not want to fight any of them yet.


    He only wanted to know all of their locations and their respective treasure piles. He had explored for hours and hours, but it seemed like he had just scratched the surface of the tree.


    Multiple squirrels had a close encounter with Hugh, but he was lucky enough to be stealthy and avoid their eyes.


    There was one time where Hugh accidentally stepped on a loose wood, and it created a creaking sound. Hugh''s presence was known, and he had no choice but to confront the squirrel.


    At first, he did not use his transformation because he wanted to know how long he would last against a squirrel in a fight.


    It did not take long, and as soon as his sixteen-second armor was on cooldown, he got beat up. He suffered broken ribs and a deep cut in his chest from the squirrel''s claws.


    In the end, he had to use his transformation to kill the squirrel without any problem. He was not discouraged by this occurrence.


    In the fight against the squirrel, he made sure to observe the squirrel''s movements and memorize its patterns. He was confident that he would last longer the next time that he would face another squirrel.


    He ate the feathers stored up in a pile as his reward, and the day came to a close. He closed his eyes and went to sleep.


    The next day, he was back again in the place where he came from. The first thing that he did as soon as he woke up was check his rewards for the daily missions the day before.


    He activated his armor and counted the seconds that it would stay active. After 21 seconds, he felt the strength fade away from his body, and his armor disappeared back into its liquid form.


    Hugh was happy at the progress that he had in his armor. From 16 seconds, it turned into 21 seconds. It had improved five seconds, less than the improvement the day before.


    Yesterday, he made sure to eat more wood than he usually ate to check if it improved his armor. This meant that he would continue to improve if he ate the wood, but the improvement would be less each day.


    From


    3s -] 10s = 7s


    10s -] 16s = 6s


    16s -] 21s = 5s


    From this information that he gathered, Hugh was sure that he would improve his armor to twenty-five seconds if he completed his missions today and ate wood from the giant tree.


    With this plan in mind, Hugh started to plan to go to the giant tree. He gathered caterpillars and made some bait for the eagle to come to him.


    He used the eagle to travel to the giant tree, and when he arrived, he killed the eagle for its meat. He traveled through the same route in the branches to see if the same two eagles would come there.


    He was excited to see the two eagles land on the branch at the same time that he expected it to. He took this chance to enhance his fighting skills as he challenged the two eagles to fight.


    He got multiple injuries as he fought the two eagles, but it was significantly less than before. It got easier to fight them because he had already fought them before, and all he needed to do was avoid their attacks.


    He did the same with the squirrels in the tunnel. He would explore the tunnels and widen his knowledge of the whole map on the tree, and finish his day with a fight with the squirrel.


    This time, he could last at least thirty seconds before he had to use his transformation. He ate the pile of treasures in the den and went to sleep.


    He woke up and realized that it was the fifth day he was in the dungeon. Like he had guessed, he improved his armor to 25 seconds, less improvement than before.


    He went to the tree and fought more eagles. This time, he fought another eagle aside from the two that he always fought before.


    He fought the squirrel again and was able to last at least a minute. He could also injure the squirrel only using his armor, which was a massive improvement because he fought a C-rank creature.


    Day by day, he was improving his armor and his fighting skills. He continued this cycle of consume, fight and sleep as he got better and better at fighting the creatures in the dungeon.


    It was now the seventh day that he was in the dungeon, and his armor could now be used for thirty seconds. It felt like even if he ate all the wood in the giant tree, he would not improve any further.


    It felt like it was his limit, and he knew that eating more wood would not do any good. He went back to the tree and continued to explore the tunnels and the squirrels.


    This was the day that he decided that he would defeat a squirrel only using his transformation. He had spent that last few days studying its movements and its weaknesses to prepare for this day.


    He walked towards the squirrel''s den with a confident swagger and challenged it with his eyes. Like he had expected, the squirrel was angry and charged at him.


    He dodged those attacks like flowing waters. His focus was at its maximum, and he looked for the perfect opportunity to strike.


    After a few exchanges, Hugh stabbed his hand on the squirrel''s belly. This was its vulnerable side. He would continue to strike this place, worsening its injury until it lost its strength and fell into the ground.


    Hugh panted and looked at the carcass of the squirrel on his feet. He had finally done it. He had killed a squirrel without using his transformation.


    The squirrel meat never is felt so good before. His hard work had paid off, and he savored every piece and every bone of the squirrel like a festival.


    There was still a lot of time in the day before he wanted to sleep, so he started to explore the tunnels of the tree. He followed the spiraling tunnels downward for hours on end.


    After what seemed like an eternity, Hugh finally reached the bottom of the tree, and there were no more tunnels to be seen. There was only a staircase that led to a dark place underground.


    Hugh could see a red glint underground, and as soon as he walked near it, he could feel the heat coming towards him. He knew that there would be trouble if he continued downward, so he did not immediately go down.


    He was starting to feel sleepy, so Hugh decided to sleep on the bottom of the tree. His last sight as he went to sleep was the red glint underground.


    As soon as he woke up, he expected his surroundings to be bright and blue, as he had always experienced. This time was different; he was at the same place that he was in before.


    He was staring at the stairs that led to the hot underground. Since he did not return to the place he was in before, Hugh had no choice but to venture downwards to the underground.

 Chapter 79: Mole

    Hugh braced himself and walked down the stairs to the underground. He did not know where it would lead to, but he knew that it would be dangerous.


    The stairs were made of cobblestone, and his footsteps echoed in the staircase downward. He braced himself and readied his armor to be taken out as soon as an enemy came towards him.


    The hot air was blasting towards his face and making him sweat profusely. It got hotter and hotter as he went down into the staircase.


    Pools of sweat dripped into the floor, and Hugh felt a little bit exhausted due to the heat. He had to eat five wings from his storage just to keep himself in top condition.


    The floor underneath him gradually became redder and redder as he went down. The cracks on the cobblestone glowed bright red and gave off heat to his soles.


    After about an hour of walking down the red hot stairs, Hugh finally reached the bottom of the underground. It was a cave that seemed to be carved out from the rocks underground.


    There was only one path forward, so Hugh decided to walk through it. It was not big, nor was it small; it was just right for him to walk through unimpeded.


    As he walked further to the underground tunnel, Hugh saw more and more red ores on the walls. They flowed bright red like there was a small ember on the ore.


    Hugh dug one ore up and tasted it. The outside was hard, but the inside was gooey. The soft part of the inside tasted tangy, while the hard outside tasted cool.


    As soon as he ingested the ore, he felt a cold feeling envelop his body. The heat he was feeling before vanished for a few seconds, giving him relief from this hot underground.


    It only lasted for a few seconds, so Hugh started to feel the hotness again as soon as his body''s cold feeling disappeared.


    He looked at the ores on the walls and decided to dig multiple ores to eat while inside this underground tunnel. He would eat the ores in his hand as he walked in the tunnel.


    After a while, Hugh finally saw the end of the tunnel. He could tell because the end opened up into a large dome. Hugh could feel that the air here was hotter than the air back in the tunnel.


    Hugh did not know what was inside this dome, but he knew that he should not barge in there without a care. He started to tiptoe towards the dome, making sure that his presence would not be known.


    He peeked his head through and observed the surroundings. Immediately, the fiery ores on the walls were the first thing he saw. It was plastered all over the walls like stars on a clear night.


    It was a sight to behold, and Hugh would have enjoyed the scenery if not for the giant creature in the middle of the dome.


    Hugh squinted his eyes and investigated the large creature in the center. It was brown and was filled with fur. It had its head on the ground, and two of its arms were digging further down the ground.


    It did not seem to notice Hugh, so he was relieved. He tried to use his inspect skill, but it did not show up. It looked like he had to walk near it for his inspect skill to activate.


    This was a risky move, but Hugh was willing to take it. He had to know about the creature''s details to see if he could take it on.


    With great care, Hugh stealth Ed his way towards the large creature. He took it step by step, not getting impatient with his actions.


    He had learned this fact from fighting with the eagles and the squirrels. If he were to get too aggressive, the creatures would always punish him for his mistake with an injury.


    Hugh made sure to erase his presence as much as he could, and he could reach the creature until he was only a few meters away from it.


    ++++++++++++++


    INSPECT


    Species: Giant Fiery Mole


    Stage: *unadvanced*


    Rank: C-rank


    *Locked*: *locked*


    ++++++++++++++


    The giant mole in front of him was a C-rank. It was a dangerous creature because it was two ranks above Hugh, but Hugh debated whether he should take this creature on.


    He had already defeated a C-rank before when he fought the squirrel. He could win and survive against a C-rank, but that was only because he knew the creature''s attack patterns.


    This was the first time that he would fight with a giant mole. He was not familiar with it, which meant he could not entirely dodge against its attacks.


    He wanted to fight it, but it was still risky. Before he could even decide for himself, the faint mole in front of him raised its head.


    It sniffed the air and seemed to smell something wrong in the dome. Hugh knew that he was found out, so he had no choice but to fight it.


    Taking advantage of the element of surprise, Hugh decided to attack it while it still had not realized that Hugh was there.


    He pierced his fist towards the mole''s body with his armor. As soon as his hand collided with the mole''s skin, he felt a hard resistance that prevented him fr deep towards the mole''s body.


    He could only make a skin-deep incision on the mole''s body, even though he used his armor. This was the point where Hugh realized he would not have a good time fighting the mole.


    *TSKSKSK*


    The mole let out a shriek and turned towards Hugh. Its sharp claws appeared from its hands and pierced towards Hugh.


    Hugh used his armored leg to dodge the attack quickly, but he realized that the claw was not aimed at him. The mole''s hands pierced through the ground, and it started to dig furiously into the ground.


    It was not long until the mole disappeared into the ground, leaving Hugh to wonder where it was. Hugh kept his guard up at all times as he knew that the mole would strike when he least expected it.


    Hugh felt a rumble at the ground underneath him and tried to roll away, but it was too late. The mole''s claws pierced through the floor and towards Hugh''s thighs.


    Hugh''s body was thrown out due to the blow''s force, and his left thigh was bleeding. It had a large gash due to the sharp claws of the mole.


    Hugh limped as he got himself back up. He had to recover fast because the mole disappeared in the ground again, ready to strike him from below.


    This time, Hugh activated all of his focus on dodging the mole''s attacks. As soon as he felt the rumblings on the ground, he would roll away from the attack.


    Even though Hugh was able to detect when the mole would attack, he could not dodge away faster. He would always activate his armor on his leg too late to make any difference in his speed.


    Hugh''s hamstring was injured from the mole''s attack. He had trouble standing up as he tried to balance himself with one leg.m


    He realized that the only way he would dodge the mole''s attacks was to activate his armor at all times. The problem with this is that he only had less than thirty seconds left on his armor.


    With this time limit, he was only able to dodge five attacks from the mole. Then, he felt the strength fade away from his legs, and his armor turned back into liquid form.


    He had no choice but to eat more food to keep up his armor. He only had 145 wings left, so it was not a feasible way to defeat the mole.


    He had to think of another way to power his armor. He looked around, and the bright star-like fiery ores filled his eyes. He could eat those and power his armor.


    He took out ten wings from his storage and put them into his mouth. With ten seconds of armor, he was able to dodge another attack from the mole and reach the ores on the dome''s walls.


    He used his exceptional grip to use the ores as climbing edges to crawl up the dome. He would take some ores out of the wall to power up his armor.


    He was now hanging on the wall with one hand. He looked down and saw that the mole burst out of the ground. It looked around, confused as to where Hugh went.


    Hugh figured out that the mole could not see him if he was not on the ground. It looked around and tried to feel the ground to see if Hugh was there.


    It did not sense Hugh''s presence, so it stood there blankly while confused. Hugh used this chance to jump down towards the mole and through its body with his armored hand.


    *TSKSKSKS*


    Hugh was able to penetrate deeper due to the force of gravity adding to his power. It screeched and slashed towards Hugh.


    Hugh dodged, used his armor, and dodge away from the attack. The mole had a scrunched-up face as it dug down the ground again and disappeared.


    Hugh rushed towards the wall and hung off it, keeping his legs above the ground. He used this tactic to deal damage towards the mole while keeping himself safe.


    It took a long time, but the mole finally screeched its last screams and fell powerless into the ground. Hugh panted and stood tall next to the mole.

 Chapter 80: Nausea

    He was exhausted beyond belief. He had finally defeated the mole after many hours of toiling over the dangerous creature.


    He looked at his body and saw that he had multiple cuts and bruises all over his body. He was still limping, and he had trouble standing with only one foot as support.


    All the fighting knowledge he had gained from killing the squirrel barehanded seemed to have carried on to his fighting skills.


    He could only defeat the mole because of the fighting sense he sharpened from all the life or death scenarios he faced when he fought the squirrel.


    A C-rank creature was nothing to scoff at, and he could defeat it by only using his armor. Using his armor for thirty seconds helped a lot in staying alive long enough to figure out the mole''s attack patterns.


    He looked at the carcass of the mole as a prize for his hard work. He had a smile on his face as he started to strip the mole of its meat and use it as fuel for his body.


    Its meat was earthy, as expected of a creature who lived in the underground. As he was eating the flesh, he felt that it was missing a little bit of juice.


    He had been used to juicy meats like the eagle meat and the squirrel meat, but the mole meat was too one-dimensional. It felt like he needed a sauce that would complement the meat.


    He looked around the dove and saw the bright red ores plastered across the walls. He had used these ores as his foothold to avoid the mole''s attacks and even sometimes used it as fuel.


    He remembered it to have a hard outside and a gooey inside. The taste of that sauce seemed to be a perfect match with the mole meat.


    Wanting to satisfy himself, Hugh started to pick off the red ores from the walls and ate them along with the mole meat. He took one bite out of the mole meat and one bite from the ore.


    The mix would be a savory and earthy meal that Hugh enjoyed. He would bring this meal back to his house if he had enough room to store it.


    He finished the meal and did not leave even a tiny piece aside. All of it was used to satiate his hunger, and coincidentally, complete his daily missions.


    ''DAILY MISSION COMPLETE!''


    Hugh smiled as he heard this notification in his mind. He would usually get a good reward after finishing his daily missions, so he expected an awesome power-up.


    His armor did not seem like it had improved at all, which meant that it indeed was his limit. He wondered how he would be able to improve it next time.


    He stood up from his seat and started to walk away from the dome when he felt an earthquake. Then, everything around him shook. It was not until a second later that he realized that the ground was not shaking; it was him.


    He seemed to have lost his sense of balance as his knees buckled and he fell to the floor. His mind was jumbled, and he saw the world tumbling upside down.


    His face became pale, and cold sweat dripped from his face. He did not understand what was happening to him, and his vision became blurry.


    After a few seconds of disorientation, Hugh finally felt his vision return back to him. He could now see his surroundings clearly, but he was still feeling off in his body.


    Then, he felt a chill on his neck. His instincts told him to turn and run away. Hugh turned his neck back and saw the threat behind him.


    What he saw made his heart stop, and his anxiety pushed to the max. He saw three gigantic creatures staring at him with a cold glint. He could feel their dangerous aura by just looking at them.


    These three creatures were familiar to him as he had encountered them multiple times. The brown and feathery body of the Caterpillar-Eating Bald Eagle stood tall with its sharp eyes looking at Hugh.


    The creepy and itchy exterior of the White Winged Caterpillar floated in the air and looked directly at Hugh.


    The sharp claws of the Burrowing Giant Squirrel were directly pointed at Hugh''s face, giving him a bad feeling.


    He still felt nauseous, so he could not gather up the strength to run away, much less defeat them. He was still disoriented from nausea, so he did not immediately notice that the creatures were unmoving.


    All he could see were the dangerous glint in their eyes, threatening his life. All he could do was crawl away from the three giant creatures in front of him.


    He retreated until his back was against the wall. His face was pale as he truly feared for his life. All he could do was stare at the blank faces of the three creatures.


    It was not until a few seconds that he realized that the creatures were stationary. They were not moving, nor were they attacking him; they just stood there as if they were statues.


    Taking a big gulp, Hugh observed the creatures and squinted his eyes. He waited for a few more seconds before he got the courage to come near them.


    One step at a time, Hugh advanced towards the stationary creatures. He was still wary of them, so Hugh took his time to make sure they were not moving.


    Once he got close, he saw every small detail of the creatures. It was like they were statues, but there was a sense of realness to them that made Hugh unsettled.


    It felt like the creatures would wake up and attack him out of the blue. These creatures were so realistic that Hugh could not distinguish them from the real thing.


    He had encountered these creatures, fought them, and ate them multiple times, so he was familiar with all of them. He took up the courage to raise his hand and try to touch the creatures in front of him.


    He touched the giant eagle in front of him and felt its feathers in his hands. It was like the real thing, except this was cold to the touch.


    He touched the squirrel and the caterpillar next, making sure that they were real and corporeal. He did not know why these creatures suddenly appeared next to him, and he was not sure of its purpose.


    As he observed every nook and cranny of the creatures, he suddenly felt a hunger overcome him.


    *GRRRGGG*


    His stomach grumbled in protest, and it started to burn and sting his belly. He was hungry, and all he wanted to do was eat.


    He looked around and found a piece of leftover red ore. He had always liked the taste of this ore, and it would surely satisfy his hunger.


    As he looked at the ore in his hands, he did not feel the same attraction he had with it like before. It did not seem appetizing at all. It was like he was only looking at an inedible rock, even though he could not eat it before.


    He thought that it was just a strange feeling, so he tried to eat the ore in his hands. He took a bite, and the juices flowed into his mouth.


    Immediately, he felt a nasty taste in his mouth like spoiled food. He immediately vomited it out and tried to scoop the remains away from his mouth with his fingers.


    His eyebrows scrunched up as he looked at the ore in his hands. He had never tasted something like this before. It was as if his body was having an allergic reaction to the ore.


    It was as if his body was rejecting the food source that Hugh tried to eat.


    Hugh did not know if that was a one-time thing or not, so he picked up another ore from the wall and took a bite out of it. The same thing happened, and he spat it out as soon as it reached his mouth.


    This had never happened before, so Hugh was perplexed. He did not know what happened, but all he wanted to do right now was to satiate his hunger.


    He took out one wing from his storage and tried to eat it. The same thing happened as the taste was unlike anything he had ever tasted.


    He immediately spat it out and his frustrations only increased. The things that he had used to love eating had become disgusting to the point that it was inedible.


    He concluded that anything he ate would taste disgusting, so he was conflicted. The hunger in his stomach continued to grow and give him pain.


    Then, he looked towards the three giant creatures in front of him. They looked more appetizing than ever before.

 Chapter 81: Fly

    The hunger in his stomach continued to grow, but he could not eat the things he wanted to eat. He was conflicted, and there was nothing to eat here in the dark dome.


    Then, Hugh''s eyes scanned over the three giant creatures in front of him. As soon as he locked eyes with the beasts, he could not look away from them.


    It was as if the three creatures were enticing him to eat them. He walked step by step towards the three creatures he had eaten multiple times before.


    He did not stop looking at the creatures as he got near them. It was as if he was in a trance, and he could not see anything as delicious as these three creatures.


    All he wanted to do was take a bite out of the creatures to see if it satisfied his hunger. He stepped forward and opened his jaws wide.


    He randomly chose the creature in the middle, the eagle, as his meal. He did not know what would happen, but he did not care. All he wanted to do was consume the eagle in front of him.


    He took a bite, and the meat immediately liquified in his mouth. He was a little bit disappointed that he could not taste the firm steak of the eagle''s flesh, but he continued to eat the eagle.


    As he took another bite out of the eagle, his teeth bit on nothing. Hugh looked at the eagle and saw that it had disappeared from his sight.


    He looked to his left and right and did not see the two other creatures from before. Before he could think about what had happened, he felt a strange feeling in his stomach.


    It started to hurt and constrict as if something was twisting it from the inside. Hugh could not help but fall to his knees as he held his stomach with his hands.


    He closed his eyes, and his face contorted as he tried to endure the pain from his stomach. Then, he felt his stomach increase in size as if it were going to blow up.


    It was not just his stomach, but his whole body increased multiple sizes. His chest got wider, and his head changed into a different shape.


    The only thing that had decreased in size was his arms and legs.


    His arms turned into a slender stick-like shape and grew vertical ligaments from his arms. His feet became very thin, and his toes seemed to fuse until there were only four narrow and long toes on his skinny leg.


    His body continued to distort into a strange shape, giving Hugh an unprecedented amount of pain that he could not endure.


    His bones broke and reformed at supernatural speeds, which gave him a horror that he would not wish upon his greatest enemy.


    The only pain that was the same as the one he had right now was when he had transformed for the first time. He could not even shout in pain as even his vocal cords were mutating.


    He closed his eyes and hoped that the pains hold stop, but they only continued to grow. He could not see what he had become like, but he knew that it a very different shape than an average human.


    He felt a tingly sensation from his skin, and then it turned into a prickling pain as if a million needles had pierced his skin.


    His hairs stood on end, even though he was sure that he had no hair left on his strange body. Then, those prickling pain grew into a larger size, but it diminished over time.


    If Hugh could see himself right now, he would know that he was covered in brown feathers, and he was triple his size. He would see that his arms had turned into the bones and ligaments of his wings.


    He had turned into the thing that he had beaten countless times before. He had become the creature that led him to the giant tree in the first place, the Caterpillar-Eating Bald Eagle.


    After the pain came a relief that washed over his whole body, it was as if he was reborn again, and his energy soared up to the skies.


    He could not help but stretch his whole body and stand up as if he was on top of the world. His wings unfurled, and he opened his eyes to the reality that befell him.


    His vision was so accurate that he had trouble adjusting to it. He could see the minute details on the ground, the smallest pebble from across the room.


    He looked at his whole body and saw his feathery exterior and his tall height. He tried to touch his body with his arms but saw that it had become wings, similar to the giant eagle.


    It only took a second for him to realize that he had transformed into the giant eagle. It was hard to believe at first, but he had already transformed before, so he quickly adapted to the new situation.


    He did not know that it was possible to transform into an eagle, is he was speechless. The first thing that he wanted to try out with this new transformation was flying like any man would do.


    He gathered all the strength in his arms and flapped it. Immediately, he soared up in the air and felt the freedom only a select few could experience.


    It seemed that he could not control himself as he soon reached the ceiling of the dome. His beak pierced the roof and hit his head on the soil.


    *KIAOOO!*


    Hugh screeched in pain, making his sounds like a normal eagle. He had planned to say the word ''Ouch,'' but his vocal cords seemed to have changed into that of an eagle, the same with every part of his body.


    He fell to the ground after he collided with the ceiling. He tried to flap his wings again, but he was not able to control them properly. He would either fly too high or fly too low, which he would both end up crashing into the wall.


    He did not give up trying to master the art of flying, but it seemed that he had reached his limit. After a minute of flying in the air, Hugh tried to flap his wings again but found it smaller than before.


    He was in mid-air when he started to mutate back into his human form. His whole body shrunk and twisted around, but thankfully, it was not as painful as before.


    The only problem was that he was still in the air. Without any wings, he would tumble into the ground.


    *DUGN*


    Hugh landed on the ground as he finished his mutation back to his old self. Hugh held his back in pain as he tried to position himself in a comfortable spot.


    He looked at the ceiling and still saw the indentation from his beak colliding with the top. This meant that it was not a dream but a reality. He really could transform into an eagle.


    Could this be the same thing as his transformation as before?


    Hugh could not help but ask himself this question. He did not know if that eagle transformation was the same as his standard transformation.


    That was an answer that only his Fat God System could answer, so Hugh did not expect to know this answer right now.


    He sat up from lying on the ground and had a little bit of trouble getting up. His belly fat was in the way.


    Huh? Belly fat?


    Hugh looked at his whole body and saw that he was back at his obese form. This discovery shocked him because he would usually lose all of his fat after a transformation.


    He did not feel the hunger that made him insane. He was back at his usual self without any problem. Hugh furrowed his eyebrows as he figured out that the eagle transformation was different from his standard transformation.


    He did not know why they were different, but that was a useful discovery. Unlike his standard transformation, he could use the eagle transformation without punishment.


    He immediately thought of a worst-case scenario where he had to use his transformation. He could transform into an eagle and fly away. Even if his enemy chased him and his eagle transformation ended, he could still use his standard transformation.


    He now had a double wild card. He smiled as he felt as secure as ever before.


    From all that happened, he had guessed that the three creatures he had seen before were the reason why he obtained this transformation.


    Then, a small movement from the wall caught his eye. He was immediately alarmed and subconsciously widened his eyes towards the threat.


    His eyes turned very round, like those of an eagle''s.

 Chapter 82: Eyes

    Hugh''s instincts took over, and he immediately identified the sudden movement to his right. His eyes immediately focused as he had never done before.


    His self-preservation earned from fighting life or death with the squirrel gave him the ability to respond quickly. Without even thinking about it, Hugh did whatever he could to see what was happening.


    Underneath his eyes, a mutation suddenly occurred. His thin eyes suddenly turned circular while his irises became bigger. He could suddenly see every tiny movement in his vision.


    He had only felt this type of vision before, and that was when he had transformed into a giant eagle. He looked to his right and saw that the ground seemed to have been displaced a little bit.


    If it were from before, he would not have noticed the difference. Now that he had an eagle''s eyes, he could see the minute displacement of small pebbles in the ground.


    The ground shook a short second after, and something burst out of the earth. The soil flew off everywhere and showed the creature that was underground.


    It was another giant mole. Hugh observed the mole and saw that it was the same size as he had encountered before.


    As he observed the mole, he locked eyes with it. The mole was looking around and sniffing the ground when it came upon Hugh. It seemed to have looked for something in the vicinity.


    It suddenly smelled something in the ground, and it follows the scent like a dog. It continued to this path until it reached the place where the previous mole died.


    There was still a pool of blood that stained the ground, and it seemed to have caught the attention of the mole. Once it understood that its fellow mole had died, it looked towards Hugh and understood what happened.


    It displayed a menacing face and extended its claws from its arms. Hugh did not move and only looked at the mole with his eagle eyes.


    It was strange because it was like he could see every fiber of the mole''s fur. He had never experienced this before, so he was speechless.


    He saw the claw come after him, but he did not move. He already knew that the mole would not attack above ground; it would bury itself underground and attack him.


    The mole attacked the ground and started to bury itself on the floor. Hugh did not panic and waited for the mole to attack him.


    With his eagle eyes, he was able to see the small details of displacement in the ground. Like a calculated dodge, Hugh rolled out of the way of the mole''s attacks.


    With his eagle eyes, he was able to see when the mole would attack him, which made it easier to dodge against. He rejoiced at this fact since he could use the eagle eyes to enhance his fighting ability.


    As he watched the mole bury itself again after a failed attack, Hugh suddenly felt the strength in his eyes disappear. He was forced to close his eyes, and after he opened them back up, he saw no longer had the eagle eyes.


    Hugh tried to activate the eagle eyes back again, but he could not do it. It was the same feeling as when his armor is on cooldown, which meant that his eagle eyes also had a cooldown.


    Hugh had been counting down the seconds that he could use his eagle eyes, and he figured out that his eagle eyes could only be used for ten seconds.


    Without his eagle eyes, Hugh was forced to hung on the wall to dodge the mole''s attacks. Even though he was facing against a C-rank creature, Hugh was not alarmed.


    If one was to look at his face, there was a sense of curiosity plastered in his smile. He treated the fight with the mole as a learning experience for his newfound power.


    After five seconds, he was able to use his eagle eyes again. While fighting the dangerous creature, Hugh wanted to experiment more on his power.


    If he could use the eagle eyes, couldn''t he use other parts of the eagle?


    With this question in mind, Hugh concentrated all of his power on his arms and watched as it mutated and transformed in a split second.


    His fat arms suddenly became skinny and grew ligaments underneath. More skin grew, and feathers seemed to have appeared instantly.


    Hugh looked at himself and saw that his arms had now become eagle wings. With one strong flap of his wings, Hugh was able to soar into the air and go above the mole.


    He was too enamored into this discovery that he forgot one simple thing; he did not know how to fly. He flew off without any control and bumped into the wall face first.


    Hugh slid from the wall and dropped onto the ground. He rubbed his head in pain until he felt a disturbance underneath his feet.


    His instincts took over, and he rolled away from the mole''s attacks. He was not able to dodge away unscathed as an extended cut appeared on his leg.


    He could not see the minute displacements in the ground, so he could not dodge the mole''s attack entirely. Seeing that the mole disappeared into the ground again, Hugh activated his eagle eyes.


    He closed his eyes and tried to activate his eagle eyes, but it was to no avail. It was then that he realized he still had his eagle wings on his arms.


    It turned out that he could only use one eagle part at a time. Since it was already ten seconds of use, Hugh''s wings transformed back into his arms.


    Hugh spent the time experimenting with his new power. He would limit test his eagle parts as he fought the mole until it died. It was only recently that he had trouble dealing with C-rank creatures, but now he was toying with one of them.


    As he was fighting the mole, a possibility came up into his mind. Could he use his armor while in a partial transformation?


    He could not wait to try it out, so Hugh activated his eagle claws into his fist. His fingernails started to grow and sharpen until it was a weapon used for tearing flesh apart.


    With these claws, Hugh activated his armor on his fist. Hugh watched as the silver and brown liquid envelop his right fist and continued to reach the nails.


    His claws were now colored silver, and its sharpness seemed to have increased. With this weapon of destruction, Hugh sliced and shredded the mole''s body after some time.


    With the threat killed and consumed, Hugh started to think about what had happened. He had suddenly gained a new power to transform into an eagle.


    It was easy to guess that it was because of the giant statue-like eagle he consumed while he was nauseous.


    It made Hugh think. If he had consumed the squirrel or the caterpillar, would he have transformed into those creatures?


    The answer was probably yes, which meant that Hugh got lucky in choosing the eagle as his food. An eagle had many more useful parts than the other two, which Hugh could use to his advantage.


    The three creatures probably appeared because of his Fat God System. He had heard a complete mission notification when his nausea started.


    Those three creatures were all beasts that he ate. It was only those three, even though he had eaten another mutated smile, the armored armadillo.


    The common similarity among the three beasts that he consumed was that he encountered them at a dungeon and consumed many of them.


    He did not think it was because he encountered them at a dungeon. After all, that would not make sense. There were other beasts in the real world that were fiercer than these creatures.


    Hugh concluded that he could transform into the eagle because he had eaten a lot of eagles. This discovery gave him a lot of possibilities that made him drool for power.


    If he could somehow eat more mutated animals, he could transform into them and use them for his fighting power. His body trembled as he thought about the possibility.


    This trip into the dungeon was nothing but a fruitful one. He had gained a lot of time for his armor, and he had gained the ability to transform into an eagle.


    With the day coming to an end, Hugh started to feel sleepy. His eyes slowly closed as he felt like he had accomplished what he went in the dungeon for.


    As his consciousness faded into the night, he heard a notification in his mind.


    ''CONGRATULATIONS! You have ranked up!''


    ''Unadvanced''


    ''F-rank -] D-RANK''

 Chapter 83: Insane

    When Hugh opened his eyes from his deep sleep, he expected to see the same dark interior of the cave dome. He did not see that, but instead, a bright light filled his eyelids.


    Hugh blinked as he tried to adjust his eyes from the different setting. He stretched his whole body as he felt refreshed as ever.


    When he opened his eyes fully, what greeted him was a room full of mirrors. He could see himself repeating over and over again infinitely.


    He looked around and recognized the place he was in. This was the shifting room from the Student Council Headquarters. This was the place where he accessed the dungeon.


    He stood up and stretched his arms as he yawned. He did not know why he was transported back to this place, but he was thankful that it had returned him back.


    He realized that he had been away from school for about a week. Any more missed days, and he would be in serious trouble for skipping classes.


    He did not immediately get out of the shifting room as he felt like his body felt strange. He felt like something had rejuvenated him like a newborn baby.


    He vaguely remembered hearing the notification from his system about his rank up to the D-rank. He tried to punch and the air, and sure enough, the crisp sound was stronger than ever.


    He felt the difference in his whole body. He could exert more power, he could see things more clearly, and his skin felt harder than it was before.


    All these symptoms were an indication of his rank-up. Hugh smiled as he shuffled his feet and performed shadow boxing. He could much more easily defeat the mole and the squirrel if he had this kind of power before.


    He could not see any difference in his physicality, but all the difference seemed to be inside his body. Hugh was intoxicated with this feeling of being the strongest he ever felt.


    Since his physical prowess became stronger, Hugh wondered if there were some other upgrades in his armor. He raised his hand and activated his armor to see if there were any differences.


    As the brown and silver liquid filled his fist, Hugh felt the same as he was before, only stronger. His metal skin felt tougher than it was before, and his wooden muscles felt like they could explode with much more power.


    Even though he felt this strength flowing through his fist, something was nagging at him. It felt like he had more capacity than before, but it was not about his cooldown or activation time.


    Hugh followed his gut and raised his other arm. He took a big gulp and tried to activate his armor on his other arm. Like a sea of power, the armor filled his other fist and solidified into a mean weapon.


    He looked at both of his hands with a sense of wonder and excitement. He had always felt limiting with only being able to use one limb at a time, but with this power-up, he would have much more offensive and defensive capabilities.


    His weakness from before was his limited activation time and being a glass cannon. With a thirty-second time frame, he would be able to use his armor for the remainder of the fight.


    Being able to use two limbs of armor simultaneously meant that he could attack his opponent while defending his critical parts.


    Not to mention his eagle transformation and regular transformation, Hugh was now confident in standing his ground.


    He looked at himself in the mirror and smiled. With a confident swagger, he stepped out of the shifting room.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Two members of the Council Hands were guarding the room to the shifting room. They both seemed bored out of their mind, evidenced by their sleepy look and their lazy posture.


    Their job was not exciting, and they only had to stand guard here for hours at a time. Of course, they found a way to relieve themselves of their boredom.


    "Have you heard news of V?"


    "No, I heard the council still have not found a clue yet."


    They whispered their gossip as a way to elude their superiors of this unprofessional etiquette.


    "The Student Council had a strict rule in talking about...V."


    They both seemed apprehensive about speaking Veer''s name. It appeared that the Student Council had put up an order that prevented gossip about Veer or else they would face punishment.


    "Yeah, I wonder where he went. He disappeared for about a week now. It looks like V is afraid of us."


    The other guard had something to respond, but he looked around the room to be sure. He did not want anyone hearing what he had to say.


    "There is a rumor going on."


    The other guard seemed intrigued and put his head closer to hear the guard''s whisper.


    "They say that the fat guy is the same person as V because they have both been away for one week."


    The other guard heard this piece of gossip and nodded his head. It certainly seemed plausible from his perspective because it was too coincidental not to be true.


    "Why don''t they just arrest the fat guy?"


    The other guard asked this question because if he were in charge, he would have arrested Hugh the first chance he got.


    The guard heard his question and shook his head in disapproval. He seemed to know more about the situation than the other guard.


    "That is just a rumor. Our superiors can''t convict someone with baseless rumors."


    After that conversation was a moment of silence. They knew that there were just mere guards, but they could not help but feel intrigued by this situation.


    As far as they knew, they had not heard of something like this happening ever before. The mystery of Veer kept them up on their toes and let their curiosities run amok.


    "Oh yeah, where did that fat guy go?"


    The guard looked back at the shifting room as he answered the other guard.


    "I heard he''s in a dungeon."


    The other guard heard the answer and his eyebrows furrowed. There was a sense of disbelief plastered all over his face.


    "What?! As a first-year? Didn''t I hear he was only F-rank?"


    "Yeah, it''s unbelievable too, but I heard this from credible sources. That''s not even the most surprising part."


    They lowered their heads further to try and keep their voices low. They had spoken too loud when they heard where Hugh went because it was too unbelievable.


    "They say the fat guy bargained his way to be put on the dungeon voluntarily."


    The other guard widened his eyes.


    "And get this. They changed his dungeon location to the endless horizon."


    The other guard blinked and remained speechless as he heard the words ''endless horizon.'' He almost could not believe what the guard said because what the student council did was too terrible.


    The endless horizon was dungeon filled with nothing but clouds on the floor. There was nothing there, devoid of any treasures nor materials. It was only an endless sea of clouds that led to nowhere.


    There had been times of students getting lost and never seen again. Because there were no natural landmarks, it was easy to get lost without a clue in the world where to go.


    The only way to exit the endless horizon was to stay in place at the dungeon''s entrance. After a week, the dungeon would open again, and the students could go out safely.


    Of course, it was not easy to stay in one place. There was a student who had survived inside the endless horizon, only to end up insane from the boredom and isolation.


    It was an insanely hard dungeon, but the rewards were nothing. One could not gain anything from the endless sea of clouds even if they stayed there for one week.


    The other guard shuddered as he thought about what would happen if he was in that place. He would probably end his misery before a week in isolation.


    "So, does that mean the fat guy is dead?"


    The guard nodded to his question. He thought it was extremely improbable for Hugh to get out safely. If he were to return somehow, he would have already lost his mind.


    "Yeah, probably. For sure."


    Just as the guard finished his sentence, the door to the shifting room slid wide open.

 Chapter 84: Guards

    Hugh walked out of the shifting room with a confident swagger. He had just improved his armor and fighting prowess through toiling over the dungeon.


    He had worked hard, and it had paid off. He looked around the hallway and saw two students staring at him. These students wore the typical school uniform, but they had an armband on their biceps that made them a member of the Student Council.


    Hugh guessed that they were a part of the Council Hands, the Student Council''s foot soldiers. They had wide eyes as they flared at them with a sense of disbelief.


    Hugh frowned as he saw these two acting weirdly. He had been away from school for a week, so he did not know what happened.


    The last that he heard before he went to the dungeon was that the Student Council was searching for Veer. Seeing their strange looks, Hugh had a bad feeling in his gut.


    Not wanting to deal with the Student Council any longer, Hugh ignored them and started to walk away. He had his eyes directed at the door to the outside.


    Just as he passed the two guards beside him, Hugh felt a chill in his neck. His instincts sharpened from fighting life or death situations in the dungeon took over his whole body.


    Without even looking back, Hugh bent his body low and quickly turned around to face the two students. He put his hands up like a boxer and readied to meet the two of them.


    The two guards were irritated at Hugh for ignoring them. They saw him walk past them without even a glance, which was disrespectful in their eyes.


    Not only that, but they also recognized Hugh the moment they saw his fat body. Hugh was the subject of all kinds of rumors and conspiracies. They could not let him go this easily.


    They wanted to restrain him from escaping until their superiors got here. They did not know if Ace wanted to question Hugh further, so they would be in trouble if Hugh disappeared from their sights.


    As far as they knew, Hugh was an F-level talent and at the unadvanced F-rank. He was the weakest of the weak, and they would not have to exert much effort to restrain him.


    They immediately raised their hands and tried to grab Hugh''s shoulder and pull him back. They were also planning on displaying a crushing force to his shoulders if he did not play nice.


    Just as they thought their hands were about to grasp Hugh''s shoulder, he disappeared from their sights. They saw him quickly turn around and face them with a fierce glint.


    Their eyes went wide in surprise at the sudden show of power. They could not comprehend what they had just seen. Wasn''t Hugh supposed to be weak?


    What they saw was a fluid motion of dodging that was too fast for an F-rank like Hugh. They were speechless at the result that they saw.


    Hugh was supposed to die in the endless horizon dungeon. He was stuck in there for a week, which would kill most of the people experiencing that. Even if he had survived, his brain should have been damaged to the point that he was insane.


    The Hugh in front of them was nothing like that. All they saw was a beast hiding in sheep''s clothing, ready to strike at them at any time.


    Hugh had this aura around him that reminded them of the wild beasts they encountered in dungeons. As they looked at Hugh''s sharp eyes, they felt a chill on their backs.


    If they were going, to be honest with themselves, they even felt a little bit of fear from Hugh. They did not want to admit this, so they buried it in their hearts.


    There was no way that they feared Hugh. That cannot happen. Their pride as a part of the Student Council Hands was at stake, so they had to assert their dominance.


    "You! Come back here!"


    Hugh frowned as he looked at the two students. He observed their faces, and he saw that their surprised face quickly turned into angry face.


    Hugh could see that their nostrils flared, their foreheads reddened, and their shoulders toughened up. All these symptoms indicated that they were angry at him, and they want to fight it out.


    Hugh had nothing against these guards, but if they wanted a fight, he was not going to back down. Since a fight would inevitably break out, Hugh decided to strike first. This was a lesson he learned while fighting the beasts in the dungeon.


    Hugh activated his armor on both of his legs. The silver and brown liquid quickly solidified and gave him a boost of acceleration to approach the two guards.


    The two guards did not expect that Hugh would strike first. They saw him accelerate towards them at speeds that they could not believe due to his weight.


    In one blink, one of the guards saw Hugh''s fist coming towards his face.


    As soon as he saw that he was in range with one of the guards, he reared his fist and punched it towards the guard''s face. He quickly transferred his armor to his punching fist from his legs.


    Hugh''s preparation did not end there. As his fist was traveling in the air, his fingernails mutated and transformed into eagle claws that were as sharp as any sword.


    The armor continued to spread on his fist and onto his claws. In one swift motion, Hugh slashed his claws onto the guard''s face.


    "AAARRRGGGHH"


    The guard felt a sharp pain on his cheek, and he immediately screamed in pain. He put his hands on his injured cheek and saw that his face was bleeding.


    The guard could not help but kneel and scream in pain as Hugh''s attack left a significant mark on his cheek. The other guard saw four large gashes on his companion''s left cheek and continued down to his neck.


    The attack was too fast and too sudden for the guard to defend against Hugh''s attack. They did not even think that Hugh would attack so viciously in the first move.


    This place was their headquarters, and they did not think that they would get attacked in this place. There was no way that someone would attack a member of the Student Council here in their base.


    Hugh did not think about the consequences as he attacked the guard. He knew that if he did not attack first, they would have shot him.


    He was only defending himself, and he was not in the wrong. Seeing that one of the guards was down, Hugh decided to attack the only guard left standing.


    Hugh raised his leg and performed a low kick to the standing guard. His armor powered his leg, so it was fast and strong.


    The guard had already seen Hugh''s attack, so he was prepared to guard. He was not an incompetent fighter, so he could defend against Hugh''s leg by parrying it with his shin.


    The guard defended well against Hugh''s attack, so he was able to counterattack. The guard raised his left hand and punched it towards Hugh.


    The guard was secretly grabbing a small knife from his back using his right hand. If it was Hugh from before, he would not have noticed this and would be fooled by the feign punch.


    Hugh closed his eyes and activated his eagle eyes. As soon as his eyes opened, it had turned into a rounded shape that could see every little movement in his vision.


    With his eagle eyes, nothing could be hidden from him. His sharp eyes immediately saw the guard''s right hand that was grabbing the knife.


    He did not even have to look directly at the guard''s right hand. He could see his movements just by his peripheral vision.


    Hugh looked at the guard right in the eyes as the guard''s punch missed his head on purpose while a knife was coming for Hugh''s body.


    Hugh grabbed the guard''s wrist just as the knife was about to pierce through his body. With a swift move, Hugh bent the guard''s elbow and tried to stab the guard''s body with his own knife.

 Chapter 85: Spike

    Hugh twisted the guard''s wrists and tried to pierce through the guard''s body with his own knife. Everything was in Hugh''s sight and calculations.


    With his eagle eyes, he could adjust his actions as soon as he saw a problem. The edge of the knife penetrated through the fabric of the guard''s uniform and onto his skin.


    The knife was only able to penetrate a few centimeters in the skin before Hugh felt resistance from the guard''s wrists.


    Hugh can no longer push any deeper even though he had used his armored fists to power through the force. He looked up and saw that the guard had a contorted face while trying to use every bit of force he could muster against Hugh.


    Hugh knew that his attack was not successful; so he decided to attack in another way. He planned to let go of the guard''s wrist and perform a slashing attack on the guard''s body using his armored eagle claws.


    Before he could let go of the guard''s wrist, he saw a slight movement in his peripheral vision. This signaled a movement in his brain and he dodged without a second thought.


    A sharp object cut through the air where Hugh was originally placed. If Hugh reacted just a bit slower, his whole body would have been cut in half.


    Hugh backed away and reevaluated the situation. He saw that the other guard had recovered from his injury and attacked Hugh while Hugh was preoccupied with fighting the guard.


    He looked at the other guard and saw that there was a crescent moon-like sword on his arms. It was sharp, and the lights were reflected off its shiny exterior.


    Hugh could feel that the guard''s weapon was not something he should take lightly. Even one small mistake could threaten his life.


    The crescent moon guard slowly walked towards Hugh with wary eyes. Hugh was confident in surviving the fight against the crescent guard, but there was another guard that he had to worry about.


    The other guard put his hands together and revolved his hands together. The hands morphed into something bigger and with more speed until it was like a turbine that blew air towards Hugh.


    The crescent guard and the turbine guard walked towards Hugh with the intent of catching him. They were cornering him into a wall so that he had no escape.


    Hugh knew that he had to get out of the corner if he wanted to survive. The turbine on the guard''s arms looked like it would shred his body into pieces if he got hit.


    If he were to fight against them, he could survive for a long time thanks to his eagle. He would activate his eagle eyes at the most critical times for him to react quickly to their attacks. The problem laid on the eagle eye''s activation time.


    If the fight wore on, he would lose time on the eagle eyes. If his eagle eyes are on cooldown, he did not know if he would be able to survive against their attacks.


    Once all of his abilities are on cooldown, Hugh would be forced to use his transformation to escape. That would not be a good idea because he was still at the Student Council Headquarters.


    He did not show any of his anxiousness on his face. He learned this survival technique fighting with the wild mutated monsters of the dungeon.


    If he showed any weakness to them, they would pounce on him without any hesitation. The two guards kept on advancing towards Hugh, but they kept a wary eye on his movements.


    With the two guards in close range, Hugh activated his eagle eyes to see every bit of their movements. He could perceive their attacks with pinpoint accuracy, so he did not have to worry about surprise attacks.


    Hugh backed away until he felt the cold touch of the wall on his back. He knew that he was now cornered with nowhere else to go.


    The two guards used this as a signal to attack Hugh. They charged with their weapons in their arsenal at full force towards Hugh.


    Although Hugh could see their movements, that did not mean that it was not dangerous. He had to have great eye-hand coordination to pull off a dodge against two dangerous weapons coming towards him.


    The turbine came directly towards Hugh''s body intending to deal the most damage. The crescent sword was there to cut off any escape attempts that Hugh could go through.


    Thankfully, Hugh had no intention of retreating. Contrary to their thoughts, Hugh charged towards them with his armored claws in hand.


    Hugh bent down low and dodged the turbine coming towards his body. The guard with the turbine did not expect Hugh to charge towards him, so he was caught off guard.


    The guard tried to change his direction at the last second to chase after Hugh, but Hugh anticipated this attack. With the same maneuver, he did the last time, Hugh grabbed the guard''s fist and twisted it.


    The crescent guard tried to slash his sword towards Hugh but found that the turbine was now coming towards his body. This unexpected turn of events caught him off guard, and he was forced to let go of his attack on Hugh.


    The crescent guard used the sword in his hand to parry the turbine coming towards his body. The collision sent sparks flying all over the place, and the crescent guard was caught in the crossfire.


    The crescent guard''s shoulder was caught in the turbine, shredding his flesh into pieces. The guard was sent flying away from them with serious injuries.


    The turbine guard was distraught at what had happened. He did not think that Hugh would use the same tactic as before, and now his companion was injured by his own weapon.


    Although his turbine had great offensive potential, this, in turn, gave him a defensive liability. The guard had no way of defending against Hugh now that Hugh had his hands on the guard''s wrists.


    Hugh reared his fist and punched it towards the guard''s neck. His armored claws pierced through the air and were aimed towards the most lethal attack he could think of.


    Hugh''s claws hit the guard''s neck and were about to pierce through the skin when Hugh felt a cold chill in his neck.


    His hands were forced to stop before his claws pierced through the guard''s skin. Hugh felt a cold hand on his wrist that prevented him from moving any further.


    The guard had cold sweat pouring down his back as he looked at Hugh''s claws near his neck. His neck bled a drop of blood from the attack, but thankfully, it did not go any further.


    Hugh looked at the hand that stopped him and saw a familiar face. This was the guy who had interrogated him because of the murder that occurred last week, Ace.


    Ace had his firm grip on Hugh while he looked at Hugh with a serious face. Hugh felt a chill in his neck as he looked at Ace, which forced him to retreat his hands back.


    Ace was a different kind of beast compared to the two guards he had faced. Even if he could use an unlimited amount of time in his eagle eyes and armor, he did not think that he could win against Ace.


    If he used his transformation, he was sure that he could have a chance to escape, but there was no way that he could defeat Ace even with his transformation.


    Feeling all of this danger underneath the surface of Ace''s skin, Hugh wanted to get away from him as fast as possible. He tried to retract his hand away from Ace''s grip, but Ace had a crushing grip on his wrists.


    Hugh furrowed his eyebrows as he summoned every hit of power he had to try and get out of Ace''s grip. It was immovable for a second, until Ace let go of Hugh''s wrists.


    The sudden release forced Hugh''s body backward due to his own power. He tumbled for a few steps until he regained his footing.


    Hugh looked up at Ace with the eyes of a cornered animal. He kept backing away from Ace even though Ace did not move a step.


    Ace kept looking at Hugh with furrowed eyebrows. He felt that there was something different about Hugh, and that Hugh was stronger than before.


    That did not make sense because Hugh had only been away for a week. That was way too fast for a power spike this big.


    Ace looked towards the two guards that were on the ground. It was clear that Hugh had won this fight, which made Hugh even more of a monster in Ace''s eyes.


    These guards were at the A-rank unadvanced level, but Hugh won against the two of them.

 Chapter 86: Back

    The Student Council hands were made up of freshmen that had failed their advancements for them to be eligible to be a sophomore.


    This meant that most of the guards in the Student Council Headquarters were made up of students that are in the A to S rank unadvanced.


    Rumor has it that the Student Council hired these defects because of their loyalty. In return for their service, the Student Council will help them advance in the first advancement which will make them a sophomore.


    These guards are not the most talented nor were they the strongest, but they are still in the A to S rank. They cannot be underestimated.


    Ace''s mind was still boggled by the fact that Hugh was able to defeat two Student Council Hands by himself. As far as he knew, Hugh was only at the F-rank unadvanced.


    There was no reason for him to think that Hugh had advanced to the D-rank. There had never been such a fast advancement before because the school year had only started not even a month ago.


    The record of someone advancing from the F-rank to the D-rank was a month. Back then, Ace himself only advanced to the D-rank after a month and ten days. That was considered fast for someone with an S-level talent.


    Ace looked at the two guards and observed their injuries. Judging by the level of chaos in the room, the fight did not last long.


    He looked at the crescent guard and saw that he had four long gashes on his cheek down to his throat. This was presumably done by Hugh because he knew that there was no one here other than Hugh that could inflict that kind of damage.


    There was also a huge injury on his right shoulder. Judging by the shredding of the flesh, Ace concluded that it was done by the turbine guard.


    There was no way that they would backstab each other because that was against the Student Council rules. This meant that it was caused by an accident.


    Accident or not, this injury led to the tides of the battle leading into Hugh''s favor. With the crescent guard down on the ground, and the turbine guard defenseless, Hugh had a better percentage to win.


    Having a higher rank does not mean that they were a better fighters. It only meant that their Desire was stronger and dealt more damage.


    Ace assumed that Hugh was in the F-rank, and he was fighting against two that were in the A-rank. Hugh outsmarted the two of them and used the guards'' Desires against themselves.


    If Ace were put in the same position as Hugh, he would have done the same thing. This was the only way that Hugh could win.


    An F-rank''s Desire was not good enough to deal a tremendous amount of damage against someone in the A-rank. Only an A-rank''s Desire could fight against someone in the A-rank.


    If Hugh had planned that out beforehand, Ace would be terrified of his potential.


    "What happened here?"


    Ace gathered himself and asked the question to everybody. As the senior of the two guards, it was his duty to know if something had happened in their quarters.


    The crescent guard could not speak and he only held his shoulder injury in pain. His face distorted as he was in a lot of pain, but he did not forget to look at Ace and respect his presence.


    The only one able to answer the questions was the turbine guard.


    "We...we were trying to restrain the fat guy...sir!"


    The turbine guy stood up straight and saluted towards Ace. He was clearly afraid of Ace, which was evidenced by his trembling hands.


    "Yes, sir...we could not let him go without your permission, sir!"


    The crescent guard finally spoke up and defended his actions. In his mind, he was in the right.


    Ace looked around at everyone present to try and judge their reactions. Then, he looked at Hugh with his sharp eyes.


    "Why did you fight them?"


    Hugh furrowed his eyebrows as he felt the suffocating pressure from Ace. He knew that he could not escape from Ace''s clutches if he tried to run away, so he had no choice but to cooperate.


    "I did not. They attacked me first."


    Hugh''s voice was calm and cool, but his heart was beating at a fast rate. He knew that he was telling the truth, but Ace might not see it that way.


    Ace did not speak more and just looked at Hugh. After a few seconds, he looked towards the two guards and addressed them.


    "Is that true?"


    The two guards straightened their backs even more. Even the crescent guard was forced to stand up as he was pressured by Ace. Their hands were trembling as they spoke in unison.


    "But he was trying to escape!" -Turbine guard


    "He disrespected the Student Council!" -Crescent guard


    They were both rattled, so they wanted Ace to believe them. It was inappropriate to fight inside the headquarters, so the two guards had to have a good excuse.


    Ace crossed his arms and looked at everyone with the same pressure that he exerted anytime he interrogated anyone.


    He wanted to side with the guards because he still wanted to keep Hugh on lockdown. There were too many mysteries surrounding him that he wanted to find out.


    If Ace was in charge, he would keep Hugh in a cell and interrogate him for more information. He wanted to know how he was able to get so strong in such a quick time.


    Unfortunately for him, he did not have the authority to do that. Hugh still had an obligation to the school to attend classes. Hugh was already gone for a week, any more and Ace would get in trouble.


    Ace had no choice but to let Hugh go for now. He took a big breath and looked towards Hugh.


    "I''ll let you go."


    The guards were both surprised by Ace''s declaration. They thought that he would keep Hugh in detention for a while, but it looked like he could not do it.


    When Hugh heard Ace''s words, he heaved an internal sigh of relief. He did not argue any longer and started to walk towards the exit.


    He wanted to get out of the Student Council Headquarters as fast as he could or else they might change their minds.


    He was as good as chicken in a cage if he let himself be cornered in their headquarters any longer. The door to the outside slid open, and Hugh was about to exit the place when he heard Ace speak to him.


    "Stay out of trouble."


    It might seem like an endearing call for care, but Hugh knew that it was anything but that. There was a sort of warning in Ace''s words that told Hugh not to cause any trouble.


    Hugh knew that he was on the hotlist of the Student Council because of the events that surrounded him. He was caught up in Veer''s slanderous projects, and he was a murder suspect.


    He was too suspicious for the Student Council to let him go that easily. He suspected that he was now under strict surveillance from now on, which made things a lot harder.


    Thankfully, he does not think that he would be forced to use his transformation that easily. With the rewards that he had gotten from the dungeon, he would be able to fight on his own strength.


    Hugh walked towards the shifting room and directed it towards the classroom. He had been away from class for too long, so it was time to go back.


    While Hugh was away, Ace could not help but think back to Hugh. As an investigator, he could not fully satiate his curiosity if he did not find out more about Hugh.


    There was something weird going on with him, and he had to find out why; it was his job.


    Ace walked in the headquarters towards a certain door. He knocked thrice before he got confirmation to come in.


    Ace walked into the bright red room. He could barely distinguish any color from shades of red because of the lighting. He never liked going in this room, but he had to report back to the Vice President.


    Felix was standing in the middle of the room with his narrow eyes looking directly at Ace. Ace felt a strange chill in his neck every time he was the recipient of Felix''s stares.


    Ace opened his mouth and told Felix about what happened to Hugh. As Felix heard this information, he smiled and spoke.


    "Interesting..."

 Chapter 87: Sense

    Hugh walked out of the shifting room, and he was greeted by the same locker that he was familiar with. He stepped into the flooring and his footsteps echoed in the hallway.


    He started to walk towards the classroom with a bit of a confident swagger that he had never done before. The last time that he was here, he was always afraid of people finding out about his transformation.


    He never wanted to get into a fight unless there is absolutely no choice left. Fighting someone stronger than him would leave him no choice but to use his transformation.


    Now that things are different, he became more confident than before. This was evidenced by his posture, which was bolder than before.


    Last time, he would slump his shoulders to not stand out and be out of people''s vision. This did not work in his favor as it only made him look weak in front of other people.


    He was now confident in taking a fight against his peers. With his armor and his eagle transformation, he did not have to worry about using his transformation.


    He did not even notice that he became more confident than before. It was just his subconsciousness changing his demeanor by itself.


    Realizing that he was too different from before, Hugh decided to make his shoulders slump like before. He did not want to stand out and attract attention more than he already had.


    He was already in the sights of the Student Council; he does not need any more trouble.


    Although Hugh had a slumped posture, more insightful students can tell the difference. Normal students would perceive Hugh as a weak creature, but some perceptive students could feel the dangerous aura coming off Hugh.


    There was a thin film of wild aura around Hugh that was just hiding behind the surface. He was like a wolf in sheep''s clothing, baiting others into believing that he is prey.


    That is nothing more than a facade. Once they fall into Hugh''s trap, they would realize that he is much stronger than they imagined. By then, it would have already been too late.


    Hugh walked along the hallways until he stopped on one of the lockers. He looked at its shiny exterior and its blue coloring.


    There was no evidence of deterioration, even though this was the locker that Hugh had destroyed to satiate his hunger. He ripped it into pieces and consumed it for his own sake.


    The locker had already been replaced by a new one without any fuss. This was expected of a prestigious school, especially in the special class.


    The only problem with that incident was that someone had seen him. Jane had seen him eating the metals of the lockers, ripping it into shreds.


    He did not have to explain himself to her. If he confronted her about it, it would seem more suspicious than it already was.


    The best play to do in this situation is to play cool and act as if it never happened in the first place. If Jane asked him about this incident, he would just play it off as nothing more than a casual show of anger.


    With this plan in mind, Hugh was able to ease his anxiety for a little bit. Although it may still become a bigger problem, he did not have to worry about it. There was nothing he could do in this situation.


    He continued his stride towards the door, and he stopped before he opened it. He took one big breath and made sure that his posture was slumped. With all these preparations, he slid the door wide open.


    As he opened the door, the loud chatting and murmuring of the class stopped into a dead silence. They all looked towards Hugh; some of them hid their gaze, while some did not care that they are looking at Hugh.


    This was a normal occurrence for Hugh, so he did not think much of it. The quiet lull was soon overwhelmed by the students carrying on their chats.


    Some ignored Hugh, while some took particular attention towards him. The students had been warned about speaking about the contents of Veer''s pamphlets, so they could not directly confront Hugh about it.


    There were still a million points of reward for Hugh''s secret, but they did not think that it was worth it. If the Student Council caught them entertaining Veer''s shenanigans, they would be blacklisted.


    Once blacklisted, those million points would be rendered useless because the Student Council could order everyone to not accept orders from the person.


    This was an obvious power play by the Student Council, and Veer could not do anything about it.


    The reason why some of the students took particular attention towards Hugh was not about Veer, but Hugh himself.


    Some of the big characters in the social ladder of the classroom were those that were strong enough to prove themselves.


    These were Serena, Jane, and Aric''s three inner circle friends. They were all an A to S level talent, so they were more perceptive than others.


    When Hugh first arrive at the door, Jane did not take particular attention to him. She had already assessed Hugh''s strength, so she did not need to look at him.


    Suddenly, she felt a slight tingle in her neck. She only felt that kind of tingle when she had faced strong people like her sister.


    This strange strange feeling led her to perk her head up from studying her notes and look around the room. She scanned the scenery until she saw Hugh walk into the classroom.


    Hugh had the same posture and body language as before, but there was something different about him. She could not identify it, but she knew that there was something dangerous about Hugh.


    When she looked at Hugh, she could not help but feel that he was stronger than her. That did not make sense to her because she knew that she had much better talent than him.


    Hugh was only an F-level talent, while she had an A-level talent. As far as she knew, they were all at the F-rank of the unadvanced, so she should be stronger than Hugh.


    Her sense of danger told her the opposite.


    Hugh had been away for a week. The Student Council said that they had detained him for further questioning, so the students did not have any qualms about that.


    Her instincts were never wrong, which meant that Hugh was probably stronger than her right now. How could such a man get stronger in such a short amount of time?


    Serena was busy talking and chatting with her friends when Hugh opened the door. She gave him one look, and she returned to her business, supposed to anyway.


    For some reason, she could not help but take a closer look at Hugh. There was a different feeling coming off Hugh that she could not pinpoint.


    Unlike Jane, she did not have the accuracy to know that Hugh was stronger. She was only able to perceive that something was different with Hugh.


    Serena returned to her business when she realized that she could not figure out what was different about Hugh. She did not care.


    Tanner, Brad, and Chip, were Aric''s inner circle friends. They were the closest to Aric, but they had not seen him for a week, the same as Hugh.


    They were in charge of the group of boys in the classroom while Aric was gone. They had adjusted well to this lifestyle, ordering people around and feeling superior to others.


    They were standing in the middle of the classroom when Hugh opened the door. They looked displeased with Hugh. This was because Aric and Hugh fought, so of course, they would side with Aric.


    They stared at him with clear dislike in their eyes. They wanted him to know that they hated him, which Hugh immediately noticed.


    If it was before, Hugh would have ignored their stares. He knew that someone was staring at him, but he did not know who.


    His newfound confidence allowed him to satiate his own curiosity, so Hugh perked up his head and looked towards the three guys.


    He locked eyes with them, but Hugh did not feel anything different. Their eyes were full of animosity, but Hugh did not care. He already felt a superiority against them, so they were nothing to him.


    The three guys felt different. When they looked at Hugh''s eyes, they saw a beast. Those eyes were sharp enough to cut through the air and reach their eyes. They could not help but lower their eyes in front of Hugh.


    This was an instinctive action that they were forced to do. Unlike Jane and Serena, they were not talented enough to know that something was different with Hugh.


    The feeling was like they were a pack of wolves, but suddenly a strange wolf had entered their territory. It was in their nature to defend their territory and pride, so they walked towards Hugh intending to teach him who was the boss.

 Chapter 88: Trio

    Tanner, Brad, and Chip all walked towards Hugh with frowns on their faces. Their actions were clear to everybody present in the classroom.


    Their fists were closed up and their body language meant hostility. Hugh turned towards them and did not back down.


    All the students in the classroom stopped what they were doing and focused their attention on the commotion that was about it happen.


    Aric had been away for a long time, so he could not control the three guys. They run a mock without any regulations, creating chaos in the classroom.


    once everyone saw that they had their eyes on Hugh, they knew that things were about to go down. They did not want to participate in the fight because they did not want to get rin trouble.


    The students around them started to put their chairs away and store them in the corner. They knew that they would get in the way if they stayed in the center.


    Hugh stayed in his place and observed his surroundings. Inside his mind, he was calculating the best course of action with this kind of environment.


    He could see that the space they were going to fight was small. He did not have a lot of freedom to dodge away, so he took that into account.


    There are chairs littered around the space, so he considered using them in his fighting plans. His experience in the dungeon taught him to use his environment to his advantage.


    Although Hugh got stronger, it was still too much for him to fight three people at the same time. He would have no problem fighting one on one. He could even defeat them two on one, but three on one was too much.


    He would have to be mindful of every action that his three opponents would make because they could easily catch him off guard.


    Thankfully, he had a way to nullify their numbers advantage. With his eagle eyes, their movements would be in his direct sight and they could not hide anything from him.


    Brad stepped forward and faced Hugh. He had a Mohawk and his skin was full of tattoos that showed underneath his uniform. He closed his eyes and focused on manifesting his Desire.


    Something started to grow on Brad''s head. It was colored red and blue, and it had a shiny luster. It looked like a helmet that protected his skull and his forehead. His face was protected by steel bars on the helmet.


    His shoulder started to get bigger until it turned into shoulder guards. His uniform changed into the same color as his helmet, and there was an embroidered number zero on his shirt.


    Everything that Brad wore changed into blue and red color. Even his shoes were changed into spiked shoes.


    Hugh recognized this kind of attire from an ancient game he had read in some book. He remembered that this was from a game that was popular in one country, and this was its uniform.


    If Hugh remembered it correctly, the name of the sport was ''American Football.''


    Brad bent his body low and touched the ground with one hand. Hugh could feel that Brad was gathering all of his power on his legs to explode into a dash.


    "Hut! Hut!"


    Brad shouted some words and started to dash towards Hugh. His shoulders were at full force, intending to crash into Hugh.


    Brad''s explosive speed was fast and he turned into a blur. If Hugh had been caught off guard, he would not have been able to react quickly.


    Thankfully, Hugh was ready to intercept Brad. As soon as he saw Brad bend down, he knew that Brad would attack. He activated his eagle eyes just in time and saw every bit of movement from Brad.


    Hugh''s first instinct was to dodge away from the dash. This would be an effective way to counterattack Brad because Brad would only be able to dash in one direction.


    He activated his armor on his legs, but when he was about to dodge away, he saw something move on his eagle eyes.


    Chip moved in the background away from the commotion in the front. He moved in stealth so that Hugh would not see him. He acted as soon as he saw Brad move so that he could surprise Hugh.


    Hugh could not dodge away from Brad''s dash because he would be attacked by Chip to the side. Hugh was not flustered and he changed his plan to dodge away.


    Chip ran towards Hugh and reared his fist backward. His limb extended into his full arm span, but it continued to extend abnormally.


    Hugh could see that Chip''s elbow changed into a steel color and it spiraled into a spring. His spring was very similar to the nose ring that he wore.


    Chip continued to run and extend his arm until he reached Hugh. In one swift manner, the spring in his arm retracted back into its normal shape, and it caused Chip''s arm to launch towards Hugh.


    Both of Chip and Brad''s attacks were coming towards Hugh at top speeds. It prevented Hugh from dodging away from the attacks, so he had no choice but to confront the two attacks.


    He activated his armor on his left arm and used it to guard against Chip''s attack. Chip smiled when he saw Hugh tried to guard against his attack.


    From his perspective, Hugh was forced into a corner. He assumed that Hugh was still in the same rank as him, which meant that as a higher-level talent, he would be able to defeat Hugh.


    He expected his arm to punch through Hugh''s defense and hit Hugh''s head right in the nose. His fist collided with Hugh''s armored fist and he felt immediate pain.


    The collision made Chip wince in pain. He used all of his force on punching, but it seemed like he had punched a concrete wall.


    Hugh''s guard was still up without any problem, and it looked like Chip''s punch did not do any damage to him. In return, Chip felt some of his knucklebones crack a little.


    With Chip''s attack defended, Hugh only had to worry about Brad''s dash towards him. Hugh put his shoulders to the front and readied to receive Brad''s attack with his own shoulders.


    At this rate, Brad would collide shoulders with Hugh. Most of the students watching did not realize that Chip had lost the exchange with Hugh.


    They all assumed that Hugh was insane for trying to parry Brad''s attack with his own shoulders. Hugh knew that he was far stronger and more resilient than his opponent, so he was confident in winning against him.


    Hugh activated his armor on his right shoulder, and his left leg. His leg was his support that would hold against the force that Brad would inflict on him, and his shoulder was his main weapon.


    With his eagle eyes, Hugh could see when Brad would collide with him. He waited for the right time until they would clash shoulders, then he would attack.


    With the explosive power of his left leg, he dashed towards Brad and clashed shoulders with him. Brad thought that he would win with brute force because he was much stronger than Hugh.


    He expected Hugh to be able to defend against his attack for a second before he triumphed in power against Hugh. He was generous in his assumptions only because the armor on Hugh''s shoulders looked strong.


    *boom*


    As soon as they collided, Brad felt an immovable force that went against him. Even though he was the one who had charged towards Hugh, he was the one who felt like he had been run over.


    Hugh felt a strong resistance from Brad, but he was able to overpower it thanks to his armored leg. He continued to exert more force until he felt Brad''s body flung away from his force.


    Brad felt his shoulders hurt for the first time in a long time. He had always trained his shoulders to be as strong as possible. He would even crash through walls to prove his strength, and he would never feel pain from it.


    This time, he felt like all of the force that he had put on Hugh was reflected to him and multiplied multiple times.


    His bones could not take it anymore, and it was displaced from its joints. Brad''s face contorted in pain as he rebounded backward, feeling the pain from the collision.


    Right after Hugh collided with Brad, his instincts immediately told him of danger. Unfortunately, he had just attacked Brad, so he did not have enough time to react.


    Tanner appeared right next to Hugh. Tanner opened his jaws wide and started to suck up the air around him at top speeds. It was not long until Tanner''s body blew up like a puffed-up pufferfish.


    Unfortunately for Hugh, he was caught in the middle of Tanner''s attack. Tanner blew himself up right next to Hugh, so Hugh was flung away from the expansion.

 Chapter 89: Spikes

    Hugh''s body was thrown away due to the force of Tanner''s expansion. Everybody in the classroom saw Hugh''s body crash in the chairs until he collided with the wall.


    The students all stepped away from the line of fire, letting Hugh get the full brunt of the collision. They did not want to help him because they did not want to get in trouble for fighting.


    They all cringed as they thought that Hugh was knocked out cold. The last time that Hugh fought, it did not end well for him.


    Aric was able to beat Hugh until he had to be carried away in a stretcher towards the hospital. They did not expect anything less in this situation.


    Even Tanner was proclaiming his victory over Hugh by pumping his hands in the air. Only Brad and Chip had serious expressions as they looked at Hugh underneath the mess of chairs.


    Nobody had noticed that Tanner was only able to land a hit on Hugh because Hugh was preoccupied with fighting against Brad and Chip. It was a three-on-one, so there was a clear advantage for Tanner and his group.


    Brad and Chip both looked at each other and affirmed their suspicions. They both attacked Hugh with all of their powers but somehow, they could not land a hit on him.


    It even seemed like Hugh was stronger than them, which was impossible because Hugh was only an F-level talent. There was no way in hell that Hugh got stronger than them.


    Even the calm and collected Jane had her jaws to the ground as she tried to recall Hugh''s movements. It was fast and every bit of movement from Hugh exuded power that was way beyond what he had usually produced.


    In addition to that, Hugh was able to react with such speed and reflexes that made it seem like he was looking at the whole situation in slow motion.


    Even Jane was not sure that she would have perfectly dodged Brad and Chip''s attack with pinpoint accuracy like Hugh.


    She looked towards Hugh and knew in her heart that he was now way down for the count. She had a chill in her neck as she saw the pile of chairs start to rumble from the inside.


    The rumblings took everyone''s attention and soured the mood of the celebrating Tanner. They all thought that the fight was over, but Hugh was only getting started.


    *BOOM*


    The pile of chairs exploded and chairs flew all over the classroom. Everyone was out for themselves as they tried to dodge away from the incoming chairs.


    From the explosion came Hugh who had his head down. His uniform was squeaky clean without any creases nor dirt. His whole body did not have any indication of injury at all even though he had been thrown away like a rag doll.


    Tanner gulped as he looked at Hugh. Hugh''s face was hidden and they could not judge his current state of mind. For some reason, he was worried for his safety from Hugh.


    It felt like there was a bomb in front of him, and he had to get out of the splash zone as fast as he could. His instincts were telling him to run, but his pride got in the way.


    He was facing against Hugh, the man that Aric beat up with ease. There was no way that he was afraid of that guy. That would be insane. As he thought those words, his hairs stood on end as he saw Hugh take a small step forward.


    Hugh''s step was like a drum that reverberated in his heart. He tried to hide away his anxiety but his body betrayed his emotions.


    Sweat started to form in his forehead until it dropped to the floor. As soon as the drop of sweat hit the floor, Tanner saw Hugh disappear from his vision.


    In a split second, Hugh was able to close the gap and reach towards Tanner. Tanner was none the wiser and was caught off guard from the explosion of speed and power from Hugh.


    His mind still could not process the idea of Hugh being stronger than him, and it led to his downfall. He activated his Desire and his whole body blew up like a balloon.


    Spikes started to form around Tanner''s inflated body, much like a pufferfish that is threatened because of predators. This was his trusted defense that would always deter an opponent''s attack.


    He knew that Hugh had armor around his fist, which would collide with the spikes on his body. In a battle against Desires, those with the highest rank always win.


    As a B-level talent, Tanner was confident in overpowering Hugh''s armor. He watched as Hugh''s armored fist collide with the spikes along his inflated body.

 Chapter 90: Vomit

    Tanner had already thought up the scenario in his head. Hugh''s armor would be broken and the spikes would penetrate through Hugh''s fist, thereby making it useless in the fight.


    Tanner expected that, but he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his body. He looked down and saw that Hugh''s fist had already collided with his body. He could see that the spikes around his body started to bend until they broke up into tiny little pieces.


    The pain he felt was an excruciating pressure around the broken spikes, but it was nothing compared to the follow-up force from Hugh''s punch.


    Hugh''s fist continued to burst through Tanner''s spikes and reach his inflated body. Like an inflated balloon, Tanner''s body deformed under the pressure of Hugh''s punch.


    Tanner could feel his insides getting churned and squeezed. Tanner almost vomited his breakfast, but he was able to keep it in his mouth.


    Due to the bounciness of Tanner''s body, the elasticity acted as a spring that muffled the force of Hugh''s punch. However, Hugh''s punch exceeded Tanner''s structural integrity and threw his body outwards like a slingshot.


    The force was multitudes stronger than the force that Hugh experienced when he got thrown away. Tanner''s inflated body flew across the air and splashed on the wall.


    Tanner''s body was like a flattened balloon that is stuck on the wall. He could almost fill the whole wall with his inflated body, but it did not last long. Tanner could not hold onto his vomit any longer as he threw it all up.


    *GRAAAA*


    Tanner threw up his breakfast onto the floor and stained his uniform. His body started to deflate as Tanner slid down from the wall, unconscious.


    Everyone''s eyes were wide open as they looked at the embarrassing and disgusting mess of Tanner. Some of the students gagged and turned away from the vomit, but they could still smell the putrid scent.


    It was at this moment that everyone realized that Hugh defeated Tanner with only one punch. One explosive punch was enough to turn the arrogant and prideful Tanner into the mess that he was right now.


    They did not understand how that could even be possible. Chatters started to spread throughout the classroom.


    "No way! Hugh defeated Tanner."


    "Are my eyes deceiving me?"


    "Slap me please, this is definitely a dream!"


    A mix of disbelief and doubt was spread through the witnesses of the fight. They all started to rationalize the situation by making excuses.


    "Was Tanner in a bad condition?"


    "Maybe he is ill?"


    "What was Tanner''s talent again? Isn''t he a D-level talent?"


    "I think Tanner was all talk. He was weak all along."


    Everyone started to believe that Tanner was weak. Of course, those that thought that were people who were not familiar with Tanner. Those that knew him were speechless as they tried to understand what had happened.


    Even Tanner''s friend started to believe that Tanner was weak all along. That was how much they are surprised by this incident. They could not even fathom that Hugh was stronger than Tanner.


    Brad and Chip looked back at their companion. Tanner was out cold with his own vomit staining his clothes. They did not want to be put in the same position as him.


    They were now put into a predicament. If they continued to fight Hugh, they might end up worse than Tanner. If they backed down, their social standings would plummet, which would mean the end of their careers.


    As the top dogs of the classroom, it was their job to make sure that they avenge Tanner. Brad and Chip could feel the eyes staring at them, waiting for them to attack Hugh.


    They had already exchanged fists with Hugh, and it looked like they could never land a punch on him. They both looked at each other and agreed that it would be useless to try and attack Hugh one by one.


    If they were going to attack, they needed to work together and make use of their numerical advantage. They were not even sure if they truly wanted to fight Hugh since they would get nothing from it.


    Brad and Chip could not decide whether to fight or not. Thankfully, they did not have to choose for themselves.


    The door to the classroom slid open and the noise echoed throughout the room, taking everyone''s attention. Brad and Chip felt relieved of the intervention.


    This was the only way they could avoid fighting. Professor Kain would not let anyone fight in his presence, so they would have an excuse to back down from fighting Hugh.


    Everyone waited with bated breaths as a man stepped forward. The man was wearing a school uniform, which meant that it was not professor Kain.


    However, Brad and Chip suddenly smiled as they saw a familiar face. It was Aric; he was back.

 Chapter 91: Ignore

    Brad and Chip felt relieved as they saw the familiar face of their leader. Aric had been away for a long time without any contact with them, so they ran amok in the classroom.


    Although it was chaos, there was one thing that they all agreed on; Aric was the top dog. They would follow his orders and fly under his wings.


    Now that Aric was back, Brad and Chip felt like their pride was restored. Their previous slumped postures turned into a straight and prideful look.


    Although having professor Kain appear in the classroom would be great, Aric appearing was better. With Aric here, they did not have to worry about their current problem, Hugh.


    Aric had fought against Hugh and beat him up black and blue. There was no debate against who was stronger, and everyone knew that.


    Although Hugh displayed tremendous strength in his fight against Tanner, everyone still believed that Aric would win in a fight.


    Everyone held their breaths as they waited for a rematch against Hugh and Aric. With Tanner''s condition in a pitiful state, there was no doubt in their mind that Aric would want to take revenge.


    They looked at Aric and saw that he had his head staring at the ground. His eyes were hidden underneath the partings of his disheveled hair. His clothes were dirty and creased, a complete opposite of the clean and sharp hygiene he usually possessed.


    Aric did not look like the person he was before. There was a sort of gloomy aura around him that was out of character. Aric would usually have the charisma of a god, but now, he looked nothing more than a bum.


    Aric walked step by step into the classroom. He did not look up at his surroundings. Usually, he would greet his friends and maybe even Serena, but now, he ignored everybody.


    He walked towards his chair and he passed by Tanner. Tanner''s vomit was pooling on the ground, and it was clear that Aric noticed his friend''s sorry state.


    Despite the miserable state of Tanner, Aric continued to walk as if he did not see anything. Everyone was confused until they saw that Aric would pass by Hugh.


    They all assumed that Aric''s fury was hidden underneath his gloomy demeanor and he would vent it all out on Hugh.


    "Ooooh, Hugh''s done now that Aric is here."


    "Yeah, Aric''s pride is on the line so there is no way that he will let Hugh go."


    "Do you want to make a bet on how long Hugh lasts this time?"


    "I''ll take that chance. I bet 1,000 points that Hugh won''t last a minute."


    They braved themselves for the incoming rematch fight against Hugh and Aric. Guesses and predictions were thrown as a way to entertain the spectators of the upcoming fight.


    Hugh kept his eagle eyes locked into Aric. He was confident in his ability to stay alive, but he did not know if he could easily beat Aric as he did with Tanner.


    He pre-activated his armor on his fist and his leg to make sure that he could react in time. Aric''s body language indicated no intent to fight, but Hugh would not be tricked by it.


    Aric looked like he was as defenseless as a newborn baby without any care in the world. There was no anger, no fury in Aric''s eyes, just emptiness.


    Hugh was confused for a second, but he reminded himself that Aric was an enemy. He guessed that Aric''s demeanor was a trap, so he should not act rashly.


    The best course of action at this time was to react towards Aric''s movements with the use of his eagle eyes.


    He planted his feet firmly in the ground and assumed a defensive position with his fists. He watched as Aric walked towards him, with footsteps echoing in the dead silent classroom.


    The tension was building up in the air and everyone waited for the explosion of strength. Six steps...five steps...two steps and one step until Aric reaches Hugh.


    Aric took the last step and reached Hugh. Everyone braced themselves for collision, but nothing happened. Aric continued to walk in the same direction, ignoring Hugh''s presence.


    Hugh was left speechless as Aric passed by him. There was no reaction from Aric, not even a flinch. It was as if Aric was a dead man walking.


    Everyone could not believe their eyes. Aric ignored Hugh. There was no big fight, just silence, and footsteps. Aric continued to walk until he reached his chair, then sat down.


    Brad and Chip had conflicted anger and frustration over Aric''s indifference. They thought that Aric would restore their pride and defend them from Hugh, but he did not even give Hugh a look.


    They both rushed towards Aric to try and convince him to fight Hugh. They put their hands on Aric''s shoulders and they felt something weird.


    Aric felt cold. This was weird because Aric would always be warm due to his Desire working on his body. They shrugged this piece of fact and tried to shake Aric''s shoulder.


    As they tried to wake Aric up from his stupor, they felt a hand slap their hands away. Aric had shrugged them off.

 Chapter 92: Stare

    The slap was resounding and they felt a sharp pain on their wrists. Their eyes were furrowed; Aric''s indifference filled them with indignation.


    Aric was supposed to be the one who avenged them, but he kept silent. Aric just sat on his chair and looked at his desk with a blank face, ignoring everybody who looked at him.


    Even Hugh was confused at Aric''s behavior. He had known Aric for a long time, and he had never displayed this kind of behavior before.


    He would be too aggressive at times, but never aloof. His charisma was the reason why so many people like to follow along with him.


    Now, Aric looked like a shell of his old self, empty and devoid of any hope. Everybody was silent and silence reigned in the classroom.


    "What''s wrong with Aric?"


    "He was away for a week, and now he is like this. I wonder what happened to him."


    "Too bad. I really liked his smile."


    "Seeing those cold eyes is not that bad too."


    Just as the students started to chatter about Aric, the door slid open again and professor Kain stepped in. As soon as everyone saw the professor, they shut up and returned to their seats.


    The seats were in a disarray from the chaos of the fight, so they had to manually return them into position. They avoided any eye contact with professor Kain to make sure that they were not being blamed for all the mess.


    Hugh panted and let go of the tension in his shoulder. Somehow, he had won this fight against the three of them. If they had all worked together from the start, he would not have any chance.


    Hugh took advantage of the fact that they still underestimated him. When they got comfortable, he sweeper the rug beneath their arrogant feet.


    He looked towards Brad and Chip and saw that they were looking back at him. They still had a look of fury and hate on them, but it was now mixed in with fear.


    They both witnessed with their bodies how strong Hugh got. They could not longer treat Hugh the same way that they had treated them all this time.


    Thankfully for them, the rest of the classroom did not know that Hugh got stronger. This saved them a lot of pride and they could keep being the top dogs of the classroom.


    If they had admitted that Hugh was stronger than all of them, they would lose all credibility in the social standing. They could never let that happen.


    They both decided to keep this little piece of fact buried in their hearts. They had no choice but to avoid Hugh for the time being until they got stronger.


    Professor Kain looked around the classroom, but his expression did not change. There were no indications that he was angry nor disappointed.


    He scanned the room until his eyes landed on Hugh. If Hugh had his eagle eyes activated, he would have seen that professor Kain looked at him longer than he did with his other classmates.


    In a short amount of time, professor Kain looked at Hugh up and down. He seemed to have noticed that Hugh had improved his strength.


    There was an imperceptible look of surprise on his face, which no one picked up on.


    He looked down and saw the Tanner in a mess. There were vomit and blood everywhere, but it did not faze him. Everybody braced themselves to answer the professor''s question.


    If the professor asked what had happened in the classroom, they all decided to answer truthfully. They would pin all the blame onto Hugh and the trio.


    Contrary to their beliefs, professor Kain did not scold them. He only turned his back on them and started to write on the blackboard.


    The students were confused and they all looked at each other. Then, professor Kain spoke to them while he still had his back turned away from them.


    "Somebody call the hospital. Also, clean up that mess."


    After those few short words, professor Kain continued to write on the board and prepare for the class. He did not seem to mind that a fight had occurred in the classroom, causing chaos all over.


    The hospital was called and the mess was fixed. Soon the classroom was as tidy as a newly established room. It was all thanks to the state-of-the-art self-cleaning system of the school.


    After Tanner was carried out on a stretcher, professor Kain started to continue his lecture. With the monotony of the lessons, some of the students stole glances at Aric. They were both worried and intrigued as to the reason why Aric was so gloomy.


    Even though Hugh had come out as the winner of a three-on-one fight, they just shrugged it off as luck. They did not give Hugh any more attention.


    Hugh liked it this way. With everyone underestimating him, they would pose no problem to him. If they came looking for trouble because they thought Hugh was weak, then they would enter a world of pain.


    Even though there was not much attention on him, Hugh still felt a sharp gaze directed at him. He wanted to ignore it at first, but his curiosity got the best of him.


    He activated his eagle eyes to see who was staring at him in his peripheral vision. He did not want the person staring at him to know that he had noticed them.


    With his eagle eyes, Hugh focused on the right side and saw that Jane was staring at him. She had her head fully turned towards him as if she wanted him to notice her.


    She had her eyebrows furrowed with a look of confusion and surprise. She had seen Hugh''s strength and realized that Hugh probably advanced to D-rank.


    This was an impossible concept for her to grasp. As an S-class talent, she would have been content with advancing to the next rank in a month, but Hugh seemed to do it in two weeks.

 Chapter 93: Groups

    Hugh got a feeling that Jane knew that he had gotten stronger. Those inquisitive eyes were too focused on him, which meant that she was starting to doubt Hugh''s identity.


    He chose to ignore those states because he did not want to give her any more indication that he was strong. He kept his eyes focused on the professor and tried to suppress the feeling of being stared at.


    The lecture wore on for hours until professor Kain gave them a warning for their upcoming project.


    "Gather yourselves into groups of five. Pick your members and make sure that you all get along. We will have our project sometime next week, so go get your members."


    Hugh frowned at the announcement. He detested school projects because it would only cause him misery. He did not have anyone here that he got along with, so he did not have anyone he wanted to be in his group.


    Hugh always experienced being the last pick of the groups. It happened in his high school, and it would happen again in this school.


    He decided to let others pick the group for him, and just try to work with whoever. He did not care; he just wanted the school project to be over with.


    As soon as professor Kain finished his announcement, the students erupted in a slew of chitchats, already creating their groups.


    Of course, the girls all lined up next to Serena and tried to get into her group. She looked like she was having trouble deciding who she would pick, but there was an imperceptible smile on her face.


    She wanted the attention that her classmates are giving her. It truly felt like she was special, and she cherished those moments. In her mind, she already chose her group mates.


    She never wanted to be grouped with the smart girls nor the strong girls. She wanted mediocre group mates so that she could shine even more.


    Jane also looked like she dreaded this part of the school. She did not have anyone she was close with, so she was also not part of anyone''s group.


    Having no other choice, Jane looked towards Hugh. She looked conflicted on whether she should ask him or not. She knew that Hugh was strong and smart, but teaming up with him meant that her social standings would plummet.


    Although she had no care for the opinions of others, she could not risk getting denied access to the private parties that only popular students get to attend.


    She bit her lips as she debated in her mind. After a few seconds, she got up from her seat and was about to approach Hugh when she got a tap on her shoulder.


    Jane looked back and saw that a bunch of students approached her first. She remembered that these students were the geeky students, and were smart like her.


    A girl with glasses and braids approached her and spoke.


    "Jane, would you like to join our group?"


    Jane looked towards the group and assessed their strengths. These students were not the strongest, but they were really smart. She would be a great fit in their group.


    Even with their compatibility, Jane was still undecided. She looked back to Hugh who was just sitting alone in his chair.


    With one big breath, she nodded towards the geeky students and grouped up with them.


    "Great! We''ll have a brief meeting tonight, so mark it in your calendar okay?"


    "Yes, now that we have Jane, we''ll probably score the highest marks."


    "Did you hear about the planet that the professor was talking about?"


    "Yeah, Braxton? Their history is very interesting I heard that..."


    The geeky students continued to converse about geeky stuff that only they could appreciate. Jane was a studious girl, but she was not as geeky as these students. She felt a little bit left out.


    With the lecture done and over, the students started to disperse and do their own things. Aric was the first person out of the door, ignoring everybody else.


    Some of Aric''s friends wanted to ask him about the groupings, but he left too quickly. With Aric being their leader, they would always leave a spot for him.


    Hugh had nothing left to do for the day, so he decided to go home for now. He walked out of the classroom and started to walk towards the shifting room.


    Most of the students liked to loiter around on the campus, so they did not go in the same direction as Hugh. They socialized with the other sections and built connections with them.


    Hugh was not a friendly nor outgoing person, so he went straight back into his house. As he walked through the lockers in the hallway, Hugh felt the deafening sound of silence.


    The busy and chattering sounds of the students faded away into obscurity and left Hugh all alone with his thoughts. He felt that something was wrong, but he could pinpoint it.


    The cold breeze of the wind blew in his neck, giving him a chill. It only served to warn him more of the oncoming threat. The hallways of the classroom did not have any open windows.


    His steps slowed down into a crawl until he stopped completely. He looked at the floor, but he kept his attention on his surroundings at all times.


    He activated his eagle eyes, but he could not see anything out of the ordinary.


    The cold steel of the lockers and the dim blinking light of the ceiling gave off the feeling of an abandoned structure.


    "Who are you? Show yourself."


    He waited for a few seconds, but there was no response. Every second of waiting only built up the tension in the air. He readied his armor in case a surprise came at him.


    He was confident in his eagle eyes, but there was a feeling in his heart that even his eagle eyes would not matter.


    "Hugh. I have a message to deliver."


    Hugh heard a robotic voice behind him.

 Chapter 94: Encounter

    The sudden voice alerted Hugh of the danger. He could feel the cold air of the person''s breath in his neck, giving him a creeping feeling. He did not feel any movement from anywhere, so he was perplexed as to how the person was able to approach him.


    Hugh quickly turned around to see who spoke to him. He used his armor to have explosive speed and catch the person by surprise.


    As soon as he turned around, he saw a black blur and nothingness. There was no one behind him, but he could feel the person''s presence somewhere around his vicinity.


    "Don''t turn around. You''ll never see me."


    The robotic voice once again appeared behind him. Even with his eagle eyes and his armor working together, Hugh could not catch a glimpse at the person.


    He was like a crazed person, looking everywhere for something that was not there. Hugh had furrowed eyebrows as he recognized the mysterious voice.


    He had heard this voice before, and Hugh was sure that they had met before. When Hugh had to kill Joub, there was one person there who witnessed the whole thing.


    It was a person who had a white mask covering their whole face, and with the same robotic voice.


    "Are you the person I met before?"


    The voice did not respond. Hugh stopped moving around and let the person speak. He knew that he would not be able to sneak a peek at the person no matter how many times he tried.


    "I have a message for you."


    The voice only repeated its words. Hugh had a bad feeling about the message that was directed at him. Being called out here alone with no one to witness them was a bad sign.


    "Who is it from?"


    Hugh kept his eyes on the ground as he concentrated on the voice. He did not know if this was a trap or not, so he had to know more information.


    "You will know who."


    Hugh frowned. He did not know of any person that would go to such lengths just to give him a message. There was one person that came to his mind, but he did not want it to be true.


    "Then tell me face to face."


    Hugh bargained with the voice. He did not like being kept in the dark about these kinds of stuff. He needed to know who he was dealing with so that he could prepare in case a fight broke out.


    "..."


    The voice did not respond. They clearly did not want to show their face to Hugh.


    "Fine. Then, be direct and just tell me now."


    Hugh had to relent and just decided to hear the message that was directed at him. The suspense was killing him, and it looked like the voice would not give in.


    Hugh could feel the cold air breathing down his neck. This told him that the voice opened its mouth as if they were about to speak.


    "You-"


    As the voice spoke their first word, it was suddenly interrupted by a cacophony of high-pitched voices.


    "Hahahahaha no you are!!!"


    "Well, we are all kind of bad hahahaha."


    "Speak for yourself, Bethany!"


    Hugh heard the loud voices of girls down the hallway. He looked up and saw that five girls were coming towards him while chatting with each other.


    Hugh recognized them to be the girls in his class. There was one girl in the middle that stood out. Her wavy blond hair reflected the orange light of the outside like glass. It was Serena.


    She walked with grace and beauty, exuding a charming smile as she walked alongside her friends. The girls at her side were mediocre at best, but it only emphasized her beauty even more.


    "Okay then, we''ll meet the club later. I just have to take care of some things back at my house."


    Serena walked ahead of the group and waved as she said her goodbyes. The girls reciprocated and waved goodbyes at her, showing a sad expression.


    As the other girls left back to where they came from, Serena was all alone in the hallways. Her smile turned quickly turned into a neutral expression like a flick of a switch.


    She looked up and saw Hugh standing alone in the hallway, looking at her with a strange expression. She frowned at the look.


    At first, she did not recognize him, but that fat exterior was not hard to remember.


    "What are you looking at?"


    She stopped in her tracks and crossed her arms. She felt that something weird was going on with the fat guy.


    Hugh frowned as he heard Serena''s tone. It was like he had offended her because he was in her territory. This was a public place, and Hugh could do whatever he wanted.


    "Not any of your concern."


    She frowned at Hugh''s attitude. She felt that Hugh was too arrogant for his own good. She still thinks of Hugh as a weak person, so Hugh should not have this much confidence.


    "It is my concern if I wanted it to be."


    Serena stood her ground and raised her chin in the air. She had a look of superiority as she tried to intimidate him.


    They locked eyes for a few seconds, but Hugh did not break away his gaze. She felt that it weird that Hugh was this arrogant, and she wanted to teach him his place, but she had better things to do.


    "Hmph."


    Serena walked towards Hugh and flipped her hair as she passed by him. Hugh could smell a distinct sweet aroma from her shampoo, which did not seem to fit with her bitterness.


    She walked away and ignored Hugh as she stepped onto the shifting room and disappeared.


    Hugh was alone once again and silence reigned on the hallways. He looked around, but he did not see any signs of the voice coming back.


    He looked down and saw that a letter was beside his feet. Hugh was sure that Serena did not drop this, which meant that the letter was from the mysterious voice.


    He bent down and read its contents.


    ''Stop Aric at all costs or else your secret will be known to all.


    -Veer''

 Chapter 95: Bargain

    Aric walked through the hallways out of the classroom with his head down looking at the floor. He was alone with just his thoughts to accompany him.


    His previously neat and tidy hair was nowhere to be seen. Now, it was disheveled and dirty, a complete opposite of his charismatic personality.


    His steps were slow, and his feet were dragging in the pavement. It was clear that he did not want to walk; he was dreading it.


    The only thing that kept him walking was the fear embedded into his heart. It fueled his every move albeit without his consent.


    He was delaying every step, but he kept on advancing; he had to.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ªflashback¡ª¡ª¡ª


    "...betray...the school?"


    Aric looked up at Maverick while his arms and legs were constrained by large cuffs. His eyes were sunken and his face was pale. His previous clear complexion was now filled with dirt and dried blood.


    His eyebrows were furrowed as he asked the question again at his father.


    "Yes. You will obey my commands and cause chaos at your school."


    Maverick''s words were full of confidence and bravado. His eyes glowed in the dark as he stared at the sorry state of his own son, but there was no warmth at all.


    "Why?"


    Aric''s mind was fuzzy and he could not think straight. All the torture he had to endure finally caught up to him. It was taking every bit of mental and physical strength just to keep himself awake.


    "Why? You do not need to know why. You just have to do it."


    Maverick frowned as Aric questioned him. A frown formed on his face as if he was offended. His posture stood straight and his shoulders broadened as if showing Aric who was in charge.


    "I do not want to do it."


    Aric''s eyes were half-closed, but his words rang in the room. There was a deathly silence that followed after those controversial words.


    Aric could not see his father''s face, but he could feel his anger. He saw the ground beneath Maverick''s feet start to crumble under the pressure.


    He had felt this suffocating pressure numerous times before, but it did not make it any easier. It only served to further stab a wound on his mental health.


    "You do not have the strength to oppose me, boy."


    Maverick grabbed a handful of Aric''s hair and pulled his head up, locking eyes with him. Aric saw no anger on his father''s face. There were no furrowed eyebrows nor were there any creases on his forehead, just a deadpan expression.


    Somehow, an empty expression was more terrifying than a face full of anger. Aric could feel the empty void in his father''s eyes, a sign of his cold and dark morality.


    "No."


    Aric could only say one word. Even though his father''s pressure was pressing vocal cords together, he still let out a denial.


    "I own you. I made you. You do not get to say no."


    Maverick had a face full of disgust as he looked at his own son. There was a hint of fury and indignation as if his natural right was being oppressed.


    Aric winced. His father''s suppression was getting to him. He hated his father deep down into his bones, and he would never succumb to his wishes.


    Even if Maverick had told Aric to perform a simple task, Aric would have refused either way. That was how much he hated his own father.


    Aric kept quiet. He knew better than to argue with an egotistical maniac.


    "You are too soft. You can never inherit my business at this rate."


    Maverick threw down Aric''s head and walked away for a few steps. His head was signed away from Aric, so Aric could not see what his dad was doing.


    "I have raised you to someday replace me, but I see now that it is not going to happen."


    Maverick put his hands behind his back and walked along with the room with a serious face.


    "Blacklade Academy is deeply tied into our business. You should not hesitate to sell out your school for the benefit of your future."


    At this point, Maverick''s tone of voice calmed down and it looked like he was lecturing Aric. There was no more anger, but his pressure was still applied throughout the room.


    "I don''t care."


    Maverick stopped in his tracks as he heard Aric''s response. Aric got knew that his response was insolent, so he got ready to get beaten within an inch of his life.


    Contrary to his belief, Maverick did not erupt in anger. Instead, a chuckle echoed throughout the room.


    "Hahahaha"


    Aric was perplexed at the sudden change in emotion. He had never seen this side of his father before. He did not even think that the man was capable of expressing more emotion other than anger.


    Aric forced his head to look up, and his sight confirmed his guesses. Maverick was laughing all to himself.


    "You don''t care? Hahahaha that is funny."


    Aric frowned. He did not know why Maverick found his words to be funny. There was a hint of mockery in his face that would have infuriated Aric if it was any other person other than his father.


    "You do know that you will take my mantle in the future, right? Is it not a matter of if, but when."


    Maverick faced Aric once again and waited for his response.


    "I will not stand in your shoes."


    Aric used all of the remaining strength in his body for his head to look up at Maverick. He used every bit of his mental strength to lock eyes with him without breaking eye contact.


    Maverick only looked at Aric without any expression. He did not seem to be angry nor disgusted. Only a slight smile formed on his face.


    Aric could see the sinister smile on Maverick. This look made him remember all the times that Maverick planned something. He knew that wheels were turning in Maverick''s head.


    "I''ll give you a bargain. Complete this mission and I will grant you your freedom."

 Chapter 96: Barrier

    Aric walked along the streets with sluggish steps. He was headed right for the central area, the place where Maverick told him to go.


    He put his hands on his pocket and he felt a strange cubic shape within. He took it out and observed the peculiar object.


    It was a cubic shape, small enough to grasp fully in his hands. It did not have much weight, just like paper. Its color was purple, and there were small white dots that moved around the cube.


    As Aric looked at the cube, it felt like he was staring at the void. He would have stared at this thing for hours if he had not heard the chattering of people around him.


    Aric quickly put the object back in his pockets. This small and insignificant object was an object capable of creating chaos and damage to the school.


    He did not know the specifics of this cube, but he knew that it would destroy one of the school''s defenses. A barrier would be broken down and the school would be open to vulnerabilities.


    He did not know what Maverick planned, but he knew that it would cause chaos to the school. His father was one of the board members of Wolrath''s rival school, Blacklade Academy.


    These two academies are sworn rivals, and both schemes take each other down. Spies were sent to each other to monitor and disrupt each other in an attempt to take the top position of the school rankings.


    After months of planning, Maverick and his conspirators came up with this plan. This cube is was what Maverick had told him to bring inside the school.


    In exchange for his freedom, Aric had to sell out his school.


    Aric looked around him and saw the students loitering about with smiles on their faces. They were also headed for the Central area, a place where they could let off some steam and have fun.


    There were couples walking hand in hand, there were groups of men and women walking together, and there were also people walking alone.


    Their faces would soon turn into looks of horror and despair because of him. He stopped in his tracks as he thought about it.


    He did not want to do it. He liked his school, and his friends. There may have been times that he had fights with other people, but it was not enough to hate the school.


    This was the place where he thought he would flourish as a strong person. He would establish his connections while strengthening himself for the real world.


    Now, he had to cause chaos. The future and the friends he had built in this school will be nothing but just a fading memory.


    All this pain and anguish that he felt was because of his father. He despised Maverick deep into his bones. Aric''s face distorted into fury, and that emotion led him to be numb to the sin that he was about to do.


    He started to walk, but it slowly turned into a fast-paced jog. He wanted it to be over with. He wanted to be done with it and get out. There was nothing else he could do.


    The Central area was as busy as ever. Students were excited and crossed paths with Aric, but he ignored them. He had his eyes only to one building, the place where he would install the cube.


    In the middle of the central area, an unassuming building stood with no windows, and no doors. Its color was dirty white and looked bland in comparison to the buildings beside it.


    This building is named the central building and is the home to the very mechanism that generates the barriers of the school. Most of the students do not know of the importance of this building. Even Aric had no idea until Maverick told him.


    No one could get inside this building without the proper key. Of course, Aric did not have it nor did Maverick; that is why they needed the help of one more person.


    Aric circled the building as his eyes scanned the people around him. His eyes stopped when he saw a student with his back leaned against the walls of the building


    This student had a bowl cut that had his bangs long enough to cover up both of his eyes. This student had his hands behind his back and had a smile as he noticed that Aric approached him.


    Aric had furrowed eyebrows as he looked at this person. This student was familiar to him, and it was not until seconds of reminiscing that he remembered him.


    The man that would help him get into the central building was Balen, his classmate. He saw Balen on the first day of school but has not seen him since, which is why it took so long to remember him.


    He did not have a strong impression of Balen, so he was doubtful that Balen could help him. Aric approached Balen with caution in his steps.


    "The weather is good today, right?"


    "Yeah, but I like it black."


    Aric had asked Balen a special code, and he answered perfectly. This meant that Balen truly was the person that he was surprised to meet.


    "How are you, Aric? Maverick been treating you well?"


    Aric could not see Balen''s eyes, only the annoying smile on his face. Balen''s words made him remember the trauma he had to endure back at Maverick''s place.


    He frowned and stepped forward, getting close to Balen''s face. He tried to show his dominance, and show him that he did not like getting treated that way.


    "Wow there cowboy, don''t get your feathers too ruffled up."


    Aric''s intimidation did not affect Balen. He only smiled and repelled Aric''s aura with ease, which Aric found surprising.


    He did not think that Balen was this strong because he did not stand out too much in the classroom. Even with the initial strength that Balen showed him, he was still doubtful that Balen could help him.

 Chapter 97: Motives

    "How are you going to let me in this building?"


    Aric questioned Balen with a strong voice. He did not even attempt to conceal his voice even though this plan was supposed to be a top-secret mission.


    "Oh, Aric. You underestimate me too much, it''s hurting me. Don''t you know that I''m a part of the Elite Troop Squad of the CDA?"


    Aric frowned his eyes as he learned Balen''s true identity. He did not know about the existence of the Elite Troop Squadron, but he knew the powers and influences of the CDA.


    "The CDA? Why is the CDA helping Maverick?"


    Aric questioned Balen with an inquisitive face. He thought that this plan was only a rivalry between two schools, but it may turn out that a bigger hand was at play.


    Balen only tilted his head at Aric''s question. After a second, he answered Aric.


    "What makes you think that the CDA is behind this?"


    Balen was confused at the innocent face that Balen was displaying. He was now more lost by the second. One second Balen was saying that he was a part of the CDA, then the next, he says that the CDA was not involved.


    "You just said you are a part of the CDA."


    Balen pointed his finger on his forehead and nodded his head as if he was trying hard to understand Aric''s question.


    Aric looked at Balen and a sudden realization came to him that chilled his back.


    "Wait. Are you doing this by yourself?"


    As Aric realized the situation, Balen suddenly displayed a big smile and gave an ''ok'' sign at Aric.


    "Pinpon pinpon Bingo!"


    Aric did not know if he was confused or angry at this revelation. It turned out that Balen was doing this by himself. How could he trust Balen to get him inside the building?


    "I see your doubt in me, but just the word CDA will strike fear in anyone''s heart. This allows me to do things that are...unique."


    Aric frowned at Balen''s nonchalant face. What he was doing was a major crime, and he could go to jail for his whole life. He could not depend on the joking words of one man.


    "I don''t believe you."


    Balen put his hand on his chest as if he was offended at Aric''s doubt.


    "How do you think your good friend Hugh was able to get inside the special class?"


    At the mention of Hugh''s name, Aric''s full attention was on Balen. He always found it weird how Hugh was able to get into the special class with only an F-level talent.


    "You? You did that?"


    Balen shrugged his shoulders and shook his head.


    "No, that Dempsy did because he is..."


    Balen did not finish his question and gestured Aric to complete it.


    "Because he is also a part of the Elite Troop Squad."


    Balen smiled again and praised Aric.


    "Pinpon Pinpon Bingo again!"


    With this kind of influence, Aric''s doubt was lessened. With Balen''s help, he could get inside the central building and install the cube.


    Even though his method of entry was secured, there was one thing that was still bothering him. He did not know about Balen''s motive for this plan. Why would he help Maverick?


    "What''s your endgame? Why are you siding with Maverick?"


    Balen shook his head and waved his finger at Aric.


    "Tsk Tsk Tsk Aric, you were doing so well. I''m not siding with anyone."


    Aric frowned as he tried to observed Balen''s expressions and his body movements to try and gauge his current state of mind.


    "Then why are you doing this?"


    Balen did not answer and just looked at the sky while touching his chin as if he was in deep thought. After a few seconds, he spoke to Aric again.


    "Well, why do you think I did it? I want to see if you know."


    Aric frowned as he felt like he was being played with. He could not stand this kind of behavior.


    "I don''t have the time for this."


    Aric turned to leave Balen, but Balen took ahold of his shoulder. Aric tried to shrug him off but found that Balen had a tight grip on his shoulder.


    He was once again surprised that Balen was this strong.


    "Come on now, can''t you play for a little bit? I''ll even give you a present."


    Aric had no choice but to face Balen and guess his motives. He played along with Balen because he was truly curious as to why Balen would help Maverick.


    "They want to destroy Wolrath academy''s barriers so everyone is free to enter it. Do you want something inside the school?"


    Balen shook his head.


    "Do you want to transfer to Blacklade Academy?"


    Balen kept on shaking his head.


    "You''re thinking is too rigid. What will happen once you plant that cube?"


    Aric closed his eyes and tried to imagine the result of the plans. The school barriers will be down. Students will start to notice it. Authorities will step in. Chaos ensues.


    Aric opened his eyes and looked at Balen with a serious face.


    "You...do you want chaos around the school?"


    Balen once again showed a wide smile and patted Aric''s shoulders.


    "Pinpon Pinpon Bingo Bingo Bingo!"


    Aric frowned and shrugged away from Balen''s hands.


    "So, you''re just a maniac."


    Balen shook his head slightly and shrugged his shoulders.


    "No, I''m just a bored guy. Everybody gets bored sometimes, right?"


    Aric stepped back away from Balen. He felt that every move of Balen was unpredictable, and he could get caught up in his plans.


    Balen only had a smile on his face while his eyes were hidden in his bangs. Aric could not figure anything about him, which made him the most dangerous person he knew.


    Aric did want to be involved in Maverick''s plans nor Balen''s plans. He was tired of all of it. Maverick''s influence on him was already permanent in his head.


    His anger and fury were already embedded deep in his heart, and he could not get rid of them.


    Balen stepped forward and asked Aric a simple question.


    "So, are you going in or not?"

 Chapter 98: Cold

    Hugh saw the letter in his hands and he stopped in his tracks. The contents of the letter were hard to believe, but passing it off as a bluff may lead to his life being forfeited to the CDA.


    This little piece of letter threatened his whole life. He did not even know if this was genuine or not, but he had to take it seriously.


    He had to stop Aric? What did that even mean?


    Hugh held the letter in his hands with trembling hands. He reread every word and every letter to give himself more clue to go on.


    The letter was from Veer, but it did not have the usual flair that Veer posed in his reports. There were no rhymes nor greetings, just plain blackmail.


    Hugh crumpled the letter in his hands and ate it. He frowned at being blackmailed like this, but he had no choice but to comply.


    First, he had to look for Aric. There had been something wrong with Aric the moment that he had stepped foot onto the classroom.


    Everyone could tell the difference from a mile away and it was easy to guess that something had happened to him. Hugh would have ignored Aric and went on his busy day, but now he had to go look for Aric.


    The first thing he thought about was to go to his friends and ask for his whereabouts. He quickly scrapped this idea when he remembered that he had beat the living crap out of them wary in the morning.


    He was not sure if they would answer his questions. Hugh did not know what Aric did in his daily life, so he had no clue to go on.


    Then, he thought back to the days that they were in high school. Back in those days, Hugh was the subject of mockery and bullying. He had no power to resist them, so he had to endure the beatings.


    The bullying mostly happened after school. They would force him to go to a clubhouse and be their lackeys. He would have to serve them drinks and food. If Hugh made a single mistake, they would beat him up.


    One thing was for sure, Aric would be loitering around in the Central Area. That was the only place that students could go and enjoy themselves.


    Hugh had also met Aric before in The Prestige Club. Hugh decided to first search there.


    Hugh walked along the streets while keeping his eyes open. He would occasionally use his eagle eyes to see things clearer until it was on cooldown.


    He would see students going in and out of the Central Area, but there was no sign of Aric. In the sea of students loitering about, it was improbable that he would meet Aric in the streets.


    Even though it felt like it was useless to search the streets for Aric, he still kept looking. He looked around the buildings until his eagle eyes were on cooldown.


    Just as he closed his eyes, he suddenly felt a cold touch on his shoulders. Hugh was caught off guard and he flinched away from the touch.


    He backed away a few steps and assumed a defensive position with his armored hands. He did not think that someone would ambush him in the middle of the streets.


    Once he gathered his composure, he saw a strange-looking man in front of him. This guy had a bowl cut that hid his eyes. The man had a big smile as he looked at Hugh. It was Balen.


    "Ahh, Hugh! I was looking all over for you."


    Balen opened his arms in a friendly and approachable manner as if he was close with Hugh. This created an opposite effect on Hugh as it only made him warier of Balen.


    "Who are you?"


    Balen titled his head and answered.


    "It''s me Balen! Don''t you know me? I''m a good friend of Dempsy."


    Hugh squinted his eyes and focused on his memory. He seemed to recall a man that entered the classroom at the same time as Dempsy. It was clear that Balen was telling the truth.


    "What do you want?"


    Hugh lowered his hands and retracted his armor, but he still kept a distance over Balen. He did not know why Balen approached him in this time and this manner.


    "Don''t be so cold brrrrr! I just want to give you a heads up."


    Hugh did not trust Balen, but he opened his ears to hear what he had to say.


    "Well, what is it?"


    Balen suddenly stepped forward, which alerted Hugh. He stepped back further away from Balen in caution. He activated his armor and assumed another defensive position. He would have liked to use his eagle eyes, but it was still on cooldown.


    "Now, now, I can''t tell you if you keep on walking away from me."


    Balen slowly walked forward, but Hugh kept a wary eye on him. He suppressed every urge to run away and just let him approach.


    Balen walked forward until he was only a meter away from Hugh. Hugh raised his hands and stopped Balen from advancing any further.


    "That''s enough."


    Balen shrugged his shoulders and relented on Hugh''s wishes.


    "Fine. No wonder you don''t have any friends, you''re so cold! Well, that''s not true, you do have some friends, but whatever."


    Hugh furrowed his eyebrows as he let Balen talk to himself.


    "Getting back to the matter at hand. I just wanted to warn you about a certain incident that will occur."


    Hugh''s heart skipped a beat as he heard the information from Balen. A thought passed by him and he guessed that it was somehow related to Aric''s incident.


    Balen observed Hugh''s face and saw that Hugh had a serious expression. There was no surprise nor disbelief, just a serious expression.


    "Hmmm...I expected more of a reaction from you."


    Hugh was becoming impatient with Balen, so he had to just ask directly.


    "Just tell me what it is."


    Balen squinted his eyes as if he observed Hugh''s body expression. Then, he spoke to Hugh.


    "Stop Aric or else your secret will be found out."

 Chapter 99: Secret

    Hugh''s heart stopped as he heard Balen''s words. He had heard those words before since it was still fresh in his mind.


    Those words were eerily similar to what Veer had given to him in that letter. Hugh''s heart skipped a beat as a thought popped into his head.


    Are Balen and Veer the same person?


    The coincidence was too shocking that Hugh could not get ahold of his own curiosity. The words came out of his mouth before he could even think about it.


    "Did you write that letter?"


    Hugh had wide eyes and a serious tone, but there was no hint of surprise. Balen thought that Hugh would react strongly at the revelation.


    Balen observed Hugh''s serious face and he stopped for a second. It seemed like this was not the first time that Hugh had heard this information, which was surprising to him. The plan was supposed to be top-secret, so Hugh should not have known about it.


    "Letter? What letter?"


    Hugh could see that Balen''s face looked genuinely confused. He had thought that he had solved the mystery of Veer''s identity, but it seemed that he was mistaken.


    Although Balen could be faking his confusion, it was very unlikely. With the way that Veer had tried to conceal their identity, Hugh does not think that Veer would make a mistake like this.


    "Did you receive something? A letter, huh. Things are getting interesting."


    Hugh took ahold of his surprise and tried to maintain his composure. He did not want Balen to know more about him, and that spontaneous reaction should not happen again.


    "What do you mean by your words? I don''t believe you?"


    Hugh changed the topic and he did not want Balen to dig further. Thankfully, Balen changed his confused expression into a happy smile as he elaborated on the contents of the blackmail.


    "Well, it''s very simple. You seem to know that Aric is planning to do something big to the school."


    Hugh closed his mouth tight to no reveal any expressions. Any information that Balen could glean on him might come back to haunt him some other time.


    "So, what does that have to do with me? Hell if I care if this place blows up to smithereens."


    The truth was that Hugh did not want this place to be destroyed. Although he had suffered many injustices and problems, the rewards he could get outweighed all of that.


    The powers that he had gained from the dungeons were enough for him to know that he would need the school in the future.


    If the school did not exist, then he would have trouble entering a relatively safe dungeon that he could harvest for its materials. He would even have trouble finding dungeons by himself because most schools had taken it for their territories.


    Hugh bluffed because he did not want Balen to know that he needed the school. This was a basic concept in negotiations.


    "Tsk. Tsk. Tsk, Hugh. You really don''t like those scratches and bruises your bullies gave you. I would have killed them the moment they touched my shirt."


    Hugh did not respond and kept on looking at Balen with a straight and serious face.


    Balen stepped forward and leaned towards Hugh to whisper in his ears. Hugh flinched back, but Balen seemed to have been too fast for him.


    "What do you think will happens once Aric succeeds? Everything will be fine and students will keep on studying? No, the CDA gets involved."


    Hugh''s heart stopped as he heard the name of the organization in the position of power in the whole galaxy. That name struck a chord in his heart, but he kept his composure.


    "So, let them come."


    Balen had wide eyes and looked surprised at Hugh''s nonchalantness. After surprise was a look of confusion as Balen continued his questions on Hugh.


    "Are you sure about that? Don''t you have a secret you hold meat and dear to your heart?"


    Once again, Balen seemed to find the vulnerabilities in his confidence, but he kept on with a straight face. He did have his transformation as a secret, but he knew that Balen did not know about it.


    "Don''t make me laugh. I don''t have a secret, and even if I did, the CDA won''t care about it."


    Balen closed his eyes and nodded his head at Hugh''s response. He seemed to be agreeing with Hugh.


    "Oh, I forgot to tell you. I am a member of the CDA. You know what that means, right? I just have to throw your name in there and that little spark is enough for you to be investigated."


    Hugh could not hold his anger as he grabbed Balen by the collar and lifted him in the air. He had to use every bit of his mental strength not to crush Balen''s windpipe.


    While being strangled in the air, Balen still had that hideous smile on his face. He did not feel at all threatened with the sharp eye that Hugh was giving him.


    "Why are you doing this?"


    Hugh tightened his grip on Balen''s collars, thereby creating more pressure around Balen''s neck. He noticed that people were looking at them, but he ignored them.


    "Wow, deja vu. I''ve heard that one before."


    Hugh looked around and noticed that more and more people were looking at them. Most of them were silent, but many more were gossiping around each other.


    Balen flailed his legs around as if he was riding on a swing. He seemed to be enjoying every second of this encounter, including the attention that they were getting.


    Hugh knew that he would only attract more trouble if he kept this on, so he let go of his grip on Balen''s collar. He looked around and gave everyone a sharp look, signaling them to mind their own business.


    "Wow, you''re stronger than I thought. Mind if we do that again?"


    Hugh balled up his trembling fist as he tried to resist every nerve he had to punch Balen''s face.


    "Fine, fine, I''ll tell you. It''s because I promised someone a present.

 Chapter 100: Enter

    Hugh did not believe any words that Balen said, but he had no choice but to check it out for himself. He was now standing in front of a building with a dirty white color.


    This was the central building with no doors or windows at all. He did not know what he was doing here, but Balen had wanted him to come here.


    He looked at every corner and edge of the building, but there were no entryways that he could enter. Balen had told him that Aric was inside of this building, so he knew that there was a way to get in.


    He had to stop Aric, which was what multiple people had told him, namely Veer and Balen. They both wanted him to stop Aric with unknown intentions.


    From his interactions with Balen, it was clear that there were multiple hands in this whole operation. Looking around and making sure that no one was looking at him, Hugh took out a card in his pocket.


    It was colored red and white and had the insignia of the Wolrath Academy. Balen had given him this key to enter the central building, but Balen did not tell him how to enter it.


    ''Figure it out for yourself. That''s half the fun right there!''


    Hugh balled his fist as he remembered Balen''s words. He hated the annoying smile that Balen always displays on his face.


    He shook his head and did his thoughts of Balen. He raised his hand that gripped the card and held it in the wall of the building.


    Hugh was not expecting anything, but there was a weird sensation he felt when he touched the wall. In fact, there was no sensation at all. It was as if there was no wall there.


    Hugh''s hand passed through the walls and he stumbled inside as he lost his balance from the shock. He quickly gathered himself back up and patted himself down.


    He looked around and saw that the interior of the central building was dim. There was barely any light, giving the whole room a creepy vibe.


    There were strange contraptions all around him. Some were basic geometric shapes, some were made of giant gears, and some were tubings.


    All of those things were gray, alluding to their mysterious purpose. Hugh would have observed these contraptions more if he was not within a time limit.


    He started to walk around the contraptions, finding his way through the cluttered floor with his eagle eyes. It was not that hard to see, but Hugh sometimes had trouble getting into tight spaces because of his size.


    As he walked around the crowded room, he suddenly saw a bright light in the near distance. He focused his eyes and saw that there was a hallway that led to a room.


    Deciding to go there, Hugh approached carefully as he made sure to not make any noise. He walked in the dim hallway until he saw the interior of the room.


    Unlike the cluttered room that he was in, this room had nothing in it at all. It was a domed shape, and a big spotlight was on the ceiling.


    Hugh saw something in the middle of the room that took his attention. A 1x0.5 foot pedestal stood in the middle of the room. It was made of white marble, contrasting the black floor where it was installed.


    That was not the most surprising thing in the room. Standing in the middle without any movement, Aric appeared in his eyes.


    Aric still had that disheveled look on his face and his hair, but he was now holding a strange black cube in his hands.


    With his eagle eyes, Hugh could see every detail on the black cube. It was like looking at outer space, unending and full of void.


    Hugh then looked at Aric''s face. There was a pained expression on his face, evidenced by the frown and the moist eyes.


    Hugh could see Aric raise his fist that grabbed the cube as if he was throwing the cube away. At the very last second, he would hesitate and stop his actions.


    For some reason, Aric was hesitating about doing something.


    Hugh was able to piece the clues that he saw. It was easy to guess that the cube in Aric''s hands was the key to his plans. There was a square-like indentation on the pedestal, so he guessed that it was where the cube would go.


    After minutes of hesitation, Aric started to raise the cube in the air and bring it down on the pedestal. Before it touched the pedestal, Hugh announced his presence.


    "Stop, Aric!"


    Hugh appeared from the hallway as he shouted. Aric quickly stopped his movements as he heard Hugh shout towards him.


    Aric turned his head and locked eyes with Hugh. Aric''s face was full of confusion as he tried to wonder if Hugh was real or not.


    As Hugh walked towards Aric, his footsteps echoed in the dome. This was enough evidence for Aric to know that Hugh was really in the same room as him.


    From a face of confusion, Aric''s face then turned into a devious smile. For a second, he seemed to have regained the sharpness and the edge that he had lost.


    Aric''s back straightened and he ran his hands through his hair, fixing it for a little bit. In just a small adjustment, Aric seemed to be back to his old self.


    Hugh walked towards Aric with his armor ready to be deployed. He knew that a fight would break out. It was their destiny to do so.


    They both wanted different things, and they both believed in different ideologies. Even back to when they were just tiny little kids, they had always butted heads.


    "Why are you doing this, Aric?"


    Hugh furrowed his eyebrows as he questioned Aric. He had known him for a long time, and he did not think that Aric could be or wanted to be a terrorist. It seemed out of character.


    Aric heard Hugh''s question and a smile broke out on his face. Hugh could hear a slight chuckle from Aric.


    "Hehehe...why? Because I want to cause chaos and destroy the school!"

 Chapter 101: Clash

    Hugh frowned as he heard Aric''s response. He had always thought of Aric as a bully, but never as a terrorist. He did not think that Aric would go to such lengths just to cause chaos to the school.


    He did not even know why Aric wanted to destroy the school. His demeanor had changed so fast beginning with this morning. Aric had been acting a little off, which should have been a red flag.


    The cube in Aric''s hands seemed to be important to his plans. Hugh used his eagle eyes to see through the cube and try to understand its purpose, but he could not gather anything.


    "Whatever you are planning to do, don''t do it."


    Hugh slowly approached Aric with careful steps. He needed to steal that cube and prevent Aric from using it.


    Aric only watched as Hugh approached him. He did not even flinch nor back away; he just stood there with a sinister smile on his face.


    Hugh was alarmed at Aric''s lack of reaction, but he continued to advance. He used his eagle eyes to catch every minute movement that Aric might do. He was ready for a fight to break out.


    Hugh approached Aric step by step. The tension between them was built by the echoes of Hugh''s footsteps on the pavement. They were both silent at the fight that was about to occur.


    Hugh stepped closer and he was only five meters away from Aric. As soon as his foot hit the ground, he activated his armor on both of his legs and accelerated towards Aric.


    Hugh''s body became a blur that surprised Aric. Aric had fought Hugh multiple times, but Hugh''s speed this time seemed to have been faster.


    Aric continued to smile as he dodged away from Hugh''s attack by activating his Desire. Aric''s hair grew alit by the reddish fire that appeared on his body.


    The fire enveloped Aric''s whole body and gave him the proper body adjustment to dodge away from Hugh. With the help of his fire, Aric slid away from the space where Hugh would charge in.


    Hugh reared his right hand and activated his armor on it as he punched it towards Aric. The punch was full of explosive power coming from a D-rank, which Aric could not fully dodge.


    Aric could not help but flash a hint of surprise on his face as he realized that Hugh was faster than him. He would not be able to dodge away from Hugh''s attack, so he changed his tactics.


    Aric concentrated his fire on his left hand and used it to guard against Hugh''s attack. He planted his feet firmly in the ground and took on Hugh''s attack directly.


    *boom*


    Hugh''s armored fist and Aric''s fired arm collided and created shockwaves throughout the room. From the moment the two collided, it was evident who had won.


    Aric could feel a crushing force on his forearm, and it traveled through his arm and towards his body. His whole body was flung outwards due to the excess force that Hugh put in.


    If not for the shockwave that happened due to the collision, the sounds of the bones in Aric''s forearms would be heard.


    Aric''s body tumbled on the floor two times until he skidded face up. He held his injured arm in pain as his face contorted to display his suffering.


    A look of surprise was painted on Aric''s face as he looked up at Hugh. The sheer force that he had to endure was too powerful to have come from Hugh.


    This was the same guy that he had beaten multiple times before. The last time they had fought, he had sent Hugh to the hospital, and he came out of the battle unscathed.


    Now, the tables have been turned. In one exchange, Hugh had shown Aric that he was stronger than him. In one exchange, he let Aric know that this fight would be different.


    Aric could not comprehend how Hugh was able to grow so strong in such a small amount of time. He remembered the pain and torture he had to endure under his father to improve even a tiny bit of his Desire.


    Hugh seemed to grow stronger and stronger by the day, while Aric was stuck in a puddle, unable to advance and catch up to Hugh.


    Hugh felt the power coursing through his veins, and the adrenaline pumping through him. He had known that he had become powerful, but seeing Aric like this made it even sweeter.


    Aric ignored the pain and stood up. From his lying position, he jumped up and immediately stood up without the use of any of his arms.


    Even though Aric''s left arm was broken, his whole body was still up for the fight.


    "I don''t know how you got stronger, but come at me, fatty."


    Aric used his right hand and gestured Hugh to come at him. Even though it was evident from the previous exchange who was stronger, Aric still had the arrogance to taunt Hugh.


    Hugh was not one to succumb to his anger, but Aric successfully riled him up. He used his armor again and charged towards Aric. This time, he used his claws to give more serious damage to Aric.


    Aric saw the claws materializing in Hugh''s hands and it gave him a shock. Hugh did not have this skill before or else he would not have used it until now.


    It meant that Hugh gained this skill in the week that they had not seen each other. It was inconceivable to him how Hugh keeps on improving seemingly out of nowhere.


    This time, he was able to see Hugh''s move clearly. This was the one advantage he had over Hugh, experience in fighting.


    Aric''s fighting ability was ingrained into him by his father, Maverick, through torturous means. Aric could not count how many times his father beat him up until he could fight back to some degree.


    Aric powered his Desire and fire spread throughout his entire body. In one swift move, he dodged away from Hugh''s claws.

 Chapter 102: Breeze

    Aric dodged away from the sharp and dangerous claws from Hugh. He used the fire around his foot to dodge away from Hugh''s attack. He used the fire around his body to maneuver through the air with ease.


    Hugh was surprised that Aric was able to dodge away from his attack. His first attack was able to land a clean hit on Aric, but the second attack was dodged with ease.


    He could not help but back away from Aric, seeing that his attack did not work. From the heat of the moment and the adrenaline coursing through his veins, he had forgotten that Aric was an elite fighter.


    Unlike Aric, he did not spend his life preparing for war. Hugh had never thought that he would gain this power, so he had not trained for it.


    He had thought that the only way he would survive in this world was to study and study since he would not be able to awaken any Desire.


    Now that he had the power, he had to catch up with his peers in terms of fighting powers. While people like Aric and Dempsy were miles ahead in terms of techniques, Hugh was still at the starting line.


    In a clean and fair one on one fight with Aric, Hugh would not have any chance of fighting him. The only chance for Hugh to win was to overpower Aric.


    Aric still did not know that Hugh had advanced to the D-rank, which meant that Hugh could use it for his advantage.


    Hugh watched as Aric came towards him in a counterattack. He immediately activated his eagle eyes and observed every movement that Aric performed.


    Aric used his fire to glide through the floor and sweep his leg towards Hugh''s feet. This prompted Hugh to react quickly and jump both of his feet up.


    With the help of his eagle eyes, Hugh was able to easily dodge away from Aric''s legs. Before Hugh could even celebrate his tiny victory, he saw a tiny movement from Aric.


    This time, Aric''s training had paid off. While Hugh jumped up to dodge away from his leg, Aric did a 360 turn and raised his leg in the air.


    Aric concentrated all of his power on his leg, and it flowed a bright red fire. Aric''s calf was like a jet engine that propelled Aric''s feet towards Hugh at unprecedented speeds.


    Hugh was able to see Aric''s movements, but he was still up in the air. He did not have sufficient techniques to maneuver his body in the air, especially since he was obese.


    With no other choice left, Hugh activated his armor on the left side of his body and guarded it against Aric''s attack. Aric''s attack was the same attack that he had used when they had fought in the ring.


    The result of that previous fight sent Hugh to the hospital, but things were different now. Aric''s leg collided with Hugh''s body and it created reverberations through their bones.


    Hugh''s body flew outwards due to the force of Aric''s kick. This was the same situation that Aric was in moments before, but Hugh was able to recover much faster than Aric.


    Hugh tumbled only once as he skidded on the ground with his knees. He quickly picked himself back up and assumed a defensive position, ready for any attacks that may come.


    Hugh stood up and walked step by step towards Aric. There was not a scratch on his body, even though Aric had landed a clean hit on him. Aric could see the difference between them.


    "Don''t call me fatty ever again."


    Hugh spread his arms wide, opening his whole arm span. Aric did not know what Hugh was doing, but he knew that something was going on with Hugh.


    Hugh closed his eyes as he felt his bones and his skin change. He could feel it transforming, morphing into something that was not human-like.


    Slowly, Hugh''s arms became brown and feathers started to grow out of nowhere. His large bones became ligaments that became the foundation for his wings.


    His skin turned brown and it expanded until it covered the ligaments in his wings. The last feather was created, and Hugh stood tall with his wings fully open. There was only one word that could describe Hugh, majestic.


    Aric''s eyes were wide open as he looked at Hugh''s wings with surprise. He would never have thought that Hugh would activate a skill like that.


    The wings were life-like, almost as if the wings were naturally a part of Hugh''s body. Aric could only watch as Hugh started to flap his wings, capable of flight.


    Hugh hovered in the air as he softly flapped his wings. He was still unfamiliar with flying with the wings, so he was being careful with it.


    He slowly increased the intensity of the flapping of his wings until he flew higher up in the air. Aric could only see Hugh''s silhouette under the light, and all he could feel was the slightly cold breeze under Hugh''s wings.


    Hugh looked at Aric with one final look, and he stopped flapping his wings. Hugh stopped in the air for a brief moment until he came crashing down due to his weight.


    As Hugh came crashing down at alarming speeds, he transformed his feet into sharp claws of destruction. He could not help but shriek an eagle''s roar as he attacked his claws towards Aric.


    *KYAOO*


    Aric did not even know what he was seeing, but he knew that it was dangerous. With the fire all around him, Aric readied himself to dodge away from Hugh''s claws.


    Hugh flew down at breakneck speeds. Just as Hugh''s claws were about to pierce towards Aric''s body, Aric jumped up and performed a somersault.


    Aric''s fire concentrated on the parts of his body that would increase his speed, his legs, his core, and his arms. Swiftly, he bent his body in the air, dodging away from Hugh''s claws.

 Chapter 103: Swings

    Aric''s body maneuvered through the air like he was a fish in water. This was the result of his endless suffering disguised as training.


    He had thought that he had successfully dodged away from Hugh''s attack, but his instincts told him that an attack was incoming.


    Aric''s body was upside down in the air as he looked down towards Hugh''s face. There, he saw a strange and sharp protrusion that was in Hugh''s mouth. It was only a split second later that he realized that it was an eagle''s beak.


    Hugh''s brought down his sharp beak onto Aric''s body, creating a long and deep cut over his torso. Aric felt the sharp pain on his body, but his body simultaneously moved to counterattack.


    Aric ignored the pain on his body as he used his fist to punch Hugh''s wings. The two of them exchanged blows, but one had more serious injuries than the other.


    Hugh felt the strong force of Aric''s punch on his wings. His wings were easily the most vulnerable part of his body, so he felt some of his bones were broken from the exchange.


    With the loss of one of his wings, Hugh came crashing down hard on the floor with his face first. He stumbled multiple times until his arm skidded on the ground.


    Aric had it worse. With the long cut from his left shoulder to his right stomach, Aric''s balance was thrown off because of the pain.


    He fell helplessly on the ground. His body moved on its own and turned his body a little bit so that his head would not be the first to collide with the floor. If his body had not moved, his neck would be crushed due to falling headfirst.


    A pool of blood was gathering beneath Aric''s feet. His cut spurted blood all over the place, further exacerbating his injury. He could feel his blood getting lesser and lesser.


    With trembling hands, Aric activated his Desire and lit a fire in his hands. With the heat of the fire, Aric burned his own skin and cauterized the wound so that no more blood would flow out.


    This technique brought tremendous pain to Aric, but he could endure it. He had suffered more than that before, and he almost became numb to the pain.


    Hugh stood up and transformed his wings back into his arms. He had suffered minor injuries, but he could ignore those and keep on fighting.


    He looked towards Aric and saw him burning his own wounds. It looked horrible, and Hugh could smell the burning flesh from where he was standing at. Through all of that pain, Hugh did not hear a peep from Aric.


    Aric was enduring so much pain, all for what? He did this just so that he could cause chaos to the school?


    "Stop this Aric!"


    Aric ignored Hugh''s warning words and slowly stood up. Unlike the last time, he used both of his hands to slowly stand up. He was not as lively as he was before.


    "Don''t be so arrogant now that you have power."


    There was a hint of jealousy and self-deprecation in Aric''s words. He still had a smile on his face, but there were sadness and disgust mixed into it.


    Hugh stayed silent and just prepared his armor just in case Aric decided to attack him.


    "I remember when you were so weak, it''s laughable. Now, you became...this."


    Aric''s smile slowly faded until his eyebrows furrowed and clear anger showed.


    "What the hell happened to you? How did you get this powerful?!?!"


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ªflashback¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Hugh saw the world swinging up and down. He could feel the wind blowing past his face as he played on the playground.


    Hugh was only five years old at this point in time. There were no traces of fat in his body and face, a complete contrast to his physique later in life.


    There were kids all around him playing with each other, while he was all alone at the swings. There were kids on the slide, some were on the monkey bars, and some just played in the sandbox.


    The kids minded their own business and ignored Hugh. There were looks of happiness on their faces, with smiles bright, eyebrows raised, eyes sparkling, while Hugh had a look of sadness, with his head down, eyes almost closed, and his body movement diminished.


    Hugh felt the swings slowly come down into a crawl until it stopped completely. Hugh knew that his playtime was over, and he would have to swing it by himself.


    Just as he was about to get off the swings, he felt a slight push from the back. The hand was small, but it was warm. This push was enough for the swings to get back on their path.


    Hugh flashed a look of surprise and happiness as he felt the swings work as it was supposed to. Hugh looked back and saw a boy of the same age as him looking at him with a triumphant smile.


    The smile was almost arrogant, but Hugh was only thankful for the push he needed. Hugh enjoyed the time he had with the swing until it was over.


    He joyfully stepped back down and faced the kid who helped him.


    "You go. I''ll push you this time."


    The kid shook his head and rejected Hugh''s help. He seemed content with himself, proud of his independence.


    "I can do it myself."


    The kid then went on the swings and pushed it by himself. The swing went higher than Hugh expected, but the kid seemed to enjoy it even more.


    After the kid''s turn was done, he looked towards Hugh and flashed a triumphant smile. He seemed as if he wanted to impress Hugh.


    The kid did not say anything more as he disappeared into the crowd and played whatever he wanted to play.


    The time passed and everyday, Hugh would come to the swings and play by himself. Everyday, the kid would come and help him. It was not long until the two became friends.

 Chapter 104: Youth

    "Come on! Try it!"


    The kid shouted towards Hugh. He seemed to be encouraging him. Hugh''s heartbeat was a thousand times a second as he saw the ground two feet below him. It was scary for a kid like him.


    Hugh would not have gone to the slides if it weren''t for the kid''s prodding. The two were friends, and the kid wanted Hugh to try out the slides.


    The slides were made of metal, and it was easy to slide on, which made it even more terrifying for Hugh. He was afraid of the feeling of helplessness as he slid towards the ground.


    Hugh had seen the kid go through the slides multiple times, so he knew that it would be safe. He took up the courage and closed his eyes as he started to slide down.


    The wind blew past his face, and he could feel his heart in his stomach. The feeling of sliding down was terrifying yet exhilarating. He would never have thought that such a dangerous activity was exciting.


    "See, I told you!"


    The kid was waiting for him down the slide. He reached his hand out for Hugh to grab, and Hugh accepted it.


    "Sir Aric, it''s time to go home."


    Hugh heard the voice of a woman nearby. He turned around and saw a woman in a tight skirt and suit. She had neatly tied-up hair paired with her glasses, which made her look professional.


    "Give me five more minutes, Miss Esme!"


    Aric shouted towards the woman, and she bowed towards him as she acknowledged his plea. Up until now, Hugh did not know of Aric''s name.


    Like the kids that they were, they did not care about names and just played together. Now that Hugh knew about Aric''s name, it would be rude not to introduce himself.


    "I''m Hugh"


    Aric nodded, but it seemed as if he was not that interested in Hugh''s name. Hugh did not know if Aric even heard his name.


    "Okay, Hugh. I''ll try and remember that."


    Aric quickly turned around and ran towards Esme. He held her hand as they both went away. Just before they were out of Hugh''s sight, he saw Aric wave towards him. He waved back.


    More time passed and Hugh was now in kindergarten. Hugh was nervous for the first day since he was in uncharted territories. He did not know what to expect.


    He heard the sounds of children wailing, missing their parents. Some were fits of joy and happiness to see their friends. Hugh was not the same; he was walking alone towards the door.


    Hugh hesitated to open the door, but he eventually twisted it open. Hugh''s heart beat a thousand times as he stepped forward.


    Most of the children looked at him, but they ignored him once they realized that they did not know him. Hugh was terrified of the unknown, but thankfully, he saw a familiar face.


    Aric was sitting there, surrounded by kids that seemed to fawn all over him. Hugh wanted to wave towards him, but he seemed busy so he just sat on an empty chair.


    "Hugh!"


    Then, Hugh heard an excited voice directed towards him. He turned around and saw Aric with an excited smile coming towards him.


    "Aric!"


    Hugh and Aric did a high-five as they celebrated their reunion. It was not long until they chatted away and built their friendship. Aric even introduced Hugh to some of his friends, and Hugh became a part of their friend group.


    The classes started and the teacher made everyone introduce themselves. Hugh complied, and so did everybody else.


    Then, the teacher started his lesson.


    "Does any of you know what a Desire is?"


    Most of the students raised their hands with excitement on their faces. They all seemed to be knowledgeable about the subject, except for Hugh.


    "Looks like most of you watch the news. That''s right, those heroes you see on the news use their Desire to beat up the bad guys!"


    The children cheered as they rattled on about their favorite superhero. Some agreed, and some argued that there was someone better.


    The teacher then went on to explain how people would get their Desires.


    "Once you are old enough, you can eat a Desire pill. That pill will give you your powers, and you can be a superhero of your own!"


    The children marveled at the hope of becoming a superhero. Everyone seemed to be filled with excitement as they stood up from their seats and cheered.


    Hugh looked around, confused at everybody''s excitement. He had never heard of a superhero before, nor did he know what a Desire was.


    He looked towards his left and saw that Aric was as excited as the other kids, maybe even more. He leaned towards Aric and whispered to him.


    "Does everybody get a Desire pill?"


    Before Aric could even answer Hugh''s question, the teacher answered it for him.


    "However, not everyone could get a Desire pill. Only when you are rich, could you buy a Desire pill of your own. You could even buy a higher quality pill so that your Desire would be stronger."


    Hugh''s shoulders slumped and he lowered his head. He knew that his family''s situation was not good. They were poor, and a Desire pill seemed too expensive for his parents to buy.


    It all made sense to him why he only knew about Desire until today. His parents had been isolating him from this world so that he would not be disappointed once he learns that he could never afford a Desire pill.


    Hugh quietly raised his hand amongst the excited kids that bragged about their dreams to be a superhero.


    The teacher noticed Hugh''s hands and permitted Hugh to speak.


    "What if someone can''t afford a Desire pill?"


    The children turned silent at Hugh''s question. Some even had confused faces as they could not understand Hugh''s question. Some of them could not understand the fact that someone would be poor.

 Chapter 105: Bully

    The teacher seemed speechless at Hugh''s words. There was awkwardness in his face as if he was put in a difficult situation. He did not want to be the one who broke the children''s bubbled reality.


    How would he explain to a child that a person would be useless if they had no Desire? Could he tell them that people with no Desire are cast away like trash?


    "Well, without any Desire, it would be hard to find a job."


    The teacher put the situation lightly, but he knew that it was much worse. He was only being kind, but some kid from the bunch knew the reality of the situation.


    "I heard that they are worse than cockroaches. They would be better of dead, so they would be put out of their misery."


    The children seemed shocked at the revelation. Some of them were immediately disgusted with a person with no Desire, and some of them were indifferent.


    "Well..."


    The teacher could not refute the child. Since he knew that this reality would soon be seen by the children, he decided to just tell them the truth.


    "That is the case with people with no Desire. They get cast away from society."


    The idea that a Desire-less person was trash, was immediately planted in every child''s mind. They would now treat people like trash because that was what society did.


    Hugh gulped as he heard the news. Was he going to be trashed away like scrap? Was there no bright future ahead of him?


    Those thoughts popped up into his head and implanted themselves deep within Hugh''s psyche. Like the other kids, he was led to believe that people with no Desire were useless, so he also thought of himself as useless.


    The days passed, and Hugh was constantly reminded of the cruel reality. Some of the kids bragged about how their family already bought a high-quality pill for them to take once they got old enough.


    Hugh spent his days with a hunched back, and a diminished presence. He was hiding himself, afraid that the other kids would find out about his inability to buy a Desire pill.


    "What do you think you will be when you grow up?"


    Hugh asked Aric. They were at the cafeteria eating their school-sanctioned meals. Aric continued to eat as he answered Hugh.


    "I don''t know *munch* *munch* maybe one of those superheroes."


    Aric did not seem to care about his future, a complete contrast to Hugh. Aric continued to speak while he ate.


    "My father says he will train me soon, so I will probably get stronger. Although, I don''t care about all those things, Desire or no Desire. I just want to play."


    Hugh did not seem to be listening anymore to Aric. He was completely focused on his own self-loathing. Why was he even going to school if his future was bleak?


    Self-doubt led Hugh to let go of himself. Time passed, and it was not only height that grew on Hugh, but also his fat. Hugh would eat anything any chance he got.


    He was a normal kid, but he turned into an obese slob. Hugh gave up. He just wanted to eat and enjoy the little things in life. Who even cared anymore since he would be thrown out of society soon.


    Aric became different too. He would come to school with his uniform all ruffled up, and his behavior would be cranky towards all.


    Aric and Hugh were still friends, but things changed from then on. When Hugh became fat, Aric started to become angry at him.


    Their dynamic changed. Aric''s light and cheerful demeanor towards Hugh changed into anger and bullying. Hugh did not even remember what he had done wrong, but Aric seemed to be angry at him at all times.


    He did not know the exact date that Aric had changed, or even if it just a gradual change, but the friend that he met was now gone.


    Hugh could not even recognize him now, and they spent less and less time together. Hugh actively ignored him because Aric would torture and bully him when Aric got the chance.


    That cycle continued and Hugh continued to get fatter and fatter. Aric''s constant bullying was a reminder that he would never amount to anything in life.


    More years passed, and they were now in high school. The bullying continued, but this time, Aric would laugh at him with scorn. His friends made him a bread shuttle, and they would throw water at his face if he did not deliver their foods in time.


    There were even times that Hugh had forgotten that Aric was once a friend. That memory was long gone, and Aric''s hateful face replaced it.


    Hugh did not know what happened to Aric to make him so despicable. He had heard that his father was a nasty and corrupt man.


    There were rumors that his father was cold-hearted, but it made no excuse for Aric to act like that. Hugh passed it off as Aric being just like his father. Like the saying, like father, like son.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-


    Hugh charged towards Aric with his armored fist. With the added power of his armored leg, Hugh was able to reach Aric at top speeds.


    "What happened to you, Aric?!"


    With Aric severely injured, he could not do much in terms of dodging away from Hugh. He still had his fire from his Desire, but it had less intensity than before.


    Aric limped towards Hugh, the seared cut that was in his chest still ached, but he ignored those pains.


    Hugh''s punch landed directly on Aric, shattering his ribs. Aric felt the air in his lungs get forced out, and blood started to pour out of his mouth.


    Aric''s body was thrown down due to the force of Hugh''s punch. Hugh raised his fist and gathered all of his strength. He wanted to end the fight as soon as possible.


    Just as his fist was traveling through the air, Hugh saw Aric''s face, and he remembered those innocent memories they had when they were a child. He hesitated on his punch.

 Chapter 106: Revenge

    That moment of hesitation made Hugh''s punch slower than it would have been. Hugh felt the power in his hands start to disappear and fade away from existence.


    He saw his silver and brown armor start to change its state to a liquid and return to his skin. He had used all thirty seconds of his armor, and it was not on cooldown.


    Hugh felt his vision start to blur, but he noticed that it was just his normal vision. His eagle eyes were also at cooldown, which meant he had no skills at all to use right now.


    He would have to wait many more seconds until he could use his armor again. In a tense fight like this, losing his armor for even ten seconds would be fatal.


    Thankfully, it seemed that he had done enough damage towards Aric that he was severely injured. Aric did not have the energy to fight back.


    Realizing this opportunity, Hugh decided to continue his attacks without his armor. He sat on top of Aric and started to barrage his fists on Aric''s face.


    Aric still had a little bit of fire on his face, so Hugh did not come out unscathed in his attack. Every punch that he did, damaged his knuckles until they bled.


    Aric''s face started to bloat and puff up as it was filled with cuts. Hugh''s bare fist was not strong at all, but the number of times he punched it towards Aric''s face accumulated and did enough damage.


    With every punch, Hugh would remember the times that Aric would bully him.


    *punch*


    He remembered the time when Aric beat him up in front of the entire school. Everyone cheered for Aric, while they booed him.


    *punch*


    He remembered the time when Aric stole his lunch money and made him run for miles and miles until he used them all up. At that time, he had thought that he would be able to save up enough money to buy his Desire pill.


    *punch*


    Aric trapped him inside a burning room. He remembered how hot it was, and how he almost passed out from the heat. He was only saved because the rain started to pour out from the sky.


    *punch*


    He remembered all the times that Aric threw all of his food down the drain. There were days where he could not eat because Aric would steal it.


    *punch*


    Hugh panted as he looked at the disfigured face of his former friend. Aric''s sharp and arrogant face was nowhere to be seen, just a man that was beaten within an inch of his life.


    With all of these memories flooding into his mind, Hugh could not help but feel indignation. What right did Aric have to torture him like that?


    From pity, came anger and fury. Hugh had experienced an innumerable amount of misery and pain from Aric, but now Aric was as powerless as an ant.


    The tables had changed, and Hugh was now the powerful one. Aric was now the one down in the dumps, face full of blood, and his body full of injuries.


    If Hugh had this power before, he would not have been bullied like that before. He would not have felt the helpless despair that he once felt.


    He would have told his younger self to stand up for himself, and fight for whatever he wanted. He had wasted all of his life, sulking in misery because of his supposed miserable fate.


    "Stand up."


    Hugh stood up and let Aric recover for himself. He let his anger control his emotions, and now he just wanted revenge from Aric.


    Stand up. That was what Aric would always tell him whenever Aric would beat him up. Whenever Hugh tried to stand up, Aric would beat him up even harder. It was a taunt that Aric used to let Hugh know who was the boss.


    Aric was barely moving, and blood pooled beneath his head. He was still alive, albeit barely. His eyes were half-closed, but Hugh knew that Aric was looking at him.


    "Stand up!"


    Hugh shouted towards Aric, his eyes moist from anger. He was letting all of his pent-up anger and resentment towards Aric dictate his movements.


    He could have just finished the fight without any problem, but Hugh could not do that. He wanted to beat up Aric even more. It was as if he was trying to prove something to his younger self, that he would be strong, stronger than the man who bullied him all of his life.


    Aric still did not move. Hugh knew that there was still some power within Aric because there was still some fire in Aric''s body. For some reason, Aric did not want to get up.


    Hugh could not accept that. His face twisted in anger, and he taunted Aric even more.


    "STAND UP!!!"


    With Hugh''s loud shout, Aric finally moved. Aric struggled to get up, his face still dripping with blood. He tried to use his arm to pick himself up, but his hand slid on his own blood.


    Aric looked pitiable right now, but all Hugh could see was the face of his tormentor. Aric''s face was the constant reminder of what he had gone through all of those years.


    With trembling limbs and broken bones, Aric forced himself up with the last of his strengths. Aric''s knees buckled, and he almost slid back down, but he kept his balance.


    Although Aric was up from the ground, anyone could see that he was barely standing. With even just the slightest push from the air, Aric could tumble down.


    Hugh did not notice that. He only had bloodlust in his mind, and he wanted revenge. With his full weight behind his fist, Hugh punched Aric''s already damaged body.


    Aric''s body flew across the room, tumbled on the floor, and landed on the ground. His body was unmoving, and Aric''s flame was slowly starting to dwindle out.


    Hugh wanted more. The pain that he had inflicted now was not enough.


    "You were as arrogant and as despicable as your father. I hope you both rot in hell."


    As soon as Hugh said those words, Aric''s body started to explode in an orangish fire.

 Chapter 107: Trigger

    Hugh panted as he felt the sting of hot air around him. His face was blinded by the bright orange light coming off Aric''s body. The once dwindling fire on him had become as bright and as hot as the sun.


    Aric''s body levitated as the fire around himself lifted him from the blood-stained ground. Aric''s eyes were bright red, with fire inside his retinas. His face was contorted in anger as he looked towards Hugh.


    "Don''t. You. Ever. Say. That. Name."


    Aric''s cold voice echoed through the room, giving Hugh creeps on his neck. He could feel that Aric''s fire was stronger than ever before.


    Aric could feel the strength flowing inside of him, fueling all of his fire. He had felt a proverbial chain being broken as he suddenly felt a transformative change in his power.


    There was only one way to explain this, a rank-up. Through the pain and training that Aric went through, he had finally broken through to the D-rank, the same as Hugh.


    He looked at his hands in wonder, feeling all of the minute details in his fire. It had become orangish than a reddish fire, signaling its improved intensity.


    Aric looked towards Hugh and used all of his fire to charge towards him. His body moves through the air, and his fire swayed along with the movement, but it never wavered.


    Hugh saw Aric''s blazing body come towards him. He could feel the difference in strength between them, especially now that he did not have his armor to use.


    Hugh blinked and his eyes mutated into his eagle eyes. Five seconds had passed and he could finally use his eagle parts again.


    He saw Aric''s face filled with anger, a fit of anger he had never seen before. With the minute details he could see with his eagle eyes, he thought e saw Aric with moist eyes.


    "You don''t know me, or what I went through!"


    Aric raised his legs and performed a roundhouse kick towards Hugh''s upper body. Hugh could see Aric''s movements, and how to avoid them so he was able to fight on even terms.


    Hugh quickly twisted his body as he almost saw Aric''s movements in slow motion. With eagle eyes, Hugh was able to dodge out the incoming explosive power from Aric''s leg.


    As Hugh saw Aric''s leg sweep through the air in front of him, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his chest. He looked down and saw that his clothes and his skin were burning.


    Although Hugh had avoided Aric''s leg, the fire was able to touch Hugh and inflict damage onto him. If Hugh had his armor, he would not have been affected by the fire for that much damage.


    Hugh''s face contorted in pain as he retreated a step while he held his chest. He tried to touch it, but his hand got burned. There were still traces of fire in Hugh''s clothes, so he tried to pay it away.


    Hugh retreated more steps away from Aric as he realized that the fight would be harder than he thought. If he had his armor, then he would be able to stand on even grounds with Aric.


    With no defenses, Hugh was left with just his eagle eyes for avoiding attacks. Once he gets hit with Aric''s fire attacks, he would not last many hits until it would be fatal.


    He planted his feet firmly on the ground and opened his eyes wide. He needed to be aware of every movement from Aric, so he had to be careful.


    Aric looked towards Hugh and his anger was still clear in his face. Hugh one served Aric''s eyes and saw that he was not looking directly at him.


    It was as if Aric was lost in his own world, reminiscing about something that pained him. Aric could only see his father''s face blinking in and out of his vision, reminiscing him of the torture he had t face.


    Aric rushed towards Hugh and reared his right arm back. This was a simple punch, as it would seem to a normal person. However, this was Aric''s special technique.


    Hugh watched Aric''s fist coming towards his face, so his normal reaction was to roll away. He could not parry it because he did not have his armor, and he could not lightly dodge away because Aric''s fire would affect him.


    Hugh had to dodge as far away as possible so that he would sustain no damage from Aric''s attack.


    Aric saw Hugh dodging away from his attack, and he knew that his feint was successful. He did not have to think about his movements, as it was deeply ingrained into his muscles and bones.


    ''Remember this move, Aric. You will thank me later."


    Aric remembered the times his body was thrown to the ground because of the so-called training from his father. From his experience, it was more of torture than a learning experience.


    Even if Aric chose not to use this move, his instinct would force his own body to perform it. This was how much his father''s influence was embedded deep into his mind. All of his actions, there were Maverick''s words pulling the strings.


    Just as Hugh thought he had successfully dodged away from Aric''s punch, he suddenly felt a strong force on his legs. He looked down and saw that Aric''s leg was sweeping his shin.


    Hugh knew that he was tricked. He could not see Aric''s foot because Aric''s fist was covering his whole face. His body was thrown to the ground, leaving Hugh in a vulnerable position.


    Aric did not let go of this opportunity and raised his foot towards Hugh''s face. His toes and sole were burning in a hot orangish fire, giving his attack a more dangerous aura.


    Hugh could feel the hot prickly feeling in his face, and he felt danger all around him. Hugh quickly tried to protect his face by covering it with his arms. He was now in a fetal position.

 Chapter 108: Taunt

    Aric looked towards Hugh''s defensive position, and his eyes grew red from anger. His eyes were moist, either from pain or anger.


    Aric brought down his feet and crashed them towards Hugh''s undefended body. He could feel the bones cracking inside Hugh''s body and the squishy fat that was prevalent in Hugh.


    He continued to kick, boot, and trample on Hugh with his fire foot. With every attack, Hugh''s body trembled in pain, but he endured the attacks, even if his body was now covered in burns and bruises.


    Aric wanted to continue to beat up Hugh, but his vision keeps on changing. Every time he would step on Hugh, all he could see was his father''s face.


    He did not know why he was seeing this, but he wanted to get rid of it. With all this anger inside of him, he transferred all of them onto Hugh.


    With every step, he would get angrier and angrier, but he did not know the reason. His eyes were moist, and he could barely see his surroundings.


    With his blurry vision, he looked towards Hugh, who had blood and bruises all over him. As he looked at the blurry version of Hugh, it all suddenly clicked for Aric.


    Aric was seeing his younger version of himself onto Hugh. This was the exact position he would use to protect himself from Maverick''s torture.


    Aric would try and protect his face and sacrifice his body, just so that he would last longer. He remembered all of the pain and anguish that he felt as he stared at the cold hard ground.


    Even though he had experienced this multiple times, it never got any easier. All of his experience piled up and made the situation even worse.


    *kick*


    He remembered the time when his father would mercilessly beat him up because he was late for a few minutes.


    *kick*


    He remembered the time when Maverick would dismantle his every limb, just so that Aric would know where to aim for the critical spots in a person.


    *kick*


    He remembered when Maverick would make him experience and relive every day with dread and misery paved with blood.


    *kick*


    Aric slowly relented on his kicks as he snapped out of his stupor. His vision was not back in reality, and he had been kicking Hugh all of this time.


    He looked at his own hands and saw the creases and scars in his hands. There was a pool of blood underneath Hugh, and it took Aric''s attention.


    Aric looked down and saw his reflection in that pool of blood. Only, it was not the face that he knew for all of his life, but the person that caused him misery. It was Maverick''s face.


    This realization was like a bucket of cold water poured into his face. He quickly stepped back away from Hugh as he realized that he had become the very thing he hated.


    He closed his eyes and centered himself. His wild and bellowing fire that was going all over the place, had now become more mellow and controlled.


    Aric took a deep breath and opened his eyes. His previous look of anger and resentment had been gone, and it was now as clear as day.


    He looked towards Hugh and shouted towards him.


    "Stand up, Hugh! Where did all that bravado go?! Are you that weak?! Show me your true self!!!!"


    Although Aric''s words were hateful and resentful, Aric''s face was strangely clear. Even though Aric''s face conveyed anger, there was a sort of purity in his face.


    Hugh felt the pain all over his body, and he almost became numb from it. He tried to stand up, but his arms were destroyed from Aric''s kicks. He realized that his forearms were broken.


    With the rest of his strengths and his adrenaline fueling him up, Hugh stood up with his two legs. It took a lot out of him just to balance himself, but thankfully, Aric gave him the chance to recover.


    "You act like you''re strong, but you will never be. You will always be the weak and pudgy self that you were before!"


    Aric displayed a taunting smile towards Hugh. He wanted to rile Hugh up, and it seemed to have worked. Even though his hands were in pain, Hugh balled up his fists in anger.


    "Shut up, Aric! I don''t need to prove myself to you."


    Hugh decided to humor Aric''s taunts. He did not act immediately because he knew that he would lose. With his armor still on cooldown, any fight that broke out would result in his loss.


    Instead, Hugh decided to talk with Aric and wait for the time to pass by until his armor was off cooldown.


    "Hehehe...you have confidence now? You? What right do you have?! You are as lazy as you were before!"


    Hugh gritted his teeth as he heard Aric''s insults. Even though he was restraining himself, he still felt the urge to fight Aric. With his mental strength still on board, Hugh was able to stop himself.


    "What? No response? That hit too close to home?!"


    Aric continued to taunt Hugh as if Aric wanted Hugh to initiate the fight. Whatever the words that Aric threw towards him, Hugh was able to fend them off and stay cool.


    "Where''s your transformation now? Bring it out, I dare you!"


    Hugh continued to be silent because he knew that Aric just wanted to get a reaction out of him. He knew that he would lose the battle once he gets riled up.


    He did not know why Aric wanted to get him mad, but he knew that he should not fall into his traps.


    "You know that you can''t win without it, right? What are you waiting for, your armor? I assume that you are now D-rank, which is why you were able to beat me last time. Now that I also ranked up, I will win the fight. In similar ranks, the person with the better talent wins."

 Chapter 109: Beatdown

    Hugh was silent at Aric''s words. He knew that Aric was right. If he fought Aric with his armor, then winning the fight would be almost impossible.


    Aric''s fighting ability was enhanced and sharpened for years and years, while Hugh had next to nothing experience. Even with the help of his eagle eyes, Hugh would only able to see Aric''s movements, not dodge them.


    "We all know what would happen once I transform. You would not stand a chance."


    Hugh replied to Aric with confidence in his tone. The only reason why he was not worried about losing the fight was his transformation.


    If his life was ever in danger, then he would pull the trigger and transform to quickly take himself out of the situation. It was his ace in the hole.


    Hugh assumed that Aric knew that, so it was weird that Aric wanted Hugh to transform.


    "You''re so confident, but you can''t even show that strength to the public."


    Aric continued to taunt Hugh with fire bellowing all around his body. He had this smirk on his face, that only served to make Hugh more irritated.


    "I don''t have to."


    With his armor available for thirty seconds, Hugh did not have to use his transformation in most situations. This was very evident in his fight with Tanner, Brad, and Chip.


    Because he was one rank ahead of everybody in the class, he was already stronger than them without his transformation.


    "Hehehehe. Well, what if I told everybody your secret?"


    Aric''s words struck fear in Hugh''s heart. His heart skipped a beat and his face turned serious. This threat from Aric was very real since Aric had influence over the classroom.


    Even without evidence, Aric could sway the students'' hearts into believing that Hugh had a transformation. Hugh could almost see what would happen once everyone knew his transformation.


    They would immediately question why Hugh was able to get a very strong Desire. Because it was common knowledge that Hugh was poor, they would question how Hugh was able to get a Desire pill.


    More investigations would occur, and it would be found out that Hugh never got a Desire pill. Every pill dealer took records of people who buy pills, so Hugh could not fake that.


    Then, the CDA would get involved, and Hugh would be taken into question. They would do experiments on him, and his life would be on the line.


    "Use your transformation, or else I will tell all your secrets."


    That was the last straw that broke the camel''s back. Hugh could not hold on any longer, and he activated his transformation.


    Hugh could feel the heat forming in his body, and burning all of his fat. Steam started to pour out of his pores, and his fat slowly deflated.


    Hugh''s body continued to deflate until he reached a normal body. It was then that his muscles started to replace his fats.


    His jaw became sharper, his hair became white, and his overall look turned into a being full of explosive power.


    Aric could immediately feel the difference between them. The pressure that was emanating from Hugh was as oppressing and scary as he had first felt it.


    Aric suppressed every nerve he had to retreat away from Hugh. Instead, he willed himself to bring out more firepower from his body.


    He smiled towards an intimidating Hugh, but there was a clear terror in his eyes. There were beads of sweat forming in his forehead, but they quickly evaporated from the fire in his head.


    Aric kept his eyes directly on Hugh, but he suddenly saw a blur in his vision. Hugh had disappeared from his eyes as if he had teleported.


    Then, Aric felt a cold breeze to his left cheek and gave him a chilling feeling. He turned his head sideways, but before he could even move, a sharp force punched him in the face.


    Aric felt a tremendous amount of force on his cheeks, and he could internally feel his cheekbones getting shattered. His body was flung sideways and continued to fly until he hit the wall.


    Aric had only realized this fact as he slid down from the wall. It was all too fast for him to react, and he could only feel the numbing pain after the fact.


    He tried his hardest to stand up, but his body seemed to have betrayed him. His muscles twitched, but it could never make a full movement.


    He could only look up at Hugh with the bright light of the ceiling over his head. Aric could see the cold look that Hugh was giving him, and he knew that Hugh was far from over.


    Hugh looked at Aric with eyes that were staring at every expression on his face. He could not understand why Aric wanted him to transform even though Aric knew this would be the result.


    Aric could have attacked him earlier, but Aric waited until Hugh transformed. Hugh could not even think of a reason why Aric wanted him to transform.


    Hugh could see the orangish fire around Aric start to dwindle out. Aric''s half-opened eyes were losing focus, and Hugh could tell that he was on the last line.


    "Why are you doing this, Aric?"


    Aric heard Hugh''s words, and he displayed an indecipherable smile. He opened his mouth as if he was about to say something, but no words came out.


    "Stop what you were planning. Don''t tell my secret. If you do that, I will spare your life."


    Hugh still felt some sympathy for Aric, so he gave him a second chance. Aric opened his eyes fully and looked at Hugh.


    "F*ck you. Kill me now."


    Hugh frowned at Aric''s words. He could not understand the arrogance and pride in Aric. Even though Aric was close he death, he would rather die than not sabotage the school.


    He did not know why Aric hated him and the school so much.


    Seeing that Aric still had energy in him, Hugh lifted Aric by the collar and slammed Aric back down on the ground. Hugh continued to smash Aric''s body in the ground as a merciless barrage.


    Hugh made sure that Aric did not have any more muscles to move, nor energy to fight, but he kept Aric alive.

 Chapter 110: Beg

    Hugh felt the power around his body start to disappear. He realized that his transformation was over, and his body was now deflating.


    His muscles started to lose their mass, and his body continued to deflate until only his skin and bones could be seen.


    Hugh felt the invincible aura around him start to fade away, and only emptiness reigned on his body. He could now only feel weakness around his body.


    His knees buckled, and he almost lost balance. He kept himself up, albeit barely. He was tired, and it was as if there was a burning hole in his stomach.


    He was getting hungry, and he felt the weakness in his body continue to grow as time passed. His body was telling him to eat.


    Hugh saw a sudden movement in his peripheral vision. He raised his head and shock was formed around his face. He saw a person there, standing in the light.


    It was Aric. Even though Hugh had made sure to beat up Aric''s body black and blue, Aric could still stand up. He did not know how Aric got the energy to get back up, but it seemed that it was only enough to stand up.


    Aric stood there, unmoving. His body was swaying, but he kept his feet firmly in the ground. His head looked at the ground and ignored Hugh.


    With the last of Hugh''s strength, he started to make his way over to Aric. He wanted to finish the job now, or else Aric might get the chance to recover.


    Hugh walked step by step until he was now facing Aric. They were only less than a meter away from each other, but it was clear that they did not have the extra energy to have another fight.


    Aric looked up at Hugh, his face spilling blood in the ground. They were both riddled with injuries, but Hugh was still clearly more stable than Aric.


    "Why are you doing this, Aric? We can just live a peaceful life."


    Hugh wanted their fight to be over. He wanted to go back to the time when they were just kids, unaware of the cruel realities of the world.


    Even if they did not become friends, all Hugh wanted to do was to reconcile with Aric. It would be enough if they did not come for each other''s throats each time they saw each other.


    Why did they have to fight all the time? They could just go on with their own lives and ignore each other.


    Aric''s face contorted into anger and pain, but he quickly changed it into a smile. It took him a moment before he could gather enough energy to speak and respond to Hugh.


    "Peaceful?... That can never happen. I hate you...with a burning passion. You were devoid of any hope as you gave up on the world. You were about to fade out of existence, but you suddenly gained power.


    You, the person who did not suffer their whole life, gained purpose out of nowhere. It''s unfair. You did not work for it!


    Do you know why I hate you? It''s because you wasted your life before you got this power. I can never accept that. We will never be friends because of that.


    We deserve it more than you. You cannot keep this secret all to yourself. You spare me now? You will regret it. I will tell them all about your power, and it will be stripped away from you, and given to someone more worthy."


    Hugh listened to Aric''s words, and he could not help but get conflicted emotions. This was the very first friend that he had made, and those memories were still precious to him.


    Along the way, life happened and their dynamic changed. Hugh did not know why this happened, but it made things worse.


    He sometimes think about what would have happened if they had stayed friends. It was a distant dream, but a dream nonetheless.


    Now that Aric stated that they could never be friends, it gave a small prick in his heart.


    *GRUMBLE*


    Hugh could feel his stomach burning in anger. It wanted to eat, and it disregarded every emotion he had. All he wanted to do now was eat.


    "I will kill you if you don''t kill me first."


    Aric''s voice croaked, and his anger seeped into his tone. His eyes were a tint of red, and it was moist from his emotions.


    "I will destroy your life if you won''t kill me!"


    Aric slowly walked towards Hugh step by step as he stumbled along the way. As Hugh felt the hunger in his stomach, all he could hear was Aric''s voice in his head.


    Aric raised both of his hands, fingers trembling and his skin stained from his blood. He grabbed Hugh''s collar and gripped it with all of his remaining strength.


    "Your precious power will be taken away from you if you don''t kill me!"


    Aric''s voice kept echoing in his mind, but Hugh could not understand most of his words. All Hugh could feel was the burning void inside of his stomach.


    Hugh was only skin and bones, so he did not have any power to resist Aric''s force. His body swayed back and forth as Aric grabbed his collar.


    "Kill me!"


    Aric''s face was full of anger and his blood spat towards Hugh''s clothes. His body was shutting down, but Aric kept on pressuring Hugh.


    "Kill me!!!"


    Hugh was starting to lose consciousness as the hunger grew inside of him. He could feel his body trying to consume his muscles, but there were already none left.


    "KILL ME!!!"


    Aric shouted the hardest as he could towards Hugh, with all of his pent-up emotions bubbling to the surface. He could not hold on any longer, and that was his last shout.


    Then, Aric felt a sharp pain in his chest. He looked down and saw a hand piercing through his upper body, directly towards his heart. He knew he would die.


    "Tha...you"


    Those were Aric''s words as he fell on the floor, lifeless and a pool of blood gathering beneath him.


    Hugh stood alone while the room was in complete silence. His hand was extended and it was stained with Aric''s blood.


    In his hand was Aric''s heart.

 Chapter 111: Memories

    Hugh held Aric''s hand in his heart. All he could hear was ringing in his ears as he looked down at the blood oozing out of the heart''s valve.


    He did not even know what happened, and his body just moved on its own. It did not even register to him that he had killed Aric.


    He could smell the rust-like scent of the blood in his hands, and all he could think about was his hunger. It was taking over all of his instincts, and he could not think straight.


    He squeezed the heart in his hand, and more blood came out. It was interesting to see a vital part of the human body in his hands, lifeless and without any purpose.


    He raised the heart towards his mouth, and he opened his jaws wide. His mind was blank as he took a bite out of the heart.


    The heart was a muscle, but it was as soft as a marshmallow. More blood came out of the heart as he took a bite out of it, spilling out of his mouth and staining his clothes.


    The first bite was as fulfilling as a full-course meal. It was a multitude of tastes, exploding all over his mouth. However, the majority of the taste was bitter and spicy.


    He did not have to chew the heart as it immediately melted in his tongue. It was smooth, and the consistency was easy to swallow.


    As soon as it traveled towards his stomach, Hugh felt a sudden jolt of emotions. He was suddenly angry, sad, and pain all over his body.


    The pain was not physical, but mental. It felt like he was going through an innumerable amount of torture. Then, like a flash of lightning, Hugh saw flashes of memories that he had never seen before.


    The flash was too fast, and he could not decipher it. It dawned on him that the flashes of memory and the burst of emotions were linked.


    He ignored all of these mysterious feelings that he was experiencing and just continued to eat the heart in his hands.


    With every bite, Hugh would feel a different slice of emotions and memories that was not him. As he continued to consume the heart, the pieces of memory slowly linked together.


    As he took the last bite out of the heart, Hugh had to close his eyes due to the burst of emotions and memory that came to his mind.


    The memory flashed in his mind like a movie. It was as if he was experiencing a different person''s life from birth to adulthood.


    He saw a first-person perspective of pushing a kid in the swing. The kid was surprised and turned around to face Hugh.


    It was then that Hugh noticed that he was the kid on the swings. The link then soon came after. He realized that he was looking at Aric''s perspective throughout his life.


    He relived the times where he and Aric were just kids. They were friends, and that continued throughout their childhood. Hugh was now seeing things from Aric''s perspective, and how he felt.


    Aric truly did treat Hugh like a friend. However, things quickly changed when they reached kindergarten. Aric''s father started to train him and torture him.


    He could feel every cut, every bruise, and every pain that Aric felt during those times. With his face buried in the pavement, Maverick would instill in Aric the ideals that shaped who Aric was today.


    Maverick did not let Aric have any sort of weaknesses. This was deeply instilled into Aric through corporal punishment.


    Then, Hugh''s younger self started to become fatter and fatter. Through Maverick''s brainwashing, Aric started to hate Hugh for what he had become.


    While Aric was suffering from tortures and punishments, Hugh was busy being lazy and eating all the time. While Aric was having the worst time of his life, Hugh enjoyed his.


    It was unfair, but Aric still treated Hugh as a friend. However, Maverick''s teachings were still in his mind.


    This was when the bullying started. Aric started to torture Hugh like the way that his father did to him. This was what Hugh had always thought Aric intended.


    Hugh thought that Aric was just angry at his father and just took it out on him. However, these memories proved him wrong.


    When Aric stole Hugh''s money and made him run for miles and miles, all Aric wanted to do was make Hugh lose weight.


    Stand up! Hugh had thought that Aric was taunting him and demeaning him, but Hugh was wrong. Stand up! Aric wanted Hugh to stand up for himself


    When Aric trapped Hugh in a burning house, it was Aric''s twisted way of making Hugh go to the sauna. If Hugh did not want to run for miles and miles, this was a good way for Hugh to lose weight.


    Stand up! Aric wanted Hugh to not give up on his life.


    When Aric threw away all of Hugh''s food, he wanted to force Hugh to go on a diet. Hugh had been eating too much, so Aric wanted to cut it down.


    Stand up! Aric wanted Hugh to take better care of himself.


    This twisted way of taking care of somebody was learned directly from his father. Maverick wanted Aric to learn his lessons through punishment, so Aric did the same to Hugh.


    Through the punishments that Aric did to Hugh, Hugh never got better. Hugh only got worse and worse, but Aric did not give up.


    Aric continued to bully Hugh, but Hugh was always the same. As time passed, Aric forgot the reason why he started to bully Hugh.


    The intent became more and more convoluted until bullying Hugh had become normal nature for him. When they were in high school, Aric was bullying Hugh because Hugh had given up.


    Hugh looked down towards Aric''s cold and pale body. His knees buckled and he fell on the floor. The person that he had thought was an enemy, turned out to be his only friend.


    It turned out that Aric only wanted the best for him, but Hugh never got the message. The only friend that Hugh had was now dead on the floor because of him.


    "NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!"


    Hugh screamed at the top of his lungs, and a bright reddish fire started to explode all around his body.

 Chapter 112: Fire

    Hugh felt every shred memory that Aric had lived throughout his life. He witnesses the tortures, the pain, and the anger.


    Aric never wanted to destroy the school, he was just forced to do it. Even then, he was still hesitating with every second that passed.


    As soon as Aric saw Hugh inside this room, a plan took shape inside of his mind. Hugh wanted to stop Aric, and Aric let him do that.


    Aric knew that his body would not let him lose a fight with Hugh, so he forced Hugh to transform. He wanted to lose. He wanted to be stopped, even at the price of his own life.


    At the very end, Aric did not feel pain, but relief. He knew that in death, he would get the peace that he always wanted. He would no longer be controlled by his own father.


    Hugh could not help but shed a tear as he remembered all of Aric''s memories. Aric was never an enemy, but a misunderstood friend. Now, his blood was tainted with the guilt that he would carry throughout his life.


    He looked at his own body and saw fire billowing all around him. This fire was not hot nor was it warm, but it gave him the comfort that he needed.


    He could feel the power flowing through his body, but he did not feel good at all. He knew that this power came from Aric, and he only got this power because he killed him.


    With Hugh distraught on the ground, he just wanted to forget this had ever happened. This was not the first time he had killed a person, but killing a friend took a toll on him.


    This power that he gained should have changed his life for the better, but he instead killed someone. It made him wonder what would happen more in the future just to keep his secrets safe. Would it all be worth it?


    Hugh put his head down and closed his eyes.


    Just as the silence reigned in on the room, Hugh suddenly felt a small vibration in the ground. He opened his eyes and raised his head, curious to what had happened.


    The room was the same as he had last seen it. There were broken tiles on the floor, blood on the ground, and the corpse of his friend, but there was nothing that was out of place.


    Hugh continued to look around as the vibrations continued to get stronger. It was not long until the vibration became a full-on earthquake.


    Alerted with this change, Hugh stood up and looked around with furrowed eyebrows displaying his confusion. His sadness quickly turned sober as he became wary of his surroundings.


    Then, he noticed something on the floor. Something was missing from it, but he could not remember it for the life of him. There was an important object here, and it was gone.


    It was then that Hugh remembered the cube that Aric held in his hand when he first got into this room. From Aric''s memories, he knew that it was the object that Maverick wanted Aric to get into the Central building.


    Hugh opened his eyes wide as he turned around and looked at the pedestal in the middle of the room. In the small indentation there, a black cube fit inside it.


    Hugh did not remember Aric ever putting the cube into the pedestal. It seemed to have traveled by itself without anyone''s help.


    Hugh''s heart stopped as he realized that he had failed to stop what Maverick had planned all along. The earthquake that reverberated through the ground almost made Hugh lose his balance, but he planted his feet firmly in the ground to counteract it.


    The shaking was intense, and he could see dust in the air dancing around like wildfire.


    *BOOM*


    From his side, Hugh suddenly saw a small piece of rubble fall from the ceiling. He looked up and gulped at the thing that he saw.


    There were cracks in the ceiling, branching off and propagating throughout the whole place. The shaking seemed to get more and more intense as time passed on, which made the cracks worse.


    *BOOM*


    More and more rubble landed on the ground next to him. Some were as small as a pebble, but some could bury him in this place.


    With his adrenaline running all over the place, Hugh knew that he could not stay in this place for long. He started to head over towards the tunnel where he had come from.


    Just as he was about to cross the tunnel, his instincts took over and he had to stop his body. Right in front of him, a large Boulder fell and blocked his way out of the dome.


    If he had not stopped in time, he would have been crushed and severely injured from the boulder. Feeling the earthquake get more and more intense, Hugh knew that he had to force himself out.


    With the boulder right in front of him, Hugh opened his jaws wide and started to gnaw on it. This was the best way to get rid of the obstacle and benefit from it at the same time.


    He had still not eaten a lot of food, so he was still relatively thin at this point. As he continued to eat the boulder in front of him, his body slowly turned into an obese state.


    *CRACK*


    Hugh suddenly felt the ground underneath him start to give way. He quickly stepped away and saw that a large dark hole was under the floor. He did not know where it would lead, but he knew that he did not want to be trapped in there.


    However, the boulder was still preventing him from running away. He could not eat the boulder at a faster rate since it was like eating a hard piece of candy.


    Every crunch of his mouth was overpowered by the sounds of boulders crashing into the floor. He did not have the time to crunch every piece of the boulder in front of him.


    If there was a better way of ingesting this boulder, then it would save him from being trapped inside. Then, Hugh looked at his hand and he wondered. He closed his eyes and concentrated.


    After a moment, a small fire enveloped his hands.

 Chapter 113: Ember

    With the fire playing wildly around his hands, Hugh found a way to get through the boulder in front of him. He put his hand on the boulder and closed his eyes as he tried to concentrate even more.


    He tended every part of his muscle, and his face showed the strain he was going through, but the fire flickered in and out of existence.


    He had only gotten this power just recently, so he did not know how to use it. The fire that was in his hands was too weak to melt through the boulder that was preventing him from escaping.


    With his life on the line and the pressure building around him, Hugh was stressed beyond belief. The ground around him continued to crack until there was only a little piece of land left that he could stand on.


    He was running out of time, and he still could not control the fire properly. Then, the last piece of land that he was standing on started to crack under the constant earthquake in the room.


    Hugh''s feet were already slipping out of the foothold, but he tried to keep his balance by holding onto the boulder. Just in the nick of time, a sudden burst of memory flashed in his mind.


    In his memory, he saw Aric controlling and practicing with his fire. He could feel every muscle that Aric twitched and every synapse that traveled through his mind.


    With this information, Hugh knew exactly what to do to further intensify his fire. Hugh held the boulder with his two hands as he focused his strength on flexing his core.


    As soon as those muscles were used, Hugh could feel a change in quality in his fire. The previous red fire had now become orange like the one that Aric had produced earlier.


    The part of the boulder that Hugh was touching became brighter and brighter until it started to melt in his hands. The bright light continued to propagate in the boulder until more and more parts melted.


    Hugh concentrated with the very last of his mental strengths to keep his fire going. The boulder continued to melt and give way, but Hugh was running out of time.


    He saw that he was very close to melting the boulder, but he suddenly felt his foothold start to collapse. His feet started to fall along with his body


    Finally, Hugh was able to melt the boulder until a large hole was in the middle. It was enough for Hugh to get through, but his body was already falling on the collapsed floor.


    Hugh flailed his whole body in the air as he fell on the void of the floor. He waved his hands around to try and grab onto anything that could save him.


    Just as his whole body was going to be enveloped in the dark void of the collapsed floor, Hugh''s fingers grabbed onto the tiny ledge on the tunnel.


    His hands were covered in his silver and brown armor, which gave him enough grip to keep himself on the edge. However, he could feel his grip slipping away from the edge.


    His grip was only because of the tip of his fingers, so he could not gather enough strength to lift himself back up. He could feel the pavement on the ledge start to give way, so Hugh knew that he could not hold on any longer.


    With one swift move, Hugh gathered every bit of strength in himself and transferred it onto his fingertips. With his grip, he launched himself up and pierced his hands onto the pavement.


    With a greater grip onto the floor, Hugh was able to lift himself into the safe zone. He painted, exhausted from the tense and dangerous situation that he was in.


    He could still feel the earthquake all around him, so Hugh knew that he should not stay here any longer. He turned around and started to run away towards the exit.


    As he took the first step, he suddenly stopped and looked back into the dome. There, he could still see Aric amid the chaos of rubble all around him.


    Then, a huge boulder came down from the ceiling and buried Aric underneath it. Hugh cringed away from the scene and slowly ran away towards the exit.m


    He did not want to leave Aric''s corpse like that, but he had to. He started to run away from the tunnel as he saw that it was starting to crumble as well.


    Hugh reached the end of the tunnel and saw the strange mechanisms that he had seen earlier before. Now, those mechanisms seemed to have been destroyed and mutilated until it was no longer identifiable.


    Smokes were enveloping the whole place, looking like it was ravaged by a raging fire. Ignoring those mysterious mechanisms, Hugh stepped out into the outside.


    Hugh stepped foot onto the outside and the first thing he saw was the crowd of students all looking up. They seemed to be confused and scared at the same time with their fingers trembling and their bodies shivering.


    There were not even many words spoken, just weird silence through the shock that came to their bodies. Some of them braced their friends as they tried to figure out what had happened.


    Hugh looked up and saw something unbelievable. The previous blue and bright skies that covered the Central Area had now become violet.


    The violet skies seemed to envelop the whole Central Area like it was a dome. The texture of the dome was made up of small box-shaped geometries that seemed to phase in and out of existence.


    "The barriers are down!!!"


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    The student council came inside the Central building that was in charge of the barrier of the Central Area. It was now in ruins, but they charged on. They entered the main room and saw the rubble that was caused by the earthquake.


    They inspected the whole place and saw traces of fights inside. There was too much blood all over the place, but they did not see anything inside. They scoured the whole place and did not see anything suspicious; there was not a corpse inside.

 Chapter 114: Blink

    "What''s going on?"


    Those were the words that went through everybody''s head that were currently in the central area. The safe place that they always knew and loved, now seemed to be in a weird state.


    There was no breeze of wind going through the air. It was stale as if there were no air at all in the environment. However, they felt a slight cold tingle in their neck as they watched the violet skies flicker.


    Hugh looked around and noticed that everyone was looking up, ignoring him. He realized that this was the moment that he could get away as safely as possible.


    He did not want to get blamed for all of these emergencies that happened, so he quickly bolted out. Just as he took one step forward, he suddenly felt a strong grip on his arm.


    Hugh looked back and saw a fist grabbing his arm, essentially keeping him in Planck and preventing him from running away.


    Hugh knew that he was caught, so as a last resort, he tried to shake the hand off. He activated his armor on his arm and his leg. He wanted to get rid of the grip and run away with the fastest speed he could muster.


    The brown and sliver solidified around his limbs and gave him explosive power. Hugh felt his body restrained from the hand that was gripping him, but he was able to get out of the grip.


    As soon as Hugh felt the grip loosen, Hugh did not look back and ran straight away from the scene of the crime. He was only able to take three steps away before he suddenly felt a strong force on his back.


    The force was large and so sudden that Hugh was thrown off his balance. He had been tackled, presumably by the person that had gripped his arm before.


    Hugh''s body was thrown to the ground before he could even try to restore his balance. He felt this oppressing force that made his head collide with the ground. Thankfully, he was able to raise his head and he only came out with a scratch.


    Then, Hugh felt his hands getting bent in shape, and force to his back. With his hands restrained, he could not move any further.


    *step* *step* *step*


    Hugh heard footsteps coming from his back and walking towards him. He could feel the power and intensity of the man just from his footsteps.


    Then man''s shadow formed in Hugh''s face, blocking his vision from the violet scenery around. Hugh looked up and saw a familiar face.


    "Hey, remember me?"


    Ace''s serious but smiling face showed itself to Hugh. This man was a part of the Student Council and the person who had interrogated Hugh before.


    "Oh, yeah. Nice to meet you again."


    Hugh flashed an awkward smile as he tried to make his case as innocent as possible. He even let out a slight chuckle as he looked up at Ace.


    "We have a lot to talk about."


    Ace put his hands on his waist as he looked at Hugh, ready to interrogate him, again and again, to find out the truth.


    ¡ª-Student Council Headquarters¡ª-


    "So...."


    Hugh was once again in the gray painted walls of the interrogation room of the Student Council Headquarters. It was bleak and gave the person gazing into it a hopeless feeling.


    Ace stood tall as he unbuttoned his jacket and laid it on his chair. He then loosened his tie and sat on the chair opposite Hugh.


    "You want to tell me why you were at the Central Building?"


    Ace did not tarry any longer and went straight for the crucial question. He did not seem to be lax and calm as the time that Hugh had been interrogated before.


    "I was trying to stop someone."


    Ace listened closely to Hugh and scrutinized every muscle movement in Hugh''s face. He wanted to see if Hugh was telling the truth or not.


    "Stop someone from what?"


    Hugh''s hands were cuffed to the table, and he did not have many luxuries in moving. He felt constrained as the cuffs were too tight for his liking.


    "From destroying the school. I got a message that something inside the school was going to be destroyed."


    In order not to be suspicious, Hugh decided to tell the truth. He omitted some details, but he was still telling the truth.


    "Does that have something to do with the school barriers that were mysteriously shut down?"


    Ace leaned in closer. Hugh felt the pressure around himself start to get tighter, forcing his body to squeeze itself.


    "I did not know that it was going to be shut down. I only knew that something was going to happen."


    Hugh shook his head. He looked directly into Ace''s eyes to prove that he was innocent, that he was only telling the truth.


    "Who did the warning come from? It must have been from a reliable source as you believed it so easily."


    Ace had his hands intertwined as he tilted his head and looked at Hugh with a doubtful look.


    "That doesn''t matter. I received the warning, and I acted on it."


    Ace still had a lot of questions, but he was pressed for time. He needed to know more about the details inside the Central building.


    "You must have done a terrible job, seeing that the school barriers are down."


    Hugh gritted his teeth as he remembered the blood that was spilling into his hands. He had killed Aric, but it was for nothing. The cube did its job and disabled the barriers.


    Hugh was silent as he did not want to answer the question. The incident was only a few minutes ago, and it was still fresh in his mind. He did not want to think about his failure.


    Hugh blinked and suddenly saw Ace standing up. In a split second, Ace''s position had changed. Hugh was surprised as he did not feel Ace moving at all.


    He looked up at Ace and saw that he was looking at him all weird.


    *snap*


    Ace snapped and tried to take Hugh''s attention. He then spoke as he tilted his head.


    "Hugh? Are you there? Answer my question!"

 Chapter 115: Innocent

    "What?"


    Hugh furrowed his eyebrows as he was genuinely confused as to the sudden outrage from Ace. He had been patient all this time, but it seemed that he had lost his cool.


    "Answer my question. Why did the Central building collapse?"


    Ace almost seemed annoyed at Hugh. His ears were slightly red, and he gripped his hands on the chair with such force that it almost bent to his will.


    "Th-the cube."


    Hugh was still confused about the situation, so he was only able to blurt out two words. He was still in a state of stupor.


    "Cube? What cube?"


    With this information, Ace felt that he had another clue to go on. He regained his cool as he slowly sat in his steel chair and looked patiently at Hugh for his next words.


    "I don''t know what it was. It was black and had the color of the stars. Once you look at it, you find yourself staring at the endless void of space."


    Hugh looked at his hands as if he was holding them in his hands. Even though he had never held it himself, he had this vivid memory of the cube because of Aric''s memories.


    Ace looked at Hugh''s hands in a state of curiosity. From Hugh''s hand movement, he could tell that the cube was small enough to fit in his hands.


    "Where did this come from?"


    Ace could tell that Hugh was telling the truth, and that meant that the cube was a vital part of this investigation.


    "It...it came from...Maverick."


    As soon as Hugh uttered that name, he could feel the room temperature go down a few notches. He looked up and saw Ace staring at him with bewildering intensity.


    "How do you know that name?"


    Seeing that it caused such a reaction from Ace, Hugh knew that the Student Council knew about his existence.


    With Maverick being a part of the Blacklade Academy that planned to sabotage the school, it was safe to assume that the Student Council kept a wary eye on him.


    "He was- is Aric''s father."


    Ace knew that, so he was not that surprised. From the evidence that was suggested in this investigation, Ace guessed the scenario that had happened.


    "Did Aric carry the cube into the school?"


    Ace''s words had a bit of contempt in his tone. He seemed to be already antagonizing Aric due to his connections with Maverick.


    Hugh gulped and calmed himself down as he said his next few words.


    "No. Aric was the one who warned me about it. We planned to stop it, but we failed."


    Hugh''s words were a total lie. From the memories that he had gotten from Aric, he knew that Aric never really wanted to cause chaos to the school, he was the only force to.


    Aric could have destroyed the barriers even before Hugh knew about it. He was hesitating at every step, second-guessing himself until he found something that could stop himself.


    With Aric dead, Hugh did not want to tarnish his reputation by making him the scapegoat for this situation. He did not want to lie, but for a friend, he will do it.


    Ace looked at Hugh with furrowed eyebrows. He seemed to sense that something was amiss from Hugh, so he decided to ask more questions.


    "Where''s Aric now?"


    Hugh kept his head down as Ace finished his sentence. The room immediately transformed into a somber atmosphere.


    "He-he''s dead."


    Hugh felt it hard to speak out those words. He still felt guilty about it and speaking about it only opened up wounds.


    Ace felt that something was still amiss from Hugh''s statement, but he could tell that Hugh was not lying about Aric being dead. He would know more about the situation once the investigation ended.


    "Did Aric tell you more about what Maverick was planning?"


    Hugh felt his emotions getting boiled up as he heard Maverick''s name. He had inherited Aric''s memories, which meant that he had witnessed the horrible things that Maverick had done.


    He could only feel hatred towards Maverick. It felt like he had been the one who was tortured.


    Ace could feel the change in Hugh''s attitude, which made him curious. Hugh was sad, and now he became angry as soon as Maverick came into the conversation.


    "I can tell you everything that Aric knew about Maverick."


    Hugh balled up his fists as he thought about Maverick. It was his vendetta to make Maverick as miserable as possible, even if it meant siding with the Student Council.


    Ace was surprised that Hugh was willing to speak, but he welcomed it. He was doubtful of the validity of Hugh''s words, but he could feel the hatred in Hugh''s words, so he was willing to give Hugh a chance.


    "However, you must let me go."


    Hugh issued out a bargain for his freedom. He knew that the Student Council would not let him go since he was a part of the barrier incident.


    He figured that he could gain his freedom and disrupt Maverick''s plans at the same time. It was a win-win situation for him.


    "I can''t promise that, but we will not imprison you for now."


    Hugh was satisfied with that bargain, so he started to spill the beans about Maverick. This information came directly from Aric''s memories, so he knew that it was the truth.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Aric''s body was lying underneath the large boulder that came from the ceiling. The earthquake continued to reign in the room and create chaos. The room was now already partially destroyed, but Aric''s body was still on the floor.


    Blood painted the whole floor as Aric''s blood tainted all of those that came across it. His face was pale, and his eyes were closed. The previous charismatic and energetic look that he had was now completely gone.


    Then, the earthquake completely stopped. There were no more shakes, and no more reverberations, just silence. The floor stopped cracking, and there was even a sense of peace that reigned in the room.


    Then, Aric''s finger started to twitch. It did not take long as Aric''s eyes started to open and a black flame started to envelop all around him.

 Chapter 116: Wash

    After a few hours of interrogation, Hugh was let off. Ace would have asked more information about Maverick, but he had a lot of things to deal with right now. He made Hugh promise to come back after some time for some follow-up questions.


    Ace walked into Felix''s room and reported the situation to him. He was casual, but direct and did not undermine Felix''s authority.


    "Do you think he is a spy from Maverick?"


    Felix put his hands on his chin as he put his elbow in his armchair. He seemed to be in deep thought, yet his narrow eyes and his thin mouth still displayed a creepy smile.


    "He does not look like he was on Maverick''s side, but he knows a lot more about him than we do. Keep an eye on him. This guy seems to be in the epicenter of trouble lately. Is it a coincidence?"


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Hugh walked through the plethora of students all talking about the weird violet skies. They were both amused and scared at the anomaly of the scenery.


    They had never heard of this before, and it garnered a lot of traction on the social ladder. Many social climbers were dying to tell people what they saw and what they thought happened.


    Some were even spouting lies and told everyone that they were responsible for the violet skies. Due to that, most people called this incident, ''the violet anomaly.''


    Hugh ignored all of those students as he rushed back home. He ran and ran, but sometimes, he would bump into some students in the streets.


    Most of these students went directly to the Student Council Headquarters to inquire about what happened. From what he could see, the Student Council was not entertaining them, leaving them all on the front door.


    Hugh reached the shifting room but saw that there was a line of students waiting for their turn. Most of these students were unsettled due to the violet anomaly.


    Like him, they all hurried to their homes, the only semblance of safety that they could get. Hugh counted and saw that twenty people were waiting in line.


    Hugh stood at the back and waited for the line. Hugh tapped his feet as he looked down. His whole body felt dirty, and he could not wait to wash it down the drain.


    He could still see the bloodstains in his uniform, the evidence of his heinous crime. With every second that he stood still, he could feel everybody''s stares at him.


    Most of them were minding their own business, but they soon smelled the blood in Hugh''s clothes. His hair was disheveled, his face was filled with dirt and oil, and his clothes looked like he had just come out from a crime scene.


    For some reason, Hugh felt that everybody knew his secret. Everybody knew that he had murdered somebody. This was not the first time that he had killed somebody, but this was different.


    The time that he had killed Joub, it was for his safety. It was self-defense, and he did not feel at all guilty about killing him.


    Aric''s death was different. He had a sour memory with him, but a memory nonetheless. The worst part was that he had failed Aric.


    He looked at his hand, and he summoned the reddish fire. There was no semblance of any warmth in the fire; it was just a reminder of his crime.


    "Hey, Hey, Hey!!!"


    A person at the back screamed at Hugh, waking him up from his stupor. He looked around and noticed that there were no people in front of him.


    He had not noticed it, but it was already his turn. The person at the back was getting impatient, so he wakes Hugh up.


    Hugh did not wait any longer and burst in the door of the shifting room. He directed it back to his home, and he immediately went into his bathroom.


    He took a shower, which was longer than he had expected. His fingerprints had become wavy and he would have stayed longer if not for the alarm on the tv.


    "Students, you have nothing to worry about. The violet anomaly will be dealt with, and things will get back to normal."


    Hugh stepped out of the bathroom and he poured himself a glass of alcohol. He sat on his bed, with hair still dripping down and wetting his silk bed.


    He continued to drink until he fell asleep.


    The morning came, and Hugh opened his eyes. There were empty bottles of alcohol all over the place and there were wine stains in the bed and the floor.


    Hugh ignored the mess in his room and hurried to prepare for school. The sunlight was seeping through the window, signaling that he was late for school.


    Hugh would have skipped school, but it would make him more suspicious. He picked himself back up, but he almost tripped on the bottles.


    He walked into the shifting room and he went to school. The lockers were still the same, his footsteps still echoed in the halls, but there was a strange air around him.


    Hugh looked at the windows and saw the violet skies in the classroom. It seemed that the central area was not the only thing that was affected by the anomaly.


    Hugh parted the doors, and he walked into the classroom. Most of the students ignored him as they were still busy discussing the strange phenomenon in the sky.


    Hugh ignored them and sat back into his seat. The murmurs around him started to deafen as he focused on himself.


    He still had not the time to process what had happened. All of those things happened too fast, so he was acting solely on instinct.


    Serena seemed to be the one who was most composed throughout this whole ordeal. She still carried on with her life, comparing pieces of jewelry, discussing boys, and overall bonding with her friends.


    Hugh then felt a sudden tingle in the back of his spine. He felt that something dangerous was coming towards him. His hairs raised on end as he put up his guard and looked around.


    Then, the door opened and a familiar face appeared. Most people were happy as they saw this person, but for Hugh, it was like he had seen a ghost. It was Aric.

 Chapter 117: Ghost

    Hugh was dumbstruck as he saw the person walking into the classroom. His hairs stood on end and his face went pale. His breathing got heavier and he started to hyperventilate.


    Aric walked step by step into the classroom. His face was clear, and his hair was well combed. His clothes were sparkling clean; there were no creases at all.


    This was the person that everyone in the classroom knew. This was the charismatic person that they had always known. This was their general perception of Aric, but if they took a closer inspection, they would see that there was a sinister aura around him.


    Aric was usually a bright and charismatic person, but this Aric had a dark undertone around him. The skin around his eyes was darker, and his expression showed no warmth at all.


    Hugh''s heart stopped as he looked at Aric. It was not an exaggeration to say that he looked like he had seen a ghost. He could still remember the moment where he had Aric''s heart in his hands, oozing blood and taunting his clothes.


    He looked at Aric''s chest, but he could see no indication that Aric had been injured. He did not know what to do as Aric walked into the classroom and his seat.


    "Aric, you seem to be okay now!"


    Tanner walked up to Aric and put his hands on Aric''s shoulders. His actions were welcoming as if he had seen a longtime friend.


    Aric felt Tanner''s hands and turned his head. His eyes gazed into Tanner''s eyes without any emotions. Tanner felt like he had stared into the void.


    There was no sense of familiarity with Aric. It almost seemed as if Aric did not know him, as Aric studied Tanner''s features.


    More of Aric''s friends came to him and greeted him. They were all happy that their leader had returned. They all tried to gather Aric''s attention like they were starving chickens.


    However, Aric did not reciprocate their welcome. He looked at them dead in the eyes, but he would not speak a word.


    Hugh''s mind stopped at the moment. He could not process the information in his head. He could not believe that Aric would return from the dead like it was nothing.


    He watched Aric''s body get buried in the falling boulders of the Central building. Even if he had escaped during those times, how would he be able to explain the missing heart?


    Hugh had to know. He needed to know how Aric had survived. He had been wracked up with guilt, but seeing him alive like this was complicating his emotions.


    In some parts, he was glad that Aric was alive. At another, he was confused as to how Aric had survived.


    Then, his anxiety took over his mind. He could not help but think about Aric telling everybody about his secret. Would Aric tell everybody that Hugh had killed him?


    Hugh''s heart started to beat a thousand times per second as he thought about those possibilities. No matter his emotions, he knew that he had to know what had happened with Aric.


    Hugh stood up, but he realized that he had stood up too fast. He was still distraught over this news, so his legs buckled and he almost fell to the ground.


    Centering himself and gathering his composure, Hugh walked over to Aric. His mind reeled with thoughts on how he would approach Aric.


    Hey, didn''t I kill you? Hugh could not say those words, but that was what he wanted to know. After deliberating on the way over, Hugh grabbed Aric''s arm and squeezed it as he spoke.


    "We need to talk."


    Aric heard Hugh''s words and he looked at Hugh. All these times that he had looked at the students around him, Aric always had a deadpan look. However, when he looked at Hugh, there was a sense of familiarity in his eyes.


    Hugh did not wait for a response as he started to drag Aric away from his chairs and his friends. Hugh headed straight towards the door, but he had felt his hand get grabbed.


    Hugh turned around and saw Tanner grabbing his wrists. There was clear anger on his face, as his nostrils flared and his muscles involuntarily flexed. He was looking for a fight.


    "Woah, there. You have to go through us first."


    Tanner cracked his knuckles and the men that were behind him did the same. They did not like the disrespect in Hugh''s actions, ignoring Aric''s inner circle of friends.


    It was no secret that Aric and Hugh had beef with each other. Most of them were also clear that Aric had won each of the times that Aric and Hugh had a bout.


    However, Aric''s inner circle of friends knew that it was not the truth. They had experienced first-hand how powerful Hugh had become. The other students in the class were not privy to that information, so they presumed that Aric would not have trouble dealing with Hugh.


    Tanner had seen Aric''s condition recently. Aric was clearly not himself, and he was worried that Hugh would be able to take revenge on Aric during these times.


    Hugh was not in the mood to tussle with Tanner and his friends, so he turned around and gave them a sharp look while spouting out a warning.


    "Stay out of this."


    Hugh activated his armor and the brown and silver liquid started to form around his neck. He was showing it to them, letting them know that he was not afraid to fight them again.


    Tanner flinched a little bit as he saw Hugh getting ready to fight. He did not forget the beating that he had to endure from Hugh, so he was hesitant to pick a fight. However, he was not alone. He looked back and saw his friends backing him up.


    "You can''t take all of us out."


    Seeing Tanner not backing out, Hugh got ready to fight. He let go of his grip on Aric''s arm and readied himself. Then, Hugh blinked for a split second.


    When he opened his eyes, he suddenly saw Tanner down on the ground, bleeding through his nose and his cheeks.

 Chapter 118: Black

    Hugh had blinked for only a split second, but he had already seen a different scene. From what he remembered, Tanner was only getting ready to fight.


    However, Tanner was already down on the ground when he had opened his eyes. Tanner''s face was bloated, his cheeks were cut, and his mouth was bleeding out, creating a pool underneath his body.


    Tanner''s clothes were roughed up. His left-side sleeve was ripped off, some parts of his uniform had holes, and a huge part of his shoulders seemed to have been burnt.


    There were still tiny embers burning in the right shoulder of Tanner''s uniform. His eyes were closed, and it was clear that he was in no condition to fight.


    Hugh looked around and saw that everybody was looking at him. Aric''s inner circle, Serena and her friends, and everyone that had eyes in the classroom was staring at him with clear shock in their eyes.


    They all seem to be taken aback by what had happened. However, Hugh did not know what happened. He had only blinked, and he did not know anything else that precluded this conclusion.


    He did not know how Tanner got beat up within a split second, but he did not care. Nobody seemed confident enough to complain to him about taking off with Aric.


    Even though the situation seemed weird to Hugh, he decided to ignore it and focus on the situation at hand. He took Aric''s arm and dragged him away from the classroom, sliding the door away and closing it behind him.


    Hugh dragged Aric away into the hallways. It was quiet, and only their footsteps echoed in the empty hallways of the school.


    He directed Aric towards the secluded part of the hallways. There was a corner right next to the restrooms, and Hugh deemed it to be isolated enough.


    Hugh walked into the bathroom and inspected every stall, making sure that no one could eavesdrop on them.


    Once Hugh was sure that they were alone, he turned his attention towards Aric. He stood face to face with Aric, still flabbergasted at what he was seeing.


    Aric was still the same person that he had killed, down to the finest detail. If this was a doppelg?nger, then it was a good enough job to convince anyone.


    "What happened to you?"


    Hugh asked the very first question. He gulped and waited for the answers. What he heard next confused him even more.


    "Who are you?"


    Aric furrowed his eyebrows as he looked at Hugh. He seemed to be inspecting Hugh''s face, seeing if it could activate some of his neurons for any semblance of memory.


    Hugh was taken aback by Aric''s answer, and he was silent for a few moments. Aric did not seem to be lying, since there was no benefit to Aric lying.


    Hugh had also experienced Aric''s life, from birth until the present, so he knew when Aric was lying. Aric looked dead serious.


    "What do you mean? Do you not remember me? Do you not remember anything?"


    Aric shook his head. It seemed that whatever had happened to him, he had lost his memories in the process.


    "Do you remember at least anything? How did you get out of the pile of rubbles?"


    Hugh wanted to know more, so he pressed Aric for answers. He crossed his arms and listened closely for Aric''s answers.


    "I...I woke up...and walked away. I don''t remember anything else. I just remember walking away."


    Aric closed his eyes and tried to think about the last memory he had remembered. He furrowed his eyebrows, straining himself for any semblance of details in his memory.


    Since it seemed that Aric could not remember much about how he had gotten away from the pile of rubbles, Hugh brought his attention to Aric''s heart.


    Hugh was certain that he had ripped Aric''s heart away from his chest, effectively killing him on the spot. Hugh could not hide his curiosity, so he raised his hand and touched Aric''s chest.


    Aric saw Hugh''s movements and made him flinch away from Hugh''s grasp. He did not know why, but he had an adverse reaction to someone touching his chest.


    Hugh saw that Aric was backing away, but he did not relent. He continued to try and touch Aric''s chest. In the end, he was able to make contact with it.


    Hugh touched Aric''s chest and felt a solid resistance. There was not a hole of indentation at all. It felt like a normal chest as if Hugh had not ripped Aric''s heart away in the same spot.


    Aric could feel his heart pump a thousand times a second as he felt Hugh''s touch. For some reason that he did not know, he felt afraid. He felt that his very existence was being threatened by an unknown force.


    Aric''s head started to ache as if it was expanding and being squeezed at the same time. The longer that Hugh touched his chest, the stronger the pain he felt in his head.


    In the end, Aric could not take it anymore.


    "NO!!!"


    Aric shouted out his frustrations, and a huge blast of energy flowed through his body. He had no other way but to take all of the energy out of his body and to the outside.


    Hugh felt that something was wrong with Aric, so he hurried to take away his hand. However, it was already too late. His instincts acted first and he rolled away from Aric.


    *BHOO*


    A black fire combusted around Aric''s body, creating an explosion that carried out a shockwave. Hugh was too close to Aric, so he was not safe from the explosion.


    Hugh''s body was thrown to the wall as he felt the explosion in close proximity. He activated his armor on his back, so he was able to protect his spine from the collision.


    Hugh did not feel that much pain from the collision, so he was able to recover fast. He coughed and raised his head. Then, he saw Aric''s whole body burning in black fire.

 Chapter 119: Fury

    Hugh saw Aric''s body completely immersed in black fire. Strangely, he could not feel any heat nor warmth from the black fire, only the chilling cold.


    The black fire spread because of the explosion. There were small black flames that caught onto the walls, destroying those parts that were touched.


    The walls were not burnt but freezing. The walls that were supposed to melt into a liquid-only became more solid until it was so brittle that it shattered into a million pieces.


    Hugh looked at Aric with a shocked and confused expression. Aric had not only come back alive with not a scratch on his body, but his burning fire had also turned into something else.


    He looked down and saw that a part of his clothes had black flames spreading, so he quickly patted them down. This was his reflex acting, and he did not think about the consequences.


    Just as he thought that his hands would be affected by the freezing ability of the black fire, he felt nothing. He touched the black flame, and his hands did not freeze into ice.


    It felt like he was touching air, and its consistency was that of smoke. He patted the fire down and it extinguished.


    He recovered himself and stood up. In the meantime, he never took his eyes off Aric. The black fire was raging around Aric''s body, as wild as that of a forest fire.


    Aric''s face was strained, and it was not until a few moments later that his face relaxed. His muscles loosened, and his black fire mellowed.


    He opened his eyes and he noticed the black fire around his hands. He looked at it, intrigued at the feeling of strength and power around his hands.


    "Wh-what is that?"


    Hugh gulped and let out his questions. He did not know how Aric got his powers back.


    From what Hugh had learned from professor Kain''s classes, Desire came from the heart of a person. Hugh thought that Aric''s powers would be gone since he had eaten Aric''s heart and gained Aric''s ability.


    Aric looked at his hands with a sense of wonder, but he was as clueless as Hugh. However, just as he looked at the black flames in his hands, he felt a sharp pain in his brain.


    "Ahh!!!"


    Aric screamed in pain as he held his head with both hands. Flashes of pictures came through his head and he recollected the time when he had woken up.


    He remembered the feeling of despair and relief. He remembered how he was able to freeze and destroy the rocks and boulders that were covering his body in the Central building.


    This was the only memory that he could muster. When he had no idea of himself, he felt empty. Aric could feel nothing as he could remember nothing.


    Now, all he could feel was anger, deep within his heart. Maverick. That name echoed through his brain and gave him despair. He did not know who Maverick was, but he k ew that Maverick was the reason for his misery.


    All he wanted to do was kill him.


    "Maverick! Do you know him?!"


    Hugh saw Aric suddenly lift his head, seemingly recovered from his headache. Hugh could see the creases on Aric''s forehead and the red tint on his eyes.


    This sudden change of attitude was shocking, to say the least. Hugh was taken aback and he was not able to respond quickly enough to Aric''s liking.


    "ANSWER ME!!!"


    Aric''s anger exploded and the black flames ignited all around him. He was a flaming ball of black fire that affected everything around him, the floors, the walls, and the ceiling, except for Hugh.


    "I know him. He...He''s your father."


    Aric heard Hugh''s answer, and it calmed him down for a little bit. It was common knowledge that a father was someone that was a responsible and caring adult. Aric could not understand how he would be replayed from his father.


    "My...father?"


    Hugh could see Aric''s eyes getting moist, and there were clear frustrations on his face. He could understand why Aric was getting mad, and he could emphasize with him.


    When he had consumed Aric''s heart, he had also gotten his fire ability and his memories. Hugh witnessed how Maverick abused and tortured Aric for the reason of making Aric stronger.


    He could also feel hatred for Maverick. All the pain that Aric had endured, Hugh had also gotten them. He also wanted to kill Maverick, albeit to a lesser degree than Aric.


    Aric put his head down and he retracted his black fire. All of his anger seemed to have vanished within a second, and he was eerily quiet.


    Without any more words, Aric started to walk away from Hugh with his eyes covered in his bangs. His steps seemed determined as if he knew exactly what he wanted to do.


    Hugh grabbed Aric''s shoulder and stopped him from escaping. From the hatred that he could feel from Aric, he knew that Aric wanted to kill Maverick at all costs.


    "What are you going to do?"


    Aric stopped, but his head was still down. He looked Hugh in the eyes and spoke as his voice broke.


    "I''ll kill him."


    Hugh tightened his grip on Aric, but Aric wanted to get out. Hugh had to use his armor just to keep Aric in his grasp.


    Aric enveloped himself in the black fire to try and make Hugh release his grip, but Hugh did not seem to be affected. He was surprised that his black fire was ineffective to Hugh, so he tried to get out with his physicality.


    "You don''t even know what he looks like, and where he is."


    Aric did not have his memories, so he did not know about Maverick''s physical appearance. All Aric could feel was the hatred towards Maverick, as if it was his only purpose in life.


    "I''ll know when I meet him."


    Aric stopped trying to get out of Hugh''s grasp as Hugh told him the difficulties of his mission.

 Chapter 120: Revenge

    Hugh wanted to stop Aric at all costs because he still felt a little bit guilty for killing him. However, he knew how much Aric hatred his father. Even he, a person who had never even met Maverick, hated him.


    "This is a stupid plan."


    Aric heard Hugh''s reasoning, and it did not help him one bit. He still wanted to get out of this school and search for Maverick even if he had to scour the whole world.


    "It is none of your business."


    Aric snarled at Hugh and stormed out of the hallway. His anger seemed to get the best of him as he had a tunnel vision in killing Mavericks


    Hugh could not do anything but watch as Aric stoned out of the hallway. By the end, he could only hear fading footsteps that soon turned into silence.


    He knew that Aric was right; he did not have any business interfering with Aric''s life. However, there was this sort of resonance inside him that seemed to agree with Aric''s plan.


    Hugh shook his head as he shrugged himself off. He cleaned himself up and arranged his clothes to make them presentable.


    He still did not know why he had not been affected by Aric''s black fire. He did not even know how Aric got the black fire in the first place, or how he was able to defy the laws of death and come back a second time.


    Hugh could only see another dead end for Aric at this rate. He had Aric''s memories, so he knew how powerful Maverick was. If Aric confronted him right now, he would have next to no chance.


    Aric did not even know himself, much more a definitive plan to attack Maverick. All his actions right now were being solely powered by his hatred.


    Seeing that he could not persuade Aric to hold off his revenge plan, Hugh had no choice but to return to the school.


    He and Aric had both been gone for a while, and he had missed the first class. With that sense of urgency, he walked back towards the classroom at a brisk pace.


    As he got closer to the classroom, he could hear the muffled sounds of the classroom''s sense of liveliness. Judging from the chaos that occurred there, it seemed that the teacher has still not returned.


    As soon as Hugh opened the door to the classroom, he was proven correct. Everyone was loitering around in the classroom without any laws. The front and center of the class were missing, meaning that no teacher would put everyone in place.


    As everyone heard the door squeak, they all turned their attention towards the man who had walked in. They had all thought that professor Kain had returned, so they quickly shut their mouths.


    As soon as they realized that it was only Hugh that returned, they quickly turned back to talking amongst themselves.


    However, some of them tried to peek past Hugh''s large body to see if Aric was with him. They had all seen Aric and Hugh go out together, presumably for another fight.


    Seeing that there was not a scratch in Hugh''s body, and with Aric missing in the frame, it was easy to guess what had happened.


    However, not all of them believed that Hugh could defeat Aric without any scratch on him. Only a few others knew that it was an alarming possibility.


    "Where is Aric?"


    Chip, a member of Aric''s inner circle, quickly walked towards Hugh. Chop tried to be threatening with his voice, but his true feelings of insecurity showed when his voice cracked in the middle of his speech.


    Chip knew that he could not underestimate Hugh, so he did not try to be physical with him.


    "He left."


    Hugh only said those words because they were the truth. Of course, there was more to the story, but he would never tell them to Chip or anybody else since it was none of their businesses.


    Even if Hugh tried to be truthful, they would not believe him. The truth was that Hugh killed Aric, but Aric returned to life who had now a bloodlust towards his psychopathic father. There was no way that they would believe him.


    Hugh quickly returned to his seat and ignored Chip and his friends. He had no interest in entertaining them right now, so he went back to his seat, minding his own business.


    Hugh put his head own on the desk and closed his eyes. He let the time pass as he waited for the end of school. Even after waiting for an hour, professor Kain still had not returned.


    Some of the students started to leave the classroom seeing that professor Kain would not return for a little while longer, effectively canceling their school day.


    "What are you doing?!"


    Hugh quickly opened his eyes as he heard that high and squeaky voice that filled his ears. He shook his head as he tried to recollect what had happened.


    When he opened his eyes, he saw that he was staring at the blackboard. He looked around and saw that most of the students were looking at him with the curiosity and wonderment of a five-year-old child.


    "I said, what are you doing?!"


    Serena had her hands on her waist as she confronted Hugh on his actions. She seemed to be angry for something that Hugh had done, but Hugh had no clue about what happened.


    Hugh was now confused since he only remembered putting his head down and closing his eyes. The next second, he was now standing in the middle of the classroom next to the blackboard.


    He looked at his hands and saw that he was holding a pen. This was a pen that professor Kain had used, and it seemed that Hugh was using it since it was uncapped.


    Hugh looked up at the blackboard and realized that there was a letter written on the blackboard. Judging from the still-fresh scent of the ink, it seemed that it was written just recently.


    ''H''


    ''H'' was the letter written on the bird. Hugh did not know what it meant, but he also did not care. He only wanted to know how he got here without any recollection of what happened.


    This was not the first time that this had happened. Since he had killed Aric and acquired his powers, he had started to experience weird events that he could not explain.


    He would close his eyes, and the next moment, he would be at another place. It also felt like he had lost time even though for him, only a second had passed.


    "Hello? Are you stupid?"


    Serena was starting to get annoyed that Hugh had ignored her. She stomped her feet on the ground as a sign of intimidation, but it did not work on Hugh.


    "What?!"


    Hugh was trying to figure out what happened, but Serena was distracting him. He turned his head over to her and gave her a stinky face, signaling his displeasure over her distraction.


    "Why are you writing on the blackboard? That is only for the professor."


    Serena walked over next to Hugh and got the eraser on the desk. Then, she started to erase what Hugh had seemingly written as if the blackboard was a sacred place.


    "Wait! Did I write this?"


    Hugh quickly stopped her from erasing the whole thing since it seemed that he was the one who had written the ''H'' letter on the blackboard.


    "Who else? Do you have brain damage?"


    Serena looked at Hugh like he was a crazy person. She had just seen Hugh walk over to the blackboard without saying anything and scribbled a letter on it.


    Now, Hugh was saying that he did not even remember doing that. It was normal for her to think of Hugh as a crazy person.


    Serena kept erasing the letter on the board and Hugh was helpless to just watch. He did not know why he had written the ''H'' letter since he knew that he would never do that.


    *ring*


    The school bell ring as Hugh was looking at the remnants of his so-called ''writing.'' The school day had finally ended, but Hugh was still left wondering what had happened.


    He still stared at the empty blackboard as he tried to decipher what it all meant. The classroom soon emptied and he was left all alone in the classroom.


    Hugh finally got tired of looking at the whiteboard, so he walked out of the room and back to his house. Everything seemed to be a blur as he laid back on his bed and thought about everything that had happened.


    From feeling guilty of killing Aric, then seeing him alive and well, to losing time in a blink, and all the other words things that he had experienced.


    He had also noticed that he had not progressed in his missions. He had gotten eating missions, but it did not do him any good. He only had to wait for tomorrow to come.

 Chapter 121: Invader

    Marshal was a student in Hugh''s class. He was not a big part of the social ladder as he was just a normal kid. He was not that strong nor not that weak. He was just average.


    He belonged to a loose group of friends in the class that was almost ignored by everyone in the class. They were the underachievers of the school, the invisible classmates.


    He was the sort of person that would just watch as things passed by him. He had watched Hugh get beat up by Aric, he also saw Hugh beat up Aric''s circle of friends all by himself.


    In truth, Marshal had a crush on the prettiest girl in the class, Serena. Of course, he was not the only one as most guys in the class arbiter some kind of feelings for her.


    Even though he was lining for her, he would never do anything about it. Even if he tried, it would just be social suicide. He would get embarrassed into death.


    As of now, Marshal was walking through the shook campus all by himself. He had just wanted to get some air after feeling a little bit down in the dumps.


    However, unbeknownst to his knowledge, something was lurking in the shadows. It seemed to track Marshal''s every movement like a cheetah on the hunt for its prey.


    Marshal did not notice this, and he just walked on by the bush like a normal occurrence. He did not know this, but he would unknowingly change his mundane life.


    As Marshal passed by the bush on the side, there was a sudden blur that lunged at him. Marshal had just woken up, so he was not prepared at all to dodge the sudden impact.


    It was too fast to even see it, and all he could see was a purplish blur. The blur suddenly attached itself onto his neck and did not let go.


    Marshal felt a sucking force on his neck, so he tried to pull the thing out of his neck. He struggled and struggled, but it was of no use. He only seemed to make things worse for him.


    Marshal flailed around the bushes as he tried to resist the feeling of being powerless. It was as if something was taking control of him, and it was pushing him out.


    As he was feeling the wet grass on his face, he realized that the thing on his neck was starting to sink right into his skin. Any more, and he would never be able to take it out.


    As the thing sunk deeper and deeper into his neck, he felt a numbing pain all over his body. He was starting to lose control of his movements, and it was a scary feeling to experience.


    Marshal reached up in the sky as he tried to ask for help for the last time. He was losing it, and he had hoped for someone to come by the corner to help him, but no one came.


    The thing sunk completely into his skin, only leaving behind dark violet veins on his neck, which was completely hidden away by his collar.


    Marshal fell unconscious right near the bush.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Hugh walked back to class early in the morning. He had just finished his daily missions, and as usual, nothing had happened to him.


    If Hugh was not so busy right now, he would have wanted to return to the dungeon so that he could get the missions that would improve his powers.


    Hugh was not even sure that the student council would allow him back to the dungeon now that things were so hectic.


    Right now, Hugh had to stay in place and make sure that nothing happens to him. Through the days following the days after he killed Aric, he had experienced weird events.


    He would lose minutes or even hours that he could not remember. It would not have been a good idea for him to go to a dangerous place such as the dungeon right now.


    He finally reached the end of the hallway and was about to open the door to the classroom when he heard a slight commotion.


    The class seemed to be completely in disarray as shouts and jeers were thrown out easily. Hugh did not know what was going on with the class, so he opened the door to satiate his curiosity.


    As soon as the door slid open, the commotion did not seem to stop. Hugh guessed that something must have been happening since the class would usually become quiet as soon as the door opened.


    Hugh realized that everyone was looking towards a corner of the classroom. They were all completely enamored by the scene that was happening.


    Hugh navigated towards the clunks of students to see what all the fuss was about. Then, he saw a normal-looking guy staring down Serena, the queen bee of the classroom.


    "Come on, why don''t you try me?"


    The man seemed to be confident and arrogant, a complete contrast to his average-looking face. Hugh remembered that this guy was his classmate, but he did not remember his name.


    "I don''t even know your name."


    Serena as usual had her ice-cold exterior to fend off the men that were courting her daily.


    "Me? I''m your classmate, Marshal."


    Marshal seemed to be a completely different person than what Hugh remembered him to be. Hugh did not feel that a complete overhaul of his personality was bad, so he decided to ignore the current scene.


    He did not care about Marshal or his other classmates, so he turned back and headed towards his chair. However, as he turned his head, he suddenly felt a cold air breeze through his neck.


    All his hairs stood on end, eh I made him feel anxious. There seemed to be something in the classroom that alerted his instincts.


    However, Hugh did not know where it came from. The classroom was the way it was before, and everyone else was accounted for, so he did not know where the threat came from.


    As he was trying to figure it out, he suddenly heard an alert from inside his head.


    ++++++++++++++++++++


    EMERGENCY MISSION:


    ? Defeat the invader.


    ++++++++++++++++++++


    Hugh suddenly got an alert from his system. He had never experienced this before, so he was caught off guard. He did not know what an invader was, or did he know where it was.


    Hugh looked around the room, but he could not see anything that was different. His first immediate thought was that Aric had come back, but Aric was nowhere to be seen.


    "Hey, she said no."


    Chad seemed to be completely pissed off about this new guy, Marshal. He was a friend of Aric, and Serena was Aric''s possession, so he would not let others steal her away from Aric.


    Chad knew that no one in the classroom could stand up to him, except for Hugh, so he was a little bit aggressive in dealing with Marshal.


    Chad pushed Marshal off Serena''s desk, and he stumbled his way a little bit down the floor. He seemed to be completely enraged at Chad''s actions.


    However, for the students that were watching them, it was a funny situation. They relished the fact that somebody was put back right in their place.


    "Who the f*** are you?!"


    Marshal shouted towards Chad, with his blood rushing through his neck. Everyone stopped laughing and they looked towards Chad with shock.


    They did not even know that Marshal could get angry like that. Even Chad was thrown off by the sudden aggression by an average-looking guy.


    Chad stood up without any problem and started to walk towards Chad with an angry eye. The students avoided him as he made his way since they were now afraid of what he might do.


    Right now, Marshal was like a volatile bomb. They did not know when or how Marshal would explode, and they did not want to get caught in the crossfire.


    "Hey, are you okay?"


    Then, suddenly stopped Marshal right in his tracks. This person put his hand on Marshal''s shoulder and seemed to genuinely want to stop Marshal from embarrassing himself.


    This person was Jenkins, a friend of Marshal. Jenkins knew that Marshal was not a strong guy, so a confrontation with Chad would be detrimental to Marshal''s health.


    However, Marshal did not stop. Instead, he turned around and faced Jenkins. Marshal reached out to the hand that was touching him, and he suddenly twisted it until Jenkins'' wrist got dislocated.


    "AAAHHHHHH!!!!!"


    Jenkins shouted in pain as he held his mangled arm in his hands. Everyone was in complete disbelief as they did not think that Marshal would be this brutal.


    Marshal did not seem to recognize Jenkins as a friend, so there was no familiarity in his eyes. If Jenkins had kept his hands on Marshal''s shoulders a little bit longer, he would have lost his whole hand.


    As Marshal looked around the students watching him, he suddenly stopped and looked directly at Hugh. It was at this moment that Hugh realized that this person was the invader.

 Chapter 122: Incident

    Hugh''s heart skipped a beat as he wondered how this guy could be the invader. He had seen this person throughout his life in the school, so he had never thought that Marshal would be an enemy.


    However, there was also a chance that something had happened to Marshal. No matter what happened, Marshal was no longer the normal boring guy and has now become an invader.


    Marshal stopped looking at Hugh and had now looked around the room. It seemed that he had also realized that Hugh was a special kid that would be a hindrance to his plans.


    "You guys are so trivial. You are all just small pawns in the game of the universe."


    Marshal now and on a rant that seemed to weird out everybody. It seemed that he was out of this world in his opinions, which not everybody could understand.


    Then, the door to the classroom burst open, and everyone could feel the air around them start to get heavier. They all turned quiet as they turned their head towards the door.


    Professor Kain had returned and was now standing right by the door. They all scrambled towards their seats as they realized that it was now the start of the class.


    Hugh was still left standing in the middle of the room as he looked at Marshal. He was still trying to figure out how he was going to deal with him.


    Hugh did not even know if Marshall was a threat that could kill him or a threat that he must control. He did not even know why the system recognizes Marshal as an invader.


    Marshal was also left standing as everyone sat on their chairs. Everyone turned to the professor as he walked towards the whiteboard.


    Everyone seemed to realize that professor Kain was not what he usually was. He seemed to be somber than usual as if he was on a bad day.


    Even Hugh was slightly distracted by professor Kain, so he slightly looked at him. Then, when he returned his eyes towards Marshal, he was already gone by then.


    "Do not get in my way."


    Hugh suddenly heard a threat right by his ears that made him get anxious and defensive. Hugh looked to his right and realized that Marshal was already right beside him, about to pass by.


    Hugh could feel a strong grip on his shoulder, which almost gave him an injury. Before he could even try to respond with a quip, Marshal had already escaped to his chair.


    Hugh wanted to question him more but now was not the time.


    "Is there a problem, Hugh?"


    Professor Kain asked Hugh this question because he was the only person left standing in the classroom. Hugh had no choice but to go back to his seat and wait for it to end before he confronted Marshal.


    The time seemed to pass by as professor Kain went on with his lecture. Hugh would look towards Marshal to see what he was doing, and it seemed that Marshal was not paying attention in class.


    "I know that you must have many questions about the violet incident, but we must all trust the school."


    Professor Kain seemed to be talking about the strange incident that occurred in the central area. This was directly caused by Hugh, so it had piqued his interest.


    "Why is it so bad, professor?"


    Someone asked the very important question that was in everyone''s mind. They all knew that the barriers of the school were destroyed, but they did not know why the barriers were even important.


    What was the barrier protecting the school from? As far as everyone knew, it was only a precaution.


    Professor Kain took his time as he tried to forgive out what he would say to his students. He seemed to be very careful in his words, making sure that he did not say the wrong thing.


    "There are some forces outside that would be better left outside."


    His answer was vague, but it seemed to pique more of the students'' interest.


    "What if those forces got inside? What would happen?"


    Naturally, the students got curious as to what would happen in the worst-case scenario. Even Marshal, who seemed to be disinterested throughout the class, was now intently paying attention.


    *sigh*


    The professor sighed, seemingly exasperated, not because of the question, but because of something else.


    "Let''s just hope that it won''t happen, alright?"


    It seemed that professor Kain wanted to change the subject right away. He quickly turned around and made sure that no one would ask any more questions.


    "Is it really bad if something comes here?"


    Everyone turned around to the person who had spoken, even professor Kain. It was Marshal, who had his legs on his desk.


    Marshal had a playful smile as he looked at the professor. Everyone knew that professor Kain wanted to drop the subject, but it seemed that Marshal did not get the memo.


    Professor Kain put both of his hands on his desk as he looked at Marshal deep in the eyes. He seemed to be reading Marshal''s intentions, and it was unknown whether he figured something out.


    "It is bad. Catastrophic. You don''t know the chaos that would ensue once that happens."


    For the first time, it seemed that professor Kain got very serious. His nostrils flared, a vein bulged in his forehead, his brows furrowed.


    Everyone was unnerved by the fact that their professor was being serious. They had not taken the violet incident seriously, but hearing professor Kain''s worst-case scenario seemed to be terrifying.


    Professor Kain realized his mistake too late. Everyone whispered amongst themselves as they postulated what would happen.


    "Okay. That is enough for today, we will be taking a break."


    To remedy it, professor Kain ended class early. It seemed to have worked as everyone seemed to perk up at the idea of going home early.


    Hugh wanted to know more about the violet incident, but the professor seemed to have his lips tied shut. Hugh stood up and looked around the room.


    He wanted to confront Marshal, but he could not see him anywhere. It seemed that Marshal slipped off while Hugh was a little bit distracted.


    Hugh got to thinking. If he were to deal with the invader, he would not know what to do. He was clueless going into battle, which would give him a tremendous disadvantage.


    Then, an idea came into mind. From the professor''s intense feelings about the violet incident, he must know more about the situation.


    With this resolution, Hugh ran up to professor Kain as he walked out the door. He seemed to be in a hurry as he walked at a brisk pace, even forgetting some of his things in the classroom.


    "Professor!"


    Hugh shouted to the professor, but he ignored Hugh. Hugh did not give up and started to run faster as he tried to catch up to professor Kain.


    "Professor, I just have some questions about the violet incident."


    Hugh walked alongside Professor Kain, but the professor still ignored him.


    "I have no time for this, Hugh."


    The professor seemed to be intent on keeping his lips tied shut. It almost seemed like there was something that he was keeping a secret.


    "I was there in the central area as it happened."


    Hugh tried to get professor Kain''s attention by saying that, and it seemed to have worked. The professor stopped in his tracks, and for the first time, looked at Hugh.


    "..."


    The professor stopped and just looked at Hugh. Hugh was a little bit unnerved being watched like that, but he was glad that he got Professor Kain''s attention.


    "Well? Get on with it."


    It seemed that the professor was just waiting for Hugh to recount his story.


    "I was near the central building as it collapsed. I saw as everything unfolded."


    The professor closed his eyes as he listened to Hugh''s story. He seemed to be intently listening to Hugh''s story as he tapped on his feet.


    After a little while, after Hugh finished his story, the professor went quiet.


    "Did you see anything?"


    Professor Kain opened his eyes and looked at Hugh. This time, the professor looked around as if he was waiting for bad news to be told to him.


    "I saw many weird things, but I don''t know which you are talking about."


    Hugh said those words, but it was not completely true. He was prodding professor Kain for more information.


    The professor looked at Hugh as if he was debating whether to tell him or not.


    "Did you see small strange blurs come out of the barriers?"


    The professor seemed to be very nervous as he tapped his foot and his finger with more intensity as he waited for Hugh to answer.


    Hugh furrowed his eyebrows as he heard the professor''s description. From what the professor was talking about, it seemed that the bad forces that came into the school were beasts.


    "What are they?" Hugh asked with curiosity in his eyes.


    "Invaders."

 Chapter 123: Slushee

    "Invaders?"


    Hugh repeated the single sentence that professor Kain had uttered. He could see the seriousness in the professor''s eyes. Most importantly, he had already heard this word before.


    The emergency mission that he had gotten from the system had wanted him to eliminate the invader. He did not know that the invader had come from the outside.


    "Yes, the invaders. They are an annoying little bunch."


    Professor Kain seemed to have spite coming out of his mouth as he belittled the invaders. He seemed to know more about them, and it intrigued Hugh even more.


    "What are they?"


    Hugh wanted to know more about the invaders so that he would know what he would be dealing with. Professor Kain might even know how he would be able to defeat it.


    "They are maggots, parasites the lot of them. Once one gets here, a whole colony will soon spawn."


    Professor Kain shuddered at the thought. He had a lot of knowledge as a teacher of the school, so he knew exactly what he was dealing with.


    "What do they look like?"


    Hugh got a little bit excited and leaned in closer to hear what professor Kain would say. However, the professor seemed to pick up on this.


    "Why are you so interested?"


    Hugh could not say the truth. The truth would involve him telling professor Kain about his system, and that would not be a wise idea.


    "I have an interest in this stuff."


    Hugh tried to play it off as some kind of hobby that he had liked. He did not know if the professor would believe it, but it was the best that he could come up with at the moment.


    "Can you tell me more about the invaders? What are they? What do they look like? What do they do? How do we defeat them?"


    Hugh spewed out all of these questions for professor Kain to answer. He waited patiently for professor Kain to answer, and it looked like the professor would finally spill the beans.


    *RING*


    As professor Kain opened his mouth to say something, an alarm sounded out through the hallways of the school. This bell meant that classes had ended, and students would soon come by.


    There was silence after the bell, and like a quiet tsunami, it was only the eye of the storm. After a few seconds, the doors started to rumble and students burst out of their classrooms with such vigor and life.


    The students flooded the hallways and bumped through each other. Hugh was also affected by this stampede, and he was separated from the professor.


    "Just kill them on site."


    Hugh heard the professor''s voice amongst the crowd. This warning was overpowered by the noise of the crowd, but Hugh heard it loud and clear.


    Hugh wanted to find the professor, but he was nowhere to be found. Hugh was disappointed since he did not get any substantial information about the invaders.


    He only knew that the invaders came from the outside and that they are very dangerous. With this lack of information, Hugh was left to stumble along the road.


    He thought back to Marshal, the person that he suspected to be the invader. Everything seemed to line up in a place as he remembered how strange Marshal had acted through the day.


    Now that he knew that an invader was dangerous, Hugh had more resolve to deal with it. The problem for Hugh was how he would do such a thing without even knowing what an invader looked like.


    Was an invader a clone of someone? Are they a parasite that takes control of a body? Or was it something different entirely?


    For now, Hugh resolved to stick near Marshal and figure out what he was. He was also worried that Marshal would cause chaos through the school, like what professor Kain had said about the invaders.


    Hugh walked back to the hallways to the classroom, and he heard a shout from somewhere. Thinking about the worst-case scenario, Hugh rushed towards the scream.


    As Hugh turned the corner, he suddenly saw a woman who was standing by herself. She had a strange green substance all over her body like it was splashed all over her.


    Hugh was immediately alerted by this, and he approached her carefully.


    "Are you okay? What happened?"


    The girl finally noticed Hugh and looked at him with a frown on her face. It was clear that she was in a bad mood, and it was spilling all over her clothes.


    "Marshal happened."


    Hugh stopped in his tracks as he realized that this might have been Marshal''s doing. He now looked at the strange green substance all over her clothes as if it was a threat.


    He did not know if it was something that an invader does to a victim. He approached her quietly, making sure that he would not touch the green substance on the ground.


    "Tell me everything."


    The girl seemed to quickly turn from angry to sad in a split second. She started to sob and her eyes started to water. She seemed to be a complete mess.


    "I did not want to go back to his place, and he just lashed out at me. He threw my green apple slushee all over me!"


    Hugh heaved an internal sigh as he realized that the strange substance was just a slushee. He now approached her more quickly, but he was still careful.


    "Do you know where he went?"


    Hugh wanted to find Marshal as quickly as possible so that he would not affect any more people.


    "Why should I care where that bastard went?!"


    She now became angry again as if she was bipolar. Hugh put his hands on her shoulders and consoled her for a little bit so that she would calm down.


    "Because I will make sure that he gets what he deserves."


    As soon as Hugh said that, the girl stopped crying. She looked at Hugh for the first time, and she had her mouth opened like she was surprised.


    "I think...he went that way."


    The girl pointed towards a direction where she remembered where Marshal went. She looked at Hugh with a strange look.


    As soon as Hugh revived the information, he quickly walked in the direction.


    "What''s your name?"


    Before Hugh could get out completely, the woman stopped him in his tracks. She got ahold of Hugh''s hands and did not let go of it.


    "Hugh."


    Hugh did not mind telling her his name. He felt a little bad that she got a drink thrown at her, and he also felt thankful that she cooperated with his questions.


    "Jade."


    She also introduced herself as Hugh said his name. Even though Hugh had told her his name, she still did not let go of his hands.


    "Sorry, got to run."


    Hugh realized that he had spent too much standing around. He needed to catch up to Marshal as soon as possible.


    Hugh ran away from Jade, leaving her dripping wet with the green apple slushee running down her shirt. Hugh did not notice this, but there was now an apparent red blush on her cheeks that was not there before.


    Hugh ran towards the direction where Jade had pointed. He remembered how professor Kain described the invaders, and it sent a chill down his spine. He ran even faster.


    Hugh ran out of the school building as he was greeted by the morning sun. There were multitudes of students waking and loitering around.


    He looked around the campus to see where Marshal had come, but he did not see him. There were way too many people on the campus.


    Hugh activated his eagle eyes and used them to the best of his abilities. With his new mutated eye, he could now see the distance with much more clarity.


    Hugh looked around and finally saw Marshal in the middle of a group of students. They were all laughing and having fun. It almost made it seem like Marshal was a normal guy.


    Hugh ran towards him with just one thing he was focused on, making sure that Marshal does not do anything that would jeopardize other people''s lives.


    Hugh finally reached Marshal and his friends. He raised his hand and was about to put it in Marshal''s shoulders when he turned around.


    "Ahh...look who finally decided to come."


    Marshal seemed to have realized that Hugh was looking for him. It even seemed like Marshal knew that Hugh would come running down the street.


    "I don''t know what you''re doing, but you better make sure that I will be watching you."


    Hugh threatened Marshal by grabbing his collar and lifting him in the air. The surrounding people stopped laughing and they all looked at Hugh.


    Hugh realized that he had been too aggressive, but it was too late to notice. Marshal decided to use this opportunity in his favor.


    "Wow, slow down big guy. We are all friends here. What a weird guy right?"


    Marshal controlled the situation with ease and made sure that the public opinion was against Hugh.

 Chapter 124: Consultation

    Hugh looked around and realized that everyone was looking at him with emailed looks. He was now put in a tough position.


    There was nothing she could do here, but to put Marshal down. He did not think that he would get this aggressive over something that Marshal had not even done.


    He did not know whether it was because of the strange things he had been experiencing or because of his unknown hate for the invader.


    As Hugh looked around, he did not notice that Marshal had leaned in closer to him and whispered in his ears.


    "Hehehe, you can''t do anything here. You try anything, and I will make sure that everyone in here dies with me."


    Hugh could no longer hear the normal voice of Marshal, but a more sinister note of blackmail. There was not anything in the world that made him, even more, creepier than he already was.


    Hugh did not know enough information about the invader that he did not know if he was bluffing or not. Realizing that he could not act rationally, he decided to back off for now.


    Hugh looked at Marshal with a menacing eye for the last time, and he turned around to get away from the current spotlight.


    "I will, one day, devour everyone in here. For the colony."


    However, before he could even get away, Marshal whispered for the last time. Hugh knew that Marshal had only told him so that he would become scared.


    However, for Hugh, it only gave him more resolve to deal with him. It did not change what he would do, but now, it became personal for him.


    Even if the system did not instruct him to do this, he would gladly take this mantle of responsibility himself.


    Hugh left the crowd as he bumped into the students. They all seemed to celebrate as soon as Hugh got out of earshot. There seemed to be some kind of charisma that the invader had that could enchant anybody.


    Of course, Hugh was immune to this since he knows that the invader was a dangerous species from the outside. He looked around aimlessly, without anything to do.


    He did not know how he would get about planning the demise of Marshal, but one thing was for sure; he needed to ask professor Kain for more information about the invaders.


    With this plan in mind, Hugh quickly changed his direction towards the teacher faculty lounge. He had never been there before, but it was easy to spot.


    He could see a mansion in the near distance, and he quickly distinguished it to be the faculty lounge. This was the place where the teachers and professors lounge as they passed the time before and after a class.


    Students were coming in and out of the lounge, and Hugh could see that there was a pattern.


    The only students that came inside the teacher''s lounge were the rebellious kids and the smart kids.


    The smart kids always spend their time in the faculty lounge to make sure that they would get better treatment than the others. They would ask for more extra credit to bump up their grade to an even higher one.


    There were also the troublemakers who would cause a scene. Hugh could distinguish them by the rebellious look in their eyes, and the strange hairstyles that they chose for themselves.


    Hugh walked in the front door and immediately realized that it looked like it was more expressive than his whole house back in the city.


    Professors had a great advantage in this environment and were treated like gods. Of course, it helped that the professors could beat up everyone inside the school without any problems.


    As Hugh entered the lounge, he could already feel that this was an adult place. The furniture was classy, the lights, the carpets, and the general tone of the whole building.


    Everyone seemed to enjoy their day as Hugh passed by them. Some students were surrounding one passably handsome professor, students were begging their professors to reconsider their grades.


    Hugh looked around the room to see where he should go. He did not know where professor Kain would be, so he decided to start at the bottom floor.


    As he was walking around the mahogany table of the lounge, he suddenly bumped into someone he had met before.


    Hugh and this person bumped into each other and they stepped back one step. They both looked irritated that they had bumped into each other.


    "You?!"


    Hugh looked up and immediately saw the shiny golden locks of Serena. He could already see the crumple in her nose as she got more and more irritated about Hugh.


    "Me."


    Hugh patted down his clothes and ignored her. He did not have the time to deal with her, so he decided to just forget her existence and move on with his life.


    Hugh started to walk away from her as soon as possible before she would start one of her patented complaints.


    However, he was quickly stopped by her standing in front of him. She had her arms crossed as she looked at him with uneven eyes.


    "What? Move along."


    Hugh tried to move past her, but she would just mirror his actions. Hugh did not want to get physical with her, especially not with all the professors in her, but he would do it if he got annoyed enough, which was a real possibility.


    "Why are you here?"


    Serena had a questioning eye as she looked at him. She raised her chin as if trying to overcome the height difference between the two of them.


    If Serena was not such an annoying person, Hugh would have thought that she was cute. However, no matter how pretty she was, nothing could make her look better with a rotten core.


    "It''s none of your business."


    Hugh tried to shoo her away, but she would not just let go. She seemed adamant in making sure to make Hugh''s life more miserable.


    "Are you here too for the class election?"


    Serena had a cautious and accusing eye as she waited for Hugh''s answer. Hugh did not expect her question so much that he was tongue-tied.


    He did not even know there was a class election in this school. Even if it did, Hugh could not care less about it.


    "What? In what world would I do that?!"


    Hugh tried to once again slip past her, but she would just not let up. Hugh could even see some pink smoke coming off her, meaning that she was just on the brink of using her powers.


    "You are coming here to see professor Kain, aren''t you?"


    Serena pointed at Hugh as she accused him. She did not seem to mind that she was making a scene in front of the whole faculty. Hugh was sure that this would spread through the gossip mouths of the students.


    "Yeah."


    Hugh gave up and decided to just answer her truthfully so that she would finally shut up.


    "What else is the reason you are coming to see him?"


    From Serena''s perspective, it truly was the only reason to consult professor Kain.


    "Your business, none of your."


    Hugh was finally fed up with all of this, so he decided to use his abilities and be serious. With his eagle eyes activated, he could see every movement that Serena made.


    He saw the wrinkles in her uniform. The little red rose that was pinned to her I.D. lace, and the way that her golden hair flowed through her shoulders.


    Hugh was a little bit distracted, but he managed to keep it to himself. He fainted to go the right and judged where Serena would go.


    With his superior vision, Hugh fainted going right, but he went left. It was an easy plan, but he knew that it would catch her off her guard. It turned out that his plan worked.


    Hugh side-stepped her and he was finally able to get out from her trap. Hugh immediately went towards the hallways and just decided to look for Professor Kain''s office.


    He would have asked some of the faculty here, but he did not want to go back and face Serena all over again. He looked around and gone through every name in the office rooms just to find what he was looking for.


    As he finally reached professor Kain''s office, he saw the same blond girl waiting outside. She seemed to be very nervous as she kept ticking her hair in her ears.


    After walking towards her, she finally noticed Hugh standing in the corner. They both shared an awkward look and ignored each other again.


    "You know, you can just tell me that you are running for President."


    Serena had her hands crossed once again as she confronted Bang. She seemed to be completely serious with her irritation with Bang.


    "I know it''s hard to think that there is a life outside of school politics, but I have real responsibilities."

 Chapter 125: Eavesdrop

    "Responsibilities? Like what? Eating the whole world''s consumption in a day?"


    Serena seemed proud of her quip to Hugh. She did not seem to think that making fun of Hugh''s eight was a low hanging-fruit.


    "Whatever. You wouldn''t get it. Just live your insignificant life."


    Hugh did not want to bother anymore in talking with Serena. He did not even take her insult to heart since he did not feel any more insecure about it. Knowing that he could transform into his fit-self was a confidence booster that he always has in his pockets.


    Serena had her jaw dropped as Hugh said those words. She seemed to be offended by him, but Hugh was no longer looking at her.


    Hugh suddenly saw professor Kain out of the corner of his eyes. It immediately sparked him to move and catch up to him and ask him more questions.


    Since Serena was still tongue-tied from Hugh''s insult, she did not seem to react fast enough for Hugh to slip by her. She let him go even though she was furious.


    Hugh traversed the busy hallways of the lounge as he looked for professor Kain. He would bump into other students and professors, but he could only apologize to them in passing since he was trying to catch up to professor Kain.


    "Professor! Professor!"


    Hugh tried to reach out to the professor, but he seemed to be preoccupied at the moment. Then, he suddenly saw the professor turn a corner.


    Hugh swiftly followed the professor, but before he could turn a corner, he suddenly overheard another person talking with professor Kain.


    "Any news about the invaders?"


    Hugh did not recognize this voice, but it seemed to be from a middle-aged man. There was a sense of anxiousness and urgency in his voice as he asked professor Kain with a hushed voice.


    "No. Not yet. The Student Council is doing their best to control the situation, but I fear that they are out of their league with this one."


    Professor Kain responded to the mysterious voice. Judging from the context of the matter, Hugh guessed that they were talking about the violet incident.


    "Is there anything we can do?"


    The mysterious voice seemed to be concerned with the current situation. Even the mighty student council seemed to have not to be trusted by professor Kain.


    "You know we can''t. Us professors cannot get involved in these matters. We just have to hope that some miracle happens."


    Hugh heard those words and he furrowed his eyebrows. Judging from what he said, it seemed like the professors had some kind of oath not to interfere with the students.


    Hugh always wondered about that too. If the invaders were as dangerous as professor Kain described them to be, then why don''t they just act by themselves?


    It turned out that the professors cannot do anything about it. Only the students can solve their problems. It made sense since this school was a place that was always inductive to self-learning.


    "The barrier?"


    The other voice did not seem to stop worrying about things since he once again asked professor Kain.


    "It is still down, but the student council is holding the fort down."


    Professor Kain seemed to have all the answers to any situation at the current moment. Hugh had always thought that professor Kain was just a normal professor, but it may turn out that he was hiding something.


    "That damn Blacklade school. They have become too aggressive, destroying our barrier."


    That was one school that Hugh knew a little bit about. He had met someone, a spy, from that school. He did not know why the schools all had spies for each other, and it seemed like spying was still at the top of the iceberg.


    "It is because they are planning to..."


    Just before Hugh could hear the final words to Professor Kain''s sentence, he suddenly felt a cold touch to his shoulders. It jolted him awake and it activated his fight or flight response.


    Hugh quickly turned around and used his eagle eyes as a precaution. He was surprised to see a familiar face, way too familiar.


    "Hey! What are you snooping around for?"


    Serena seemed to have followed Hugh to here. She had the eyes of someone suspicious, someone who was doubting Hugh''s intentions inside the professor''s lounge.


    Hugh quickly covered Serena''s mouth as she had spoken too loud. He was afraid that professor Kain and his mysterious friend would find out that someone was snooping around in the corner.


    Serena was more than displeased as she felt Hugh''s hand on her mouth. However, Hugh had succeeded in keeping Serena''s mouth shut for even a second.


    Hugh carefully looked around the corner, but he could not see professor Kain anywhere. It was as if the two never existed at all. Hugh was now sure that they had noticed that someone was snooping around, so they left.


    "Blergh! That''s disgusting."


    Serena quickly slapped Hugh''s hand away from her mouth. She was spitting in the ground as if she was disgusted by the fact that her luscious lips were touched by someone like Hugh.


    "Curse it, Serena! You scared them off!"


    Hugh was also more than displeased as he could not hear the last part of what professor Kain was saying. He had also lost sight of the professor, which would delay his plans for even longer.


    "What are you talking about?!"


    Serena seemed to notice that Hugh had been snooping around for a reason. She looked around the corner, but she could not see anyone around.


    "Tsk."


    Hugh could not explain it to Serena. She would not get it, and he would rather do it himself than ask for her help. She was a hard person to deal with.


    Hugh ignored her and quickly got out of the professor''s lounge. He was a little bit salty that he would have to find professor Kain for another time.


    Right now, he needed to know more about the so-called invaders. For that, there was only one other thing he could do; find it out the hard way.


    Hugh turned his sights to the academy''s library. It housed the world''s knowledge in one serene and calm room. The history and knowledge trapped in that room were enough to keep someone busy for a while.


    Hugh did not have to travel far to get to the library. As usual, he was once again enamored but the grandiosity and serenity of the library. This was the first time that he had been there, so it was a surreal experience.


    Hugh entered the library after the guard had confirmed Hugh''s identity. He was immediately shocked to see what he had found.


    The library was full of old-school books. He could see the little tears in the book''s pages and the deteriorating book covers. There was apparent history with every book he could see.


    He was surprised because he did not think that there would still be this many books in the library. A modern library consisted of computers and isolated rooms. Every book and knowledge was online.


    This kind of library was old-school. It was vintage. Hugh quickly passed by every shelf as he touched the books with his very own hands. He appreciated the fact that he could touch it, a complete contrast to the impersonal normal of today.


    Hugh navigated through the library to find where he could read about the invaders. It took a lot of finding, but he was able to find a section where it tackled the outside.


    He picked up a book that was called ''the wonderful but terrifying outside,'' and started to parse through the pages. He was completely nematode by its contents as it was both an adventure story and a knowledgeable book.


    He quickly finished the pages and put them down. He found a lot about the outside, but he did not know if it was the truth or not.


    He realized that the book was in the fiction section, so he took everything with a grain of salt. However, he did find something about the invaders.


    The book entailed the adventures of a man named Neil who came across a village. In that village, he mingled and shared his life with the locals.


    However, things did not end well for the hospitable village. Somehow, a different man came into the village as an infected person.


    This infected person had, inside him, an invader. Invaders are a parasite life-form that took control of people''s bodies and used it to further their colony.


    Soon, the whole village got infected and everyone died. This was the part where Hugh was confused. He did not find anything about the specifics of the infection.


    However, the man named Neil seemed to have survived.


    He did not even know how everyone died. It just stated that no one in the village had survived, but the invaders multiplied until they took over the entire world one village and another.


    "Why are you reading about invaders?"

 Chapter 126: Tackle

    Hugh saw Jane looking at the book he was currently reading. She was the kind of person that was studious so it was not weird for Hugh to find her here at the library.


    "Ye...yeah."


    Hugh tried to be calm and collected, but he was a little bit surprised that he would see someone from his class today.


    "Why are you reading it?"


    Jane seemed to invite herself to Hugh''s table as he reached down and pulled herself a chair and sat next to him. She was a little bit too enthusiastic, which made Hugh unnerved.


    "Just some research."


    Hugh did not lie since he was doing some research on the invaders. However, he would not tell her about his plans to kill an invader, who was now their classmate, Marshal.


    "Huh...I never pegged you to be someone who researches on his own time."


    Jane continued to look at Hugh''s book as if she was interested in it herself. She quickly picked up the book and parsed through the pages.


    Hugh had no choice but to let her do whatever she wanted. If he were to get too overprotective about the book, then she would think that Hugh was lying about something.


    Also, he thought that he had read everything about the book about all there was to know about the invaders, which was not much.


    "Good to see you."


    Hugh quickly slipped out of the table as she was busy reading the book. Hugh was busy trying to plan out his assassination attempt to kill Marshal.


    "Wait!"


    Before Hug could completely get away from the table, he heard Jane reach out to him. Hugh would be rude to not answer her, so he turned around and faced her.


    "Do you think something happened in the violet incident?"


    Jane''s question made Hugh sweat in his clothes. She seemed to be very close to figuring out that Hugh was involved in the violet incident.


    Hugh tried to have a calm face as he faced her. He even tilted his head to make it seem like he did not know what she was talking about.


    "Isn''t that why you are reading about the invaders? You think that they infiltrated the school?"


    Jane seemed to be more knowledgeable than she let on. She even knew about the dangers of the school barrier being destroyed. Hugh was genuinely surprised by the fact that she knew what she was talking about.


    "Yeah. Research is just for precaution."


    Hugh did not lie to her. Hugh slowly approached her table again as he stared at her face. This was the only time that Hugh had ever observed her face.


    Underneath Jane''s nerdy and standoffish exterior, Hugh could see a beauty that was just hiding underneath her skin. Her eyes were a beautiful green color, and there was a sense of complexity in her eyes.


    "What do you know about the invaders."


    Since it seemed like Jane knew about the invaders, Hugh thought that it would be a good idea to ask her about it.


    "I just know that they are a parasitic group. They send out one warrior through the realms, and that is all that it takes. Once the invader gathers enough materials, it would generate a replication lair which thousands upon thousands of invaders will hatch."


    Hugh had a shocked face as he listened to Jane''s words. She seemed to have more information about the invaders than any of the books that he had read in this library.


    "How did you know all that?"


    Hugh was intrigued with Jane''s seemingly all-knowing ability. Huh decided to stick with her since she had all the knowledge about the invaders.


    "You know, research, like you."


    Hugh nodded his head. He did not believe what she had said. There was no way that she had known all of these things about the invaders without any other source. He had scoured the whole library and he still had not found anything useful about the invaders.


    "How do you exterminate them?"


    Hugh quickly got to the point. That was the only thing he ever needed if he were to go against an invader.


    "Why? Hahaha. Are you going on an excursion?"


    Jane laughed for a little bit as she asked that question. She seemed to be very laid back, a competent contrast to the anxious Hugh.


    "No. It''s just for precaution."


    Jane laughed for a second time as she heard Hugh''s response.


    "Well, an invader needs a host body. So, you need to find the host first."


    Jane looked up as he seas trying to remember knowledge about the invaders.


    "After that? What should I do?"


    Jane once again laughed at Hugh''s words. She seemed to be completely amused by the fact that Hugh took everything seriously. It made it seem like Hugh had the world on his shoulders.


    "Hugh, I know you''re strong, but you can''t expect to kill an invader by yourself."


    Hugh was a little bit offended by Jane''s words. Hugh was confident with his strengths if he was able to use his transformation. It was only a little bit later that he remembered that Jane did not know this fact.


    "Yeah. I''m not strong like Aric, but I still want to find out how."


    Jane almost choked on her air as she heard Hugh''s words. She started to laugh so hard that she had to use her hands to stop herself from laughing too hard. They were still at a library so silence was a need.


    "I''m not talking about that. I know you can beat Aric in your sleep. You do not have to pretend."


    Hugh was taken aback by Jane''s words. Usually, none of his classmates knew that he was stronger than Aric. They would usually believe that Hugh got lucky, but they would never believe that Hugh was strong.


    "What? I don''t know what you''re talking about."


    Jane once again laughed at Hugh''s words. She seemed to not believe his words, which she knew to be true.


    "Whatever. To defeat an invader, you just have to get their nucleus and destroy it."


    Hugh got serious as he finally heard how he would be able to defeat the invader. Through all these goose chase, he finally got some real information that would help him.


    "Where is the nucleus?"


    Jane heard Hugh''s question and she shrugged her shoulders. For the first time, she did not seem to know the answer.


    "That, I do not know. I just know they hide it in their body."


    Jane sipped on her coffee that seemed to have come out of nowhere. She was hiding her time while Hugh was looking worried like his life was on the line. He was trying to figure out how he would get the nucleus of the invader.


    "Never mind the nucleus, it would be hard enough to find out which host the invader chose. It would be nigh impossible since the invader gets access to the host''s memories."


    Jane seemed to be convinced of the fact that the hardest thing to do would be to locate the host of the invader. Of course, this was no problem for Hugh since he already knew who was the host.


    "Ok."


    Hugh took Jane''s words to his heart as he started to formulate a plan. He quickly got up from his chair and he started to sprint out of the library.


    However, he remembered something important that he had forgotten. Hugh quickly made a u-turn and returned to where he had left Jane.


    "Jane, thanks."


    Hugh said his thanks and he quickly bolted out of the library. He wanted to look for Marshal to finish the job once and for all.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Serena was walking down the streets of the Prestige when she came across a familiar face. She seemed to have known this person, but she could not remember his face.


    The man continued to walk towards her with a confident stride. It was only after the man faced her that she remembered who he was.


    "Serena! Fancy meeting you here."


    Marshal opened his arms wide as he went for a hug with Serena. He was overly friendly, which Serena did not appreciate.


    "Ew! Get off me!"


    Serena quickly shouted as Marshal went for a hug. She involuntarily used her Desire to send out a blast of energy that threw Marshal to the wall.


    Marshal flew to the opposite wall as he fell face-first into the bricks. It quickly drew the attention of the people passing by as they stopped in their tracks.


    "You bitch!"


    Marshal shouted towards Serena as he faces the humiliation. He took big strides as he moved closer to her. There was clear hostility in his eyes.


    However, before he could get close to Serena, Hugh suddenly came into the picture. Hugh tackled Marshal to try and stop him from attacking Serena.


    However, it seemed that Marshal had seen through Hugh''s attack. At the very last second, Marshal dodged away, leaving Hugh to attack the air.


    With Marshal dodging away, Hugh was left to tackle the air, or so he had hoped. Unfortunately, he tackled Serena instead.


    They both fell to the floor, dirtying their clothes and face. Hugh opened his eyes and suddenly felt a squishy feeling in his hands. He looked down and saw that he was touching Serena''s breasts.

 Chapter 127: Lair

    Hugh looked down to his hands and saw that he was cupping a certain delicate part of Serena. Hugh was no stranger to breasts since he had man breasts as a fat person.


    However, it was a different feeling with touching the most popular girl''s breasts. It was more meaningful, but also dreadful. He just realized that he was touching the most popular girl''s breasts.


    Hugh quickly took away his hands before Serena could even complain. The worst part of it was that many people had witnessed this little event.


    For extra precaution, Hugh stepped back a few steps away from Serena as he tried to judge her reaction. However, all he could see was this deadpan expression on her face.


    Hugh did not know if she was angry or just really really angry. At this point, Hugh would be glad for Serena to show just a bit of emotion.


    Seeing her like this made her look even more terrifying. To remedy this situation, his mind went into overdrive as he tried to come up with an excuse.


    "Don''t worry! I did not feel anything!"


    Hugh had never been in this kind of situation before, so he fumbled his words. He had thought that those words would be comforting, but judging from the cringing he saw from the spectators, he guessed that he had said the wrong thing.


    "I only meant that your boobs were nice-I meant your boobs are...are...nice."


    Hugh was at a loss for words as he tried to talk his way out of it, but it turned out that he kept burying himself with his own words.


    Serena''s face was hidden by her disheveled bangs. It was as if there was a shadow cast upon her face that made it impossible for anyone to know what she was currently seeing.


    Suddenly, Serena stood up. Hugh could not help but flinch at her sudden actions. He knew that Serena only looked like an innocent woman, but she was a beast.


    Without any warning, Hugh suddenly felt all his hairs standing up. This could only mean one thing, there was a current threat coming towards him.


    Underneath Serena''s feet, pink smoke started to come out. Everyone spectating could feel the temperature in the air drop a few degrees.


    The pink smoke started to envelop all around her body as if there was a gravitational pull around her body. Then, it started to absorb in her skin.


    There was a substantial change in Serena that shocked everyone that was idolizing her. Everyone thought of her as this angelic pure flower, but her current physique contradicted it.


    Serena''s slender figure started to change into a more masculine body. Her muscles started to inflate like she ingested kilos of protein a day.


    She started to get taller and taller until she was barely recognizable. The only thing that was the same about her was the blonde locks on her hair.


    Hugh gulped as he looked up at her. Her face was still hidden in her bangs, so Hugh could not see what her current mental state was right now.


    *STEP*


    Even Serena''s footsteps sounded ginormous. The pavement started to crumble under the weight of her ginormous muscles.


    Her actions were slow, but Hugh could feel tremendous power hiding under her fists. She started to walk towards Hugh with unknown intentions, but everyone guessed it to be retribution.


    Serena raised her fist and did not hide her intention to punch Hugh. He could also predict what she was going to do, but Hugh did not want to avoid it.


    Hugh felt that Serena would not feel peace until her revenge was given to her. He decided to let her hit him for one time so that his transgressions would be excused.


    Hugh could see the world as if it were in slow motion. He could see the shocked but delighted faces of everyone watching Serena punch him.


    He could see the visible nerves in Serena''s huge forearms, the tears on her clothes as they got stretched until their limits.


    He could see the giant fist that was coming right towards him. He had all the time in the world to dodge, but he did not. He took the punch like a man.


    *Boom*


    Serena''s large fist landed right on Hugh''s cheekbones and threw him a few meters away from everyone. The spectators avoided Hugh''s body like the plague and let him hit the cold hard floor.


    Hugh could feel an immense amount of pain in his cheeks and he had to massage it to try and ease it. Hugh touched his cheeks, but he did not feel that his bones were broken.


    Hugh was relieved. If his cheekbones were broken right now, he would have a severe disadvantage against fighting Marshal.


    Hugh quickly stood up and looked for the invader. However, he could barely see anyone since there were tens of students surrounding him with interest in their eyes. They saw him as a piece of entertainment.


    Hugh realized the predicament he was in now that the invader was gone. The invader would become more careful since he now knew that Hugh was searching for him.


    Hugh stomped on the ground as he realized that things got a lot harder to deal with. Hugh closed his eyes as he tried to concentrate on the matter at hand.


    The invader was on the loose, and he could go anywhere right now. Hugh just had to think which place could the invader go.


    Then, he remembered something that Jane had said to him. Jane had said that the invader will look for a lair in which he could spawn thousands of his comrades.


    A lair was not something that could be easily hidden. Another thing was that there was only a limited amount of spaces in the school campus where one could hide a lair.


    Hugh just had to search those places and he would be more likely to find Marshal. He concentrated on large private places and eliminated those that were accessible to the public.


    The invader would want to protect its lair since it would spawn thousands of its comrades.


    For a second, Hugh thought that the invader had rented a place in the central area, but he rejected that thought. It was expensive to rent in the central area for a day, imagine how much more would it cost for a longer lease.


    Another thought that came into his head was that the invader dug deep underground and used it for its lair. It was a discreet way to do things, and there was an unlimited amount of space down. It was the perfect place to put a lair.


    Hugh then set out to find a place that Marshal had dug. He realized that it would be really hard to find the dig spot in thousands of square footage of land, but it would be better to start right now.


    Hugh started to run away from the crowd as he looked at the ground for any clues. With his eyes on the ground, he could not see that someone was right in front of him.


    He was busy running when he saw pink shoes right in front of him. He realized that he would be making the same mistake, so he quickly tried to stop himself.


    However, he did not expect that the ground was a little bit slippery. His feet started to slide to the ground as he tried to stop himself.


    Hugh looked up and realized that he was in a crash collision with another familiar face. This time, it was Jane, who had books on both of her hands.


    Both of them were completely absorbed in their problems that they stopped themselves too late from colliding with each other.


    The two of them collided like two stars in the galaxy. The next moment that Hugh opened his eyes, he saw that he was up close and personal with Jane.


    Their noses were touching, and their lips quivered as they almost made contact. Both of them held their breaths as they realized the peculiar situation they were both under.


    He also realized that both of their hands were somehow intertwined with each other. They looked like they were dancing in this kind of position.


    Hugh was under while Jane was at the top. After a few seconds of awkward staring contest, both of them pulled away from each other in silence.


    "Sorry. I wasn''t looking."


    Hugh was the first to apologize as he did not want another violent outburst like Serena had just had. Contrary to his expectations, Jane did not seem all that mad.


    "No, I''m sorry. I was too busy reading."


    For a brief second, both of them looked at each other''s eyes. They remembered the special moment they had when both of them were very close to each other. Then, they both took away their glances.


    Hugh remembered his current mission, and it sobered him up completely. He started to run away as he once again tried to find out where the lair was.


    However, he remembered something and it stopped him in his tracks.


    "Do you know where a potential lair could be here in this school?"


    "Have you tried the host''s house?"

 Chapter 128: Colony

    Hugh slapped his forehead as he heard Jane''s elegant solution to his problem. Hugh was embarrassed to not have thought of that before.


    Marshal''s house would be a perfect place to create a lair. It was private, it was big, and no one would intrude on his personal stuff


    Hugh felt that he had finally found the truth as to where Marshal had gone, so Hugh knew where to go. Hugh quickly ran away towards the residential area to go and find Marshal.


    "Thanks!"


    Before he got away, he said his thanks to Jane who had given him a new perspective on the problem. She had been the one to tell the crucial details about the invaders, so Hugh was truly grateful for her.


    Hugh ran back to the shifting room and transported himself back to the housing area. There seemed to be many empty houses, and some houses had lights on.


    Hugh looked at the streets on the residential area and looked for Marshal''s house. He knew that his class had one block to themselves, so it was easy to find.


    Hugh was also lucky as he had seen another person from his class walking down the street. As he would remember it, it seemed like this person was a friend of Marshal.


    "Hey, have you seen Marshal?"


    Hugh remembered Pete to be a friend to Marshal, so he would have knowledge about Marshal that not everyone would know.


    "Yeah. He was in a hurry or something. He chased all of us out of his house even though it was supposed to be poker night."


    Hugh got the directions for Marshal''s house from Pete. It seemed that he was not the only person that thought that Marshal had become weird.


    "Be careful with Marshal. He does not seem to be himself."


    Peter warned Hugh since he wanted to confront Marshal. Hugh nodded to Peter and followed the directions.


    It only took Hugh a few more minutes of looking as he finally found Marshal''s house. He looked up and saw that the house was the same as every house on the block.


    However, Hugh could feel a sinister air coming out of Marshal''s house. There was not an ounce of light coming out of Marshal''s house, making it seem like no one was at home.


    Hugh walked up to the front door and stopped in his tracks. He did not know if he was supposed to knock or not. Even if Marshal opened the door, Hugh was sure that he would not be invited in.


    Hugh had to think of another way of coming inside. Thinking up of a plan, Hugh started to walk along the perimeter of the house, looking through the windows.


    Tension was in the air as Hugh felt a little bit suffocated even though he was outside. There were no lights to help him illuminate things on the inside, so he felt like he was in a horror movie.


    Hugh walked to the back of the house but he still had not seen an open window. The house seemed to be impenetrable, but Hugh had to keep looking.


    Just then, Hugh stepped on something that unnerved him. The grass did not seem to be very firm as he was used to.


    Hugh looked down and realized that the ground was still a little bit wet. It looked as if the grass had been disturbed. If it was any other house, Hugh would have ignored it.


    However, he knew that Marshak was an invader, so everything was a clue. Hugh started to dig around the grass to see if he could discover anything.


    Seeing that he was on a tight schedule, Hugh did not mind getting dirty. As he dug around, he made a mess on the soil as it was not thoroughly destroyed.


    *clink*


    As he was digging through the soil, he suddenly made contact with a metal surface. Hugh was overjoyed as he had finally found the invader''s lair.


    With a little more cleaning up, he would see the metal latch that was the entrance to the lair. Hugh did not waste any more time as he opened the latch.


    The first thing he saw when he opened the latch was the wooden ladder that led downstairs. The walls were covered with some sort of mysterious material as it did not seem to look like steel.


    Hugh went down on the stairs and, after a little while, he reached the end of the stairs. He stepped on the hard soil and he knew that he was underground.


    There was only one tunnel leading somewhere, so Hugh decided to venture out. He did not forget to look around the tunnel to see for any clues that may lead him to Marshal.


    After walking down the tunnel, he was finally at the end of it. He tiptoed his last few steps there to make sure that he would not make any noises.


    The room was dim, but with the help of his eagle eyes, he was able to see much clearer. He could see the minds of soil that was embedded on the walls and the ceiling.


    It was about the size of basketballs and completely symmetrical. These thousands and thousands of mounds seemed to have life in it as Hugh could feel a tremendous amount of heartbeats.


    Hugh was now confident that this was the invader''s lair. These little mounds must have been the eggs of the invaders that would soon hatch.


    "You foolish human."


    In the deep darkness, Marshal suddenly came into being and surprised Hugh. There was clear hatred in his eyes as he assumed a defensive position.


    Marshal was caught in a vulnerable state. He was still trying to finish his duties with the brood, but Hugh suddenly intruded in his business.


    If Hugh decided to kill the brood right underneath his feet, then Marshak would not be able to stop him. Even if it was only one egg, Marshak would still be devastated nonetheless.


    "Oh yeah? It was not even that hard finding this thing."


    Hugh readied himself for the upcoming battle so he would be prepared. Hugh had no idea how an invader would fight, so Hugh thought that it would be a good idea to prove some answers.


    "Why are you even here, invader?"


    Hugh started to circle Marshal, making sure to stand alert of Marshal''s every movement.


    "What else is life for? Survival."


    Marshal seemed to be a little bit haggard judging from his looks. His hair was disheveled, his face was a little bit jaundiced, and his clothes were a mess.


    "Why come here? Surely there are other better places out there. This is a place of geniuses where anyone here could stand a chance against you."


    Hugh started to prod the invader. He knew that the invader had a short temper, so he tried to push that button.


    "Hehehe¡­you know nothing. You are but an insignificant piece of meat that tries to resist, but we will always prevail, the colony always does."


    Hugh guessed that the invader had real loyalty to his colony. Judging from the thousands of eggs around him, Hugh guessed that this was the place where he would build his colony.


    "How will you kill all of the geniuses above you? Although this is a small army you''ve got here, it won''t stand a chance against the people upstairs."


    Hugh was not exaggerating. There were a lot of capable people in the school, so he was confident that the invaders would not win in a full-on war.


    "The colony always prevails."


    Hugh realized that he would not be able to prod with this kind of questioning, so Hugh decided to change his approach.


    "Yeah, you are right. The colony must be strong enough to kill everyone upstairs."


    Once Hugh said some praises for the invaders, Marshal''s face seemed to lighten up like he had been given the time of his life. A smile crept up on Hugh''s face as he realized what he should do.


    "The colony is strong! With just one kill, we can kill the humans like a tumbling domino."


    Hugh finally got some piece of information out of Marshal. From his words, it seemed that the invaders can improve their strength with just one kill.


    "Cool, but I can''t believe that. Is it true? I want to know the marvel of your colony."


    Hugh tried to be as genuine as possible. From his perspective, he had done a great job¡ªenough for him to earn an oskar. However, Hugh could not be sure if the invader believed him.


    "We are strong. With one kill, we take their body and use it to our own. We can bring out its true potential better than anybody."


    Marshal seemed to be so proud of his colony that he did not realize that he had just given Hugh important information.


    "Cool story man. However, I can''t let that happen. I am going to have to destroy your nucleus."

 Chapter 129: Ice

    As soon as Hugh mentioned the word ''nucleus,'' Marshal seemed to have been splashed cold water on his face. It looked like he had just seen a ghost as he faced Hugh.


    Marshal did not think that Hugh would know anything about his nucleus. This was intimate information about his species, and Hugh just casually mentioned it like it was nothing.


    It was then that Marshal''s realized that he should not underestimate Hugh. He quickly shut his mouth up so that he would not speak to Hugh ever again.


    Marshal immediately raised both of his hands in a defensive position against Hugh. He was now ready to fight, not talk.


    Hugh was also getting tired of talking as he got ready to fight. He used his eagle eyes to keep an eye on everything Marshal would do so that he would not get blindsided.


    Hugh activated his armor. Brown and silver liquid started to fill around Hugh''s feet and enhanced his speed and kicking power.


    Hugh did not waste any more time as he propelled himself towards Marshal. Hugh also transformed his hands into eagle claws so that he would have the most damaging attack he could muster.


    Marshal stood in place as Hugh charged towards him. Hugh made sure to watch his moves, but it seemed like Marshal had no intention of dodging away from Hugh''s attack.


    After a few moments, Hugh finally reached Marshal. His claws were as sharp as steel and it could obliterate any material it came into contact with.


    Hugh slashed his claws towards Marshal''s body, directly aiming for the heart. Hugh knew that Marshal was only a host to the invader, so he planned to kill the host first.


    Just as Hugh''s claws were about to reach Marshal''s body, the temperature around the room suddenly dropped a few degrees.


    It became cold, and Hugh could see smoke under his breath. This change was too fast to even comprehend, so Hugh did not understand it at first.


    Hugh''s claws ripped apart the threads in Marshal''s clothes, but it stopped there. It did not go any further as Hugh felt some resistance when the claws reached the skin.


    *dink*


    The texture and the sound of the collision did not seem like the claws hit Marshal''s skin. It seemed like it collided with steel.


    Then, Hugh looked at Marshal''s body with his eagle eyes. Underneath the tears in his uniform, Hugh could see that crystals were forming in his skin.


    To be exact, there was a layer of ice over Marshal''s skin that acted as a barrier against Hugh''s claws. It seemed to have been strong enough to resist any scratches from Hugh''s claws.


    Hugh was stopped in his tracks and he could not go any further. To mark things worse, Hugh suddenly felt a chilling pain in his claws as the ice started to spread towards Hugh''s claws.


    Hugh quickly retracted his claws away from Marshal''s body, fearing that he would be frozen to death. If not for the hundreds of kilograms of fat underneath his skin, Hugh would feel a chilling cold breeze.


    Hugh shivered as he stood in place. He looked around and saw that the whole place seemed like it was freezing. Ice crystals were forming on the ceiling.


    Before Hugh could even understand the implications of this, Hugh suddenly felt a threatening aura coming towards him.


    With the help of his eagle eyes, he was able to react properly before he got into real trouble. An icicle the size of a forearm was coming towards him at fast speeds.


    He quickly ducked his head away from the icicle, and he was only barely able to dodge away. The icicle grazed his cheek and blood flowed out from the small cut.


    Hugh realized that he could not take his eyes away from Marshal, so he decided to make some distance away from Marshal.


    Marshal''s powers were to reduce the temperature of an object. With this kind of information, Hugh knew that the best tactic possible was to maintain his distance.


    If Marshal was not able to touch him, then Hugh would not get affected. If Marshal decided to throw some icicles towards him, then he would have enough time to dodge away.


    Hugh quickly stepped away from Marshal while keeping his eyes on him. He was able to make it to the opposite end of the wall, but Marshal still did not make any move.


    Hugh did not know if the invader was an idiot or not, but the most logical action that Marshal should take was to chase down Hugh. However, Marshal only stood in place as if he did not need to chase down Hugh.


    Hugh furrowed his eyebrows as he felt a bad omen coming towards him. Just as he thought that Hugh saw Marshal raise his hand.


    Hugh did not see anything in his hands, so Hugh thought that nothing will happen. However, Hugh suddenly felt a strong reaction in his gut. His instincts were telling him that he should dodge away.


    Hugh had a hard time deciding whether to trust his instincts. He could not see anything that was dangerous, so he did not immediately react.


    However, Hugh decided to trust his gut for now. Hugh quickly rolled away from his current position just the threat passed him.


    Hugh suddenly felt a cold breeze passing beside him. He looked to where he was before, and he saw the wall suddenly turn into ice.


    He also felt a chilling pain in his side abdominals as he realized that he was not able to dodge away completely. He looked down and saw that a part of his clothes was freezing. He quickly tore away that part of his clothes so that it would not affect the rest of the fabric.


    Hugh suddenly realized something that gave chills to his spine. Marshal somehow used his Desire without touching anything.


    This was unthinkable. This kind of Desire manipulation was only reserved for the second years. The first years were not supposed to be able to do that. It was physically impossible.


    As far as Hugh remembered, the original Marshal was nothing special. He was ordinary, so Hugh could not think that Marshal would be able to do this.


    This could only mean that it was the invader who was able to manipulate Desire like that. Then, he remembered what the invader has said before.


    ''We are strong. With one kill, we take their body and use it to our own. We can bring out its true potential better than anybody.''


    If what the invader said was true, then it meant that invaders could unlock Desire''s potential better than anybody.


    Hugh got another chill in his spine, not because of the cold, but because of the implication of this fact. If the invaders could control even as small as ten people, then they could rule the whole world.


    They would be able to use Desire better than the host. It was a frightening thought, and Hugh would dread fighting with a small army of them.


    He now knew why professor Kain hated them so much. They would be a doomsday device that could threaten the whole world.


    "Now you see our power?!"


    Marshal could see the fear in Hugh''s eyes. He was becoming more and more proud of his colony and he was becoming more impatient in hatching his brothers and sisters in arms.


    Hugh was now in trouble. He had no place to hide or run away from the invader, so that meant that the only way to win was to fight up front.


    Hugh decided to risk it all as he charged towards the invader with his claws. He was in a hypersensitive mode as he was taking attention to everything in his sight.


    With his claws, Hugh decided to attack Marshal''s eyes. The same thing happened as before as Marshal used a thick layer of ice as a protective barrier against Hugh''s attack.


    With every slash that Hugh took, Marshal had his impenetrable protective barrier. Hugh was also starting to feel slower and slower as time passed on.


    It was then that he realized that the cold was seeping into his bones. His limbs were bringing harder and harder to move like it was being frozen alive.


    Hugh knew that any more of his attacks would be useless, so Hugh had to pull out the ace in his cards. Without any further hesitation, Hugh decided to transform.


    With just a single thought, Hugh started to burn his fats into pure energy. His body started to steam, and the cold was not enough to cook down Hugh''s heating body.


    Marshal could feel the difference in Hugh''s body, and it truly shocked him. He had never seen this kind of thing before, so he was shocked and intrigued.


    It did not take long for Hugh''s fats to disappear and be replaced by healthy muscles. Hugh had become fitter than ever. He was now at the peak of his physical prowess.


    Marshal looked at Hugh and felt the strength coming off from Hugh''s body. He was terrified and envious at the same time.


    "You will be a suitable host for my brothers."

 Chapter 130: Zombie

    Hugh''s steaming body was standing in place, with a calm expression. The freezing temperature around him only served to increase the amount of steam that was flowing out of his body.


    After a while, Marshak could not even see Hugh''s body due to the amount of steam covering him. Marshal quickly realized that Hugh had disappeared from his sight.


    Right when he realized that, it was already too late. Hugh suddenly appeared right beside him with a calm expression.


    Hugh raised his arm and punched Marshal''s body. Marshal was not a bad fighter, and he was able to avoid Hugh hitting his vital organs.


    Marshal rolled out of the way, but he was not able to completely come out unscathed. Hugh''s punch was now directed right at his arm.


    The two arms made contact, and Marshal''s arm was subjected to tremendous amounts of force. The force was so strong that Marshal heard a bone break from his arm.


    Hugh''s arm did not stop there. He exerted more energy in his punch, and Marshal''s arm was completely wrangled by the attack.


    The tension was in the air, and Marshal''s arm bent like it was not supposed to. Like a vulnerable tree, Marshal''s arm snapped like a twig.


    Marshal''s arm was now like a broken mess. It was bent in the opposite direction, and there was a bone sticking out of his skin. It was hard to look at, but both of them seemed not to be bothered by it.


    Hugh''s transformed state was as cool as a cucumber, so he was not worried by a little blood. However, it was weird that Marshal himself did not seem like he was affected by the severe injury.


    Marshal''s face did not even look like he was hurt one bit. Hugh watched as Marshal took his other hand and straightened the injured arm by himself.


    Like a piece of puzzle completing, the bone snapped back into place. Marshal''s arm was as good as it was, except for the slight blood and cut from the bone sticking out.


    "Humans are so weak."


    Marshal spoke as if he was just kidding around with Hugh. Hugh gathered that the invader does not feel pain at all even though his host was severely injured.


    "There''s more where that came from."


    Hugh attacked again, making sure that he would target the injured arm again. His speed was almost too fast to see, but Marshal was taking good use of his Desire.


    Marshal stepped on the pavement, and a huge ice crystal appeared right beneath Hugh''s body. Hugh dodged away as dynamic and versatile as water.


    He did not forget to put in a few punches at Marshal, but Marshal returned with his protective ice in kind. The two of the exchanged attacks consisting of punches and kicks.


    Hugh''s powers were of a melee kind, but Marshal''s powers were more suited to long-range. For Hugh to have the upper hand, he had to stick with Marshal for the whole fight.


    With Hugh''s speed and his reaction time, he was able to keep up with Marshal. Hugh waited for the right time to counterattack and finish Marshal once and for all.


    Hugh attacked Marshal''s injured arm and severed it from Marshal''s body. The dismembered arm flew outwards and landed a few feet away from the both of them.


    Marshal''s stump started to bleed, but he quickly froze the cut and prevented blood from seeping out. With just one hand to perform his attacks, Hugh started to have the advantage in the fight.


    Hugh was starting to corner Marshal in the wall. He kicked and punched his way towards Marshal, and he was finally able to land a punch to the face.


    As Hugh''s punch landed on Marshal''s face, he suddenly felt a cold searing pain. He quickly tried to take out his arm, but he realized that he was too late.


    He looked at his knuckles and saw that Marshal''s freezing ability had reached his skin. Marshal saw this and took this opportunity to retreat away from Hugh.


    As Hugh looked at his fist, he realized that the freezing effect was not spreading to the other parts of his skin. Just as the cold would spread, Hugh''s internal body heat would thaw it out.


    The other parts of his body would not be affected, but his knuckles would be out of the play for now. He quickly scanned the room to see where Marshal had gone to and saw that Marshal picked up his severed limb.


    Marshal quickly put the piece of the arm back into his shoulder like it was a piece of toy. With the power of his freezing Desire, he froze the limb back into place.


    Then, Marshal stretched his arm like it was as good as new. Hugh did not know the logistics of that action, but it seemed to have worked.


    "You cannot defeat me. I am immortal."


    Marshal spread his arms like he had the world in his hands. As of what Hugh witnessed, it truly did seem like Marshal was immortal. He did not feel any pain, and he could restore any part of his broken body.


    Hugh realized that he would have to take drastic measures. If he were to treat Marshal as a zombie, then he would have to crush Marshal''s brain and heart.


    With this decision, Hugh did not waist for any more time. He dashed through the freezing ice pavement and reached Marshal''s body.


    When Hugh slightly raised his arm, he was able to perform a feint on Marshal. Marshal quickly covered his injured arm thinking that Hugh would attack it.


    However, Hugh did not do that. He activated his fire ability and started to burn through Marshal''s body defenses. Marshal was taken aback by this sudden attack.


    Throughout their fight, Hugh had never used his fire. He had intentionally hidden it so that he would be able to catch Marshal off guard. It seemed to have worked.


    With Marshal''s defenses down, Hugh was able to pierce towards his chest and break through the skin and bones to reach the heart.


    With a tight grip, Hugh pulled out Marshal''s heart and took it out in the air. It was still beating and bleeding, but with a tighter grip, it was crushed into a mushy substance.


    To make things sure, Hugh burned the rest of the heart. For a normal person, this would be the end. However, this was not a normal person. This was an invader.


    Marshal gripped his heart. He suddenly started to heave, and tumble backward. Marshal felt like he would fall any second, but he didn''t.


    "Just kidding."


    After Marshal said those words, he stood up as nothing happened. Blood was still flowing out from the cavity in his chest, but Marshal was still standing.


    Hugh furrowed his eyebrows. If obliterating Marshal''s heart would not kill him, then what will?


    Hugh did not stop there. He quickly attacked Marshal again and barraged him with attacks. Hugh would use every bit of his strength to put some damage in Marshal''s body.


    To add the cherry on the cake, Hugh straightened his fist and attacked Marshal''s head. Hugh''s fist was like a javelin that thrust towards Marshal''s brain.


    Hugh could feel the mushy substance in his hands, and he was sure that he had destroyed Marshal''s brain matter. Hugh retracted his hands.


    Marshal''s face was now semi-destroyed. The upper part of his head had a giant gaping hole that was leaking brain matter.


    Without his head, Hugh was sure that Marshal would not be able to move anymore. Marshal stopped in place as his brain got destroyed.


    To seal the deal, Hugh severed Marshal''s head. It rolled onto the ground with Marshal''s deadpan expression still etched for eternity.


    After a few seconds of waiting, Hugh was sure that he was finally done. He thought that he had killed the invader. However, he suddenly felt movement behind him.


    He looked behind him and saw that Marshal''s severed head was rolling in the ground. It took his attention away from Marshal''s body.


    When Hugh returned his vision to Marshal''s body, he suddenly saw a man''s arm coming towards his face. It took him by surprise and he could only catch Marshal''s fist in his hands.


    However, Marshal used his freezing Desire to freeze Hugh''s hands. Hugh quickly tried to pull away, but his hands were now frozen together with Marshal''s fist.


    Their arms were now frozen together, and Hugh was at a vulnerable position. Marshal tried to kick Hugh''s nether regions, but Hugh was able to block it with his other hand.


    Hugh quickly used his fire to defrost his arms and he was able to escape Marshal''s grip. Hugh stepped away for a few feet to reassess the situation.


    Marshal should be treated like a zombie. However, killing its brain and its heart did not kill it. He truly did seem like he was immortal.


    Hugh realized that the only way to kill the invader was to obtain its nucleus.

 Chapter 131: Nucleus

    Marshal''s body was wrangled beyond repair, but it was as functional as it was before. The invader inside Marshal''s body was using it like it was a thing that could be discarded.


    Hugh opened his eagle eyes and started to search every part of Marshal''s body. He was looking for any signs of the nucleus.


    Hugh did not know what it looked like, but he knew that the invader would protect it with its life. Right now, Hugh could not see anything wrong with Marshal.


    The headless body of Marshal started to move and attack Hugh. The air around him froze and affected the floor and the ceiling.


    It did not take long for a giant icicle to appear out of nowhere and was directed right at Hugh. It was unnerving to see a headless body fight with him, but Hugh had to focus on the task at hand.


    Without any warning, the icicle launched towards Hugh with top speeds. Hugh could see the attack like it was in slow motion, so he would be able to dodge it.


    Since the icicle was large, Hugh could not simply move his head away. He had to move his whole body if he were to avoid the icicle.


    Just as Hugh started to step away from the icicle, he suddenly felt a strong resistance in his one foot. Hugh looked down and realized that Marshal''s dismembered arm was keeping him in place.


    Hugh tried to get out of the grip, but it was frozen in place. The time passed and Hugh did not have any more time to completely dodge away from the icicle.


    Faced with this predicament, Hugh decided to use his fire. He raised his hands and conjured a large ball of fire that was similar in size to the icicle.


    Hugh launched it right before the icicle reached him, and fortunately for Hugh, it was enough heat to disintegrate the icicle into vapor.


    Steam started to rise from the collision of the two contrasting elements. Hugh''s eyesight was blocked by all the steam in front of him, so he could not see what was going on.


    However, even without his eyes, Hugh could fight properly. Since his eyesight was useless in the wall of steam in front of him, Hugh decided to close his eyes which would enhance his other senses.


    Feeling every movement and beat of action around him, Hugh was able to guess where Marshal''s beheaded body was attacking from.


    Without any warning, five small icicles surrounded him and cornered him. Hugh was not given any space to dodge the attacks, so he would have to take the attack by hand.


    With two of his hands, Hugh caught two consecutive icicles right in front of him. With his fire, he was able to evaporate it into nothing.


    There were three icicles left, so Hugh used his two feet to kick the two icicles coming from his side. It was able to redirect the icicle away from him.


    However, there was still one icicle left that was right behind him. Hugh had no choice but to endure the attack and hope that it would not injure him much.


    Hugh started to flex his back muscles to their hardest so that he had a good defense. Then, he started to gather all of his fire in his back to support the defense.


    The icicle hit his back, and it was only able to penetrate his skin a few millimeters until it broke off and disintegrated into a million particles of gas.


    Being able to defend against five attacks coming from different angles was a hard task to do. Marshal was more than surprised when he saw this, especially how useless his icicles were against Hugh''s muscles.


    Hugh waved both of his hands and he was able to disperse the smoke of steam in front of him. Khristine looked around and saw that Marshal''s beheaded body was still standing in place.


    Marshal did not waste any more time in attacking Hugh with multiple icicles. Hugh was then busy with his defense against these icicles to deal with Marshal himself.


    As Hugh was deflecting the icicles, he realized that he had been in transformation for too long. He guessed that he would not have enough time to kill the invader if he were to keep defending like this.


    Then, a light bulb idea brightened up in his head. Marshal had been deliberately occupying him with ineffective icicles. It almost seemed as if Marshal was afraid of Hugh discovering something.


    Then, he realized that he could not see Marshal''s head anywhere. Ever since he had beheaded Marshal, it had disappeared from his sight.


    A slight smile appeared on Hugh''s face as he got a revelation. He realized that the nucleus was probably hidden somewhere in Marshal''s head.


    Marshal was too protective of his head, and it lead to Hugh discovering his secret.


    "Gaaaahhhh!!!"


    Hugh roared in place as he summoned a wall of fire around his skin to get rid of the pesky icicles that were attacking him.


    Then, Hugh did not waste any more time as he sprinted away from Marshal. Hugh had acted fast and without any indication, so he took Marshal off guard.


    Hugh sprinted right behind a small mound of soil and peeked right into it. There, he saw Marshal''s head peeking at him like a lost kid.


    There was despair and fear written all over Marshal''s face as he realized that Hugh knows where the nucleus was. He tried to summon the body towards Hugh to try and stop him, but he was too late.


    Hugh picked up the defenseless head like it was taking candy from a baby. Then, with his two hands, he opened up Marshal''s jaws as he tried to search for the nucleus.


    Hugh peeked inside Marshal''s mouth and saw a pearl-like object hanging around Marshal''s uvula. Hugh did not wait any more time as he tried to pick it off like a ripe fruit.


    Marshal''s headless body reached Hugh right in time before Hugh plucked the nucleus off. He tried to pull Hugh''s hands away from his head, and he was successful in prying it off.


    Hugh thought he was successful in stopping Hugh, but right in Hugh''s two fingers was a pearl-like object.


    Marshal''s body froze in place for a second and fell to the ground like it was a piece of object. There was no sort of movement on the headless body anymore.


    Hugh looked at the nucleus with wonder in his eyes. He was intrigued by it, as well as this desire to eat it. However, before he could even contemplate consuming it, Hugh''s transformation took to a close.


    Hugh''s body started to deflate like a balloon. Instead of the fit and muscular body that he had, he was now as thin as a stick.


    Hugh immediately felt a tinge of burning hunger that overcame every sense he had. He started to heave in place as he got more and more hungry as time passed.


    In his quest to satiate his hunger, Hugh suddenly smelled a leafy green substance all around him. It smelled like he was in a field of recently cut grass.


    He started to sniff the air, and he was not able to pinpoint the smell. The scent was overwhelming as if he was bathing in the substance.


    Then, he looked down and realized where the smell came from. It was the small mounds in the ground. Hugh guessed that these mounds were the eggs that the invader was trying to hatch.


    As soon as he thought of the idea, he could not reject it. Hugh started to dig around the area as he consumed the eggs for his sustenance.


    As soon as he took a bite, a refreshing and cool scent lingered around. The taste was subtle, but it kept Hugh coming for more.


    As Hugh consumed the thousands of eggs around him, his previously deflated physique started to bubble up. He was now the same obese self that he usually was.


    When Hugh came to his senses, he saw the thousands of digging sites that he had done. Hugh did not feel guilt at all about eating all of the eggs since he did not want another invader to roam the schools.


    Then, he remembered that he still had the nucleus in his hands. He started to inspect the nucleus with his eagle eyes to make sure that he knew what it was.


    However, before he could take a closer look, he suddenly felt a notification from his system.


    +++++++++++++


    Urgent Mission


    - consume the nucleus to complete the mission.


    +++++++++++++


    Hugh got this notification from his system that made him want to consume the nucleus as soon as possible. It was as if the system was telling him to do it now or else something bad would happen.


    Realizing the urgency, Hugh quickly swallowed the nucleus without any hesitation. The nucleus slid down his throat without any problems.


    *CLAP* *CLAP* *CLAP*


    "Impressive. Dealing with an invader yourself? Definitely impressive."

 Chapter 132: Offer

    Out from the shadows of the cave exterior, a man with a dark coat appeared. He clapped slowly, intending to compliment Hugh with a sense of disbelief and ridicule.


    Hugh squinted his eyes and used his eagle eyes to see better in the dim light. What he saw was a familiar face that he did not want to see, especially since he was caught at a crime scene.


    "Ace."


    Hugh spoke out of Ace. His heart was pumping with adrenaline as he kept up his guard. He had just dealt with the invader, so he was exhausted beyond belief. However, he would go for round two if he had to.


    Ace started to walk around the room with confidence and bravado. He walked around like he owned the room itself. His eyes spread around the room, focusing on the headless body of Marshal.


    Hugh knew that he would not be able to provide an excuse for this situation, so he knew that he would have would fight to get out.


    Wanting to get ahead of the situation, Hugh activated his armor and dashed towards Ace. He immediately activated his claws as he tried to slash Ace''s head away.


    Ace smiled as he saw Hugh attacked him. However, there was no such anxiety or trouble in his face. It almost looked like he was having fun seeing Hugh react like this.


    Within milliseconds, Hugh was able to reach Ace''s body. He sliced his sharp claws towards Ace''s throat with the immediate intention of killing him.


    If Hugh had his transformation, he would have done it to kill Ace as quickly as possible.


    As Hugh slashed Ace''s body, he suddenly saw Ace disappear from his sight. What Hugh slashed was empty air, devoid of any semblance of his target.


    Hugh stumbled for a few steps before he was able to regain his footing. When he looked around, he saw that Ace had reappeared behind him.


    "Is this the strength you have? I do not think that this is enough to kill an invader that used a C-class student."


    Ace tilted his head at the mystery. From what he could see, Hugh''s strength was not sufficient enough to kill an invader without any scratches on him.


    Hugh had no blemishes on his skin or clothes. It almost looked like he had just come home from a spa. There was no indication that he was in a fight.


    There were only two possibilities for this to happen ¡ª Hugh did not fight the invader or Hugh''s powers were strong enough to kill the invader in one attack.


    Ace could not figure out which one was the correct one. That was why he wanted to test Hugh''s strength.


    Hugh immediately turned around and dashed towards Ace again. He used every bit of his strength to try and catch Ace, but he was too fast. Hugh''s attack was once again left in the wind.


    "Don''t get too hasty, Hugh. I am not here to arrest you."


    As soon as Ace said that, Hugh stopped in place. Hugh was sure that Ace had come here to put Hugh in prison, but it seemed that there was something more.


    Intrigued, Hugh turned towards Ace and let his claws retract in his body. He let his arms down, but he did not forget to be attentive to every detail that Ace does.


    "Then why are you here?"


    With Hugh''s question, Ace put his hands behind his back as he circled Hugh. This left Hugh unnerved as he could not guess what Ace was thinking.


    "I was tracking the invader, you see. I was planning to kill it myself, but it seemed that I was a tad bit too late."


    Ace once again looked at the headless body of Marshal. Once he paid attention to Marshal''s body, he saw that the cut was clean as if a blade had been used.


    "Guess my surprise when I saw you here doing my job."


    Ace stopped when he reached Marshal''s body. He squatted down as he started to inspect the body with much more detail.


    Ace started to go through Marshal''s pockets as if he were trying to find something. However, his actions were subtle as if he were trying to hide the fact that he was looking for the nucleus.


    However, Ace did not know that Hugh already swallowed the nucleus. Ace continued to inspect the area with hidden intentions.


    "You had some trouble dealing with him, right? Invulnerable to powers, impervious to pain, almost immortal."


    Hugh continued to watch over Ace with his mouth completely shut. He knew that Ace was trying to find the nucleus, so he did not want Ace to find it in his stomach.


    "So, how did you kill it?"


    Ace got around to the main question. Ace was indirectly asking Hugh where the nucleus was. Of course, Ace did not know if Hugh knew about the nucleus or not, which was why he went about it in such a roundabout way.


    "I just beat him up into a pulp."


    Hugh lied to Ace since he knew that confirming his knowledge of the nucleus would end up in Ace asking Hugh for it.


    "So you did kill it."


    Ace nodded as he got Hugh to confess to killing the invader.


    "Was there another way of killing it?"


    Hugh asked Ace. He was trying to pass off his ignorance of the matter. However, it did not seem to work as Ace suddenly looked at Hugh with suspiciousness in his eyes.


    "I think you know what I am talking about."


    Hugh''s heart beat a thousand times per second at this current moment. He had a deadpan face, but he was anxious at the current moment, evidenced by the amount of sweat that he was producing in his body.


    "Okay. I''ll admit it. I saw a strange pearl-like thing, so I destroyed it. Luckily it seemed to have been a weakness of Marshal."


    Ace quickly stood up as he walked towards Hugh. He had some doubts over Hugh''s statement which was why he did not fully believe it.


    "Most of your words were true, but you are still hiding something."


    Ace stood face to face with Hugh. Ace was a little bit taller than Hugh, so he looked down at him. Hugh was worried that Ace will finally take him down, so he got ready with his claws.


    "But that doesn''t matter."


    Suddenly, Ace turned around and walked away from Hugh. It seemed that Ace was not planning to attack Hugh, so he retracted his claws for the moment.


    "Why?"


    Hugh did not know what Ace was planning, but Hugh already did not like it. He did not want to be used as a tool by people in the system like Ace.


    "Because I want you to work for me."


    Ace turned around and faced Hugh. There was a magnanimous smile on his face as if he expected Hugh to be thankful for this opportunity.


    Ace was a part of the Student Council, so that meant that Hugh would be working for the council, the very group that was trying to capture him.


    Hugh furrowed his eyebrows as he heard Ace''s reasoning. He did not want to do it, so he quickly voiced his concerns.


    "No. I will not do it."


    Ace shook his head as he heard Hugh''s rejection. He seemed to be very disappointed that Hugh turned him down, but he was not discouraged.


    "You don''t have the choice."


    Ace shouted louder to Hugh, showing his dominion over the current situation. Ace had all the cards in his hands, and Hugh would be subject to his whims.


    Hugh kept quiet as he heard Ace''s threat. With Marshal''s headless body right beside him, Ace could quickly pin his death to Hugh and arrest him right now.


    "You have a very thick folder in the Student Council records. So many unexplained phenomena that seem to have you in the spotlight. You don''t want another blemish in your record."


    Ace knew that Hugh would not be able to reject his offer once all the cards are on the table, so he pulled out all the stops.


    "Work for me, and I will ignore every case you have. Everything. Including the violet incident."


    This was the final nail in the coffin as Hugh considered doing what Ace wanted him to do. If Hugh did this, then he would be free from the Student Council''s hounds.


    It was a very tempting offer, but Hugh still could not decide. He did not know Ace''s reason for this offer, so it was risky to accept it without any questions.


    "What would I be doing?"


    Ace smiled as he knew that the deal was hook, line, and sinker.


    "Easy. You will help me deal with extraterrestrial threats."


    Sensing Hugh''s confusion, Ace explained it better.


    "The things that will infiltrate the school that are beyond the barrier. The invaders are just one of the things that will try to invade us."


    Hugh put his head down as he tried to digest the information that he was given. It was a hard task to do, but the rewards were very tempting.


    "Discretely. We will deny everything if things get out of hand. We will even kill you to hide that fact."

 Chapter 133: Vomit

    Hugh gulped as he heard what Ace threatened him with. Due to the nature of the threats that he would be facing Hugh would be in a lot of trouble.


    If he failed, he would die. Simple.


    Hugh had no choice but to nod in affirmation to Ace. Right now, he was also interested in researching the creatures from the outside.


    "Good. I will contact you, so stay alert."


    As Ace said that, he turned around and started to walk away from Hugh having said everything he needed to say. Hugh was left alone in the dark room contemplating his life decision.


    Hugh also walked out of the cage after a few minutes that Ace walked out. He was busy thinking about the implications of his promise to Ace while he was walking down the street.


    "Hey!"


    A sweet voice interrupted Hugh from his deep thoughts. Hugh immediately raised his head and looked at who had spoken to him.


    The first thing that he had noticed was that he was already right in front of Marshal''s house. He did not remember ever walking away from the cafe itself.


    "Are you okay?"


    Jane waved her hand across Hugh''s face as she tried to get his attention. It worked as Hugh finally got a grip on the current reality he was seeing.


    "Yeah, yeah. I''m all right."


    Hugh nodded to Jane as he responded to her. Truthfully, he did not feel well at all. He had a lot of troubles in his mind, but none of them should be spoken to an outsider.


    "So, what happened?"


    Jane put her hands behind her as she walked closer to Hugh. She tilted her head to convey her curiosity in the matter.


    Hugh saw Jane''s straight dark hair fall to her face under the moonlight. Hugh was a little bit speechless at the sight since he had never seen Jane as beautiful like this.


    "What? What do you mean?"


    Hugh stumbled out words as he tried to get out of the trance he was currently in. He shook his head to try and get those thoughts away from his head.


    "The invader. What else?"


    As soon as Jane said that, Hugh immediately sobered up. The alarms in his head started to ring as he got alerted to the current situation.


    "What about the invader?"


    Hugh tried to play it off, but Jane''s piercing eyes kept prying in the windows to Hugh''s soul. His eyes started to wander around, clear evidence of his untruthful statement.


    "I''m not stupid, you know. You were talking about an invader, and I also noticed Marshal''s weird actions. I put the two and two together."


    Jane seemed to have figured out the truth by herself. Hugh wanted to tell her the truth, but he could not. He did not if Ace was listening in on them at the moment.


    "I don''t know what you are talking about."


    Hugh started to walk away from Jane as he tried to get out of the situation. It was clear to Jane that he was avoiding answering the question, so she did not press any further.


    "Fine. We''ll talk about it some other time. Goodnight!"


    Jane did not pursue Hugh as she waved to him goodbye. Hugh did not look back as he tried to get to his house as soon as possible.


    After walking for few hundreds of meters, Hugh finally reached his house. He opened the door and immediately headed for his bedroom.


    As soon as he reached the comfortable pillows of his bed, Hugh laid down headfirst. He was beyond exhausted, and he immediately went to sleep to recover his energy.


    The time passed and the night quickly turned into the bright sun. A bright ray of light passed through the window and hit Hugh''s closed eyelids.


    Hugh was immediately blinded as he opened his eyes. He immediately tried to go back to sleep, but the light was interfering with his sleep.


    After a few minutes of sleep, Hugh finally decided to wake up. He performed his morning routine; he washed his face, brushed his teeth, went for a warm bath, and ate as many calories as he could take.


    As Hugh finished his last crumb of bread on the plate, Hugh stretched his arms. Then, he looked at the clock when he realized that he was still a few minutes away from going to school.


    With all these luxury minutes that he had to spend, Hugh decided to slouch in the bed for the time being. However, as he stood up, he felt a wretched feeling in his stomach.


    *gag*


    Hugh started to heave as if he was very close to vomiting. His cheeks produced more saliva and his throat started to close and open up.


    At first, he thought that his sickness was brought to him by the food he ate. However, his daily meal was the same as it had ever been.


    It was improbable to think that that same food would give him food poisoning. Hugh guessed that there must have been some other reason.


    *gag*


    Hugh continued to gag. It felt like his vomit was getting bigger and bigger with each heave, and it was harder and harder to alleviate it.


    Hugh rushed to the sink as he got ready to throw up. He was very uncomfortable as cold sweat started to flow out of his pores.


    Hugh felt a cold chill even though it was a warm sunny morning. With one last heave, he finally felt like he would throw up.


    "GRAAAHHHH"


    Hugh closed his eyes as he threw up his vomit. He did not want to see the result as it would only worsen his desire to vomit.


    After one large vomit, Hugh immediately felt relief. He opened his eyes expecting to see a disgusting mess in the sink, but it was sparkly clean. There was no such vomit in the sink.


    Confused by this, Hugh looked at every part of the sink to see where it went. However, he could not see anything. Hugh was sure that he had vomited, but there was no output at all.


    "Help!"


    Hugh suddenly heard a shout behind him. Alerted by the intruder, Hugh immediately went in his defensive stance as he activated his eagle eyes and his claws.


    The man that was in front of him was muscular. It was as if his body was chiseled by the gods, making Hugh feel inferior about himself.


    The man was the same height as Hugh, but it felt like the man was towering over him. The man was sweating so much that it almost seemed as if he was steaming.


    With this intruder in his own home, Hugh immediately felt hostile towards the man. Without any warning, Hugh attacked the man with all of his power.


    His claws traveled through the air and aimed directly at the man''s eyes to gouge them out. The man did not move at all even when Hugh''s claws were only a few centimeters away from him.


    However, at the very last second, the man seemed to have disappeared from Hugh''s sight. The only things that Hugh sliced with his claws were the air and a single strand of white silver hair from the man.


    "Wait! Stop!"


    The man tried to stop Hugh from attacking, but Hugh was still filled with adrenaline all over his body. It was very early in the morning, and Hugh was still acting through his instincts.


    However, Hugh felt like he had heard this voice before. Thinking that it was just his imagination, Hugh ignored himself. He attacked the mysterious silvery-white-haired man.


    With both of his claws, Hugh attacked in a cross direction. It seemed that the man would not be able to dodge away from this one.


    Just as Hugh''s claws closed in on the man, Hugh suddenly felt a strong resistance in his wrists. He looked down and realized that the man had seized his wrists and prevented him from attacking.


    "Stop! Look at me! Look at me!"


    The man restricted Hugh''s movements and forced Hugh to look at him. With this forced stoppage, Hugh got a closer look at the man''s face.


    Hugh scrutinized the man''s face and he realized that it was very familiar. However, he could not pinpoint where he had seen it from.


    He looked at the man''s nose, his sharp jaw, his thin eyes, and his blemish-less complexion. Hugh admitted that the man was handsome, which was accented by the man''s silvery-white hair.


    Silvery-white hair? Hugh suddenly got a blast from his memory. Then, it all came to him like a tsunami. With this realization, Hugh stepped away from the man.


    "You¡­you¡­you¡­"


    Hugh pointed at the man with fear, familiarity, anger, and confusion. His arms trembled as he tried to get as far away from the man as possible.


    "Yes. I am."


    Hugh could not believe it. Hugh would have thought that he was still in a dream if not for the pain that he was feeling in his wrists.


    Hugh was looking at himself. Hugh was looking at his transformation.

 Chapter 134: Task

    "How is this possible?!"


    Hugh shouted out his disbelief towards the current situation. He was looking at himself in his transformation mode. It was as if he was looking at a completely different person.


    "I don''t have much time."


    Hugh prime (Hugh''s transformation) stated his concern over time being wasted. He approached Hugh closer, but Hugh only stepped away from him.


    "Listen. I only have less than a minute left until I get sucked back into your body."


    Hugh prime explained his current predicament. There was clear worry and anxiousness in his eyes. He was trying his hardest to calm Hugh down so that they could have a proper discussion.


    Hugh blinked several times to see if he was only seeing things. Even when he rubbed them, Hugh prime was still in front of him, alive and well.


    "Wait!"


    Then, Hugh suddenly got an idea to confirm if Hugh prime was a real person. Hugh closed his eyes and concentrated as if he tried to activate his transformation.


    He clenched his fists as he got ready for the nauseating transformation. However, nothing happened. There was no Hugh internal body heat, no sweating, no headache, just his plain old self.


    Once he figured out that he could not transform, Hugh was more willing to believe that Hugh prime was true.


    "You are me?!"


    Hugh started to come back to his feet as he went through that realization. Once he knew that Hugh prime was genuine, he was more willing to get closer to him and inspect him.


    Hugh looked at Hugh prime with wonder. Back when he would transform himself, he would not see his own body. He could only catch a few glimpses on glasses, but he did not have any time to get familiar with it.


    Now, he was looking at an Adonis of a man. Hugh prime was the alpha of the pack, the king of the jungle. Not only was his body suited for efficiently fighting, but his aura was also enough to subdue everyone who comes before him.


    Hugh was fascinated thinking about being him. He now knew what other people saw as he transformed, and it was truly astonishing.


    "There''s no time for this. We are being invaded!"


    Hugh prime grabbed Hugh''s wurst and got his attention. It was only now that Hugh realized that Hugh prime''s body was starting to melt like a candle.


    Hugh prime''s voice was also a little bit choppy as if there was some interference in his system. Once Hugh noticed this, he got serious and listened closely to what Hugh prime had to say.


    "What do you mean invaded?"


    Hugh prime grabbed Hugh''s shoulders and shook him. He wanted to express to Hugh how serious the matter was. It seemed to have been effective.


    "Aric. He is inside our soul, invading it for his own."


    Hugh was more than completely overwhelmed as Hugh prime mentioned Aric. He did not think that Aric would be involved in a situation involving himself.


    "Once we are his heart, we obtained his powers and his memories. However, Aric''s survival instincts were also thrown into the mix."


    Hugh was speechless as he heard Hugh prime''s reasoning. It was true that he had gotten Aric''s memories and powers, but he did not think that it would harm him.


    He had eaten Aric''s heart on a whim. It was as if his instincts were telling him to do so, so he did.


    "There were times when you blank out, right? It was as if you had lost time. You blink, and suddenly you are at a different place and time with no recollection of being there."


    Hugh thought back to those weird times that he had experienced. He would not have any memories of doing something, but it was clear that his body did it.


    Hugh did not think much of it back then, but now that he knew what was happening, it chilled him just by thinking about it.


    "Aric is trapped inside my soul?"


    Hugh furrowed his eyebrows as he said those words. It did not feel good thinking that someone was invading his soul.


    "Not literally. Just a remnant of him. An instinct. However, it will get stronger as time passes, ultimately taking control of your own body."


    Hugh dreaded Hugh prime''s words. It was a ticking clock that was winding down to his doom. It left him feeling anxious and worried every second of his life.


    There was a feeling of helplessness in his bones. Knowing that his time was limited felt like a wrench in his plans. It made his legs go weak and jelly.


    "Don''t worry. We still have time. You can stop it."


    However, Hugh prime held Hugh up and prevented him from falling. Underneath all that anxiousness in Hugh prime''s eyes, was a tinge of hope.


    Hugh listened closely to the light of hope that was given to him.


    "Find the real Aric. Help him fulfill his task; only then will the instinct feel at peace and dissolve."


    Hugh frowned at Hugh prime''s words. It seemed simple enough, but it only got more and more convoluted as he thought about it.


    Hugh remembered his confrontation with Aric back then. Aric had no memory of who he was or what he was doing, but there was only one thing in his mind; kill Maverick.


    Aric wanted to kill his father. It was a monumental task that Hugh was sure that Aric could never pull off. Hugh would have left Aric to do what he wanted even if he died since that was Aric''s choice.


    Hugh took a big breath as he took in all this information. Helping Aric kill his father seemed like suicide, but not helping Aric was also suicide.


    It was a forced-choice that Hugh did not want to make. However, given the circumstances, Hugh would gladly help Aric if it gave him a chance to live.


    "I don''t have much time left."


    Hugh prime was starting to get weaker and weaker as he said those words. His skin started to melt down and spill on the floor. His confident bravado was being torn down by the second.


    "If you need me, just summon me again. It''s thanks to that nucleus that you swallowed that allowed me to come into existence."


    It turned out that Hugh had gained another power from consuming the invader''s nucleus. It was a delight of a consolation prize as it would be useful in his quest to kill Maverick.


    Hugh prime''s body started to fall like sand. He was disintegrating at a fast rate now that his minute of life had passed.


    As the last remnants of Hugh prime were left, he was able to speak a few final words.


    "Good luck."


    As Hugh prime said those words, all of his body finally turned into liquid form. Then, like a magnet, the liquid started to crawl around Hugh''s body and got absorbed into his skin.


    Hugh got a breath of fresh air as all the liquid got absorbed into his skin. When he checked, the cooldown for his transformation was at its peak with 1 hour of waiting time.


    Hugh took a big breath as he stood alone in his room. It was strangely calm and peaceful like being in the eye of the storm.


    It was only seconds ago that he was told that he only had a limited time in this life. It all felt like a dream, but he knew that it was the cruel reality.


    Hugh readied his supplies for school and headed off in the shifting room. Throughout his journey, all he thought about was his quest to first find where Aric had gone.


    Without any memories, Aric would be left scraping for any information about his father. Since killing Maverick was a tough job, it would be better if they both worked together.


    Hugh dragged his feet back to the classroom and sat down immediately. He put his head down on the desk and closed his eyes as he waited for professor Kain to come inside.


    While he was waiting, Hugh was formulating his plans to help Aric. His first order of business was to find Aric. If that did not work, then he would search for Aric''s father, Maverick.


    Both of them were not easy tasks, but Hugh was forced to do them. There was also another thing that was weighing on his mind, his promise to Ace.


    Ace was also expecting Hugh to deal with the extraterrestrial threats that the school faced. It was as if the world was bearing on his shoulders with work.


    Even with all this work piled up on him, Hugh did not feel slightly sad or angry. Unexpectedly, he was a little bit excited.


    With all the contact with extraterrestrial threats, Hugh would have the chance to consume them and get their powers for himself.


    If he can do that, then killing Maverick would become easier and easier. It was a valid plan that Hugh came up with.

 Chapter 135: Whereabouts

    Hugh went through the day with only one thing in his mind, find Aric. However, with no clue to his name, it would be harder than he thought.


    Aric could be anywhere right now. If Aric was outside of the school, then it would be practically impossible to find him outside.


    *RING*


    The school bell rang and it signaled the end of the discussion. Professor Kain strolled out of the room once again with the rush and impatience of a man with his life on the line.


    Hugh stood up quickly and looked in one direction. He took a big breath and strolled towards three people who were huddled together.


    Tanner, Brad, and Chip were all lounging around like they owned the place. Without Aric with them, they were less domineering than they used to be, but they were still feared by most of their classmates.


    Hugh took a big breath as he tapped Tanner on the shoulder and took his attention.


    "Hey."


    Tanner and the rest of their group all looked towards Hugh simultaneously. There was clear displeasure on their face, but if one looked closely enough, there was also a tinge of fear in their eyes.


    "What?"


    Hugh figured that Aric''s inner circle fitness would know where Aric would hide. It was the best source of information that he had right now.


    "Do you know where''s Aric?"


    As soon as Hugh mentioned Aric''s name, they all seemed to turn on Hugh and exude their strength. They were a little bit offended by Hugh.


    "We should be asking you that question. He disappeared again after you guys talked."


    Although their attitude was left to be desired, they were all genuinely worried for Aric''s safety. Aric had never been the kind of person to disappear without any trace.


    "Do you know where he would usually go?"


    Tanner closed his eyes and shook his head. Judging from his reaction, there did not seem to be a good answer.


    "We already tried his house and all our other usual spots. He''s gone:"


    Chip barged in on their conversation and answered the question. They all seemed to have tried to find Aric on their own without any success.


    "If you find him, call me."


    Without any information from them, Hugh turned around and started to walk away from them. He was starting to get worried as time passes while he was still searching for Aric.


    Ever since he found out that he would be losing his consciousness after some time, he was getting more and more anxious.


    "Hey! Do you know where Aric is?"


    Just as Hugh was about to leave them, Hugh suddenly heard Serena''s voice blasting out of nowhere. Her question sparked Hugh''s curiosity as it had been the same question that he asked.


    "We don''t know."


    The three goons collectively answered Serena''s question. Judging from their tired expression, they did not want to deal with Serena this early in the day.


    "That''s unacceptable. You have to find him. There will be a party, and he has to get involved."


    Serena seemed to be annoyed at the trio. She thought that the trio was, for some reason, hiding Aric from her.


    "Who cares about some party. He has more important things to take care of."


    In the light of Aric''s disappearance, a party seemed the least of their concerns. They found it pretentious of Serena to be this inconsiderate.


    "He has to. I''m not the one who wants him there; it''s his family."


    Hugh stopped in his tracks as he heard Serena''s words. It turned out that Aric''s family seemed to be involved in this party, which meant that Maverick would be there.


    Hugh turned around and headed for Serena. He would like to ask more questions about this party that she was talking about.


    "Will Aric''s whole family going to be there?"


    As soon as Serena saw Hugh headed towards her, she seemed to be flustered beyond belief. She raised both of her hands and put them across her chests as a way to protect them.


    She still vividly remembered the exact moment where Hugh ''accidentally'' touched her breasts. It had ticked her off since then, and she was just forgetting about it when she saw Hugh again.


    "Don''t come near me, pervert."


    Serena backed away several steps as a way to avoid Hugh. However, Hugh ignored all of this and he continued to pursue her until they both hit the wall.


    Serena''s back was pressed against the wall and Hugh''s hand was on the wall beside her head. Hugh was laser-focused on his mission to find out more about the party.


    Serena''s heartbeat was beating a thousand times per second as she helplessly watched Hugh corner her. This was the first time that she felt helpless.


    Serena was flustered, evidenced by the red blush on her cheeks. She wanted to shout at Hugh, but no words came out of her mouth. She could only open and close her mouth without any sounds.


    "Tell me more about this party."


    Serena could not hear any words that Hugh had said. She could only hear a muffled sound of voices and the only thing that she could hear was her heartbeat.


    "Wh¡­Wha¡­what do you think you''re doing!"


    Serena tried to push Hugh away from her, but it was of no use. Hugh''s stature was big, as well as his weight, so it would need a significant amount of force to make him move.


    "Tell me now!"


    Hugh did not want to waste any more time as he punched the wall to get her attention. It seemed to have worked as she shook her head and looked more composed.


    Serena was finally able to think clearly after she heard that loud noise. She frowned as she looked at Hugh.


    "It''s a party hosted at the central area that my family rented. Many influential families would be there, mine, Aric''s, and others. It isn''t for someone like you."


    Hugh was in deep thought as he digested the information. It seemed like Maverick would show up at this party. Hugh was willing to bet that Aric would also show up at this party to confront Maverick.


    He did not have to find Aric, he just had to find Maverick, and he would likely find Aric there. It was a valid plan, but the only problem Hugh had was getting in the party.


    "Thanks."


    Hugh bid his thanks to Serena as he left. He tapped her shoulder, and she flinched in response. She seemed to be tongue-tied as Hugh turned around and left without any more words.


    She thought that she had been mean to Hugh, but it seemed like Hugh did not even mind it.


    As Hugh left the group, there was one pair of eyes looking at him. It was Jane, and there was a strange twinkle in her eyes.


    ''Hmm¡­is Hugh searching for another extraterrestrial threat? That looks interesting. Looks like I will have to go to a party.''


    Jane seemed to misunderstand Hugh''s intention of going to the party. For her, she thought that Hugh was only looking for an extraterrestrial, not for Aric.


    As Hugh left the room, his head was tilted down as his head was filled with thoughts. He was coming up with plans as he walked.


    If he were to find Aric, then how would they go about killing Maverick? If he went to the party but Aric was not there, then would Hugh attack Maverick on his own?


    There were all sorts of scenarios in his head that he had to consider. However, with his head deep in thoughts, he did not seem to notice that a person was in front of him.


    Hugh still kept walking even though he was in a direct collision with a person standing in front of him. Just before he collided with the person, Hugh saw the shows and he stopped himself in time.


    "Sorry."


    Hugh apologized as he looked up at the person in front of him. He was surprised to see who had confronted him as he had seen this person earlier before.


    "Let me join you."


    In front of Hugh was Jane who had a bright smile on her face. Her smile seemed to be quite awkward as if the smile was forced.


    "What''s wrong with your face?"


    Hugh could not immediately understand her intentions, so he ended up asking her.


    "It''s a smile. I wanted to curry favor with you."


    With her smile not working, Jane immediately changed her expression to an exhausted one. Then, she massaged her face as if she had not used her smiling muscles in a long time.


    "What do you want? Spit it out."


    Hugh did not want to waste any more time so he went direct to the point.


    "I want to help with your exterminating problem. I know Ace sought you out. I want to help."


    Hugh frowned as he was about to reject Jane''s request. However, he suddenly saw the bright pearl in her ears which signaled her wealth. An idea came up in his head.


    "Fine. Get me a ticket to Serena''s party and I will let you help me."

 Chapter 136: Preparation

    Jane tilted her head as she heard Hugh''s request. She then squinted her eyes as if she was trying to see through Hugh''s request. She just could not understand the reason why Hugh would want to go to a party.


    "I never saw you as a party nut," Jane said as she moved closer to Hugh with her hands still behind her back.


    "I''m not. I just need to something there." Hugh steered his eyes away from Jane as he did not want her to find out what he was truly planning.


    "So? Are you going to get me to the party or not?" Hugh knew that this was the easiest way to get to the party without forcing himself in.


    If Jane rejected his request right now, then he would have to plan for something else. He would have to break into the party, which would be hard hearing that most of the prominent families would be there.


    Hugh could also ask Serena for a ticket, but with her attitude, Hugh would be rejected.


    "I can. However, you would have to pose as my date. Are you okay with that?" Jane asked as she tilted her head and displayed a playful smile at Hugh. It seemed that she guessed that Hugh would be flustered at the question.


    "Fine," Hugh replied with an exasperated tone. Contrary to Jane''s expectations, Hugh was indifferent to the plan.


    With his plan set in motion, Hugh started to run away from Jane. "Thanks," Hugh blurted out as he ran away without stopping.


    Jane did not stop him as she stood there looking at his back. She squinted her eyes as she did not know what Hugh was planning.


    Hugh immediately went to the gym after classes. This was the first time he had ever gone there, but he needed to be prepared.


    With Maverick as their main target, Hugh would have to pull out all the stops. He was not even sure if his transformation would be enough to deal with Maverick.


    Hugh confirmed his identity to the door as he entered the facility. He looked around and saw that the room was devoid of anything around him.


    It was the perfect place for Hugh to try out his attacking moves and his plans without destroying his house in the process.


    In this room, Hugh could truly go all out, which he would surely do when they inevitably face Maverick. He also planned to get away from the fight if things get dangerous.


    Hugh stood still as he focused on something in his mind. It did not wait long as he felt a difference in his body. His eyes were still closed so he could not see what was happening.


    After a buildup of pressure all around his body, there was a final burst of energy that signaled the end of the change. When he opened his eyes, a smile crept upon his face as he realized that he had succeeded.


    In front of Hugh was a humanoid mixture of steel and wood. There was a full person in front of him that had rigid brown wood as its muscles and silver metal as its skin.


    This was Hugh''s armor materialized as a person. Hugh got the idea from when his transformation turned into a real person.


    Hugh''s smile got bigger and bigger as the armored man raised his right hand, just as Hugh intended it to. It seemed that he could communicate with the armored man with his mind.


    With just a slight thought, the armored man jumped and performed a somersault that displayed his athletic prowess.


    Then, four sharp claws appeared in each hand and sliced through the air as if it was butter. The armored man continued to display his skills and power as Hugh commanded it to.


    The armored man was stronger than it ever was. With Hugh''s imagination as its limit, the armored man could move like water and without any inhibitions.


    The time passed as Hugh continued to take advantage of the training facility. By the end of the day, Hugh''s clothes were drenched in sweat, and his busy and kind were both exhausted.


    As Hugh lied on his sweat, Hugh smiled. He had felt that he had improved by even just a small amount.


    He only had a limited amount of time until the party, so he had to make use of it in the most efficient way. He was still anxious about the whole thing, but he was more confident now that he had more skills up his sleeve.


    The days passed as Hugh went through his usual routine. By the morning, he would eat an inordinate amount of calories to sustain his energy. Then, he would go to school and learn more things from professor Kain.


    After school, he would go to the training facility and sharpen his skills. He would get better and better every hour that he spent practicing his skills.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Aric was sitting alone in the darkness in an undisclosed room. The room was shabby, with leaking water from the ceiling and small rodents crawling in and about.


    However, none of them were of Aric''s concern. He was solely focused on the board right in front of him.


    The board consisted of pictures, walls of text, headlines, and other more stuff that were all connected by a red string.


    Right in the middle of Aric''s board was a picture of his own father. Maverick, the same person that he held a tremendous amount of hate for.


    Right beside Maverick''s photo was a headline that stated, ''Maverick to join the exclusive party this Sunday!'' Aric stared daggers at Maverick''s photo as he tapped his foot on the ground waiting for Sunday to come.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    A group of students was walking around the outskirts of the central area while the streets were illuminated by lampposts by the side.


    They all seemed to be having fun as they all seemed to be a little bit drunk. Some of them were even tumbling in their feet while holding a bottle in their hand.


    As they all walked along, they suddenly saw something black flash their way. They all stopped in their tracks as they got surprised by the sudden ambush.


    They all got sobered up immediately as they got alerted of the intruder. However, as they looked at who had surprised them, they all changed their reactions.


    "AWWW! How cute!" One girl exclaimed as she watched the creature right in front of her. She seemed to have already warmed up to it as she approached it without caution.


    "What''s a cat doing around these parts?" A guy right beside the girl was also curious as he approached the black cat.


    Once the two students approached the cat, almost everyone also grouped up and looked at the cat. They were all drunk, so they did not question the cat''s existence.


    "Are you lost, little guy?" A brave helpful guy approached the bald cat and held it with both of his hands. He swayed with it as if it were his own child.


    "You both look cute!" One girl seemed to be smitten at the guy who held the cat. Of course, the guy who got complimented immediately smiled and held the cat closer to his face.


    "MIAO!"


    The cat suddenly shouted and got out of the man''s grasp. It was slippery and it got out easily. It ran away from everyone in a flash, and they could not even see where it went.


    With the cat gone, they felt a little bit disappointed, but they recovered pretty quickly. They all started to walk again as if nothing had happened.


    "You were pretty cool back there," the woman flirted as she touched his arm in a teasing way. It was clear that she liked the guy.


    The man did not respond to the clear flirtation from the girl. There was no expression on his face at all, only indifference.


    "What''s wrong? Don''t worry, I''ll do more later in the bedroom," she said as she whispered closer to his ears.


    As she finished her sentence, she suddenly felt a strong force in her stomach. It immediately made her feel sick as she almost vomited on the spot.


    When she looked down, she realized that she had been punched in the gut. Her immediate response was confusion, but it did not last long as she got punched in the face.


    The woman fell unconscious right in the street. Nobody from their friend group seemed to have noticed as they were all inebriated.


    The man who punched the girl looked at the backs of the students as two swords appeared in his hands. The other students did not even know what hit them as they got caught off guard.


    As the carnage continued and blood spilled on the ground, the black cat watched along with an imperceptible smile on its face.


    Then, like a flash, it disappeared after Student Council officers responded to the scene and stopped the man who went on a rampage.

 Chapter 137: Party

    Hugh woke up with a heavy heart after he slept in the due night. This was the day where he had to deal with Maverick, the day where he would have to fight a man several magnitudes stronger than him.


    However, Hugh still got up out of bed and prepared his suit for the party tonight. There was no school today, so Hugh was free to do anything he wanted.


    He had already gotten the suit he had picked out from the store and had it dry cleaned. He had to look his best so as not to seem out of place in the prestigious party.


    There were still a lot of hours left until the start of the party, but he was still anxious. He had to stop his leg from tapping the ground too much.


    Hugh decided to spend the rest of his free time going over his plans for the party. He went over scenarios that might happen, and how he would respond in those crises.


    The time quickly passed as the night soon turned into the night. Hugh was already out in the open and waited by the door in a house that was not his.


    After waiting for a few minutes, Hugh looked at his watch and got impatient. He needed to get to the party before Aric could even confront Maverick.


    Hugh knocked on the doorbell once again to announce his presence at the door. It did not take long for a feminine voice to respond to him.


    "I''m coming, just a moment."


    After a few seconds, the door in front of him opened and revealed the person that he was waiting for, Jane. She was wearing a low-cut light blue dress that accentuated her surprisingly curvy body.


    "You¡­look good," said Hugh as he inevitably looked at her body. He could not his the surprise on his face and said, "Wow."


    Jane did not seem to mind Hugh''s surprise as she just smiled and performed a little turnaround that showcased her whole body.


    "Like it?" Jane said as she smiled at Hugh. It was clear that she was enjoying the unbreakable state that Hugh had on her body.


    "You don''t seem like yourself," blurted out Hugh. It was not until he said it that he regretted it. It was rude to say that, and he got embarrassed for saying so.


    "Don''t worry," shrugged Jane. "Even I''m surprised at myself."


    Hugh was speechless that he forgot the rush that he was in before. It was only after Jane snapped her fingers at Hugh''s face that he got control of himself again.


    "Let''s go. We don''t want to be late," said Jane as she took Hugh''s arm and started to walk.


    Hugh was left speechless and just went with the flow. Her movements were too fluid for him to try and reject her, so he just accepted it.


    Under the bright lamps of the street, they both walked and admired the view. Hugh had already seen the magnificent nature of the school at night, but this experience seemed different.


    "It looks beautiful," exclaimed Jane as she let go of Hugh''s hand and squatted on the ground as she inspected the luminescent blue rose on the sidewalk.


    "Yeah," agreed Hugh even though he, himself, did not realize that he was not looking at the blue rose, but at Jane.


    "I wish every day could be as peaceful as this," stated Jane with a bit of sentimentality on her tone.


    "Is it not?" questioned Hugh as he walked closer to her. He could not see her face, so he did not know what she was currently feeling.


    "How would you feel if you were pressured every day of your life to be the best?"


    Hugh went silent at her hypothetical question. It made him think of his lackluster life before he acquired his system. He would not have achieved anything in life.


    "Let me tell you, it''s not a lot of fun," said Jane as she stood up and walked forward. She put her hands behind her back and looked at the stars.


    Hugh looked at Jane''s back and remembered the times that he had seen Jane. In all of their classes, Jane would always listen closely in class.


    She would be buried in her notes, and she would not have any time for herself. Back then, Hugh just thought of her as a workaholic. It turned out that she was involuntarily pressured to excel in her studies.


    Jane turned around and face Hugh as she realized that he had stopped walking. "What are you doing? Let''s go," said Jane with a smile on her face. There was not a tinge of sadness in her face, which Hugh guessed to be a lie.


    Both of them walked in silence as they finally reached the central area. The place was filled with not many people walking around, which was not common.


    "They rented the whole central area so that it would be private," explained Jane.


    As they got closer and closer, Hugh realized that the whole party was not in a certain building. It was held outside in the central area itself.


    Magnificent tents were placed around one big tent that was supposed to be the main stage. It was beautiful and elegant even though it was held outside.


    As they reached the entrance, Jane took out her handbag and searched for the tickets. After she found it, she flashed it to Hugh with a big smile.


    She then gave the two tickets to a Student Council officer that was guarding the entrance. The officer looked at the tickets and shined them under a special violet light to confirm their authenticity.


    "You may enter," said the officer. The man let Jane inside but stopped Hugh from entering the premises. "Not you, sir."


    Jane frowned as she heard the officer. "He''s with me. We have a ticket," protested Jane with a slightly irritated voice.


    "Our list only indicated that you will be alone, miss Jane," replied the officer. He had a resolute voice and he was not willing to relent.


    "Fine, wait here. I''ll go talk to the organizer," said Jane and left Hugh all by himself.


    Hugh waited patiently by the side as he watched other guests enter the premises. They all wore expensive suits and dresses that were in line with unique gems and pieces of jewelry.


    "Going to a party?"


    A voice suddenly appeared right beside Hugh and spooked him. He quickly turned around and revealed his sharp claws to the intruder.


    As he saw who it was, Hugh let down his fists, but he still kept the claws in place.


    "Ace," Hugh said with a begrudging tone. Nothing good ever came out of Ace talking to him, so Hugh braced for the bad news to come.


    "Why are you here?" Hugh said with a hushed and rushed voice. "Nothing good, I assume."


    "Alright, I''ll get to the chase," said Ace. He then moved closer to Hugh''s ears and whispered, "An extraterrestrial threat appeared again."


    Hugh frowned as he heard the news. "I can''t do it right now, I have to go to the party," Hugh protested. There was only one chance that he could get close to Maverick, so he could not waste it.


    "Lucky for you, this particular threat loves to create chaos, especially in big parties like this," explained Ace with an arrogant tone.


    Hugh did not know what to feel with that information. On one hand, he was glad that he was not pulled out of the party. On the other hand, he had another thing to think about at the party.


    "What you''ll be looking for is a black cat. It''s called an omen, and in under no circumstance are you to touch it. Exterminate on sight."


    Hugh closed his eyes as he absorbed the information from Ace. This was an unforeseen circumstance that he had to deal with in the plan.


    He was thinking up of a last-minute adjustment in case he had to deal with the black cat called omen.


    "Hugh? Are you okay?" Jane said as she looked at Hugh who had closed his eyes. Hugh opened his eyes and realized that Ace had left him already.


    "Yeah¡­fine," replied Hugh who had worried eyes.


    With things sorted out on Jane''s end, they were both able to enter the party together. Inside, they saw a myriad of middle-aged men and women mingling with each other.


    Since this was a gathering of influential families, there was bound to be some clout chasing. Hugh and Jane ignored all of them as they navigated the party.


    "Thanks for letting me in," said Hugh who started to separate from Jane. "I have some things to deal with," Hugh said as he waved to Jane without giving her a chance to catch up.


    Hugh walked around the party with his eyes out for Aric or Maverick. It seemed that he was out of luck since he could not see either of them.


    "What are you doing here?"

 Chapter 138: Arranged

    "What are you doing here?" a woman''s voice said. It gathered Hugh''s attention away from the party and into the woman who spoke to him.


    The first thing that Hugh noticed was her yellow puffy dress. Under the bright lights of the venue, the woman seemed more than stunning.


    It was only after the woman blocked the light behind her that Hugh finally saw her face.


    "Serena," said Hugh. She had a confused face as to how Hugh was able to get into the party.


    "How did you get in here? Were you¡­were you stalking me?!" exclaimed Serena as she slowly stepped back away from Hugh as if he had a disease.


    Hugh almost burst out laughing at Serena''s accusation. It was so out of place that no one would believe it. Why would Hugh waste all of this effort just to see Serena?


    Hugh admitted that Serena did look beautiful tonight, but it was not enough for him to be smitten by her. The undesirable personality of hers will always get in the way.


    "You flatter yourself. I''m here with someone formally," Hugh explained. He would rather not have Serena toss him out right now since he still had not found Aric or Maverick.


    Serena heard Hugh''s explanation, but there was still a sliver of doubt in her mind. She still kept her space against Hugh.


    "Whatever. Just don''t come looking for me later," Serena stated as she lifted her chin and displayed a superior look in Hugh.


    Then, Serena quickly turned around and started to walk away from Hugh. However, her steps were quickly stopped as two people were standing in her way.


    "Serena, darling!" exclaimed an older woman with a black dress. It was clear that the passage of time had gone to her, but there was still a sliver of beauty in her face.


    "Serena," an older guy stated without much exclaim or emotion. However, it was clear from his eyes that he seemed to be familiar with Serena.


    "Mom! Dad!" Serena exclaimed as she finally saw her parents for the first time this evening. She quickly ran up to them and gave them a big hug with both of her hands.


    Serena''s mother reciprocated the hug and she was happy, evidenced by the big smile on her face. Her father, on the other hand, did not show much happiness in seeing his daughter.


    "Have you been well?" asked Serena''s mother. She took her hand and parted Serena''s stray hair as a caring mother would.


    "How about your grades?" interrupted Serena''s father. He did not even wait for Serena to answer her mother''s question to ask her about school.


    "Never mind that, dad. It''s a party, it''s a time to let go," Serena said with a bit of exasperation in her voice. She quickly wants to change the subject so as not to be asked such mundane questions.


    "Where''s Aric?" Serena''s father asked. As soon as Aric''s name was mentioned, Hugh''s interest was piqued. He turned towards them and listened carefully for what they had to say.


    "Why are you looking for him?" asked Serena who was confused as to why they had an interest in her classmate. She was not even sure how they came to know of Aric''s existence since she had not told them anything.


    "It''s for your arranged marriage of course," Serena''s father said without much emotion even though he had just dropped a bombshell.


    "What?" Serena was dumbfounded by what her father said. She shook her head as she did not think that she heard the right thing.


    "Oh, dear. You shouldn''t have surprised her like that," Serena''s mother said as she slapped her husband on the wrist.


    "Mom?" Serena questioned with a bit of confusion and anger in her voice. Serena seemed to have already guessed the answer as she slowly stepped away from her parents.


    "This party is for our family, Serena. Both of our families agreed that this will be the most beneficial move for everyone," explained Serena''s mother.


    Hugh was just as surprised as Serena. He did not think that an arranged marriage was still prevalent in this day and age.


    He even felt a little bit of pity for Serena since she would not be able to marry for love. Even rich kids seemed to have problems just like poor people.


    Hugh shrugged his shoulders and turned to leave. Since their plan did not give him relevant information, Hugh decided to leave. It was rude to eavesdrop on a family conversation.


    Just as Hugh turned to leave, he suddenly felt a hand in his wrist that prevented him from leaving. When he turned around, he realized that Serena has his hand.


    Serena and Hugh looked at each other. Hugh''s eyes were filled with confusion, but Serena''s eyes had hints of helplessness and persuasion.


    Then, Serena turned to her parents and said, "I can''t marry Aric, I already promised myself to him."


    Hugh was wide-eyed at the current situation. He was so caught off guard that he could not deny Serena in time. He could only stand there speechless as Serena tried to convince her parents.


    It seemed that it was not just Hugh who was surprised, but also her parents and a couple of people watching them.


    There was silence after Serena said those words. It gathered more and more attention until practically everyone was looking towards them.


    Serena''s father was more angry than surprised. Hugh could practically see smoke coming out of his ears as he watched Serena holding hands with Hugh.


    Serena''s mother was beyond surprised. She had one hand covering her mouth, and one hand clutching her pearls.


    The rest of the party were chitchatting amongst themselves as they tried to figure out what was happening.


    There was one thing in common with everyone there. They were all against Hugh marrying Serena, including Hugh himself.


    "You must be joking, Serena!" shouted her father. Hugh could feel the pressure around him start to get harder and harder until his knees almost buckled.


    "It''s true. He already touched me in precious places," explained Serena. Her eyes were filled with determination in her mission to avoid the arranged marriage.


    Hugh was once again wide-eyed with Serena''s words. One second, she was saying that they were getting married, the next second, she was saying that they had already gotten intimate.


    This was the limit. Hugh would not stand to let Serena spit lies anymore. He opened his mouth about to say something, but Serena gave him a sharp look.


    "Isn''t that right, honey?" Serena said as she crushed Hugh''s hands and gave him a signal not to say anything.


    Hugh winced for a little bit, but he was still determined in telling the truth. He once again opened his mouth about to say something, but Serena interrupted him again.


    "Don''t you remember that time when you tackled me and touched my body?" Serena said as she gave Hugh another sharp look.


    Hugh furrowed his eyebrows about to say something, but he remembered something.


    Back when he was trying to find the invader, he did have a run-in with Serena. Some unfortunate events occurred which led to Hugh tackling Serena and accidentally touching her breast.


    Hugh could not deny that this did not happen, so he was once again left speechless. Unfortunately for Hugh, it seemed that Serena''s father was also done with words.


    Serena''s father started to emit black smoke as he walked towards Hugh with a menacing look. It was clear that he wanted to kill Hugh for stealing his daughter.


    The black smoke started to swirl and finally form into an elaborate spear complete with intricate designs. Hugh could see some electric sparks from the spear, giving it another layer of threat.


    Hugh knew that the spear was deadly. His instincts were telling him that he would have no way to dodge it. Even with all of his skills active, he would not be able to come out unscathed from the spear.


    Nevertheless, Hugh watched the spear with all of his attention. He never left his eyes off it, but after a few moments, it suddenly disappeared.


    The next thing that Hugh saw was the spear directly in his eyes. It was only at that moment that he fully processed what happened.


    Hugh flinched his body as he realized that the spear was only a few centimeters away from hitting his eyes. Thankfully, the spear seemed to have been stopped.


    Hugh''s heart was beating a thousand times per second as he saw his life flash before his eyes. He was only a few centimeters away from certain death.


    "Sorry, no killing of students here," a man with glasses said. He had the spear in between two of his fingers. He was able to stop Hugh from dying with just his middle and pointy finger.


    Hugh took a big breath. He looked at the spear, but something in the background took his attention. He looked towards the spectators and found someone familiar.


    Aric was looking at him a few meters away as he was mingled in the crowd.

 Chapter 139: Converge

    Aric was standing in the background as he watched everything unfold. He seemed to be confused as to why Hugh would be here.


    They looked at each other, and Aric immediately understood why. Aric had it in his mind that Hugh came here to stop him from killing Maverick.


    Aric frowned and turned around to leave. He wanted to disappear and search for Maverick before anyone stopped him.


    Hugh saw Aric leave without saying anything. Hugh finally found Aric, and now was not the time for him to leave. He needed to explain to Aric that they both had the same mission in mind.


    As Aric left the scene, Hugh stood up and tried to catch up to him. He ignored everyone that was looking at him and rushed out.


    Serena tried to stop him from leaving by hiding his hands tighter, but Hugh finally got serious and used his real strength.


    Hugh was able to escape from Serena''s grasp without much trouble, much to her surprise. She could only watch as Hugh pushed the crowd away and left the scene.


    In her mind, she was still speechless as to how Hugh was able to show a tremendous amount of strength. She had always thought that Hugh was a weak person.


    That was also the reason why she chose Hugh to be her fake fianc¨¦. Since Hugh was considered the weakest person in the class, she thought that it would gather more anger from her father.


    She never thought that Hugh was a man with strength and resolution that she had never seen before. In that split moment, Serena decided to catch up to Hugh.


    Serena picked up the laces of her dress as she ran out of the scene in pursuit of her fake fianc¨¦. Everyone made way for Serena seeing that it would be more entertaining for everyone.


    As Serena ran after Hugh, her father would also do the same. He stomped his feet as he raised his hand and reached out for Serena.


    However, before he could do anything, he felt the cold touch of his wife. She had used some pressure in her touch which made him stop what he was doing.


    "Let them go, dear," said Serena''s mother with a calm but threatening voice. For everyone, it looked like she was consoling her husband, but her husband knew that he was being threatened.


    Serena''s father had a big sigh as he lowered his hand and let Serena walk away from everyone. Soon after, the life of the party returned and everyone got to their businesses.


    Hugh ran after Aric in the distance until they reached a discrete place away from the party. The place was dim and there was hardly any furniture, just an empty desolate room.


    Hugh looked around and realized that there was no one in the room. There were pillars installed in the room, which Hugh guessed to be Aric''s hiding place.


    Hugh slowly approached one of the pillars and looked behind it, only to see nothing there. There was no noise in the room, and Hugh could only hear his heartbeat.


    Hugh continued to search the pillars for any sign of Aric, but he still could not find him. Then, out of nowhere, he suddenly heard a sharp noise.


    *clunk*


    The sound seemed to be a pebble hitting the ground. It quickly took Hugh''s attention as he looked at where the noise originated.


    He realized that the noise came from the door where he entered. His intuitions were telling him that someone was in the door, about to enter the place.


    Hugh braced himself and activated his eagle eyes. With it, he would be able to see any threat before it came. He held his breath and became one with the darkness.


    The sound of footsteps echoed through the room and got louder and louder with time. Then, the person finally showed itself at the door.


    "Huff¡­huff," said the person who seemed exhausted from running. Hugh realized that it was a woman who''s entered the place, and he also recognized the voice.


    "Serena?" Hugh asked as he slightly let down his guard. He was confused as to why she would run after him.


    "You¡­why did you have to run so far? Who are you chasing?" Serena said with a bit of an exasperated voice. She had both of her hands in her waist as if she was scolding Hugh.


    Hugh walked towards her to tell her to leave. In that brief second, he let down his guard.


    Serena then noticed that someone was behind Hugh, so she shouted, "watch out!"


    The warning came too late as the ambush became successful. A black fire seemed to engulf Hugh and an arm punched towards Hugh''s back.


    Serena could not see who had attacked Hugh, but she knew that it was not a good person. Without any hesitation, she ran after Hugh with pink smoke coming out of her body.


    Some of the smoke quickly got tea sorbet in her body, especially her legs, and it made her speed up. In just a moment, she was able to reach Hugh and attack the unknown assailant.


    With her right fist, she performed a jab at the assailant. Her moves were quick and her power was overwhelming, but the assailant was able to intercept the punch.


    The assailant guarded himself against Serena''s attack and performed a counter-attack. However, it seemed that it was all in Serena''s plan.


    As soon as the assailant performed the counter-attack, she grabbed his guarding hand and used her full weight to toss the guy behind her. It was a grappling technique.


    With her strength and her quickness, the assailant could not physically escape from her. A smile crept up on her face as she thought she had won.


    However, the assailant did not give up easily. The man suddenly filled himself with black fire, which meant that Serena would also be affected.


    Serena felt a cold heat in her hands. It gave her tremendous pain, and she knew that she would have more burns if she did not give up her grasp on the man.


    Serena decided in a quick split-second as she let go of the man before the black fire spread in her whole body. She quickly patted down her dress to make sure that it was not affected.


    The man performed a somersault and gave a perfect landing. Both of them stood down and looked at each other.


    It was then that Serena finally saw who was her opponent.


    "Aric?!" Serena exclaimed, completely confused about the situation.


    She quickly let down her hands seeing that the assailant was not an enemy, but a classmate. She was relieved that it was only Aric, not an assassin sent by her dad.


    However, Aric did not feel the same way. His eyes were filled with caution and distrust. He did not know who Serena was, so he did not stop his attacks.


    Aric activated his black fire on both of his hands as he rushed towards Serena.


    Serena furrowed her eyes as she saw Aric rush towards her. She was confused at why it seemed like Aric was hostile towards her even though she did not do anything against him.


    Right before Aric reached the defenseless Serena, Hugh tackled Aric to the side.


    "Hugh! Why aren''t you dead?!" questioned Serena. She had witnessed Hugh being burned alive by the black fire, but Hugh was as good as ever. There were not any burns on his skin nor his clothes.


    "Aric! She''s not an enemy!" shouted Hugh as he ignored Serena and explained to Aric. He put his whole weight in subduing Aric and not letting him attack Serena.


    It was at this moment that Serena had an idea as to why Aric was mad.


    "Aric! I''m sorry but I don''t love you. I can''t marry you!" said Serena. It made both Hugh and Aric stop struggling and just look at her with speechless mouths.


    It turned out that Serena thought Aric was mad because of the arranged marriage. It was a misunderstanding on both parts.


    As Aric watched Serena, he understood that she was not an enemy. He stopped his struggle and just sat up on the ground and took a big breath.


    "Don''t stop me, Hugh," said Aric as he faced Hugh. He had a determined look on his face as he petitioned for Hugh to let Aric do what he wanted.


    "Can you even do it? Do you even have the strength? It''s incredibly impulsive," Hugh argued. Killing Maverick was all Aric ever wanted, but it was an impossible task.


    "Impulsive is all I have! I have nothing else, no memory, no recollection, just pure hatred for Maverick!" shouted Aric. His face was red from anger and the veins of his forehead bulged.


    "That doesn''t mean you have to kill him right now. You have to prepare for these things and make sure you can kill him," said Hugh to persuade Aric.


    "What''s happening?" Serena blurted out as she was confused about the situation.

 Chapter 140: Glasses

    Hugh and Aric both stopped fighting and patted down their uniforms. They seemed to have come to an understanding with each other.


    "Then what do you suppose I do?" Aric asked Hugh. He seemed to be genuinely asking for advice since Hugh seemed to be the one who had all the answers.


    "That''s why I am here. I''m here to help you complete your mission," Hugh explained. However, he did not tell Aric why he was helping him.


    "Excuse me, don''t ignore me. What''s going on here? I feel out of the loop!" Serena complained as she looked at Hugh and Aric both with the expectation that they will explain it to her.


    Aric did not seem to like Serena interrupting him, so he glared at her and shouted, "Who even are you?"


    Serena heard Aric''s words and she was beyond livid. She was embarrassed and angry at the same time. She was the most beautiful girl in the class, and no one in a kilometer radius did not know her.


    "Don''t pretend you don''t know me just because I won''t marry you," Serena said with her eyebrows uneven. She did not know that Aric had no memories, so she just assumed that Aric was angry at her.


    "What?" Aric questioned with confusion painted on his face.


    "Serena, he doesn''t know you. He lost his memories," Hugh explained. There was no way to lie out of this, so he figured that it would be better to just tell her the truth.


    Serena looked even more confused at the two of them. She did not know if Hugh was joking or not since Hugh said something ridiculous. However, Hugh''s face was completely serious.


    "You''re kidding, right? Hahahahaha good joke!" Serena said as she laughed. The echoes of her laugh echoed in the halls, but she was the only one who was in the good mood.


    "Haha¡­ha¡­you''re completely serious, aren''t you?" Serena said as her laugh slowly disappeared. She seemed to have finally realized that Hugh was telling the truth.


    Serena crossed her hands and looked at Aric. She did not know if she would pity him or be angry at him.


    "Why didn''t you tell anyone?! There is a lot of good medicine out there," said Serena. She thought that Aric only lost his memories due to some injury. She did not know that Aric died and got resurrected.


    "Oh right! What was that black fire!" Serena blurted out. She did not even allow Aric to respond as she had just realized that Aric had a completely different power.


    She had a vivid memory of Aric using reddish or orangish fire that was as warm as the sun. Now, it seemed that Aric''s fire was black and had a piercing coldness to it.


    It was much too different of a change, so she did not think that it was just a power progression. No matter how much she racked her brain, she could not think of a reason why Aric''s power had changed.


    "Why aren''t you two talking?" Serena realized that she was the only one talking in this conversation. Hugh and Aric were supposed to be the ones explaining, but Serena was the one who always talked.


    "And also, what was that about killing Maverick? Isn''t that your father?" said Serena as she questioned Aric. She had just remembered the name of Aric''s father, so she just realized it now.


    "It''s better if you don''t know," said Hugh as he waved Serena away. Their plan to kill Maverick was not legal in any way, so it was better for a civilian like Serena not to get involved.


    "Humph. I''ll decide that myself. What is it? Tell me now or else I will beat you both up into a pulp," threatened Serena as pink smoke started to emit from her body.


    Hugh sighed as he watched Serena get worked up. He did not get why Serena wanted to get involved. If he was given the chance, he would not volunteer to help Aric in his suicidal mission.


    "I want to kill my father," said Aric with a nonchalant voice. It was as if his mission was to do something easy or normal, not patricide.


    Serena was speechless at Aric''s straightforwardness. She did not think Aric was serious, but the hatred in his eyes could not be faked.


    Serena opened her mouth about to say something, but they''d suddenly heard some footsteps outside. They all turned towards the entrance and put up their defenses.


    *step* *step* *step*


    The steps were hurried as if chasing someone. They all subconsciously moved to the darkness and their presence so that they would have the upper hand if it was an enemy.


    "There you are!" exclaimed a feminine voice. It did not seem like the voice was hostile, so Serena and Hugh both let down their guards. However, Aric still kept his arms up as he activated his black fire.


    Hugh felt like he had heard this voice before, so he guessed to who it would be.


    Then, a woman who wore a light blue dress came into the room looking at a black cat that was in front of her. She tries her hardest to catch the black cat, but she was always one step behind it.


    Hugh recognized her immediately so he shouted towards her. "Jane!"


    As soon as Jane heard Hugh''s voice, she stopped in her tracks and looked at him. She then panned her eyes to Serena and Aric, who both did not recognize her.


    "What are you doing here with them!" Jane questioned. From what she remembered Aric and Hugh did not get along at all. Serena was also a strange entity here since she was supposed to be at the party.


    "Do you know her, Hugh?" Serena said as she pointed at Jane. She seemed to have no idea that Jane was in her class.


    "Yeah, she''s in our class, Jane," Hugh explained. It was only then that Serena realized who she was.


    "Oh! I didn''t recognize her without her glasses. Huh, she looks pretty without her glasses," said Serena as she looked at Jane up and down as if she was sizing her up.


    Jane walked up to them and asked, "What are you guys doing in a place like this?"


    "None of your concern," said Serena. She crossed her hands and gave her a sharp look. She was not close with Jane, so she did not trust her.


    "What about you, Jane?" said Hugh. It seemed that she was chasing something, so Hugh was curious about it.


    "Oh, that? I was chasing a black cat. I wanted to pat it, but couldn''t catch it no matter what," Jane explained. She looked around the room, but she could not find the black cat anymore.


    ''Black cat?'' Hugh thought to himself. He remembered the ETT (extraterrestrial threat) that Ace wanted him to kill. It was a black cat called omen that was ordered to be killed on sight.


    "This is not a place that you kids should be hanging around," said a mysterious voice that was not from the four students in the room.


    All of them felt a chill in their necks as they heard the voice echoed through the room. They did not hear any footsteps from the entrance, which meant that the voice was a strong entity.


    The four students looked around the room, but they could not see where the voice was coming from. They all had serious eyes as they prepared their defenses.


    Out from the darkness in the corner, a slim man wearing an expensive suit came into being. He wore glasses that reflected light from the moon which his eyes.


    The man stepped towards them, but there were not any footsteps that accompanied his steps. They all felt anxious at the man since it seemed that he was much stronger than any of them.


    "Sir, Aric. It''s good to see you again," the man said as he bowed towards Aric. It seemed that the two had known each other, or at least the man did.


    Aric did not have any of his memories, so he did not reciprocate the greeting. He could only stare daggers at the man since he seemed like a dangerous person.


    "Who are you?" Serena questioned. It was at this moment that the man realized his mistake.


    "Ah. Excuse my manners. I am called Sebastian, and I am a close personal guard of Aric''s father, Maverick," Sebastian said as he once again bowed towards the four students.


    As soon as Sebastian mentioned Maverick''s name, Aric started to hyperventilate and shudder. Aric''s eyes were filled with hatred at this moment, and it felt like anything could set him off at this moment.


    Serena flinched away from Aric as she felt the bloodlust coming off him.


    "Hoh¡­is this bloodlust I sense, sir Aric? I do hope that it is directed at me, right?" said Sebastian as he shot a look at Aric while still bowing towards the group.


    "Or is it for master Maverick?" Sebastian said in a soft voice as if to deliberately provoke Aric.

 Chapter 141: Blackmail

    With Sebastian''s provocation, Aric almost lost his sanity. Aric''s whole body blew up into a black fiery mess that could not be controlled.


    Aric rushed towards Sebastian, but Hugh stopped him before he could go anywhere. Hugh was engulfed in the black flame, but he was unaffected by it.


    "Stop, Aric. He''s provoking you," Hugh said as he tried to talk some sense into Aric. He then looked at Sebastian to see why he was trying to make Aric mad.


    "Is this the kind of thing a son thinks of his father? That is a sin that is beyond acceptable," Sebastian said as he looked towards Aric with a malicious smile on his face.


    Hugh could feel Aric''s hatred of Maverick explode out of his body. Aric''s whole body was shivering, and he was like a wild animal that only uses its instincts.


    "What will your father do once he knows you want to kill him?" said Sebastian as he walked closer to the group. This garnered some defensive stares from everyone since they could tell how dangerous he was.


    Sebastian then calmly walked past everyone like they were not there, invisible to the world. His walk was pretentious since he knew that Aric and his friends could not win against him.


    "Let me go, Hugh. We can''t let him get away!" Aric exclaimed as he tried to get away from Hugh''s grasp. However, Hugh did not let him go.


    "Don''t worry I won''t tell him¡­yet," Sebastian said as he stopped in his tracks and looked at everyone one by one. It was clear from his eyes that he was familiar with everyone, maybe too family.


    "Perhaps, you can give me certain donations every month, and maybe I won''t tell your father that you want to kill him," said Sebastian as he finally revealed his evil intentions to everyone.


    Sebastian was blackmailing Aric for more money. It was like his eyes were colored green through all the greed he was currently displaying.


    "I don''t have money," said Aric as he stopped struggling. He stood straight as he looked Sebastian in the eye and told him the truth.


    Since Aric did not know his memories, he was basically a homeless person devoid of any treasures. However, Sebastian did not know that.


    "Don''t lie. I know how deep your family pockets go," Sebastian said. He was a guard of Maverick, which meant that he knew things about their family.


    "I am not going to allow you to do this," shouted Serena as she protested this unfair transaction. As an upright student, she could not allow her classmate to be used like this.


    "You will not leave this place alive. I can call upon individuals who can make sure you never talk," Serena said as she threatened Sebastian through force. She certainly had enough clout to sway individuals to restrain Sebastian.


    "Hahahahah¡­how sweet," said Sebastian as he moved closer to Serena and gestured to caress her hair. "A former fianc¨¦e protecting its fianc¨¦."


    Even though Sebastian and Serena were a few meters away from each other, Serena stepped back away from him. She felt unnerved as she watched Sebastian gesture towards her.


    "Don''t you think I know that?" Sebastian said as he tilted his head, still with full confidence. There was a strange glint in his eyes that seemed to display some sort of mystery.


    "I have some information that you," Sebastian said as he pointed to Serena, "you," he said as he pointed to Aric, "you," he said as he pointed to Hugh, "and you," he said as he pointed to Jane.


    Their hearts skipped a beat as each one of them got pinpointed by Sebastian. Jane furrowed her eyebrows and almost charged towards Sebastian. Thankfully, she was able to stop herself.


    "Hmph¡­ that''s a bluff," Serena said as she crossed her arms and swayed her head to the side.


    "Hoh?" Sebastian said in a mocking tone. "Does the word, ''pearl scam'' mean anything to you?" Sebastian continued with a growing smile on his face as he watched Serena''s reaction.


    Hugh looked at Serena and saw pure horror on her face. He could tell that she was shaken up by what Sebastian had said as her whole body was shaking like she was cold.


    "And you," Sebastian said as he pointed at Jane. "Your sister," said Sebastian but he did not continue anymore. He already knew that the mere mention of Jane''s sister was enough to rule her up.


    Jane was no longer the peaceful and studios girl that she once was. Right now, her face was sharp and expressionless, but Hugh could tell that she was beyond angry.


    "And fat guy," Sebastian said as he looked at Hugh and looked him up and down. "I know about your secret, about why you want to help Aric, and why he ended up in this place."


    Hugh frowned as he heard Sebastian. It looked like Sebastian knew that Hugh had killed Aric. Hugh did not know how Sebastian knew this, but it was better if no one knew it as well.


    "Don''t worry, I won''t blackmail you guys just yet. Right now, I just need your silence as I siphon all of Aric''s money," Sebastian said with a nonchalant voice. With him knowing their secrets, it would be hard not to follow his wishes if they wanted those secrets to stay a secret.


    The four students were speechless as they watched Sebastian pick them apart and flog for their vital spots. It seemed that Sebastian knew their deepest and darkest secrets that they would never tell beyond their graves.


    "Goodbye, I will wait for that sizable donation," Sebastian said as he turned around and waved them goodbye without looking at any of them. It was as if he was sure that they would do as he pleased.


    There was a confident smile on Sebastian''s face as the four students were silent. He had done what he had accomplished to do without any hassles.


    It was hook, line, and sinker.


    However, in that brief moment of celebration, Sebastian let down his guard. There was a sudden black object that was headed his way.


    By the time that Sebastian realized it, he was already too late. The strange object already landed on his chest with a direct attack.


    Sebastian thought that he had been ambushed, but he did not feel any pain. He looked down at his chest and realized that it was a mere black cat that came into his chest.


    "You scared me, little piece of s**t," Sebastian said as he held the black cat in the neck and tossed it in the ground. The cat tumbled in the air, but landed perfectly on the pavement and soon disappeared into the darkness.


    "Tsk¡­I had such a good mood. F**k F**k F**k!" Sebastian shouted as he got angrier and angrier by the small inconvenience. He was unusually angry since he would usually retain his cool at any time.


    Then, Sebastian started to stomp on the ground to ease his anger, but it only aggravated it more. He did not realize it, but he started to use his real strength as he stomped on the ground.


    The pavement soon cracked and created small earthquakes in the room. This alerted the four students as they watched Sebastian act weirdly.


    "What''s wrong with him?" Jane asked as she looked at Sebastian uselessly destroying the ground.


    Sebastian seemed to have heard Jane as he stopped in his tracks and looked towards Jane. It was then that everyone saw Sebastian''s reddish eyes.


    There was pure hatred in Sebastian''s eyes and if looks could kill, they would have already died.


    "Then again, no one will talk if everyone''s dead," Sebastian said as he looked at the four students in front of him.


    Sebastian''s change of heart was quickly noticed by Hugh. He put the black cat and Sebastian''s anger together and realized that the black cat was special.


    Hugh guessed that the black cat was the entity called the ''omen'' that Ace wanted him to kill.


    "Guys, prepare yourselves. He will attack us," Hugh said as he warned everyone. He was the only one who realized it before it happened.


    "He won''t attack us, right? He only wanted money," Serena argued. It was true that Sebastian only wanted money back then. However, Sebastian was now affected by the black cat omen.


    Hugh guessed that whoever touched the black cat omen, would experience anger that made them want to kill everyone on sight.


    "He''s affected by something out of this world," said Hugh with a vague meaning. He promised Ace not to tell everybody, so he was keeping it a secret.


    "It''s an extraterrestrial threat, right?" Jane said as she figured it out. She knew about ETTs so it was easy to put the puzzle together.


    "I can''t tell you guys," Hugh explained as he slightly nodded his head.


    "That''s a yes, then," Jane said as she looked at Sebastian and prepared for a difficult fight to come.

 Chapter 142: Howl

    Sebastian''s red eyes glinted in the dim light. It was filled with malicious intent as his whole body started to deform into a weird shape.


    "GRAHHH," shouted Sebastian as he plopped into the ground, sweating and changing. His arms started to break by themselves as they changed into a different shape.


    Hugh and his other classmates felt the pressure around them start to become increasingly harder to resist. They felt their knees buckle as they saw Sebastian turn into something that was not human.


    Sebastian started to grow black fur that blended into the dim light. He would have disappeared into the darkness if not for the bright red eyes on his head.


    His face grew a snout and his teeth started to sharpen into something that could chew metal without any problems.


    His arms turned into paws as his whole body was now parallel to the ground. He was walking on four legs like a wild untamed animal.


    Hugh realized that Sebastian had turned into a maned wolf. However, this wolf was bigger than anything he had ever seen. The wolf''s head almost touched the ceiling of the room, and it would have if it raised its head.


    The four unseeing students felt their hairs stood on end and Sebastian finally stopped squirming as he finished his transformation. He stopped moving, and the wolf looked directly at them.


    Hugh held his breath as he activated his eagle eyes just in time. He was able to see a blur before the wolf disappeared from their eyes.


    Serena was caught off-guard as she did not see the wolf move. She could only stand still as she felt a threat coming towards her at impossible speeds.


    Thankfully, her instincts were sharp as pink smoke started to emit all over her body like protective armor. She could not see where the wolf would attack, so she defended every part of her body. The downside to this was that her defenses were spread too thin.


    "AWOOO!" shouted the wolf in the darkness. Even though it had announced its presence to the world, it was still not enough for everybody to prepared for its attack.


    In a split second, Hugh suddenly saw Serena''s body disappear to the left. They were all caught off guard as Serena was thrown to a pillar next to her, making her break a few ribs.


    If not for her protective smoke, Serena would have suffered more serious injuries or maybe even broken her spine, paralyzing her whole body.


    "Serena!" Hugh shouted as he moved closer to her. He had used his eagle eyes, but it was still not enough to grasp the wolf''s movements.


    "You wolf!" Aric shouted as he charged to the unknown darkness of the room. He shrouded himself in black fire and propelled himself deeper towards the dark.


    Aric''s bloodlust made him act like a mad person, attacking the empty air. He punched it like it had a grudge on him. Ultimately, he only wasted his energy on his crusade to hit the wolf.


    Even though Aric had engulfed himself in the black fire, it was still not enough to protect himself from the vicious attack of the wolf from the darkness.


    Aric''s angry eyes attacked the air with the best of his abilities. Just as he finished his punch, he suddenly saw two pairs of red eyes appear right in front of him.


    He was face to face with a wild animal; a creature without any real thoughts, just instincts to tear its prey apart no matter what.


    By the time Aric realized this, it was already too late. Three pairs of silver lights appeared in front of him and slashed his body.


    "Guhhh," Aric blurted out as he felt the wind knocked out of his lungs. He looked down and realized that he was bleeding from three deep wounds that spanned from his shoulder to his waist.


    Blood dripped like a faucet and filled a small pool beneath him. He felt his strength dissipating as his knees buckled and he succumbed to the cold hard ground.


    "Aric!" Hugh shouted as he quickly left Serena and rushed towards Aric. Hugh activated his reddish fire and kneeled next to Aric.


    "Brace yourself," Hugh warned as he started to burn the deep cuts in Aric''s body.


    "AAAHHHH!" Aric shouted as he felt the searing pain in his body. He could not help but smash the ground with his fist as he tried to endure the pain.


    No matter how much he tried to endure, Aric''s self-defenses were acting on its own accord. Suddenly, Aric''s whole body engulfed itself in the cold black fire that repelled anything near Aric.


    Hugh was next to Aric, so he was also engulfed in the black fire. However, Hugh continued to patch Aric''s wounds. He was not affected at all by the black fire as he was immune to it.


    Jane looked at the aftermath of the wolf''s attacks. Jane was suffering from broken bones as she had trouble standing up. Aric was bleeding like a faucet, and if not for Hugh, Aric would have died in a pool of his blood.


    She started to get nervous as she was standing in the deep dark. It did not take a genius like her to know that she would be attacked at any second.


    Through the power of probability, Jane was able to extract the data from attacks on Serena and Aric to guess where the attack would come next.


    Her mind reeled as her eyes wandered around the room. With the final calculations, Jane spread her arms to the side as her whole body started to propel off the ground.


    Jane calculated that the wolf would attack her side. With the approximate size of the wolf, she would not be able to dodge away from the attack. The only way to dodge the wolf was to dodge it overhead.


    However, not everything could be calculated as Jane would figure out soon enough.


    She was high up in the air safe from any attacks on the ground. However, she was like a dangling bait overhead. She was defenseless, to say the least.


    The wolf suddenly appeared beneath her as it started to elongate its head. It was only then that Jane realized that the wolf had been ducking this entire time.


    She realized her mistake too late. The wolf snatched her out of the air like a ripe fruit. Serena could feel the crushing grip of the wolf on her body, and she knew that she could not get away.


    She struggled and struggled, but it only tightened the grip of the wolf. She was in close contact with the wolf. She could feel the sharp fur scratching her skin and giving her cuts along her body.


    The wolf opened its mouth and showed its sharp white teeth. It glistened in the night and deep contrast to its dark throat.


    Bits of saliva flowed out of the teeth and hit Jane''s face. She did not even feel this disgusting feeling as she was too busy shivering from fear. She was moments away from dying.


    She was in total shock as she stopped struggling for freedom. She knew it was her last breath, and it would not help her anymore.


    Even the sounds of her bones breaking did not faze her anymore. She was numb to it compared to the regrets in her life that she failed to accomplish.


    The wolf''s smoky breath filled her entire vision as it finally opened its mouth wide and took a bite.


    Jane accepted her death as she closed her eyes and waited for her despair. She let go, but even after a few moments later, she did not feel anything.


    She slowly opened her eyes to find that the wolf had its mouth was wide open. Jane tried to figure out why the wolf still had not taken a bite out of her, and it was only then that she realized why.


    Two hands were gripping the upper and lower mouths of the wolf. The hands prevented Jane''s death by a wolf''s bite.


    She looked at the owner of the hands and saw a familiar fat guy. It was Hugh.


    Hugh''s hands were silver and brown. His face contracted as he used every part of his strength to prevent the wolf from closing its mouth.


    Hugh realized that he could not hold on any longer, so he looked at Jane.


    "Are you just going to sit there?" Hugh questioned as he was on his final burst of strength.


    Realized that she had been given a new chance for life, Jane burst with energy as a gust of wind released out of her body. The absolute pressure was enough to pry the wolf''s grasp while it was busy dealing with Hugh.


    The wolf realized that its plans had been wrecked, so it ran away from Hugh and his classmates. It sped into the darkness to disappear but took one last look at Hugh.


    Hugh looked back at the wolf as he accepted its challenge. He would not back down from this fight.

 Chapter 143: Subdue

    The wolf instinctively knew that Hugh was its biggest competitor. It was a fight between the two of them to establish who was the alpha in this group.


    Hugh looked back at his other classmates. Aric was still out for the count as he was still recovering from the blood loss. Serena had it better, but she was in no shape to fight with the wolf. Jane was still shaken up by her near-death experience.


    Hugh was the only one in the group who could fight the wolf. He had to fight long enough until they recovered in top form.


    With his eagle eyes, Hugh did not take his eyes off the red flint of the wolf''s eyes. It was a bright and clear light that broadcasted to Hugh that he was facing against a monster.


    There was silence deep in the night. Hugh stopped breathing, and all he could hear was the sound of his heartbeat. He knew that the wolf heard this too.


    Without any warning, Hugh charged towards the darkness with his armor activated. For Serena, all she could see was Hugh charging in recklessly. However, Hugh had only acted to dodge away from the incoming attack.


    In truth, Hugh did not see the wolf''s movements. He only saw a blur in the distance, and he inferred that the wolf would attack him. It turned out that he was right as he saw claws striking near him.


    Hugh''s heart was beating a thousand times per second as he dodged the first attack. It was only one attack, but it took every strength, will, and focus he had to dodge away from it.


    At that fateful moment, Serena saw that the wolf briefly appear right next to Hugh. She was surprised to see that Hugh had anticipated the wolf''s attack.


    She knew first hand that the wolf was beyond her speed. She could not even see a blur in her vision, but Hugh was able to successfully dodge away from it.


    She was speechless at this revelation. She had thought that Hugh was only a normal person, but his actions told her that he was special.


    Hugh looked around and sensed the wolf''s current location. There was not any sign of it like it had just dissipated out of nowhere.


    "AWOOO!" the wolf screamed in the air. However, this was no ordinary howl. Hugh could feel the sonic vibrations in the air move towards him like it could pinpoint his location.


    The attack was invisible, and Hugh was caught off guard. The sonic howl hit his ears and it created a disturbing noise around him that he could not ignore.


    He started to hear ringing in his ears that were beyond compare. It took every inch of his attention as he started to get disoriented from the sound.


    He lost control of his own body, and he could not even tell up from down. It was then that he realized that the attack was made from sound.


    To remedy this, Hugh quickly covered his ears with his hands like a plug. With this, he could not hear anything from the outside world, and he finally found peace.


    The ringing subsided and he could finally recalibrate himself. However, this peace came at a cost.


    With Hugh distracted, the wolf took this chance to attack Hugh from the side. Hugh was left defenseless as he got tossed to the other side of the room.


    Hugh tumbled in the air and landed directly on a pillar. Thankfully, Hugh''s training had finally paid off as he subconsciously protected his body with his armor.


    The pillar got destroyed as Hugh collided with it. Clouds of dust flew all over the air and bits of pebble covered Hugh''s body.


    For a brief second, Hugh''s body was unmoving. Serena was anxious in that brief second as she thought that Hugh had died.


    "No!" Serena shouted as she tried to stand up and run to Hugh''s side. However, her body could not handle the strain as she quickly tumbled to the floor.


    *cough*


    Thankfully, Hugh coughed and threw up blood on the floor. He was injured, but he was alive. Serena was relieved.


    Hugh quickly stood up and patted himself down. He looked around the room to see the wolf, but it had once again disappeared into the night.


    Hugh raised his hands in defense, as he could not fully focus right at this moment. His whole body was still aching, and he could not guess where the next attack would come from.


    Right at that second, Hugh felt some vibrations in the air. He figured out that the wolf would attack him, but Hugh was too late to dodge away.


    Hugh emptied his mind and let his thoughts be nothing. He closed his eyes and let his body move the way that it can move.


    Just as the wolf''s claws were about to dismember his whole body, Hugh twisted his body and miraculously slipped away from the attack.


    Hugh was once again safe for now. With this extra time that he was given, Hugh calmed himself down and focused on the task at hand.


    For the next few seconds, Hugh sensed the wolf''s movements and dodged away from its attack. Hugh was like a fish in the water as he finessed himself out of a dangerous situation.


    Serena''s jaws dropped as she saw Hugh effortlessly dodge away from the wolf''s jaws. Hugh was dancing in the line between life or death, but he kept his cool.


    Hugh looked around and sensed the wolf''s next attack. He prepared himself to dodge away, so he activated his armor to give himself the speed he needed to dodge away.


    However, his armor did not activate. He could not use it, which meant only one thing: the armor was now on cooldown.


    Hugh realized his mistake. He was at a stalemate with the wolf before only because of his armor. Without it, Hugh''s speed was severely lacking.


    Hugh''s whole body crashed to the side as the wolf dashed towards him. Without his armor, Hugh was defenseless in this attack.


    Serena was shocked to see Hugh flying to the side. She had thought that Hugh had finally found the right pattern for the wolf''s attack, but Hugh suddenly became slow.


    Hugh crashed to the pillar and broke most of his bones. He could feel the crack of his ribs and his arms. He felt the wind escape from his lungs, and the blood filled in his throat.


    Hugh slid to the ground like a broken toy. He could no longer feel his body, which meant that he could not move it. He could not even feel pain anymore.


    He could only see the wolf coming towards him step by step with its red eyes staring right at him like he was a cornered prey.


    Hugh was defenseless at this moment. He knew that the wolf could tear him into pieces and he could only watch as it happened.


    With death staring right at his eyes, Hugh did not waver. He still had his ace in the hole, the transformation.


    However, before he could activate his transformation, Hugh saw a shroud of pink smoke crash through the wolf.


    It was only after Hugh blinked that he realized that Serena attacked the wolf. Her whole body was enveloped in the pink smoke, and it gave her enough strength to fight against the wolf.


    With the pink smoke, Serena''s strength was multiplied manyfold. She was able to hold the wolf''s leg into place and prevented the wolf from devouring Hugh.


    Hugh could only look at Serena''s determined face as she tried her hardest to help Hugh. He could tell that Serena was hurting, but she still stood up and helped Hugh.


    However, the wolf was still stronger than Serena. "AWOOO!" shouted the wolf. It was a sonic attack directed at Serena to distract her long enough for her grip to loosen.


    Just as the wolf opened its jaws, there was a sudden black flame that punched the wolf''s jaws shut. Aric had come behind and helped Serena.


    Aric mounted the wolf and started to punch it into submission. He used his black flames to try and penetrate through the wolf''s protective fur.


    The wolf was beyond livid as its plans got wrecked. It squatted in the ground as it gathered strength. It was preparing to throw Serena and Aric off its body.


    However, before it could do that, it suddenly felt a heavy weight that prevented it from moving. Hugh looked up and realized that Jane used her air pressure to weigh the wolf down.


    The three students did enough to subdue the wolf by their powers. They were holding on to their strengths as the wolf was slowly resisting against them.


    "GAOOO!!!!!" the wolf shouted as its fur stood up and became sharp and spiky. Jane, Aric, and Serena felt a piercing force from the fur, and it was enough to throw them off the wolf.


    No matter what they did, it was still not enough. Jane, Aric, and Serena all tumbled in the ground as their strengths faded. They no longer had the strength to continue.


    As Hugh watched them, he closed his eyes and decided to transform.

 Chapter 144: Bite

    Hugh closed his eyes and his whole body started to transform. He could feel the strength and heat start to envelop his whole body as his bones and ligaments started to mutate.


    Everyone stopped what they were doing as they felt the atmosphere around them start to get hotter. All of a sudden, they could feel a tremendous amount of energy and heat emanate from a certain point.


    Even the wolf who hid in the shadows could not help but stare at Hugh as it felt that something dangerous was coming.


    Serena had furrowed eyebrows as she felt the heat coming off Hugh. At first, she thought that Hugh was in trouble, but when she tried to get closer to Hugh, she realized that her whole body was not permitting her to move.


    Serena realized that Hugh''s domineering aura was terrifying even for her. This made her even more confused.


    Jane had a shocked look as she watched Hugh''s transformation. As she felt Hugh''s strength reverberating through the whole room, a smile crept up on Jane''s face.


    Jane knew that Hugh was hiding something, but she could never figure it out. Right now, she was front and center into Hugh''s showcase of his real power.


    Aric was not surprised, just relieved. Even though he did not have any memories, he knew deep in his heart and instincts, that Hugh was stronger than him.


    That was why he respected Hugh from the get-go. He just wondered why Hugh took this long to bring out his most powerful skill.


    "GRRR¡­," the wolf snarled as it observed Hugh. It did not know it, but its whole body started to shiver and its paws retreated a step back.


    As it realized that it was afraid of Hugh, the angrier the wolf got. It was angry that it could ever feel inferior to someone younger than him.


    Feeling that Hugh''s transformation was coming to an end, the wolf started to rush towards Hugh with the intent to disrupt its transformation.


    Its instincts told it that once Hugh transformed, the battle would be over.


    With the darkness of the night, the wolf ran with rashness. It opened its jaws wide with its fangs glinting in the night. With one sharp move, it reached Hugh and closed its jaws directly on Hugh''s torso.


    The fangs ripped through the air and reached Hugh''s skin, but it never went any further than that. The wolf realized that it could not close its jaws any further as if something was stopping it.


    When it looked down, it realized that one hand was gripping its jaws from closing. This arm was from a muscular man with a sharp jaw and silvery-white hair.


    This man would stand out in a crowd, and would never be forgotten. This person was very different from Hugh, but the wolf instinctively knew that they were the same person.


    Hugh''s body was still steaming as smoke started to rise from his body. He was sweating, but it did not look like he exerted much effort in restraining the wolf.


    With one hand, Hugh grabbed the wolf''s jaws and used it as his handle to throw the wolf to the wall. The wolf flew through the air and landed directly on the wall.


    The wall broke as cement flew all over the place. The cracks continued to propagate as the force on the wolf was so strong.


    "GUU¡­," the wolf cried as it felt a tremendous amount of pain from colliding with the solid wolf. It had been a long time since it felt this much pain.


    Serena''s jaws were wide open as she watched the scene unfold. She was not looking at the wolf''s aftermath, but at Hugh''s transformation.


    She could no longer see the fat guy that blended in the background, nor the unassuming average guy. The person she was looking at right now was what most people would consider handsome.


    She was speechless as she watched Hugh''s silvery white-hair ruffle in the wind. She watched as Hugh''s sweat dripped from his forehead to his neck.


    She was dumbfounded about this situation. She could not believe that this was the same person as Hugh. However, she could not deny that some attributes made them similar.


    She started to wonder. If Hugh''s normal and fat self started to lose weight, then he would probably look like his transformation minus the silvery-white hair.


    Jane, on the other hand, was more interested in the fact that Hugh effortlessly lifted the wolf and threw it into the wall. The creature that they had trouble suppressing was thrown around like a toy by Hugh.


    She was fascinated by Hugh''s newfound strength. They would have all died by the wolf''s fangs if not for Hugh''s transformation.


    The entity that was most surprised about this situation was the wolf itself. It had tremendous pride about itself, and it could not believe that it could be thrown around like this.


    The wolf shook its head as it tried to calm itself down. Its heart was beating a thousand times per second, a new record for itself. It would usually maintain its composure in times like this, but this was a situation it had never encountered.


    Realizing the threat that Hugh possessed, the wolf decided to pull out all the stops. It looked in Hugh''s direction as it snarled, "GRRRR¡­"


    The wolf bent its body low as if preparing to attack. The wolf''s fur seemed to become darker and darker until it blended into the night.


    However, Hugh did not feel anxious at all. With the power flowing all over his body, Hugh did not feel the need to exert much effort in defeating the wolf.


    Silence reigned in the room. The only thing that the wolf could hear was its heartbeat racing through the roof.


    At the dead of night, the wolf lunged towards Hugh. The wolf ran through the pavement, but its body slowly melted into the floor until it finally disappeared into the ground.


    Serena, Aric, and Jane all looked around the room but they could not find any traces of the wolf. It was as if the wolf had disappeared into the night.


    The darkness surrounded all of them, which meant that the wolf could come out of nowhere.


    Hugh closed his eyes and concentrated. However, from the outside, it would seem like Hugh had his guard down. There were so many openings in Hugh''s body that made him seem like an easy target.


    Then finally, the wolf appeared right next to Serena. She was still looking around the room for the wolf, but she did not realize that the wolf was already behind her, ready to tear apart her body into pieces.


    She suddenly saw a shadow cast over her head and it made her alert. It was then that she realized that the wolf was behind her with its jaws wide open.


    However, it was too late, she would not be able to dodge away from the bite. She clouded herself with the pink smoke, but she knew that it would be useless against the sharp teeth of the wolf.


    She closed her eyes and prepared herself for death, but it never came. She suddenly felt some tightness around her whole body.


    She thought that it was the wolf until she realized that it was a person that hugged her. When she opened her eyes, she came face to face with her savior, Hugh.


    Hugh had hugged Serena from the back and saved her from being torn apart by the wolf. They locked eyes at this very moment, and she observed every part of his face.


    There was no emotion on his face, just a calm and collected look. However, Serena found some charm in his aloofness. Her heart skipped a beat feeling as if she was in a winter night''s dream.


    "GRR¡­," the wolf growled and snapped Serena back into reality. When she looked back, she realized the sacrifice Hugh had to make to save her.


    The wolf''s fangs were deeply embedded into Hugh''s back as blood spurted out of his wound. However, when Serena looked at Hugh''s face, she could not see any pained expression on his face.


    His back was pierced by the wolf''s sharp canine tooth, but he did not show any expression.


    The wolf continued to close its mouth as the tooth dug deeper into Hugh''s body. Hugh did not mind any of this as he looked at Serena.


    Once he saw that she was safe, Hugh laid her down on the floor and flexed his back muscles. His muscles tightened and prevented the teeth from piercing any further.


    The wolf frowned as it felt a resistance. It had finally thought that it had caught Hugh into submission, but Hugh was still fighting back.


    Hugh then looked around the room and found a sturdy part of the wall. Without any warning, Hugh ran towards the wall with the wolf still tethered to his back.


    As he reached the wall, Hugh turned around and smacked the wolf to the wall, forcing it to open its mouth wide and allow Hugh to escape.

 Chapter 145: Duel

    With his fast velocity, Hugh was able to smack the wolf into the wall with such force that broke a few bones.


    "GUAAHH," the wolf pained as it felt its oxygen knocked out of its body. It was forced to open its mouth wide and let go of Hugh''s body.


    In succession, Hugh did not let this opportunity go to waste. He quickly grabbed the cuff of the wolf and punched it once again into the wolf.


    His knuckles created an impression into the wolf''s body, almost piercing through its touch skin. The wolf did not even get enough oxygen to try and endure Hugh''s attack.


    Like a Gatling gun, Hugh barraged the wolf''s body with attacks and punches that reverberated through the room. Everybody could feel the vibrations in the ground with every punch that landed on the wolf''s body.


    Blood spurred all over Hugh''s body, but he did not give it any heed. He kept his attacks relentlessly to finish the job as soon as possible.


    However, the wolf still had some energy left in it. With one burst of energy, the wolf flexed its body and made its fur stand upright into spikes.


    Hugh felt that the wolf''s fur had become sharp, but it did not stop him from continuing his attacks. He punched the wolf''s belly one more time, but the fur became an obstacle.


    The fur did not last long under Hugh''s force, but it did give enough time for the wolf to escape.


    With the power of the darkness, the wolf blended into the wall that was shrouded in the night. With this skill, the wolf avoided the grasp Hugh.


    Hugh looked around the room and sensed the wolf''s presence. Back then, he could not fully sense the wolf''s presence. However, the wolf was now injured with bloodstains, which made it easier for Hugh to sense.


    Hugh looked around the room until he got a blip on his radar. He turned his head towards a certain direction and raced towards that place.


    With Hugh''s speed, he was able to reach the wolf''s body in record time. The wolf was beyond surprised as it quickly sensed Hugh coming towards it.


    However, the wolf was not anxious. It was still in the presence of the dark void, which was not accessible to the current reality.


    The wolf thought that it would be safe in the void, but as Hugh got closer to it, the more his instincts wanted it to run.


    With the wolf''s sharp instincts, it knew better than to ignore it. As Hugh reached its position, the wolf decided to relocate to a different place just to be safe.


    However, contrary to the wolf''s common sense, Hugh reached out into the darkness and his arm disappeared into the night.


    The wolf''s red blaring eyes widened as it saw Hugh''s hands grasping towards it. It did not even have enough time to be shocked as it needed to escape from Hugh''s hands.


    With the void being the wolf''s natural habitat, it had the environmental advantage against Hugh. It was able to escape from Hugh''s grasp, albeit not entirely.


    Hugh''s speed was still exceptional even though he was out of his natural habitat. His hands still grasped the wolf''s fur before it could get away.


    The result was that he was able to get a handful of fur from the wolf''s body. In his hands were sharp and spiky black fur that was as sturdy as steel.


    Hugh sprinkled the fur into the ground and left it there. For him, the fur was as useless as garbage. However, he did not know that the fur was the wolf''s pride and joy.


    Inside the void, the wolf was almost crying as it felt the cold breeze on its bald spot. It had cultivated its fur for too long of a time only for it to end up on the floor.


    Hugh and the wolf continued this cat and mouse game. Hugh would chase down the wolf in the dark, but the wolf would be able to escape at the last moment.


    However, in time, Hugh was getting better with his chasing skills. He was starting to get more efficient in sensing the wolf.


    With every catch, Hugh would get more and more fur from the wolf. He calculated that he would need a few more tries before he could completely catch the wolf.


    The wolf was both sad and angry as Hugh snatched all of its precious furs. If it was not so busy running, it would have collected the fur on the ground and try to patch it back up.


    Hugh was getting better, but it was at a cost. Hugh sensed that he did not have enough time for his transformation.


    With this predicament, Hugh had to look for other ways to catch the wolf. He then looked towards his three classmates and shot them a look.


    "Are you guys just going to sit there?" Hugh asked as he gestured at the wolf. He needed their help in subduing the wolf before his transformation came to a close.


    "I just wanted to give you a head start," said Aric with a smile on his face. With enough time, he was able to recover his energy enough to fight the wolf in a good condition.


    Jane nodded towards Hugh as she understood what Hugh wanted. She had not acted before in fear of getting in Hugh''s way.


    "I thought you''d never ask," said Serena as she shrouded herself with pink smoke.


    With their cooperation, Hugh would be able to trap the wolf into submission. He then ran towards them and gave them instructions.


    "Serena, there," Hugh said as he pointed towards a corner of the room. "Aric, that," Hugh said as he pointed towards a different corner.


    "I''ll go there, then," said Jane as she did not even need Hugh''s words.


    They all nodded towards each other before they ran in their respective corners. Hugh stayed in the center of the room, the closest place with every corner.


    Hugh concentrated on the ground and sensed the wolf''s location. Just as expected, the wolf went towards the unmanned corner.


    Hugh smiled as he ran towards the wolf. With no other place to go, the wolf was trapped in one location. The wolf knew this, so it finally showed itself in the real world.


    The wolf and Hugh once again had a showoff. However, it was clear that the wolf was no longer the mighty being that it once was.


    It was stripped of its natural fur and chased down like a goose. It was demeaning for a natural predator such as itself.


    "GRRR¡­," the wolf snarled. They both knew that this was their last battle against each other to decide which one of them was the alpha.


    Hugh picked up a single strand of fur in the ground and lifted it in the air. Then, he looked at the wolf as he dropped it from a high place.


    They both acknowledged that they will only fight as soon as the fur hits the ground. They both waited patiently as the fur swayed in the wind.


    In its final centimeters, they both held their breaths and counted.


    3¡­2¡­1¡­


    As the fur hit the ground, Hugh and the wolf disappeared. When they reappeared, they were both on each other''s throats as they struggled for greatness.


    Hugh held his own against the giant wolf, as the wolf tried its best to suppress Hugh. Hugh held the wolf''s jaws at bay as the wolf tried to bite him.


    They disappeared again and reappeared. This time, they were in a different location and Hugh was at the offensive. Hugh punched the wolf''s canine teeth, but the wolf resisted.


    With their next bout, Hugh was standing still in the center while the wolf disappeared into the darkness. It would reappear repeatedly as it tried to barrage Hugh with attacks, but Hugh would successfully repel them.


    Hugh closed his eyes and concentrated. He waited for the wolf to reappear once again and grab it at the most opportune moment.


    Without hesitation, Hugh grabbed the empty air. His actions looked random, but it was with reason.


    Just as Hugh grabbed the air, the wolf suddenly appeared right next to his hand. The wolf was surprised to see Hugh welcome it with a fist.


    Hugh grabbed the wolf''s canine teeth and used them as a handle to throw the wolf to the ground. With every bit of his strength, Hugh subdued the wolf into submission.


    He sat on top of the wolf and started to drown it with heavy punches. The wolf could not escape away from Hugh''s grasp and had to endure the pain.


    With blood spurting around them, the wolf resisted less and less. It was getting less and less energized as Hugh beat it to a pulp.


    Finally, the wolf stopped moving. However, Hugh knew that the wolf was still surviving by a thread. He raised his hand and pierced it into the wolf''s heart.


    "You were a mighty opponent," uttered Hugh as he crushed the wolf''s heart. He could almost see a smile form on the wolf''s face.

 Chapter 146: Secret

    Hugh panted as he gathered his breath after a long battle. His clothes were tainted with red blood spurted from the body of the bald wolf.


    Hugh sat down on the ground as he felt the strength leave his body as his transformation came to an end. His body started to deflate like a soggy balloon, losing all of its weight and mass.


    His skin sagged and his bones showed. He was no longer the perfect embodiment of health itself, just a shell of a severely underweight teenager.


    Finally, Hugh''s knees buckled as he sat down on the ground next to the wolf.


    *BLRRR¡­," his stomach growled. He was beyond hungry at this point as he had used all of his energy to activate his transformation.


    He was resisting every urge he had to devour the wolf to his side right now. He knew that his three classmates were looking directly at him, so he could not show his cannibalistic side.


    With his bloodlust for meat right now, Hugh decided to run away from the wolf. He stumbled as he walked away, his eyes unfocused and his limbs shivering.


    "Hugh?" Serena asked as she saw Hugh''s pathetic side. She had seen Hugh in his peak before, but now, he was as weak as a twig from a tree. It looked like one big breeze would throw him out.


    Serena wanted to help Hugh as she moved closer to him and gave him a helping hand.


    However, Hugh swapped the hand away. He did not want any help right now as he knew that he could not control himself. He was worried about what he would do to Serena if he truly lost control of himself.


    Hugh continued to walk towards the other end of the room. He was eyeing the broken pieces of pavement on the wall. It looked scrumptious enough, but he still could not ignore the smell of freshly butchered wolf behind him.


    Like a deprived being, Hugh grabbed the pieces of pavement on the ground and started to devour them like there was no tomorrow.


    With one hand shoving the food on his mouth, the other was busy prying more pavement from the wall.


    Serena, Jane, and Aric all watched Hugh as he consumed the inedible pavement. Serena had a worried face as she looked at Hugh acting like a deranged animal.


    Jane had a look of ''eureka'' on her face. Back then, she had witnessed Hugh consuming the metal parts of the lockers back at school.


    She had not found any reason for Hugh to do that until right now. With her intellect, she was able to guess that Hugh ate the pavement as fuel for his energy.


    She still remembered the reverberations in the ground as Hugh punched the wolf into submission. The strength that Hugh assessed was abnormal, to say the least. It must have used a lot of energy to do that.


    As Hugh continued to eat the delicious material on the pavement, his body continuously started to fatten up. It was not long until his whole body was the same as he was before, severely obese.


    "Ahhhh," sighed Hugh as he finally satiated his hunger. He regained his sense of self and rationality with his energy refilled.


    When Hugh looked back, he realized that his classmates were behind him. Hugh quickly stood up and faced them with an awkward expression.


    "Umm¡­," Hugh uttered as he scratched his head. He was having trouble finding the words to express himself. He did not even know if he should tell the truth to everybody.


    As Hugh opened his mouth, Jane quickly interrupted him. "You do not have to explain. We all have our secrets."


    Hugh felt relieved when Jane said that. It was a load off his back as he felt safe. He had been hiding his secret for so long, and now, a few handful of people know about him.


    "What about that guy? We killed him!" Serena exclaimed as she pointed at the dead wolf a few meters behind them. She looked anxious and worried.


    "So what? He wanted to kill us first," reasoned Aric. He crossed his arms as if killing a person was a completely reasonable act.


    "That won''t hold up in court as they hold us away into prison for 20 years to life!" Serena shouted. She was in complete and utter confusion and anger as her actions just landed in her brain.


    At the heat of the moment, Serena did not think about the consequences. She did not even think as she helped Hugh murder someone.


    "What do we do?! What do we do?!" Serena uttered as she paced left and right. She was burying her head in shame as she tried to think up a plan to get out of this situation.


    "Calm down Serena. No one saw us here," Jane said. She seemed utterly calm in this situation. She quickly calmed Serena down.


    "What should we do?" Serena questioned as she looked at everyone. She was born with a silver spoon, and she did not think that she would ever be in this situation.


    "We should just leave before anyone sees us," Aric said with a nonchalant voice. There was even a hint of poetic justice in his voice as the person that blackmailed him had died.


    "What? That''s terrible! Our fingerprints are all over the place," Serena argued. She was getting more and more anxious as time passed.


    "Then, we get rid of the body and the evidence," Jane quickly said. She was already looking at every part of the room to survey the situation.


    "I can burn the whole building down," Aric suggested. He already activated his black fire and worked on lighting the whole place on fire.


    "Stop," Jane shouted as she extinguished Aric''s black fire with her air pressure. "If we burn the whole building down, it will only attract more attention."


    "Just the wolf then?" Aric said as he started to walk towards the wolf. However, Jane stopped Aric just in time.


    "No, that will smell," Hugh said as he put his hand on his chin and tried to think of a plan. Then, he got an idea that would benefit everyone.


    "I got it. Leave the body here with me, and I will dispose of it," Hugh said as he nodded to himself. If the body was left with him, he could eat the wolf to himself and get rid of the evidence.


    "What are you going to do with it?" Serena asked, but she quickly stopped herself by slapping her mouth. "Ignore it, I don''t want to know."


    "Yeah, it''s better if you don''t know. Plausible deniability,"


    With the plan set in place, Aric, Jane, and Serena walked out of the room and waited outside. They let the time pass in silence as they all guessed what Hugh would do to the wolf''s corpse.


    After a while, Hugh came to the entrance of the room and gestured for them to come back. "I''m finished."


    As they all walked back to the room, Serena and the others realized that the wolf was gone without any trace of it left.


    There was not even a single strand of fur left on the ground. The only thing left was the bloodstain on the ground that Hugh could not devour.


    Serena tilted her head in confusion as she did not have any idea what Hugh did with the corpse. Jane seemed like she knew what Hugh did, but she did not comment on it.


    "Aric, burn the bloodstains," Hugh said as he pointed at the bloodstains. "Serena, can you remove the smell?" Hugh said as he looked at Serena in the eyes.


    Serena was a bit flustered with Hugh looking at her, but she did not know why. She shook her head to calm herself down and nodded to Hugh.


    "Jane, can you clean up the place?" Hugh said as he asked Jane. She smiled and wordlessly used her air pressure to clean the place up a bit.


    The group worked endlessly in the night to remove any evidence of their sin. They made sure that Sebastian''s death will not be traced back to any of them.


    With Sebastian dead, somebody would surely come looking for him. This would at least give them a few days at most to stay low for a while.


    After a while, they had finished their job. They met back up at the center of the room and looked at each other.


    "This will be a secret we keep to our graves," Jane said with a serious voice. They all had an agreement to keep their mouths shut regarding this incident.


    Then, Serena put two of her fingers on her mouth. This confused the three of them.


    "This is our signal to keep things quiet," Serena said with a muffled voice as she still kept her pointy and middle finger on top of her mouth.


    Even after Serena explained it, the three of them still kept quiet and looked at her with uneven eyes.

 Chapter 147: Whimper

    A day has passed after that fated night in the darkness. Hugh was lying in his bed looking at the ceiling of his bed, pondering about the implications of that night.


    He was still waiting for any news about Sebastian''s deaths and how it might affect them. Hugh, Aric, Serena, and Jane made a promise not to tell anything about that night, but Hugh could never be sure that they will keep it.


    Hugh sighed and pushed himself off the bed. It was not time to go back to school like things were normal.


    As Hugh took one step forward, he suddenly felt a wretched feeling in his stomach. It made him want to immediately vomit as his mouth started to salivate.


    He had felt this kind of feeling before, and it was when his transformation came to warm him about his impending doom.


    Knowing this, Hugh did not resist and let himself vomit. He closed his eyes as he released the feeling on his stomach.


    *COUGH*


    Hugh coughed as he let out all of his vomit. He got immediately better as if a huge burden had been lifted off his shoulder.


    "Ruff! Ruff!" Hugh heard something in his room. He immediately became alert as he looked around the room for the threat. However, he could not see anything out of the blue.


    "Ruff! Ruff!" It was then that Hugh realized that the sound came underneath him. He finally looked down and saw a furry creature the size of a small puppy.


    Upon closer inspection, it was indeed a black puppy with strangely spiky hair. It looked up at Hugh with sparkly eyes as it tilted its head.


    Hugh admitted that the puppy was cute, but this puppy suddenly appeared out of nowhere. It would not be strange to feel threatened by it.


    "Ruff! Ruff!" Even though Hugh looked at it with suspicion, the puppy continued to look at Hugh with innocence in its eyes.


    Seeing that it was not dangerous, Hugh picked it up with his hands, making sure to hold it as far away from him as possible.


    *whimper*


    The puppy seemed more than glad to be picked up as it started to lick Hugh''s hands. Hugh''s gut reaction was to feel disgusted, so he threw the puppy out without even thinking about it.


    Hugh realized his mistake as he saw the puppy flying through the air. Strangely, the puppy still had the same carefree expression as it tumbled through the air.


    Hugh flinched as he thought that the puppy would collide with the wall, but it did not happen. The puppy swiftly turned its body and performed a landing on the wall.


    Without even blinking, the puppy stepped down and rushed back towards Hugh. It had its tongue out as it panted in place.


    Hugh was surprised by the sudden athleticism of the puppy. It seemed too powerful to be a normal puppy. Hugh squatted down and rubbed the puppy''s head.


    "Did you like that?" Hugh said to the puppy. "Who''s a good boy?"


    "Ruff! Ruff!" the puppy cried out. It seemed to like being thrown towards the other side of the room.


    Once Hugh saw how different the puppy was, he started to take a liking to it. He smiled and played with it like a normal puppy, but he realized that it was much faster and stronger than any normal puppy.


    "What should I call you?" Hugh said as he watched the puppy jump around the bed. It was as swift as the wind but could be mistaken for the night with its black fur.


    "Should I call you Beru?" Hugh questioned and the puppy immediately ran out of the bed and licked Hugh''s hands. It seemed to like its name.


    Hugh watched the puppy with a warm smile. It might be stronger and faster, but it acted like a normal puppy. It jumped around, licked stuff, and shredded metal pieces.


    "Huh?!" Hugh exclaimed as he watched the puppy bite down on the bed''s metal frame. Hugh watched it as it tore it to shreds with its sharp canine teeth.


    Hugh quickly separated the prey and the predator from each other fearing that Hugh would not have a good night''s sleep later.


    *whimper*


    Beru was sad that it could not finish its meal. Hugh furrowed his eyebrows as he wondered how a puppy could digest metal objects like it was a snack.


    The only person that could do that was Hugh himself. The more and more time Hugh spent with Beru, the more Beru seem like a mysterious entity.


    While Hugh was distracted with his thoughts, Beru took this chance to wriggle out of his grasp and finish its meal. It continued to chow down on the bed frame.


    "Bad dog!" Hugh said as he apprehended the criminal.


    The dog circled its tail as if it had been caught red-handed. Then, it rushed towards''s Hugh''s feet in shame.


    Hugh watched as the wolf blended into Hugh''s feet like it was nothing. Hugh was once against surprised to see the puppy become one with himself.


    Then, it all clicked for Hugh. The vomiting, the black fur, the ability to eat inedible things, everything connected.


    Hugh guessed that Beru was made from his clone skill that he acquired from the invader. Then, the puppy took Sebastian''s wolf form as its face. Then, Beru got the eating skill directly from Hugh.


    "Beru, come out!" Hugh called out. He looked around his feet, but he did not see anything come out of his feet. Hugh tilted his head as he got confused.


    It was then that he realized that his head felt heavy. Hugh touched his head and found an unknown entity sitting on his head.


    He took it out and it was Beru. Beru still had the same puppy dog eyes that made Hugh forgot its crime of eating the bed frame.


    "Return!" Hugh said, and Beru suddenly melted back into his skin.


    With this, Hugh got a puppy acquaintance that would follow him wherever he went.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Serena went to school early after the incident. She looked haggard like she had not slept at all. She kept looking left and right as her anxiousness got to her psyche.


    She kept thinking about Sebastian''s death and how it might come back to haunt her. She was an accomplice which would ruin her life if the word got out.


    Of course, Serena would keep her mouth shut. However, she was not sure that the others would do the same.


    Even if things got out, Serena would not be the one who would have the harshest punishment. After all, Hugh was the one who killed the wolf.


    It was still unbelievable to her that Hugh his that kind of power. Hugh was the person that everyone in the class ridiculed for having weak strength, but it was in fact, the opposite.


    If it were not for Hugh, Serena would have died that night. She still remembered how Hugh blocked the wolf''s teeth with his back.


    Her face heated up as she thought back to that point. After all, being saved by a strong and handsome prince was every girl''s dream.


    "Strong and handsome?!" Serena blurted out. She realized her mistake when everyone looked at her with weird looks.


    Serena shook her head as she tried to forget about that night. It was better for everyone if they just pretended that nothing happened that night.


    "Serena, where did you go at the party?" a girl asked. "We searched for you, but you could not find you."


    "Oh¡­ah¡­I just wondered around," replied Serena. She tried to play it cool, but it was clear that she was flustered.


    "Don''t try to get out of this, we know what you did that night!" a girl shouted.


    Serena was shocked as she heard the accusation. She started to breathe heavier as she felt all the eyes on her. Her first instinct was to run away right now.


    "Wha¡­How did¡­" Serena muttered.


    "We know you got engaged!" the girls shouted at the same time.


    Serena stopped moving as they said those words. She had almost forgotten that she announced to everybody that Hugh was her fianc¨¦.


    At least, they did not know about Sebastian''s death, so Serena was a little bit relieved. However, she was still not off the hook.


    She still had to deal with the aftermath of her choices. She only announced her engagement due to her parents, she did not mean it. She did not want to get married too early.


    However, when Serena thought about it, being married to Hugh was not so bad. Hugh was the strongest person in the classroom, but he did not brag about it.


    Hugh was conservative, but he can be brutal at the right moment. Not to mention, Hugh''s transformation was something of a world wonder.


    As she weighed the pros and cons, she did not realize that she was daydreaming.


    "That''s Hugh!" a girl whispered as they watched Hugh entered the room. As Serena''s fianc¨¦, he was met with infamy.

 Chapter 148: Infamy

    Hugh walked into the room not expecting the looks that he had. Somehow, they seemed to be more vicious than before, like Hugh had done them a great injustice.


    Once again, Hugh ignored the looks and just went to his seat without any problem. However, the room remained silent as Hugh looked around the room.


    Then, he saw Serena walk towards him with an awkward smile.


    "Hey," Serena said as she waved her hands weakly. She seemed to be guilty of something that she had done.


    "Hey," Hugh replied as he looked at her with uneven eyes.


    The whole classroom watched as Hugh and Serena faced each other. There was a silence that was too stuffing for everyone. They all helped their breaths as they waited for their interaction.


    "They don''t seem to be in love," a random voice whispered. "Are they engaged to each other?"


    Hugh heard the answer from them. He had almost forgotten about an insignificant event that fateful night. It had been overshadowed by Sebastian''s death and everything else.


    Hugh opened his mouth as he was about to defend himself and clear up the misunderstanding, but the door opened wide.


    Everyone turned their heads towards the door and saw someone walk in. This was the person that they had not seen in a long time, a person at the top of the social food chain.


    "Oh! Aric''s here. I heard that he was the one who was supposed to be engaged to Serena," a random voice said. It only served the exacerbate the tension in the room.


    Aric and Hugh''s history was not exactly on the best terms. Everyone witnessed how both of them had grudges with each other and almost killed each other to an extent.


    In their perspective, now that Hugh stole Aric''s girl, they were going to see bloodshed like nothing before. They could not wait to see how all of this was going to unfold.


    The students immediately made way for Aric as he walked towards Hugh and Serena. They made sure to be out of the fire zone so that they would not get involved in the crossfire.


    As soon as Aric reached Hugh and Serena, he stopped in his tracks. He looked at both of them with an expressionless face and everyone thought that this was only the eye of the storm.


    Aric raised his hand and everyone flinched. They watched as Aric put his hand near Hugh''s face, and everyone immediately thought that he was going to slap Hugh.


    However, they did not expect Aric''s hand to slide past Hugh''s head and went straight to Hugh''s shoulder. The explosive slap that they were expecting turned out to be nothing more than a friendly tap in the back.


    "Morning," Aric said as he looked at Hugh. There was even a hint of friendliness in his tone of voice, which made everyone more confused than they already were.


    Hugh only nodded his head upwards in reciprocation. He and Aric both were on a suicidal mission that will be almost impossible to accomplish.


    It would be better for their chances if they got along well together. Also, Aric was a changed person since he did not know any of his memories.


    "What? They are all okay with each other?" a random voice said. They all seemed disappointed to know that Aric and Hugh were no longer enemies as they might even seem like friends.


    Once they knew that no fight would break out, they all dispersed like dust in the wind. They all went about in their puny meaningless lives.


    Serena heaved a sigh of relief as she knew that she was safe. She turned around to leave, but Hugh caught her hand before she escaped.


    "I should have asked you this before, but what''s this engagement thing?" Hugh asked. He tightened his grip so that she would not be able to escape.


    "Hehehe¡­," Serena laughed awkwardly as she scratched her head.


    Remembering Hugh''s strength that night, Serena knew that she would not be able to force her way out of this confrontation.


    She moved closer to Hugh and whispered in Hugh''s ear. "Please go along with it for now. At least until my parents call off my engagement with Aric."


    "No," Hugh responded. He did not even have to think about his answer. Being someone''s fianc¨¦ was troubling enough, but Serena was part of the popular group which made things even worse.


    "Please?!" Serena vegged as she put her hands together. She had sincerity in her eyes, but she also put on her cute face to try and sway to Hugh''s favor.


    "I said no, do you want me to say it in Spanish?" Hugh said.


    "Please! I need your help in this one," Serena said as she continued to paster Hugh for his cooperation.


    "Nope. Never. My pride would never let me do that," said Hugh as he closed his eyes and shook his head. It was clear that he was adamant in his decision and nothing would make him change his mind.


    "Fine," Serena said with a depressed voice. "Looks like I would have to console myself with the endless treasures that my family gives me."


    As soon as Hugh heard Serena say ''endless treasures,'' he stopped Serena from waking away.


    "Wait," Hugh said. "I just remembered that I am a generous classmate. Perhaps I can help you with your problems."


    Serena had her head turned away from Hugh, so he could not see a smile form on her face. Her bait worked exactly as she planned.


    "Really? That''s a promise then!" Serena exclaimed as she took Hugh''s hand and put it closer to hers.


    Then, Serena took her pinky finger and Hugh''s pinky finger together. "Pinky promise!"


    Hugh shook his head as he got played by her. He was a sucker for treasures since he needed them if he were to advance any further in his powers.


    Soon after, classes started. Hugh listened closely to professor Kain''s wisdom, but he found that it was not useful to his current situation.


    Hugh turned his head and saw Aric playing with his hands. It was clear that he was not listening to the lectures, and it seemed that he was even bored out of his mind.


    With another look, Serena was also not listening to the professor. She was busy discreetly talking to her classmates about the new brand of clothing line that they wanted to buy.


    Then, he looked at Jane who was intently listening to the lectures. She was taking down notes like the good student that she was.


    Jane was completely engrossed in her studies, as she did not even notice Hugh looking at her. It was as if nothing had happened after that night.


    Although they intended to never speak about the Sebastian incident, even Hugh found it hard not to change his perspective on different people.


    However, Jane went about her ways without any problem. It was back to the way it was. She ignored Hugh, Hugh ignored her.


    Soon after, the school bell rang and classes ended. Hugh walked out of the room and decided to walk back to his room. He needed to think about his current problems and how he would go about solving them.


    "Hugh," a voice called out.


    Hugh turned around and saw Ace leaning against a wall. He still had his uniform on as he looked at the sky.


    Hugh took a big breath and walked towards Ace. He made sure to not let any of his emotions on his face as he faced Ace.


    "How have you been?" Ace asked. He asked it nonchalantly almost as if he meant it. However, Hugh did not want any more pleasantries.


    "What do you want?" Hugh said with a bit of an angry voice.


    "Straight to the point, then. What happened to the black cat omen that I assigned you to kill?" Ace asked with a serious face.


    "I couldn''t catch it," Hugh replied. He was not worried that Ace could find his secrets, but he was worried that it was all in Ace''s plan.


    Hugh thought that Ace would be mad, but contrary to his expectations, Ace seemed calm. He still looked up at the sky as he walked closer to Hugh.


    "No wonder. I''ll give you a week to do it," Ace said as he patted Hugh''s back and walked away without any hesitation. He did not give any chance for Hugh to complain about the time limit to his mission.


    Hugh looked back at Ace''s back and frowned. He was given a week to do it, but given the circumstance, he might never accomplish it.


    If the black cat disappeared from the school, Hugh would never be able to find it again. He sighed and walked back to his house.


    Once inside, he suddenly felt an itchy feeling in his feet. He looked down and saw Beru, his puppy, licking his feet and consoling him.


    He immediately felt a sliver of happiness as he saw the dog again after a whole day. He could not let out the dog during class hours, so it could only get out now.

 Chapter 149: Cat

    Hugh saw Beru cozying up to him, so he decided to give it a treat. He took out some metal pieces from a discarded technology and gave them to the dog.


    Hugh saw that Beru noticed the silver metal before Hugh even took it out. This meant that Beru had a good sense of smell.


    It made sense since wolves always had a good sense of smell, and combined with a dog''s instincts, almost nothing could hide from it.


    "Can you understand me?" Hugh said to the dog.


    The dog responded to Hugh by nodding its head and licking Hugh''s hand. It seemed that Beru had a smart head that could understand basic human language.


    "Then, can you help me find something?" Hugh asked.


    With Beru able to smell things from a far away, he would be a good detector for the black cat. Just by himself, it would take a much longer time than he was given.


    "Ruff! Ruff!" Beru shouted. He seemed to be very enthusiastic about going out for a walk.


    Beru walked away from the room and rushed to the door. He then started to scratch the door as he was very anxious to go out.


    "I''m coming!"


    Hugh took out Beru for a walk outside. He did not have a leash, but he knew that he could control Beru since Beru was not a normal dog.


    Hugh opened the door and Beru immediately sprinted out of the room. Hugh was speechless as he saw Beru run off towards the left like it was running a sprint.


    It was not long until Hugh could no longer see the dog anywhere. This was the point where Hugh regretted not getting a leash for Beru. It seemed that Beru was also as impulsive as a normal dog.


    "Beru!" Hugh called out. He was jogging and looking around at the same time for any sign of the disobedient dog.


    Hugh activated his eagle eyes and looked at the ground for clues. He squatted on the street and took out a single strand of black fur. This closely resembled Beru''s fur, so he knew that he was going in the right direction.


    Hugh followed Beru towards the central area. At this point, the sun had already gone down and the night took over.


    There were a lot of students coming and going from the Central Area. He asked some of those students if they had seen a black puppy, but they did not see him.


    Hugh continued to look around until he suddenly heard a voice.


    "Hey! Stop fighting!" a voice said. Hugh listened to the voice and realized that it was familiar. He looked around the corner and saw Serena bending down.


    Right in front of Serena was a black puppy and a black cat. Hugh immediately recognized Beru, and he rushed towards him.


    "Beru!" Hugh called out. Serena heard this, and she turned towards Hugh. She was surprised to see him, and even more surprised to know that Hugh had a dog.


    "Is he yours?" Serena said as she pointed at the black cat.


    Hugh shook his head and picked up Beru from the ground. "No, this is Beru."


    Serena nodded her head in affirmation. She was happy that Beru finally stopped arguing with the black cat.


    "Is this black cat also yours?" Serena said as she pointed to the black cat. "He looks familiar," she continued as she had a flash of familiarity with the cat.


    "No," replied Hugh. However, as he observed the black cat, even more, he realized that the black cat was also looking at him.


    "Wait a minute," Hugh said as he pointed at the black cat. "This cat is the omen!"


    The black cat omen was the creature that Ace wanted him to kill. This cat was a weapon of disaster that created chaos where ever it went.


    The last time that Hugh saw the black cat, Sebastian lost his will and became a murderous criminal. Then, he lost sight of the cat since he was busy dealing with Sebastian''s wolf form.


    The cat carefully stepped back as Hugh pointed at it. It seemed very wary of the current situation, and it instinctively wanted to run away.


    Not wanting to spook it, Hugh put down his hand and just stayed calm. He looked at the cat and carefully approached it.


    Beru wiggled out of Hugh''s hands and started to chase after the black cat. It seemed very angry at the black cat like they were enemies for life.


    The black cat tried to ignore Beru and continued to stare at Hugh, but Beru continued to pester the cat. The cat and the dog-wolf faced each other and circled each other.


    "Hugh, what''s up with that cat?" Serena asked. She seemed to notice that the cat was not normal. "Your dog is also something else. Where did you get it, I want it too. Also, why does it look so familiar?"


    Serena barraged Hugh with questions, so Hugh could not answer all of them in time. He did not want Serena to find out that Beru was a clone of him, so he had to lie.


    "I just picked him up," Hugh replied. His answer was flimsy, but Serena did not question it.


    "Ruff!" Beru shouted out. "Meow!" The day replied.


    Although the cat and the dog-wolf were in equilibrium, it was only a matter of time until they tackled each other.


    That fated moment came when the cat and the dog-wolf attacked each other at the same time. They launched at each other and struggled with each other''s presence.


    Hugh and Serena saw the fight and thought of it as adorable. The fight was not serious, it looked more of a sibling fight than did not result in serious injuries.


    A dust cloud started to form around the fight and clouded the toe of them both. However, the cure fight was soon destroyed when a third party got involved in the fight.


    Somebody took a hold of the cat by its tail. The cat seemed less than happy being held up like this, but it had no other choice. The cat struggled hard, but the person had a hard grip.


    Hugh looked up and saw that it was another familiar face. It was Ace, the member of the student council who ordered him to deal with extraterrestrial threats.


    "Finally found it," Ace said as he observed the black cat closely.


    It was only now that Hugh realized that Ace had gloves in his hand. Seeing that the black cat affects everything it touches, Ace had the right idea to use a protective layer.


    "Ace, why are you here?" Hugh asked as he picked up Beru from the ground. He held Beru tight as he feared Ace taking bEru away from him.


    "Hugh, you know Ace?" Serena asked. She knew who Ace was, but she did not know why the two of them seems to know each other.


    "I''m here to catch this stray cat," Ace replied.


    Hugh was confused as to why Ace had acted by himself since Ace had instructed Hugh to do it.


    "Oh, forget what I said before, Hugh. It turned out that we need this little guy for ourselves," said Ace as he looked at the black cat.


    Ace''s previous mission for Hugh was to kill the black cat omen. Now, Ace seemed very reluctant to kill the cat. Hugh guessed that they had better uses for the cat before they killed it.


    "Now that I have what I came for, I''ll go now," Ace said as he turned around.


    "Meow!" the cat shouted. It looked like the cat was shouting towards Beru like it was asking for help.


    "Ruff!" Beru replied. It jumped out of Hugh''s arms and chased after Ace who had the black cat. Then, it started to bite Ace''s pants to prevent him from running away.


    "Hoh¡­this puppy is interesting," said Ace. He looked at the puppy with clear and curios eyes since he could sense how powerful Beru''s jaws were.


    Before Ace could even try to pick up Beru, Hugh picked up Beru and retreated away a couple of steps away from Ace.


    "Ruff!" "Meow!"


    The two animals who seemed to hate each other seemed very reluctant to part ways. The cat would be retained and used, which would be considered torture for the free-sprouted animal.


    Hugh let Ace walk away. He also prevented Beru from chasing after Ace because he knew that this was not the time to defy the student council.


    Disappointed, Beru melted back into Hugh''s skin. It seemed to be mad at Hugh for not letting him out.


    Hugh sighed as he got on bad terms with Beru. Hugh decided that he would give Beru a high-quality metal piece for dinner later.


    Now that his mission was canceled, Hugh had nothing else to do for the day. He decided to turn around and go back to his house.


    As he turned around, he saw Serena with her jaw wide open. It was only at that moment that Hugh realized that Beru''s identity was busted.

 Chapter 150: Excursion

    Hugh returned to his room soon after the black cat incident was solved. He escaped before Serena could even try and interrogate him of his secrets.


    The next day soon followed and Hugh went back to the classroom. As soon as he stepped into the class, somebody stepped right in front of him.


    Hugh kimonoed up and realized that it was Aric who came looking for him.


    "We need to talk," Aric said with a serious face. It looked like it was a matter of life and death for him.


    "What is it?" Hugh replied.


    "What are we doing here? Why aren''t we looking for Maverick?" Aric rushed.


    Hugh realized that they were still on the precipice of the door, so he pulled Aric to the side and talked to him in a private side in the classroom.


    "We''re just students. We need to come up with a tight plan to even try to make a move on Maverick. He is a powerful man. We should just focus on finding him first," Hugh said.


    There was still a hint of anxiety and impatience in Aric''s eyes, but am he seemed to calm down after Hugh said his words.


    Aric had seen Hugh''s strength, so he knew that Hugh was trustworthy in this matter. Hugh was also the only person that was willing to help him, so he followed Hugh''s words for now.


    "What are you guys talking about?" Serena butted in. She put herself between the two and looked at them with curious eyes.


    "It''s nothing," Hugh replied. He assumed that Serena was not part of their plan to kill Maverick, so it was better for everybody if it was kept a secret.


    "We plan to kill Mave-" said Aric, but Hugh stopped him just in time before he finished his sentence. However, it seemed too late as Serena already guessed what it was.


    "Oh! You guys are too impulsive. Is it worth k-wording your father?" Serena said. She did not seem to understand Aric''s hatred since she did not know what Aric went through.


    "Whatever, just keep it to the both of you," Serena said as she backed out.


    "You were the one who asked!" Aric replied.


    The students settled down and professor Kain soon came into the classroom. He looked around the room and took count of the current students in the class.


    "We seem to be missing two students right now. Dempsy and Balen, right?" professor Kain asked. He pointed at the two empty seats at the back, and the students affirmed his words.


    "Right, we''ll deal with that later. Now, onto the next news, I told you guys that you are going on an excursion right?" professor Kain said.


    The students'' responses were mixed. Some of the studious kids like Jane nodded to professor Kain''s words. Some of the slackers tilted their heads in confusion as they already forgot about it.


    "It is now time for everyone to test your skills in the real world. In a week, you will all be sent into a dungeon to fend for yourselves," said the professor. "It will test your skills, your stamina, your strength, and your determination."


    The students seemed to respond well to the professor''s words. The special class was full of egotistic kids who always wanted to test each other''s strengths.


    Some of them had brute strengths that could be displayed by a simple fight, but some only shined through a real-world application.


    This excursion to the dungeon will be a great chance to herd out the weak from the pack.


    "For 1 month, you will all be stuck in the dangerous world of the dungeon. Don''t worry, you won''t go through with it alone." professor Kain explained. "You will all be teamed up in groups of 5."


    As soon as the professor said that, many of them already started to talk with each other about forming groups. They were all excited for this field trip like it would be a pleasant experience.


    Professor Kain crossed his arms as he saw the reactions of his students. He soon shook his head as he saw that they were not taking the danger of the dungeon seriously.


    "Pick your group. Make sure you all get along since you will be stuck in there for one month," Professor Kain said as he walked out of the room to give the students time to pick.


    Soon after the professor left, chaos presided in the room. From left to right, the students scrambled to be put in the strong group.


    "Serena, let''s go together!" a random girl said. "I will protect you, my princess," a random boy said to Serena.


    "Yo, Aric. We team up, or what?" Tanner said. Since Tanner was one of Aric''s close friends in the class, he already assumed that he would team up with Aric.


    Tanner, Brad, and Chip all gathered close to Aric as they smiled at each other. It had been a long time since they had grouped up together, and it felt great to put the band back together.


    However, Aric ignored all of them. He did not even look at them in the eyes as he spoke to them. "Sorry, I already have a group."


    For Aric, he did not know them at all. With his lost memories, he only knew a few people: Hugh, Serena, and Jane.


    For Aric, it was an obvious choice who he would team up with. They were also the people that he had a common bond with since they all share a secret that should never be spoken about.


    Aric approached Hugh and said, "We are one person short."


    Hugh looked up at Aric, confused at his words.


    "You, me, Serena, and Jane. That''s four people, and we need one more to complete our group." Aric explained.


    Hugh was even more confused as he looked at Tanner, Chip, and Brad behind Aric. Hugh assumed that Aric would go with them, but he only now remembered that Aric lost his memories.


    Serena looked at her choices for her group, and she was bored right away. They all looked at her with sparkles in their eyes, like they wanted to worship her.


    On a normal day, Serena would like this kind of treatment. However, it would not be a good attribute for an excursion to the dungeon.


    She needed to team up with strong people that could keep up with her. She needed someone who could turn the tides of battle with a single breath.


    Then, she looked at Hugh. Aric was already by his side, so she assumed that Aric and Hugh were grouped up. She smiled as she decided on who her group should be.


    Serena walked up to Aric and Hugh. "Got room for one more?"


    Aric was already considered the strongest person in the classroom by everyone. Serena was a close second, but people already argued that Serena was stronger than him.


    With Hugh being a powerful hidden card, their group could be considered the greatest team-up ever.


    "Great! We just need Jane and one more, and we will be set." Aric exclaimed. He already went to Jane''s place and tried to conceive her.


    "Are you okay with this?" Hugh asked Serena. "Don''t you worry that teaming up with me will ruin your reputation?"


    Serena chuckled. "Why not? You''re the strongest person here. If they can''t see that, then they are blind." she said as she sat down next to Hugh and waited for Jane.


    Jane followed Aric back to Hugh''s chair. It had been a long time since the four of them were grouped back together since that night.


    "Hope to work with all of you," Jane said as she bowed to them. She seemed to be much more reserved than when they met that night.


    "Hoho! Don''t worry about that. We already kill-" Aric said, but Hugh stopped him from spilling all their secrets with a loud voice.


    "Wow! Look at that group!"


    "Isn''t that a heavy-weight group? Is that even legal? That''s Aric, Serena, and Jane all together!"


    "Is that fatty joining them? What a waste! I should have been there!"


    Hugh ignored all of the remarks by his classmate. However, Aric was mad for Hugh''s sake. He almost burst into a black fire, but Hugh calmed him down just in time.


    Although the popular opinion was that Hugh would be freeloading, only a select few knew that was not the case. Serena, Jane, and Aric all knew that Hugh''s strength would be enough to journey through the dungeon by himself.


    Soon after everyone settled in the groups, professor Kain entered the room.


    "Everybody done?" he said as he looked around the room. He noticed Hugh''s group, but he did not give them more than a second of lingering.


    "We have two groups that only have four members right?" professor Kain asked.


    "Then Hugh, take Dempsey in your group. He will be present in the dungeon, so don''t worry." Professor explained.


    Hugh had no choice but to comply with the professor''s words. However, he did not have any good memories with Dempsy.

 Chapter 151: Town

    With one week of preparation, Hugh and his classmates continue to train hard for the coming excursion. The classes continued, and all they talked about was the things they were going to accomplish in the excursion.


    "Hugh, why don''t we train together?" Serena said. She faced Hugh with her hands behind her back.


    Hugh looked at her with a confused expression. He did not think that she was serious. As far as Hugh knew, Serena was the type of person that valued her social presence in the group.


    Being around an outcast like him was certainly not in Serena''s favor, hence Hugh''s confusion.


    "No, I''m fine," Hugh replied. He continued to walk back to his house after classes had been over.


    However, Serena walked in front of him and prevented chin from escaping away from her. "Come on!"


    Hugh sighed as he stopped in his tracks. He did not want to argue with her, so he just decided to go along with Serena''s whims.


    "Why should I do that?" Hugh asked.


    "Well, it''s weird for an engaged couple not to spend time together, right?" Serena said. She looked up at Hugh like she was trying to get something out of him.


    "We''re not an engaged couple. I never agreed to that," Hugh stated as he sidestepped Serena and continued to walk his way back to his house.


    "Come on! Help me out here!" Serena shouted as she caught up to him.


    However, Hugh continued to walk away, ignoring Serena''s plead. He did not have anything to gain from helping Serena. It will only worsen Hugh''s situation.


    He was still getting weird looks inside and outside the classroom due to being Serena''s fianc¨¦. Even after he tried to explain, he would have just been labeled a liar.


    "Fine, fine, fine! You help me out, I will help you out." Serena said. "Whatever you want, I''ll give it to you as long as it is reasonable."


    Hugh stopped in his tracks as he heard Serena''s offer. It was tempting to say the least since he had not eaten a single high-quality food since he did not have enough points to buy it.


    "You sure about that? I''m willing to consider your offer." Hugh said.


    "Yeah. As long as you also obey my requests. For example, accompanying me to some party or ball as my fianc¨¦." Serena replied. She had a sense of pride in her wealth that she used to attract Hugh''s attention.


    After a minute of thinking, Hugh sighed and faced Serena. "Fine, I''ll agree."


    "Good!" Serena exclaimed. "I''ll send you the contract later. Make sure to sign it, okay?"


    "Yes, yes," Hugh replied as he turned around and walked away.


    As Hugh was walking away, he did think more about Serena''s offer. He was pretty excited about it since he could abuse it to satiate his never-ending hunter.


    Who knows, maybe it will make him improve his strength. He needed it right now since they were about to go to another dungeon.


    The days passed, and it was finally the day for the incursion. Everyone gathered in the classroom fully prepared.


    Some of the students wore elaborate and sturdy armor to protect themselves. Some of them had full backpacks containing survival kits.


    Even though it was dangerous, it was clear in everyone''s eyes that they were more than excited.


    Hugh and Aric were the only students who did not have anything prepared for the excursion. Aric had no memories, so he did not know where to get such supplies.


    "Look at Aric! He did not bring anything."


    "That''s Aric your taking about. He just needs to bring himself."


    "That''s right, I forgot. What about fatty?"


    Hugh did not bring anything on the outside, but he fully prepared himself anyway. He used his inner storage to pack some materials that he got from Serena a few days back.


    The door opened and in came Dempsy. He still had the same sharp look that he had, but there was one thing that was very different with him.


    Instead of the grayish-white hair, he now had fiery red hair. Dempsy walked into the room and gathered looks from both men and women.


    "That''s Dempsy, right?"


    "Yeah, he hasn''t been inside the classroom in a long time."


    "I''m surprised that he is still enrolled. Normal people should have been expelled already for not attending classes."


    Dempsey walked around the room until he found Hugh. "I''m a part of your group, right?"


    Hugh nodded.


    "Good. Just don''t get in my way." Dempsy said as he walked away from Hugh and sat in his seat.


    Hugh saw that Dempsy had low energy for the day. It seemed that Dempsy was feeling down right now since Dempsy usually picks a fight with Hugh.


    "Gather around, kids. It''s time that we depart from this classroom and finally, enter into the real world." Professor Kain said as he addressed the whole room.


    He led the whole class out of the room and let them into the shifting room. In there, he used the control panel and put in the coordinates for the dungeon that the students will traverse.


    "The last caution for you all," the professor said. "You can do anything in the dungeon, but beware of the consequences."


    The students got giddier and giddier as the time came close. They did not know where they would be sent to, but they were more than excited as their hearts beat a thousand times per second.


    Finally, Professor Kain raised his hand and brought it down to the control panel to touch the final button. However, he stopped his finger right before it hit the panel.


    "You will all be brought back here after one month. Don''t fogey to enjoy yourselves, and good luck!" professor Kain said as he touched the button and the whole class disappeared.


    As soon as the button was pushed, everybody felt their whole bodies become weightless. Then, a flash of bright light blinded their eyes so they were forced to close their eyes.


    As soon as they opened their eyes, they saw a whole different world out there. They were no longer in the unnerving shifting room full of mirrors but were now in a small town.


    Contrary to Hugh''s expectations, the dungeon looked like it was a normal world. The whole class stood in the middle of the town square as people passed by them.


    They all wondered around, surprised by the level of civilization in a dungeon. Since this dungeon was conquered, humans erected towns and cities for better life quality.


    The groups quickly dispersed as they saw the tourist spots of the city. Some of them decided to explore the place first.


    The different groups of the class had different strategies for this excursion. Some decided to seek out the adventurer''s guild, some sought out the inns, and some decided to use this day as a vacation.


    Hugh''s group was the only ones who were left in the town square. They did not have any particular plan since they never talked about it.


    "What do we do now?" Serena asked. She looked around the town, but she did not find anything particularly good about it. She was used to a life of a princess, so this was a different life.


    "Let''s look around the town first?" Jane said. She was the one who was the most studious person in their group, so she was very convincing.


    She also knew that there were hidden rubrics for the excursion. Since professor Kain did not give them any mission, Jane guessed that the students were the ones supposed to find it out.


    As they walked around the town, they could see that it was mostly made of stone. It made the town look archaic, but there was electricity connected all around.


    "Where are you going?" Jane asked. Hugh turned around to see that Jane was speaking to Dempsy.


    "None of your business," Dempsy replied.


    "It is our business. We are supposed to stay together as a group!" Serena complained. She seemed to be very irritated at Dempsy''s attitude.


    "Tsk." Dempsy said as he continued to walk away from Hugh and his group.


    Serena stomped the ground as she saw Dempsy rebelling in her words. She then turned towards Hugh and glared at him.


    "What do you want me to do? I can''t control him!" Hugh replied.


    "Whatever, let''s just follow him for now," Aric said as he put his hands on the back of his head and followed Dempsy.


    Hugh also did not have any objections to this, so he followed them. Serena, on the other hand, was offended that Hugh took Dempsy''s side over hers.


    Jane tapped Serena''s back as she followed Hugh. "You can''t win against those guys."


    Serena bit her lips in frustration. "That''s why it''s more irritating," she said as she gave in and followed them. "Wait for me!"


    Aric chased Dempsy and walked right next to him. "Will you help me kill somebody?" Aric asked.

 Chapter 152: Desperate

    Will you help me kill somebody,'' were the words that everybody in their group heard. Jane, Serena, Dempsy, and Hugh all stopped in their tracks as Aric blurted it out.


    Hugh shook his head and slapped his head. He could not believe that Aric would blurt out that taboo so easily.


    Jane did not know anything about Maverick, so she was confused about the whole situation. She even thought that Aric was kidding, but the whole vibe that time told her a different story.


    Serena had already heard it from Aric and Hugh, so she was not that surprised. Dempsy only looked at Aric with a serious expression.


    "No. Why would I? I''m too lazy to do that," Dempsy replied. Then, he continued to walk away from Aric without even missing a beat.


    "Come on! Help me out this one time!" Aric shouted out. He knew that he should gather as much power as he could so that he could stand a chance against his father.


    Aric and Dempsy continued to bicker with each other as they walked alongside each other. Aric was unrelenting in his wish for Dempsy to help his mission. Dempsy just disregarded Aric''s words like it was nothing.


    Jane, Hugh, and Serena were left at the back wondering about the weirdness of the situation. Dempsy was not rejecting Aric''s plead due to patricide being a crime, but because he felt too lazy to do it.


    This implied that if Dempsy did not feel lazy, then he would have helped Aric kill his father.


    "We will pay you back! Please, don''t hurt my daughter!" a desperate voice said. The man gathered a lot of attention, but no one came to his help.


    "We already heard that a million times already. I only want results. We gave you a month, but you still came in short," a bald man shouted. It seemed that this guy and the desperate guy were in a disagreement.


    "Please! I''ll do anything!" the desperate guy said as he kneeled on the ground and hit his head on the ground.


    "I don''t want anything from you. However, your daughter will fetch us a nice price," the bald man said as he looked up at the sky and salivated at the thought.


    "No! Please! Anything but that!" the desperate man said as he clung to the bald man''s legs.


    "What''s going on over there?" Serena said. She seemed very interested in the commotion happening in the streets.


    Dempsy and Aric also stopped bickering with each other as they looked over at the commotion.


    "I''ll take a look," Serena said as she started to walk over towards the bald man.


    "I''ll go with you," Jane said as she followed Serena. They both had angry eyes as they went to confront the bald man.


    "Ey! You''re annoying!" the bald man shouted as he kicked the desperate man in the head. Only then did the desperate man closed his eyes. However, he still kept his grip on the bald man''s shoulder.


    Seeing the desperate man clinging onto him, the bald man got angrier. He took out a bat from his back and swung it at the desperate man''s head.


    "Stop!" Serena shouted as she activated her pink smoke and covered herself with it.


    She intercepted the bat and grabbed it in one hand, stopping it completely. The bald man was caught off guard as he did not expect someone to interrupt his business.


    "You! How insolent!" the bald man shouted as he tried to pry the bat out of Serena''s hand.


    However, he soon realized that Serena was no weakling. He could not take back control of his own bat with Serena grabbing it. He could even see that his bat got a handprint dent where Serena grabbed it.


    "What? You have anything more to say?" Serena said as she gripped the bat even harder and crushed it into pieces.


    "Yie!" the bald man shrieked. He was completely terrified of the beautiful yet ridiculously strong girl in front of him.


    "This is not the end of this!" the bald man shouted as he ran away from the scene stumbling on his steps.


    With the bald man gone, the scene soon turned quiet and the spectators all got bored. They left the place and got back into their business.


    "Uhuhuhuhhu" the desperate man cried. He stayed on the ground as tears left his eyes. He could not help but hold his knees to console himself.


    Serena felt sorry for the man. She squatted down and patted his back. "It''s okay now. I already made him go away."


    With her help, Serena thought that the man would be thankful, but nothing of the sort happened. The man stopped crying and looked Serena in the eyes.


    "What have you done?! You should have let him hit me!!!" the man cried. His eyes were red, magnifying his anger at Serena.


    Serena took a step back as she did not expect this type of reaction. She was only trying to help, but now he made it look like she was in the wrong.


    "Ayy!!! Is she new here?"


    "Of course she is. Only newbies go out of their way like this."


    "I pity her, but she will soon learn the ways of this place."


    Hugh stood next to Serena and faced the desperate man. He took the man by the collars and lifted him in the air.


    "Hey. Don''t be ungrateful. We just helped you with your problem," Hugh said.


    "What? Helped?! You only made things worse!" the man shouted as he looked and pointed at Serena. He was completely ignoring Hugh.


    "How did we make things worse?" Hugh asked.


    "You should have just left me alone! You should have just let him kill me!" the man said. At the very end of his sentence, he seemed to have lost energy as he broke down crying.


    Hugh frowned at the man and threw him to the ground. "If you have a death wish, don''t do it out here. Don''t blame us if you don''t want to live."


    Hugh was angry at the desperate man''s attitude. He realized that his anger got the best of him, so he stepped back a bit.


    "Excuse me, sir. Can you tell us why you should have not interfered?" Jane stepped forward and asked.


    The man continued to cry on the ground. He ignored Jane''s words and became more and more miserable by himself.


    "Is it because of your daughter?" Jane asked.


    As soon as her daughter was mentioned, the desperate man stopped crying and looked up at Jane. "Yes! They are going to sell her off!"


    The man grabbed Jane''s shoulders and his eyes pleaded with Jane. There was desperation in his eyes, but also despair in the face of hardships.


    "I should have died. Then, I wouldn''t have to watch my daughter getting sold off!" the desperate man once again cried.


    "Aish¡­stop crying, old man!" Dempsy said as he scratched his head.


    "Wow¡­don''t all sons and daughters hate their fathers?" Aric asked as he tilted his head with a confused expression.


    "Then, we just have to save your daughter!" Serena exclaimed. She took the desperate man''s hands and looked at his eyes in a promise.


    The desperate man felt Serena''s genuine desire to help, but he knew that it would not be enough. Even though Serena''s words gave him a tiny bit of hope, it was quickly crushed by his previous experiences.


    "It''s impossible. Nobody can defy them." the man said as he looked at the ground and shivered.


    Serena saw the trauma in the desperate man''s eyes. It told her that, whoever took his daughter, was a terrifying existence.


    "Tsk, nobody? They haven''t met me," Dempsy said. He was quite angry at the description, and it fired up his competitive side.


    "Yeah, we can take care of anyone," Serena said.


    She almost forgot who she was with. Aric was a genius fighter, Jane was a smart cookie, Dempsy was a wild card, and Hugh was their ace in the hole. With all of them working together, she was sure that they would not lose.


    "No. You don''t know about them. You are still youngsters, don''t waste your life like this," the desperate man said. At first, he considered Serena''s offer, but he still had a reasonable side that told him the right thing.


    "There! There they are!" an angry voice shouted.


    Everybody looked towards who shouted, and the desperate man quickly recognized him. It was the bald man from before, and he had reinforcement behind him.


    "It''s over. I''m done. You all run away now!" the desperate man shouted. As soon as he saw the bald man, he panicked and tried to push Serena and the others away.


    "Just wait over there! I''m going to teach you a lesson!" the bald man shouted as he ran towards Serena.


    There were four other bald men behind him who each had a nasty look on their faces. They held metal bats in their hand as they attacked Serena and the others.


    The desperate man closed his eyes as he was afraid of the outcome. He only heard five consecutive smacks, and he knew that it was over.


    As soon as he opened his eyes, he saw Serena and the others standing over the unconscious bodies of the bald men.

 Chapter 153: Loan

    "Huh?!" the desperate man blurted out. He could not believe what he was seeing as he expected Hugh and the others to be beaten up.


    However, what he was seeing was the opposite of that. The five bald men were on their chests at the ground, heaving and groaning as they got a big red spot at the top of their shiny bald heads.


    The situation almost seemed like the bald men were defeated by just one attack. However, how could that be possible? The bald men were supposed to be vicious and ridiculously strong?


    The desperate man shook his head. He finally got the courage to stand up and go over to Serena.


    "What happened?" he asked.


    Serena grinned at the man. "Oh them? We just taught them a lesson."


    It was only then that the desperate man realized what truly happened. He looked at Serena and the others as superhumans who could do the impossible.


    Realizing his previous impudence, the desperate man quickly kneeled on the ground and faced the superhuman teenagers.


    "Forgive my manners! My humble name is Miser. If it is not too impudent, my I ask for my savior''s names?"


    Serena was a little taken aback by Miser''s attitude, but she did not hate it. She lavished this reaction from him and it made her involuntarily smile.


    "My name is Serena. That''s Jane. Hugh. Aric, and Dempsy." Serena said as she performed a little bow in front of Miser like a queen looking down at her peasant.


    "Oh! What wonderful names!" Miser proclaimed. He put his head even deeper into the ground to show his appreciation.


    "Can you tell us what''s up with these guys?" Jane interjected as she held up one of the bald men''s heads.


    As Miser heard Jane, he got a chill in his back. He was so grateful for Serena and the others that he Alamo''s forgot the urgency of the situation.


    He slapped himself in the cheek and once again faced Serena. He took her hands and pleaded to her. "Please! Help me save my daughter!"


    Serena looked a bit flustered at being held by the hand, but she did not reject Miser''s request. She nodded her head to calm him down first.


    "We''ll listen first," Serena said.


    Then, Miser told his story to everyone. He was emotional and urgent in his delivery, and it was evident that he wanted the sympathy of everyone.


    It turned out that Miser was in a big debt that he inherited from his deceased father. However, he could not pay the debt all at once, so he promised to pay it back in small sums for a while.


    Through the months, he was barely making the cut of the payment by gathering herbs in the nearby mountain and selling it to the pharmacy. He was able to pat some of his debt that way.


    However, things started to turn for the worse as the herbs started to disappear. Without those herbs, Miser was not able to pay some of his payments.


    The bald men were sent by the loaning company to take care of Miser. They would harass Miser for the money, but he could not procure the funds anyway.


    Then, they started to target his daughter. It was then that Miser realized that he had to do something. That was when Serena and the others arrived to help.


    "¡­that''s what happened," Miser said with a depressed voice.


    Hugh sighed as he heard Miser''s life story. It was truly an unfortunate situation that was hard to solve. If Hugh did not have his power, it would not be an exaggeration to say that he would also be in this position.


    "Will you help me?" Miser asked. He got down on his knees, put his hands together, and prayed to them.


    Serena held up her head in a proud way. As a part of the nobility, she felt that it was her responsibility to help the less fortunate. Noblesse oblige. "I will help you."


    Jane felt sorry for Miser''s daughter, and she could not sleep easily if she did not do anything to help them. "Me too."


    "I won''t. I have better things to do," Dempsy said as he walked out of the situation. He had no motivation to help them, and he knew that it would take a lot of energy to resolve the situation.


    "Wait, Aric!" Aric tried to stop Dempsy from leaving, but Dempsy would not stop. He returned to Miser and talked to him. "Fine, I''ll help you solve your father''s debt."


    Hugh scratched his chin as he thought about the situation. Like Dempsy, he had no profit from helping Miser.


    Miser seemed to sense Hugh''s reluctance to help, so he spoke up. "I''m sorry, but I don''t have anything to offer you. I only have worthless rocks and glasses that I picked up in the mountains to offer you."


    As Hugh saw Miser close his eyes, he finally relented. He was not a heartless person, so he thought that it would not be bad to help out once in a while.


    "Fine. I''ll help," Hugh reluctantly said. He decided that he would eat every rock or glass in Miser''s house as a fee.


    As Miser heard this, he rejoiced. The seemingly invincible group of teenagers were willing to help him out. It was like a gift sent from the heavens that he would not forget.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    "It''s there. That''s the Shark Loan company," Miser whispered as he peeked from a bush a distance away from the target.


    Hugh scouted out the situation and found that it was greatly protected. There were guards all over the entrance and the back while ranged archers protected the rooftops.


    "Hmm¡­it''s not impossible," Serena said. Seeing that most of the guards used steel weapons, it was safe to say that they did not have any special powers.


    All they had to worry about were those who had no weapons by their side. That could mean that they had a Desire of their own.


    "Let''s scout out the place first," Jane said. She already planned out several exit and entrance strategies as she observed the place.


    "Should we take a visit, then?" Aric said. He peeked out and saw that normal-looking people were visiting the Shark Loan company.


    "Those are also victims," Miser said as he looked at the people who were visiting the place. "They are there to pay off their debt by selling themselves or others."


    As they heard that, all of them went silent. It was a cruel world, and people were forced to do horrible things just to survive.


    "It looks like sneaking in will be a problem, and since we don''t know what''s inside, it will be a big risk," Jane assessed.


    "Like I said, why don''t we just visit them?" Aric said. He was ignored the first time, so he raised his voice higher to be heard.


    However, nobody seemed to have heard Aric. They all continued to look at the Shark loan building as they continuously tried to think of a possible plan.


    After a while, Jane got an idea. "Why don''t we go in there and scout it out?"


    "Hey! I said that first!" Aric complained, but he was ignored once again.


    "Yes! That''s a great idea. We could pretend to be paying off our debt with Miser. While we are there, we scout out the place and see where Miser''s daughter is kept." Serena exclaimed.


    With the plan in place, Jane and Serena continued to smooth out the plan by themselves. Aric was left to himself as he drew circles in the ground using his fingers.


    Hugh patted him on the back.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    It was late at night, and the Shark Loan building was at its quietest. There were still guards patrolling the place, but they were less energized than before. Some were even dozing off in place.


    Five figures walked towards the front entrance wearing cloaks that concealed their bodies and their faces. As soon as the entrance guard saw this, he was alerted and drew his sword.


    "Halt! State your names!"


    The five figures stopped in place and raised their hands in surrender. They wanted to make it clear that they did not intend to harm anyone.


    The guard slowly approached the group holding his sword in both hands. He signaled some of his fellow guards to help him inspect the incoming group.


    "Don''t move!" the guard bellowed as he approached them with the threat of death.


    However, only one of the figures seemed to be shivering in fear. The others were unmoving and expressionless as if they were not afraid of the sword in their faces.


    Then, the guards started to inspect the figures. They removed the cloaks and revealed them to be Hugh and the others alongside Miser.


    The guards cupped them for any weapons of any kind, but they did not find anything. Seeing that the group was not a threat, the guard sheathed his sword and allowed the group inside.


    Hugh smiled as he entered the Shark Loan building.

 Chapter 154: Prison

    As soon as they entered the building, they were met with cold air. There were ventilation systems all over the strangely lit room.


    There were bald people wearing suits standing around the room and talking. They all had their weapons in their sheets as they relaxed at this time of the night.


    The bald guys only took a look at Hugh''s group once, and they went back to their business. Hugh looked around the room to assess the danger.


    Since the bald guys had weapons around their side, it meant that they did not have any special powers. They could theoretically dispose of these guys without any problem.


    Right now, their mission was to locate Miser''s daughter and see if it was safe to rescue her. To do that, they need to go to the receptionist.


    In the right side corner of the room stood a relatively beautiful group. Of course, being alongside bald men all day automatically increased her looks.


    She wore a name tag alongside her uniform which read ''Song''.


    As Hugh and his group walked over towards her, she gave a cold smile to them.


    "What can I do for you?"


    Jane took the lead on this one and answered. "We are here to pay off his debt."


    As soon as Jane said the word debt, Song the receptionist brightened her eyes. She became more and more receptive towards the group and treated them like kings and queens.


    "Might this humble one know whose debt you are settling?" Song asked.


    "It-It''s mine!" Miser blurted out. He was too nervous for this, so he stumbled through his words. This behavior gathered some looks from the bald men, but they relaxed soon after.


    Hearing the name, Song took out a book from her desk and started to go through it. She used her reading glasses at the side to see better at this time of the night.


    "Aha!" Song said as she saw Miser''s name in the book. She saw the contents of the debt, and she did not bat an eye. "And how will you be paying for this debt?"


    Moser was dumbstruck at her question. He did not have an answer ready because he actually cannot pay the debt. Hugh and the others only planned this so that they could see the inside of the building to scout it out.


    "Umm, sir?" Song asked. Miser was fidgeting around like a guilty person, so she furrowed her eyebrows.


    "Can we see his daughter first, please?" Hugh interjected. "We need to make sure that no harm had been done to her."


    Miser took a big sigh of relief as Hugh answered the question. This was a good excuse to see the prison in which they put his daughter.


    Serena gave an unnoticeable nod at Hugh for his commendable quick thinking.


    The receptionist was taken aback by Hugh''s request, but it was not out of line. It was a reasonable request, so she had to comply with it. Somehow, she felt that there was something amiss with this group.


    Song looked towards the bald men in the background and have them three consecutive blinks. This was their secret message to follow her and make sure that nothing bad could happen.


    Then, Song turned around and flashed a bright smile at Hugh and his group. She then led them to a hallway in the room.


    Miser took a big gulp as they walked deeper and deeper into the lair of the enemy. This was the part where they had to be as calm as steel since there was no turning back now.


    Hugh noticed that five bald men accompanied them into the hallway, but he did not give them any heed.


    Just as Hugh and his group disappeared into the hallway, a door burst open and a man full of hair entered the room. For a brief second, he got a glimpse of Hugh and his group entering the hallway.


    "Who are they?" the man with hair asked.


    "They are here to settle a debt, sir Curt" a bald man answered.


    The man named Curt took a look back at the hallway, but Hugh and his group already disappeared in the hallway. He furrowed his eyebrows as he was in deep thought.


    Curt had a simple polo shirt and tight jeans pants that made him look fashionable in comparison to the bald men in the room.


    However, there was nothing next to his body. There was no sheath for his blade, nor a holster for his gun. He was unarmed of any physical weapon.


    This could only mean that Curt had a Desire of his own.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Hugh and his group were led deeper into the hallway. Then, they were guided towards a spiral staircase at the end of the hallway that led to the underground.


    It was evident that the underground was of a lesser quality than the building. There were no longer any fancy lights, just a simple light blob.


    The underground was made of stone, and there were mold growing everywhere even though no water could be seen leaking from the walls.


    The temperature also increased as they got deeper into the underground. Without any air ventilation, it was a hot mess in there.


    Miser started to sweat from his head to toe. He was palpitating from the heat, and his nervousness did not help the situation at all.


    As they reached the end of the spiral staircase, they were met with a manmade cave without sufficient light. They were just at the outskirts, but they could already hear groaning from the caves.


    Miser gulped as he positioned himself closer to Hugh and his group. With them, he felt safe and comforted.


    "Please follow me," Sing said as she navigated through the caves.


    There were multiple openings in the cave, and it was full of prison cells that housed more unfortunate people. These people stuck in here were desolate of any companion.


    There were old people, children, adults, and even wild animals imprisoned in these caves.


    Some of them had already lost hope of being saved, so they stayed in one corner of their room and let the time pass like a corpse.


    Some of them begged for Hugh and his group to save them. They reached towards the steel bars, but they were quickly swatted away by the bald men in the group.


    Through the seemingly endless caves, they finally ended up at the very end of it. The prison cell at the very end of the caves was much bigger than the rest and had better lighting than the rest.


    From what Hugh could see with his eagle eyes, there were also a bed, a desk, and a toilet with curtains. It was very luxurious compared to the rest of the prison cells inside the cave.


    Sleeping on the bed was a beautiful girl who seemed to be at the same age as Hugh and the others. Hugh could only see a piece of her face, but he could already tell that she was beautiful.


    As they reached the luxurious room, Song turned around and faced Hugh and his group.


    "As you can see, your daughter has been in good care from us."


    Miser ignored Song''s words and walked closer to the prison cell. He wanted to see a glimpse of his daughter, but the bald men stopped him from going any closer.


    "Mia! Mia! It''s me. I''m here, Mia!" Miser called out.


    Then, Mia opened her eyes raised her head to see the commotion. Under the dim light of the caves, she saw a glimpse of her father''s face.


    At first, she thought that it was just an illusion, but she heard her father''s voice as clear as day. She got up from her bed and slowly walked bare feet towards him.


    "Father? Father?! Papa!!"


    As soon as she realized that it was realized, she rushed towards the steel bars and tried to reach him. However, they were both separated by the steel bars and the bald men.


    Both Mia and Miser started to shed tears at this reunion. Being able to see each other felt like a bittersweet dream that was too good to be true.


    "Mia! Mia! Are you okay?!" Miser called out with tears flowing through his face and.


    "Un. Un." She replied with a flood of tears spilling out her reddish eyes.


    "Hey!" a bald man cried out. He pushed Miser away from Mia at the last second and threw him to the ground.


    "No! Papa!" Mia cried out.


    "Now, let''s get on to business," Song the receptionist said with a cold and calculating voice. "We have shown you proof that she is alive and well. How will you pay your debt?"


    "Get off!" Hugh moved and pried the bald man away from Miser.


    The bald man was thrown across the room without much effort. Both the receptionist and the bald men were surprised at the tremendous show of strength Hugh.


    "How will we pay for it?" Hugh said with sharp eyes looking down at Song. "With your blood."

 Chapter 155: Chosen

    Serena, Jane, and Aric moved simultaneously as Hugh to dispose of the other bald men with suits. They just had to use a little bit of their strength to take out the obstacles in their way.


    Four bald men were thrown at the walls where their shapes are dented into the bricks, while one of them is busy trying to put out the black fire in their clothes.


    The only person left was Song, the receptionist. There was fear and panic in her eyes as she saw her four bodyguards get beaten up without much trouble.


    The only people that could summon strength and magic like that are the chosen ones in this world. It was rare for them to show up, which was why she did not think that four of them would come here.


    "You¡­you''re all chosen?" Song blurted out as she took a step back in fear. "That''s impossible!"


    To hire a chosen one as a bodyguard would cost a tremendous amount of money, not to mention four of them. If Miser was able to pay off these chosen ones, he could have just paid off his debt instead.


    Song then hurried to a pillar next to her and tapped it three times in succession.


    *RING* *RING* *RING*


    Song activated the emergency alarm for intruders. It blasted out a loud warning throughout the building to come and subdue the intruders.


    Hugh ignored Song and threw her aside. He went directly to Mai''s jail cell and pried off the metal bars with his own hands.


    It took all of his strength, but he was able to make enough room for Mai to escape with her small figure.


    "Papa!" She cried out as she had finally released from the jail cell.


    She shook Miser''s body and made sure that he was still alive, and thankfully, he opened his eyes.


    "Am I dreaming? Is that truly you, Mai?" Miser muttered as his eyes watered and a smile grew on his face.


    Mai nodded furiously as she tried to hold off the tears in her eyes. In the end, her tears dropped to the floor as she finally got the reunion that she always dreamed of as she slept every night under the jail''s ceiling.


    "I don''t want to ruin your reunion, but¡­" Aric said as he looked to the entrance of the caves.


    They could see several figures coming inside with weapons drawn and their faces savage. It was clear that they had no intention of letting the intruders leave alive.


    The halls were filled with bald men, overwhelming Hugh and his group with numbers. Either way, Hugh would make sure that he would be able to escape.


    "You guys ready?" Serena asked as pink smoke started to revolve around her.


    "On 3. One¡­two¡­"Jane muttered however, Aric did not seem to understand numbers as he charged headfirst before the count.


    "Ahhhh!!!" Aric shouted as he filled himself with black fire and attacked the nearest bald suit.


    Hugh shook his head as he saw Aric charge in first. Then, he turned towards Mai and Miser and spoke to them. "Wait here."


    Then, Jane, Serena, Aric, and Hugh, all collectively paved the way to go outside. They beat up every bald suit that tried to stop them.


    Weapons were not an effective way to stop Hugh and the others. They would always overpower the bald suits even if they were outnumbered one to five.


    "Ruff! Ruff!" Beru shouted as he charged in towards the bald men and bit their legs.


    Hugh did not know when Beru got out, but he was glad that he had another help.


    Screams filled and echoed in the chambers as the bald men got the beating that they deserved. Hugh and the others had no time to deal the final blow as they got busy making sure that they are just out for the count.


    At the end of the first wave, Hugh and the others walked in a sea of bald men. They had defeated most of them, but Hugh found it strange that nobody came after them anymore.


    They were at the end of the cave and were near the spiral staircase. They just needed to go upstairs, and they would be at the precipice of freedom.


    Just as Aric was going to climb through the spiral staircase, Hugh suddenly got a chill in his back.


    "Wait!" Hugh shouted out, but it was already too late.


    *BOOM*


    An explosion occurred at the very feet of the spiral staircase, exactly where Aric stepped in.


    Hugh was in a panic as he understood the physics of an underground explosion.


    In a confined space like a cave, an explosion could affect every hole and space inside like a raging fire. The explosion would continue out through every jail cell and every hallway inside the cave.


    Hugh tried his best to cover the explosion with his body, but it was not enough.


    At this rate, the explosion would continue throughout the cave and burn the prisoners, including Miser and Mia.


    Hugh did not leave unscathed from the explosion either. He could only use his armor on two limbs, so he used it on his upper body and his head.


    All his other body parts were burnt to a degree.


    At the end of the explosion, Hugh was afraid to open his eyes. He did not want to see burnt corpses at the end of the tunnel.


    Then, he turned to look at his back.


    Miraculously, nobody was hurt. Then, he saw Jane with both of her hands spread wide open with beads of sweat coming off her face.


    Jane''s complexion was not good, and Hugh could see that she was only hanging on by a thread.


    Hugh understood the heroic deed that Jane had to do. With her Desire as the air pressure, she was able to make sure that there was space devoid of air between the explosion and the rest of the cave.


    Her action saved everyone inside the cave. If not for her, even the air inside the cave would be used and there would be no oxygen inside to breathe.


    When Jane saw that the explosion had come to pass, she closed her eyes and she passed out. Hugh quickly came to her side and checked her pulse.


    Thankfully enough, there was still a pulse in Jane''s wrists. Jane had only passed out due to exhaustion.


    "That was close¡­" Serena muttered as she also got saved because of Jane.


    Jane and Serena had not been that close, but now, she owed Jane big time.


    "Let''s get out of here," Hugh said as he took Jane''s body and carried her out.


    Serena escorted Miser and Mai out while Hugh led the way.


    *cough* *cough*


    Several coughs came out of the smoke from the explosion. Hugh felt relieved as he sensed that Aris was still alive.


    "Gahhh¡­that was hot," Aric said as he emerged from the smoke.


    His clothes were burnt as well as some of his skin, but he was okay for the most part.


    He was able to endure the explosion because he was able to coat himself with the black cold fire just before the explosion devoured him.


    They were able to survive the explosion, but the staircase was mostly destroyed. The stairs at the top were still intact, but they had no way to get there.


    "How are we gonna get up there?" Aric asked as he looked at the top.


    "We can''t climb. We can try to jump, but Miser and Mai can''t." Serena said.


    Hugh put down Jane on the pavement and went near the walls.


    "We''ll just dig up," Hugh said as he activated his armor on his fists and started to dig on the walls.


    Serena and Aric were both surprised as they saw Hugh dig through the walls like a maniac.


    What''s more surprising was that Hugh was not throwing it away, but devouring it like a hungry animal. It was a sight to behold for the two of them.


    Miser and Mai were both less surprised as they thought that this was normal for the chosen. Now, they both thought that all the chosen could eat pavement like that.


    It was not long until Hugh paved a makeshift spiral staircase that led up to the actual staircase. It was small since Hugh had to be fast, so they had to crouch their way up.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    "Yes sir. The explosion occurred underground. The intruders are sure to have died," a bald man reported.


    He and another bald guy guarded the entrance to the underground. He was sure that nobody survived the explosion, so he was carefree in his shift.


    "Hey, you have a mint or something?" a voice asked from behind the guard.


    "Oh yeah. I always carry one with¡­" the guard said as he trailed off his words.


    He slowly turned his head to see a man with tattered and burnt clothes. It was Aric, and he had a big smile towards the guard.


    Before the guard could even scream, Hugh knocked him out cold with a fast swipe to the chin.

 Chapter 156: Blood

    Hugh and the others continued their path towards the exit. They were blocked off by multiple bald men in suits, but they were not a problem with the kind of power they had.


    While Hugh and the others were fighting off the bald men, someone was watching them from the side.


    This was the same person that had noticed Hugh and the others when they first entered the underground caves. His name was Curt.


    "Sir, please help us! The vanguards are the only ones who can fight against a group of chosen," a panic-stricken bald man said as he talked to Curt.


    Curt did not speak and continued to observe the fight from a distance. He did not have any angry expression on his face, just a calm and collected attitude.


    "No," Curt stated. "It''s not worth it. Let them leave."


    The bald man was surprised by what Curt said. He thought that Curt would be the angriest one in here because a group of Chosen just brazenly walked into their building and stole a prisoner.


    "But why sir?"


    "We only stand to lose more people if we fight this battle," Curt replied.


    Seeing the anxiousness in the bald man''s face, Curt turned towards him and flashed a creepy smile.


    "Don''t worry. We will lose this battle, but we will win the war."


    The bald man did not know what Curt was talking about, but he believed him either way. Curt was one of the strongest people he had ever met, and he would trust every word coming out of his mouth.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Hugh looked around the building as he kept punching bald men out of the way. Although guards were swarming towards them, no one had been a threat so far.


    They were only a few steps away from the door, and it had been far too easy. He expected stronger people to come out and fight him, but no one came.


    Hugh did not know why, but he had a bad feeling in his stomach. It was as if someone was stalking and glancing at him from afar.


    Feeling a cold breeze on his neck, Hugh turned his head towards an empty wall to the left. For some reason, he could feel that a person was staring right back at him.


    Curt was surprised to see Hugh turn his head towards him. They both made eye contact, but Hugh only glanced for a few seconds until he continued his fight.


    "Strange. I thought he could see me," Curt said to himself.


    "What was that, sir?" the bald man asked. Curt did not know that the bald man was still next to him, so the bald man thought Curt was talking to him.


    "Nothing, just talking to myself."


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Hugh and the others finally reached the end of the line. With one push, they were met with the eve of the night. They were finally outside to freedom.


    For Mia, this was the first time she had smelled fresh air in a while, so she stopped in her tracks and savored the moment.


    With Aric carrying Jane, and Serena escorting Mia and Miser, they all made their way out of the outskirts of the Shark Loan building.


    Once they reached an appropriate place out of reach from the bald men, they stopped and took a rest.


    They had no tents or anything ready for camping, so they had to endure the cold breeze of the night. It was easy for the students with Desires since they had power coursing through their bodies, but it was hard for normal people like Miser and Mia.


    Hugh broke off a few branches from the trees and a few leaves and set them on the ground. Then, he lit it on fire with the power that he acquired from Aric.


    Miser and Mia were comforted with the warmth of the campfire. They snuggled together to conserve heat, and it was also an opportunity to catch up to each other.


    "I don''t know how to thank you all," lamented Miser.


    Even though they had helped Miser from his problem, he did not have anything of value to give them. All he could give them are his genuine thanks and his vow to help them in this lifetime.


    "No thanks necessary. It''s our job," Serena said as she flashed a proud smile.


    Miser did not take Serena''s words to heart. He decided to find a way to repay them for their kind gesture some other time.


    After a good hour of rest, the group continued their journey to safety. Miser offered his house as a home for the night, and Hugh did not reject the offer.


    After a long journey back, they were finally back at the small town where Hugh and the others started. It was the dead of night, and no one could be seen wandering around.


    It was a quiet part of the neighborhood as they entered Miser''s abode.


    "Finally home!" Mia exclaimed as she launched herself to the couch.


    "Please excuse the state of my house. I had to sell some furniture to try and pay off my debt, but wasn''t enough," Miser said as he scratched his head.


    "Don''t worry about it," Serena said even though she had an uncomfortable smile on her face.


    Miser quickly ruffled through his cabinet and brought out blankets that the group could use to sleep on.


    "I will sleep on the floor and my bed can only occupy one person," Miser stated.


    The bed looked decent enough to sleep on, and it truly was small enough just for one person. Hugh was sure that the bed would break if he tried to sleep on it.


    "Let''s put Jane there," Serena said.


    They all unanimously agreed with the decision. Jane had exhausted herself saving everyone from dying in a horrible explosion underground. It was the least they could do.


    "Um¡­," Mia said. "You can also sleep on my bed."


    "No," Hugh replied for the group. "You sleep there, you had been in a tough spot."


    Serena also physically agreed, but she was mad in her mind. She wanted to sleep comfortably at least in a bed, but Hugh already rejected Mia''s offer.


    If Serena tried to take the bed, then she would seem like a petty person. Thankfully enough, she was given the couch to sleep on.


    Miser, Hugh, Aric slept on the ground with just a thin blanket on their backs. It was cold hard ground, but Hugh and Aric both had affinities to fire, so they were fine.


    It was a night out, and most of the group was already asleep. However, Miser and Hugh were still wide awake.


    Hugh noticed this and he spoke with a soft voice.


    "What''s keeping you up?"


    Miser had a melancholic face as he stared at the ceiling, but as soon as Hugh asked him, he forced himself to smile.


    "It''s nothing."


    Hugh did not believe Miser''s fake smile. So he asked once again.


    "Tell me. It''s the least you can do."


    Miser seemed burdened once Hugh pulled out the savior card. Now, he had no choice but to spill the secrets to Hugh.


    "Let''s talk outside."


    Hugh and Miser both got up from their blankets and stood out looking at the backyard.


    The town was quiet, and the star was twinkling, but Miser''s head was filled with worry. After a few seconds of silence, Miser finally spoke out.


    "Mia is no ordinary girl."


    Hugh furrowed his eyebrows as he listened to Miser''s story.


    It turned out that Mia''s mother was of noble descent, and not just any noble, but a desolate queen.


    The story was that Mia''s mother was exiled from a kingdom far away due to unknown reasons. She wandered the streets looking alone without any help until she met Miser.


    Things escalated, and a fiery passion burned in both of them, and the product of that passion was Mia.


    Years passed, and eventually, Mia''s mother was tracked down by the kingdom. They came to her to take her back since there was not anyone that can take the throne.


    All of her blood relatives mysteriously vanished or died, leaving only her as the only living blood of the royal family.


    However, there was an opposing faction that denied Mia''s mother of her throne. They ambushed her and killed her in cold blood.


    Now, that throne was taken by the general of the opposing faction. He had a strict hand and would do anything to keep his throne.


    If that king knew that Mia, a woman with royal blood, was alive, then his throne would be threatened.


    With Mia being imprisoned, her records would be brought out to the public. It was only a matter of time until the king catches wind of this and ordered Mia''s execution.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Hugh sighed as he heard Miser''s story. It was a tragic case that Miser was powerless to solve. They would have to go against a whole kingdom to have a chance to live.


    "I''m planning to desert this place and disappear into some random place," Miser said. "However, I don''t know if Mia would accept this."


    "She doesn''t know?" Hugh asked.


    "No, and I don''t plan to. Royal blood or not, she''s still my dear daughter."

 Chapter 157: Armor

    It was early in the morning and everyone felt well-rested. It was a new day full of freedom, and they were not going to miss it.


    Miser went out of the house or gather some ingredients for today''s breakfast. He would have to get more ingredients than normal since he had to feed more mouths.


    Hugh went with Miser to accompany him and guard him while outside. They did not know when or where the Shark Loan company would strike back.


    Miser bought some bread and fishbone soup. It was enough to feed everyone, so they journeyed back to the house.


    As they freaked back down the streets, Hugh saw a bald figure in the distance.


    Hugh pushed Miser down the alleyway to hide away from the group of bald men coming their way. Hugh did not want to fight this early in the morning, so it was better to hide first.


    The bald men continued to walk with confidence and brutality in their attitude. They felt like they own the whole street.


    The citizens of the town were alert of the bald men, and they got fear instilled into their eyes. Some parents stopped their kids from wandering around the streets, and some immediately went back to their house.


    The bald men passed by the alleyway where Hugh and Miser hid away, and they did not notice anything. They continued to walk away.


    As the bald men continued to walk down the road, an unfortunate kid let his ball roll down the road. The kid without supervision chased down the ball.


    However, the kid did not notice that the ball rolled right in front of the bald men. The kid picked up the ball and looked up at the men innocently.


    "Hey! Whose kid is that?" a random citizen whispered.


    "Hey kid, get away from them!"


    "Oh no. It''s too late."


    One of the bald men squatted down and put himself in the line of sight of the kid. The bald man smiled and rubbed the kid''s head.


    "Hey kid, you want some candy?" the bald guy asked.


    "Yeah!"


    The kid was happy about receiving candy from a total stranger. He did not think that any danger would come towards him.


    The bald man smiled and turned towards his group and spoke, "take him back to the base. He will fetch a nice price."


    The bald men took away the kid and restricted the kid''s movements. Just before the kid screamed away, a bald man smacked the kid in the neck and made him unconscious.


    "What an unfortunate kid."


    "It''s the parents that are irresponsible. They shouldn''t have let him around wandering in the streets."


    The citizens continued to lament the fact that the kid was unfortunate in this incident. However, no one was planning to save the kid or else they would also get affected.


    Hugh frowned as he saw all of this play out. He then pulled aside one of the citizens and asked her what was happening.


    "We don''t know either. These bald guys usually only come out once a month, but they already came yesterday. They shouldn''t have also come today."


    Hugh scratched his head. He did not know what the bald man was planning.


    "They also usually take only those who have a debt on them, but now, they take anybody they can."


    Hugh tried to piece together the weird actions of the bald men. He was trying to logic the reasoning why they broke the cycle that they placed.


    Then, he remembered what Miser said to him last night. Mia was supposed to be royal blood, and that would attract the attention of the kingdom.


    Hugh could not stand it anymore, and he decided to ask the persons in charge. He sneaked behind the bald men and made sure to not be noticed by them.


    Then, as the bald man was occupied with another matter, he pulled one bald man aside and stuffed his mouth.


    Hugh abducted the bald man away from the group and led him back to the alleyway.


    The bald man was helpless in the face of the absolute strength of Hugh. He could not even try to slip out of the strong grip Hugh had.


    "Shhh!" Hugh said as he put the bald man against the wall. "You don''t want to feel every bone break at the same time, right?"


    The bald man felt Hugh''s grip around his wrist start to tighten, and he could feel it start to break. The bald man realized Hugh''s strength and it made him want to comply.


    The bald man nodded his head furiously just to stop Hugh from tightening his grip even further.


    "Why are all of us back here?"


    "@&$!?" the bald man replied. Hugh realized that there was still a cloth inside the man''s mouth, so he quickly took it out.


    *cough* *cough*


    "Now, tell me!" Hugh threatened.


    The bald man still had fear in his eyes, so he complied with Hugh''s request.


    "Okay! Okay!" the man said. "We were sent back here to capture more people!"


    Hugh listened closely to what the bald man had to say.


    It turned out that they were sent back to capture more people to recuperate their losses.


    Due to Hugh and the others breaking into the Shark Loan building, the bald men had to recuperate their losses. For some reason, they lost a lot of money that day, and they now had to pay it back.


    Hugh frowned as he listened to the bald man''s story. He did not understand how the Shark Loan company could lose a ton of money just by one day.


    The only thing that Hugh and the others do was to break out Mia. There was no way that one prisoner could cost so much, right?


    It was at that point that Hugh realized the truth. It turned out that, for some reason, the Shark Loan company knew that Mia was a valuable resource.


    Miser, who was listening to the conversation, also realized what was happening. Filled with worry, Miser started to run out of the alleyway back to his house.


    In his hurry, he even forgot to bring the ingredients for breakfast.


    Hugh saw Miser running out, and he chased after him. He brought down the bald man first and gave him a blow to the neck to knock him out for a couple of hours.


    Hugh chased after Miser and stopped him in his tracks.


    "Mia is in trouble!" Miser exclaimed as he grabbed Hugh''s collar.


    Hugh still had a calm expression as he tried to make Miser calmer. "Don''t worry. She is with my group."


    As soon as Miser realized that Mia was with a group of chosen, he started to relax. However, he was still worried to death for her.


    "We''ll go back, but we shouldn''t try to run inside. There may be enemies there," Hugh said.


    Miser nodded his head as he trusted Hugh with his life and Mia''s life.


    Hugh and Miser hurried back to the house and stopped one corner away from it. Hugh used his eagle eyes to scour the situation from afar.


    From what he could see, there were not any bald men insight. This was good since it meant that Mia was not in danger.


    However, Hugh noticed something in the door. It was open, but the doorknob was dangling on the side, which meant that someone broke in.


    "Let''s go! Stay outside!" Hugh exclaimed as he ran towards the door.


    As soon as he opened the door, he saw men in full steel plate armor laying on the ground. Serena had her feet stepping on one of the armored men, and she was supported by Jane and Aric.


    "Oh. You''re back." Serena said as she continued to suppress one of the armored men.


    "What happened here?" Hugh asked as he looked all around the room.


    There were 3 armored men inside the room. All of them were either on the ground or pinned at the wall, unconscious.


    "Just a little incident. They were a bit rude, so we had to do what we had to do." Serena replied as if beating down armored men was easy to do.


    "Is our breakfast here?!" Aric asked with vigor. He walked over towards Hugh while stepping over one of the armored men.


    "Mia! Are you okay?!" Miser shouted out as he entered the room.


    It was then that Miser realized that there were armored men unconscious on the ground.


    "Yes, father. I''m okay," Mia replied. She was hiding in her room, and she only opened the room once she heard her father calling out to her.


    Hugh took one long glance at the armored men in the ground. He could see that they had the insignia of a snake embedded into their armor.


    Hugh pulled Miser aside and pointed at the snake insignia.


    *gasp*


    Miser could not hide his surprise as he saw the insignia of the armored men. It was the insignia of the kingdom that exiled Mia''s mother, and the kingdom that Mia was supposed to rule.

 Chapter 158: Knight

    "These guys just started to scramble the house looking for Mia," Serena explained as she took another step at the armored man''s back.


    "We gave them a beating," Jane said.


    Hugh looked at the armored men and noticed that all of them were knocked out. Hugh wanted to ask them some questions, so he tied them up first as he waited for them to regain their consciousness.


    "Aughh¡­," one of the armored men groaned as he scratched his head. He did not notice that his head was enlarged in one part due to a blunt force trauma.


    As the armored man awoke and opened his eyes, he noticed all of the group''s eyes on him. They were looking at him as if he was a wolf animal.


    "Guh!" the man groaned as he realized that he had been captured by the enemy. He could not move his arms and legs since they were tied up by a rope.


    "Release me now!" the man exclaimed. "I am a mighty knight for the Cheroque kingdom. I demand you to release me!"


    Even though he was surrounded, the knight seemed to be haughty in his attitude. He did not think that Hugh and the others would ignore an order from a knight.


    Hugh and the others were less than impressed by the knight''s stature. Since they knew nothing about this world, they saw the knight as nothing special.


    "So? Who cares?" Aric asked as he scratched his head.


    The knight seemed to be extremely surprised at the carefree attitude he was seeing from Hugh''s group.


    Usually, citizens would kneel in front of him and beg for forgiveness, but now, he was being treated the same as a peasant. It was unforgivable.


    "This is a decree from the Cheroque kingdom. Release me now and repent your sins!"


    Hugh ignored the knight''s words and squatted in front of him. He faced the night and gave him a strong slap in the face.


    *SLAP*


    Even Serena and the others were surprised by the sudden slap. However, they felt good once they saw the haughty knight being taught some manners.


    "Knight or not, that doesn''t excuse your behavior. Right now, you are at my mercy," Hugh declared.


    The knight was more than surprised to see Hugh threatening him. He was so surprised that he turned speechless.


    "Wha¡­the¡­you¡­" the knight struggled to find the right words.


    "Answer my question. What are you searching for?" Hugh asked.


    The knight was still surprised at the slap that he endured, so he was still not in the right mind. For a second, he thought that he was still dreaming, but the pain in his cheeks proved that it was reality.


    *SLAP*


    Hugh slapped him at the same pace again to make him focus. He did not have the time to dawdle around now that it seemed that Mia''s identity had been found out.


    "How preposterous of you! I''ll forgive your sins if you surrender Mia right now!" the knight shouted.


    *SLAP*


    This time, the slap did not come from Hugh, but Miser. The father was extremely worried that the knight would take his daughter, so he acted on impulse.


    "Why do you guys keep slapping me!!!!"


    *SLAP*


    "Focus," Hugh demanded as he slapped the knight again.


    After minutes of back and forth from the two, the knight finally relented.


    "Why do you want Mia?"


    The knight bit his lips, but he could not ignore the bread right in front of him. It smelled delicious, and he was currently as hungry as a pig.


    "Answer me, and I''ll let you have a taste," Hugh said as he put the bread closer to the knight''s nose to let him sell the bread and tempt him more.


    "Fine, fine! We were sent by the general himself to find Mia. We don''t know why he wants her, but we have to bring her there."


    Hugh frowned as he heard the knight''s explanation. Mia''s true heritage seemed to have truly leaked out into the wrong hands.


    Miser was worried beyond belief that the general would do anything to kill his daughter. It made him want to pull out all of his hair.


    *om* *nom*


    The knight enjoyed the one bite of bread that he was given. He almost forgot that he was supposed to be a mighty knight from the kingdom of Cheroque.


    "What should we do?!" Miser blurted out as he took Hugh''s collar and shook him.


    Hugh put his hands on Miser''s shoulders and calmed him down. "Don''t worry."


    "Should we kill them?" Aric asked as he manifested his bald fire in his hands as he looked at the knights.


    "Yeah, we can''t let them know where Mia''s staying, right?" Serena, for once, agreed with Aric.


    "That doesn''t solve the problem. If we kill the knights right now, more will spawn in their place," Jane stated.


    The knight was beyond anxious as he overheard Aric and the others planning his murder.


    "That''s right! We are not the only knights assigned to find Mia. It''s only a matter of time until some other knight knocks on your door," reasoned the knight. He did not want to die at the hands of someone like Hugh.


    Miser looked at Hugh for advice. In these times of crisis, Miser depended more on Hugh.


    "But, why do they want to find Mia? Are the knights involved with the Shark Loan company that we stole her from?" Aric asked as he could not figure out why Mia was wanted by a kingdom.


    "It''s complicated," Hugh explained. "We won''t kill the knights for now. We''ll send them back where they came from."


    Miser was surprised by what Hugh said. He did not get why he wanted to send back the knights.


    Hugh saw Miser''s worry, so he explained why he wanted the knights to return. "Communication is best in these kinds of conflict. Who knows, maybe no bloodshed is needed?"


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    After a few hours, Hugh and the others released one of the knights out into the wild. This was not the same knight that Hugh and the others conversed with.


    "Why didn''t you guys let me go? That guy is beneath me!" the knight complained.


    *SLAP*


    This time, Aric was the one who slapped the knight.


    "Sorry, I also wanted to do that once."


    Hugh patted Miser''s shoulder and assured him of the plan. "It''s going to be okay. Even if this plan doesn''t work out, you''ll have us as backup!"


    Miser nodded his head furiously as if he also wanted to convince himself. He could not help but stomp his foot on the ground obsessively as he worried.


    "I hope that letter would bring peace to our family!"


    The knight that they sent back also had a letter with him. This was made by Miser with Hugh''s help, and it entailed their request for peace.


    The letter promised that Mia would never use her blood ties to claim her right to the throne. In exchange, the commander must also let Mia and Miser live their lives in peace.


    This was the peaceful solution that Hugh came up with. If things went well, then there would be no useless bloodshed from both sides.


    "What if the knight doesn''t deliver the letter?" Miser asked as he paced around the room.


    "That''s why we have these knights as the hostage," Hugh said as he pointed at the knight who had a big red hand mark on his face.


    "What if the commander rejects the peace offer? What if he comes here with his army?" Miser asked as he bit his fingernails.


    "That''s why we have these knights as a hostage. They will tell us the army''s power and numbers. That way, we could prepare,@ Hugh replied.


    Hugh planned everything out with different scenarios. He was confident in it, and if the worse turn into the worst, then Miser and Mia could evacuate and disappear from the town.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    After two days of nonstop travel using a horse, the knight finally arrived at the Cheroque kingdom.


    He was received by the welcome of his comrades, but he ignored all of them and their questions. He went straight into the commander''s chambers and delivered the message.


    Inside the commander''s chambers were gold embroidery and gold furniture. It was not a secret that the commander lived a lavish life.


    The knight walked on the red carpet that led to the commander''s throne. He did not even dare to lift his face to look directly at the commander.


    The knight bowed as he reached the commander''s gold throne.


    "What news do you bring me?" the commander said.


    The commander''s voice was deep, and it was clear that he was old. From the knight''s estimation, the commander must be in his late thirties or early forties.


    The knight did not respond and just shivered in place. He was anxious in bringing up the letter. He might get executed for bringing such a thing into the chambers.


    Gathering il his courage, he gave the letter to the commander and let him read it.

 Chapter 159: Fight

    The commander had a straight face as he stared at the latter in front of him. He first inspected the quality and the paper, thinking that the paper came from a rival kingdom.


    However, there was not even a wax seal on the letter, just a plain and simple letter.


    The commander opened the letter with confusion as he looked at the knight who brought him this letter.


    He parsed through the letter without much thought, but a smile formed on his face as he realized who the letter came from.


    "Hahaha¡­," the commander chuckled.


    Then, with one swift movement, he tore the letter in half and threw it into the fire next to him.


    The knight flinched as he saw the letter being thrown into flames. He was worried that the commander was mad at him for bringing the letter to his face.


    "I''m sorry commander, my comrades are currently being held captive unless I brought this letter to you."


    However, the commander was not even listening to the knight''s pleads. He slowly stood up and showed his massive height to everyone in the throne room.


    He wore lavish robes and accessories, but none of them were for protection. He wore silk and other gold-laced cloth, evidence of his proud and commanding presence.


    Everyone in the room bent to their knees as they saw their commander stand up. They did not dare look at him in the eyes.


    The knight who brought the letter was trembling in his knees. He was afraid for his life because he knew how brutal and strict the commander was.


    The knight saw the commander''s feet slowly walk over towards him. Then, he suddenly felt a warm hand in his head. He was beyond scared to know that the commander was grabbing his head.


    However, contrary to his expectations, the commander praised him and rubbed his head.


    "You have done well in protecting your fellow knight."


    The knight could not believe what he heard. He felt fear, ecstasy, and anxiousness all together as he felt the hand of the commander.


    "Thank you, commander!" the knight shouted.


    The commander smiled as he saw the knight''s proud shout.


    "However, you dared to give this letter right to my face." Then, the commander''s voice suddenly turned lower and lower.


    The knight suddenly felt the room turn cold as the commander''s voice got colder. At this point, the knight was confused. One second, he was being praised, then the next second, he was being berated.


    "Ow!" the knight shouted in pain. He could feel the commander''s grip start to tighten and crush his skull.


    "For that crime, you must pay with your life," the commander said as he crushed the knight''s head with his one fist.


    The explosion let out blood and brain matter all over the throne room. Even the lavish robes of the commander were left dirtied by the remains of the knight.


    The guards around the room did not bat an eye as they saw the headless knight fall to the floor. Their experience told them that this happened often.


    Without the commander even speaking, the door opened and a man carrying gold robes came in. The man had three other assistants as they entered the room.


    The commander spread his arms wide open as the man and his assistants replaced the commander''s dirtied robes.


    "Why would I let my future wife go? How preposterous! She is my only key to being the legal king of this land. Ha¡­haha¡­hahaha¡­.hahahahahahaha!"


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    As Hugh and the others waited for the commander''s response, Hugh and the others lived a normal life.


    For food, Hugh and the others went into expeditions into the woods and hunted for deer and other animals while Miser grabbed some medicinal mushrooms and herbs.


    The knights that were captured were fed, but they were kept on a tight leash.


    Hugh and Jane would occasionally question the knights about the Cheroque kingdom. On the first day, the knights would not give them anything.


    However, once Hugh applied the hunger tactic, the knights soon followed.


    The kingdom of Cheroque was a medium-sized kingdom that was in the middle of the Eastern Sea and the Sizzling Dry Desert.


    In summation, the kingdom was isolated from the other kingdoms. This was a perfect placement since their kingdom had nature as their defenses.


    The desert prevented large armies from coming towards them, and the sea led nowhere. It was a gift from the gods, as most of the locals there were taught.


    There was no current king or queen in the kingdom, but a commander that oversaw everything in the kingdom. That commander was the one that led the kingdom to its current prosperity and peace.


    However, the commander could never legally be king. If someone with royal blood came along, they could strip the commander of his power and make him a peasant.


    Fortunately for the commander, there was a royal decree back then for this kind of situation.


    If no royal blood showed up for twenty years, then the highest-ranking official could take up the throne and become the first lineage of the new royal blood.


    As most of the citizens of Cheroque believed, there was no living royal blood left. However, unbeknownst to their knowledge, Mia was born.


    Hugh and Miser were the only ones who knew that Mia was the only person that could threaten the commander''s rise to power. She was currently 17 years old, which meant that there were only three years left until the commander could become king.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Hugh and Miser talked to each other outside deep in the night. They both held beer bottles in their hands as they stared at the night sky.


    "Do you think I should tell her?" Miser asked.


    Hugh looked at the sky and thought deeply about the question. Telling Mia the truth could backfire on them.


    "It''s up to you," Hugh said. "It''s better if she doesn''t know it since there will be fewer variables to consider. However¡­"


    Hugh took one sip from the beer bottle.


    "It''s only a matter of time until she figures out that something is wrong," Hugh continued.


    "It''s better to hear it from her father rather than the army that will assassinate her."


    Miser sighed as he looked at his beer bottle. He also knew that lying to Mia was a bad idea, but he could not help but shield her from the truth.


    "What am I supposed to tell her? That she''s a long-lost princess of a kingdom? And that she is being hunted down by that very kingdom?" Miser sighed.


    *CRASH*


    Then, Miser and Mia heard a glass shatter from behind. They both looked back and saw Mia standing there with a deadpan expression as two shattered beer bottles spilled in the ground.


    "Mia, wait!" Miser said, but Mia quickly turned around and ran away from them.


    Miser quickly left the beer bottle in the ground and ran after Mia. He wanted to explain the situation to Mia.


    Hugh just kept sipping his beer as he looked up at the sky. It was not his place to interfere with their family business.


    Twenty minutes passed, and Hugh was still staring at the sky. The night was quiet, and the wind did not blow in any direction. However, Hugh had a bad feeling in his stomach.


    "Hugh!" Miser shouted out as he ran towards Hugh while panting.


    "Stop Mia, please. She wants to go to the Cheroque kingdom by herself!"


    Hugh did not wait for another second as he rushed towards the direction where Miser pointed at.


    He used his eagle eyes to see the small footprints in the ground to search for Mia. He did not have to look king as he heard crying from a certain tree.


    Hugh approached the tree and saw Mia crying on her knees.


    Hugh squatted down and sat next to her while he let her cry it out. He waited for her to calm down and think rationally.


    "It''s my fault. They only want me, right? They will leave my father alone if I surrender myself!" Mia cried.


    Hugh patted Mia''s back and spoke. "I don''t think your father would like that. I know for a fact that he would sacrifice his life to save yours."


    Then, Mia cried even harder as she heard Hugh''s words. It seemed that it was not the words that she wanted to hear at this time.


    Hugh felt awkward as he made things worse. He was not good at these kinds of things, so he just kept quiet and let her cry it out.


    "Do you love your father?" a feminine voice said. Hugh turned around and saw Jane peeking her head towards them.


    Mia stopped crying and looked at Jane. Then, she nodded her head.


    "Then, you both fight. Your father sacrificed a lot to get you out of that prison. It would be an injustice to him if you just surrender your life like that."


    Mia lessened her crying after that. She wiped her tears and tried to put on a tough face.

 Chapter 160: Return

    There was no saying whether the commander would accept the proposition. Miser went through the hours wondering with anxiousness deeply implanted into his face.


    Thankfully, he no longer had to keep Mia''s secret. She now understood her history and the history of her mother.


    Aric was beyond bored as he stared outside. He was waiting for any sign of conflict outside to try and get his blood boiling.


    These past few days had been too calm and collected, as if they were at the center of a storm.


    Hugh sat down on the chair and closed his eyes. This was a rare moment that he could relax, so he took advantage of it any way he could.


    "Ruff! Ruff!" A barking sound disturbed his sleep.


    Then, Hugh felt a slimy feeling in his leg. As he looked down, he saw his trusty old dog, Beru. However, Beru was more of a wolf than a dog.


    Beru continued to lick Hugh''s leg as if he wanted to get Hugh''s attention. Hugh had nothing for the afternoon, so he played with Beru for a little while.


    Hugh rubbed Beru''s black fur, but it seemed that it was not enough. Beru but his pants and tried to pull Hugh towards a direction.


    With Hugh''s weight, Beru couldn''t move him. Feeling that it was impossible, Beru snapped at Hugh and barked at him some more.


    "Ruff! Ruff!"


    Exhausted and ignored, Beru decided to run out of the house. He sprinted like a cool summer wind that opened the door wide.


    "Wow! What a cute dog!" Mia exclaimed as she saw the cute black fur dog.


    If she saw the fangs of Beru, then she would not think that Beru was cute.


    "Is that yours?" Mia asked.


    Hugh nodded.


    Hugh looked out the window and saw Beru running out into the outside. It looked like he was running after something that was in the distance.


    Weirded out by this behavior, Hugh decided to get up from his seat and go after the dog.


    "Ruff! Ruff!"


    Even though Hugh and Beru were far away from each other, Hugh could still hear the dog''s incessant barking. It was as if they were connected in some way that made them inseparable.


    Hugh ran after the dog with all of his strength. As he ran through the distance, he finally saw Beru again.


    Beru reached the end of his goal as he stopped right in front of a man on a horse.


    Hugh activated his eagle eyes and inspected the man in the horse. Once he got a close look, he realized that the man was bloodied and tired.


    The man wore dented armor and a rusty steel sword. Hugh could see that the man was old enough to have grey hair.


    The man was bleeding from his right arm, and he was barely sitting in his horse.


    Beru barked back at Hugh as he Beru wanted Hugh to approach the bloodied man.


    Without waiting any longer, Hugh ran towards the bloodied man. Just as he reached the man, he saw the man start to way and lose control of his balance in the horse seat.


    Hugh rushed over to him and coached him in his fall. The man was half-asleep and grabbed Hugh in the collar.


    "Get me to Miser."


    After the bloodied man said that, he passed out in Hugh''s arms.


    Since it seemed as if the man knew about Miser, then Hugh decided to bring him back to the house.


    Serena and Jane both saw Hugh carrying someone home. They were both curious to see who it was since the man seemed like he was bloodied and dirty.


    "Haugh!" Mia shrieked as she saw the bloodied man.


    Miser looked out of the house to see what the commotion was about. Then, he saw Hugh carrying someone in his arms.


    Squinting his eyes, he saw a familiar face in the bloodied man. It was a face that he had not seen in a long time, not since his wife had died.


    Miser stepped out of the door one step at a time. Then, it turned into a full-on sprint as Hugh and the bloodied man got closer and closer to see.


    As Miser sprinted towards the man, his suspicions were proved correct. This was a man he knew from way back, Darren.


    "Hey, I think this guy knows you," Hugh said as he carried the bloodied man over towards the couch.


    Miser nodded his head with melancholy and nostalgia on his face. "Yes. I knew him from back then. He''s Darren, a noble knight from the Cheroque kingdom."


    Miser quickly went through his cabinet and prepared some herbs and medicine to use.


    The man called Daren seemed to be beaten up pretty badly. There were bruises and cuts all over his body, and his body was also filled with scars from his previous battles.


    Hugh was surprised that Darren could even last that long of a journey without passing out.


    Miser tended to Darren''s wound, but Darren''s wound was pretty severe.


    Then, Miser suddenly saw less and less movement from Darren. He put his arm on Darren''s wrists and checked for a pulse.


    He was mortified to feel that Darren''s heartbeat was getting weaker and weaker. It was only a meter of time until his body gave up on him.


    Miser put his hand over Darren''s nose and felt that there was no air coming out.


    "Don''t you dare die on me!" Miser screamed as he performed chest compressions on Darren.


    Even with the artificial heartbeat, it did not seem like Darren would regain his breath.


    With every pump, Darren was getting less and less hope for survival. Miser was in denial that Darren would die a death like this.


    Suddenly out of nowhere, Jane stepped in and put her hand over Darren''s mouth.


    "Serena, use your brute strength on the count of three!" Jane commanded.


    Serena did not know what was going on, but she knew that the situation was serious. She did what Jane asked her to do.


    3¡­2¡­1¡­


    Serena used her pink smoke power to multiply her arm strength as she struck Darren''s chest.


    At the same time that Serena struck Darren''s chest, Jane used her air pressure to circulate air through Darren''s body.


    With their cooperation, Darren''s body was redirected back from the dead. He started to breathe normally again, and his heart started to pump blood as it normally did.


    "Hoh! Thank the gods!" exclaimed Miser as he got a wave of relief over him.


    "It''s not ever yet," Jane said. "We have stabilized him for now, but the underlying problem is still there."


    Miser put on a serious face and faced Jane. She seemed like she knew what she was doing and he would follow her every move.


    "Aric, be useful for once and lower his body temperature for a while," Jane said as she stared at Aric.


    Aric easily complied with Jane. She was strangely serious and helpful in this matter.


    Then, Jane took out a blade from the kitchen and started to operate on Darren''s body. Miser was worried at first, but seeing her steady hand gave him a steady heart.


    With her skills and technique, Jane was able to operate and remove a strange reddish object from Darren''s stomach.


    It was the size of a big grape, but Jane knew that it would have caused the death of Darren.


    Once she had safely removed the hazardous object from Darren''s stomach, she patted away her sweat and faced Miser.


    "Dispose of this away from us, make sure not to put it anywhere near the drinkable water."


    Miser furiously nodded his head. He made sure to use a glove to handle the object as it seemed as if it was poisonous to everything it touched.


    Then, Jane faced Hugh and spoke to him.


    "Burn his injuries. We don''t have any sewing kit, and it''s the best way to disinfect."


    Hugh nodded towards her and did as she told. Hugh could not forget the kind of calm and poise that Jane had as she saved a man''s life like it was nothing.


    She did not even hesitate to order someone around. Her skills as a doctor proved her genius and capability to everyone in the room.


    "He''ll be okay, right?" Mia asked Jane.


    Jane nodded. "He just needs to rest for now. He''ll probably be awake a two to three days from now."


    Mia breathed a sigh of relief as she heard that. She did not know who this Darren person was, but she knew that he might have known something about her true origin.


    Since it seemed like Miser knew Darren as a friend, she was curious to know why he had come here in the first place.


    Darren continued to sleep and recover for hours. Miser continued to stay at his side and monitor his well-being.


    "Guhhhhh!" Darren took one big breath.


    Miser was surprised to see Darren suddenly awaken. He was supposed to still be asleep for days, but he woke up only after a few hours.


    "Get out, now!"

 Chapter 161: Resolve

    Miser held Darren''s collard. His face was full of seriousness as Darren told him to run away from something.


    Immediately, Miser felt that he was in some sort of danger. It was as if his back was exposed, and he was about to be stabbed in the stomach.


    "Run away!" Darren continued. His eyes were reddish and his face was full of craziness.


    "What are you talking about?" Miser asked.


    Darren was supposed to be still sleeping at this hour. He needed a lot of time to rest and recover from his wounds. However, he was now awake only after a few hours.


    As expected, Darren''s wounds opened up again and spilled down blood. Darren could not help but cry out in pain.


    "Aargh!"


    Darren saw the blood spill out on Darren''s clothes, and it got him immediately worried. He looked out the window and shouted out towards the group.


    "Help!"


    His shout was immediately noticed by Hugh, and he burst out running inside. Once he saw the blood running, he quickly forced Darren back to bed and applied more cloth.


    "You aren''t supposed to be awake yet," Hugh said as he tightened the cloth around the wound on Darren''s arm.


    However, Darren did not seem he be scared by Hugh''s words. He only stood up in his bed and looked at Hugh.


    "You¡­you''re strong," Darren commented.


    As a long-time warrior in the kingdom, he immediately knew that Hugh was not a normal kid. Seeing Hugh stick with Miser gave him comfort and confidence.


    "Help Miser and Mia. Please!" Darren cried out.


    Hugh felt the strength on Darren''s hands, and it got him worried. He did not know why Darren was so anxious for Mia and Miser''s safety.


    "What''s wrong?" Serena asked as she burst into the room.


    As Serena asked that, Darren immediately got flashbacks of when he escaped the army of the Cheroque kingdom.


    "I escaped¡­I wanted to warn you of the incoming threat," Darren muttered as he stared off into space as if he was spacing out.


    Hugh waved his hands in front of Darren, but it seemed like Darren could not see him.


    Hugh did not like the suspense that was built up, so he shook Darren out of his daze.


    However, it did not work as Hugh had intended. Darren''s instincts immediately kicked in and attacked Hugh in self-defense.


    Darren''s moves were swift and powerful like a master of armed combat. Even with Hugh''s massive weight, he was able to lift him in the air like it was nothing.


    Hugh was surprised as he was not used to being thrown around like this. This was the first time that he had ever faced someone with this kind of skill.


    Thankfully for Hugh, he was able to regain his sense of balance in mid-air as he took control of his own body back.


    He landed safely on the ground with a big thump. However, Darren continued his attacks.


    Darren''s arms were like two snakes lunging at Hugh. It was fast and vicious, specifically targeting Hugh''s weak points at his ligaments.


    If not for his armor that he deployed at the last minute, he would be out cold right now.


    "Uh¡­a little help here?" Hugh said as he got both of his hands busy dealing with Darren''s attacks.


    With Darren''s physical state, Hugh was worried that his body would worsen once Hugh retaliates.


    Serena moved and restrained Darren and put his hands behind him.


    With her strength, Serena was able to restrain Darren''s movements and prevent himself from hurting anyone, including his own body.


    Darren struggled with all of his might, but he was of no use against two people with tremendous strengths. It was only a matter of time until Darren timed out.


    Darren''s movements slowly got slower and slower until his body came to a stop. It was at this moment that he gained focus back in his eyes.


    Hugh noticed this change and let Darren go.


    "Huh? Where am I?" Darren''s asked. The last thing he remembered was that he was on a battlefield, but now, he was at an unknown location.


    As Darren scanned the room for threats to his life, he suddenly saw the face of his old friend.


    "Miser? Thank the gods you''re still alive! Where''s Mia? Is she okay?" Darren said as he got up from his bed and rushed over to his friend''s side.


    He did not seem to resize that his body was incredibly damaged. His body gave up on him as he tumbled as soon as he touched the floor.


    Thankfully, Hugh and Serena caught him just before he slipped.


    "You have to stay back in your bed," Jane said as she walked inside the room.


    Darren noticed Jane walk in.


    "What''s with all the commotion?" Aric also came inside with a bored expression.


    "Tell me, Darren. What''s wrong?" Miser said as he walked towards his long-time friend.


    Darren noticed the presence of these ridiculously strong teenagers inside the room. He was surprised to see them so young but so strong.


    It distracted him for a little while, but the voice of his old friend brought him back.


    "The army''s coming to get you," Darren said.


    As soon as he said those words, the temperature in the room dropped by a few degrees. Miser was left speechless while Jane and Hugh both buried their heads while thinking of something.


    "Why do they want to kill me so bad?" Mia said as she also woke up.


    Darren saw Mia and he almost dropped a tear. He had not seen Mia in so long, not since she was a baby. Now, Mia was a grown woman who was as beautiful as her mother.


    Darren wiped away his tears and steeled himself. Now was not the time to be sentimental. A reunion was reserved only after they won the war.


    "They don''t want to kill you," Darren continued.


    Miser was relieved to know that Mia won''t be killed. However, Darren''s next words almost brought him to his knees.


    "He''ll take you captive as his queen. Only then will he be legible to be king."


    "No!" Miser immediately rejected. In his eyes, Mia was still merely a child, and she should never be put into that position.


    Miser knew the sadness that would be brought upon his daughter that happened. Her mother knew it best, that was why she fled the kingdom.


    "Let''s run away now before they get here," Darren said with urgency.


    Hugh was in deep thought as the events unfolded. He was in a debate with himself as to how to approach the situation with the best outcome in mind.


    "We don''t have to," Hugh stated.


    Darren immediately stopped moving and looked at Hugh. He could see that Hugh was strong, but he did not know if Hugh was smart enough to know what he was talking about.


    "Do you have a plan? We are wasting time here!" Darren said as he continued to move. He grabbed Mia and Miser''s hands as he began to walk out of the room.


    "That would be unwise," said Jane. This time, Jane agreed with Hugh''s decision.


    "Are you both nuts?! We can''t win against an army!" Serena said as she faced both Hugh and Jane.


    Hugh and Jane both looked at each other and had an understanding. They both knew the truth about this world, and how it functions.


    "We can win this war. We have to," Jane said with resolution deeply embedded into her eyes.


    "Listen here youths. You may have the strengths to beat ten men or even a hundred men, but you simply cannot win against a thousands-strong army!" Darren stated.


    "We don''t have to," Hugh interjected. "There are other ways to win a war."


    Darren stopped and looked at Jane and Hugh. "Like I said, do you have a plan?"


    "Not yet. But I know that running away is not part of it." Jane said.


    Mia saw Jane and Hugh''s conviction to fight, and it ignited her into something that she wanted to do.


    All her life, things just happened to her. She did not have to power to fight it or change it; she was merely a spectator in her own life.


    She was helpless as her mother was killed in cold blood. She was captured by loan sharks, and she sat in the prison waiting until she was rescued.


    No more. She did not want to be a bystander anymore. She wanted to fight for her freedom, for her destiny.


    Mia shrugged away Darren''s hands and walked towards Hugh and Jane''s side, a move that was unexpected to both parties.


    "Mia?" Miser asked with confusion on his face.


    "I don''t want to run, father. I want to fight. And if they say that there is a way to fight, then I will fight with them!" Mia raised her voice like nothing she had ever done.


    Hugh smiled as he saw the confidence burst out of Mia. Then, he turned to look at her as he spoke.


    "Do you want to be a queen?"

 Chapter 162: War

    Miser was flustered by the question. Mia? A queen? How could his little child be a queen? That position entailed pressure and problems that she could not handle.


    "Yes," Mia responded. "I want to be a queen."


    Miser''s jaw dropped as he heard Mia''s response. He did not believe what he had just heard.


    "What? Mia, no!" Miser said as he tried to convince Mia to back down.


    "I want to do this father," Mia said with a resolute voice. "I want to avenge my mother."


    Once Mia mentioned her mother, Miser was caught tongue-tied. He did not have any retort with her response since he also wanted to avenge his late wife.


    However, he did not think that Mia ascending to the throne will be the answer to all their problems. She was just a child!


    Mia looked at her father, and she immediately knew what he was thinking about. She had known her father her whole life, and she knew when she was being underestimated.


    "I am not a child, father," Mia said while stomping her feet on the ground. "I can stand on my own feet."


    "Queen? This little girl?" Aric asked as he looked at the tiny little girl in front of him.


    "Yes. That''s the only way we can with the war against the commander," Hugh stated. "Mia has to ascend the throne and throw the commander out of his position."


    Darren stopped in his tracks and thought deeply about the situation. As a good friend of Miser, he also wanted to stop Mia from ascending the throne.


    However, this was also a valid way to win the war. They did not have to kill thousands upon thousands of soldiers to win, they just have to convince them to surrender.


    He knew best that the kingdom of Cheroque loved the royal family, especially Mia''s mother. If it was reported that Mia was alive and well, they could gather enough loyal supporters in the court to overthrow the commander.


    "Darren, please help me convince Mia that this is an outrageous plan!" Miser said as he turned towards his old friend.


    However, contrary to his expectations, Darren only stayed silent. He could see that Darren was a bit guilty of siding with Mia on this one.


    "No! You too? You are all crazy!" Miser shouted as he burst out of the room.


    Mia was worried for her father, so she ran after him. However, Darren stopped her in her tracks.


    "Don''t go after him. He needs some time alone."


    Mia stopped and looked longingly at the door. However, she turned her head to everyone in the room and shows a resolute face.


    "How are we going to plan this?"


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    It was deep in the night and tents were set up all over the place in a large plain surface full of grass. Inside these tents were the resting bodies of the Cheroque knights.


    There was also a large tent in the middle that housed the commander of the army. He was currently sitting at his desk while looking at a piece of parchment paper.


    Then, a smile grew on his face as he observed the contents of the paper.


    The paper was a portrait of the current Mia. She was young and elegant, but she was as beautiful as her mother.


    The line strokes on the painting were exquisite, but Mia''s expression was that of loneliness. This was taken the day that she was taken hostage.


    "You are your mother''s daughter," he said as if he was talking to Mia via the portrait.


    Then, his behavior quickly changed as he crushed the paper into a crumble.


    "I hated your mother. She tossed me away for some country bumpkin that she met one day."


    Then, he put the crumbled parchment paper on the candle next to him and lit it up in flames. It quickly burned up.


    "Once I ascend as king with you as my queen, I will kill you with my own hands. Only then will that filthy blood be purged from history," the commander said as his expression got nastier and nastier.


    "HA¡­HAHAHA¡­HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Hugh and the group had just finished a full of day of preparation. Even though they spent many hours talking, they still had not come up with one single plan.


    There was too much that they did not know about the Cheroque kingdom and its citizens. Would they even believe that Mia was of royal blood?


    They decided to sleep it off and decided the next day. They were all tired, and they needed a recharge of their energies, especially Darren who was still severely injured.


    "Father," Mia called out.


    Mia stepped out into the backyard and saw her father looking up at the skies.


    Miser did not look at Mia and just continued to look at the stars.


    "Father, I want your support on my decision. I cannot bear to go through this ordeal without you." Mia said as she approached Miser.


    However, Miser continued to look at the stars in the skies as if he could see something there.


    "See this, Arene? Your daughter is as bullheaded as you," Miser said as he addressed the sky full of stars.


    Mia frowned and looked at the sky. Arene was the name of her mother, and it seemed like Miser was talking to her mother.


    "When you were just a child, your mother said that once she leaves this world, she will wander around the skies as those twinkly little lights," Miser said as he pointed at the skies.


    Mia saw the wonders of the constellation, but she could not see any signs of her mother.


    "Sometimes, I like to pretend that she is there. I talk to her about stuff, stuff that I''m really worried about." Miser said as he put his hands in the sky and grabbed it.


    "When you were kidnapped, I also talked to her about it. I kid you not, as soon as I finished my words, a shooting star traveled through the skies. The next day, I found Hugh and his group, and the rest is history."


    Mia heard that amazing story, but it could be nothing more than a coincidence. However, she was hopeful knowing that there was a chance that her mother was watching over me.


    "Mother, can you help me convince father? He''s stubborn!" Mia shouted at the stars.


    Miser chuckled. He shook his head and turned towards his daughter, and hugged her.


    "I am just worried about you. You''re my dear little daughter," Miser said as he hugged Mia under the stars.


    Unbeknownst to them, a shooting star blasted through the skies.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Inside the room, Hugh and his group were all alone. Serena had her arms crossed while one of her feet tapped the ground.


    "So?" Serena said with an annoyed look. "Are you both going to tell me why we are going to war?"


    This whole plan was invited by Jane and Hugh without any consultation. It was such a huge decision, but they treated it like it was nothing.


    "It''s the only way to win," Hugh said. However, this did not convince Serena.


    "Why do you want to win this war? We stand to gain nothing from it. We are probably behind the other groups that were sent here. We still have to explore the whole dungeon," Serena blurted out.


    "Dungeon, exactly," Jane said. "This is a dungeon."


    Serena frowned as Jane said those words. At first, she did not understand what Jane was talking about. It was as if she blurted out random words.


    However, she was soon brought into a deep spiral as everything came into place. She realized what this world was, and how to navigate through it.


    "This is a dungeon. This war was most likely an event that would inevitably happen." Jane said.


    "That''s the reason why we were sent to this town, wasn''t it?" Serena asked as she got through the realization.


    "Yes. Sooner or later, the war is going to happen. Then, we as students will be enlisted into the military and fight in the civil war," Hugh said.


    "I think that is how our teacher is going to score us, through the war effort," Jane said.


    "Now that we are at the helm of the war, we stand a better chance at winning while also getting a tremendous amount of points," Hugh said as a smile crept upon his face.


    Now that Serena knew the real reason why Hugh and Jane wanted to go to war, she was also on board.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    The next day, the commander''s army marched into the plains. There were at least 3,000 troops marching and riding under the Cheroque flag.


    The commander sat in a luxurious carriage that was pulled by four horses that seemed to be the finest stallions.


    They continued to March until they saw the town in their sights.


    Such a big army as them will not remain unseen. The townsfolks were alarmed as they raced back towards their houses in fear of the army invading.


    Inside Miser''s house was an emptiness that could not be described. Hugh and his group along with Miser''s family were long gone.

 Chapter 163: Back

    There was no one seen wandering in the streets. The only ones who could wander around were the knights of the Cheroque kingdom searching through the houses.


    Most of the citizens were afraid for their lives, but they could not show their displeasure to the army. One wrong move and they could be brought to treason.


    The houses were carefully searched with every nook and cranny. There was no one left unanswered them, but they still could not find who they were looking for.


    Some of the citizens were questioned and tortured for information, but all of them said the same things, Miser and the others already left the town.


    This information was brought back to the commander who was angry to revive the news. He almost snapped the wooden throne in his anger.


    "Damn it!" the commander shouted. "It''s all your fault!"


    The commander pointed his finger at the knight who was kneeling with his head down on the ground.


    "Why did you let Darren go? It was your only job to restrain him." the commander''s anger was whitening through the veins in his forehead.


    The knight shivered as he heard the commander shout. He knew that this was probably his last day, but he could not help but hold out hope.


    "Kill him," the commander ordered.


    A knight immediately took out his sword from his sheath and beheaded the knight in front of the commander. The death was fast and painless, which was the best outcome for anyone that dealt with the commander.


    "Search them!" the commander shouted towards his army. "They could not have escaped too far."


    The knights ran out of the throne room as fast as possible. They did not want to invite the wrath of the commander now that his plans were disrupted.


    Then, a knight suddenly burst into the Thorne room and surprised the commander. A knight immediately pulled a sword towards the invader''s neck.


    "Who are you? State your business," the knight said as he pushed his sword deeper until it grazed the invader''s neck.


    The invader had dirty clothes and blood all over his body. However, all this blood was dried off. He was nothing more than a homeless person.


    "It''s me, commander!" the invader said as he looked at the commander in the eyes.


    The commander looked at the invader, but he could not recognize him. He never recognized anyone that was not important or strong.


    "You are not significant enough to warrant a space in my mind. State your business now or you will die," the commander said as he sat down back in his seat and ate a piece of grape from the fruit bowl.


    The invader gulped as he heard the commander''s words. He did not want to incur the wrath of the commander any longer, so he hurried to explain.


    "Commander, I was part of the expedition to search for Mia," the invader said.


    This invader turned out to be the ones that Hugh and the others captured for information. He had been in captivity for so long that he did not have the dignity of a knight any longer.


    "You have dialed your task. Kill him," the commander order without even blinking.


    Then, the knight raised his sword and prepared to behead the former knight.


    "Wait! I have important information about them!" the former knight said.


    It was at this point that the commander raised his hand and ordered the knight to stop his sword. The former knight was saved for now.


    "It''s about Mia and the others," the former knight said.


    It was at this moment that the commander leaned in closer to listen to the former knight''s words. His attention was present.


    "Mia and Miser got help from four chosen people. They are relatively young, but they are also ridiculously strong."


    The commander scratched his chin as got this new information. He knew that Mia and Miser were getting help, but he did not know who they were.


    "Have I done good, commander?" The former knight asked. He wanted to get recognition for his information and be spared his life.


    "You have done your job. However, you are still disgracing the knights of Cheroque with your current state. You should be killed," the commander said.


    It was at this moment that the former knight was terribly afraid for his life. He thought that the information was enough, but it seemed like he would have to say something else.


    "Wait! I have other news for you. This one is important," the former knight said with urgency.


    The commander nodded his head and waited for the former knight to continue his words.


    "Before I do, can I have a promise that my life will be spared?" the knight asked.


    The commander chuckled. He nodded his head.


    With this confirmation, the former knight heaved a sigh of relief. For now, his life was spared.


    "I woke up from captivity and found that my ropes were entangled. With a few of my skills, I was out of the restrictive ropes in no time.


    Then, as I sneaked my way out, I overheard them talking. I heard them talking about where they would escape to.


    There were many places debated, but they all decided to escape into the woods. They would travel outside and make sure that they were far away from the Cheroque kingdom."


    As the former knight finished his words, a smile formed on the commander''s face.


    The former knight saw this, and he got excited. It seemed that the commander was happy with his capability. He already started to think about the rewards he would be given.


    "Kill him," the commander said.


    Before the former knight could even complain, the sword already separated his head from his body.


    The former knight''s headless body fell to the ground. There was no muss or fuss, a clean kill.


    "Should I send word to pursue Mia in the woods?" the knight next to the commander asked.


    However, the commander shook his head. "No. They won''t be there."


    The commander''s smile grew even wider. He was amused by the fact that Mia and Miser tried to pull a fast one on him.


    "Tell the troops to come back to the kingdom. I got a feeling that Mia will also be there."


    The knight was surprised by the commander''s words. He did not know how the commander knew that the former knight''s words were incorrect.


    "His ropes got loose? That was clearly a giveaway. There was no way that they would let him go. They purposely gave him wrong information so that we would also get wrong information."


    The knight was surprised. Even after all these years, the commander was still as sharp as ever. There was a reason why he was able to lead the army into victory so many times.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Hugh and the others were currently on an adventure back to the Cheroque kingdom. They were traveling through 2 carriages.


    It turned out that the commander''s hunch was correct. Mia and the others were currently on their way to the Cheroque kingdom to try and give Mia the throne.


    This was the only way that they could win the war and overthrown the commander.


    "When we get there, let me handle everything. We can''t let the wrong people know that Mia has royal blood," Darren said as they all sat in the bumpy carriages.


    Mia gulped. She was confident, but nervous as at any moment, her life could be in danger. There was also a very small chance that they could win this war.


    "Will they even believe it?" Hugh asked.


    Darren did not answer Hugh''s question. He also did not know the answer to this question as it would be hard to convince the others.


    Some people would immediately believe it, but they were small and few in numbers, not enough to sway the crowd.


    After that, the mood immediately became somber. They all had thoughts of their own, but nobody spoke in the meantime.


    They sat in the carriages and let the time pass by. Soon after, the sun came down and got replaced by the bright shining moon.


    The plains were as wide as the heavens, and it almost made it seem like it was endless. It almost felt the same as their current impossible mission.


    Darren stopped the carriages and let the horses rest for the evening. They also needed to set up camp for the night as their journey tomorrow will belong.


    A campfire was installed in the middle of the tents and provided heat for the freezing night. They only had jerky to eat since their preparation was hurried.


    The group talked with each other, but they all purposefully avoided the topic of their current situation. They all needed to relax for the night.


    Soon the stars showed themselves and painted a dazzling show of lights. The group slept while there were designated stakeouts with a three-hour interval.


    Hugh was the first one to stay awake. He let out Beru and played with him to pass the time.

 Chapter 164: Ambush

    The next day, the group continued on their journey towards the Cheroque kingdom. They encountered caravans on the way, but they made sure not too sure their faces.


    They wanted to have as little exposure as they could do that they would not be noticed by the commander.


    The day was coming to a close as the sunset looked over their heads. It was bright orange and gave the surroundings a pixie dream-like existence.


    "Do you think that the commander took our bait?" Miser asked as he was looking out over the sunset.


    Darren shook his head. "No, it''s unlikely. We only did that on the chance that he will hesitate a little bit. He''s too smart not to notice our deception."


    Miser bit his nails as he got anxious once more. What they were doing was a chance that even the gods could not guarantee.


    The only solace Miser had was that Mia was by his side at all times. Even if something went wrong, he would be there to protect her at all costs.


    "Ruff! Ruff!" Beru barked. Beru was tailing the group carriage like a good dog on a walk and he suddenly barked over the woods.


    Hugh noticed Beru''s call, and he looked around the bushes. With his eagle eyes, he immediately noticed some disturbances in the area.


    "Guys, someone''s here," Hugh whispered.


    Miser immediately shut his mouth up and sat even closer to Mia.


    "It''s probably bandits," Darren whispered back.


    Hugh signaled in the group to be alert at all times. Bandits were notorious to be masters of stealth. They hid in the bushes as they became one with nature.


    However, Hugh and the others were no ordinary people. They immediately pinpointed the location of the bandits that were preparing to strike.


    With his eagle eyes, he was able to discern that at least 20 bandits were lying in wait by the bushes in front of them.


    They had simple weapons in their hands but not much armor. They were more amateurish, but their numbers make up for their lack of supplies.


    As the horses pulled the carriages to the hiding spot of the bandits, Hugh prepared himself.


    With the horses'' final step, the bandits burst forth in surprise. They immediately surrounded the carriage and prevented anyone from getting away.


    "Neigh!" the horses screamed.


    "Hehehe¡­give us all your loot and maybe we can spare your lives!"


    "Hahaha, your lives!"


    "Give us loot!"


    However, there was no loot in the carriage. From the outside, it was evident to anyone who saw it that there were no kinds of loot in the carriage.


    The only things that they had on the carriage were their food provisions and some tools for the tents. Nothing they had on the carriages was luxurious.


    "Heheheh," the bandits drooled.


    It was then that Hugh realized what the bandits were looking at. They were looking at the beautiful women that were sitting in the carriages.


    Serena, Jane, and Mia were all considered to be world-ending beauties that could charm any man. It was a once-in-a-lifetime beauty for these kinds of bandits, and seeing all three of them at the same carriage was too good to pass up.


    "Pretty lady, dump these chumps and we can give you pleasures that you have never experienced before."


    "We won''t hurt you. You will like it!"


    "There are a ton of reasons why you should come with us. It shouldn''t be because your life depended on it."


    Mia was freaked out by the bandits who leered at her. This was the first time that she had ever been looked at this kind of way, and she immediately became uncomfortable.


    Serena, on the other hand, was tired and exhausted by this kind of attention. She frequently sees this kind of leering even at school, but none of them were as disgusting as these guys.


    Jane was disgusted, to say the least. She immediately wanted to dispose of the bandits one way or another.


    "Listen, you should just let us go, and we won''t have to go through with this ordeal," Hugh said with an exasperated voice.


    The bandits stopped smiling and looked at Hugh. They were all surprised at the confidence that Hugh had.


    "HAHAHAHAHA! Did you guys hear this fat man?"


    "Does he think that he can defeat twenty of us?"


    "I''m more afraid of him eating us! Hahahahaha!"


    The bandits made fun of Hugh and his obesity. Hugh was annoyed by their voices and he also wanted to get this over with by taking them down.


    "Well, you asked for it," Hugh said as he started to stretch his body.


    The bandits smiled and weirdo their weapons. They were confident with their numbers, and they had been undefeated in every battle they had encountered.


    The only thing that could stop them was a chosen one. However, how low of a probability would that be?


    One of the bandits could not hold his lust for the girls anymore as he charged forth towards one of them. He immediately went for Jane because he liked girls with glasses.


    "Hahahaha," the bandit laughed as he raised his sword and slashed it towards Jane.


    Without even looking at the man, Jane help up her hand and caught the blade with her hand. However, the sword did not even touch her skin as the air pressure around it was enough to stop the blade.


    The bandit was confused as to why he could not push his sword any further. It was like an invisible wall that protected Jane from any harm.


    Then, Jane used her other hand and touched the bandit''s chest. With one swift motion, the bandit has launched meters away from her into a tree.


    The bandit was immediately knocked out. The other bandits were confused as they witnessed the miracle.


    It was at this point that the bandit leader realized the threat that Jane faced towards them. Without hesitating any longer, he shouted towards his bandits.


    "Charge!!!"


    The bandits all raised their weapons at the same time as they charged towards the carriage.


    Hugh readied his armor, Aric coated himself in black fire, Serena was surrounded by pink smoke, and Jane levitated off the ground.


    With the four of them side by side, they quickly made the bandits obsolete. They fought the bandits with each of them fighting off five at a time.


    Darren was left protecting Mia and Miser back in the carriage. Mia was buried in her father''s chest as she heard the sounds of blades cracking and trees being broken down.


    While everyone was busy fighting, one person was watching from the bushes. In this mysterious person''s sight was a direct eye line towards Mia.


    The mysterious person poured their mouth and blew on the air in front. A small projectile the shape of a needle burst forth towards Mia.


    The needle was small and fast, almost invisible. It directly bypassed the chaos of the fight and went straight towards the carriage.


    Then, the needle finally hit its target, Miser. Once Miser was hit by the needle, he was immediately feeling drowsy and tired.


    He could not even understand what happened as he closed his eyes and went to sleep.


    With the one obstacle out of the way, the mysterious person blew another needle out. This time, the needle went directly towards Mia.


    Like an invisible thread, the needle embedded itself into Mia''s skull.


    Darren was too busy dealing with the bandits to notice what had happened.


    As he was fighting off a bandit, he suddenly heard a wooden squeak. When he turned around, he saw Mia walking out towards the woods.


    "Mia? Mia!" Darren called out. However, Mia was like a zombie as she continued to mindlessly walk over towards the mysterious person.


    It was at this point that Hugh and the others noticed Darren''s anxiousness. They turned around and noticed Miser knocked out cold, and Mia out of the carriage.


    Darren tried to catch up to Mia, but he was being fought off by the bandits. They seemed to know what was going on with Mia.


    With the situation turning into the worst, Hugh burst forth into a flame and threw off the bandits on his body. He ran off towards Mia at top speeds and he was able to catch up to her.


    However, the mysterious person was watching all along. They pulled out something from their pockets and threw it at Hugh.


    Just as Hugh was about to pull Mia away, he suddenly felt danger coming towards him.


    If he were to continue to extend his hand, he would be in danger. However, if he did not extend his hand, he would not be able to reach Mia.


    With this split-second decision, Hugh decided to embrace the danger and extend his hand to reach Mia.


    However, just as he was about to reach Mia, a spherical object threw his hand out of the way. He was not able to reach Mia.


    Then, the spherical object started to emit a cloud of smoke that made Hugh start to feel dizzy and disoriented.


    This distraction was enough for the mysterious person to get away with Mia.

 Chapter 165: Memories

    Jane was the first to regain her composure as she dispersed the toxic smoke. With her manipulation of air pressure, she made sure that the smoke cleared.


    "Mia?! Mia!" Miser cried out as he could not see her figure anywhere.


    Hugh was also worried as Mia was out of his vision. Even with his eagle eyes, he could not see Mia anywhere. It was as if she disappeared out of nowhere.


    He knew at this point that she had been kidnapped. It was easy to guess that this was a premeditated plan since they made sure to occupy them before they made their move on Mia.


    Hugh pinked up one of the bandits in the mud and raised him in the air. The bandit''s body was full of bruises and cuts, and he was almost out of consciousness.


    "Where is she?" Hugh asked. He made sure to put more pressure on the bandit''s collar so that he would speak the truth.


    The bandit struggled in the air, wiggling his arms with a smile on his legs to try and break free. However, Hugh''s grip was too strong to break.


    "Don''t bother. Tell me now or else you will experience the worst pain in your life," Hugh threatened the bandit once again.


    The bandit was still adamant in keeping his mouth shut. He did not want to be the person who betrays his comrades.


    "Mia?! Mia?!!" Miser continued to call out. He refused to believe that Mia was out of his sight he did not want to believe it, he could not afford to lose her again.


    Darren smacked himself in the face as he realized that he had failed his mission. He vowed to himself that he would protect Mia at all costs, but he let the perpetrator getaway.


    "Darren, where is she? You saw her, right?" Miser asked Darren with insanity in his eyes.


    Darren could not help but be silent at Miser''s question. He did not dare tell Miser the truth right now or else Miser would truly lose his head.


    "Where¡­where¡­Mia¡­," Miser uttered as his knees soon buckled. In this situation, he could not help but live in the cruel reality.


    On his knees, Miser grabbed the soil on the ground and smashed it into his hands. He was once again helpless as Mia got abducted.


    How many more times must this happen before he truly lost Mia once and for all?


    "You¡­," Miser said as he soon raised his head and looked at the bandit that Hugh was holding up.


    "Tell me!" Miser rushed towards the bandit. "Tell me where she is!!!"


    Miser tackled the bandit with his whole body and pinned him to the ground. Then, he started to punch the bandit with all of his strength.


    His knuckles ached as soon as he hit the guy''s face, but he did not care. He wanted to vent his anger, anxiousness, nervousness, and many more to the bandit who helped his daughter get kidnapped.


    Jane also bent down next to the captive bandit and put her hands on top of his mouth. With her Desire, she deprived the bandit of his oxygen.


    "Don''t waste your breath," Jane said as she watched the bandit get suffocated.


    Jane waited until the bandit started to lose consciousness until she let the bandit breathe once again.


    "Gaahhh!" the bandit gasped. He felt relief as the oxygen entered his lungs.


    However, Jane was not a benevolent captor. She once again covered the bandit''s mouth and suffocate him. The bandit was left to suffer.


    With this kind of torture, the bandit soon cracked and told everyone the truth.


    It turned out that the bandits were hired by a third party to ambush the carriage. They paid upfront and with sufficient enough funds, so the bandits complied.


    Their only instructions were to stop the carriage and fight the guards. Then, with their distraction, Mia would be dragged away.


    This was not the worst thing that the bandits had done, so they thought that the mission was simple. They even felt like it was easy money, but it did not enter their minds that multiple chosen would guard the carriage.


    "Did your employer give his name?" Hugh asked.


    The bandit shook his head. "No. We met only at his indiscretion, and he never showed his face."


    Hugh racked his brains thinking up possible reasons why Mia was kidnapped.


    It could not have been the commander since they were still ways away behind them. Then, it must have been another third party who knew Mia''s true lineage.


    Hugh looked at Kiser and gave him a look. They both excused themselves from the situation and talked away from the crowd.


    "Do you know any others who know about Mia?" Hugh asked. "Are there any other reasons why they want to get Mia?"


    Miser balled up his fist. Just thinking of those bastards who wanted to capture his daughter boils his blood. He did not want to live in this constant fear of Mia getting captured away.


    "Just a few. I kept this secret under wraps for a long time. Who knows who discovered the secret," Miser answered.


    Hugh scratched his chin as he thought deeper on the subject. He wanted to find Mia as soon as possible since losing time would not be beneficial to them.


    The commander''s army was only a day away from them, which meant that they had to find Mia as soon as possible.


    Seeing that Mia''s captor did not leave any ransom notes, this meant that the kidnapping was not because of money. It must have been for something else.


    "We have to find her!" Miser said to Hugh while grabbing his collar.


    Hugh put down Miser''s hand. He did not get mad even though Miser was being disrespectful. He understood the type of pressure and pain that Miser was going through.


    "Don''t worry," Hugh said as he put his hands on Miser''s shoulders. "We''ll find her. No matter what."


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    "Are you sure you don''t remember anything else about your employer?" Jane asked the bandit.


    "As I told you," the bandit said with a bit of an annoying voice. "I don''t remember anything else."


    Even though the bandit said he did not remember anything else, Jane felt like the bandit was still hiding something.


    However, no kind of torture would bring out this information. This was because even the bandit himself did not know about his memories.


    "Ugh!" Serena said as she squatted down. "I really, really, really, did not want to do this but,"


    Serena reluctantly put her hands on the bandit''s head and focused all of her powers. Then, pink smoke started to emerge from her body and funnel into her hands.


    Then, the smoke started to penetrate deep into the bandit''s head. It was at this point that the bandit started to feel drowsy and sleepy until he lost consciousness.


    Serena, herself, also felt sleepy as she lost consciousness at the same time as the bandit.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Serena looked around the blurry surroundings. It was dark in the undisclosed location, and she was walking towards a pillar.


    "I''m here," Serena said.


    However, her voice was deep, and unlike anything that was lady-like. It was deep, like that of a man. It was also very similar to the voice of the bandit from before.


    Right now, Serena was experiencing the memories of the bandit from a first-person perspective.


    "Your compensation will be delivered tonight. Follow my instruction correctly and I will give you what you want." a mysterious voice said.


    Serena could see that the mysterious person was leaning on the pillar. She could not see the man''s face, but she could see that the man wore expensive coats.


    She could also smell a particularly oily scent. It was less scented than a perfume, but it was very strong and unique.


    "Will she be okay, will my wife and kids be freed?" Serena asked.


    "Yes. Your debts will be paid," the mysterious man replied.


    Then, Serena felt an alarmingly hurtful headache. She could not concentrate or focus on anything.


    Then, she started to feel dizzy and drowsy at the same time. It was not long until she closed her eyes and lost consciousness.


    After that, she regained her consciousness. When she opened her eyes, she could see the blue sky above.


    Everything that she saw felt like a dream but also felt like reality. When she looked at her own hands, she recognized them to be hers.


    "Serena, what happened?" Jane asked with a worried face. "You passed out."


    Serena used Jane''s hand to help herself up. She stretched her whole body and looked at the bandit in the ground.


    "I accessed his memories," Serena said.


    Jane widened her eyes as she heard Serena''s explanation. She did not think that Serena was serious, but Serena was not the type to joke about things like this.


    "You''re serious?!" Jane said.


    Serena nodded her head.


    "Ugh! Ew! I hate doing that!" Serena said as her whole body shivered. "It feels like reaching down someone''s throat and touching their organs."


    Jane ignored Serena''s complaints. "So, What did you see?"

 Chapter 166: Kidnap

    Serena told everyone what she saw with the bandit''s memories. She embellished it a little bit with her guesses, but everyone got the gist.


    "Hmm¡­," Hugh said as he scratched his chin. "They seem to be connected with someone who collects debts."


    Miser immediately raised his head as soon as he heard that. He connected it with the one company that had kidnapped Mia before, the Shark Loan Company.


    "They attacked again, didn''t they?" Hugh said to the whole room.


    Everyone immediately knew who was the suspect in this kidnapping case. Hugh found it weird that the Shark Loan company had let Hugh and the others go so easily.


    It turned out that they were planning something in the meanwhile. Now, they have Mia in their hands. Hugh was just worried that the company would sell Mia to the commander.


    "Let''s go now!" Miser said with the urgency of an impatient man. "We must rescue Mia at once!"


    Hugh understood the impatience that Miser experienced. However, it was not at easy as that. They were not even sure that the Shark Loan Company truly kidnapped Mia or it was somebody else.


    "It''s not that easy. We need to know where they are first," Jane argued. She thought about this situation, and all she could think about was how to find Mia as soon as possible.


    "Darren, do you know of a company called the Shark Loan company?" Hugh asked Darren.


    Darren was an older guy that was stationed in the Cheroque kingdom. Hugh guessed that he was the one who knew stuff like this in the city.


    Darren closed his eyes and focused on his memories. It was not long after that he remembered something from the recesses of his mind.


    "Ah!" Darren exclaimed. "I remember something like that. From what I could recall when I was active in the military, there was a rogue company settled on the outskirts of the Cheroque kingdom. They may be the ones who you are talking about."


    "We are wasting time here," Miser said as he paced back and forth all over the room. "We must turn back and search for Mia!"


    Hugh shook his head at Miser''s suggestion. They did not know for sure where they took Mia.


    "Is that near us? Or is the one in the town nearer?" Jane asked.


    "We are almost at the Cheroque kingdom. It''s nearer there," Darren answered.


    Hugh nodded his head as he decided on the best way to find Mia. He looked at Miser in the eyes and held his shoulders.


    "Don''t worry. We''ll find Mia no matter what it takes," Hugh consoled Miser.


    "Since that it closer, it is safe to assume that the kidnapper went there. Even if they did not, then we could threaten them for information," Jane said as she also agreed with what Hugh said.


    Miser was comforted by the fact that Hugh and the others knew what they were doing. If he were to experience this by himself, he was not sure if he could pull it off.


    "Let''s go," Hugh said as he pulled the reigns on the horses and set off into the Cheroque kingdom.


    The group continued on their journey. Miser could not relax on the carriage as his daughter was still in grave danger.


    With the commander on the way, they were close to being caught. Mia had a lot of enemies and she was all alone at the moment.


    Miser could only imagine the anxiety and worry that Kia was currently feeling right now. Miser just hoped that Mia was okay.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Mia''s eyes were closed as she just regained her consciousness. She could feel she was traveling at Hugh''s speeds.


    When she opened her eyes, she realized that she was currently riding a horse. She was at the back seat with her arms and legs wrapped in rope to prevent her fork from moving.


    She could not see who was riding the horse. However, it was safe to assume that he was the one who had kidnapped her.


    It felt uncomfortable riding a horse, but she could not speak nor move. She was helpless as she was being transported into another location.


    She tried struggling, but she could not get the ropes out of her. When she tried to move excessively, she almost fell from the horse.


    Mia also felt that it was better to fall off a horse than he abducted. However, her kidnapper grabbed her in midair and prevented her from being dropped.


    "Stay still!" the kidnapper shouted. He seemed to be very irritated at Mia''s attempt at escaping.


    The man wore a mask all over his face, and Mia could only see his eyes. She was sure that she had not seen this person ever before.


    "Tsk. You should have stayed asleep!" the kidnapper said as he carried Mia by one hand and moved her to the front of the horse.


    This way, there would not be any more accidents. Mia could never fall off because he could monitor her actions at any time.


    Mia frowned as she realized that she could not do anything. She was forced to look ahead.


    Up ahead, she could see a beautiful and grand kingdom in the distance. It was big, and it seemed to be bustling with many types of people.


    There was one gigantic castle in the middle of the kingdom surrounded by streets and streets of houses and buildings.


    It was easy to guess that this was the Cheroque kingdom. Mia had never been here before, but she felt connected with it.


    It was not strange to feel this way since her mother was a queen to the kingdom. She was also of royal blood, which meant that she could become queen of this big kingdom.


    Throughout her life, Miser and she lived a humble life. They only got what they needed, and it was enough for them.


    It was only when the debts got transferred to them when they had any problems.


    It was weird to think that she could change her whole life in a blink. It was surreal to even think about it.


    Mia and her kidnapper continued their journey towards the Cheroque kingdom. However, the horse went into a detour and did not enter the kingdom.


    They went towards the outskirts of town and stopped at a remote location where a building was constructed.


    As soon as they got near the building, multiple guards pointed their weapons at them. She could see a lot of wary eyes directed at them.


    However, as soon as her kidnapper signaled his hands towards the guards, they let down their weapons and allowed them to approach the building.


    As they got closer, Mia observed the building and its people. Then, she noticed one small detail in the building that gave her a hit of nostalgia.


    There was a sign in the middle of the building that stated,


    ''Shark Loan Company''


    This was the company that had pressured Miser to pay off the debt. When Miser could not make do with the debt, they resorted to kidnapping Mia.


    She was in captivity for a couple of days until Hugh and his friends freed her.


    Now, she was back to where she started. It turned out that she was being kidnapped by the Shark Loan Company once again.


    As they reached the building, the kidnapper dismounted from the horse and carried Mia inside.


    As Mia was forcefully entered the building, she could see that the design of the building was similar to the one back in her hometown.


    Bald guards were surveying the area with weapons sheathed by their side. They eyed Mia, but they could not do anything since Mia was a prized prisoner.


    Her kidnapper talked to a bald guy to the side and instructed him to leave a message. The bald guy hurried inside and transported the message.


    After a minute, the door burst open and a sturdy and clean man appeared in front of Mia. He was wearing silk coats all over him with different colors.


    "Apologies about your journey through here, miss Mia," the man said as he bowed towards Mia.


    Mia was surprised at the man''s attitude. She did not think that the man would welcome her like this. She did not know why the man seemed nice to her.


    "Why am I here?" Mia said with a glare in her eyes.


    The man smiled. "Let me first introduce myself. My name is James, and I manage this branch of the company."


    The man performed a gentleman''s bow as he introduced himself. Mia would have thought that James was a gentleman if not for the fact that she was kidnapped here.


    "What do you want from me?" Mia reiterated. She was tired of being kidnapped and treated like a piece of object.


    "We know your true identity, miss Mia. You are a descendant of the throne, and the rightful heir to the kingdom," James said with a disarming smile on his face.


    Mia was silent at James'' words. It was true, but she did not want to agree with it.


    "What we want from you is easy. We want you to be the queen."

 Chapter 167: Remnant

    Hugh and the others could finally see the outline of the Cheroque kingdom. They traveled constantly and only stopped to sleep and rest.


    Once Miser could see the kingdom, he immediately had mixed feelings. This kingdom was his wife and his daughter''s homeland, but it was also their downfall.


    They continued to ride down the sunset and reached the outskirts of the kingdom. It was at this point that they slowed down and searched carefully around the surroundings.


    "Are you sure they were around here?" Hugh asked Darren.


    Darren was the only person here who knew the location of the Shark Loan company. Not only that but the building was also supposed to be hidden from many eyes.


    Hugh had his eagle eyes activated as he searched the wide scenery. Of course, he could not see any buildings out of the top of his head.


    "What''s that?" Jane said as she pointed at something in the distance. It was a big rock that was seemingly placed in the middle of the plains.


    Darren was also intrigued by the strange couldn''t, so he led the horses down that path. They slowed down and made sure not to announce their presence to the enemy.


    As they approached the boulder, they dismounted off the carriage. They slowly went across the boulder and observed it in 360 degrees.


    At first, they could not see anything wrong with the boulder. It was seemingly normal, without any markings or secrets in the stone.


    However, as Hugh approached it, he could feel his senses tingling. There was numb electricity that was going through his body like wildfire.


    Hugh was not the only one who felt that way. Jane, Serena, and Aric also felt something strange from the boulder. However, the intensity between them was different.


    Hugh looked at the group and also realized that they were feeling something from the boulder.


    "Feel it?" Hugh asked.


    Serena nodded and approached the boulder. She was curious as to why the boulder was making her feel things. Even if it was dangerous, she would need to satisfy her curiosity.


    "It might be dangerous, be careful," Hugh said as he approached the boulder.


    Serena felt that strange feeling get stronger and stronger as she approached the boulder. It was not painful, but only slightly uncomfortable.


    With her curiosity at its peak, she raised her hand and touched the boulder.


    Hugh could not stop Serena''s actions as he was too focused on deciphering the feeling in his body.


    Then, everyone could see as Serena disappeared at the very instant that she touched the boulder.


    Hugh was surprised to see Serena gone. His instincts immediately turned up as he almost activated his transformation.


    "Serena!" Jane called out. However, Serena was nowhere to be found.


    Jane''s first instinct was to step away from the boulder. With Serena being its first victim, she would be stupid to approach it herself. Right now, the most logical thing to do was to run away.


    Jane and Hugh stood still as the boulder took their friend. This was their instincts, their first thought.


    However, for Aric, as soon as Serena disappeared, he ran after her and tackled the boulder. He ignored the shouts calling to him to be careful.


    "Wait!"


    "Be careful!"


    As soon as Aric touched the stone, he also disappeared from everyone''s sight. It was as if the stone just sucked Aric himself.


    There was not even any trace of Serena and Aric anywhere. With two of them down, Hugh had to decide whether to join them or not.


    Hugh looked around and realized that Miser and Darren were looking around as if they had lost something.


    "Miser, Darren, do you also feel that?" Hugh asked as he approached both of them.


    However, Darren and Miser did not respond. They did not even look like they heard them. It was as if Hugh was not there, and they could not see him.


    Hugh immediately found it to be weird, so he waved his hand around their faces.


    Like what he thought, Miser and Darren did not seem to like they could see him.


    "Where did they go?" Miser asked as he looked around the scenery.


    "That''s weird. They were just here a moment ago," Darren said as he grabbed the hilt of his sword.


    He immediately felt that something was amiss, so Darren thought that there were enemies around.


    Hugh wanted to physically touch them to try and see if they would notice. However, as he approached them, he felt a strange obstruction.


    It was as if there was an invisible wall between them. Hugh could not cross this threshold no matter what he did.


    Hugh activated his armor and pounded on the door. However, no matter how strong he hit the barrier, Darren and Miser could not hear or see him.


    "What''s happening?" Jane asked as she was also threatened by the situation.


    "I don''t know, but it feels like it was the boulder''s fault," Hugh answered as he stared at the boulder in front of him.


    Being trapped here, Serena and Hugh had no choice but to approach the boulder. They approached it with apprehension and anxiousness.


    "Are you sure about this?" Jane asked as she was still afraid of the boulder. It was way too mystical to be safe.


    Hugh did not answer. He did not know if it was safe or not, but Aric and Serena were already out there. Since they were part of a group, it would be better to stay together.


    Hugh braced himself and touched the boulder with one hand. Hugh immediately disappeared. Jane soon followed after him.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Serena reappeared in the air and she tumbled downwards. She did not know where she was, but the last thing she remembered was touching the boulder.


    Once she got a hold of her balance, Serena realized where she was.


    When she looked around, all she could see was a dimly lit and abandoned palace. There were pillars and walls broken down and lying on the floor.


    It was clear that this palace was left in the dust after thousands of years. Serena was filled with curiosity as she started to observe the fallen palace.


    "Ow!" a voice shouted out.


    Serena heard this voice, and she immediately remembered who it was. She looked back and saw Aric falling in the air like she did when she first arrived here.


    Aric immediately regained his balance in mid-air and performed a landing. He was more physically fit than her, so it was natural that he was more skillful.


    Aric saw his surroundings and he was also met with curiosity. He did not know where it was, but he was intrigued by the structure of the fallen palace.


    "Where are we?" Aric asked.


    Serena shrugged her shoulders. She was also a stranger in this place, so she could not answer his question. They were both curious people, so she started to explore the palace.


    They were currently in a large hallway that led to a big dome in the center.


    They both walked together in the dark as they observed the remnant of an old past. They could see eroded paintings in the walls and ceilings.


    Most of what they could see were depictions of humans with giant wings on their backs. They were the symbols of angels.


    These angels looked ethereal, even after years and years of erosion. Serena could only wonder what it would have looked like if it was in its peak condition.


    Aric brushed his finger across the walls and found that it was full of dust. He was intrigued by the material of the palace as it seemed like something he had not seen ever before.


    Then, he saw a fragment of the wall in the ground. Filled with curiosity, he picked it up with his hands. Seeing that it was as small as a door, he thought that it would be light.


    However, he was nothing but wrong. He tried to lift the fragment, but he could not move it one bit. Feeling surprised, Aric used his full strength and tried to move the fragment.


    Even with his full strength, Aric could not move the pillar. It was as if it was glued onto the ground.


    "Let me try," Serena said as she saw Aric struggling.


    Even with her pink smoke, Serena was also met with strong resistance from the pillar. They were both surprised at the weight of the seemingly small pillar.


    *step* *step*


    As Aric and Serena were inspecting the fragment, they both heard footsteps from where they were from. They immediately assumed their fighting positions.


    Out from the darkness came two figures. One of them was petite, and one of them was obese. It was easy to guess who they were.


    Once Serena saw them, she lowered her guard and waited for them.


    "What took you so long?" Serena asked both of them. She had her arms crossed, and he eyebrows furrowed as it was clear that she was annoyed.


    Hugh and Jane waited a bit of time until they entered the palace. This meant that they did not care that Serena was gone.

 Chapter 168: Dome

    Serena was mad at Hugh and Joy for the fact that they did not immediately follow her into the unknown. If enemies were waiting for her on the other side, she coke have been forced to fight it alone.


    Serena crossed her arms and moved her head away from the two of them. She did not want to look at the two.


    "Sorry about that," Jane realized her mistake. Throughout their journey, she had gotten close with Serena.


    "Yeah. Sorry, we''re late," Hugh said while following Jane''s actions.


    although Serena would like to get angrier at them, she did not have the time to do so. They were currently at an unknown location that may be dangerous, so it was not the place to be angry.


    Serena cursed her feelings and faced Hugh and Jane with a smile.


    "Whatever, forget it," Serena waved her hand around it like it was nothing.


    *cough*


    Then, everyone stopped as they realized that someone coughed. When they saw that it was just Aric, they stopped being wary.


    "Let''s go. Don''t waste your time standing around like this," Aric said as he got a little bit angry waiting for them.


    Aric''s eyes were almost filled with glee at the prospect of investigating the fallen palace. It gave him much pleasure to rediscover this little piece of history.


    "Let''s wait for Miser and Darren," Serena said as she looked back at where they came from.


    "They can''t. For some reason, they can''t see us," Hugh said.


    "What do you mean?"


    "Before we entered this pace, we were trapped and we couldn''t communicate with them. We could see them, but we couldn''t see us," Jane explained.


    With that explanation, Serena now understood why both of them stayed behind.


    "Have you guys found an exit yet?" Hugh asked as he looked around the place.


    Serena shook her head. She was just as clueless as everyone about their current whereabouts. It did not seem like they were underground, more like they were teleported.


    "We must find a way out, fast. This did not seem like where they kidnapped Mia too," Hugh said.


    With the stakes high, the group focused their efforts on exploring the place. They continued down the hallway until they got to the dome.


    Once there, they were surprised to see a big dome that was almost empty. However, when they stepped inside, their footsteps echoed throughout the room.


    *step¡­step¡­step*


    They entered the doom and looked around. There did not seem to be any decorations in this dome except for the paintings on the ceilings.


    The paintings in the ceiling were in exquisite condition compared to the ones they saw outside. It still had good pigment and only a few parts had cracked.


    They all observed the wonders of this painting. It depicted a harmonious living in a civilization where there did not seem to be any conflict.


    There were depictions of women and children singing to their heart''s content, men discussing the philosophies of life, and many more eating a piece of fruit.


    It truly did seem like they were living in a utopia. However, it did not last as this was the only remnant left in this place.


    Hugh wondered what had happened to such a civilization to be like this. He wondered if it had something to do with the angels they had seen earlier in the paintings.


    As they walked and observed the paintings above, Serena was surprised to see pillars right in the middle of the dome.


    "Where did these come from?" Serena blurted out as she observed the pillars.


    She was sure that these pillars were not there when they had entered the room. It must have appeared by itself when they were all looking at the painting in the ceiling.


    Hearing Serena''s remarks, Hugh was also surprised to see the pillars.


    From what they could see, the pillars served as something like a holder for five objects.


    These five objects stood displayed on top of the pillars. One of them was an apple, a flute, a perfume bottle, a blue rose, and a strange gooey substance.


    The pillars were positioned in a pentagram in the middle of the dome-like it was the main attraction. Of course, the group''s curiosity was intrigued.


    The first to approach the pillars were Serena and Aric. They almost seemed fearless in the face of the unknown. Serena looked at the perfume bottle, and Aric looked at the blue rose.


    Once they were close enough, they could see that the objects were encased in a glass container. Gathering her courage, Serena poked the container.


    Seeing that nothing had happened, Serena got bolder and bolder as she tried to pull the container away. However, she could not make it budge.


    Feeling frustrated, Serena used her pink smoke Desire to enhance her physical strength.


    With her strength, she once again challenged the integrity of the glass box containing the perfume.


    Expecting it to be heavy, Serena used all of her strength. However, as soon as his hands touched the glass, it felt like it was weightless.


    She was caught off guard by its weightlessness that she almost lost balance. She now had the glass box in her hand, revealing the perfume to the air.


    However, once the perfume was chosen, the other pillars immediately sink to the ground. It was way too fast for anyone to react.


    The only pillar left standing was the perfume that Serena chose.


    If she had known that this would happen, she would not have done it. She may have done something irreversible at this rate.


    "Sorry, didn''t mean to do that."


    Hugh and Jane were okay with it, but Aric was a little bit salty about it. He was particularly interested in the blue rose, but now, it was gone from his sights.


    "My rose!" Aric exclaimed.


    "What''s that?" Jane said as she changed the subject. She pointed at the perfume bottle as if she was truly enamored by it.


    Since it was already done and over with, they had no choice but to deal with the consequences.


    Serena picked up the perfume without any warning and inspected it. The two cautious people in the group, namely Hugh and Jane, were caught off guard and backed away from Serena.


    If something bad happened, they did not want to be in the infected radius.


    Serena continued to inspect the perfume bottle as if it was a normal object that she bought from the department store.


    The perfume was old-fashioned as the trigger for the perfume was a ball that had to be squeezed. It was a piece of product not seen in a long time.


    Feeling more and more curious about the perfume, Serena put her nose closer to the perfume to try and smell it.


    Jane wanted to stop Serena from being careless, but she already did it anyway. Thankfully enough, nothing seemed to have happened.


    "So? How is it?" Hugh asked.


    Serena had a confused look as she turned the perfume upside down to expect it. She could not figure out what the perfume was supposed to be.


    Seeing that the perfume came from a mysterious pillar, it was safe to assume that it was not a normal object.


    Seeing how careless Serena was handling the perfume, Hugh could not help but comment on it.


    "Be careful with that!"


    Serena heard Hugh''s comment, and she could not help but scoff at him.


    "Oh, be more relaxed would you?" Serena said as she pointed the perfume directly at him and sprayed him with it.


    With one squeeze, the perfume bottle squeezed out its particles and sprayed it directly on Hugh. Unfortunately for Hugh, it was hit point-blank and he could not dodge it.


    Smelling the fragrance of the perfume, he knew then and there that he was doomed.


    They did not know anything about the perfume, and Serena had just tested it on him. If it was poison, then he would die without even knowing what it was.


    "Serena! Why did you do that! You should have been more¡­," Hugh shouted out. However, as his words continued, he got less and less annoyed.


    "You should have¡­you should have¡­whatever," Hugh said as he completely turned away from being angry to being indifferent.


    With that, Hugh suddenly plopped to the ground and breathed in the air. He seemed to be at peace with what happened.


    "Hugh, are you okay?" Serena said, being a little guilty of doing something to Hugh.


    Hugh just nodded nonchalantly and waved Serena off. He seemed to be enjoying his time Just sit on the ground and wait for time to pass by.


    "Hugh! This is not the time to laze around," Serena said as she tried to pull Hugh off the ground.


    Serena still did not fill the puzzles of what happened to Hugh, but Jane got an idea.


    "Hugh, does it feel good to relax?" Jane asked.


    "Yeah! It feels great!" Hugh answered with glee on his face.


    Jane nodded her head as if she understood something.


    "It''s the perfume!" Jane shouted.

 Chapter 169: Building

    What?" Serena blurted out as she tried to process what Jane said.


    Then, Serena watched as Jane got closer to her and took the perfume away from her hands. She could not help but be bewildered at the situation.


    With the perfume in his hands, Jane then walked up next to Hugh and squatted down to him. Hugh ignored her and kept on enjoying his time by himself.


    *Sprt*


    Jane let out the perfume once again. The recipient of the perfume was once again Hugh.


    "Raise your left leg and try to perfume a handstand," Jane said as soon as Hugh was touched by the perfume.


    At first, Serena was wondering what got into Jane. She did not think that Hugh would follow Jane''s instruction so easily if he was normal.


    Contrary to Serena''s expectation, Hugh followed Jane''s words to the tee. Hugh indeed raised his left leg and performed a handstand.


    This handstand was hard to do since Hugh was an o see kid, but Hugh still had the upper strength for it. His face seemed to be full of concentration as he focused on maintaining the pose.


    "Return to normal," Jane commander as she once again sprayed Hugh with the perfume.


    With her commands, Hugh realized what he was currently doing. Surprised by his actions, Hugh lost focus and he fell to the ground.


    The first thingy hat Hugh saw was the world upside down. He was right to question the world that he saw.


    "What happened? Why was I in a handstand?" Hugh asked.


    The last thing he remembered was talking to Serena. Then, he did not remember anything more.


    "Wow! It truly was the perfume wasn''t it?!" Serena exclaimed she realized how powerful the object was.


    Seeing how powerful it was, Serene was surprised. She stole the perfume back again from Jane. She was the first one to handle the perfume, and this gave her a sense of familiarity.


    She wanted to keep the perfume all by herself. This was a wonderful weapon that could be used to alter the world with one spray.


    Jane did not mind much that Serena got the perfume. Although the object was powerful, she did not find it to be that special.


    She was more surprised by what she saw earlier.


    Back then, they saw five objects that were standing on five pillars. It was random enough to warrant a look around, but the group did not find them to be special.


    Then, Serena opened the perfume by chance. With that, the other objects disappeared.


    If the perfume was a mystical object, it would not be far-fetched to think that those other objects were mystical as well.


    If they were to choose a different object back then, would it have a different power?


    This thought wandered in Jane''s thoughts for a long time. For as long as they were in the fallen palace, she could not think about anything else.


    She even forgot about the current problem their group had. Mia was still out there in captivity. Nobody knows if she was still even alive or not.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    "There! That''s their base," Darren said as he pointed his fingers towards a building in the distance.


    Darren and Miser were currently hiding in a boulder a little bit away from a building filled with guards. This was the building of the Shark Loan company.


    "Mia is there, I can feel it," Miser said as he eyed the building with wariness and determination.


    Miser would be happier if Hugh and the others were with him, but unfortunate circumstances happened.


    They lost Hugh''s group on the way and could not find them anywhere else. Since they were on a time limit, they both decided to continue on their mission without Hugh''s group.


    "Okay. Now that we know where they are, let''s go to the city and find some allies," Darren said.


    However, Miser stood in place as Darren turned around to leave. For some reason, Miser did not want to leave.


    If Hugh and the others were here, they would not hesitate to fight their way towards the building. With their strength, it was easy to destroy the building in search of Mia.


    Feeling this sense of regret, Miser balled up his fist and struck the ground.


    Darren could not help but be sorry. He was only a normal soldier without any special powers.


    If what they were facing was just a couple of thugs, then he would have volunteered to fight by himself. However, what they needed to do was to storm a base filled with at most a hundred enemies.


    It would truly be a suicide mission if Miser and Darren decided to do that.


    Steeling himself, Darren turned towards Miser and spoke to him.


    "Let''s go. We''ll find some more support in the city. We must be patient."


    Miser could not help but agree with Darren''s words. Right now, he could not do anything. However, that did not mean that he was useless.


    He convinced himself that he was doing the right thing. If he were to barge through the building without any help, then he might endanger Mia''s life even more.


    "Let''s go," Miser said as he was liked alongside Darren away from the building.


    They both walked in silence towards the Cheroque kingdom. They both had nothing to say, but the awkwardness could not be more stuffing.


    *gallop* *gallop*


    Then, they both heard horses from a distance. This alerted the two of them and they both instinctively lowered their heads.


    From what they could hear, the horses seemed to be more than four beings. The alerting part of this was that it seemed that the horses were getting near them.


    "Where do we hide?" Miser asked with urgency.


    Darren did not answer as he could not find the right answer. He had a bad feeling in his stomach as he thought that they were already noticed by the horses.


    They were not noticed by the horses, but they were the original mission. It seemed that someone sent these horses to find Miser and Darren.


    Then, Darren and Miser were hopeless to watch as five horses galloped towards them and surrounded them.


    With nowhere left to run, Darren and Miser were forced to surrender.


    Darren observed the riders of the horses and found them to be familiar. They were all bald and had the same uniform as those in the Shark Loan Company.


    "Please accompany us," a bald guy said as he offered his hand towards both of them.


    Miser could not help but accept the hand that was given to him. With it, he mounted the horse and sat behind the bald guy.


    Another horse rider gave Darren a ride. With this, both of them were captured without any effort.


    Darren could have tried to fight all of them, but this might have been a better way to find Mia. If they were captured, then they would have a good chance of finding Mia at the prison.


    "How did you find us?" Darren asked.


    "We always knew you were there," the bald man replied.


    With the number of people guarding the building, it was not hard to notice two distinct old men looking at the building.


    Since the building was out of the way of the kingdom''s roads, normal people should not wander around the building.


    The horses escorted Miser and Darren towards the building. It did not take long as the horses were a fast and efficient way of traveling.


    Then, the horse riders forced Miser and Darren to dismount off the horse and put them into restraints.


    Then, they were both escorted into the building.


    Once they entered the building, Miser could see that it was the same building as the one that he had seen back then.


    Bald people were working all over the place, and the furniture seemed to have been duplicated.


    At the end of the room, there was a group of people waiting for them.


    There was a particular person that took Miser and Darren''s eyes. This person was in the middle of the room and the middle of the bald people.


    However, the most noticeable trait of the guy was that he still had a head full of hair.


    This guy was the only person in this room that still had his hesitation except for Miser and Darren.


    Once the guy noticed that Miser and Darren were close, he walked towards them and faced them with a smile.


    Miser and Darren were both nervous to their core. They were surrounded by enemies with no way to escape. If this was their end, then it would be inevitable.


    However, contrary to their expectations, the non-bald guy bowed towards them with respect.


    "Hello, sir Miser and sir Darren," the non-bald guy said. "My name is Hyun, the person in charge of this place."


    Miser and Darren were both confused as to why Hyun was showing respect for both of them.


    "As esteemed guests of this place, it was my duty to greet you two. Please, tell me if you need anything," Huh said with a mysterious smile.

 Chapter 170: Rumble

    "You both must be very confused as to why I have invited you here," Hyun said as he displayed respect for both Miser and Darren even though they were the ones who were in captivity.


    Darren could tell that there was a hidden aspect that Hyun was hiding, so he could not fully trust the man. From what he had heard, this was the company that had imprisoned Mia back then.


    "What do you want with us?" Darren said with a matter-of-fact intonation. He immediately went into a defensive stance.


    Seeing Darren''s doubt, Hyun chuckled for a little bit. Even though he was unassuming, everyone could tell that he was the one who was in charge of this place.


    With no weapons by his side, Hyun could be one of those people who had powers called chosen.


    "I expected others to join you. Where have they gone?" Hyun asked. His intonation made it seem like he did not care about the answer, but Darren could tell the truth by the man''s facial expressions.


    "It is none of your business," Darren replied. The more that Hyun did not know, the better. This way, they could surprise him later on.


    "Where''s Mia?!" Miser could not hold on to his patience. He wanted to know if Mia was safe or not. This was the only thing he wanted to know.


    Hyun nodded as if he understood the hardships of a single father faced.


    "I understand. That is the reason why we have invited you here in the first place," Hyun said as he turned around and walked towards a room.


    "You know where she is?" Miser was intrigued by what Hyun said. Without anything else, Miser was left in the dark. However, it seemed that Hyun knew something that he did not.


    Miser followed Hyun towards the room. Darren was more hesitant in following an innocent stranger, but he had to follow Miser for his safety.


    Once inside, they saw that this was a finely intricate design of the furniture. It was mostly made of dark oak wood, but Darren could tell that it was made of High-quality materials.


    "You know where she is?" Miser asked with impatience getting into his voice.


    However, Hyun did not answer and just pointed Miser towards a chair. Hyun sat on his chair and put his elbow on his desk.


    "Miser, don''t believe everything he says," Darren whispered in Miser''s ears.


    Right now, Miser was susceptible to any manipulation as long as Mia''s safety was on the line. As the only person sane there, Darren had to make sure that Miser did not fall into any traps.


    However, Miser did not seem to hear anything that Darren said.


    "Hyun, do you know where she is?" Miser said, standing up from his seat.


    Then, Hyun funnily nodded. "Yes, I know where she is."


    With that confirmation, Miser almost burst out of the room. Seeing that Hyun knew where she was meant that Mia was still alive.


    This was the kind of hope that he needed desperately.


    "Tell us where she is, now!" Miser demanded. He almost forgot that he was being taken here as a prisoner.


    However, the bald guards near the door did not seem to like Miser''s outburst. They brought out their swords and pointed them at Miser.


    Seeing the situation get worse, Darren made sure to take notice of Miser''s safety. If things got even worse, then he would be prepared to fight off the bald men as Miser escaped.


    Hyun raised both of his hands and appeased the situation. Seeing that Hyun deemed it to be safe, the bald men sheathed their swords.


    "Sorry about that. They are¡­itchy for a fight," Hyun said with a smile. Then he put intertwined his hands and used them as a handle for his chin.


    Once Miser saw the shiny blades of the bald men, he suddenly got the realization of the threat they possessed. He was so caught up in Mia''s safety that he forgot his safety.


    "Can you tell us where she is?" Miser asked with more patience in his voice.


    Then, Hyun nodded. "You do not have to worry. She is safe."


    "Then, can I meet her?!" Miser''s excitement was brought out again.


    However, contrary to what Miser wanted to hear, Hyun only tilted his head.


    "I''m sure that is not a good idea," Hyun said.


    It was then that Miser and Darren furrowed their eyebrows.


    "What do you mean?" Miser asked.


    "Well, she is currently on the way to the Cheroque kingdom to be queen," Hyun said with a sense of nonchalantness.


    "What?!"


    "What?!"


    Even Darren could not hold in his surprise. Mia being throned as queen was their main reason for traveling towards the Cheroque kingdom.


    However, it did not make sense that the Shark Loan company would help Mia become queen. They must have an ulterior motive for this.


    "Now, I know you have questions-" Hyun said, but someone interrupted him.


    "Why can''t I meet her? We can help her become queen!" Miser shouted out.


    "I know, I know," Hyun whispered. "However, she does not currently need help there. There are other ways that you can help her in the shadows."


    It was at that point that Darren frowned. This was the catch. They never intended to help Miser reunite with Mia, they only wanted to blackmail him for help.


    "I suppose you mean, you want us to do something in return for meeting Mia, is that right?" Darren said as he leaned forward.


    Hyun chuckled. "As expected of a renowned soldier. You catch on quite easily."


    "What do you mean?" Miser asked, still confused about the whole situation.


    "We just want you to do a little something. If we deem it to be satisfactory, then you can meet Mia," Hyun said, now finally showing his fangs in his smile.


    "Tsk¡­," Darren could not help but be disgusted by the whole situation.


    Being forced to do something because of blackmail was never a good sign. The mission might become impossible or illegal.


    "Don''t worry. It''s not that hard," Hyun said. "Oh, wait! You guys don''t have a choice on your side. Scratch that, it might be hard for you without them."


    Hyun chuckled once again.


    Miser was also angered by the blackmail, but Mia''s safety comes first. He promised himself and his late wife that he would do anything for their daughter.


    If that meant going against the world, then he would do it. If it meant sacrificing his life, then he would do it in a heartbeat.


    "What do you want us to do?" Miser asked, with a little bit of shame in his voice.


    Hyun smiled.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    As Serena was happily observing her magical perfume, they suddenly felt a rumble in the ground.


    They were all quickly alerted of the incoming threat. It did not seem like an earthquake, but more of a stampede.


    A couple of seconds later, they all heard a stampede of footsteps coming towards them. The already cracked walls cracked even more.


    Some of the pillars supporting the ceiling crumbled under the pressure. Dust flew off everywhere as it seemed that the palace would soon be completely wrecked.


    "Run!" Jane said as she was already running away from the stampede.


    Serena and the others followed suit as they all ran for their lives. Without anywhere to go, they all decided to continue deeper into the palace.


    "What are those?!" Serena shouted out as she took a peek behind her.


    Hugh also turned around and used his eagle eyes to see what they''re were dealing with.


    Upon closer inspection, Hugh could see that the dark creatures ran on all four limbs. They were all skinny but long.


    Their jaws were unhinged and their eyes bulged without any eyelids. It was a frightening thing to witness, especially since hundreds of these monsters were running towards them.


    "Just run!" Hugh said as he used his armor to run. This gave him enough speed, but he could not keep that up forever.


    However, as Jane continued to run, she suddenly realized that they were all coming towards an end.


    At the very end of the hallway, there were two doors adjacent to it. Jane knew that this was their only escape, so she had to choose between the two.


    "Go to the left!" Jane shouted as she ran towards the left door.


    Aric soon followed after her.


    Hugh was filling behind them, but he suddenly felt a bigger earthquake. It did not affect his balance that much, but he suddenly saw that the walls started to crumble down.


    Just as he reached the left door, the walls came down and blocked it off. Without anywhere else to go, Hugh had to go to the right door.


    Serena was behind Hugh, so they were both forced to choose the right door.


    This essentially separated them into two groups. Jane and Aric were both in the left door where it was blocked off while Hugh and Serena went through the right door.

 Chapter 171: Winery

    Hugh went through the right door and immediately inspected the whole room. From what he saw, this room looked like it was a winery back in the old days.


    There were rows and rows of shelves inside the room. Some of them had empty bottles of wine, and some were just full of spider webs.


    There was not much in this room, not even a window to the outside.


    Hugh looked around, but he could not see any exit anywhere. This meant that he and Serena were now trapped in this room.


    Seeing the horde of monsters behind him and Serena, Hugh climbed up the shelves and sat on top.


    This was the only way that he could evade the monsters. He only hoped that they would not be able to climb up to him.


    With one powerful jump, Hugh was able to land on top of the shelf. However, he did not think his decision through.


    *crack*


    He heard a crack from the shelf that he stood upon. Due to his weight, it could not handle enough force that was put upon it.


    The passage of time also did damage to the structural integrity of the shelf.


    Hugh stood still as he felt the shake crack. Then, he saw Serena towards one of the shelves, the same as what he did.


    Thankfully for her, the shed seemed stable enough for her weight.


    With the two of them relatively safe, the horse of monsters finally entered the room. They could not fit through the door since they all rushed towards the opening.


    Some of them were forced through the door, leaving a stampede in their wake.


    The first wave of monsters crashed through the room and looked everywhere for Serena and Hugh.


    Through their carelessness, the shelves went tumbling down. It was like a piece of carefully placed domino piece as it tumbled down forward.


    Seeing her inevitable future, she jumped from shelf to shelf for safety. Soon after, Hugh and Serena were both at the end of the room at the last shelf. At least this shelf will not tumble down.


    However, Hugh and Serena were still not in the clear. The monsters continued to harass their way towards the room.


    They rampaged through the shelves looking for Hugh and Serena.


    Hugh observed the monsters and saw that some of them were looking through the ground with their nose. They sniffed the ground as if they could smell where Hugh and Serena were.


    Hugh did not know how strong their sense of smell was, but he could see that it was only a matter of time until they found them.


    The monsters were currently on their way towards Hugh and Serena.


    "Do you think they can find us?" Serena whispered to Hugh.


    Hugh only gulped and did not answer. He was not very hopeful in wishing that the monsters would jot find them.


    "Ahhh¡­," Serena sighed.


    She did not like this type of adventure as it was mentally and physically draining for her. She would much rather fight someone one on one rather than survive a horse of monsters.


    Serena bumped her head to the wall behind her as she leaned on it. This truly did seem like the end of their journey without any real way out.


    *bump*


    As Hugh heard the collision, he suddenly realized something. He suddenly gained energy as if something had given him hope of surviving.


    Then, Hugh started to knock on the wall behind them. At his first knock, he seemed to be very diss appointed with what he found.


    "Serena, move your head," Hugh whispered.


    Serena did not have any real reason for disagreeing with Hugh, so she did what he asked for.


    Then, Hugh knocked on the wall behind Serena.


    "Damn it!" Hugh almost shouted out his frustration.


    Serena flinched as she heard Hugh almost give away their position.


    "Why? What''s wrong?" Serena asked as she put her hand on his shoulder.


    Hugh calmed himself down and took a big breath.


    "I thought that we could burst our way out of this situation. This could have been a hollow wall," Hugh explained.


    If he discovered that the wall was hollow, then he could have punched a hole there. Then, they could escape through that and wave the horse of monsters behind.


    Serena understood what Hugh was trying to say. However, she was not as quick to give up as Hugh. She looked around the room.


    "How about that?" Serena asked Hugh as she pointed towards a certain section of the wall opposite them.


    Hugh looked at what Serena pointed at, and it gave him a little bit of hope.


    The wall was slightly destroyed and there was a small part of the wall that was missing.


    Behind the wall was a shroud of darkness. Since it was dark, Serena could not see anything beyond it. However, she was sure that it was not just another wall, but another room they could do into.


    Hugh squinted his eyes and used his eagle eyes. With improved vision and night vision, he was able to see beyond the past through the shroud of darkness.


    What he saw there was a glimmer of light inside a room. This was their ray of hope, their only chance to escape the horde of monsters.


    Hugh started to smile as he looked at Serena and nodded. They were both happy to know that they could escape the monsters.


    However, as Hugh and Serena were celebrating, the monsters continued to destroy the room.


    The shelves were being turned down and tumbled. Through their sheer size, the shelves were soon turned into something like stepping stones.


    The monsters took that opportunity to travel to a higher altitude.


    Climbing through the tumbled shelves, the monster finally saw their prey, or smelt them.


    The first one to see then became crazy as it shouted towards its other monster comrades.


    "Grahhh!"


    The monsters behind it soon followed until every single one of the monsters was shouting. Soon, the monsters charged towards Serena and Jane.


    Hugh and Serena may have found the hollow wall, but it was located on the other side of the wall.


    They could not simply walk there since the monsters were coming right pearls them. They would be walking into their death if they were to do that.


    "What do we do?" Serena asked as she watched the monsters in front of her.


    Hugh looked at her and spoke, "we will just have to run."


    Then, Hugh took Serena''s hand as he led her over towards the belly of the beast, towards the horde of monsters coming towards them.


    Serena was flustered, but she had no choice but to follow Hugh.


    Even though they were coming towards the monsters, Hugh continued. The monsters seemed to know that Hugh was coming towards them, so they got even faster in running.


    Hugh and Serena were running hand in hand. Hugh looked at her in the eyes and shouted.


    "Jump when I say jump!"


    Serena was speechless, but she understood what Hugh wanted. She gulped and went with the flow of the current situation.


    The horse of monsters and Hugh and Serena were currently on a collision course.


    Just as they were about to collide, Hugh shouted towards Serena.


    "Jump!"


    At the same time, Hugh and Serena jumped over the heads of the monsters.


    The two of them were physically strong, so they were able to soar through past some of the monsters in the front.


    Then, Hugh and Serena used the monsters'' heads as a stepping stone towards the hollow wall.


    Due to Hugh''s weight, the monsters that he stepped on almost became mush. They tumbled under Hugh''s extreme weight as some of their bones broke.


    Beside Hugh was Serena who also walked on the heads of the monsters. However, Serena was as light as a feather.


    The monsters who she stepped on did not even realize that they had been stepped on. She was like a fairy steeping on the waves of a strong ocean.


    The monsters were thrown in for a loop as they could not pinpoint where Hugh and Serena were. It was chaos as they tried to stumble towards Hugh and Serena.


    Hugh used all of his strength on one leg and jumped as high as he could. With this one giant jump, he was able to reach the hollow wall.


    Serena was also only one step away from the hollow wall.


    However, just as she was about to step into safety, a monster had grabbed her ankle and prevented her from moving.


    Serena was anxious as she tried to shake off the monster away from her feet.


    She was hanging on to the ledge with both of her hands while the monster was trying to drag her down.


    Soon after, the monsters realized that Serena was only a hand away. They then proceeded to trample on each other until they could reach Serena.


    With more monsters hanging onto her, she was soon losing her grip on the ledge. It was only a matter of time until she dropped into the sea of monsters.

 Chapter 172: Escape

    Serena was hanging on by a thread. At this point, her pinky was the only thing that was holding her from the wing devoured by the monsters that were beneath her.


    Then, more monsters held on to her. She had reached her peak, and she could no longer hold onto the ledge. She fell to the horde of monsters below.


    Serena was feeling regret as she felt the weightless feeling of falling. She did not want to die yet, not like this.


    Just as she was about to lose hope, she suddenly saw a hand reaching out to her. It was Hugh.


    Hugh held on to Serena''s hand at the very last second. Serena was surprised to see him, especially since it looked like he would also fall at this rate.


    Hugh was only hanging on to the ledge by his toes. He dived down towards Serena just to save her, but that led him to this precarious situation.


    "Hold on," Hugh said as he exerted as much strength to try and bring both of them up.


    Serena could see the strain that Hugh was feeling right now. She could see the bulging veins in his neck as it almost burst from over-exertion.


    However, Hugh still had a hard time holding on. With little to no handle, he could not exert his full strength to bring Serena upwards.


    His obesity did not help the situation. Right now, Hugh was only holding on by his pure strength. He was not using his armor to exert any strength.


    He had used up his seconds of armor before. He was now only hanging on without any help while the armor was still at cooldown.


    Serena was appreciative of the fact that Hugh saved her at the last second. However, at this rate, it seemed like both of them would fall to their dooms.


    As Hugh was hanging on, he could tell that he was only moments away from regaining his armor. If he could hold out for a few more seconds, then he would be able to bring Serena and himself up.


    However, by the things were going, it did not seem like Hugh would last long. His feet were losing traction in the ledge, and he was slipping at a very alarming rate.


    Hugh used every bit of his concentration and strength to last on, but the cooldown was still not over.


    Seeing how Hugh was having so much trouble, Serena decided that it was not worth it.


    "Let me go," Serena said with a bitter smile on her face.


    Hugh pretended to not hear what Serena said as he concentrated on his task of surviving.


    "You don''t have to die with me," Serena insisted. If she were to die today, then she would not be at peace knowing that she killed Hugh with her.


    "SHUT UP!" Hugh could no longer hold his anger as he shouted at Serena.


    It was infuriating to know that Serena had given up on her life. He was doing everything in his power to save both of them, but Serena just gave up like that.


    However, that outburst was the last straw that broke the camel''s back. Hugh''s feet no longer had the traction to hold on to the ledge.


    Hugh fell and took Serena with her.


    As Serena and Hugh fell, Serena could only look at Hugh''s idiotic actions. Hugh could have saved himself, but he strangely fell together with her.


    He could have survived, but his stubbornness got the best of him.


    However, Serena did not hate it. She appreciated Hugh''s gesture as she saw him in another light. Maybe dying with him would not be so bad of an outcome.


    Just as Serena and Hugh were falling to the ground, Serena suddenly felt hands on her waists.


    When she looked down, she saw Hugh holding on to her tightly.


    "Are you crazy?!" Serena shouted, but Hugh continued to hold on to her.


    "Hold on to me!" Hugh shouted.


    Before Serena could even answer, Hugh only looked at her deep in the eyes and showed him his sincerity. His eyes looked like he wanted her to trust him just this once.


    Serena saw the perseverance and the sacrifice Hugh was willing to make. This gave her enough confidence to trust Hugh at this time of dire need.


    Serena held on to Hugh for dear life. Then, she felt Hugh release his hands from her waist.


    "When I say go, you jump as hard as you can, alright?" Hugh whispered in Serena''s ears.


    Serena did not know what Hugh was planning, but she nodded to agree with him.


    Then, they both plummeted as Serena held on to Hugh''s large body.


    As they reached the ground, Serena waited for Hugh''s word to jump. She already had the pink smoke on her legs ready to execute the strongest jump she could.


    Then, they finally reached the sea of monsters below them. As Serena and Hugh were about to be devoured by the monsters, Serena heard Hugh shout.


    "Go!"


    At Hugh''s command, Serena jumped as hard as she could. She used the heads of the monsters as a platform as she and Hugh got launched upwards.


    Serena did not know what Hugh intended, but she knew that this jump would not be enough to reach the ledge.


    They reached halfway towards the ledge as Serena expected. It was at this point that she calculated that they would soon come down. This was the law of gravity.


    Serena closed her eyes. This was their last chance, but it was not enough.


    *flap* *flap*


    However, she did not feel the deceleration that she expected. Both of them continued to soar up towards the ledge.


    Surprised by this unexpected breaking of the law of gravity, she looked up. Then she saw a feather fall towards her face.


    When she saw where this feather came from, she was more than surprised. Her jaw almost fell to the floor.


    Hugh''s hands were currently gone and replaced by these mighty wings. It was brown and as wide as twice the height of a normal person.


    Hugh continued to flap his eagle wings upwards as they finally reached the ledge.


    Just as Hugh was about to lose leverage, they safely reached the ledge. If the ledge was anymore higher, or Serena''s jump was any less high, then Hugh would not have reached the ledge.


    Hugh and Serena tumbled on the ledge as they reached safety. They both took deep breaths as they had just brushed aside death and survived for another day.


    Hugh especially was panting hard. He exerted a lot of his muscles and power just to survive, and now he just wanted to take a little nap.


    However, Serena would not let him do that.


    "Hugh! You have wings!" she shouted as she suddenly regained energy.


    She crawled over towards Hugh and poked his wings. "Are these real?"


    She seemed to be very fascinated with Hugh''s wings. This was the first time she had ever seen this kind of thing, not to mention that this wing had also saved then from certain death.


    Hugh did not answer and just transformed his wings back to his normal arms.


    "Wow!" Serena uttered as she watched Hugh''s wings transform back to normal arms.


    "That''s cool!"


    Hugh and not answer and just sat upon the ground.


    "If you could fly, why didn''t you just do that before?" Serena asked.


    "I can only fly by myself. If I have a passenger, it would be very hard to fly," Hugh answered.


    "Then, how could you fly this time. I was hanging by your side, right?"


    "That''s why I asked you to jump. With that extra upward power, I was able to force you and me to fly towards the ledge."


    "Wahhhh! I thought we would die¡­"


    "Me too. I did not think my plan would work."


    Serena smiled. She moved closer to him and patted his back.


    "Is that what my savior should say? You were very cool today!" she said as she flashed a genuine smile on him.


    Hugh was surprised. This was the first time he ever saw Serena smile like that. This was not like the smiles she had displayed in public or to any of her friends.


    Her smile seemed out of this world. Her eyes turned into upside-down half-moons that seemed to convey her happiness better than her mouth.


    It was at this moment that Hugh realized that Serena moved her face too close.


    Hugh turned his head away to hide a slight blush on his cheeks.


    "Whatever¡­"


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    In the wide plains near the outskirts of the Cheroque kingdom, a wide span of soldiers looked on.


    They continued to march on to the orders of the flag behind them. No matter the weather, they moved on as nothing hindered them.


    Behind them was a carriage that was led on by black steeds who had fine hair.


    "Finally, back home," the commander uttered as he watched the fine beauty of his kingdom.


    "Wait a little bit more, and you will finally be mine. Hahaha¡­.HAHAHA¡­.HAHAHAHAHAHA!"

 Chapter 173: Decipher

    Miser and Darren were taken hostage in a particular room in the Shark Loan company. However, the company made sure that they did not look like they were being imprisoned.


    The room was deflated with normal furniture and amenities. It would have looked like a normal hotel room if not for the fact that they could not leave this room.


    Miser was walking back and forth as he bit his finger in worry. He could not help but think about his daughter, and how she could be in danger.


    "Miser, you have got to relax," Darren said as he tapped his foot continuously on the ground.


    Miser stopped walking and tried to peek in the windows. However, it was bolted shut by a metal piece that could not be broken away.


    "She''s okay, right? They promised not to hurt her, right?" Miser said as he could not help but overthink.


    Darren nodded. Even though it looked like he was trying to convince Miser, it looked more like he was trying to convince himself.


    "Yes. They do not need to hurt her," Darren said. "Unless Mia is forced to do something she doesn''t¡­,"


    In the middle of Darren!:'' sentence, he realized his mistake. He quickly shut off his mouth and tried to salvage the situation.


    "But Mia''s a smart child. She can take care of herself," Darren quickly said.


    However, the damage had already been done. Miser was picking up pace in his walk. Darren could see the beads of sweat forming in his forehead and the wrinkles on his face getting longer.


    "Miser, Miser!" Darren shouted as he walked over to him. He put his hands on Miser''s shoulder and forced him to stop. "You have to believe in her."


    Once Miser stopped, he was forced to breathe deeply and compose himself. He had to believe that Mia was fine and that she can survive all by herself.


    "If only we could get out of here, we could search for her ourselves," Darren said as he smashed the table in front of him.


    "Where are Hugh and the others?" Miser asked.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    "What is this place?" Jane uttered as she looked all around her.


    Jane and Aric were sedated from Hugh and Serena. While Hugh and Serena were busy trying to survive from the horde of monsters, Aric and Jane were trying to decipher the room they were in.


    "I don''t know," Aric answered.


    There were hieroglyphs all around them and none of it were familiar to any of them. It was as if they were looking at an alien language that they could not perceive.


    "We''re trapped here," Jane said as she looked at the pile of boulders near the entrance where they came from.


    Soon after they chose this room, an earthquake occurred and closed off their only way out. This meant that Aric and Jane were stuck in here for the time being.


    "How do we get out?" Jane uttered as she tried to push the debris away.


    "I don''t know," Aric answered.


    Jane frowned at Aric''s response.


    "Do you think Hugh and Serena are safe?" Jane asked once again. This time, she looked at Aric deep in the eyes.


    "I don''t know." Once again, Aric answered with no definite answer.


    This time, Jane could no longer hold her anger.


    "If you don''t know anything, then what do you know?!" Jane shouted. She seemed to be particularly annoyed.


    Aric frowned at the sudden outburst. He did not know where it came from, but he was sure that he did not do anything to receive this kind of anger.


    "I. Don''t. Know." Aric answered, especially pronouncing his words.


    The two of them squared off and stared at each other, but nothing came of it. They both realized that they were both mad, but this was not the time to do so.


    They both backed off and focused their attention on the hieroglyphs in the wall.


    Jane made mental notes of any symbols that repeated in the walls. From there, she tried to guess which world it would mean in the English language.


    She used the context clues and the very nature of the symbols themselves to try and figure out the mystery.


    Aric, on the other hand, could not bother trying to understand something that was out of his hands.


    He went towards the entrance that was blocked off and tried to dig his way out. Of course, it was a long way to go.


    Jane heard the sounds of boulders falling and breaking, and it disturbed her focus. Once again, she was being irritated by Aric''s actions.


    "Don''t waste your time with that. There must be another way out of here," Jane said with a bit of superiority in her face.


    Aric frowned as he heard Jane''s words. It did not seem to make sense since actively trying to remove the blockage would benefit them greatly.


    "No. Don''t waste your time with those pictures. Instead, why don''t you do something useful and help me remove these rocks," Aric said with an insincere smile on his face.


    Both of them once again stared at each other neither of them backing off. It was only after seconds later that they stopped and continued their respective missions.


    Minutes and hours passed, but they were still ways away from completing their goals.


    Jane had guessed some of the words in the room, but the sentences did not make sense.


    Aric had also dug a lot of the debris away, but more debris woods come down from the hole in the ceiling. Both of them were in a rut.


    "F**k!" Aric shouted. "This is useless!" He said as he kicked the pile of debris.


    Jane chuckled at Aric''s misfortune. However, Aric heard her laugh.


    "Did you laugh?" Aric asked.


    "So? So what?"


    "Is see that you''re not doing any better," Aric said with a bit of a smile on his face.


    Jane frowned at Aric''s words. "Unlike you, I have made some progress."


    Aric tilted his head. "Then, do you know what this means?"


    Aric pointed at a strange symbol on the wall. This symbol was not a representation of any animal, but a combination of curves and lines.


    Serena frowned as she looked at the symbol. This was one of the many symbols that she had yet deciphered. It was her unluckiness that Aric chose this one.


    Seeing Jane''s silent face, Aric knew that he had won.


    "You don''t know this one?" Aric said with an obnoxious smile on his face.


    Jane was silent as she turned her head away from Aric.


    "Then, let me tell you," Aric said. "This one is¡­"


    As Aric looked at the symbol, he had all intentions to say any kind of guess. He was trying to mislead Jane by saying a random word.


    "Revenge," Aric whispered as he could not take his eyes off the symbol.


    For some reason, that word came to his mind. He was not planning to say this word, but it came to his mind anyway.


    It spoke to him and lured him in some kind of way. Before he knew it, he was walking closer to the symbol to try and touch it.


    Jane realized Aric''s weird behavior and she frowned. She was confused and bewildered as to why Aric was acting so differently.


    Aric raised his hand and touched the symbol. Jane did not think much of Aric''s actions. She had touched these symbols before, and it did not disturb the markings.


    Aric touched the symbol. Then, the symbol lit up a bright white light. Then, the light started to spread all around the wall and devour the other markings.


    "What''s happening?!" Jane said as she backed off from the wall.


    For some reason, Aric''s touch had set off some kind of mystical mechanism that activated the light. She did not know what it was that made Aric special, but there must be some kind of reason.


    Jane saw Aric still standing close to the wall, so she grabbed him to try and pull him away from the light.


    Jane touched Aric''s clothes and hung on to them.


    At the same time, Aric felt his whole body become weightless. In a second, he could feel his arms becoming more and more invisible.


    Then, Aric''s whole body was transported out of the room.


    When Aric opened his eyes, he saw a completely different world. He was currently outside with the wide sky above him.


    This world seemed to be devoid of any life as there were rotten plants and trees all over the place.


    Even the sky had turned orangish-red. It was menacing scenery, but Aric did not know why he was transported here.


    "Where are we?"


    Suddenly, Aric heard a voice behind him. He flinched.


    When he looked behind him, he saw Jane holding on to his shoulders. She had a tight grip on his clothes as if she did not want to be left alone in this weird world.


    Aric frowned. For some reason, he did not want to be touched, not by Jane, not by anyone.


    He slapped Jane''s hand away and distanced himself from her.


    "Leave me alone."

 Chapter 174: Clay

    "What''s wrong with you?" Jane asked, seeing the different attitude Aric suddenly had.


    Aric frowned. He just realized that he had been taking it easy all these times.


    He should have been looking for a way to kill Maverick. Instead, he was wasting time here and playing around. He had almost forgotten this, but the feelings of hatred surfaced again.


    "Leave me be. I have to get out of here," Aric said as he turned around and walked away from Jane.


    Jane frowned. She did not know why Aric was acting so strange. One minute, he was relaxed and happy, the next second he was acting like this.


    No matter what, Jane knew that she had to stick with Aric in this strange world that they were transported in.


    The world looked desolate. There was not any sign of life anywhere, just dead trees and skulls hanging all around them.


    Aric chose a direction at random and started to walk. Jane followed Aric for now as she observed the world that they were in.


    "Where are we?" Jane uttered as she got a closer look at the world.


    From what she could observe, for now, this strange world looked like it was as vast and as wide as the real world.


    The soil in the ground felt real, the dead trees above her looked like it was rotting, and the skull beneath her was as hard as a real skull.


    From what she could gather, the world did not look like it was a simulation. Was this even in the dungeon?


    For now, Jane guessed that they were transported into another world. The problem was, Jane did not know where they were.


    She did not know how they were going to get back. For now, she decided to stick with Aric and explore the place. They might find something in their travels.


    Aric and Jane were several feet away from each other. Aric kept his distance from Jane, and Jane respected that distance.


    Soon enough after walking for hours on end, they reached a place that was a town.


    However, this town was desolate without any signs of life. The buildings were breaking down, the street pavement was full of holes, and there was trash all over the place.


    Aric looked around the place. Then, they reached a building that seemed to be more important than the others.


    This place was in the very middle of town. It was also the only building in the town that did not see any destruction.


    This building looked as good as new as if the passage of time could not touch this place.


    Intrigued, Jane and Aric both decided to explore this building. It may have the clues they need to get out of here.


    They walked towards the door, and Aric stopped in his tracks. They both waited for the door to slide open, but it did not do anything.


    "What are you doing?" Jane asked.


    Aric looked towards her and ignored her.


    "That''s not going to open by itself, you know that, right?" Jane said with a bit of a smile on her face.


    Aric''s face had a hint of surprise in his expression. It turned out that he expected the door to open by itself.


    Jane shook her head. She thought that Aric was smart, but it turned out that he can be a little bit of a goof.


    "This is one of those old mechanical doors. You have to twist the knob for it to open," Jane said as she pushed Aric aside and twisted the knob open.


    *creak*


    The door opened, but it left a large creaking sound as Jane opened it.


    "See? You don''t even know that?" Jane said with a bit of a proud face.


    Aric frowned as he watched Jane''s smirking face. Then, he pushed her aside and entered the building.


    The house was primarily made of wood, even the floors. As soon as Aric entered the house, the floorboards creaked.


    Aric was surprised and was intrigued by the floorboards. Each time he stepped on it, it would creak.


    Jane could see that Aric was annoyed by the sound, so she opened her mouth to say something, but Aric already did something.


    Aric raised his fist in the air and smashed it to the floorboards. The wooden planks quickly got destroyed, and the creaking sounds disappeared.


    Then, Aric faced Jane and said, "Don''t come inside. This is the first trap in this place. I don''t want you to set off any more traps."


    Jane''s face was full of incredulity. It was only a second later that she realized what Aric was talking about.


    It turned out that Aric thought that the floorboards were some kind of trap. In reality, it was only something that was because of normal circumstances.


    "Bfff!" Jane chuckled as she tried to hold in her laugh. "HAHAHAHAHA," she failed.


    Aric frowned as he saw Jane laughing at him. It was embarrassing, and it hurt his pride. Furthermore, she was attracting unwanted attention.


    "Stop laughing," Aric said as he confronted Jane. "You don''t know if anyone is here."


    Jane laughed, but she was able to control it to a light chuckle. After a while, she regained her sanity and got back to normal.


    Wiping her tears away, Jane spoke. "Sorry. It was just really funny."


    "What''s so funny about it?" Aric asked. bye genuinely did not know why Jane found it funny.


    "You don''t know?" Jane asked. "Why do you not know anything?"


    Aric stopped talking and just looked at Jane. He did not know anything because he does not have any memory.


    Just as Aric was going to open his mouth, he suddenly felt something in the back of his head. His instincts kicked in and he immediately evaded the sneak attack.


    Just as he dodged away, a sharp blade suddenly appeared just inched away from his neck.


    Jane was also alerted of the sudden attack, so she got into a defensive mode.


    As Aric dodged the first attack, Aric made sure to locate the enemy first. He looked around, and once he found the enemy, he turned to run towards it.


    With his black flame in his hands, he charged towards the enemy.


    From the dim light, Jane saw that the person that attacked them was an entity without a face.


    This person did not have any distinguishable features, not even on his body.


    He looked like a person made of clay.


    Aric punched his black flame-filled fist towards the clay man. From his calculations, he could see that the clay man did not have any chances of dodging away from his attack.


    Just as Aric predicted, his black flame fist hit the clay man''s body.


    His fist hit the clay man''s body. However, there was not any kind of resistance after that.


    The fist continued to travel through the clay man''s body as if it was made of air.


    Due to this unexpected outcome, Aric could not control his power. He could not maintain his balance as he tumbled down towards the floorboards.


    However, Aric quickly tried to regain his balance. After he stopped on the floor with two feet, he turned to look at the clay man.


    He was surprised to see that his physical attack could not connect. It was as if his fist just passed through the clay.


    The clay man and Aric looked at each other.


    Even though the clay man did not have any facial features, Aric still felt like the clay mad and had a look of superiority over him.


    Then, Aric saw Jane perform an attack on the clay man while the clay man was looking at Aric.


    It was the perfect sneak attack.


    However, the outcome was the same as before. Jane''s fist just passed through the clay man''s head, rendering her attack useless.


    She tumbled down the floor but regained her footing soon after.


    Aric and Jane both looked up towards the clay man with concerned expressions.


    It was a hard task to fight something much stronger than you, but fighting something you cannot touch was even harder.


    Then, something happened to the clay man''s body.


    It started to shift and fold into something different from its body.


    Jane and Aric watched as the clay man soon transformed into someone that they were both familiar with.


    That obese stature was unique to someone in their group. This person was arguably the strongest in the group if he wanted to; it was Hugh.


    The clay man looked very alike to Hugh. Every small detail was copied, down to even the wrinkles in his clothes.


    If they did not see the clay man transform, they would have thought that he was the real deal.


    Then, Jane and Aric watched as Hugh''s smile soon turned sinister.


    The curves on Hugh''s face turned into an abnormal crescent moon. It made Hugh look like a demon.


    Then, as Hugh took a step, the floorboards were destroyed under the pressure.


    Aric blinked, and he suddenly saw Hugh disappear. The next thing he saw, Hugh''s wide mouth was biting down on his neck.

 Chapter 175: Imitate

    Aric''s eyes widened as he saw the fangs on Hugh''s mouth. It looked like a monster was trying to bite out a good chunk of his neck.


    His instincts kicked in and he quickly coated his whole body with black fire. He used the coldness of his black fire to freeze the floor and glide out of the bite.


    At the very last second, Aric was able to dodge away from the terrifying biting power of Hugh.


    *CHOMP*


    Hugh could only bite the air as it missed Aric''s neck by a small hair.


    Once he saw that he had escaped from Hugh''s bite, Aric retreated and reconvened with Jane.


    "How is it able to do that?" Jane asked.


    It was wired to see a creature from the darkness imitate and copy a person that they knew. It was not like the creature had ever seen the real Hugh before.


    "I don''t know," Aric uttered.


    They both confronted the creature posing as Hugh. Although the monster looked like Hugh, the savageness of the creature distinguished it from the real one.


    "Does it think that we won''t attack it if it has Hugh''s face?" Jane asked.


    Jane would have no problem killing this creature. It was nothing like the Hugh due to the demonic features on the creature''s face.


    Hugh looked at Jane and Aric with a tilted head. It opened its mouth and saliva started to drool out of its lips. It was every sight to see.


    Then, the creature started to emit a sound.


    "Aug¡­," the creature uttered.


    Jane frowned. For a second there, she thought that she heard Hugh talking. The voice and the pitch of the voice were the same as the real Hugh.


    "Heaaa¡­," the creature continued to utter sounds as it stretched its mouth.


    Aric had a bad feeling about this.


    "Hey, ff-friends," the creature said.


    This time, the voice was the same as Hugh''s. There was no distinction between this fake one and the real thing. If they closed their eyes, they would have thought that Hugh talked to them.


    "What the hell is this creature?" Jane uttered as she frowned.


    "Ccc-come he-here¡­," the creature said as if luring Aric and Jane. "I-I won''t h-hurt you."


    The creature slowly approached them, but Aric and Jane took a step back as the creature approached them. They did not believe a word that the creature was saying.


    "I want t-to help you," Hugh said.


    Props to the creature for replicating Hugh''s expressions and intonation. It was as if the creature had seen Hugh face to face before.


    Aric frowned as he had enough of this charade. He enveloped himself in black fire and charged towards the fake Hugh.


    Jane frowned and charged behind Aric. They both decided that the best way to solve this problem was to attack it head-on.


    The fake Hugh just smiled as it saw Aric and Jane running towards him.


    Aric gathered all of his black fire in his fist and punched it towards the fake Hugh''s stomach.


    However, even though he was being attacked, the fake Hugh continued to stand still with a creepy smile on his face. It was as if he did not care about the punt attack of Aric.


    Just as it had been before, Aric''s attack just passed through the creature''s body. It rendered Aric''s attack useless.


    Just as Aric''s whole fist passed through the creature and left, the creature raised its fist and attacked Aric.


    Aric watched as e creature''s arm become enveloped with tentacle-like creatures that increased the size of the fake Hugh''s arm.


    The fake Hugh smiled as he punched Aric''s stomach as a counter-attack. The tentacle arm seemed to be full of energy and strength as it attacked Aric at full speed.


    Aric felt the full blow of the attack. He was in mid-air and he could not dodge away from the attack.


    His stomach quickly turned upside down and the air inside his lungs was forced out.


    The pinching force was enough to make Aric''s body go flying away at high speeds.


    The fake Hugh smiled and looked at the tentacle-filled arm. This was reminiscent of the armor that Hugh had, although it had been changed into tentacles.


    It had the same property as Hugh''s armor. It increased Hugh''s attack and speed multiple times.


    Unfortunately, Aric was on the receiving end of a terrifying and increased attack.


    Thankfully, Jane was just behind Aric. She was able to catch him before he flew away into the wall. However, the force was too strong as she was also punched back several meters behind.


    When she finally stopped, the soles of her shoes burned. Thankfully enough, she had saved Aric from colliding with the wall.


    Jane panted as he brought Aric down on the ground. He was holding his stomach as it was in extreme pain. It was as if thousands of needles were stuck inside his abdomen.


    "Are you okay?" Jane asked.


    However, Aric continued to close his eyes and groan in pain. Jane realized that Aric was in no condition to fight the monster, so she had to be the one who stepped up.


    She looked at the fake Hugh and frowned. With a layer of air around her body, she ran towards the monster.


    She knew that the monster could make her attacks obsolete, so she had to find another way to damage the creature.


    For this plan, she had to make some experiments to figure out the real power of the clay man.


    When she came face to face with the creature, she did not attack it head-on. Instead, she attacked the floorboard beneath the creature.


    Under the air pressure that she conjured, the floorboards broke and revealed a deep pit underground. One of the creature''s legs got caught in the hole and got stuck.


    After this, Jane used her air pressure to attack the fake Hugh head-on. This way, the creature had no way to escape while Jane attacked it multiple times.


    With a barrage of attacks, Jane made sure to occupy the monster''s skills. She continued to give the creature punch after punch even though her attacks were rendered useless.


    Then, after the thirtieth attack, the creature finally changed its action.


    Back when Jane had attacked it, the creature did not move its body at all. It did not need to, since the attacks would not hit anyway.


    However, this time, the fake Hugh had moved its head away from Jane''s attack. This was the first time that the creature had dodged an attack.


    Thrilled by this discovery, Jane attacked the fake Hugh once again to see if it would dodge again.


    However, before she could even throw her punch, she felt a strong force to her waist. She did not realize this, but she had been kicked in the waist.


    Jane was surprised when she looked down. The leg that had kicked her was the one that was supposed to be stuck in the hole.


    She did not know when the creature had escaped, but she was caught off guard because of it.


    Due to the force, Jane''s body flew away. However, something had caught her before she started to fly away.


    When Jane looked at who had grabbed her, it was the fake Hugh. The creature had caught Jane before she escaped.


    With one hand keeping Jane at bay, the creature raised its other hand and started to barrage Jane with punches. This was the same treatment that Jane had given to the fake Hugh.


    Jane flinched as she closed her eyes and protected herself with a layer of air pressure.


    The first few attacks of the fake Hugh were rendered useless by the layer of air pressure. However, Jane knew that it would not last long.


    By her estimation, she could only last for five more attacks before her layer of air pressure was destroyed.


    1¡­2¡­3¡­4¡­5


    After five attacks, Jane felt the air pressure crack and get destroyed in an instant. Without her armor, she was vulnerable to the attacks of the fake Hugh.


    She was not sure that she would survive a full head-ok attack by the creature.


    The creature smiled as it saw that Jane''s armor had finally been broken. It raised its tentacle arm in the air and prepared to smash Jane''s face.


    Then, the fake Hugh brought down its most powerful attack down to Jane''s face.


    It traveled through the air and was about to hit Jane''s face. Jane closed her eyes and accepted her fate.


    At the very split second that the creature''s fist had landed on Jane''s skin, the creature suddenly screamed in agony.


    "GRAWHHHHH!!" the creature yelled.


    Jane expected to be dead, but she had been saved. Due to the unexpected scream of the creature, it could not compete for its attack on Jane.


    There was only a small cut on Jane''s face where the creature''s punch had landed and slid away.


    When Jane opened her eyes, she saw the fake Hugh with a huge hole in its stomach. There was an arm protruding from the stomach.

 Chapter 176: Weakness

    Behind the fake, Hugh was Aric who stood there with his arms protruding from the monster''s stomach.


    *SHHRKK*


    Aric pulled out his hands from the monster and green blood immediately started to gush out. The monster''s innards were destroyed as Aric used his black fire to freeze and disintegrate most of them.


    There was no other way that he could have damaged the creature. This was the only time where the creature was vulnerable.


    He needed to take a chance when the creature could not phase through his attacks. And that time only came when the creature was attacking.


    Aric only figured this out as Jane was fighting the creature. He saw that when the creature had its leg inside and stuck on the floor, it could not move, or else it would be attacked by Jane''s attacks.


    The only way that it could escape from the trap was to dodge away from Jane''s attack and use his phasing skill to get his leg out of the wall.


    "GRAAGHHH!" the creature yelled as green blood strayed to spill on the ground.


    It felt immense pain, and it could no longer maintain the facade of imitating Hugh. Soon after, Hugh''s fade started to meld and bend into weird shapes.


    Then, the creature finally returned to its original state. It became the faceless clay man again, but this time, there was a gaping hole in its stomach, courtesy of Aric.


    "GREAAAGHH!" the creature yelled at Aric, clearly mad at him for being able to hurt him.


    Then, the creature stopped moving. It stared at Aric as if it was wishing Aric to be dead.


    Then, its face started to change and meld into another form again. Aric and Jane both steeled themselves as to who the creature would copy next.


    Was it Serena? Professor Kain? Who?


    The creature gained more height as it continued to change its face. From what Jane and Aric could tell, the creature already had a frightening aura.


    As the creature''s face solidified, Aric''s heart continued to beat at a higher pace. He recognized this face before.


    "Aric, let''s kill this thing before it can transform again," Jane said as she got ready to attack the creature along with Aric.


    However, Aric did not respond to her. Aric remained silent as he looked on in horror at the creature''s face.


    Concerned, Jane looked over at Aric. Then, she saw Aric''s face full of incredulity and surprise. However, Aric''s eyes were red from being emotional.


    Then, Aric balled up his fists in anger. Even though he had no memory of the creature''s face, it erupted deep and great anger in him that he could not ignore.


    "Aric? What''s wrong?" Jane asked, seeing his distress.


    She put her hand on his shoulders, and she could feel that Aric''s whole body was shivering in cold. Aric was afraid of this creature''s face.


    "Aric? Aric?!" Jane continued to shake Aric''s shoulders to take him out of his confusion, but Aric would not wake up. He continued to stare into the air.


    "Tsk," Jane said as she realized that she had to deal with the creature on her own.


    She had to finish off the creature before it could go through another transformation. If it continued on this path, Jane was not sure if she could fight the monster.


    Jane steeled her heart and rushed over to the creature. She used her air pressure to greatly increase her speeds and her power.


    As she reached the creature, she aimed directly at the creature''s face.


    Then, just as her fist was about to hit the creature''s face, Jane''s fist phased out, rendering her attack useless.


    However, Jane predicted this. She had prepared an invisible air pressure knife on her elbow, and now, she used to stab it towards the creature''s heart.


    Then, Jane watched as her invisible air pressure knife hit the physical body of the creature.


    Jane was overjoyed to see this. With just a bit more pressure, then she could stab the creature''s heart and kill it for real.


    However, when she pushed her knife deeper, it would not do as she wanted it to. It was as if the creature''s skin was impenetrable.


    Jane frowned as she used her other hand and coated it with spikes of air pressure. This was her most lethal attack.


    However, the outcome was the same as before. Even though her attack had hit, it could not pierce any deeper than the skin.


    Jane was surprised. If the creature could phase through attacks, then he was almost invincible.


    However, even if Jane was able to attack the physical body of the creature, she could not cut the creature''s skin.


    The creature was invincible, to say the least.


    Jane realized the threat that she was currently in. She quickly tried to get out of the creature''s space, but something had grabbed her waist.


    Then, she looked down, the creature had wrapped its hands around her waist. Then, she felt an inordinate amount of pressure on her waist, almost crushing her to death.


    "Gaahhh!" Jane groaned as her oxygen was squeezed out of her body.


    Then, the creature stopped torturing Jane, giving her time to breathe normally. However, the creature''s grip was still on her waist, preventing her from escaping.


    Then, Jane heard the creature speak.


    "Ahh¡­Aric," the creature said.


    Jane was surprised to know that the creature knew Aric personally. This meant that whoever the creature copied must have had some connection to Aric.


    "You are still the wimp that you were born to be," the creature said as it ridiculed Aric.


    However, Aric just stood there and took the insult like it was nothing. However, Jane could see that Aric''s whole body was trembling. She did not know if it was from fear or anger or maybe both.


    "I did not raise you to be this way, son," the creature said.


    Aric flinched as he heard that. It was uncanny. This was the voice, the body, and the words of his father, Maverick. This was the person they had a grudge against, the person he wanted to kill.


    Aric could no longer hold in his anger as he enveloped himself in black fire and charged towards Maverick.


    In a blink, Aric reached Maverick. With a swift kick to the head, Aric used his strongest attack.


    However, Maverick did not move. He looked at Aric''s attack with ridicule as if he did not see Aric as a threat.


    *DUGG*


    Aric''s feet hit Maverick''s head, but nothing happened. Maverick''s head continued to be immovable, and Aric felt a pain in his feet.


    It was as if he kicked an immovable wall. He only hurt himself in his attack.


    "Hahaha¡­," Maverick chuckled as he saw Aric struggling. "Try your best."


    Maverick continued to stay unguarded from Aric''s attack. Even though he was being barraged with punches, kicks, tackles, but nothing worked.


    "Have you done nothing to train yourself?" Maverick taunted Aric once again.


    Aric continued his attacks, but nothing worked. Soon, his attacks got less and less intense as if he was losing steam.


    Even after his knuckles and his feet got bloodied, Maverick''s body was still untouched. There was nary a scratch on his body. He was truly invincible.


    "Let me give you a hint," Maverick said with a smile. "My weakness is my heart."


    Maverick pointed at his heart. However, there was something there blocking Maverick''s chest. It was Jane.


    Jane was still held by Maverick. She could not move or escape, and she had become the last line of defense for Maverick.


    "What do you think?" Maverick asked as he pointed at Jane. "The only way you''ll kill me is if you kill her as well."


    Jane frowned, mad her face was full of anxiousness. She was being used as armor, and she could do nothing about it. It was the worst way to die.


    Aric frowned and looked at Maverick. His eyes were hidden from his disheveled hair, and his body stopped trembling.


    Jane did not want to die, not in this place. However, it seemed that Aric was willing to sacrifice her life.


    From what she could tell, this creature had Aric''s father''s face. She could also guess that there was a grudge between them that could not be settled.


    From what Jane saw earlier, Aric would do everything to kill Maverick. She was sure that Aric would not mind sacrificing Jane just to kill Maverick.


    However, this was not the real Maverick. This was only his face and body. Aric was being tricked.


    "Aric, no!" Jane shouted at Aric. She was trying to wake him up from doing something rash.


    "This is not him. You are being played!" Jane tried to stop Aric, but Aric just remained silent.


    Then, Jane saw Aric approach them. Aric''s footsteps were prominent as if he was confident and assured of his decision.


    Jane got more and more anxious as she saw Aric approach. Was this the end for her? She would die under the hands of one of her classmates?


    Then, Aric leaned into Jane''s ears and whispered something to her ears.


    Then, Aric raised his fist and dug it deep into his own chest, killing himself.

 Chapter 177: Outside

    Jane saw Aric''s actions and she could not help but call out or him to try and stop him.


    "Aric, no!"


    However, it was far too late. She could see that Aric''s chest was dripping with blood while it had a huge gaping hole where his heart used to be.


    Aric coughed up blood as he looked at Maverick. He could see that even the monster was surprised to see Aric''s sacrifice. It was not part of the monster''s plan.


    "How did you know?" the monster said as he looked at Aric.


    Aric just smiled as blood dripped from his mouth. His face was white as paper as he tried to muster up the strength to speak.


    "It was only when you transformed to be my father. It is exactly what is in my nightmares," Aric said as he looked at the monster''s face.


    Soon enough, the monster lost its structural integrity. It started to change and melt until Maverick''s face was lost. It was back to being the faceless clay man once again.


    Jane felt the grip on her waist being let go, and she fell forward. She was finally free from the grasp of the monster.


    She did not know what triggered this change, but she now had the opportunity to help Aric.


    "Don''t move, Aric," Jane said as she kneeled next to Aric.


    Her face was full of composure, but she was panicking on the inside. She did not know if she could even try to save Aric at this point.


    The injury was far too severe. Even if she tried to stop the blood loss, she would not be able to fix Aric''s heart.


    "You idiot! Why did you do that?!" Jane said as she ripped a part of Aric''s clothes and fashioned it into a bandage.


    Jane pressed on Aric''s chest as hard as she could to try and stop the bleeding. However, the blood would not stop flowing; it was like a broken faucet.


    "Hang in there, I will find a way out of here and we can save you," Jane said with a trembling voice.


    Jane''s eyes were moist. She felt like Aric''s death would be on her hands. She thought that if she were not captured by the monster, Aric would not have done that.


    As Jane continued to bandage Aric, she suddenly felt a cold hand stop her. When she looked at the hand, she realized that it was Aric.


    "No, stop. It''s okay. Let me be¡­," Aric said with a weak smile on his face.


    Jane frowned. She had tried her hardest to save Aric, but it turned out that he had already given up.


    "What are you saying? This injury is nothing compared to the top hospitals in the country!" Jane argued. However, she left out the fact that they were not in the real world, but the dungeon without any help.


    "No. It''s the only way¡­," Aric said as he continued to stop Jane from helping him.


    Jane could not help but feel sorry and empathetic of Aric''s words. Dying with dignity is better than dying in the hands of your opponent.


    As Jane felt Aric''s hand get colder and colder, she saw his complexion get whiter and whiter. Then, as soon as Aric stopped moving, Jane shed a tear.


    At the very same time that Aric died, Jane felt a sense of weightlessness all over her body. When she looked down, she saw that her hands were becoming invisible.


    This was the same phenomenon she had witnessed when they were transported into this world. This could only mean that she was being transported back.


    "Damn¡­," Jane said. If Aric had lived for a few more seconds, he could have seen that his sacrifice was no in vain.


    When she opened her eyes, Jane saw the dim hue of the place they were before. They were back at the room full of drawings and hieroglyphs.


    She did not know what this room was supposed to be, but it should not be underestimated. It had cost the life of a person she had considered a friend.


    Rubbing her eyes of tears, Jane turned around. Then, she saw Aric standing still looking at her.


    Feeling that she had seen wrong, Jane continued to rub her eyes. However, Aric was still there, standing and looking at her with a tilted head.


    "We''re you¡­crying?" Aric asked with a bit of a smile on his face.


    Jane immediately got embarrassed. She turned her head away from him and used her clothes to dry her tears away.


    "No, I wasn''t! There was just dust in my eyes." Jane said with urgency to try and correct the situation.


    Then, Aric nodded to himself as if he did not believe what Jane said.


    After composing herself, Jane immediately glared at Aric. It was clear that she was now beyond mad.


    Then, she started to walk over to him as she stomped on the ground. Aric could see that she was preparing to beat the crap out of him.


    Flustered, Aric tried to calm her down.


    "Wait! Wait! I couldn''t tell you because I didn''t know if it would work! I tried to tell you, but I lost consciousness at that point! Believe me!"


    Aric quickly backed away from Jane until his back faced the wall. However, he could not call the anger Jane.


    Aric closed his eyes as he was afraid of the beatings that he had to endure. She would surely be angry for deceiving her.


    However, Aric suddenly felt a warm feeling all over his body. When he opened his eye, he saw Jane hugging him tightly.


    Aric got flustered as he did not expect this. He did not know where to put his hands.


    "Ah¡­a¡­.,"


    However, Jane kept her hug.


    "I''m glad you are alive," Jane said with a soft voice.


    Aric stopped moving. This was the first time that he had ever heard those words. When he died, he was not sure that anyone ever cared that he had come back to life.


    Now, someone was glad that he had survived. It was a genuine first feeling for Aric.


    Aric moved his hands to hug Jane back, but Jane got out of the hug. He had lost his chance.


    Then, Jane smiled at him and spoke to him.


    "I''m just glad that a friend of mine did not die in front of me," Jane said.


    Aric scratched his head and just nodded to Jane. Unbeknownst to him, there was a slight blush on his cheeks.


    "Yeah, yeah¡­,"


    Then as the two shared a moment, they suddenly felt a slight earthquake from the room.


    The sudden phenomenon alerted the two, and they quickly went into their defensive stances. They had just survived a tough battle, but they were already ready for another one.


    Then, they suddenly saw one of the walls start to move upwards. It was revealed a passageway that led to the outside of the room.


    They did not know where it led, but it was the only way to get out of this room.


    Jane and Aric looked at each other, and they both agreed to follow the passageway no matter where it went.


    Jane first stepped forwards in the tunnel and stopped after one step. She was making sure that there were not any traps in this passageway.


    Seeing that it was safe, Jane nodded towards Aric. Then, they both walked step by step towards the passageway.


    The tunnel was dark, but there was a slight light at the end of the passageway. I''m this gave them a bit of hope as they started to walk towards it.


    They continued to walk for hours and hours towards the end of the passageway. Even though they were tired, they continued to walk towards the end.


    As they got closer and closer, they saw that the light became bigger and bigger.


    Finally, they reached the end of the tunnel. Due to the light outside, they cannot see what was out there.


    "Ready?" Jane asked Aric.


    Aric only nodded and took a step outside. Jane soon followed him.


    What they first felt was the cold breeze of the wind. Then, they saw the bright sun on the horizon and the blue sky beside it.


    When they came to their senses, they realized that they were outside.


    After all these hours of being stuck there, they had finally gotten out.


    "AAAAAHHHH!" Jane shouted as she felt free at last from the stuffy interior of the castle.


    Aric also smiled as he saw the outside. They were lucky that the passageway had opened by itself or else they would be stuck in there for a longer time.


    "Oh! Right, Serena and Hugh are still there!" Jane said as she just remembered.


    She turned around to look at the passageway, but it had strangely disappeared.


    When she looked around, there were not any buildings near them. It was like they were transported here.


    Aric also noticed this, and he tried to step back towards the last time he had seen the tunnel. However, nothing happened.


    They were finally outside, but this meant that they could not go inside.

 Chapter 178: Tempt

    Hugh and Serena ducked under the hole that they saw in the wall. They did not know where it leads, but it was much better than being stuck with the monsters.


    Hugh led the way and used his eagle eyes to look at any sort of traps that may be inside the hole. These were unknown territories, which meant that they had to be careful.


    "What do you see?" Serena whispered over to Hugh while standing beside him.


    Hugh could not see anything but darkness all around him. Even with his eagle eyes, it felt as if his vision was being blocked by some other phenomenon.


    "I can''t," Hugh replied.


    Serena shook her head and went beside Hugh. She tried her luck to see if she could see anything, but it was as Hugh said, there was not anything she could see but darkness.


    "Where even are we?" Serena asked.


    Hugh did not answer as he continued to explore the dark place.


    Serena felt Hugh move away from her, so she quickly caught up to him. In this strange place, it would be better to stay together than apart.


    Who knows what could be lurking under these shadows? She did not want to deal with it alone, so she had to accompany Hugh close.


    Hugh felt that Serena grabbed a piece of his clothes to hung on to, and he did not say anything more.


    The dark place was wider than Hugh thought. When he raised his hands, he could not touch the ceiling. Even when he jumped as hard as he could, he could not touch or see the ceiling.


    The dark place was also wide. Serena and Hugh were walking for minutes on end, but they had yet to reach a wall or an end.


    It was like ab endless walk in the darkness without any real end.


    Hugh raised his hand and used his fire to light up the place.


    Serena saw the bright fire inside Hugh''s hand, and she felt more comfortable. At least, they could see each other right now. It was better than not seeing anything at all.


    "Why didn''t you do that before?" Serena asked with a bit of a disappointed voice.


    "I didn''t want to waste my energy, but also¡­," Hugh said as his voice trailed.


    "But also what?" Serena asked as she looked at Hugh.


    She saw that Hugh was currently looking up towards the ceiling. He seemed to be very spooked.


    "What are you looking¡­," Serena said as she slowly lifted her head and looked at the ceiling.


    What she saw almost took her heart out of her chest. It had frightened her so much that she almost screamed to the top of her lungs.


    Thankfully, she was able to stop herself from making any noise.


    In the ceiling of the dark place was a giant devilish face complete with horns, eyes, fangs, and all sorts of rings on its face.


    It was not simply a stone sculpture, but the real thing. It looked very realistic, especially its eyes. It seemed to be staring at Hugh and Serena.


    With the devilish face staring at them, they could not help but stay still. They were afraid that the devilish face would notice them.


    Although, it looked like the devilish face was already aware of them. It was staring right at them with its devilish smile and its heinous horns.


    Serena elbowed Hugh and gave him a signal. However, Hugh did not move and continued to look at the devilish face.


    "Hugh!" Serena whispered. "Hugh! Put out your fire!"


    Serena was afraid that the devilish face would see them because of Hugh''s fire. The best way to stay out of the devilish face''s vision was to stay in the dark.


    However, Hugh did not extinguish his fire. He kept its light up.


    "No!" Hugh replied. "If we don''t have light, we won''t see when it attacks us!"


    Hugh believed that the devilish face already knows about their presence. The best thing to do right now was to stare at it until it moves.


    That way, he could be prepared. If there was no light, he would be in the dark, and he would not know if the devilish face attacks them or not.


    Hugh and Serena continued to have a stare-off with the devilish face. After a while, they realized that the face would not do anything.


    "Do you think we can move?" Serena asked as she continued to look at the devilish face.


    Hugh was also planning to move. If they were stuck there forever, then they would not be able to escape the devilish face.


    The best outcome for this was to escape the devilish face without garnering its attention and making it move.


    "Let''s move slowly," Hugh replied.


    With their concentration at its highest, Hugh and Serena continued to love their bodies at a slow pace.


    If someone was looking at them right now, they would have thought that they were not moving. That was how slow they were moving.


    However, they did not care. It was better to be safe than sorry. If the devilish face suddenly attacks them, then it would not be good.


    After an hour of moving slowly, Serena and Hugh had only taken a few steps out. At this rate, it would take weeks and weeks until they make some real progress.


    "Let''s speed it up," Hugh said to Serena.


    Serena had the same idea, and she nodded towards Hugh. They need to take some calculated risks if they wanted to survive.


    Hugh and Serena now sped up their movement. They continued to accelerate until they were now walking normally.


    Even though they were walking normally, the devilish face still had not moved. This was a good sign.


    "It looks like that face is just for decoration," Serena said as she got more liberal with her step.


    "I would not be so sure," Hugh said as he looked at the devilish smile on the devilish face. It looked like it was enjoying Hugh and Serena''s struggle like worms.


    Hugh and Serena continued to walk through these endless steps. Even after they had walked for a while, the devilish face was still above them, watching them like a hawk.


    *DUGAN*


    Then, they suddenly heard something drop from behind them. Alerted, they both looked back to see what it was.


    What they saw surprised them. It was a pile of treasures.


    There were gold, diamonds, jewels, crowns, and everything that could be sold for a high price. The pile of treasures reached towards the ceiling.


    If they were to gather all these treasures, they would be set for the rest of their lovers in luxury. Hugh and Serena would never have to worry about anything else.


    Hugh and Serena frowned. It was an obvious trap.


    They both looked at each other and nodded to each other. They did not spend hours upon hours walking just to walk back because of a few treasures.


    Getting out of this dark place was much more important to them.


    Not looking back, they started to walk away from the pile of treasures.


    *DUDGUN*


    Then, they both heard something drop behind them. They both realized that something keeps dropping behind them at random.


    This time, when they looked back, they saw weapons and armors of all kinds. They shined under the dim light, and Serena and Hugh both realized that they were all high quality.


    Not only that but there were also cultivation pills in the hundreds. These pills will help anyone break through their current level and surpass others.


    The temptation was very tempting this time. Even Hugh and Serena hesitated. They thought for a second that they should go back and get some pills and armor.


    However, they both stopped themselves. The risk was not worth the trouble. Who was to say that those were not all illusions?


    "Let''s not look back anymore," Hugh said as he looked straight as he tried to ignore the temptation.


    "Yeah, I have a feeling that it will only get harder to refuse as we go on," Serena said as she slapped her cheeks to wake herself up.


    Hugh and Serena continued to travel through the endless darkness. Even though it seemed long, they were determined to reach the end.


    *DUDGUN*


    Then, they both heard another sound of something dropping from the ceiling. They both stopped in place, but they did not turn their heads back.


    "Let''s not look," Hugh said.


    Serena nodded.


    The two continued to walk, however, they heard another noise right before they took a step away.


    "Uuuwwwaaa!!!"


    Hugh and Serena were both surprised. It sounded like the cries of a baby. They stopped and quickly looked back to see what it was.


    Like they had guessed, a baby was crying in the middle of the darkness.


    The baby seemed nothing more than two years old, and it had green eyes and blonde hair. It cried in this unknown and dark environment.


    Once it saw Hugh and Serena, it cried harder. It seemed to want to be held as it raised both its arms.

 Chapter 179: Life

    Hugh and Serena could not help but stare at the helpless baby on the floor. It was a living human baby, not an object, which made it much harder to ignore.


    Hugh looked at Serena and he could tell that she wanted to save the baby.


    Her whole body was itching to rush towards the body, but she still hesitated. Hugh knew that this was nothing more than a trap, so he decided not to fall for it.


    However, he did not know if Serena could resist her urges. From what he could tell, Serena was the kind of person that would help everyone if she could.


    It might be naive to have this kind of mindset, but Serena still persevered with it. Hugh respected her for that.


    However, this situation was different. They did not know what was going to happen once they fell into the trap. Would they be punished, rewarded, or killed?


    Hugh saw Serena move, and he turned to stop her, but it was too late. Serena rushed towards the crying baby with all her might.


    As Serena took a step back, Hugh looked at the devilish face in the ceiling. It seemed to have smiled even harder as it saw Serena backtrack towards the baby.


    Then, Hugh saw a bright white light in front of him. When he focused his eyes, he saw that it was a door to the outside.


    They had finally reached the outside. Hugh would have been overjoyed at this finding, but there was still a problem left.


    "Serena!" Hugh shouted towards her. However, she did not seem to hear anything Hugh said. "SERENA!"


    Even when he screamed at the top of his lungs, Serena did not hear him. All she did was rush towards the baby.


    Hugh had two choices. Leave Serena here, or bring her back.


    For some reason, he had a hunch that the exit would be gone as soon as he took a step back. This left him in a predicament.


    Hugh looked towards the door and Serena. It was at that moment that Hugh made a decision.


    Hugh turned his body back and rushed towards Serena and the baby. He did not want to leave a friend behind.


    Unbeknownst to Hugh and Serena, the devilish face smiled even harder. Then, it opened its mouth to speak.


    "Enjoy your life¡­," it said with an ominous voice.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    "Hugh!"


    With that, Hugh was snapped out of his dreams. When he looked up, he saw a beautiful blonde student with her half-moon eyes.


    Other students might have found her to be too beautiful, but Hugh never saw her like that. For him, she was always just a childhood friend.


    "Oh, Serena. What''s up?" Hugh asked.


    Then, Serena tilted her head as she looked at Hugh.


    "You seem like you had a bad dream. You were just staring out into the field," Serena said as she looked towards the windows of the classroom.


    Outside, they could both see a wide field that was being used by soccer students. It was sundown, which gave them the liberty to play however they wanted.


    "Yeah. I just¡­I had this weird dream where we were trapped inside this dungeon," Hugh said as he tried to recall his dream.


    Serena seemed intrigued by Hugh''s dream. She smiled and sat on the seat in front of Hugh as she put her head on her chin.


    "We were chased by this face, this large evil face. Oh, and we had powers! Can you believe that?" Hugh said as he told Serena the story he dreamed about.


    "Hoh? You have such an imaginative mind. You always have¡­," Serena said with a blush on her cheeks.


    However, Hugh did not notice the blush. He kept trying to remember that dream. It felt so real. It was a weird thing to experience.


    It was as if he lived a whole lifetime in that dream. He had never experienced this before.


    *snap* "Hey! Hey! Earth to Hugh!" Serena said as she tried to grab Hugh''s attention.


    "Oh, sorry," Hugh said as he shook his head to try and get rid of that feeling in his head.


    "What are we going to eat tonight?" Serena asked with puppy eyes.


    "Again?" Hugh complained. "We have been eating together for the last two weeks already."


    Serena pouted.


    "I''m just worried about your reputation. What if the guy you like will think that I''m your boyfriend?" Hugh asked in a teasing fashion.


    However, Serena''s cheeks blushed even harder. She turned her head away from embarrassment.


    "What guy?" Serena said. "It''s you, idiot¡­," she whispered.


    "What?" Hugh said as he couldn''t hear what she said at the last part.


    "Whatever!" Serena shouted as she hit Hugh in the head. Then, she turned around to leave the classroom.


    Hugh rubbed his head in pain. Then, he saw flashes of his dreams again. It felt so real and so true. It was like it was his memories from his previous life.


    "Are you coming or not?" Serena said as she peeked out from the door.


    "Yeah, yeah¡­," Hugh said as he shook his head.


    FLASH


    "I can''t believe we graduated already," Serena said as she sipped beer from a can. "Where did the time go?"


    "Yeah¡­," Hugh uttered as he looked at the night sky full of stars.


    They were at the rooftop of the school they had just graduated from. It was their last hurrah before their went off to college and said goodbye to this school where they spent most of their life.


    "Why aren''t you drinking?" Serena asked as she downed another beer can.


    "I can''t," Hugh said as he turned his head away.


    "Come on, you coward!" Serena said as she shoved a cold beer can in Hugh''s face.


    Serena''s face was redder than red. She was drunk, and she could barely contain herself.


    However, Hugh still refused the beer. He did not want to get intoxicated for some reason.


    "Come on!" Serena said as she grabbed Hugh''s arm and hung on to it.


    "Stop it!" Hugh said as he tried to push her off the body.


    "Why?" Serena asked with a drunken tone.


    "I won''t be able to stop myself," Hugh uttered as he turned his head away.


    Silence reigned in that rooftop. They could only feel the cold breeze of the wind, followed by the bright show of constellations in the sky.


    "Idiot! Just drink when I tell you to drink!" Serena said as she tried to force Hugh to drink.


    However, Hugh would not let it. They wrestled and struggled until Hugh overpowered Serena and got on top of her.


    They were silent as they looked at each other''s eyes. they could feel each other''s breath, the only source of heat at this hour of the night.


    Serena was wide-eyed. This moment had sobered her up completely.


    This was the closest they had ever been since they were kids. It was what she wanted the most.


    Letting go of her fear, Serena moved her head upwards and put her lips on Hugh''s.


    Hugh was taken aback, but he did not refuse. It was as if something had broken inside him.


    All those suppressed emotions ran amok as soon as Serena kissed him. At this moment, he could not, will not stop himself.


    Hugh put his lips next to hers as he kissed her with passion. Their bodies intertwined as they were both at the moment, living in it, and cherishing it.


    That night was a night full of passion. It was that night where they broke down a barrier and got closer than ever.


    FLASH


    "AAAHHHH!" Serena shouted as sweat poured from her face.


    Next to her were doctors as they tried to make Serena relax her body.


    "Ok good, Serena. Push." the doctor said.


    "It''s okay. I''m here¡­," Hugh said as he held her hand and supported her.


    Hugh and Serena both looked at each other. Even after the surprise pregnancy, they still supported and loved each other.


    "AAAAHHHH!!" Serena shouted.


    After that was silence in the delivery room. Serena felt like a large burden had been lifted off her shoulders.


    "Uwaah! Uwaah!" a baby cried.


    After all those months of pain, those first few cries left Serena speechless.


    When she opened her eyes, Hugh was holding their beautiful blonde baby boy in his hands. She shed tears of happiness.


    FLASH


    "Luci!" Serena shouted as she looked up the wooden stairs at a house they had lived in for all these years.


    Even after eating for minutes, nobody responded to her. Then, she heard a clatter from the kitchen.


    *clank*


    Serena moved towards a kitchen and saw her beautiful blond boy looking through the utensils.


    "Luci, what are you doing there?"


    Luci was five years old and he had inherited his mother''s beautiful eyes. He was currently rummaging through the kitchen.


    Serena smiled as she shook her head. Then she picked him up.


    "You want to be a chef like your father?" Serena asked as she picked up Luci.


    Luci seemed disappointed that he did not find any knives in the cabinet.

 Chapter 180: Wrath

    Hugh opened the door, and he saw his dearest people in the whole world.


    "Hey!" Hugh said as he put down the groceries near the door to greet his wife and child.


    Serena saw her husband, and she could not be happier. She smiled at him with her big eyes and beautiful cheeks.


    "How''s my little boy?" Hugh said as he picked up a Luci from her mother.


    Hugh raised Luci in the air and asked him face to face. From what he could see, Luci was in a bad mood.


    "What''s wrong?" Hugh asked.


    However, Luci just stayed quiet and moved his head away from him.


    Confused, Hugh looked at Serena if she knew what was going on. He had only been away for a few hours, so not much should have happened.


    "I found him rifling through the kitchen again. Thankfully, I hid away your k-n-I-v-e-s." Serena said with a small voice so that Luci would not know they were talking about him.


    "Hmm¡­maybe he just wanted to play with it?" Hugh said as he gave weird faces towards Luci in an attempt to make him laugh.


    "You saw what happened back then," Serena said as she crossed her arms together with concern painted across her face.


    Hugh was silent at that. He could not deny what had happened back then.


    Sometime near spring, they saw Luci holding a knife in his hands as he was about to kill a chicken with his own hands.


    Thankfully, Serena and Hugh were there to stop him before any harm was done to Luci or the chicken.


    They did not know if Luci knew what he was doing, but if he did, then it was a serious behavior that they needed to keep an eye on.


    "UWAAH! UWAAH!" Luci cried as he was held by Hugh.


    Hugh tried to pat his back and cradle him, but nothing worked. He still would not stop crying.


    Another weird behavior they found with Luci was that he still would not speak. They knew that he could speak, but Luci only chooses not to.


    "UWAAH!" Luci continued to cry with Hugh handing him off to Serena.


    Just as Hugh was handing him over to Serena, they suddenly felt a searing hot pain in their hands.


    When they looked over at Luci, they suddenly saw him enveloped with great wild reddish fire. They were flabbergasted by this phenomenon.


    The first thing they thought of was panic. They quickly scrambled through the kitchen to find a bucket of water and extinguish the fire.


    Thankfully, Hugh saw a bucket of water they were going to use for the stew. Right when he turned around, he stopped in his tracks.


    "What are you doing, throw it!" Serena shouted out as panic set into her mind.


    However, what she saw next also made her freeze in place.


    Luci was still enveloped in a wildfire, however, he was now floating in the air. He was still crying, but the fire got wilder as he cried.


    Hugh and Serena both looked at what was happening. They did not know what was going on.


    Luci''s body seemed impervious to fire. It was as if his body was the one who had started the fire in the first place.


    However, that was impossible.


    If others saw this, they would label Luci as a descendent of the devil. The wolf quickly outcasts him or even worse, kills him outright.


    After releasing all of his anger on the fire, Luci seemed to have calmed down.


    As he stopped crying, he slowly descended from the air and his fire soon became extinguished.


    Hugh and Serena were left with Luci sitting on the floor as if nothing had happened. They both looked at each other, clueless as to what they were going to do.


    FLASH


    "Hey! Look who it is! It''s the freak, Luci!" a voice berated Luci.


    Luci was walking away from the school on his way back home. He had heard other worse stuff from his classmates, so he did not mind it all that much.


    "You should just leave here, will you?" the voice said as metal can be thrown towards Luci.


    *TINK*


    Luci was hit directly in the head. His bullies laughed as hard as they could when they saw that.


    Luci was beyond angry as he tried to restrain himself from lashing out with these kids. His hands started to be enveloped by a wildfire, but he convinced himself that it was not worth it.


    ''Do not ever show your powers to anybody, alright?''


    Those were the words of his parents. They discovered that he had powers when he was a kid, and they were afraid of others finding out.


    From then on, their family lived in anxiousness as at any moment, Luci could be found out.


    As he returned home, he quickly went to his room without greeting anyone.


    "Luci, come eat your dinner!" Hugh shouted from the kitchen.


    However, Luci ignored him and went straight to his room. He wanted to be alone right now.


    Luci remembered the humiliation and embarrassment he felt from those kids back at school.


    It was ironic and funny to think about what happened to him. Due to trying to fit in, Luci was labeled as an outcast and treated without respect.


    Their whole family could not go outside without whispers going around the neighborhood.


    Luci opened the window from his room as he went outside. Then, he went out the roof and looked down.


    Then, he jumped.


    However, he did not fall to the ground. Soon he soared through the skies like a bird with wings. This was the only time he had ever felt alive.


    Touching the clouds, seeing the stars and moon up close, was the best feeling ever to decompress.


    His parents had told him not to use his powers, but Luci would sneak out now and then to practice his powers.


    He never understood why he had to hide his powers from anybody. It was a wonderful thing, this power that he had. Was it so bad?


    Luci decided. If those bullies came to harass him once again, then he would show them his true powers.


    FLASH


    "Get out!"


    "Leave this neighborhood!"


    "You''re a freak! The son of the devil!"


    "Their whole family should be burned at the stake!"


    All kinds of shouts could be heard outside their house. Hugh and Serena made sure to lock all doors and windows so that no one could come in.


    "It''s okay, Luci. They just don''t appreciate your gifts," Hugh said as he rubbed Luci''s hair.


    "That''s right. Don''t mind them," Serena said as she smiled at him.


    Serena and Hugh knew that this day would be inevitable. They had already prepared for this, but it was still a surprise to witness.


    *BOOM*


    A large explosion suddenly occurred and blasted Hugh, Serena, and Luci away from each other.


    The whole neighborhood had gotten too far. They used an explosive to get inside the house and storm the house.


    Luci was the first time to wake up. He coughed as he looked around. He was still disoriented, but his adrenaline kept him focused.


    Then, he saw Hugh and Serena lying in a pool of their blood. Seeing what had happened to his parents, something inside Luci broke.


    "AAAAAHHHHHH!!!!" Luci shouted with all his might.


    The ground shook, and the whole village was alerted. When they all looked inside, they saw Luci staring back at them with a fierce glare.


    They were scared to their wits. However, they still wanted Luci to die.


    "Hey! What are you looking at! This is your fault for being born!"


    "Yeah!"


    "Get out of here before we kill you, freak!"


    Luci laughed.


    "Hahaha¡­.HAHAHAHAHA¡­."


    The villagers were confused at Luci''s weird behavior. They were more creeped out by him.


    "Hahaha¡­yeah. If I am a freak, then I should act like one!"


    Luci''s whole body was then enveloped by this strange black and red veins that traveled all around his body. Then, Luci started to float in the air.


    The villagers did not know what they were dealing with. In their fear and confusion, they had angered Luci and made him accept who he truly was.


    They awakened something that should have stayed dormant.


    A large blue fire appeared in Luci''s hand. Then, he pointed the fire towards the town. Then, he launched it without hesitation.


    The blue fire traveled through the air and got bigger and bigger as it went towards the town. The villagers watched as the blue fire consumed their whole town in a second.


    *BOOOOM*


    Their whole town decimated within a second. With just that one show of skill, the villagers knew they screwed up.


    However, Luci was neither forgiving nor benevolent. He raised his fist in the air, and the ground underneath the villagers quaked.


    Soon, they all saw themselves falling through a big hole that Luci had made. Once they were deep enough, Luci closed the hole and left them all to rot down there.

 Chapter 181: Revolution

    FLASH


    "The Devil is coming!"


    People ran amok in the streets as pandemonium reigned amok the weak. Houses and buildings on fire, the streets detailed with bloodshed.


    It was chaos. People scrambled to save their own lives, but they could do nothing as the Devil ran through them like butter.


    "You puny humans," said a figure floating about the town.


    The man''s face was full of red and black lines that detailed his features. His cheekbones were as sharp as a blade.


    His hair was red and black. However, there was still a strand of golden yellow hair hidden at the back of his head.


    This was Luci.


    He was completely consumed by his anger and vengeance. His hatred for humanity only became larger as he conquered city from city in an attempt to unify every single land.


    Although his goal might seem justifiable, his path was paved with the blood of innocent people. For him, all people were the same.


    People cannot be reasoned with. The only thing that can make them submissive was to show them true fear.


    Luci already tried to reason with the humans back when he was a child. Nothing good came out of it. In the end, his parents were killed because the people were stupid and evil.


    The dead people in the ground started to twitch as Luci raised his hands in the air. The dead bodies seemed to have been revived in a zombified state where they would follow Luci''s command.


    There was no one left to stop him.


    *SHHOOO*


    Suddenly, there was a projectile coming towards him at fast speeds. When Luci looked ahead, he saw a missile coming right towards him.


    "Hahaha¡­useless," Luci said as the missile hit his body and a large explosion occurred.


    *BOOOM*


    The army of men at the bottom rejoiced as they saw their missile hit the Devil. They had finally hit the evil conqueror of this land.


    However, what they saw next retired the light sour of them.


    Luci was standing still in the air. His clothes were not burned at all, and there was not a scratch on his body. He was as good as ever as if the missile had not hit him.


    Instead, the red lines all over his body seemed to have gained energy as they lit up like a bright light.


    Luci took a deep breath. Thanks to the missile, he had regained his energy just like that. They did not know that destruction is his way of recharging his energy.


    It had been years and years since he started to conquer the whole world. However, the humans still found a way to try and fight him.


    However, Luci would always prevail. There was a vast difference between him and mortals that they could never cross in a million years.


    Luci raised his arm and a black ball full of black lightning suddenly appeared. He had gotten bored of the playing, and now he intended to finish the human army.


    However, as he looked down, he saw something that shocked him deep to his core.


    It made him hesitate, which had not happened in over thirty years of his mission to conquer the whole world.


    It was his parents, Hugh and Serena.


    Their faces had an uncanny similarity to his parents. However, that was impossible since he saw them die right in front of his eyes.


    He even buried them in a hill near their house. How? How could they appear here?


    Luci''s mind was in disarray as he looked at them.


    Serena and Hugh both had anxious and nervous eyes. They seemed to be afraid, a common description for any human at this time.


    Then, they saw Luci come down towards them. Luci saw deep fear in their eyes. What''s more, they did not recognize him.


    Just as Luci floated down, the human army used this opportunity to bombard him with missiles.


    However, Luci ignored all of them as missiles started to explode in his body. Nothing worked as Luci continues his journey down.


    Hugh and Serena held each other in fear. Luci realized his mistake. He should have shown them his real face, his human face.


    Then, the black and red lines in his face started to disappear. Even his black and red hair started to be replaced by a beautiful golden yellow color.


    His face was practically the same as when they had died. Luci hoped that they would recognize him.


    Even after thirty years, Luci still had longed for his parents.


    However, Hugh and Serena still looked at Luci with wariness. However, as they saw his real face, their faces lightened.


    For some reason, they felt at peace or comforted by Luci''s face.


    However, Luci saw something in their eyes. They could not recognize him.


    Luci frowned as he raised his hand and reached deep into their deep psyche. What he saw surprised him.


    They had no recollection of Luci. Impossible! How could that happen?


    "Mama! Papa!" a little voice suddenly shouted.


    Then, Luci saw a little girl about ten years old approach Hugh and Serena.


    "Gabriella!" Hugh and Serena were both rejoiced as they saw their only daughter.


    Luci was speechless and confused at the scene. They seemed to have completely different memories from what he had seen.


    Then, it hit him. These were not his parents, but their reincarnation.


    The revelation hit Luci like a truck. He started to back away from Hugh and Serena.


    No wonder they did not recognize him. Luci was confused, and his feelings were in disarray.


    Since they had no relation to him, Luci reasoned that they were just normal humans. They were just an obstacle to his mission to conquer the world.


    However, he could not bring himself to kill them. They looked exactly like his parents.


    Now, they had a new child, Gabriella. She looked very similar to Luci, and people would have believed that they were siblings.


    Gabriella and Luci looked at each other. Even though she was little, she put herself forward in front of her parents to try and protect them.


    She reminded him of himself when he was a child. It gave him nostalgia and pain as he remembered those times.


    "Get him!" the human army continued to bombard Luci with missiles. They did not care that there was an innocent family near Luci.


    Luci frowned as he raised his hand and crushed the missiles coming towards him.


    "Come with me," Luci said towards Serena and Hugh.


    However, they flinched away from him. In their eyes were despair and fear. They hated him for destroying their home.


    Luci''s eyes were pained. He expected this to happen, but it was not easy to hear.


    Luci decided to let them be as he retreated away from them. The human army rejoiced as they saw Luci go into hiding.


    FLASH


    The world had not seen the Devil in ten years. However, they could not bring themselves to forget the misery and destruction he had caused.


    The humans prepared a counterattack in the Devil''s castle, but they were quickly repelled by his zombie army.


    The humans needed something else. Thankfully for them, a new breed of humans seemed to have been born.


    New humans could summon fire, water, earth, and all kinds of supernatural phenomena.


    Some of them could fly, some had super strength and other magnificent abilities.


    This new revolution in humans was all thanks to a certain person.


    Gabriella.


    She was the one who was the progenitor of the new breed of humans. She could bestow upon humans unlimited power.


    She could tap into a human''s latent ability and supercharge it.


    She was the leading charge to gather heroes and defeat the Demon Lord Devil once and for all. It was her destiny.


    FLASH


    The heroes fought a hard battle towards the Devil''s castle. They had killed millions of demon spawn and zombies as they reached the main castle.


    Luci sat on his throne in the dark. He waited for the heroes without doing anything.


    As he saw Gabriella leading the charge, he did not feel angry nor resentful. For some reason, he felt proud.


    She seemed to be the leader of this mission, which meant that she had gotten the approval of the humans.


    She did not have to endure the pain and suffering he had to.


    Gabriella walked towards Luci with determination on her face. She raised her sword in the air and gave Luci one final look.


    Luci was the one who had destroyed her hometown and killed millions of lives. Her actions were justified.


    However, why does she feel sad seeing his lonely expression?


    She steeled her heart. She gripped her sword hard and stabbed it directly in the Devil''s heart.


    The Devil smiled, finally relieved of the pain in this world. Maybe in his next life, he could live a normal life with his parents.


    His eyes watered as he saw Gabriella. She also looked a little sad.


    However, Luci suddenly saw a sword pierce through Gabriella''s stomach.

 Chapter 182: Solution

    Luci saw the look of betrayal in Gabriella''s eyes. Her face showed confusion and fear, and ultimately, regret. She kept this sad face as she lost all color of life in her face.


    The person behind her, the person who had stuck a blade in her stomach, stood still as if he had done his job properly.


    "Gabriella, you are a traitor to the nation, the world, and humanity itself," the man said with a smile on his face.


    "The president doesn''t like a person much powerful than him, so he had you killed," the man continued, and the other heroes were not surprised.


    It looked like everyone that came with them was in on the plan. Only Gabriella and Luci were out of the project.


    "Don''t worry, your parents will be safe, I think, actually maybe they died already. Nobody could survive fifty nights in a dungeon without food. We will even have a commemorative day for you," the man said as he cleaned the blood off his sword.


    "You just won''t be able to see it," he said with a chuckle.


    Gabriella tried her hardest to stand up, but the pain was too strong. She couple barely open her eyes.


    "You¡­you¡­," Gabriella said with a frustrated face.


    After all the sacrifices she made for the country, the country ultimately betrayed her. She has thought she was protecting a rightful country, it turned out she was wrong.


    "Hahaha¡­," Luci chuckled.


    The rest of the heroes were alerted of Luci''s laugh. They had thought that he had died, but it seemed that he was at it his last legs still.


    "You''re not dead yet?" the man said as he raised his sword in the air.


    "Nothing changed," Luci uttered. "Humanity will still be as stupid as it was before."


    The man seemed very offended by Luci''s words. He scowled at Luci.


    "Humanity is the one who killed you!" the man yelled as he slashed his sword towards Luci.


    However, his sword stopped in the air. No matter how hard he tried to push his sword deeper, it could not move.


    The rest of the heroes held their weapons by their sides s they looked at Luci. They were prepared to kill him at all costs.


    "I thought that my death will give humanity its peace," Luci said as he raised his hand and hovered it over his wound.


    Then, a red light filled his hands and made his wounds disappear in an instant. The man and the rest of the heroes were alarmed.


    "I was willing to die by her hands," Luci said. "Then, she could live her life without worries,"


    Then, Luci stood up. The rest of the heroes flinched away from Luci as they felt the pressure increase around their bodies.


    "It''s ironic. You killed the person who would have saved you," Luci said as he raised his hand and pointed it to the man who killed Gabriella.


    Then, the man felt an excruciating amount of pain in his neck. It was as if something was squeezing it and preventing him from breathing.


    Then, Luci closed his hand and the man''s throat was crushed as well. The man fell to the ground with his lifeless body.


    The rest of the heroes looked on at the man with fear in their eyes. They thought that Luci was weak, but they thought wrong.


    "AAAHHH!!" they all screamed as they scrambled out of the room.


    However, Luci would not let that happen. Their deaths were secured as soon as they betrayed Gabriella. It was their fate to die, and Luci''s fate to kill them.


    Countless monsters started to appear from the floor. They all had vicious canine mouths and teeth that could kill an entire person with one bite.


    Soon enough, the heroes were hunted down looked like rats on a sewer. They tried to run as fast as they could, but they were not faster than Luci''s monsters.


    Some tried to fight back, but they could not handle an army of monsters in Luci''s beck and call.


    Luci donned his black cape as he floated to the atmosphere. Then, he looked at the horizon of human cities in his sight.


    They all looked peaceful. However, they were all just a bunch of savages who would kill anyone if it meant that they could have their greed.


    He had stopped his conquest so many years ago, but this time, he would go into the end. He would make humanity extinct, no matter what it took.


    Then, he raised his hands and reigned his terror onto humanity. No building, house, or human was safe. They were all massacred.


    Humanity tried to fight back again. They had advanced in their technology, but not even a nuclear bomb was enough to stop Luci.


    Some heroes tried to fight back, but they all quickly lost. These were not the best heroes that humanity offered.


    The best heroes were already dead in Luci''s castle.


    From every edge of the world, Luci walked with his eyes set on the horizon. He did not stop, he continued to lay waste on humanity.


    The days and the hours blended into Luci''s mind. He was not thinking of anything, just killing everything.


    At the very end when all was left was the remnants of civilization, Luci looked up.


    He had done it. He had conquered the world and killed off humanity. His job was done.


    However, he felt empty. With nothing else to do, Luci was left all alone in a desolate world. He could not have anything more, as he had erased everything.


    Luci closed his eyes as he transcended from mortal being, into the god of this universe. He could do anything.


    He could create, destroy, and he could live a million years, but he could not die. That was the one thing he could not do.


    Eons after eons, Luci had become bored. He did not want to stay stagnant in a stagnant world.


    Luci suddenly remembered the happy memories from when he was a kid. He had no powers, no worries, and no burdens.


    He remembered the comfortable wooden bed, the creaky doors, and the leaky pipes of the sink. However, despite its flaws, it was home.


    If he did not have powers back then, what would have happened to him. Would he have a normal life?


    Luci was feeling nostalgic, and he decided something that would change the world.


    Luci raised his hand and created a vertical line in reality. He spread it open, and he could see the small wooden house in the hills.


    This was his house, his home.


    Then, he stepped foot in it.


    FLASH


    Hugh and Serena both woke up from their deep sleep. When they looked up, they saw that they were sitting in a field full of students.


    They knew where they were. They were at their graduation. However, they had this weird dream about their future lives.


    Their son had the destiny of becoming a devil overlord that would destroy humanity as it is.


    Hugh and Serena both looked at each other, and they both realized that they both dreamt of the same thing.


    "WOOO!!!!" the students cheered as they threw their graduation caps in the air.


    Hugh and Serena locked eyes with each other as a slew of caps rained down upon them.


    "Did you¡­," Hugh asked.


    "Yes. We¡­," Serena replied.


    The dream did not seem like a dream at all. It seemed more like reality than a dream. They had not felt like this before.


    "We should¡­," Hugh said as he turned around and started to run away from Serena.


    "Wait!" Serena shouted as she caught Hugh by his sleeves.


    Hugh was confused. "Didn''t you see what would happen? Humanity will die!"


    Serena was silent. However, she did not release her grip from Hugh''s sleeves.


    "But¡­he''s our son," Serena said as her eyes watered.


    Hugh was speechless. He could understand what Serena felt, as he also felt the same way. However, if their dream was true, then they would spawn a demon lord.


    What should they do? Should they separate from each other and escape that future? Or should they get together and try to change their son''s future?


    Those were the questions posed on both Hugh and Serena.


    FLASH


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Hugh and Serena both opened their eyes. When they came to their senses, they saw the same old dark room they were in before.


    They were Hugh and Serena, students that came into this dungeon on a field trip.


    However, they still remembered that alternate life where they had a son.


    "So, what are your answers?" a voice suddenly asked.


    Hugh and Serena were both alerted by the voice. They quickly raised their guard and looked warily among their surroundings.


    Then, they both looked up. They saw the devilish face that kept following them.


    Then, they noticed the designs of the devil''s face. For some reason, they looked similar to the Devil form of Luci, their son from an alternate life.


    "What is the answer to the solution?" the voice asked.

 Chapter 183: Fate

    "What?" Hugh asked as he looked up at the devilish face.


    This was the first time that he had heard the face talk. However, its mouth and face did not move as it talked.


    "To be or not to be. Follow fate to its demise, or try to defy it?"


    Hugh frowned. He did not know what the devilish face was talking about. What fate? He did not connect it to his alternate life at all.


    "You are Luci, aren''t you?" Serena asked as she looked up at the devilish face.


    The devilish face was silent after Serena figured out his real identity. Even Hugh was surprised at the revelation.


    "What?! He is Luci?" Hugh said as he looked up with a surprised face.


    As he observed the devilish face, he suddenly remembered a very vivid vision of Luci when he was conquering the world.


    The face, the red and black lines, everything looked the same. It truly was Luci right before their eyes.


    However, why was he here? Was that alternate life real? Did that happen? Did he and Serena have a preset fate in their hands?


    "You had it hard, didn''t you?" Serena uttered as she raised her hand and tried to touch the devilish face.


    However, the face was out of reach. It was in the ceiling, but Serena felt like she would not reach the face even if she tried her hardest to jump.


    The height difference is as vast as heaven and earth. Serena was a mortal, while the devilish face was a godlike creature.


    "Choose," the devilish face uttered, ignoring the words of Serena.


    However, how could Serena and Hugh answer the question so easily? The fate of the world rested on their hands, and it was not so easy to throw it away.


    Even though it was an alternate reality, Serena still loved Luci dearly. He was just a misunderstood and mistreated kid in a world where he was alone.


    Due to that, he was led down the wrong path.


    Hugh and Serena could not do easily kill off their son. Something deep inside their bodies and mud was preceding that, their parental instincts.


    "Choose or I will bestow upon you a burden you cannot bear," said the voice.


    No matter what the voice said, Serena did not dare to choose anything. Her whole mind was conflicted and she could not think of anything.


    "Fine," the voice said with a heavy voice. "I will choose for you."


    Then, Hugh and Serena were both surrounded by a strange power that they could not escape from.


    A red light suddenly appeared on their fingers. When they looked down, they saw a red string connecting their little fingers.


    This was the red string of fate.


    Their fates were sealed together, destined to never be apart from each other.


    "Soon, you will meld, and I will have my reincarnation," the voice uttered as the face suddenly moved.


    "You cannot escape."


    The voice echoed along with the room as the face moved away from the room, never to be seen ever again.


    Hugh and Serena looked at their fingers and saw a red ring tattooed around their pinky finger.


    That was not an illusion, but a source of power created than anything they had ever seen. They both felt a connection ever since they got their fates intertwined with each other.


    After that, silence reigned upon the room as Hugh and Serena looked down.


    With their inability and hesitation to choose, they might have unleashed a greater evil upon the world. They might have signed the contract that will destroy the whole world.


    Then, a bright light suddenly appeared in front of them. When they looked at it, they saw a tunnel that led to the outside.


    Without hesitation, they both stepped foot outside and never looked back.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Aric and Jane were both looking at a strange building in front of them.


    This was the same building that the Shark Loan Company had when they were back in the town.


    "This must be the place," Jane said as she looked at the bald guards roaming around the place.


    "Do you think Mia is in there?" Aric asked as he saw the impenetrable defenses of the whole building.


    "We''ll just have to try," Jane said as she soon sneaked closer to the building.


    Aric had no choice but to follow Jane in their quest to try and break Mia out of the prison. Although, Aric was not even sure that Mia was in there.


    However, as Jane and Aric moved closer, they suddenly saw the door burst wide open. They quickly hid in the corner so as not to be spotted.


    Then, they took a peek around the corner to see who had come out.


    "Where are we going?"


    Aric and Jane both heard this voice, and they realized that it was familiar. It was Darren''s voice.


    When they peeked around the corner, they saw Darren, Miser, and other strangers walk away from the building.


    From what they could see, Miser and Darren had shackles around their arms so that they could not escape. It was clear that the other men around them were their kidnappers.


    "Let''s go!" Aric said as he got ready to save both Miser and Darren from the shackles.


    However, Jane stopped Aric from advancing any further as she covered his mouth.


    "What are you doing?!" she whispered. "We should wait before we act."


    "%^*+€€," Aric mumbled.


    "What?" Jane asked. Then, she realized that she still had her hand on Aric''s mouth.


    "Why should we wait?" Aric asked now that his mouth was free from Jane''s deathly grip.


    "There are still many guards here. We should follow them and wait until they are away from their base," Jane stated as she looked at the group.


    Aric nodded as he realized the plan.


    As Miser''s group started to move, Aric and Jane both moved stealthily behind. They made sure to follow at an appropriate distance so as not to be noticed.


    They watched as the group moved on a slap once on their carriage towards the distance. From their direction, it looked like they were heading towards the Cheroque kingdom.


    Jane and Aric followed shortly after. Thankfully, they were both fit and healthy students. They could follow the carriage without getting tired at all.


    Finally, the carriage stopped. The guards let the horses take a rest and gave them food.


    When Jane surveyed the situation, she saw that there were ten bald guards in total, and they all wore fully plated armor.


    However, Jane was not worried about them. She was worried at the strange-looking man sitting in the carriage.


    The man was relaxed even though he did not have any weapon on his waist. However plain he looked, he felt like the strongest being out there.


    The man also never left Darren and Miser''s side. He stuck to them like glue, and nothing Darren of Miser did was out of the man''s eyesight.


    Jane and Aric waited for the perfect opportunity. Then, they saw Darren pick up something from the ground.


    Then, Jane signaled Aric to envelop himself with black fire.


    Aric was like a large beacon that could not be ignored. As Darren picked up something off the ground, he quickly noticed Aric and Jane out there.


    His eyes widened, but he did not behave any differently. He kept going on his business as if he had not seen anything.


    "Did he see us?" Aric asked.


    Jane nodded. As expected of a veteran like Darren, he knew how to react properly when the time came.


    If Darren had reacted differently, the guards and the man would have noticed something weird. Then, Jane and Aric''s position would be compromised.


    "My leg hurts from being inside all the time," Darren commented as he stomped his foot on the ground.


    Thankfully, nobody seemed to have noticed his actions. This was exactly what he wanted.


    Soon enough, the carriage got ready to depart once again.


    As the carriage left the area, Aric and Jane showed themselves. Then, they looked towards where Darren had stomped on the ground.


    As they expected, there was a hidden message in the ground. Darren had stomped it before they all left.


    From their perspective, the lines and steps seemed like random things. However, Jane knew that there was something more.


    She looked at every part and she changed her perspective on the matter.


    As she squatted down a few meters away from the drawing, she suddenly saw a pattern. The random squiggles formed into something more concrete.


    She smiled as she saw a castle-like drawing. This was presumably the Cheroque kingdom.


    Then, there was a letter on the inside of this castle drawing. The letter M.


    Mia. The decoded message of the letter meant that Mia was inside the castle of the Cheroque kingdom. She was presumably abducted by the ones that captured Miser and Darren.


    "Let''s go!" Aric said as they both set their way towards the Cheroque kingdom to rescue Mia.

 Chapter 184: Sneak

    Hugh and Serena were both silent as they walked in the wide plains of the outskirts of the Cheroque kingdom. They were silently thinking about what happened to them back then.


    Hugh looked at his pinky finger and saw a red ring tattooed on it. It was the physical evidence that what happened was real.


    Serena was also speechless as she looked forward. She did not think that her fate would have been predestined by some kind of god.


    "There must be some kind of way to change it, right?" Hugh asked.


    "Yeah, there must be," Serena answered.


    Hugh and Serena were just starting to be friends. Being told that they are destined for each other was a sensitive topic.


    Currently, they did not feel anything for each other except for a platonic relationship. Now that they already know what happens if they got together, they had more distance because of it.


    *clack* *clack*


    From the distance, they suddenly heard the sounds of hooves beating in the ground. There seemed to be a lot of horses as Hugh and Serena get the ground shake.


    Hugh and Serena looked at each other and they decided to hide.


    They hurried towards a large boulder to the side to hide from the incoming parade of horses. They held their breaths as they waited for the army to come.


    "Hut¡­hut¡­.hut¡­"


    Hugh and Serena took a peek from the boulder and saw many soldiers marching towards the Cheroque kingdom. The number must have been in the hundreds.


    They all wore similar uniforms and armor that had a design of a mighty dragon.


    After the hundreds of soldiers were knights who rode on horses. They all had a large lance by their side as their main weapon.


    The knights also numbered in the hundreds as they all marched together under one banner. They seemed to be very mighty foes.


    In the middle of the parade was a carriage held together by dark oak wood and carried by mighty-looking horses.


    Hugh and Serena guessed that this was the commander in chief of this army that was marching.


    Then, the window of the carriage opened and a man with scars on his face peeked out and looked around. Hugh and Serena quickly hid back away from sight.


    If they had continued to look, the commander would have seen them. It was a close call, and they both did not dare to look again.


    After they heard the carriage leave, Hugh and Serena both heaved a sigh of relief. They had no chance against an army of fully armored men.


    Even though they were strong, they could be easily overcome with numbers.


    When they peeked back out, they saw fewer and fewer soldiers marching. Hugh and Serena waited until the last soldier had passed them.


    "Who do you think they are?" Serena asked.


    Hugh rubbed his chin as he was in deep thought. "They may be the ones that are chasing Mia."


    Serena nodded her head. It was a valid guess and she was sure that it''s as correct. Not to mention that the army had the emblem of the Cheroque kingdom and the same from the direction of the town.


    "We should follow them!" Serena said.


    Hugh also agreed. If they could somehow sneak into their ranks and try to spy on them, then they could have an advantage against these armies.


    "How are we going to do that?" Hugh asked as they all looked towards two soldiers falling behind the platoon.


    Hugh and Serena both nodded at each other as they sneaked behind the platoon. They both chose the ones that we''re falling behind in the march.


    *DUG* *DUG*


    The platoon leader heard something, so he looked back. However, he did not see anything wrong. Then, he focused his sight on the front.


    Hugh and Serena sighed as they both held up the unconscious bodies of the soldiers.


    After the line of sight was gone, they both sneaked out of the platoon and removed the armor and uniform away from the soldiers.


    Once they had donned themselves with the armor, they look indistinguishable from the other soldiers. With this, they could finally sneak into the ranks.


    "You two!" the platoon leader shouted.


    Hugh and Serena both froze. Was their disguise quickly found out? Do they have to escape right away?


    "March faster! Do you not know how to march?!" the platoon leader reprimanded them.


    Hugh and Serena both heaved a sigh of relief. They both could finally March knowing that they are thought of as normal soldiers.


    However, the hard part was not over. They were currently at the belly of the beast, the heart of the monster. One wrong move and they could be surrounded by enemies.


    They had to be careful and not their identities leak.


    Hugh and Serena marched with the army until nighttime. They could see the outline of the Cheroque kingdom, which meant that they could soon set foot in it.


    "Rest for now. We only have a day''s walk left till we reach the kingdom!" the platoon leader shouted.


    Then, most of their platoon relaxed and set their tents. Hugh and Serena were clueless on what to do, so they just followed the majority


    Then, the soldiers started a camper fire where they warmed their bodies and relaxed. Some of them burned heIt food to make it warm, and some just went straight to sleep.


    "Huh, you have very pretty eyes, cadet," a soldier said as he looked at the helmet worn by Serena.


    Serena moved her head away from the Soldier. Hugh quickly tried to distract the situation.


    "Why did we even go to that town?" Hugh asked suddenly.


    Then, the whole platoon went silent. Hugh was alarmed. His identity was now at risk since it looked like he had said something wrong.


    "Hey," the soldier whispered. "You shouldn''t talk about that so loud."


    The soldier pointed toward the platoon leader''s tent. It seemed that something bad would happen if the platoon leader heard what Hugh said.


    "You can''t criticize them," the soldier said. "You are just a cadet, so maybe they''ll forgive you."


    Hugh went silent as he looked at the platoon leader''s tent. It seemed like something was going on with the upper ranks of the army.


    "We are also clueless," the soldier commented. "Only the platoon leaders know."


    Hugh frowned. It looked like he would have to find out more information only from the platoon leaders. If he pressured the soldiers for information, it would lead to nowhere.


    The problem was the platoon leader. He was at the upper ranks of the army, and he held a lot of sway and power. One wrong move and he could order for Hugh to be executed.


    He had to decide whether it was worth it to risk for the information.


    Then, Hugh felt a tap on his shoulder. When he looked at who it was, it was Serena.


    "What is it?" Hugh asked.


    However, Serena did not speak. Hugh looked around the scene and did not see anyone listening to them.


    "You can whisper," Hugh said.


    However, Serena did not speak as if she was embarrassed to speak.


    Then, Serena pointed towards the tents that were set up by the soldiers. Most of them had small tents and big tents, but there was never a tent for only one person.


    Serena would have to sleep with the other soldiers. That was very risky to do, so it was a problem that he had to solve.


    "We have to sleep together," Serena whispered to Hugh''s ears.


    Hugh was immediately taken aback by Serena''s words. His ears burned red and he flinched away from her. He was flustered, to say the least.


    "What are you saying?! Didn''t you see what would happen if we do that?" Hugh said with an embarrassed face.


    Serena frowned as she looked at Hugh''s strange reaction. At first, she did not know what got Hugh so worked up.


    Then, she also realized what Hugh had misinterpreted. Then, her cheeks blushed as she got flustered as well.


    "You idiot!" Serena said as she punched Hugh''s arms. "I meant we should stay in the same tent!"


    Once the misunderstanding was solved, Hugh felt more secure. He had thought that the red string of fate had done something to Serena.


    "Fine, but don''t try anything," Hugh said as he covered his body.


    Serena had her jaws dropped as she saw Hugh acting all embarrassed. She was the one who was supposed to say those things, but Hugh dared to say that.


    "Like I would do anything to you!" Serena said as she kicked Hugh''s butt.


    Once they were inside the tent, they were squished in together. There was an uncomfortable silence between them.


    "Move," Serena said as she tried to punch Hugh away.


    However, there was barely any room left. Hugh was already forced to squeeze in his body, so Serena was asking for something impossible.


    "You move! I can''t breathe anymore!" Hugh said.

 Chapter 185: Spy

    The very next day, Hugh and Serena woke up with the roll call. Serena had to make her voice low to try and make the impression that she was a man.


    "Present," Serena uttered with a low voice.


    Thankfully, nobody seemed to be noticed it. There did not seem to have any problems as all of them were minding their businesses.


    After that, the whole army started to move together. This time, they have headed towards the Cheroque kingdom again.


    They only needed one day''s worth of marching t to be able for each kingdom now. Most of them were reenergized by this fact.


    They could not wait to get back to their families and home. The worst thing was that this whole March had been all for nothing.


    After they set out for a remote town in the middle of nowhere, they were immediately ordered to return.


    Of course, some of them were happy that no fight had occurred. If a war had occurred, they would have to fight, and many people would die.


    For others, they were not happy that they did not get to see bloodshed. Some of them only joined the army to see that kind of violence.


    However, despite their disagreement with the upper ranks of the army, they did not dare complain to them.


    If they complain so much about the quality of food, they would be immediately be killed. It would be better to just put up with all the difficult commands.


    Then, once they were back at their homes, they could curse out their superiors in a bar somewhere. But right now, they had put up with it.


    Jane and Hugh both walked at the very last rows of the army. They did not want to stand out and be seen by the commander upfront.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    The commander tapped the wooden desk in his carriage. Something was bothering him deep to his core. It felt like he was vulnerable someplace.


    "What''s the wrong commander?" a soldier asked.


    The commander just shook his head. He could not point his feeling out. It was just a gut feeling that had no real meaning to it.


    After a minute of deep thinking, the commander spoke to the soldier to relay his command.


    "Search for intruders," the commander said as he tapped the table.


    He was not sure that intruders were present, but he could not help but be concerned about them. His gut was never wrong.


    The soldier bowed towards the commander and walked out of the carriage to relay his command through the whole army.


    The upper ranks of the army were all gathered into one spot and told of the current situation. All of them nodded with serious faces as they heard the news.


    A spy was something despicable in their perspective. They hated having someone in their ranks that would betray them at a second''s notice.


    They all could not let that happen. So, they all dispersed as they all set out their plans to capture the spies.


    Hugh and Serena were marching with the soldiers when all of a sudden the platoon leader looked at them with serious faces.


    "What''s wrong with the platoon leader," Hugh asked as he looked at the leader.


    "Ooh¡­not good," the soldier said as he judged the face of the platoon leader.


    "Why? What''s wrong?" Hugh asked.


    Just as the soldier was about to speak, the platoon leader shouted towards them.


    "Stop talking!" the platoon leader shouted. "You are all a bunch of maggots!"


    The platoon leader then walked towards everyone to try and look at their faces. He was good at judging the faces of people he saw.


    "What did I teach you guys before?" the platoon leader asked as he put his hands behind him.


    The soldiers were all silent. Usually, this was a rhetorical question that should not be answered. If they answered, they would be punished for talking back.


    "Why aren''t you all answering?" the platoon leader shouted as he kicked a soldier in the shin.


    Most of the soldiers ignored this kind of stuff, but on the inside, they were furious at their platoon leader.


    The platoon leader was acting like he was god around here. He was acting like he could do anything to the soldiers just because of his rank.


    What''s worse was that the platoon leader only got his rank was because of nepotism. His brother was a close friend of a person swerving directly under the commander.


    The platoon leader had never even stepped foot into a real battlefield. The soldiered were even sure that he had never even killed a person.


    How could that person be their platoon leader? How could they follow him into death? How could they trust him?


    The answer was that they could not. They would rather die than serve their platoon leader again.


    Almost all of the soldiers here were planning to request a reassignment into another platoon. Some were even considering retirement.


    "You bunch of idiots!" the platoon leader shouted as he slapped a soldier out of nowhere.


    The soldier he had just slapped was the oldest here. He was a true senior that everybody respected, and he was older than the platoon leader.


    However, the platoon leader did not give the man the respect that he deserved.


    The soldier had served two wars and still survived. He did not deserve this kind of treatment. The only reason why the soldier was not promoted was that the person himself wanted to stay as a soldier.


    However, because the platoon leader was still the upper-ranking officer, the old soldier could not do anything but take the slap.


    The platoon leader also knew this. He knew that the old soldier could not do anything, that was why he often slapped this old man.


    Then, the platoon leader kept looking at the soldiers with a sharp eye. Then, he moved on to Hugh.


    "You fat ass! How did you even join this platoon?" the platoon leader asked as he punched Hugh''s fats.


    Hugh''s anger bubbled up to the surface, but he decided that it was not worth it. He had to just kill the guy some other time.


    "Work out some more you dunce!" the platoon leader said as he pushed Hugh to the ground and spat on the ground.


    Hugh was barely hanging on to his anger. If he was pushed one more time, he would explode in anger and kill the platoon leader without hesitation.


    Then, the platoon leader moved on to Serena. She was under a lot of armor and her head was covered in a helmet.


    The platoon leader looked towards Serena with disdain.


    "You disrespectful bastard! You should remove your helmet when facing me!" the platoon leader shouted as he took off Serena''s helmet.


    As soon as her helmet was off, her luscious golden hair flowed out. Everyone could see that a beautiful dame was hiding under that pile of steel.


    They did not expect this, nobody did. As far as they know, there was nobody like her in the platoon, not even in the whole army.


    Sure, there were women in the army, but no one was as beautiful as her. They were all shocked.


    Hugh frowned. It looked like Serena''s cover was blown, and now, he had to kill off everyone in the platoon and try to escape.


    "You¡­you''re an s¡­," the platoon leader trailed off.


    He was supposed to say that Serena was a spy, but then, he suddenly got a man''s idea in his head. A smirk grew on his face.


    "I have never seen you before. When did a beautiful girl like you join this platoon?" the platoon leader asked with a smile on his face.


    Serena gulped as she heard the platoon leader. She did not like the way that the platoon leader was looking at her up and down like prized meat.


    "Just recently, sir," Serena replied.


    The platoon leader nodded his head as if he believed Serena''s lies.


    "Okay, I believe you," the platoon leader said with a smile on his face.


    Hugh, Serena, and the rest of the platoon were surprised when they heard that. Did the platoon leader plan something.


    "I need you to visit my quarters right now, and¡­relieve my stress," the platoon leader said as greed and lust filled his eyes.


    Serena and Hugh frowned as they heard the disgusting proposition from the platoon leader.


    Hugh got ready to kill the platoon leader without hesitation.


    Seeing that Serena had trouble saying yes, the platoon leader smiled ever more and moved closer to her.


    "Why not? You are not a spy are you?" the platoon leader said with a smile on his face.


    Everyone knew that the platoon leader already knew that Serena was a spy. He was just trying to take advantage of her.


    Serena had a choice in this matter. She could join the platoon leader and kept her secret, or be found out as a spy.


    "Platoon leader, she is a personal cousin of mine. She is not some spy," a random soldier said.

 Chapter 186: Box

    Hugh and Serena were both surprised that the soldier spoke up. They had both thought their cover was blown, but it seemed like this soldier had just saved them.


    "Yeah. She was my neighbor back in our street," another random soldier uttered.


    "She''s always been here, platoon leader."


    "She is an important part of our platoon."


    All of the soldiers started to agree and give Serena the backup that she needed. Without them, the platoon leader could have tried to execute her.


    However, why would the soldier do this? Why would they stick their neck out for a person that they know was a spy?


    The platoon leader was speechless. With all of the soldiers agreeing with each other, he had no choice but to believe them.


    "F¡ªfine. Get back to your places!" the platoon leader shouted as he was embarrassed by them.


    The platoon leader quickly went out of the way and went back to his place. With all of the soldiers going against him, he would be d pressed to find any reason to kill Serena.


    Once that platoon leader had left, they all heaved a sigh of relief, especially his Hugh and Serena.


    Hugh looked at all the soldiers and saw that they were all satisfied with their lies.


    "Why would you do that for us?" Serena asked.


    Then, the random soldier smiled and looked up at the skies.


    "What do you mean? You are our soldier, aren''t you?" the soldier said as he winked at both of them.


    Hugh and Serena both smiled. It seemed that not everybody in this army was a bad person. Particularly, this platoon seemed to be full of good people.


    "I don''t know what you guys are going here, but you better be careful," the soldier said.


    Hugh and Serena both nodded. They had seen firsthand how difficult it was to sneak into the army undetected.


    If it were not for the goodwill of the soldiers, she would have been killed or executed.


    Of course, she could have tried to escape with Hugh. However, they would not be able to spy for more information after that.


    The army would be tight and without any holes to pass through.


    "We didn''t want to serve the current commander," the soldier said with a melancholic look in his eyes.


    "However, we made a promise to the past queen of the kingdom."


    Once the soldier said those words, most of the soldiers removed their helmets and looked down. It looked like they were sad about the past queen.


    Hugh looked down as he was in deep thought. Past queen? Did that mean that it was Mia''s mother?


    "That''s why we are here," Hugh said as he looked at the soldiers. "We''re here to overthrow the current commander."


    The soldiers were surprised by Hugh''s motivation for spying in this army.


    Then, they all shook their heads. They knew firsthand how difficult it was to overthrow the commander. Not when the commander was at the peak of his power.


    "You better give up," the soldier said. "It''s impossible."


    Hugh and Serena frowned. Although the mission was hard, it was not impossible. There seemed to be something that they did not know.


    "Why?" Hugh asked.


    "The commander will soon become king," the soldier said.


    Hugh and Serena both looked at each other. They thought that only royals could become king or queen of the Cheroque kingdom.


    "There are no more royals in the kingdom to stop him," the soldier said with a deep and pained voice.


    Then, Hugh and Serena both looked at each other. It was not over yet. Mia was still the last living royal blood of the family.


    "There is still one!" Hugh said enthusiastically.


    The soldiers were surprised by Hugh''s words, but they did not believe him.


    "Her name is Mia, and she is the daughter of the former queen!" Hugh said.


    Then, the soldiers were in deep thought as they heard that. From what they remember, the former queen had formed her own family, but it was only a rumor.


    They did not think that it was true. No one thought it was true.


    "Why do you think the commander set off towards an unknown town? It''s because Mia was there!" Hugh hammered in his point.


    The soldiers started to have hope, but they still did not fully believe Hugh''s words. It seemed like it was too good to be true.


    "We came here to help Mia ascend her throne before the commander could conquer the whole kingdom!" Serena said.


    The soldiers all looked at each other and they all thought back to the time they served the royal family. They all longed for a noble cause like this.


    "We''ll help you," the soldier said as he raised his sword near his heart.


    Then, all the soldiers in the platoon raised their hands in participation. They were all ready to give their lives to serving the would-be queen of the Cheroque kingdom.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Jane and Aric both trekked their way towards the Cheroque kingdom.


    They were currently riding on a carriage that they had found in the middle of the forest.


    This was from a merchant, and they had agreed to let Aric and Jane on if they would guard the whole carriage. Since they were good fighters, nobody had approached the carriage.


    "Where should we go?" Aric asked.


    Jane was silent. She did not know what they were going to do once they got to the Cheroque kingdom.


    They knew that they had to find Mia and save her, but they did not know where to start. They only knew that she was in the Cheroque kingdom.


    "First, we''ll try to save Miser and Darren," Jane said.


    Aric nodded. Back then, they could not save them because there were too many enemies.


    Now that they were near the kingdom, they could sneak in and try to save them from the clutches of the bald men. The only one they had to worry about was the man in the carriage.


    He was the one who seemed strong from the beginning. However, there were two of them. If they had to fight, she was sure that they would win.


    After a long journey, they finally reached the gates of the kingdom.


    They could see that there were a lot of people walking in and out of the kingdom. It was bustling with people and businesses.


    Jane and Aric both got off the carriage as they both started to look for Miser and Darren.


    From what they saw from the hidden message back then, they should go look for them at the heart of the castle.


    When they both looked up, they could see an elevated castle in the middle of the kingdom. It was large and overbearing, but it somehow seemed devoid of any life.


    Aric and Jane quickly went towards the castle in an attempt to find Miser and Darren.


    They ran through the streets and the roads until they reached the very bottom of the castle.


    However, it was surrounded by a tall wall that was guarded by a lot of guards. They could not simply jump over it as they would be seen by a lot of people.


    They had to sneak in without anyone noticing. Then, they looked towards the entrance of the castle and saw big boxes being carried inside.


    Aric and Jane both thought the same thing as they approached the boxes.


    The guards of the entrance saw a man carrying a box using both his hands. He seemed to have trouble carrying it.


    "Let me see your certification," the guard said.


    Then, Aric peeked out from behind the box and smiled at the guards. Inside the box was Jane who bent her whole body to try and fit in.


    "It''s with my colleagues inside!" Aric said as he swayed left and right trying to balance the box in his hands.


    "We can''t let you inside," the guards said. Then, the guards eyed the box in his hands.


    "What is that inside? Let us take a look," the guard said as he walked closer to Aric.


    Aric was in a panic. If they looked at the inside of the box, they would see Jane and they would know they were trying to sneak in.


    The guards raised his hand as he was about to open the box when all of a sudden, Aric swayed to the left.


    "Hey! You want the big guy to be angry at both of us?! He wants it right now!" Aric shouted as if he was truly angry.


    Then, the guards flinched. They assumed that this package was for the commander.


    If they were caught delaying the package, then they would surely be killed on the spot. They could not risk that, so they decided to let Aric inside.


    "Okay, okay. Come inside," the guards said as they opened the doors to the inside of the castle.


    Once inside, the doors closed behind them. Aric stopped trying to pretend that the box was heavy for him to lift.


    Then, he walked towards a corner and left the box on the floor. Then, Jane came out of the box

 Chapter 187: Infiltrate

    Jane and Aric both stepped foot onto the castle without any expectations. They thought that it would be desolate or anything, but they were more than wrong.


    There were all sorts of decorations inside that would be the most that they had ever seen in their lifetime.


    There were chandeliers, paintings, ashtrays, and everything that had anything of large value.


    If they were to get some of these back, they would be very rich back in their world. Of course, they could not, or else they would be caught.


    There were not many people inside the castle, just a few maids and butlers roaming around. Thankfully, others were too busy to see anything.


    "You there, what are you doing?" a voice called out to Aric and Serena.


    They both turned towards the voice and saw that it was an old butler who wore an expensive suit. His hair was white and finely combed with jell.


    "We want to deliver this package," Jane said.


    The butler walked down from the stairs and walked over towards them. All the time, the butler only looked at Jane and Aric as if he were suspecting them.


    Of course, they tried to play it off. They both looked over the room to see if anything was looking at them.


    If the butler comes over and sees that there was nothing inside the box, then they would have to be forced to silence the butler.


    They would not go as far as killing the butler, but they were willing to knock him out. They could not afford to be seen at this place.


    They still had to save Miser and Darren so that they could all find Mia.


    When the butler walked over to the box, he quickly noticed that it was not even wrapped properly. There was not any indication that it was something from an official source.


    Jane and Aric both looked at each other and they got ready to knock out the butler at any second.


    Just when the butler opened the box, Jane and Aric both moved at the same time.


    Aric used both of his hands to catch the butler''s hands and restrain them from moving. He was a bit cautious since the butler seemed old. He did not want to accidentally kill him.


    Jane raised her hand as she looked at the butler''s neck. She was aiming towards the specific pressure point in which she could knock him unconscious with one move.


    Seeing her target, Jane attacked. However, just as she least expected it, she saw the butler''s head move a little bit to the side, dodging Jane''s attack.


    Then, the butler quickly got out of Aric''s grip and turn around towards Jane. With one move, he was able to grasp Jane''s hands and make her immovable.


    With the other hand, the butler took Aric''s hand and did e same thing to him. With this, the butler was able to turn the tables on both of them.


    "Who are you? Why have you come to this castle?" the butler asked as he continued to tighten his grip, hurting both of them.


    "Aric! You should have held him still!" Jane said with pain on her face.


    "I did! I never thought an old guy like him was strong!" Aric said as he felt pain in his joints.


    The butler was surprised that the both of them still dared to talk to each other. He had used his full strength, which meant that they should be feeling immense pain right now.


    "Answer my question!" the butler shouted towards them.


    However, before either of them could say an answer, the door to the castle burst open. The butler and the two of them were both alerted.


    When the butler looked at the entrance, he quickly felt a hostile reaction from them. They were not guests of their castle.


    The butler pulled Aric and Jane away to a secluded corner where they could not be seen, but also peek at the entrance to see who had come in.


    Jane and Aric both looked towards the entrance to see who had come in. When they say who it was, both of them were surprised.


    It was Miser and Darren who both had their hands behind them. Then, it was the man from before who did not have any weapons.


    They were followed by an army of bald men who had sharp weapons by their side. It was clear that they did not want anybody to disturb them.


    The butler''s eyebrows frowned as he saw the group at the entrance. There was even a hint of familiarity when he saw the people.


    "That''s Miser and Darren!" Aric whispered.


    They were the ones that Aric and Jane wanted to save. they both looked at each other and knew that it was now time to get serious.


    They both used all their strength to get out of the butler''s grasp. They quickly escaped from him.


    The butler was surprised to see that both of them had the strength to escape from his grasp. If they were able to do that the first time, why didn''t they?


    Then, Jane and Aric both walked over towards the entrance to confront the group and save Darren and Miser.


    "Wait!" the butler said as he grabbed both of them and prevented them from moving.


    "We have to save them!" Aric said with urgency.


    "They are the reason why we are here," Jane said.


    Then, the butler''s eyes widened. However, he still did not let the two of them go.


    "I want to save Darren and Miser too," the butler said.


    Aric and Jane were both surprised. They had not said anything about their names, yet the butler knew their names.


    This meant that the butler had a connection to both of them.


    "This is not the place to save them. We must wait until they get further into the castle," the butler said.


    Jane and Aric both stopped struggling and looked at the butler. Since it seemed that he knew about Darren, Jane and Aric both decided to trust him this time.


    They both agreed and hid deeper away from the sight of the bald group. They waited until they fully walked away.


    Then, the butler both took their hands and led them towards a corner of the room.


    "What are we doing here? Shouldn''t we follow them?" Aric asked.


    The butler did not answer and just touched the painting in front of him. Then, he tilted it to the side about thirty degrees to the left.


    Then, the room started to rumble as a hidden door slid to the side. The previous empty wall was now a hidden door that led to a dark alleyway.


    The butler then walked over towards a cabinet and took out a torch and lit it up. With this, he now had a source of light in the dark alleyway.


    Then, the butler walked over towards the alleyway and walked inside a step. Before he completely went in, he turned towards Aric and Jane.


    "Aren''t you coming in?" he asked.


    Aric and Jane both looked at each other. Then, they quickly followed the butler''s footsteps and that led them to a whole new other room.


    They walked up the stairs and continued going up. They were both confused as to where they were going, but it seemed that the butler knew the way.


    As they reached the end of the staircase, they saw a large red door. The butler took out his necklace and showed that it was a key.


    He opened the door and walked inside. When Jane and Aric stepped foot inside, they were both surprised to their core.


    When they looked down, they saw glasses that showed them everything under their feet. They saw the castle interior from a top view.


    "This is one-way glass. We can see them, but they can''t see us," the butler said as he continued to walk forward.


    Jane and Aric were both frozen while looking down, so they had to catch up to the butler.


    When they reached the butler, they saw that the bald men were just underneath them. They could see Miser and Darren and the guard containing them.


    "Where are they going?" Jane asked.


    Then, the butler looked forward and followed the bald men.


    "That''s what I want to know too," the butler said. "Why would they risk going inside?"


    That was true. Why would the bald men risk going inside when they knew that they would be arrested if they did anything malicious.


    They walked in without care as if they did not care about being seen. This was weird behavior. We''re they planning something?


    That was why the butler did not want to fight the bald men right away. He wanted to know what their goal was first.


    With that information, he could stop them before they reached their goal. Information was the first key to winning a war, and the butler knew that.

 Chapter 188: Secret

    Jane, Aric, and the butler all followed the trail of the bald men. They strudel through the walls as if they knew where they were going beforehand.


    This gave the butler a good idea that they had a man inside all along. The internal building of this castle was highly restricted, so that meant that they had information, not in the public.


    Darren and Miser were both led in the back as if they were being tortured. They could not move at all any of their limbs, just their legs.


    They did not know what they were going to doing. What could they do that the bald men could not?


    Then, they finally reached a certain door that led to a painting room. The group of bald men led Darren and Miser inside.


    Once they were there, they could see a myriad of paintings and artworks that seemed to be of high value. It was something that only a king could afford.


    Miser was kicked towards one of the biggest paintings inside the room. It was the only painting on this wall, making it much more special.


    When Miser looked at this painting, he felt that it was familiar.


    He could see that was it was a sky full of stars as a backdrop while the foreground was full of swaying grasses.


    When Miser saw this, it gave him peace and serenity. However, he did not know why the bald men wanted him to see this.


    "Now tell us the secret," the man without weapons said.


    Miser frowned. What secret? He did not know what he was talking about. There was a secret to this painting? Why would he know it?


    "I do not know what you are talking about," Miser said with growing eyebrows.


    The man without weapons, the captain, obviously did not believe Miser''s words. If there was anyone that would know the secret, it would be Miser.


    "The sooner you tell us, the sooner you will be reunited with your daughter," the captain said as he walked around the room looking at the paintings.


    Miser frowned. He wanted to save Mia, and he would do anything to do it, but he truly had no idea what the captain was talking about.


    "I don''t know!" Miser argued. "Why would I even know that?"


    Then, the captain smiled and looked at Miser face to face. It seemed that the captain knew something about Miser that even Miser did not know.


    "You must have not listened to your wife then," the captain said.


    Wife? What had that got to do with the painting? Miser still could not understand.


    "Come on!" the captain shouted. "Only the former queen could know the secret. She must have told you!"


    Miser flinched away from the captain, but he still could not understand the situation. As far as he knew, he did not hear anything about a secret.


    She did not tell him anything. If she did, he would remember it.


    Up in the ceiling watching everything, Jane and Aric both looked at the butler for some answers.


    "Do you know what he is talking about?" Jane asked the butler.


    The butler had a serious face as he looked at the painting. It seemed that he knew something about the secret. l since he knew everything about the castle.


    "Yes," the butler said with a heavy heart. "The paintings held a secret which could lead to the royal family''s heritage treasure."


    A treasure? Now it made sense why the Shark Loan company would try and get the secret.


    "Why would they ask Miser? Surely he would now know anything," Aric said.


    The butler shook his head. "Before she died, the former queen told a few of us that she told the secret to her family."


    The butler bit his lips. This information should not have been leaked to the outside, but it seemed that it had gotten in the hands of these unscrupulous people.


    This could only mean that somebody had betrayed the royal family for treasure. It was despicable in the eyes of the butler.


    "Unforgivable," the butler said as he looked at the bald group below them.


    "Can you take care of them?" the butler asked both Jane and Aric.


    Aric and Jane were both confident in their powers, so they quickly nodded their heads. They wanted to save Darren and Miser from the clutches of the Shark Loan company.


    "Good," the butler said. "It''s showtime."


    Then, the butler pulled a lever in the wall and suddenly activated internal mechanisms inside the walls of the castle.


    The painting room suddenly had an earthquake that made the bald men alert of the current situation.


    "An earthquake?"


    "Should we do something?"


    The bald men were in disarray. However, they still kept their cool as their captain was still in control of the whole situation.


    "Tsk," the captain said as he looked up at the ceiling.


    Even though he could not see anything, he knew that the only people that could do that were the loyal dogs of the royal family.


    "Don''t worry. The only thing that he could do is trap us inside," the captain said.


    Just as the captain said that metal walls started to come down and the walls and reinforce it. With this, the doors, the windows, and everything else was locked inside.


    There were no escapes left for the bald men. Miser and Darren were both glad to see that someone was trying to rescue them.


    "Ready?" the butler asked. Then, Aric and Jane both nodded their heads.


    When the butler pulled another lever, the floor tiles underneath Aric and Jane''s feet fell below, leaving them falling.


    *DUN*


    When Jane and Aric stepped foot in the painting room, the bald men were surprised. Did someone come from the ceiling?


    "Attack!"


    "Kill them!"


    The bald men raised their weapons in the air and charged towards Jane and Aric.


    "Get Darren and Miser," Jane shouted towards Aric. "I''m deal with them!"


    Aric nodded and rushed towards Darren to free him from his shackles. He activated his black fire and froze the shackles until they became brittle.


    *CRASH*


    With one punch, Aric destroyed the shackles. Once Darren felt he was free, he could finally show his usefulness.


    Just as a bald man was about to slice through Aric''s head, Darren shoved him out of the way and punched his gut.


    With one successive move, Darren stole the bald man''s sword and used it against him. With one slice, it was like he was back at the battlefield.


    Blood rained down on them as Darren made a mess out of the bald men''s bodies.


    Jane also used her air pressure to throw the bald men to the metal walls near their side. Aric, on the other hand, froze their bodies until death.


    "Stop," the captain uttered.


    When they looked towards the captain, they saw that he had Miser''s neck on his hands. With one squeeze, he could kill Miser.


    Darren was forced to stop his massacre as he saw Miser''s life in danger. He quickly tried to run towards Miser, but the captain raised his hand.


    "If you take one more step, I will kill this guy," the captain said as he gripped Miser''s neck even harder.


    Darren was forced to skid in the ground until he came to a stop. He wanted to kill the captain, but Miser''s life was ok the line.


    "Show me your hands," the captain said.


    With the threat of Miser''s death, Aric and Jane had no choice but to do as he said.


    Jane and Aric both raised their hands deactivated their powers.


    Darren was forced to throw his weapon to the ground. With this, the remaining bald men can finally get a grip on the fight.


    With one kick to the thigh, Darren fell to the ground. He could not do anything as long as Miser was still with the captain.


    Jane and Aric were also kicked to the ground unit they had to kneel. The bald men took this chance to act out their revenge.


    Many of their comrades had been killed by them, and the bald men wanted them to die. However, the captain still did not give them the signal.


    "Do you want me to kill them too?" the captain said as he addressed Miser and pointed at his comrades.


    Miser frowned. Not only was Mia''s life in danger, but also with his comrades. If they die too, he would not have a chance in saving Mia.


    "Going once¡­twice¡­," the captain said as he counted down until Miser gets pressured.


    "Okay, okay!" Miser shouted.


    Once he got the hat he wanted, the captain smiled. Then, he put Miser''s head closer to the painting and asked him.


    "So? Tell me," he said.


    Miser said that he would tell him the secret, but he had no idea still. So, he had to figure it out on the spot so that he could save them.


    When he looked at the painting, it gave him a sense of familiarity. When he thought about the stars, all he could think about was his dead wife.


    Then, he realized it. She was the key!

 Chapter 189: Olive

    When Miser remembered the things that he food remembered about his wife, the thing that pops up the most was her love for the stars.


    He now understood why the stars in the painting looked so familiar. It was about the things that his wife loved the most.


    Of course, he never thought that it would be the key to finding some kind of treasure, but it was still important enough to remember.


    "This is the constellation of Hercules," Moser said as he pointed towards a constellation of stars in the painting.


    Then, everyone looked towards what Miser was pointing at. However, they could not distinguish a pattern from it. In their perspective, the stars were just out there at random.


    However, Miser knew better.. he had heard enough constellation talk from his wife back then. He had been irritated at that time, but now, it was a memory for him.


    When Miser looked at the painting, he saw something that was strange. The constellations were not in the right place.


    Some constellations were not supposed to be grouped up at the same place, but the painting had them together.


    Could it simply be an error from the painter, or was this something deliberate?


    However, if this was deliberate, then did it mean that there was a reason? Was there a meaning through the random placing of the constellations?


    Miser began to think. He first identified all the constellations of the painting.


    He started to try and guess the meanings of these constellations, but he could not find them. Even when he tried to think about what the constellations meant.


    Then, he understood that the first letter of the constellations could form a word. This was the key to finding out the meaning of the word.


    After minutes and minutes of rearranging, he could finally get a word that made sense.


    ''Back painting olive''


    These were the words that were decoded into the painting. Although it looked like it did not mean anything, Miser knew exactly what it was.


    "What is taking you so long?" the captain asked.


    Miser was forced to tell the captain what he saw. First, he thought that he should lie.


    "Don''t even try to lie. If I hear you lying, then I will kill them immediately, and you will never find your daughter ever again!"


    Miser frowned. With this, he has to tell the captain the truth.


    "These are all the constellations in the painting. You can see that the first letters of the constellations could form a word," Miser said.


    Then, the captain looked at the painting. Then, he looked towards a bald man that wore glasses.


    "Is he telling the truth?" the captain asked.


    Then, the bald man with glasses looked at the painting. Once Miser told the truth, the bald man also knew what it meant.


    "It is true. Back painting olive," the bald man with glasses said. "Those are the words, captain."


    The captain looked at the painting once again. However, he could not understand the true meaning of it all.


    "Back painting. Does the key lie in the back of the painting?" the captain said as he moved closer to the painting.


    Then, the captain looked at the painting and moved it aside. To everyone''s surprise, there was a metal door that led towards an unknown place.


    The captain was overjoyed. He had finally found the treasure that he had been looking for for so long. It had been a tough journey.


    In his joy, he let go of Miser''s shackles. All he could do was go to the door and try to open it.


    However, he realized that it had a lock. At the side of the lock was a keyboard that needed to be punched in. There seemed to be a password.


    "Back painting olive," the captain said.


    Olive. The captain guessed that it was the password for the painting.


    *pip* *pip*


    The captain started to punch in the words to the keyboard. There was silence with everybody.


    The butler was in despair knowing that the treasure was about to be found and stolen by ruffians. Jane and Aric were struggling, but they were restrained by a lot of bald men.


    The bald men were looking towards the door with greed. They also wanted to go to the door that leads to the treasure. However, Miser was retreating away from the door.


    It seemed that Miser knew something about the door that he did not say to the captain.


    *pip*


    As soon as the final letter was put in, the door started to open. The captain hurriedly opens the door with such force.


    He fully expected to see a pile of jewels and gold, but what he saw was a pile of stakes in the wall.


    As soon as the doors were opened. The metal spikes started to launch towards the front.


    The foremost man, the captain, was the one closest to the spikes. His whole body should have been cut up, but his reflexes were good.


    Only three spikes were embedded into his body. Three of them were all on noncritical points in his body.


    However, the bald men were not as fortunate as their captains. All of them were hit all over their bodies as the spikes continued to rain down on them.


    Jane, Aric, and Darren all used the bald men as meat shields in order not to be hit by the spikes. At the very end, the bald men had died off.


    With no one else to restrict them, Jane and Aric were finally set free. The captain was livid as soon as he saw the treasure slip away from his fingers.


    With just him alone to fight, he knew that he would never win against the two chosen. He was so close only for it to be ripped away from him.


    "I will come back," the captain said as he started to mend into the floor.


    Jane and Aric tried to catch the captain, but the captain was long gone by the time they reached him.


    This must have been the reason why he was so confident in going here. He had a way out that could be used everywhere.


    Once the dust settled, the butler sighed. The treasure had still not been found, which was the best thing for everyone.


    Miser smiled. He knew that there was a booty trap in the door from the very beginning.


    Olive. That was an inside joke with his wife. They were both fans of adventure-type stories with booby traps.


    They both read a lot of these novels, and one of the things they loved doing while reading these novels was to eat olives.


    Back painting olive. It meant that there was a booby trap at the back of the painting.


    Then, once the spikes were all gone, the door finally opened. Even Miser was surprised to see this.


    The butler was the most surprised. He never knew that there was a hidden tunnel that led somewhere like that.


    "This must lead to the treasure," Aric said as he quickly walked towards the tunnel.


    However, before he could go any further, the butler caught his collar and prevented him from advancing.


    "We cannot," the butler said. "The treasure is supposed to be kept hidden at all times."


    The butler''s mission was to make the treasure never found. This was not the right time for the treasure to surface the world.


    "Why?" Aric asked.


    "The treasure is only for the royal blood," the butler said with a pained look on his face.


    He did not know that Mia was of royal blood.


    "Can this help Mia ascend the throne?" Jane asked.


    The butler seemed confused about the whole situation. "Who''s Mia?"


    Then, they all looked towards Miser. "She is my daughter."


    At first, the butler did not see anything with that. He did not recognize the implications of that fact.


    Then, after a few seconds, the realization finally hit his head.


    "Daughter? Is she the descendant of the former queen?!" the butler asked with intensity.


    Then, Miser nodded his head. The butler''s purpose was to serve the royal blood, and Mia was of royal blood. This meant that the butler can help Mia.


    "Oh, lord! Oh heavens! The time had finally come! Nobody believed me, but it had come!" the butler praised and kneeled as he looked towards the sky.


    The butler was one of the very few royal blood supporters. The others had defected to the commander, but the butler stayed with his loyalty to the royal blood.


    "Where is she? Where is our queen?" the butler asked.


    Once he said that the whole room put their heads down. That was what they were all wondering too.


    "She is kidnapped," Jane finally said.


    Then, once the butler heard this, he became shocked. The shock was so hard that he fainted for a little while.


    It was like he had just been handed a news flash that he was just killed again after reviving.

 Chapter 190: Punch

    Jane and Hugh were both delighted to know that the platoon of soldiers was once a good loyal group to the former queen.


    This meant that they had the right mindset when it came to the upcoming war. They needed all the help they could get.


    They already had loyalty for Mia, this meant that they would do anything in their power to save her and let her ascend to the throne.


    "We are not the only ones who want the royal family to once again ascend the throne," a soldier said.


    The platoon was only one of the many asleep loyal guards of the royal family. They were all waiting for this moment to come, and once they get the news, they will join the revolution.


    "What should we do next?" a soldier asked.


    Hugh and Jane both looked at each other. Right now, their priority was to save Mia and not let her get killed. Right now, they were all going towards the kingdom, where Mia was currently located.


    They had to go and first make sure that the commander and his army do not ever find her. They were also planning to gather more soldiers and comrades that were willing to fight for the royal blood Mia.


    "We should be the very first group to look for Mia. We should be ahead of the army," Hugh said as he looked down as was in deep thought.


    "Yes. We also need the others to search for more help," Jane agreed.


    Some of the soldiers presented themselves and took on the task of spreading the word carefully.


    "Be careful not to tell it to the wrong people," Hugh waned.


    The soldiers nodded with serious looks as they also understood the risk of the situation. Once the commander gets ahold of this information, he may stop it at all costs.


    "The commander will surely try to search for Mia. Can we be part of those groups?" Hugh asked.


    The soldiers all looked like they had trouble answering the question.


    "That might be hard. Usually, we are only there for backup. Also, we would need the approval of our platoon leader," a soldier said with hesitation.


    Hugh scratched his head. This was truly a difficult task to do. If they cannot get to Mia before the others, then she would be in real trouble.


    "We must find another way," Jane said with worried eyes.


    The whole platoon was in agreement. They all wanted Mia to be safe and ascend the throne. However, it was an uphill battle.


    The commander was a man with such power, influence, and force that would be hard to overthrow. His influence in the army grew larger and larger through the years.


    He had already gathered very loyal followers who would do anything in their power to let their commander take control of the Cheroque kingdom.


    These loyal people are all in the upper ranks of the army. Of course, the commander also promised them the title of a noble once he ascends asking.


    Those who opposed the commander were dead, or cannot say anything. It was a tight group of loyal followers of the commander.


    Those who were from the previous control of the former queen were all put in the same platoon, and that was the current platoon where Hugh and Jane were currently in.


    "If we cannot go as a platoon, then maybe it would be best if Jane and I go ourselves," Hugh said.


    He was thinking of all the situations that may happen to them. He needed a valid plan before he went in with his life on the line.


    Jane nodded her head. She agreed that sneaking in with two people was easier than sneaking in with a whole platoon.


    There was nothing left to do but try and hope that the platoon commander would let them go.


    "I''ll ask the platoon leader," a soldier said as he walked up towards the platoon leader.


    The platoon leader was still embarrassed but eh the whole situation earlier, so he was in a bad mood as the soldier caught his attention.


    "What is it?!" the platoon leader scowled.


    "Platoon leader, we think that we are capable of being in the search team," the soldier said.


    Then, the platoon leader frowned.


    "I never told you guys about the search team," the platoon leader was now suspicious of the soldier who asked him.


    Hugh and Jane were also in tension as they watched the platoon leader doubt the soldier. They needed to do something or else the platoon leader will sense that something was wrong.


    "We guessed since we also searched for something back in the town," Hugh replied.


    The platoon leader changed his scowl from the soldier towards Hugh. It was rude for Hugh to budge in when the platoon leader was not talking about him.


    "What did you say?" the platoon leader said as he sized up Hugh.


    Hugh resisted the urge of punching the platoon leader in his face. He needed to act as a soldier, for now, so he put on a straight face.


    "Nothing, sir!" Hugh said.


    The platoon leader still had a suspicious eye towards Hugh and the soldier. He did not know that something f was wrong, but he was starting to smell that something was wrong.


    "You fat bastard, just stay silent next time, okay?" the platoon leader said as he slapped Hugh''s cheeks repeatedly.


    Hugh''s head was red as he forced himself not to do anything. He almost slapped the soul out of the platoon leader, but Serena looked at him.


    She was trying hard to calm Hugh down, and it seemed to have worked.


    "Also you," the platoon leader said as he pointed towards Serena. "I order you as a platoon leader to visit me in my private quarters."


    The platoon leader no longer had to sneak his evil and lustful intentions towards Serena. His stature in the army was big, and he could get away with anything.


    If he was asked by the upper ranks, then he would just say that he was punishing Serena for insubordination.


    "Hehehe¡­," the platoon leader chuckled as he looked at the curvature of Serena''s body.


    Serena already felt sick as she could not stop the platoon leader from ogling at her body. She needed a bath as soon as possible to scrub off that disgusting feeling.


    Then, the platoon leader could not hold it in anymore. He raised his hand and reached towards Serena''s upper chest, her breasts.


    Just a little touch would not hurt, he thought.


    Serena was starting to erupt at this moment also. She was planning to punch the lights out of the platoon leader before he could ever touch her.


    *DUUUGG*


    Before Serena could even do anything, she saw the platoon leader''s face get folded into several folds as a fist punched him right in the face.


    The punch was fast, it was accurate, and it was powerful. The platoon leader''s body flew through the air and landed several meters away from where he was.


    Serena was shocked to see this right in front of her face. She was the one who was going to punch the guy, but someone got to the platoon leader first.


    When she looked at the one who punched the platoon leader, she realized that it was Hugh.


    Hugh could not fold his anger anymore as he punched the platoon leader into unconsciousness. He knew the consequences of this punch, but he had to do it.


    The best thing was that he did not regret it. The feeling of his knuckles punching the platoon leader''s cheekbones was the best feeling ever.


    "Hugh!" Serena shouted.


    Hugh shrugged his head with guilt. With just that one punch, he had ruined their plans.


    "Sorry," Hugh said as he put on an awkward smile.


    "You should be!" Serena said as she crossed her hands in her chest. "I was going to do that anyway."


    Hugh would have done it either way. The guy needed a royal beating to teach him manners and common sense.


    "Thanks," Serena whispered with a blush on her cheeks.


    Hugh did not hear that last part since he had already walked up to the unconscious body of the platoon leader.


    "Well, he''s our cold," the soldier said as he looked down at the bleeding face of the platoon leader.


    There were missing teeth in his jaws, and his nose was broken. The soldiers all gathered around the platoon leader''s face with interest.


    "Good punch."


    "Impressive, I''m you hit his most prideful parts."


    "I would have punched him in the chin."


    They were all celebrating the fact that the platoon leader was finally given the beating he deserved. Through their months serving this man, they all wanted to give him a good punch in the face.


    However, they could never do that, or else they would get executed for treason. Now, however, they did not mind. They were now all planning to overthrow the commander out of his strong position.

 Chapter 191: Train

    Although it felt good to finally teach the platoon leader the lesson that he was supposed to learn, it still posed a problem for Hugh and Jane.


    Now that the platoon leader was unconscious, the other upper ranks would get suspicious. If the platoon leader even missed one cabinet meeting, he would be searched for.


    This was not good for their plan, especially since they wanted to go to the search party for Mia. Ideally, they could have persuaded the platoon leader to ask the other upper ranks to join the search party.


    Now that they could not do that, then Hugh and Jane would have to sneak in by themselves. This would be hard to do, especially since they were against a whole army.


    "What should we do? Should we just defect the army?" the soldier asked.


    Hugh considered it for a second, but it still would not be wise. Although a platoon was a large number of people, it still could not compare to a whole army.


    "No," Hugh replied. "We''ll just go by ourselves."


    Serena was also prepared to do that, but it would have been better if they were aided by the whole platoon.


    "Ahhh!" a voice screamed.


    Hugh and Serena quickly assumed a defensive position as they heard the shout. Have they been found out? Did the commander send an assassin?


    The other soldiers also prepared their weapons, but where they realized who the sound came from, they were shocked, to say the least.


    The one who had shouted was a soldier from their platoon. However, the reason for his shout was not from an enemy, but a dog that seemed like a wolf.


    Everyone looked towards the small wolf-like dog that was chewing on the leather boots of the soldier. They all tilted their heads in confusion.


    This was in the middle of nowhere, and they were all traveling in a large group in an army. They would usually not encounter an animal in their journey.


    This animal was a pup of a wolf, which made it even weirder. There were usually not any animals of a canine descent in this part.


    The soldier who had been bitten in the boot was trying to shake off the wolf-dog, but the animal had a tight jaw that would not let go.


    While everyone was confused, Hugh was relieved. It was just Beru, his pet dog. He had thought that it was an enemy, but it was only his dog coming out of his body to eat something.


    The other soldiers picked up their weapons and tried to shoo the dog-wolf away, but the wolf''s skin was very tough.


    Even when they prodded the animal with their sharp swords, it would ignore the blade and keep on nibbling on the leather boots.


    "Beru!" Hugh called out.


    Once Beru heard Hugh''s call, it finally let go of the boots and walked back towards Hugh with a guilty look. It displayed its puppy dog eyes to make Hugh pity him.


    Hugh could not help but feel sorry for the Beru. He had been cooped up in his body for too long, and this was the only time where he could go out.


    "Fine," Hugh said as he picked up a stone from the ground. "Fetch."


    Hugh threw the stone several meters up in the air, surprising everyone that saw him do it.


    Beru put his legs into position and finally jumped towards the stone pebble up in the air. Surprisingly, the wolf-dog jumped several meters in the air, defying every expectation.


    Once the wolf-dog reached the stone pebble, it quickly swallows it whole without even biting it.


    The dog fell gracefully as if he had not just jumped several meters up in the air. Then, it looked up at Hugh as if he was expecting more treats.


    Everyone was shocked to their core. This was the indication that the dog-wolf was not normal. The fangs looked even sharper than their blade, and its skin was tougher than metal.


    However, they all felt that the wolf-dog was cute with its tail wiggling like a normal dog. Everyone fought the urge to pet the dog for fear of it biting their whole handoff.


    "Is that your dog?" a soldier asked.


    Hugh nodded his head as he squatted down next to Beru and rubbed its head. Everyone could see that it reacted like a normal dog with its fur being as fluffy as the dog.


    "Yeah," Hugh replied.


    The soldiers were still all a little bit freaked out of the wolf-dog, but now, they had no hostility over it. Once they knew that Hugh had tamed it, they felt safe around it.


    "It must be something very special," a soldier asked. "Aside from jumping several meters up in the air, what else could it do?"


    The soldier was asking a rhetorical question, however, he did not expect that Hugh would answer it.


    "Oh, it could do a lot more than that," Hugh said.


    Then, Hugh realized something. Beru could do a lot of things, including mimicking anyone due to his powers being linked to the dog.


    With this idea planted into his mind, Hugh looked at Beru in the eyes and asked him.


    "Can you copy this guy?" Hugh said as he pointed at the unconscious body of the platoon leader.


    Beru titled his head sideways as if he was confused about the whole situation. However, it seemed to have understood the general gist of what Hugh wanted.


    Then, the wolf-dog nodded its head as its whole body started to transform. Its skin melted and changed its properties to mimic a human.


    Soon, its small stature changed into the petite body of the platoon leader. Then, the fine details were copied down for the small moles on the platoon leader''s face.


    Unlike the real platoon leader, this clone had a look of innocence on his face and could even be considered cute.


    The platoon leader clone titled its head and smiled at Hugh. It wanted Hugh to praise it. Hugh obliged.


    "Who''s a good boy? You are!" Hugh said as he rubbed the platoon leader''s clone in his head.


    Hugh felt awkward petting a grown man in the head, but he had to do it. Beru had done a good job, and he should be rewarded.


    However, it seemed that Beru''s happiness was too much as a tail appeared behind him and waved in happiness.


    Soon enough, the platoon leader''s clone started to fall apart as Beru slowly changed into his cute puppy wolf-dog form.


    Everyone could agree that the puppy wolf-dog form was cuter than their sworn enemy, the platoon leader.


    "Amazing!"


    "I don''t believe my eye!"


    "That little guy is extraordinary!"


    The soldiers started to praise Beru''s abilities as they all swarmed him and started to pet him like a real dog. They no longer had any hesitations about the weird dog.


    "I can''t believe that you kept such a cute puppy away from me," Serena said as she picked up Beru in the air and squished her face slower to Beru.


    Hugh had an awkward smile as he looked at the swarm of grown men being this happy over a dog. He did not think that Beru would gather such a reaction.


    "Um guys," Hugh said as he tried to take their attention away from Beru. "We have important things to do?"


    However, it seemed that nobody took any of their attention away from Beru. They all took turns holding him and admiring him.


    Hugh shook his head as he waited for the Beru fever to lie down. Only then would he be able to further discuss their plans.


    After half an hour, they finally had enough of smothering themselves with Beru. Hugh could finally discuss his new plans going forward.


    "We can use Beru and clone him to be the platoon leader," Hugh said.


    Most of the soldiers and Jane all felt that this plan was good. However, the problem would be Beru himself since they cannot control him.


    "Can he clone for a long time?" Serena asked as she petted Beru who was lying in her lap.


    Hugh shrugged his head. He also did not know since he did not have the time to train or find out about Beru''s limits.


    "I don''t know," Hugh said. "However, I think that we could train him, at the very least."


    Jane nodded her head. "Yeah. If he cannot sustain for a long time, then we just favorite with the other plan, deal?"


    The soldiers all looked at each other as they all considered the feasibility of the plan.


    "However," a soldier said with a serious voice. "We have one big problem."


    The other soldiers nodded their heads with a serious tone. It seemed that they all agreed that there was one giant problem in the plan.


    Hugh tilted his head in confusion. He did not know what kind of problem they were talking about.


    When he looked towards Serena, he saw that even she was contemplating the problem.


    "Who gets to train Beru first?"

 Chapter 192: Clone

    Everyone gathered in one place as they all looked at one person in the group. Hugh and Serena both had a sharp eyes as they both scrutinized every side of the person in front of them.


    It was the platoon leader. However, this was not the original platoon leader, this was Beru in his clone form.


    Everyone was looking towards Beru to see if there was anything wrong with his clone. They needed it to be believable for their plan to work.


    Beru only had a nonchalant face as he observed everyone who was looking towards him.


    "He needs to have a bit more spiteful look," a soldier said.


    "Yeah. He needs to have a punchable face for him to look like the platoon leader."


    "I agree. This platoon leader looks amicable and cute, definitely not like the real platoon leader."


    Everyone could agree on the stark difference between the two different versions of the platoon leader. However, no matter how hard they tried, they could not get Beru to have the right kind of look.


    Beru titled his head. He did not know why everybody thought that he was different. He looked towards the real platoon leader, and he could not see anything different.


    The real platoon leader was still unconscious, so he had a relatively peaceful look on his face. So, Beru had copied this kind of gentle look.


    "It will have to do," Hugh said as he rubbed his chin.


    He would have preferred Beru to have the same art as the real platoon leader, but it seemed that it would not be possible.


    "His face is done, the only problem would be his voice," Serena said as she looked at Beru with gentle eyes.


    Everyone nodded their heads. In the hours that they trained Beru, he had never said one single word. Hugh realized that Beru could not speak like a real human since he was just a dog-wolf.


    "Ruff!" Beru shouted.


    Even though he looked like the platoon leader, all he could do was bark.


    "Beru, don''t try to speak when you get there, okay?" Hugh said as he patted Beru''s head.


    Beru nodded his head furiously and put out his tongue in the air like a dog.


    *poof*


    Beru''s tail appeared behind him and waddled like a dog.


    "Don''t try to bring out your tail either, okay?" Serena said as she also patted Beru''s head.


    Beru nodded furiously and displayed a serious face. This was his game face, signaling to everybody that he was ready to that what was he was trained for.


    "Beru, we wish you luck!"


    "We''re counting on you, little guy!"


    "Just howl at us if things go wrong, and we''ll back you up!"


    All the soldiers gave their word towards Beru. They all became super close with Beru as they all treated him as their dog.


    "Okay Beru, it''s time," Hugh said as he patted Beru''s back and pushed him towards the road.


    All the upper ranks of the army were supposed to gather together. This was by the command of the commander, and it was mandatory to attend.


    Beru was liked like a real human towards the center of the army, towards the place where the commander was located.


    "He''ll be okay, right?" Serena asked as she looked at Beru with worried eyes.


    "We can only hope," Hugh said as he balled up his fists.


    At this stage of the plan, Beru could only rely on himself. He would have no other connection other than Hugh. If things go wrong, he would be surrounded by all their enemies.


    Beru would be swimming in the belly of the beast. This was a mission that only he could do since he was the only one who could copy the platoon leader.


    Beru walked towards the large tent set up in the middle of the plains. Soldiers clad with full metal armor walked around and saluted Beru as they walked past him.


    Beru would smile at them and would not salute back. Everyone thought that this was weird, but they did not stop him.


    Beru pushed the curtains aside and saw the interior of the giant tent. There, he could see a gathering of upper ranks soldiers that were all good allies of the commander.


    They all sat in a circular table with the foremost table empty reserved for the commander himself. This was also the most luxurious seat and the seat that could oversee everyone.


    Beru walked towards the circular table with a smile and sat in the nearest seat near the entrance of the tent. His fellow upper ranks looked at him and frowned.


    They all seemed suspicious of the platoon leader. They could feel that something was wrong with him.


    "Hey, why are you seating like that?" a lieutenant frowned and looked at the platoon leader.


    Everyone looked at Beru and saw that he was sitting like a dog in a chair. His hind legs were sitting crossed while his tongue was out in the open.


    Then, Beru realized his mistake. This was what he was trained for, and he quickly changed his position. Everyone still felt that something was wrong with the platoon leader, but they could not point it out.


    "What''s wrong? You usually complain about your platoon at this point," the lieutenant said as he looked at Beru.


    Beru''s forehead sweated as he got asked that question. He did not know what to say since this was not part of their plan. What''s more important was that he cannot speak at all.


    The lieutenant frowned as he looked at Beru. More of the upper ranks looked at Beru and had suspicious eyes. At this rate, they would get suspicious of him.


    *tuturutut*


    A horn sounded out, and everyone repositioned themselves. They all stood up with their backs straight and looked at the entrance of the tent.


    Beru was surprised, but he copied the others. Then, everyone watched as the tent opened up and the commander himself showed up.


    Everyone could feel the pressure emanating from the commander. Even though they were part of the same army, they still could not get used to the commander''s presence.


    "Commander!" the upper ranks shouted out as they all bowed towards the commander.


    Beru also bowed with them, but he could not help but take a peek at the commander, the most fearsome entity in this army.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    "Do you sense something?" Serena asked as she looked at Hugh with worry.


    Everyone was looking at Hugh since he was the only one who could sense Beru. They all got ready to risk their lives to bring back Beru if things went wrong.


    "His heart rate is elevated," Hugh said as he closed his eyes and felt his connection to Beru.


    "Is something wrong?" a soldier asked.


    Hugh was silent as he concentrated on the connection. The connection was faint, but he could feel the basic emotions that Beru felt at that moment.


    It felt like Hugh was swimming in an endless void with a green string from his stomach that reached towards the front.


    Hugh reached out to the green string and pulled on it. Surprisingly, he was pulled closer and closer to the faint dark blue light in the distance.


    Hugh felt like that was Beru''s soul. The green string was their connection.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Beru sneaked a peek at the commander and saw his fierce aura. It was as terrifying as people described him to be.


    Every step could bring earthquake, every breath could bring tornadoes, and every look could pierce the heavens.


    Then, Beru watched as the commander''s eyes looked towards him as they both made eye contact. Beru''s heart stopped at that moment.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Hugh could feel the fear and trepidation that Beru was currently feeling. He could feel that Beru was starting to get in trouble.


    He pulled the green string faster and faster to try and get a better connection with Beru. As he got closer, he suddenly got a vision in his eyes.


    Deep, dark red eyes stared back at him. It was a terrifying aura behind those eyes, and it was not an exaggeration that his ''looks'' could kill.


    This was the commander, Hugh was sure of it. Why was the commander looking at Beru?


    It was then that he realized that Beru was in deep trouble now than he thought. He needed to get to Beru''s would faster or else he would get in real trouble.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    "Do you have something to say?" the commander said as he looked down at Beru.


    Everyone looked at Beru with sorry eyes. They did not know what Beru had done, but they knew that he had gathered the ire of the commander.


    Beru could not say something. Even if he tried to, all he could do was bark at the commander, which would not make the situation better, only worsen it.


    "Are you deaf?" the commander said with a deeper voice. Everyone could feel the temperature of the room drop several degrees.


    The commander frowned. Even with that, the platoon leader still did not respond.


    The commander decided to kill him at this very moment.

 Chapter 193: Risky

    Hugh swam harder and harder as he got slower and loser to the dark blue aura. Beru''s was now in trouble, and he needed to save him.


    Just as the commander opened his mouth to order the killing of the platoon leader, Hugh finally touched the blue aura and connected with Beru.


    He did not simply connect with Beru, but simply overtook all of his senses. He could hear, see, smells, and touch everything as Beru felt it.


    This meant that Hugh could finally take control of Beru''s vocal cords and speak.


    "I''m sorry, commander," Hugh said in the voice of the platoon leader.


    The commander frowned as he saw the platoon leader suddenly speak. If Hugh was any later in speaking, Beru will have been ordering to die at that very spot.


    "I simply could not speak in your enormous presence," Hugh said as he bowed as far as he possibly could.


    The rest of the cabinet was nervous for the platoon leader, but they would never speak up. They were just fortunate that they were not in the same position.


    The commander looked at the platoon leader for a moment and ignored him after. The commander continued to walk towards his seat and assume his position as the total ruler of the army.


    Hugh sighed in his heart. That was close. The commander could have killed him at that very moment, but it seemed that he was spared at the very last second.


    The commander spared the platoon leader only because it would be a hassle to find a replacement at this hour. They were close to the kingdom, which meant that it would be game-time soon.


    "Sit," the commander said.


    Everyone sat in their seats with such force that made them hurt their back. Everyone was on edge, as they all knew that the commander was a strict person.


    They were even surprised that the platoon leader was still alive at this point. They all saw by their very own eyes the commander kill people for less.


    "The reason for this meeting," the commander said as he assumed a comfortable position in his gold and silver throne. "Do any of you know?"


    Everyone was silent as they all looked up at the commander. They all had guessed in their mind, but they did not know if it was correct.


    They were all wary of saying the wrong thing and end up being killed for it. However, if no one answered the commander''s question, they would all be punished.


    Everyone looked at each other at that very moment. They were all trying to size each other up and pressure each other to try and take the fall.


    Nobody dared to speak. While the upper ranks were in chaos, the commander was sitting on his throne relaxed, and with his eyes closed.


    *tap* *tap* *tap*


    The commander crawled his arms and tapped his finger on his bicep. Everyone could hear the loud ticking of time as they got more and more pressured to speak.


    They knew that the commander was reaching his limit. They had to speak, or else they would all incite the wrath of the commander.


    Seeing the rest of the cabinet panic, Hugh was relieved on the inside. If the commander gets angry at the whole upper ranks, then maybe some of them will be killed.


    Hugh decided not to say anything. He did not have to, being their lowest member of the upper ranks of the army.


    Also, Hugh did not want to take the risk. Hugh did not know what type of knowledge the platoon leader knew. If he said something that was beyond the scope of the platoon leader, he would be seen as someone suspicious.


    Suddenly, everyone saw the commander lift his head and open his eyes. Everyone was scared to their wits. They had lost the chance to speak up, and now they had to face the consequences.


    "You," the commander said.


    Everyone froze up as they saw the commander point at someone in the cabinet meeting. Everyone hoped that they were not the one singled out.


    Everyone followed the finger to see who was the unlucky bastard who was chosen. When they looked at him, they pitied him. It must have been because of the incident earlier that he incited the wrath of the commander.


    It was the platoon leader. Hugh''s heart stopped as he saw the finger pointing at him. Even though this was not his real body, just Beru''s body, he still felt like his life was in danger.


    Hugh was tongue-tied and did not want to do. byway did the commander want? Hugh did not know so he just stood up straight and looked at the commander.


    "Do you know the answer?" the commander asked.


    Hugh was spit on the spot. Even though he did not know the answer, he was forced to say the right thing. There was no way that he would know the specific details.


    However, he could not just stand there silent. He also should not say the wrong thing. What should he do?


    "Commander," Hugh said as he bowed towards the commander. "You want to make the kingdom your own."


    Everyone gasped at Hugh''s answer. The answer was very vague and was not what the commander wanted to ask, but it was also not wrong.


    The main goal was to conquer the kingdom, but the commander wanted to know the specific details. The rest of the upper ranks did not know if they should regard the platoon leader as a genius or a fool.


    Everyone looked towards the commander to see his reaction. They wanted to know if the answer was to his satisfaction.


    Almost everyone in the room knew that the commander was not the escort of a person that liked jokes. He was a straightforward man that took everything seriously.


    It was easy to guess that the commander would not appreciate the platoon leader''s vague answer. They all expect the commander to kill the platoon leader on the spot.


    "Hahaha¡­," the commander chuckled.


    Contrary to everyone''s expectations, the commander smiled and laughed at the platoon leader''s answer. It was unexpected to see the platoon leader laugh.


    Nobody had ever seen him like this before, and no one would have expected it to be because of the platoon leader''s answer.


    "That''s true," the commander said with a smile on his face. "I am planning to become the king."


    Everyone was also forced to laugh. If the commander laughed then they should follow his lead. So, they all forced a laugh with their awkward smiles.


    "Hah..haha¡­ha"


    *BOOM*


    Everyone heard the commander slam his arm on the table that obliterated the wooden desk. Everyone was shaken deep down to their core.


    They all stopped laughing and remained frozen. They did not know what to do next, so they just made it seem like they did not exist


    "Even though I am not the king," the commander said as he had a serious face as he addressed the platoon leader. "I already conquered it."


    The pressure around everyone increased once again, and they almost suffocated from it. Everyone was forced to hold their breath and wait for the commander''s pressure to subside.


    Hugh also felt the pressure, but he was not affected like the other upper ranks. Beru''s physical body was strong enough to endure the pressure, so the commander''s pressure did not work on him.


    Although it did not work on him, Hugh had to pretend that he was suffocating. The commander would be suspicious that a platoon leader could breathe under his pressure.


    The commander would not stop his glare at the platoon leader. Hugh could feel the killing intent directed at him, and it made him sweat.


    The commander wild kill him, Hugh was sure of it. This kind of killing intent could not be faked. Even though this was not Hugh''s body, it would do irreparable damage to his soul if he died in this body.


    "Commander," Hugh said as a last resort.


    If he could somehow dismantle the situation, the commander would not kill the platoon leader. However, the commander was a difficult man to convince.


    If Hugh tried to beg for his life, the commander would not pity him, but he was disgusted by him. The only way out of this problem was to gain the commander''s respect.


    The way to do that was to stand his ground. Maybe then, the commander would not take his life.


    "One cannot be a conqueror without being king," Hugh said as he bowed towards the commander with his whole body shaking.


    The commander frowned. He was surprised that the platoon leader dared to disagree with him. Even the other upper ranks could not help but feel like the platoon leader was an idiot.


    Why would he further incite the wrath of the commander? Did he not want to live?


    However, contrary to the other upper ranks'' opinion, Hugh''s risky gamble paid off. He gained a few more seconds of living.

 Chapter 194: Trust

    Fortunately for Hugh, the commander did not seem to be trusty angry. He seemed to be intrigued at the reason for Hugh''s answer.


    "A conqueror is someone who dominates. A king is a title. There''s a difference," the commander said as he looked at Hugh with a sharp look.


    Hugh gulped. It was indeed the right decision to get the commander''s respect by challenging him. This was a way of earning the concern that not most people would dare to try.


    Challenging the commander like this was like balancing on a steel wire thousands of feet up in the air. It was a delicate way, and one wrong move could send him spiraling down to the pits of hell.


    The rest of the upper ranks could not help but commend the platoon leader''s bravery. They would not have done this. Instead, they would have tried to apologize to the commander.


    However, they did not know that the commander would have killed them if they had apologized. Hugh had only lived because the commander was surprised at Hugh''s courage.


    "A title is what separates man from animal," Hugh said.


    The rest of the upper ranks tightened up as they heard Hugh''s response. Why did Hugh have to say that? Was he buried in his own grave?


    He should not have tried to incite the commander''s anger even more.


    "Are you saying I am only an animal?" the commander said with a low voice.


    Then, everyone felt the room temperature drop a few degrees down. The pressure once again bore down on them like a gravitational pull.


    This time, they knew that Hugh had pushed his limits too far. The commander was furious at this point.


    "No, commander. I am saying that prestige is what makes a conqueror a conqueror. Without his title, one is merely a murderer."


    Instead of going back on his word and apologizing for inciting the commander''s wrath, Hugh doubled down on his comments.


    Hugh felt that he should not back down right away. Since he was already on this path, he should be going through it till the end.


    "I am a conqueror if my army says I am a conqueror," the commander said as his aura somehow felt like his whole body became bigger than life.


    The commander''s presence in the room was astounding, and it was suffocating. If the rest of the upper ranks saw the commander right now, they would have fainted.


    It was only the platoon leader who had his head up in the air. The rest of the people''s heads were buried at the table due to the commander''s presence.


    "But the other kingdoms will never acknowledge your victory," Hugh said as he tried to keep his head up and look at the commander straight in the eye.


    "Careful what you say, platoon leader," one of the upper ranks seated next to the platoon leader spoke to him.


    They all were afraid that the commander would burst out in anger. If the commander was furious, it was not only the platoon leader who would be affected but also the rest of the upper ranks and maybe even the whole army.


    "I care not for the opinions of lesser kingdoms," the commander said.


    There was not a single noise that came out of the tent. Everyone was in high and dire straits as they all feared for their lives.


    *crack*


    The throne of the commander was starting to break into pieces. It was clear to everyone that he was close to bursting out like a furious volcano.


    Hugh could also see that the commander was almost at his limit. Hugh then decided to bring the point home.


    "But we care, commander," Hugh said as he bowed down to the commander in the most respectable way.


    Everyone frowned as they heard what the platoon leader said. ''We.'' That small word also implicated everyone inside the room.


    They were all furious at the platoon leader for bringing them into this. They all thought that the platoon leader was trying to bring down the whole ship with him on his way down to the fiery pits of hell.


    "We do not want the others to disrespect you," Hugh said.


    At this point, the pressure lessened. Everyone was surprised that Hugh''s words worked on the commander. He was able to calm down the commander.


    "We do not simply want you to be conqueror, we don''t want you to be king, we want you to be the overlord of all that is living and all that is dead," Hugh said with a booming voice.


    Even the upper ranks could not help but be hyped up by Hugh''s words. He was right. They wanted the commander to rise to the world without anyone in his way.


    "I at this moment volunteer myself to help everything I can do to help the commander to achieve this dream," Hugh said as he pumped his own heart.


    With his sincere words and his faithful words, everyone was convinced. The upper ranks were now envious that Hugh was the first one to say those words.


    The only one left that was still silent was the commander. Everyone waited for his reaction. Hugh gulped as he looked down at the floor.


    This was the moment he was waiting for. This was the boundary between life and death. This was the reason why he incited the wrath of the commander in the first place.


    "Good," the commander said as he nodded his head at Hugh and closed his eyes.


    Hugh was immensely relieved to hear that one word. He had earned the trust of the commander.


    "I entrust you to find the lost princess Mia and bring her to me," the commander said.


    Hugh bowed his head once again and gave a very respectable position.


    "It would be my honor," Hugh said with a serious face and voice.


    However, on the inside, Hugh was smiling at himself. With this, the rest of the platoon had a way to be the first and foremost group to search for Mia.


    If they caught Mia, then they could rescue her before anything could be done to her. Hugh had achieved this after toiling away through the pressures of the commander.


    "I am also promoting you to be my right-hand man," the commander said.


    Everyone was in disarray as they heard the commander''s words. The platoon leader as the commander''s right-hand man? How incredible!


    Everyone was in a state of envy. They should have been the ones to stand up and fight. They should have been the ones offered to be in the correct hand position of their lord.


    However, Hugh was less than happy to hear that. He had earned the trust of the commander too much. Now that he was promoted, he could not leave the commander''s side.


    Everyone would be glad to be in Hugh''s position except him. Hugh could not simply reject the offer after he had just given an impressive speech.


    Seeing the relaxed expression of the commander, Hugh realized that he had no choice but to say yes to the offer.


    Although it was risky, it could also lead to their advantage. Standing next to the commander meant that he would be privy to their inside information.


    This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. This may also be the key to their victory in the civil war. Hugh looked at the commander straight in the eyes and opened his mouth.


    "Yes, commander," Hugh said.


    With that, Hugh was several advanced ranks up to and became one of the most influential people inside the army.


    As the commander''s right-hand man, he had power and influence that was only lesser to the commander himself. If Hugh played this right, he could dismantle the army from the inside.


    "Good," the commander said as he stood up from his seat. "Go back to your stations."


    The rest of the upper ranks stood up and bowed towards the commander, and left the room. Hugh was the last one to leave the tent.


    Before he entirely left, the commander called him out.


    "Get your things and appoint another platoon leader for your platoon. After that, you report directly to me," the commander said.


    Hugh bowed once again to the commander and turned around to leave the tent. After that, he walked back towards the platoon.


    On the way, Hugh''s mind was in deep thought. After that stressful moment, this relieving scene made his muscles ache.


    Then, Hugh felt his connection getting weaker and weaker from Beru''s body. He had almost forgotten that this was not his body but Beru''s body, who had copied the platoon leader.


    Hugh could feel his soul leave Beru''s body and return to his own body. When he came to his senses, Hugh could see the vast blue sky above him.


    Then, Serena''s face popped up in his sight.


    "Hugh, are you alright?" Serena said as she tucked her hair behind her ear.


    Hugh sat up and stretched his body. He felt a little bit sore after being in another body.


    "Yeah. I just took control of Beru''s body."

 Chapter 195: Curse

    "What happened?" Serena asked.


    At this point, most of the soldiers had gathered around Hugh and looked at him with anxious eyes. They wanted to know what happened to Beru.


    "It''s okay," Hugh said. Immediately, everyone heaved a sigh of relief, including Serena. "He''s on his way back now."


    However, Serena noticed that Hugh''s face still had a severe look. She guessed that something terrible had happened.


    "Did we not get the assignment to search for Mia?" Serena asked.


    The soldiers looked at Hugh with anxious eyes again. They also wanted to save Mia, but if they cannot go on the searching expedition, they would have no choice but to stay still.


    "We got it," Hugh said.


    Immediately, the soldiers started to congratulate Hugh and celebrate with each other. Now, they could move as a group and search for Mia without being suspicious.


    However, Jane also noticed that Hugh''s face was still serious. Hugh was still worried about something.


    Serena put her hand on Hugh''s shoulder and consoled him. Hugh looked up at Serena and immediately felt like he was comfortable.


    Back then, he was distraught about being the new right-hand man of the commander. One wrong move, Beru could be killed in a second.


    He would not know what happened to his soul if Beru died while he was in Beru''s body.


    Hugh subconsciously touched Serena''s hand that was on his shoulder. For some reason, she was the one who had claimed him down.


    He felt like her touch was the only thing that made him confident that everything would be fine.


    Serena also felt the anxiousness of Hugh. For some reason, she could feel the nervousness and pain that Hugh was feeling.


    It was like the two of them were connected. If either one of them were in trouble, they would both do everything in their power to save each other.


    That was their current mindset. However, they did not know why they felt this way. They did not see that the red tattoo on their pinky finger was glowing.


    This was the handiwork of the red string of fate. The fates are pushing Hugh and Serena closer to each other without their knowledge and consent.


    Hugh realized that the soldiers'' morale was at an all-time high, so he decided not to tell them the bad news. So, Hugh and Serena both walked out of the group and talked to each other.


    After seeing that nobody else could hear them, Hugh and Serena sat and leaned on a tree. They both looked up at the crowns of leaves in the trees.


    "He made me his right-hand man," Hugh uttered while looking up.


    Serena immediately looked at Hugh with concern. She knew the implications of this upgrade, and Hugh would have to walk directly beside the commander.


    "Why would he do that?" Serena asked with worried eyes.


    Hugh only shrugged his head. He also did not know the reason as to why the commander would put a lowly platoon leader as his right-hand man.


    "You shouldn''t go," Serena uttered with a low voice as if she almost did not want to say it.


    Hugh was silent after Serena said that. He also did not want to do it, but if he wanted to find Mia, he would have to go through some danger to do it.


    "Can''t we just go away?" Serena said as she moved closer to Hugh. "Why are we even going this far?"


    Hugh was silent as he looked at Serena''s eyes. For some reason, his logic seemed too persuasive. He started to doubt why he would go to such lengths to help a stranger.


    "Can''t we just leave and live a different life at some farm somewhere?" Serena said as she put her face closer to Hugh''s.


    Hugh could not help but look enchanted at her eyes. It was pulling him closer to hers. He was being persuaded. He also had this feeling that he wanted to retire at some remote farm away from the dangers.


    The two of them were silent as they both looked at each other''s eyes. Each second, they both moved closer and close to each other as if something was pulling them closer to each other.


    They were only inches away from their lips touching each other. They could feel each other''s breath and the warmth each of them was emanating.


    Unbeknownst to them, the red string of fate had wrapped both of their bodies and pulled each other closer together. It was pulling them together and trying to fulfill destiny and repeat it all over again.


    Just a few centimeters away, and they would kiss. However, this was no simple kiss. If their skin were to touch each other, it would set off a domino effect to solidify their fate.


    *rustle*


    Suddenly, the leaves from a nearby bush ruffled, signaling someone walking through it. In that split second, Hugh and Serena both woke up from that trance and flinched away from each other.


    Both of them looked at the bush and saw Beru in his dog wolf form, looking at them with his head tilted to the side. They woke up thanks to Beru.


    Hugh and Serena both looked at each other with their cheeks blushed. They could not believe what they had almost done.


    They turned their heads away due to their embarrassment. They both stood up and walked away from each other with a sword aura.


    They both walked each other''s paths, and they both tried to avoid each other, but they ended up going the same way.


    "I''ll just stay here," Hugh uttered with his head looking down in embarrassment.


    Serena immediately rushed out of the woods and back to the soldiers. They both could not stand the awkward atmosphere between them.


    Once Serena was away, Hugh heaved a sigh of relief as he sat down on the ground. Then, he looked towards the red tattoo on his pinky.


    He never knew that the curse was more substantial than he thought. He felt that he could try to suppress the fate, but he ended up almost fulfilling it.


    It was a dangerous curse, and Hugh could not take it easy. He would have to avoid interacting with Serena alone, or who knows what would happen to them.


    "Ruff! Ruff!" Beru called out to Hugh and snuggled on his feet.


    Hugh smiled and petted Beru''s head. Beru had done an excellent job in this mission, and they would not have succeeded if not for Beru''s skills in copying a person.


    "Good work, Beru!" Hugh said as Beru jumped up and down happily. Beru was happy that Hugh had complimented him.


    Seeing the innocence of Beru, Hugh was feeling bad for making him stand through these risky situations. Maybe it would be best to abandon this mission and retire?


    Hugh shook his head after that thought. It looked like the curse had an aftereffect on him. Now that Beru was back, Hugh had to make Beru go back and report to the commander.


    "Beru, can you replicate the platoon leader again?" Hugh asked.


    Then, Beru nodded his head confidently. Beru stood up on his hind legs as his whole body transformed and changed its molecular structure.


    Soon enough, the platoon leader''s face and whole body had shown themselves. However, Beru''s innocent look was still e ident on the solution leader''s face.


    Hugh had a slight smile as he saw the platoon leader. How could he hate a guy who looked like Beru?


    However, Beru''s whole body started to deflate. His entire body looked like a balloon that had an air leak. Soon enough, Beru looked at the platoon leader''s skin.


    It was kind of disgusting to see this kind of skin. It looked like someone had I''m ripped off the platoon leader''s face and used it as a costume.


    "Ruff¡­," Beru shouted.


    Hugh frowned. It looked like Beru could not hold on to the platoon leader''s body for long after exhausting his energy. Hugh did not know what to do.


    "Are you tired? Can you recover soon?" Hugh asked Beru.


    Then, the platoon leader''s skin shook his headpiece, signaling that he could not recover soon. Hugh was now in crisis mode.


    If the platoon leader could not report to the commander soon, he would be investigated. Everyone would be affected by this if the other upper ranks saw the natural platoon leader locked up.


    This cannot happen if they wanted to stick to their plan. Should they send in the natural platoon leader to the commander? No, the commander would immediately notice the difference.


    There was also no doubt that the natural platoon leader would snitch to everyone. He could not be trusted. Then, how should Hugh solve this problem?


    He had to think of something fast. Then, he looked down at the skin of the platoon leader. It looked like a costume.


    Then, an idea came to his head. What if he became the platoon leader? What if he wore that costume and reported to the platoon leader?

 Chapter 196: Skin

    Hugh picked up the skin from the floor and looked at it. It was very lifelike, and Hugh could feel the skin and the hair like it was real.


    Hugh would have thrown up if not for the fact that this might be the only thing that could keep him from dying. Right now, he needed to get to the commander''s place.


    However, Beru had exhausted himself after that charade back at the camp. So, Hugh had to take on the mantle and go by himself.


    Hugh opened up the skin like it was a scroll and started to get inside it. At first, he thought it would not fit, but somehow, it got larger and larger until it swallowed his whole body.


    Hugh could not believe what he was feeling. Once the whole skin enveloped him, it started to get smaller and smaller until it stuck into his skin.


    He was anxious. He was not sure if he wolf fit after all his fate. He was obese, and he could not pass off as a petite platoon leader.


    However, contrary to his expectations, the skin started to get smaller until his fast was compressed. It was not a simple thing that physicists could fix, so Hugh guessed it had something to do with his power.


    When Hugh opened his eyes, he saw that he was in a completely different body. He was the personification of the platoon leader.


    He almost could not believe what he was seeing. It already felt like this was his own body. Everything gets natural, and it did not give him any discomfort.


    When Hugh jumped around, he realized that he was not heavy. For some reason, his fat seemed to have been compressed so hard that it disappeared into another dimension.


    When Hugh started to move, he was as fast as he could ever be. When he punched the air, he could feel the resistance of the wind.


    He was strong. It was as if all his fats were compressed and turned into real power. Hugh smiled. He could use this.


    If things went wrong, he would at least have something that he could use to protect himself. He did not want to have to resort to the transformation so quickly.


    Hugh looked back once again to the camp where Serena disappeared off to. Hugh wanted to go there and tell them what he will do, but Hugh hesitated.


    In the end, Hugh turned around and left the place. He had carved out a letter in the trunk of a tree so that the others would be informed of his plans.


    Once he was gone, Serena sensed that something was wrong. She immediately felt that it was Hugh, so she rushed towards where she last saw him.


    When she got there, she did not see anyone. She did not even see Beru, who was supposed to be guarding the place.


    When she looked at the ground, she saw some clues that told her that Hugh went off somewhere. Then, she turned her head and saw the letter that Hugh carved into a bark of a tree.


    After she read the whole thing, she frowned. Hugh''s plan was hazardous. Back then, even if Beru were caught, Hugh would not have to risk his life.


    However, now that Hugh had taken the place of the platoon leader, he would be in great danger. Not to mention, he would be beside the most powerful entity in the army.


    If things go wrong, Hugh would have no escape plan. Enemies on all sides would surround him without any reinforcement or backup.


    Even if Serena knew something was wrong, it would take a lot of time before she could go to Hugh''s side. By the time she gets there, she would have been already too late.


    "Stay safe," Serena said as she looked up at the sky and prayed to whatever gods and goddesses in the realm to make sure that Hugh stayed safe.


    Hugh walked towards the tent of the commander with anxious steps. Then, he suddenly felt a tug in his pinky finger.


    Hugh immediately sensed that it was Serena. However. When he looked back, he did not see her. He could only see the barracks of the army.


    Their red string of fate once again connected them. It looked like Serena did not want Hugh to go through this challenging mission.


    Hugh doubted for a second, but he quickly shook his head. He was already here, and he should not back out right now.


    Hugh steeled his heart and walked cowardly with vigor. Once he was at the tent entrance, he took a deep breath and opened the tent.


    Once he was inside, he immediately felt the immense pressure of the commander. This was an affectless aura that the commander automatically emanates.


    This was forged from the blood of his enemies, and the people and kingdoms that he had conquered.


    "Ah, my right-hand man," the commander said as he looked down at Hugh from his golden throne.


    Hugh immediately bowed his head and kneeled towards the commander. Although he could bear the pressure, he still had to pretend that it was hard for him to endure.


    Hugh deliberately shook his body like he was shivering. However, he also made sure that he showed determination to conquer the immense pressure.


    "I have come as you requested, commander," Hugh said.


    The commander did not say anymore and just gestured for Hugh to stand up. Hugh obliged and stood up.


    "Get used to my aura," the commander said.


    Hugh nodded his head. When he looked at the people inside the room, he could see minimal guards inside.


    There were only two guards at the entrance and two at both sides of his throne. This only goes to show that the commander''s strength was that strong.


    The commander did not need any protection. He could protect himself, and no one else taut could compare to him, so he did not have many guards.


    However, Hugh sensed that there were three hidden individuals around the room. They were invisible and hard to discern.


    This was the final safe that the commander put in place. He was confident, but he was not brazen. He knew that he should still take precautions.


    Hugh guessed that he would not even be able to touch the commander''s throne if he showed even a bit of blood lust.


    "As my right-hand man," the commander said as he stood up. "This is your place."


    Then, the commander pointed towards a small throne by the commander''s left side. This was much smaller, and it was in the lower layer, but it was still precious.


    Hugh walked over towards his throne and sat on it. He was wary all the time, and it did not seem like there were any traps on the seat.


    The chair was made of silk and dark oak wood, and the padding was made of fine red silk with cotton insides. It was luxurious, and Hugh Alam felt too guilty sitting in it.


    However, Hugh had to keep up appearances. He had to show how much he appreciates this new upgrade. It was not common to see a platoon leader become a right-hand man for the commander.


    When Hugh sat on the chair, he immediately felt the difference between a regular and a luxury chair. The padding smells into his behind and made it feel like heaven.


    Hugh did not have to fake it when he showed a comfortable and relaxed expression in the chair. It looked like the commander was satisfied with Hugh''s reaction.


    "From now on, you report directly to me," the commander said as he looked down at Hugh. "You need to be accessible at any time possible."


    Hugh listens to the requirements, and it seemed to be like a slave contract. Many soldiers and upset ranks would have been jealous of Hugh''s position, but Hugh felt like it would be exhausting as hell.


    With this, he had to be available every time. He would have no free time, and he had to report his current location to the commander at all times.


    Hugh did not have any freedom to help Serena and the others. He would have to be careful in his actions, or the commander would know about their current plans.


    Hugh would have to hope that the platoon and Serena would be able to function without him. Then, she remembered Serena''s face.


    If it was her, then she could handle any problem that came up as well as him. The platoon would be safe in her hands. He did not have to worry about her.


    As long as the platoon stays low, they would be able to prevent being found out. They would have had to wait until they reached the kingdom.


    Then, Hugh remembered Jane and Aric. He wondered what they were currently doing right now. The last time they all saw each other, they were still stuck from that strange worn down palace.

 Chapter 197: Bandits

    Hugh sat right next to the commander of the whole army. The pressure he was feeling was the most immense that anyone had ever felt.


    He had to get sued to the pressure early, which was a thing that he could do since he had a strong body. The only thing that he could not numb down was the internal pressure he was feeling.


    One wrong move and he could get found out by the commander. There was no other else that could have done this job, and Hugh was ready to take on the mantle.


    "Let''s head out," the commander said as he stood up from his seat.


    The rest of the soldiers inside the large tent stood up and saluted at the commander. Hugh quickly followed their lead and saluted the commander as well.


    As the commander walked towards the exit of the tent, he stopped and looked back at Hugh. Hugh was not fazed by the glare and just stood still.


    "What are you doing?" the commander asked. "Follow me."


    Hugh nodded his head and quickly rushed to the commander''s side. He did not walk directly beside the commander but a little bit behind him.


    As soon as they walked outward into the plethora of soldiers that were in idle action, they all stood and silted them.


    Hugh could see respect in their eyes and how they admired the commander. It was not just fear in their eyes but also a sense of worship.


    He would never know why the soldiers went to such trouble in serving a tyrant like the commander. They all must have had the same greedy ideal as their leader.


    He could also feel that there were hostile looks towards him. Everyone was finally seeing the newcomer in the group, and they did not believe that Hugh had the prospects to be on the commander''s side.


    Hugh also had the same idea as the other soldiers. He did not know why the commander had made him advance in ranks so much.


    The only thing that he could do was try and become as low-key as possible. He did not have the luxury to investigate the inner workings of the army, which made it very hard.


    One of the things that were the advantage of this mission was having information that nobody else had. It was data that would be tremendously advantageous in the war.


    Once he was in the middle of the army, the commander started to bark out orders to his minions. Soon enough, everybody started to pack out their things and move.


    It was now time to march towards the Cheroque kingdom after a small break. Soon enough, Hugh would be able to go back to his platoon and search for Mia.


    He would just have to survive for this small amount of time. Nothing terrible would happen.


    The ground started to shake as every soldier marched with their left and right leg. It made the nearby animals escape in fear as they could not stand the intrusions.


    Hugh was able to travel by horse and made traveling much more accessible. He had to be near the commander, so he could not go anywhere else.


    When he looked back, he could not even see the outline of the platoon. He could not see Serena and the others anywhere.


    They all blended into the thousands of soldiers marching together in unison. He could not rely on them for help, so he had to do everything by himself.


    Times passed, and the silhouette of the kingdom was getting nearer and nearer. As they traveled, Hugh kept his eye on the commander.


    He wanted to know what he was planning, but he could not ask the commander directly. It would be too suspicious, and he still had to ear the trust of the commander.


    "Commander, there is trouble with our supply line," a soldier hurriedly said as he reported to the commander.


    Hugh looked at the soldier and saw that there were signs of battle on his clothes. His armor was dented, his helmet was gone, and his hair was disheveled.


    Most importantly, blood was dripping from his boots. Hugh could tell that the soldier had killed some people but inevitably lost.


    Although the soldier seemed distressed, the problem was not too bad that the commander had to move. Hugh realized that this was his opportunity to earn the trust of the commander.


    Hugh quickly maneuvered his horse closer to the commander as he sneaks into the situation.


    "Help us, commander," the soldier begged.


    Hugh arrived just as the soldier kneeled on the floor. He opened his mouth and offered his assistance.


    "I can do it, commander," Hugh said.


    The commander looked at Hugh with no expression on his face and stayed silent for a moment. Hugh gulped. He started to doubt his decisions.


    He may have been too forward, and the commander was now trying to figure him out.


    "Sure," the commander uttered.


    Hugh was surprised by the agreement. He thought that the commander would refuse his offer, but it seemed that he was wrong.


    "Thank you, commander!" Hugh bowed towards the commander.


    Once the commander had given his word, the soldier looked towards Hugh and frowned. The soldier did not seem to trust Hugh''s talents for this kind of problem.


    Hugh was simply a platoon leader back then, and the soldier had a valid reason to doubt Hugh. However, Hugh did not mind this.


    He just had to show his abilities this time, and he would know that he was the right person for the task.


    "Follow me," the soldier said as he tried around and walked away.


    Hugh followed the soldier towards the outskirts of the army and made a detour towards the back. There, he could see the carriages that held the supplies of the military.


    *ting* *ting*


    Hugh could immediately hear the sounds of swords clashing. Then, with his eagle eyes, he could see that soldiers and bandits were fighting against each other.


    From his perspective, he could see that the bandits were winning against the soldiers. The soldiers were being pressed into a corner, and the soldiers were outnumbered.


    Anybody could see that the soldiers were going to lose. Hugh tapped his horse and made him go faster. The soldier was surprised at Hugh''s actions.


    "What are you doing?" the soldier called out to Hugh.


    Hugh turned his head back to the soldier and showed a confused expression. He was going to save the soldiers; what was wrong with that?


    "I thought you wanted help?" Hugh said.


    "Are you an idiot?!" the soldier shook his head. "You cannot defeat them all by yourself!"


    For the soldier, he did not expect anything from Hugh. He had thought that Hugh would take one look at the situation and retreat.


    The soldier had only wanted to wait until the bandits leave with the carriage. Then, he would bring back the corpses of the soldiers.


    In his mind, they were already dead. There was nothing he could do. Now, he saw that Hugh was not only planning to save the soldiers, but he would do it by attacking them from the front.


    If Hugh was going to save the soldiers, then he should launch a sneak attack. He was only one person, so that was the only plan of attack that was plausible.


    No matter how much the soldier had wanted Hugh, he only kept running towards the bandits. The soldier shook his head and slapped down.


    He did not want to die with Hugh. He would just let Hugh fight by himself, and it would not be his fault. If Hugh died, nobody would complain; they would celebrate.


    The bandits were immediately alerted of the new arrival. At first, they all braced themselves for the reinforcement. If a whole army came to them, then they would just retreat.


    However, when they saw the reinforcement, they almost laughed their bellies off. It was only one guy, and he did not seem at all intimidating.


    "Really? You?"


    "Hahahaha! What''s this stick going to do?"


    "They underestimate us, aren''t they?"


    The bandits began to have relaxed expressions as they saw Hugh disembark from his horse. Even the soldiers who had hoped for salvation were disappointed.


    "I''ll give you a chance to retreat now," Hugh utter with a severe expression.


    "HAHAHAHAHAHA"


    The bandits all laughed until their stomachs hurt. They did not take Hugh seriously at all. This was their first mistake.


    Hugh picked up a bloodied sword from the ground and started to swing it. At this point, none of the bandits were looking at him.


    Hugh took a deep breath and planted his feet to the ground. Then, he accelerated towards the nearest bandit.


    From an outsider''s perspective, they saw Hugh disappear for a split second and appear right next to the bandit nearest him.


    Then, blood splattered all over the ground. The rest of the bandits finally stopped laughing as they saw their comrade have their chest pierced by a sword.

 Chapter 198: Interrogation

    Kyran''s actions were beyond what anyone had ever expected. Rhett bought that this robbery was as easy as picking candy from a baby.


    However, Hugh was the detriment to their plan. In just a solid second, he had killed one of their comrades. Now, there were only seven of them left.


    The bandits were livid. They could not let Hugh get away with killing one of their comrades. This was a grudge that they would never let go of.


    Hugh was only one person. What could he do?


    The bandits all rushed towards Kyran with their swords up in the air. Then did not care for any that it''s as they thought overwhelming Hugh with numbers was the best way to go about it.


    However, they were still underestimating Hugh. With his eagle eyes, he could see the bandit''s attacks in real-time with easy prediction patterns.


    With a tiny twist of his hip, he was able to dodge against one of the swords. Then, he raised his sword and counterattacked the bandits.


    With one strike, another bandit was down. The bandits could not believe what they were seeing. However, this was not the end of Hugh''s attacks.


    With one side step, he reached another bandit. The bandit was surprised and could not react appropriately. The only thing he could do was raise his sword, but Hugh''s sword had already sliced him in half.


    Two strikes and two men were down. This was Hugh''s power, and the strength difference was evident.


    "You bastard!" the bandits shouted as they charged towards Huh with crazed eyes.


    Hugh did not panic and kept his calm. He attacked the next person and the next, and the next until there was only one person left.


    "Who¡­who are you?!" the last remaining bandit shouted. He crawls away from Hugh as a last resort. However, Hugh had other plans for the guy.


    Hugh stopped on the bandit''s feet and prevented him from moving away.


    "I still have to ask you something," Hugh said as he squatted down and looked at the bandit.


    "Hiii!!!" the bandit was extremely scared of Hugh. What kind of monster could take on eight people at a time? It was crazy!


    "Why did you attack the army?" Hugh said with a calm voice.


    However, the bandit was still shivering on the floor. It was clear that the bandit was in no way capable of saying anything right now.


    *slap*


    Hugh slapped the bandit right across his face, leaving a bright red mark on the bandit''s cheeks.


    "If you don''t want to die, then answer my question," Hugh said as he picked up the bandit by his collar.


    The look of fear on the bandit was enough for Hugh to know that the bandit was now woken up from his daze. The bandit saw his comrades'' deed in the ground, lying in a pool of their blood.


    He would be like them if he did not answer Hugh''s question. The bandit cannot take that kind of end for his life, so he decided to answer Hugh''s questions


    "We heard that there was a supply cart about to embark. So, we decided to rob it," the bandit said with urgency.


    Hugh looked at the bandit and tried to look for signs of lying. However, he could not see any lie from the man''s words. It was the truth.


    "Didn''t they tell you this was supposed to be the Cheroque kingdom army''s supply?" Hugh said.


    Then, as soon as Hugh mentioned the Cheroque kingdom army, the bandit''s face became pale. It looked like he did not know of this beforehand.


    "I didn''t know that!" the bandit shouted.


    If there was one thing that the bandits feared, they feared the Cheroque kingdom army. That sense of fear only came from one man, and that was the commander.


    The commander was a cruel and terrible man that everyone in the underground feared. He had heard of tales about the commander''s cruelty, and it gave him chills on the back of his spine.


    "You robbed it without even knowing who you are up against? What kind of robber are you?" Hugh said.


    The only reason why Hugh asked for the bandits'' reason for robbing was to know if they had any resentment towards the army.


    If the bandits told him that they had a deep-seated rage towards the army, then Hugh could have used them. As the famous motto one said, the enemy of my enemy is my friend.


    "Who told you the information in the first place?" Hugh asked.


    Then, the bandit closed his mouth. It seemed as if he knew who the informant was, but he did not want to say who it was.


    Even if the bandit survived this encounter with Hugh, he would be killed after it was leaked that he had told Hugh about the informant''s identity.


    "You aren''t going to tell me?" Hugh asked as he put more pressure on the bandit''s injuries, making him squeal in pain.


    "I can''t! He''ll kill me!" the bandit shouted as he tried to endure the pain from Hugh''s torture.


    "I''ll kill you if you don''t tell me who it is," Hugh said as he put more pressure.


    "Ahhhhhh!!!!!!" the bandit screamed. The pain was too much for him to handle, and he passed out.


    The bandit''s body fell to the ground. Hugh was surprised. He did not think that his attack would inflict pain on the bandit that made him pass out.


    Hugh shook his head. Then, he slapped his forehead. He could not be ice that he had just done this.


    He still did not know who the informant was. If only the bandit were still awake, then Hugh could have figured him out with the truth.


    Hugh sighed. He would have to wait for the bandit to wake up.


    "Sir," a voice called out to Hugh.


    Hugh turned parish and saw the remaining soldier that he had saved. He could see that they had severe injuries, but they still walked up to Hugh and bowed.


    "We thank you for saving our lives!" the three soldiers shouted towards Hugh.


    However, their enthusiasm was not the best thing for their health. After screaming that loud, they coughed up blood.


    Hugh looked at them. He did not want to save them since they may inevitably become his enemies later on. However, on the one hand, he still had to keep up appearances for the commander.


    If he came back with the soldiers saved and the supply reduced, he would get even better merits. Only then will the commander trust him more.


    "No worries. I''m glad you are all alive," Hugh said with a fake smile.


    However, the soldiers did not seem to sense that Hugh''s smile was genuine. They just looked at Hugh''s face (the platoon leader''s face) as someone very generous and kind.


    "We''ll start to clean up, sir!" the soldiers said as they saluted to Hugh and turned away.


    The soldiers started to bring the dead bodies of their comrades and the bandits together. The soldiers looked at their dead comrades with pained eyes.


    As soldiers who died in duty, they were to be disposed of immediately. The upper ranks told them that any dead body, regardless of their affiliation, should be buried in the ground.


    The upper ranks did not believe in bringing the dead body back to their families. It was a waste of money and workforce.


    The soldiers always thought that this was a bad policy, but they could not complain.


    Hugh looked at the soldiers who buried their dead comrades. He could not help but feel sorry for them since they were just pawns in a bigger game.


    They were not necessarily bad people, but they were just in the wrong group. Hugh was glad that he did not kill the soldiers.


    After thirty minutes, the bandit finally opened his eyes.


    "Where am I?" the bandit asked. Then, the first thing he saw after passing out was Hugh''s face.


    The bandit''s heart stopped as soon as he saw Hugh''s face. However, he tried his best to hide this fact.


    "Who are you? Who am I?" the soldier said as he pretended to have amnesia.


    This was a good tactic for the bandit. With this, he would have an excuse not to spill his secrets. It was excellent proof.


    *slap*


    Hugh slapped the bandit right across his face, evening out the bright red spot on the opposite side of his cheek.


    "You think I''m an idiot?" Hugh asked. There was no way that he would fall for such a petty trick.


    He did not even know why the bandit even tried this technique. He would have killed the bandit either way.


    "I know you are lying," Hugh said as he looked at the bandit right in the eyes. "Stop playing with me."


    The bandit saw Hugh''s eyes and saw something that he should not have. He saw the bags under Hugh''s eyes fall off like Hugh''s mask was starting to fall apart.


    Then, he kicks to see the sharp eyes of Hugh crystal clear, and it gave him chills.

 Chapter 199: Victory

    Fine! Fine!" the bandit shouted as he looked at Hugh''s dark, cold eyes. "I''ll tell you, so spare me, please!"


    Hugh let go of the bandit and gave him a breathing room. The torture was done, and now, it was his time to reap the rewards.


    "Who sent you the information?" Hugh asked.


    "We don''t know who he is, but we know he is from an organization," the bandit said with his head down.


    Hugh looked at the bandit and saw that he was telling the truth. There was no sign of lies in his body, no heart raised, no palpitations, and no nervous tics.


    There seemed to be a piece of truth in the bandit''s words. Hugh decided to believe the information that he had gotten from this bandit.


    "Who are they?" Hugh asked.


    "I don''t know!" the bandit said as he flinched away from Hugh even though Hugh did not move his hand. He had developed a trauma from Hugh''s torture.


    "They send out different people every time we met, so we don''t know who they are," the bandit continued.


    Hugh could see no sign of lies, so it was still the truth. However, everything will have been useless if Hugh did not know who the informant was.


    "What can you recall from them?" Hugh said as he once again put pressure on the bandit.


    "Gkkk!" the bandit could not breathe once again. His fight or flight response panicked, and he knew that the only way he would survive was to tell Hugh the truth.


    However, the bandit honestly did not know who the informant was. He tried to investigate them back then, but he did not find anything.


    Should he lie? No, Hugh would find it out. However, what could he tell Hugh that would make him satisfied? Will he die at this time?


    "They smell of oil!" the bandit shouted in the very last second before he suffocated from Hugh''s pressure.


    Hugh stood up and looked at the bandit. Every sense of Hugh''s told him that the bandit''s words were the truth. Although this was a tiny piece of evidence, Hugh already got a decadent guess on who the informant was.


    Hugh rubbed his chin as he was in deep thought. From his previous experiences, Hugh guessed that the informant was the Shark Loan organization.


    They were the only ones who had given him an impression that was the same as the bandits. When he went towards the organization of the Shark Loan, he had also smelled the smell of oil.


    This was a guess, but Hugh was sure of it. It also made sense since they were the ones who had captured Mia in the first place.


    Then why would the Shark Loan organization try to sabotage the Cheroque kingdom? What are they trying to achieve?


    Could the Shark Loan company be trying to prevent the commander from finding Mia? Then, they would mean that Hugh and the Shark Loan company''s motives align.


    However, knowing them, Hugh figured out that the Shark Loan company had other plans. They were indeed not doing this out of the goodness of their heart.


    Once Hugh found this out, he knew that this would be a sound information bargain chip that he would sue the commander.


    He was sure that the commander would appreciate his affords to find those who had sabotaged his army supplies.


    "Go," Hugh said as he pushed the bandit away from him.


    The bandit was surprised at first. He thought that Hugh would kill him since he had not given him a satisfying answer.


    Even if the bandit had given Hugh an answer, most people would kill the bandit either way. This was a dog-eat-dog world, and there was no need for innocence.


    "Do you want to die?" Hugh asked as he saw the flabbergasted bandit.


    The bandit quickly shook his head. He did not want to die, but he was still surprised about the situation.


    "Then leave before I change my mind," Hugh said as he turned around and walked away from the bandit.


    The bandit quickly stood up and ran away from the situation. However, before he escaped, he took one last look at Hugh.


    "Sir, should we pursue the bandit?" a soldier asked.


    This was the soldier that Hugh had saved, and it seemed that they all wanted to kill the bandit.


    It was a reasonable request. That was the bandit that had killed most of their comrades, so they were seething in anger as they saw the bandit escaping.


    Hugh looked at the three soldiers and saw that they were all itching to charge towards the bandit. From their crazed eyes, Hugh guessed they would chase after the bandit even after Hugh ordered them not to.


    "Do you want to anger the commander?" Hugh asked with a calm voice.


    As soon as Hugh mentioned the commander, the three men were splashed back into reality. No matter how much they were angry, they cannot afford to anger the commander.


    "What is your purpose?" Hugh asked the soldiers.


    The soldiers were all silent with Hugh''s words. They were just panes in a bigger game, and all they had to do was follow orders.


    If they cannot follow orders, then they were not fit to be soldiers. This was a crime that would shatter their honor.


    "Our priority right now is to make sure that this supply carriage is delivered back to the army," Hugh said as he pointed towards the abandoned carrier full of army supplies.


    "Now, I''ll ask you again," Hugh said as he looked at the three soldiers in the eyes. "Do you want to waste your time chasing after a single bandit?"


    The answer was simple, and the soldiers knew what it was. They had forgotten this simple thing, so they just saluted back to Hugh and walked towards the carriage.


    No matter how much they wanted to revenge, they should first deliver the supply and accomplish their mission. Revenge was a dish best served cold.


    Hugh looked at the three soldiers cleaning up the supply carriage. He could have killed the bandit and saved the soldier''s time, but he did not.


    This army was his enemy, and it was better if they were smaller in number and were not in their right mind. Also, the bandit will want to take revenge.


    This was all in Hugh''s plans. The bandits would surely want to take revenge. This was a common thing.


    However, the bandit could not do so by himself. He would have to ask for a much bigger organization by himself.


    Who? It was none other than the Shark Loan company. Since the Shark Loan company was the one who had ordered a hit on the Cheroque army, then they were the ones who had sufficient charge against the military.


    If the bandit were to ask for their help, they would surely be happy to accept him. Then, they would probably attack the army supplies once again with more men and more stores.


    This was the chance that Hugh wanted. If the Shark Loan company gets involved, he could capture one of their people to try and interrogate them.


    Once he gets ahold of their people, he could find out why the Shark Loan company was going against the Cheroque kingdom army.


    Then, Hugh would issue an agreement between them. As the old motto said, the enemy of my enemy is my friend.


    Of course, Hugh would not trust them completely. He was not an idiot. There is no way that the Shark Loan company would not coordinate double cords against him.


    Of course, Hugh would be prepared for that. He would try to take advantage of both situations and kill two birds with one stone.


    He would give the Shark Loan company inside information about the Cheroque kingdom and their commander.


    Then, he would sit back and relax as the two armies crash and burn against each other. This was a way to defeat two Goliaths.


    "Let''s go," Hugh said as he saw the soldiers finish their preparations. It was time to head back to the commander and bring him the good news of his return.


    Once Hugh returned to the army, he could see looks directed at him and the supply carriage riding.


    Everyone thought that he would die, but he exceeded every expectation. They did know that the platoon leader was capable of this.


    "Commander, I have come back with the supplies," Hugh said as he kneeled towards the commander.


    The commander looked at Hugh, then at the supply carriage. He could see that it was still in top condition even after bandits had ravaged through it.


    He also noticed that Hugh''s clothes were still devoid of any blood nor dirt. He seemed to have defeated bandits that were too much even for his soldiers.


    This was no easy feat. Not many people could do this, and he could count on two hands at Hugh''s level.


    Everyone thought that the platoon leader had only gotten his position through nepotism, but it seemed that he had skills.

 Chapter 200: Bet

    "You have done well," the commander said as he looked at Hugh.


    Hugh bowed even harder. He did not want to show too much happiness at the praise, but he did show any nonchalantness.


    "I have more to say, commander," Hugh said as he looked up at the commander.


    "Speak," the commander uttered.


    "I guess as to who had sabotaged our supply," Hugh said.


    Once he said that the rest of the upper ranks near the commander gasped. They did not believe that Hugh had figured out the organization that had chipped off their army supplies in the past.


    "Liar!"


    "How could, you know?!"


    Most of the upper ranks had an immediate adverse reaction to Hugh''s alleged discovery. There were the upper ranks who had tried and failed to investigate the organization.


    They could not believe that Hugh had done the one thing that they had failed to do. It was an impossibility that their pride could not trust.


    However, there were also upper ranks who had stayed quiet and watched Hugh with interest. They did not dare interfere with the situation in case Hugh''s words were accurate.


    If the words of Hugh were incorrect, then he would suffer the consequences from the commander. Some of the upper ranks wanted to see this, so they waited for Hugh to explore by himself.


    "Go on," the commander leaned in towards Hugh with his eyes gravitated towards Hugh, who had supposedly gotten critical information.


    "From my sources, I believe that the Shark Loan company was the one behind the attack," Hugh said with confidence and consistency.


    He needed to be direct and straight to the point if he wanted the commander to believe him. He wanted the commander and his Andy to be enemies to the Shark Loan company.


    The upper ranks all whispered towards each other as they heard the answer. Some of them were skeptical, but some of them could see the possibility.


    "That''s not true!"


    "Can you prove it?!"


    "You are just pulling that out of nowhere!"


    Of course, Hugh just ignored those taunts. The only important opinion that he needed was the commanders. If the commander did not believe him, he may get in trouble and be even farther away from his trust.


    However, if Hugh gets paid off, he may get the commander''s trust even faster than he had hoped. Then, hopefully, he would be let in on the army secrets that he needed to have.


    "Do you have any evidence to that?" the commander asked with his shape eyes looking at Hugh''s face and inspecting his expressions.


    Hugh gulped. As expected, it would not be easy to convince the commander. There was a reason why he had been in the top and apex position for so long.


    "Currently, our evidence lies on the dead bandits that had raised the supplies," Hugh said with a begrudging tone.


    In truth, Hugh did not have any evidence to support his claim. However, he could not just say that he did not have any proof.


    The best thing to say there was to say that the evidence had been destroyed. This way, there was no way to prove or disprove his theory.


    This would give him the time he needed to make sure that his plan runs in place.


    "See, he doesn''t have any evidence!"


    "Commander, this is treason!"


    "I''ll kill him myself,"


    The upper ranks took this chance to put Hugh''s reputation down. They were trying to egg the commander into killing Hugh, their rival.


    Hugh was in a position that he did not deserve, as most of the upper ranks thought.


    "Shut up," the commander uttered.


    The commander did not have to say anymore as they all shut their mouths up. They did not dare speak up now that the commander had uttered those words.


    They all waited as the commander looked up and closed his eyes as he was in deep thought. The rest of the upper ranks all waited for the commander''s order to kill Hugh.


    However, Hugh was not anxious. The commander''s hesitation was good news for Hugh. This meant that the commander was trying to see the truth in Hugh''s words.


    Hugh smiled internally. This was the time that he needed to nail the last nail in the coffin.


    "I can prove that there will be more attacks," Hugh uttered under the silence.


    Most of the upper ranks gasped. Even the commander seemed to be surprised by Hugh''s words. They did not expect Hugh to speak up at that point.


    This was a big statement, and if Hugh could not deliver on that promise, Hugh''s position was in danger.


    They did not know if Hugh was a genius or an idiot. They could not believe that Hugh would take that kind of bet. His confidence seemed to come out of nowhere.


    Could Hugh''s words have been the truth? That question lingered on all their minds. That was the power of Hugh''s bet on his own life.


    "Oh?" the commander said with a bit of a smile on his face.


    "Sometime before we reach the kingdom, I guarantee that there will be an attack," Hugh said with certainty.


    The immediate reaction of the upper ranks was disagreement. They could not believe that someone would try and plan a full-on attack on the best army in the kingdom.


    How could someone even try to make a dent in the army? They were thousands of men strong, and as far as they knew, no organization could match that.


    The only enemy that they could consider a threat was from a neighboring country, but they would not be able to ride through the plains unnoticed.


    "I need my platoon, and we can make sure that the attack will be prevented," Hugh said.


    Once again, the upper ranks were in disarray. They all wanted to disagree with Hugh''s words.


    "Commander, you don''t believe him, do you?"


    "How could some organization even try and attack us?"


    "Let them come to us on their own, and we''ll crush them. We don''t need a plan,"


    Almost all of the upper ranks were in agreement with the plan of no plan. They were confidant in their army''s strength, and that led to their overconfidence.


    However, they could not see that. They were all blinded by their jealousy of Hugh. So much so that they were not making any rational decision.


    The most effective and most economical decision would be to go with Hugh''s plan. This would give the organization no room even to try and upset the battle.


    Prevention was better than cure. Hugh looked up at the commander and hoped that the commander would see the light of truth.


    "I will allow it," the commander said as he looked at Hugh.


    Hugh smiled. It looked like the commander was smart enough to see that. Any great general could see that this was the correct decision.


    This was an excellent outcome for Hugh. Not only could he generate more trust from the commander, but he could also reunite with the platoon and Serena.


    He would no longer have to stay with the commander all the time. He would finally be able to see through his skin.


    Although he liked the skinniness of the platoon leader, he still felt more comfortable with his old skin.


    "Thank you, commander," Hugh said as he bowed towards the commander and turned around to leave.


    Most of the upper ranks were conflicted. They did not know whether to be happy with the commander''s decision.


    On the one hand, Hugh would finally be gone out of the commander''s sight. On the other hand, he would get all the spotlight if his conjecture turns out to be true.


    "Wait,"


    Just as Hugh was about to leave, he suddenly heard the commander''s voice. It sent chills to his spine, and he quickly stopped in place.


    "Is there something wrong, commander?" Hugh said as he slowly turned around to face the commander.


    "Take my guard with you," the commander said as he pointed towards Hugh''s feet.


    Then, Hugh suddenly saw a shadow in front of him. He was supposed to know a soldier right in front of him, looking at him with a cold glare.


    This was one of the commander''s guards that was always hidden in the shadows. Hugh gulped. This was not part of the plan.


    He was hoping to be finally free from the commander''s eyes, but it seemed that he would still be on a leash. He was shouting in anger inside.


    However, Hugh could not seem to be unhappy with this decision. Most of the upper ranks would be more than delighted and honored that they would be protected by a professional.


    "Thank you, commander," Hugh said as he bowed once again towards the commander.


    The upper ranks were seething in pain and jealousy. They would have been more vaporizers if they knew that Hugh was unhappy with this decision.


    Hugh quickly turned around and led the place without looking back. He was afraid that the commander would stop him once again.


    He gets a sharp glare directed towards him at all times, and this gave him anxiousness at all times.

 Chapter 201: Back

    As Hugh walked back to the platoon, he kept his attention on the guard at all times. He had to be alert and be a guard at all times.


    He did not have any time or place to breathe a sigh of relief. This did not give him the result that he wanted.


    As he saw the platoon, he first noticed the petite soldier at the very back of the line. Even when she was at the back, Hugh could recognize her form a mile away.


    She was the only one who had a sense of balance and grade to her march, and it gave her the distinction that Hugh needed to recognize her.


    Even though she had her helmet on her head, Hugh and Serena had eye contact with each other. Serena flinched, and the first thing that she wanted to do was go and run towards Hugh.


    However, Serena realized that Hugh''s expression was rattled. He did not seem very excited to come back. When she looked at Hugh''s eyes, she saw that he looked to the side.


    It was then that she noticed a guard following Hugh from a couple of steps back. It was then that she understood the predicament that Hugh had.


    "Hu¡ªplatoon leader!" a soldier said as he walked towards Hugh.


    The soldier almost slipped up and called Hugh by his real name, but Hugh gave him a sharp glare that told the soldier of his mistake.


    "I''m back," Hugh said. He aligned towards the rest of the soldiers and gave them a sharp eye.


    Everyone saluted back as they all looked at the guard behind Hugh with a side glance. As veterans, they knew that they were being watched.


    They knew that a soldier was watching Hugh that they did it trust. This meant they had no choice but to stiffen up and pretend that they were still a part of this army.


    This stifled their plans. Some of the soldiers were planning to visit some of their friends from different platoons and recruit them.


    However, with this guard looking at them like a hawk, they had no choice but to remain vigilant.


    "The commander has given us the privilege and honor to defend this army from an evil organization planning to hurt this army," Hugh stated.


    The rest of the soldiers were nodding their heads and pretending to like the mission. They should act like they were angry at the opposing organization.


    "We depart immediately," Hugh said.


    He did not have the time to debrief the soldiers, with the guard looking over him at all times. He wanted to tell them the plan, but it seemed that they would have to go with this with no idea of what was happening.


    Hugh took one last look at Serena before he turned around and walked towards the very back of the line.


    Serena understood the implication from Hugh''s look, so she promptly followed him there. However, she made sure that the guard did not see her.


    As Hugh went over towards a secluded area, he turned around and looked at the guard in the eyes.


    "are you going to follow me as I relieve myself?" Hugh asked with the offense.


    The guard looked at Hugh with suspiciousness but soon turned away and let Hugh by himself. There was still a sense of privacy that a soldier was given.


    However, Hugh knew that he did not have the luxury to stay still. If he stayed behind for too long, then the guard would be suspicious.


    So, he has to think of something else. Then, he remembered that he still had Beru.


    First, Hugh took the platoon leader''s skin away from his body. Soon enough, she fats, and his average body returned to normal.


    His skin had finally gotten a taste of the fresh air. It had been too long, and it had given him a sense of appreciation for his own body.


    He shook his head and woke himself up from the trance of the sense of relief. Then, he talked down towards the excess skin.


    "Beru," Hugh called out. However, there was no response.


    "Beru!"


    Finally, the skin had soon turned into the full wolf-dog that he had always thought was cute. Being skinned felt weird, and Beru was happy being back to his adorable self.


    "Good boy," Hugh said as he rubbed Beru''s head.


    "Can you transform into me?" Hugh asked.


    Then, Beru nodded his head furiously, with his tail wagging in his back. He seemed to be enthusiastic about the fact that he would impersonate his owner.


    "Okay, follow my instructions carefully, ok?" Hugh said as he looked at Beru.


    Then, Beru titled his head.


    After a while, the guard thought it was finally time for the platoon leader to come out. However, there was no sign of him yet.


    Just as the guard was about to come and look at the platoon leader, he saw someone come out of the woods.


    It was the platoon leader. The platoon leader looked at the guard and smiled at him. The guard was caught off guard by the smile and flinched.


    For some reason, the platoon leader had just smiled at him. This was weird since their hostility between each other was clear from the very start.


    Then, the platoon leader walked past the guard and looked over the soldiers without mentioning a single word.


    The guard thought that the platoon leader was doing something weird in the woods, but it seemed like he just imagined it.


    Meanwhile, in the woods, Hugh and Serena finally get back together after a while. On the one hand, Hugh and Serena were glad to see someone they had known for a long time.


    Being with propelling not from their world was weird. Therefore, they both cherished each other''s presence in this army.


    They would both express this happiness if it were not because it was awkward between the two of them. A godlike being had promised a fate intertwined between the two of them.


    Also, whenever they were alone together, there would inevitably be a weird moment between each other. However, they need to talk about something.


    "So? How was being the right hand of a tyrannical commander like?" Serena said with a lighthearted tone to break the ice.


    "Oh, you know. Pressure here, pressure there," Hugh replied


    Then, it was silence once again. They did not know how to talk to each other since they knew that they were awkward.


    "Ahem¡­about the guard," Serena uttered, trying to break the ice once again.


    "He''s someone I got stuck with. It''s a wrench in the plans, but we go along with it," Hugh said with a severe expression.


    Then, it was silence again.


    "The Shark Loan company is trying to stop the army, but I don''t know why," Hugh uttered, being the one to break the ice this time.


    "That company? The one who took Mia after Miser could not pay the debt?" Serena asked.


    Hugh nodded.


    Two seemingly evil groups seemed to be at odds with each other. Serena got the idea immediately as she looked up at Hugh.


    "We could use that," Serena said with enthusiasm at her voice. After being at the very end of the stick for the longest time, they finally got a hand.


    "That''s why we are going to be the one to stop the Shark Loan company in their next attack," Hugh said.


    However, Serena did not seem to understand why Hugh thought this way.


    "Shouldn''t we just let them fight against each other?" Serena asked.


    "We don''t know their plans. We should confront them, know their plans, and we''ll go from there," Hugh said.


    "Ahhh¡­if our plan aligns, then we could be a double agent for the Shark Loan company," Serena said as she looked down and thought deeply.


    "Be careful," Serena uttered. Although Hugh''s plans seemed to be very effective, one wrong move could gather the ire of both organizations.


    "I know," Hugh said.


    "What do you want us to do?" Serena asked.


    "When we confront the Shark Loan company, distract the guard, and I can interrogate the company," Hugh said.


    Serena nodded. It was a simple enough mission. She could quickly spread this mission to the soldiers since the guard''s attention would not be on her.


    "You go on first," Hugh said. "I''ll have to turn back into the platoon leader again."


    Serena nodded and sneaked out of the bushes. Score her friend away wholly; she looked back at Hugh.


    "I know," Hugh said with a smile on his face.


    Serena smiled, knowing that Hugh knew what she was going to say. Then, Hugh also looked at her.


    "I know," she replied.


    It looked like Hugh''s silent eyes seemed to have conveyed the correct meaning that Hugh wanted to imply.


    Even though their whole fate situation had made them awkward, it had also made them grow closer together. They just did not know if that was good yet or would eventually go bad.

 Chapter 202: Ambush

    After Hugh ordered Beru to come back towards him, he transformed back to the platoon leader. Then, he walked towards the platoon with no expression.


    When he looked at the guard, he did not see a sign of suspicion on his face. This meant that the guard did not find out about his secret.


    "Let''s depart," Hugh said.


    Once the platoon had done their preparations, Hugh ordered them to March away. They were now planning to counterattack the Shark Loan company.


    The problem that Hugh had to figure out was where the attack would take place. The only thing that he had to consider was what part of the army was vulnerable.


    This meant that the most statistically probable attack that could occur was the army''s supply lines. This would cut off the lifeline of the military.


    The reason why Hugh thought that the attack would not occur on the main army was that the Shark Loan company had no way to attack the military.


    The army was thousands of men strong, and the Shark Loan company could not fight them off like that. The best bet of the Shark Loan company was to chip off their numbers.


    This was why Hugh thought that the attack would occur at the supply lines again. Therefore, Hugh had to order his platoon men to March back towards the supply lines.


    As the platoon marched away, they saw the supply lines a few miles away from them. Soldiers protected it, but the supply was too ample for that small number of soldiers.


    Once the soldiers saw the platoon of men coming towards them, they got scared and wary. However, Hugh let the flag of the Cheroque army wave off to signal their friendliness.


    Once the soldiers in the supply carriage saw the flag, they all let down their guards. They were all relieved to find out that reinforcements would protect the supply carriage with them.


    The previous attacks had spooked them, and they were wary of any attacks that may come. Once they saw Hugh and the platoon, they were happy.


    In truth, the soldiers in the supply carriage had thought that they were destined to die. Since they were close to the kingdom, there would be less emphasis on the supply line.


    Even if the supply lines get carjacked, it would not matter as much for the commander if they were to die. Now, it seemed as if the commander had a heart of gold.


    However, it was only Hugh''s persuasion that the supply lines were to be guarded. There was no other way for the commander to care about some trivial thing.


    "Sir, I thank you for the reinforcement," a soldier said as he faced the guard next to Hugh.


    However, the guard did not even take a second to look at the soldier. The soldier thought that the guard was the group leader since he seemed to be the most capable based on the muscles on guard.


    Of course, no one would have ever thought that a skinny guy like the platoon leader would become the right-hand man of the commander.


    "This is sir Hugh, the right-hand man of the commander," the guard said as he pointed at Hugh.


    Hugh could tell that the guard did not like the attention from the soldiers. Therefore, he had an excuse to push all the publicity towards Hugh.


    Everyone was surprised. The soldiers all looked at Hugh as if it was a joke. They were already thinking about their strength compared to Hugh.


    With the platoon leader''s skinny body, everybody felt like they could take him on. This led to the soldiers having no regard and no respect for Hugh.


    "I don''t care if you all think low of me," Hugh uttered with a nonchalant expression.


    "But if you disobey my order, you will suffer a fate worse than death," Hugh said.


    Everybody could feel the temperature of the airdrop down a few degrees. Those looking in Hugh''s eyes get like they were sucked into a deep and dark abyss.


    Cold sweat dripped down their backs as they all realized that the platoon leader was no joke. Although the platoon leader had no tremendous physical ability to be seen, everybody could feel the aura around him.


    Even the guard was surprised to see Hugh exude that kind of aura. The only person he had seen with this kind of aura was the commander.


    The guard felt like he had underestimated Hugh too much. This just has been the reason why the commander had taken Hugh as his right-hand man.


    The guard felt like he had not done his job correctly since he had only found out about this right now. He should have got something when he first met Hugh.


    Of course, Hugh was also more impressive since he was able to hide that kind of aura. The guard decided to himself that he would never take Hugh off his sight ever again.


    Hugh could feel the sharp glare from the guard. He internally sighed as he felt like he was being strangled.


    Although the guard had given him a much tighter leash, he had to show off some of his power. If he did not do it, then the soldiers would not follow his orders.


    This would have made things harder when the Shark Loan company attacked. The only thing he needed right now was complete control of his assets.


    "Good," Hugh said, and immediately, the soldiers looked down as if to show absolute respect for Hugh. "This is what we are going to do."


    Hugh started to debrief the soldiers of their plan. Everyone listened to Hugh''s plan and unanimously agreed that it was doable.


    The plan was simple. They were going to March towards the army as they would typically do. However, Hugh''s platoon would hide in the outskirts and wait for the attack.


    It was a bait and switch plan. Once the Shark Loan company attacks, then Hugh would surround the attackers and kill them off quickly.


    Of course, if everything went well, the battle would be easy to win. However, Hugh did not want that. He wanted things to be messy and chaotic for his palm to work.


    If everyone was fighting and even the guard was occupied, Hugh would sneak out and capture one of the Shark Loan company leaders and interrogate him.


    Serena knew this plan, and she would have propagated this plan to the rest of the platoon. The only people that should not see the project were the guard and the soldiers in the carriage.


    Of course, a variable could not be controlled since not everyone was on the same page. The soldiers in the carriage could mess things up.


    However, Hugh would have a plan that could take into effect if this ever happened.


    With everything in place, all they had to do was wait.


    They did not have to wait long as they reached a forest that''s as filled with trees and lined with mossy floors. The carriage could only track through a narrow stone road.


    This was the most effective place that the Shark Loan company could ever attack. The carriage could only go through one road, so it was predictable.


    Hugh ordered the platoon to spread out and hide in the bushes and behind the trees. Some more physically abled soldiers climbed up the trees and hid there.


    Then, Hugh ordered the carriage to stop and pretend that they were taking a break. Hopefully, this would attract the attention of the attackers.


    This way, Hugh and his platoon would have the advantage since they would be prepared for the attack.


    Hugh hid on the top of the trees with the guard right next to him. He could never get rid of the guard, and it pissed him off.


    As they all waited, Hugh suddenly heard a small and quiet crack of a dry leaf. Nobody seemed to have listened to this except for Serena.


    Hugh knew that this was the Shark Loan company. With his eagle eyes, he scanned the area and saw bandits sneaking over towards the carriage.


    In total, there were about fifty men with swords about to attack the carriage. After they got closer, Hugh signaled the platoon that they had arrived.


    He waited until the attackers got too close for comfort. This way, the attackers would have a slight advantage.


    He only did this so that the fight would not end too quickly. If it did, then Hugh''s plan would be wrecked. Then, he noticed that three persons were walking behind the bandits.


    Hugh looked at them closely and could feel the power emanating from their bodies. He guessed that these people were not ordinary people.


    These were people who had powers and Desires like Hugh and Serena. Hugh smiled. With this, the fight would be more even.


    Then, he signaled the platoon to attack.


    "RAAAAHHHH!!!" the soldiers screamed as they ambushed the bandits. The bandits seemed to have been completely blindsided.

 Chapter 203: Chosen

    The bandits started to be attacked by the platoons. The numbers were toed to toe with each other, but the platoon had an advantage over the bandits.


    Swords clashed, and blood spilled all over the battlegrounds. The platoon continued to dominate over the bandits, and the bandits chipped off some of the platoon members.


    Hugh stayed on top of the trees overseeing the whole thing. He did not want to show himself just yet. There were still three mysterious cloaked men at the back of the bandits.


    Hugh guessed that they were all just super strong people who would change the whole situation on the battlefield.


    The guard beside Hugh looked at Hugh and saw that he was not moving. Usually, the leader of the group would join in on the fight.


    Since the fight seemed to be getting over quickly, the guard thought that it would be safe for Hugh to come and fight. This would give him experience.


    However, Hugh did not move. He continued to observe the fight as if he was not fazed by the men in his platoon dying.


    The guard thought that Hugh was a coward who did not want to dirty his own hands. His respect for Hugh went down for this.


    Of course, Hugh did care. However, it was not the time just yet. He had to wait until the Shark Loan company shows itself.


    When the bandits started to get cornered, Hugh saw the three mysterious figures begin to move. This time, he looked at them with his eyes wide open.


    He did not want to miss what they would do. He would take his time and make sure that he knew every variable in the battle.


    The three figures started to raise their hands together. The left one started to have a green swirl of energy around his hands until he threw it towards the platoon.


    A crescent-shaped wind blade went towards one of the soldiers and cut him directly in half. Everybody stopped in their tracks.


    Everyone looked at the divided corpse of the soldier and looked at the one how had just launched it.


    "Chosen! He''s a chosen!" the soldiers screamed.


    Everyone was in disarray as they all heard that. They all saw it in their own eyes, and they all realized that the tides of the battle had been turned.


    A chosen could kill ten people by himself with one move. The platoon and the soldiers did not have anyone by their side that was determined.


    It was easy to guess who would win in this situation. At the beginning of the fight, the soldiers were winning over the bandits.


    However, now that a chosen had interfered and fought together with the bandits, the soldiers were the ones in the corner.


    The guard furrowed his brows as he looked at the chosen. He did not expect to see a selection from the bandits. Usually, a chosen was a prestigious person who could get anything they wanted.


    It was highly unusual for a chosen to side with a bandit since they could ask for anything, and they would get it.


    Then, the middle person in the mysterious figures also raised his hand. Then, a reddish fire started to swirl around his hand and formed a ball of fire.


    This ball of fire was then thrown towards a lump of soldiers and exploded into a ball of fire. Everyone was shocked.


    The sliders screamed in pain as they all died while burning. It was an indescribable pain that they could only shout out with the last of their breaths.


    "Another one?!" the soldiers screamed.


    One chosen was hard enough, but it turned out that there were two of them. The worst part was that there was still another person beside them.


    This could mean that there were three chosen people in their group. The soldiers and the platoon all felt like their battle was over.


    They could not possibly win over the chosen people. It was impossible, and they would die before they even got to kill one of them.


    "Surround them! They can''t show their skill again!" Hugh shouted from the trees.


    The soldiers all looked towards Hugh and saw that there was no sign of worry on his face. All the soldiers in the platoon believed in Hugh.


    They would follow him to death since they knew he was the strongest person they had ever seen.


    "Yeah!!!!" the soldiers screamed.


    Even the guard was surprised at the kind of command that Hugh had over the soldiers in the platoon. It looked like they all followed Hugh, not because of his title but their respect towards him.


    The two chosen people who had used their skill all looked towards Hugh. They did not know that there was a person who could discern their bluff.


    They planned to show their power and scare the soldiers off. Then, the bandits would finish the soldiers, and it would have been an easy win for them.


    The chosen all looked towards Hugh, and they all frowned at him. However, they did not have the time to attack Hugh while the soldiers in the platoon rushed towards the chosen people.


    The chosen were overwhelmed, but thankfully, the bandits prevented the soldiers from reaching the chosen.


    Hugh frowned. Although it was a good strategy, if the soldiers could not reach the chosen people, then the chosen could recharge their powers and attack the soldiers again.


    "Hey!" Hugh talked to the guard beside him.


    The guard looked at Hugh and frowned. "What?"


    "Aren''t you going to attack the chosen?" Hugh asked.


    The guard frowned at Hugh''s words. He was only assigned to look over Hugh. He did not have to do Hugh''s job for him.


    There was absolutely no reason for the guard to attack the chosen people right now. However, if things were to become the worst, then he would kidnap Hugh and run away.


    "Don''t you want to have the commander''s praise?" Hugh asked.


    Now, Hugh had the guard''s attention. Everyone in the army wanted to be praised by the commander. This would give them the honor and prestige that they all worked hard every day for.


    However, the argument was still silent. At least, Hugh got the guard thinking. Although the guard could theoretically defeat one chosen, three chosen people were too much for him.


    "I''ll take care of the one; you take care of two," Hugh said.


    The guard looked over towards Hugh. This was unexpected as the guard thought that Hugh did not want to fight.


    The guard did not even know that Hugh had enough confidence and courage to fight against one chosen. Did he even have the strength to last for more than three seconds?


    "What do you say? Don''t you want the commander to praise you for killing three chosen people from the opposing attackers?" Hugh asked.


    This was the last nail in the coffin for the guard. He was now hooked into Hugh''s plan. He could occupy two chosen while Hugh attacked one.


    Then, the soldiers in the platoon would have no problem while they attacked the bandits. Then, once the bandits are all killed, they could all fight against the chosen.


    "Okay," the guard did as he jumped down from the top of the tree and attacked the two chosen.


    Hugh smiled as he saw that. Then, he also jumped down and followed the guard.


    With the guard attacking two chosen simultaneously, he would be too occupied to look at Hugh. Then Hugh would have the chance to ask the Shark Loan company about their goals.


    The guard attacked the two chosen who manifested the wind and fire attacks. Hugh went over the last mysterious guy who had an unknown power.


    He borrowed one of the bloodied swords from the ground and attacked the last guy. He was surprised to see that the guy was ready for Hugh''s attack.


    Hugh used his armor to give himself a strength boost and attack the chosen. He could shoot the guy, but the guy only used his hand to guard against Hugh''s attack.


    The sword landed on the chosen''s wrist, and sparks came out. With Hugh''s strength, the chosen''s wrist had a skin-deep gash.


    However, the sword could not handle the pressure. It shattered into thousands of different pieces.


    The chosen looked at his wrist and saw that it was bleeding. He was confident in his defensive power and did not think a skinny guy like the platoon leader could injure him.


    Now that the chosen knew not to underestimate Hugh, he attacked Hugh with all his power. Hugh also used his armor to defend against the attack.


    The chosen smirked. His skin was as tough as metal, and he could manifest a blade in his arms. He used it to attack Hugh.


    Hugh only used his hand to catch the blade coming towards his face. An idiotic move thought the chosen. However, he was surprised to see Hugh stop the attack with one hand.

 Chapter 204: Choke

    Hugh held the supposed sharp blade in his hands. He used his armor on his palm to make it much more sturdier than it already was.


    The chosen flinched as he saw his sword get gripped by Hugh. He thought that he would only face against measly little soldiers in this little assignment, but it seemed that there were people capable like Hugh.


    There was no one in their records about someone being able to do this. As far as they knew, there was no platoon leader who could catch a blade with his hand.


    There was certainly no one who could have posed a threat against their plans. This was only supposed to be a routine fight against some normal soldiers.


    Now, they realize that they had to fight against two capable people. Hugh was hard enough to deal with, but there was also someone with him that posed a deeper threat.


    The guard was single-handedly occupying the two chosen people by himslef. This was a feat that no one would have thought, especially since the guard was a simple human.


    His movements were fluid and he knew how to dance around against the chosen. He was playing around with them, making sure that their magic cold not touch him.


    Hugh smiled as he saw that. He had underestimated the guard, and it looked like he should be advancing with his plans much faster than he thought.


    Hugh pulled the sword away from the chosen. His grip was tight, and he was able to yank it away from him. The chosen was helpless with his sword against Hugh''s enormous strength.


    Then, Hugh threw away the sword away from both of the and caught the chosen''s neck. However, Hugh was surprised to see the chosen dodge away from his attack.


    The man barely slipped away from Hugh''s grip. He backed away and raised his hand against Hugh. In his hands flowed a bright red light.


    Blood started to pour out of his hands and rained upon Hugh. He did not expect that he would have to resort to this move.


    Hugh could not completely dodge away from the rain of blood. The best thing he could do was prevent the blood from reaching into any of his orifices.


    However, he did not know that this would not help against the blood. The blood started to be absorbed in Hugh''s skin and circulate in his body.


    Hugh immediately felt the effects as his heart started to beat abnormally. It resonated with like a drum beating directly on his chest.


    He gasped, as the air on his lungs started to become thinner and thinner. His body reacted as he grabbed his chest and looked at the chosen.


    The chosen had a wicked smile as he looked at Hugh. He was worried about Hugh''s strength for a second there, but he was no match against his blood.


    In the end, Hugh would fall just like any other enemies he had faced against. There would be no difference against him and the corpses buried in his wake.


    However, he watched as Hugh''s hunched body suddenly become more normal. He straightened his back and massaged his neck like nothing had happened.


    "What?" the chosen said. "How is this possible?"


    Hugh started to breath normally again. The thing that was supposed to be impossible, was possible fro someone like Hugh.


    His own self defenses was stronger than the overall blood that started to invade his body. It was like a cockroach inside the den of lions.


    Although Hugh was inconvenienced one time, the blood was quickly exterminated soon after. The chosen had never seen anyone recover like him.


    "My turn," Hugh said as he cracked his neck and looked at the chosen dead in the eyes.


    The chosen could not help but flinch and take a step back. For some reason, he could not help but fear the expression in Hugh''s face.


    This felt like he was being hunted down by the apex predator. However, that could not be possible. Not now, not ever.


    Hugh was a nobody. He was a measly little soldier in an army, yet Hugh had the strength of a monster. He would have thought that Hugh was a chosen if not for the fact that he did not see Hugh use any powers.


    Little did he know that this was barely the tip of Hugh''s powers. He barely even used his armor to protect himself. Of course, the transformation was something that was out of his imagination.


    Hugh used his armor on his legs and accelerators towards the chosen. His image disappeared and appeared directly behind the chosen.


    The chosen did not see Hugh move, and only saw him disappear. Then, he suddenly felt a chill in his back as he turned around.


    However, it was a little bit too late. Hugh grabbed the chosen''s neck and gripped it tight. With a tight grasp on the chosen, he lifted the chosen out of the ground.


    The chosen struggled to breath as his trachea was being strangled to death. He used both of his hands to pry Hugh''s hands away from his neck, but it was to no avail.


    Hugh''s strength was far too strong. His arms and legs flailed, but Hugh kept a tight leash on him. Hugh smiled.


    "How does your medicine taste like?" Hugh asked.


    This was the same side effect that the chosen had given Hugh. However, the duration and effect of both was vastly different.


    Of course, to Hugh, it was all the same. If someone wronged him, then he would bring it back to them double fold.


    Hugh raised his other hand and started to slap the chosen''s cheeks. The man could not help but take the humiliation that was given to him.


    The attack was strong and brutal, leaving red indentation marks on the chosen''s cheeks. Coupled with the humiliation and the choking, the chosen was being tortured.


    "Tell me," Hugh whispered in the chosen''s ears. "Why is the Shark Loan acting against the Cheroque army?"


    The chosen''s eyes widened as he heard Hugh mention the name of their organization. He was confident that the army did not know their hand in this, but Hugh seemed to know if.


    He was supposed to have a poker face, but Hugh''s question came far too fast and too accurate. Hugh could see the truth hidden on the chosen''s face.


    "I know I''m right," Hugh uttered. Then, he punched the chosen''s nose and broke it until it bled profusely. "Now, tell me."


    The chosen was supposed to be a being who would never snitch on his organization. He was supposed to endure the torture, but he was never trained for this.


    As a chosen, everything in life was on easy mode for him. He never had to work hard about the things that he wanted, and everything fell into his lap.


    Torture, nobody had the courage to do that to him. Because of that, he was more susceptible to Hugh''s torture.


    "I''ll never tell," the chosen uttered. However, Hugh could see that he was nearing his limits.


    If Hugh pushed the chosen a little bit more, then he would be able to crack the man wide open. Then, the Shark Loan''s secrets would be spilled onto him.


    *CRACK* *CRACK*


    Two distinct cracks sounded out, and Hugh heard it loud and clear. When he looked around, he suddenly saw the guard with the two chosen people''s neck in his hands.


    The chosen''s neck were bent in a way that was impossible to do if they were alive. The guard had killed them.


    Hugh frowned. He never thought that the guard was this capable. He had underestimated the guard too much, and it seemed that occupying two chosen people was easy for him.


    The guard threw the corpses of the chosen away and it landed lifeless lay in the ground where they would rot for all eternity.


    "What are you doing?" the guard asked as he looked at Hugh.


    The guard looked at Hugh and saw that Hugh was on the ground with a blood flowing out of his mouth. The chosen was holding his neck and coughing to he side.


    Hugh acted quickly and separated himself from the chosen. He did not want to show his capability to the guard.


    So, he pretended that the chosen had beaten him and left him to this state. This way, the guard would not know about his real strength.


    "Fine, I''ll kill him," the guard said as he charged towards the last chosen.


    The chosen had just recovered from having his neck strangled from Hugh''s abnormally strong hands. Now, another monster who could defeat two chosen people at the same time was coming after him.


    The guard raised his fist and punched it towards the chosen. However, the chosen did not move away and just smiled at the guard.


    Both the guard and Hugh was taken aback by the reaction of the chosen. However, the guard did not take this into mind as he continued to punch the chosen.


    "Hahahaha. They must be attacking them by now," the chosen whispered.

 Chapter 205: Bargain

    Both Hugh and the guard both looked at the guard after he said those words. What did he mean by that? We''re those just numb kings of a mad man about to die.


    Then, before Hugh and the guard could question the chosen''s words, they all suddenly heard a loud booming sound followed by a quake in the earth.


    Both the guard and Hugh looked towards the direction in which the explosion had occurred. The guard and Hugh immediately got a feeling that the army was being attacked.


    The guard made a split decision to escape and go to back up the commander. This was an ambush attack on the army, and the guard could not let anything happen to the commander.


    Judging from the chosen''s words, it seemed like they had planned all these since the very beginning. The only threat that the commander and the thousand-strong army could consider was if chosen people got together.


    However, the army had never considered this thought. There was no way that any one organization could afford a handful of chosen, let alone an army of them.


    However, the hairs had a bad feeling in his stomach. He rushed and left Hugh all alone with the chosen for him to deal with.


    Hugh could not believe the luck he was witnessing. It looked like the Shark Loan company had finally made its move on the Cheroque army.


    For one thing, he was finally rid of the annoying guard hat was always watching his back. He no longer had to hide his identity now that the guard had returned to the commander''s side.


    Second, he was glad that the Shark Loan company and the Cheroque army was fighting against each other. Id they had a full blown war, then one of their sides could completely die out.


    No matter who won, Hugh and his companions would win in the exchange. This was beneficial to him.


    As the chosen saw Hugh distracted with his thoughts, he realized that this was his chance to try and change the tides of the battle.


    With his arms, he secret produced a blade in his arms and stroked directly in Hugh''s neck. He was aiming to kill Hugh without any hesitation.


    In his mind, once Hugh was killed, then he could easily deals right the remaining soldiers in the platoon. Without Hugh, there was no one else that could stand up to him.


    As his blade traveled through the air, he saw that Hugh''s eyes were still distracted. This was it, he thought.


    However, his blade stopped in its tracks a few inches away from Hugh''s neck. A little more, and he would be able to kill Hugh.


    He felt a hand gripping his elbow and preventing him from moving his blade and killing Hugh. The chosen was surprised. This kind of strength was not something he thought he would witness.


    When he tried o pull away from the grip, he realized that he could not budge his arms. This was impossible, he thought.


    "Hugh, be careful," Serena said as she looked at Hugh and shook her head. She did not give the slightest attention to the chosen.


    The chosen frowned as he heard the soldier speak. It was a woman, the last person he thought that would be under a soldier''s helmet.


    The chosen realized his mistake. It was not only Hugh who was strong, but also this female figure who had just disappeared.


    He quickly changed his stance and created another blade on the other side of his hand. Then, he used it to charge and attacked towards Serena.


    Serena did not even have to look at the chosen to known that she was being attacked. The slash was slow, and it was not anything that she could not handle.


    With one swift move, she grabbed the chosen''s wrists and twisted it in such a way that his movements were more restricted.


    The chosen felt pain all over his joints, and could not help but stop his attacks. Serena had completely subdued him in a meter of seconds.


    "Ah, sorry. I was busy thinking," Hugh said as he flashed a guilty smile at Serena.


    She could not help but feel as if Hugh was being too lenient. Although she knew that Hugh would not have any trouble dealing with the chosen, it was still better to be safe than sorry.


    "So, what are we going to do with this guy?" Serena said as she tightened her grip on the chosen''s wrists, making him squirm in pain.


    "We need to interrogate him," Hugh said.


    The chosen could not help but feel fear as he saw the lifeless eyes of Hugh. This was a man who would do anything in order to find the answers he wanted to know.


    He was a chosen, a man destined for greatness. Now, he was being treated like trash by a bunch of soldiers. It was an absolute humiliation that he could not live down.


    Hugh raised his hands and threatened the chosen with his fists. He increased his aura, and let the chosen know the difference between their powers.


    Cold sweat immediately poured down the chosen''s back as he felt Hugh''s anger. At this rate, Hugh would keep him and torture him until he had to give in and tell all the secrets he knew.


    The chosen decided to kill himslef now so that he would not be able to betray his organization. It would be better to die an honorable death rather than love being a traitor.


    The chosen opened his mouth and proceeded to bite his tongue. Hugh underestimated the chosen''s loyalty to the Shark Loan company, so he could not do anything about the attempt.


    *PSST*


    Hugh turned towards Serena and saw that she had used a perfume and gave it towards the chosen. For a second there, Hugh was confused.


    Then, he remembered where the perfume otter had come from. It was a very special perfume that could give Serena the command over anything that the perfume touched.


    "Stop biting your tongue," Serena ordered.


    Immediately, the chosen opened his mouth and showed a bloody tongue, but it was not cut deep enough yet. This was a successful way to do it.


    "Thanks, Serena," Hugh said, rubbing his nose.


    If it were not for Serena, Hugh would not have been able to stop the chosen from killing himself by biting his own tongue.


    "What do you want to know about him?" Serena asked.


    Hugh rubbed his chin and thought deeply. He wanted to be able to know the goals of the Shark Loan company, but that was too vague.


    "Why have the Shark Loan company attacked the army?" Hugh said.


    Serena puffed out her perfume again. "Answer his questions."


    The chosen could not help but spill the beans about the Shark Loan company. It seemed that the Shark Loan company was trying to lessen the control of the commander over the kingdom.


    But why? Why would the Shark Loan company try to do that? What would they gain? They certainty would not be able to ascend the throne, and the kingdom would fall if there was no leader.


    "Why attack the army now?" Hugh asked.


    "The leaders of the Shark Loan company deemed that it was the right time to attack. They have secured the package."


    Hugh frowned. What was the package? Was it some kind of weapon? Would it help the Shark Loan company in trying to defeat the Cheroque army?


    Whatever it was, Hugh needed to know what it was. It was the only way to know if the Shark Loan company was an opponent or not.


    If it was, then Hugh could try and execute a deal with the Shark Loan company.


    "What is the package?" Hugh asked.


    The chosen waited for a little bit, then finally spoke. "It''s the long lost princess."


    Hugh and Serena flinched. The long lost princess was none other than Mia. It looked like it was truly the Shark Loan company who had her.


    Hugh and Serena both looked at each other. With Mia involved, they could not just stand still with this.


    "Tell this to your superior¡­," Hugh said.


    Then, he proceeded to give the chosen specific instructions to deliver back at their hideouts.


    First, he wanted the chosen to tell the upper ranks of the Shark Loan company to have a deal with Hugh. Hugh would provide them with information, and Hugh would get monetary rewards.


    For now, he had to say that he only needed money. If he asked for something else, they might think that it was suspicious.


    Second, he asked the chosen to forget all about what happened here. This way, he would be able to remain anonymous.


    The only problem with this was that Hugh did not know how long the perfume would last. He asked about it from Serena, but it seemed as if she did not know either.


    After all those instructions, Hugh let Serena handle the nitty gritty stuff. He tasked Serena to find out about the limit of the perfume.

 Chapter 206: Barrier

    Hugh had to hurry back towards the army. He had to go and let the commander see that he would go back and protect the army.


    Although it would be a good idea to let them deal with it by themselves, Hugh thought that it would be better to make sure that he whisk earn the respect and trust of the commander.


    Hugh rushed towards the army. He brought along a horse from the soldiers and hurried there.


    As he went towards the army, he heard distant explosions and earthquakes made from them. Hugh could tell that there was a huge battle going on.


    He never expected that the Shark Loan company would try and attack the army at this point in time. He did not never know that the Shark Loan company had enough numbers to fight against the Shark Loan company.


    Hugh looked towards the front of the army and saw that people and slowed were dying all together. Fireballs do big stature hit one of the most densest part of the army and decimated the soldier.


    Hugh saw the army and knew that they were all in disarray. The army was getting attacked, but there was one thing that he could not see.


    He could not see any instance of his enemies out there. There was no opposing soldier, no army, nothing. It was just empty air and fireballs and cannons appearing out of nowhere.


    Hugh looked around and used his eagle eyes. Then, he saw some kind of spell all around the army that seemed to dispel the light and reflected it around them, making it look transparent.


    Hugh hurried towards the center of the army, where the upper ranks would inevitably gather to try and deal with the situation.


    The soldiers al around were too busy dealing with the assault that they did not notice Hugh. He quickly saw a shabby large tent where he could hear shouting all around.


    As he got closer, he heard more and more arguing from the upper ranks.


    "We should attack them right now!"


    "We don''t know where they are!"


    "We should just attack anywhere! Overwhelm them with numbers!"


    The upper ranks were all standing up and pointing at each other, seeming to place the blame on others. This was a crisis, and the upper ranks were not equipped to deal with such things.


    "Shut up," the commander said. Immediately, the upper ranks all closed their mouth and looked at the commander.


    In this dire times, they knew that they should follow the commander''s orders to the tee. He was the only one capable of trying to salvage this situation.


    Then, the commander looked at Hugh, who had just opened the tent and stepped inside.


    "Aren''t you gong to sit?" the commander asked.


    Immediately, the upper ranks all looked towards Hugh. They glared at him, clearly mad at him for being in this place.


    The reason why all of them argued over the course of action was because they all wanted the prestige and respect of the commander for resolving this situation.


    In their mind, if they completely solved the situation by themselves, they could over turn Hugh''s piston as the commander''s right hand man.


    Hugh saluted over to the commander and sat down on of the seats in the round table. He was at the furthest seat from the commander, a plan hatched by the upper ranks.


    "What are you doing?" the commander asked. "You are my right hand man." The commander pointed over to the chair next to him, which was currently occupied by a upper rank.


    The upper rank in the seat had no other choose but to stand up and let Hugh take his seat. This was a humiliation he could not endure.


    He had fought teeth and nail against the other upper ranks for being in the seat next to the commander. However, Hugh just stole his seat in just a second.


    After Hugh sat down, the commander put his chin in his hands and looked at all the upper ranks. In contrast to their expressions, the commander had complete composure.


    Hugh could see the reason why his army respected the commander so much. Even in this dire times, he still had the composure needed to make the right decisions in a split second.


    "What is our current situation?" the commander asked.


    Then, a person immediately showed himself behind the commander. This was one of the personal guards of the commander.


    "We have lost a thousand men already," the man said.


    The upper ranks immediately went into a panic. A thousand men was a large number for them. It was not a simple thing since they knew how long they had to grow a man into a soldier.


    The upper ranks immediately went into silenced whispered with each other. They were all at a panic.


    "And our enemies?" the commander asked.


    Then, another person appeared behind the commander. Hugh was sunrises to see the guard, and the guard was surprised to see him.


    However, the guard knew that this was not the time to think about other things. He had it report his findings over of the commander.


    "Our army cannot see them only because of a spell all around us," the guard said.


    Everyone went into another uproar. An invisible enemy? being trapped? Everything about this battle was a nightmare to deal with.


    If they were to deal with this individually, they would not panic as much. However, both fo these problems were not additive, but they were multiplicative. Meaning that it was harder to deal with together than individually.


    "Commander, we should break through with our numbers," ab upper rank said.


    "We cannot seem to break through," the guard said.


    Immediately, everyone went into another uproar. Everyone knew the extent of powers of the commander''s personal guards. If they could not break through, then no one can.


    "There must be another way! No spell is invulnerable!" an upper rank said.


    *BOOM*


    Another explosion occurred near the tent. The tent got displaced by the air, and everyone felt the shockwave. They could immediately hear the sounds of soldiers dying.


    "Calm down," the commander said.


    Everyone would have gone into a craze if the commander had not said that. They were all ready to evacuate seeing that they are being pushed back.


    However, the commander was able to bring the room at peace once again with only one sentence.


    "Cannons are going in. That it our way out," the commander said.


    Everyone gasped. They had not thought of this solution, and it seemed plausible enough. As expected of the commander, he had the wisdom to be able to deal with any situation.


    "Find some men to try and attack the moment the cannons go in," the commander said.


    Immediately, the upper ranks all scrambled to send in their men to do it. If they were able to successfully pull of this mission, then they would be able to gain the respect of the commander.


    The soldiers were all sent into the borders of the barrier. As soon as the cannons came in, the soldiers all threw their swords into it.


    Some of them were not able to time it well, and the swords all ricocheted off the barrier. However, some lucky swords were able to go in.


    The soldiers rejoiced, but the cannons once again attacked the army. Their victory was far too small to be considered a victory.


    "Commander, some soldiers are able to send the swords, but there was no reaction from the opposing team," a soldier reported.


    The upper ranks were once again in uproar. They were losing far too much men for this kind of progress. They could not bear to lose in such a way.


    "Send in the men," the commander said.


    The upper ranks all gulped. If the soldiers were sent out, then it meant that some of them would be able o get though.


    However, they would be trapped with the side of their opposing army. They would be killed instantly. This made the mission very risky and the morality rate would be off the roofs.


    The soldiers who were unlucky enough to be assigned to this mission would be handed a death certificate. However, the upper ranks ddi not care for this.


    If the commander said to do something, then they should do it without any second thoughts. So, the command was handed down.


    After all this was handed out, everyone waited for the results. After a few minutes, the results were out, and it was not good news.


    Out of the fifty men that were set out, only ten were able to go through the other side. And of the then men, no one was able to come out just yet.


    This was a disastrous result. Those ten men that were able to go out were presumably killed by the opposing teams.


    At this rate, the army would be decimated. The upper ranks had to do something, but they could not do anything else.


    Everyone looked towards the commander for answers. However, they could see him in deep thought.

 Chapter 207: Dig

    "Commander," Hugh shouted our. He did not want to be the one who had been the ones who did not do anything as the commander was in deep thought.


    Hugh realized that the only way to get the commander''s thoughts was to f something that the others would not do. So Hugh decided to speak up right in the middle of the fight.


    Apart is the commander and everybody else in the army towards you and waited for his words. The rest of the Opera ranks found at the moment that they saw Hugh.


    It looks like they were being beaten again by Hugh. And I will stay chains but you beat them to it and now you have the attention of the commander.


    " Commander, let me beat them," Hugh said with his eyes burning a fire.


    Everyone immediately dismissed Hugh. If the others could not do anything, then what good with Hugh do? He was not anything special, so he would die the instant he went outside.


    "Commander, I think I am better suited to do it,"


    "Commander, pick me!"


    "He''s not the guy capable to do it, commander!"


    The upper ranks decided to rally against Hugh and give another one of them a chance. They all squeezed themselves in front of the commandeer''s face.


    "Platoon leader. You go with some of your soldiers," the commander said while looking directly at Hugh.


    The upper ranks and the soldiers all looked on in horror as Hugh saluted away from the commander. In the end, the commander chose the worst kind of guy to do the job.


    There''s no way that someone like the platoon leader could do a thing like this. This was a job for real man and he was not it.


    You ignored all looks he received as he walked back towards his platoon. Everyone inside the button all perfect a heads up as they saw you coming towards them.


    "Platoon leader," they all shouted.


    Everyone has just arrived at the main army very recently. Behind them was a shipment of supplies and reinforcement they just rescued.


    Hugh searched around the platoon soldiers for one specific person. This person was thin and small like a little puppy but you recognized her within a second.


    Serena walked up to Hugh, and they saluted to each other. The other soldiers from the other divisions were looking towards them so Hugh could not act normal.


    Then Hugh lean in to Serena and whispered something in her ears.


    "We have something to do," Hugh whispered.


    Serena the nearest pond but only nodded her head in agreement. She did not want to be speaking too much in these parts of the army since other could hear her real voice.


    If the others were to hear her voice, then she would be found out as an infiltrator. If the others were to see her long blonde hair, they would know that she was not a normal soldier.


    Hugh picked out some of the soldiers from the platoon and headed out towards the edge. Hugh and Serena hung back as they both whispered at each other.


    "What are we going to do?" Serena whispered as she looked around and realized that they were already far enough away from the other soldiers.


    "We are going to dig," Hugh replied. He looked towards the barrier and realized that they could go towards the other side if they went underneath it.


    Serena looked at Hugh if her was serious, and judging from the serous look on his face, it was true. She was going to get down and dirty with mud for her to be Abel to do that.


    "Do I have to do that?" Serena asked.


    There was going to be a lot of complications if she got dirty right now. If she were to return, she would be forced to clean herself.


    Then, she would be forced to fo in a small tent and clean herself along with the others soldiers. If she cannot be alone, other would see her real face and her real hair.


    Also, if going to the shower required identification from a soldier, she was also screwed. She did not have any real identification on her.


    If she were to give a false identification, she would be forced the checker to look at her real face.


    "Yeah. You''re the strongest person I know next to me. We need an exit strategy if things go wrong," Hugh said.


    If Hugh was not able to negotiate with the other party, then strength would be needed. Against a small army, Hugh would not be able to ship them into shape.


    However, if Serena was with her, then she would be able to help Hugh fight against a small army. Not to mention she also had a magical perfume made others obey her wishes.


    Once they reached the end of the barrier, Hugh touched it. He felt an immediate reaction from the barrier as it forced him out.


    The other soldiers also could hold their curiosity still as they touched it and was all bounced back. After all their curiosities were satisfied, Hugh looked back.


    He saw numerous soldiers¡ªmostly upper ranks, looking towards him with hostile shape glares. They were curious to see what Hugh would do in this situation.


    In their mind, Hugh would not be able to do anything. They all had tried they hardest to get out of the barrier, to no avail.


    They were all just waiting for Hugh to be humiliated after he comes back in the army with his tail behind his back. However, they saw the soldiers in Hugh''s commander move and dig on the ground.


    The soldiers and upper ranks all looked at Hugh''s small group and realized that there might be a chance that he was correct.


    In their panic and overthinking, the upper ranks did not care to see if the barrier was also continued to the ground. It was such a simple thing, but everyone seemed to miss it, except for Hugh.


    Everyone looked on in envy as Hugh''s soldiers started to dig underground. Then, it was revealed that there was no barrier underneath the ground.


    This was a huge revelation. Everyone now knew how to get out of the barrier with the help of Hugh. Once again, the platoon leader''s actions spread throughout the army.


    "Soldiers," the commander shouted. "Go and dig a tunnel."


    Every single one of the soldiers all looked towards the commander and saluted. They had almost a large amount of soldiers in the previous attacks, but now, they had a chance to fight back.


    If they were able to dig a large enough tunnel to the outside, then they could get out and confront the invisible enemies that had killed off thousands of soldiers.


    Hugh hurried the soldiers to work faster. He did not want to be overtaken by the thousands of soldiers working for the commander.


    He wanted to be the very first person to look at the outside. He wanted to be the first person to see the enemy and live.


    He wanted to know if he could use the commander''s enemy for his own benefit. More than likely, the enemy was form the Shark Loan company.


    If this was a premeditated attack, then they must have a good reason as to attack the army. They had already killed off thousands of soldiers, and many more were dying every seconds


    "We''re done, Hugh," Serena said as she pointed over towards the tunnel to the outside.


    Hugh gulped ass he looked at Serena. She nodded her head and gave him a pat the back. "I''ll follow you from behind," Serena said.


    Hugh bent down and crawled in the makeshift small tunnel that was only big enough for Hugh to crawl. If it were any smaller, he would not be able to fit.


    Hugh was thankful that he was in the platoon leader''s skin. If he was in his own skin, which was very obese and fat, he would not be able to get though.


    Hugh finally reached the end of the tunnel where he only had to dig through a very shallow wall. He started to claw his way out until he saw light blinding him.


    When he snuck out, he immediately saw that he was hidden next to a small bush. After looking around, he realized that there was not anyone around him.


    With his stealth working, Hugh peeked his head out. Then he looked around. He immediately saw soldiers with a hoodie over their heads.


    They were all working hard and concentrating over a piece of stone that was connected to the barrier. Hugh guessed that these people were the ones who were keeping the barrier open and able.


    From the looks of it, the hooded men were fueling the barrier and kept it running. If Hugh were to kill them off right now, they would lose a lot of supply.


    Hugh thought it over, and realized that it was not worth it: it would be better to look around first and assess the whole situation.

 Chapter 208: Hood

    Hugh looked back down the rabbit hole and signaled the other soldiers that it was good to go. However, he also signaled that they should be careful.


    Although they were in a secure spot for now, that does not mean that they should be lenient. One wrong move, and they could be surrounded by the enemies.


    When Hugh looked around, he realized that there was a lot of hooded people near the barrier. However, there were also tents behind them.


    From what he could see, there was a lot of movements inside it. This signaled to Hugh that there was still a lot of back up for the hooded people.


    Then, he also saw someone coming out of the tent. It was another hooded person, and he walked towards the rest of the hooded people in charge of securing the barrier''s energy.


    The new hooded man tapped the shoulder of one of the hooded men and took his place. It seemed that it was now time to shift out a person.


    Hugh wanted to see the inside of the tents, but he did not know how to do it discretely. He had to somehow sneak in there and spy on what they were doing.


    Then, Hugh got an idea in his head. If Beru could copy the platoon leader, the could he also copy another hooded person?


    Then, Hugh would take the man''s place and infiltrate the tents. The problem was that he needed to catch one of the hooded men and take his place.


    He had to be silent about it and not let anyone see it or else the hooded people as well as the Shark Loan company would be alerted.


    At this point, the rest of the soldiers had come in to the other side of the hole. They all looked towards the hooded people and investigated them.


    The soldiers were sizing them up and calculating whether or not they could take them on. The sole reason why they were here was so that they could assist Hugh.


    Hugh was going to be the one who did the heavy lifting while the rest of the platoon would only supplement him. They were in charge of making sure that Hugh could go back safely.


    If all hell broke loose, they would go and sacrifice themselves if they had to just go make sure that Hugh could go back.


    The rest of the soldiers were already planning the escape route for Hugh. Serena, on the other hand, was right next to Hugh as they both discussed on what they had to do next.


    "How are we going to infiltrate it?" Serena asked.


    Hugh rubbed his chin. The only problem in his plan was that he needed to wait for the next shift of people so that they could go and kidnap one of the hooded people.


    "We''ll wait and get one of those hooded men," Hugh said as he pointed over there towards the hooded men that was straining themselves just to keep up the barrier.


    "Then? Then what?" she asked.


    Hugh then pointed over towards Serena''s chest where the magical cologne was hidden. Of course, this was not the first thought that popped into Serena''s mind.


    "Wha¡ª?!" Serena exclaimed as she covered up her chest in defense against Hugh''s pervy looks.


    Hugh quickly retracted his finger in embarrassment. His cheeks blushed, and he turned his head away from her just to hide the fact that he was embarrassed.


    "I was talking about that magical cologne of yours," Hugh corrected.


    Once Serena realized her misunderstanding, she was also subject to her own embarrassment. Her cheeks blushed and she also turned away from Hugh.


    Both of them were in this awakes situation once again. For some reason, the both of them keeps getting into these fates that they could not ignore.


    "Oh¡­yeah, yeah. Sure, I''ll use it," Serena quickly said just to break the tension between them.


    "Yeah. Tell me what they know," Hugh said.


    After that, silence reigned between them. They both waited patiently for another hooded person to come out of the tent.


    They did not have to wait too long as a few minutes later, Hugh and Serena saw a person come out of the tent. Thankfully, this man was a hooded person about to come and take another shift.


    Then, the shift change occurred. This new hooded person changed places with an old hooded person and let him rest.


    Hugh targeted that specific person. He wanted to impersonate the one who was returning to the tent so that it would not be suspicious.


    "Haa¡­finally," the hooded guy said as he stretched his arms and his back. It looked like he was tired from the shift.


    Hugh looked around and made sure that there was not any prying eyes directed towards the hooded person. Thankfully enough, it looked like the heavens were on Hugh''s side on this one.


    The man stumbled as he walked with his legs seemingly turning into jelly. This was the after effect of sustaining the barrier for too long.


    Hugh waited for the exact moment where the hooded person was the closest to him. Then, he quickly snatched the hooded man starting from the mouth.


    Hugh made sure to cover the man''s mouth and prevented him from shouting. As soon as the hooded man realized he was being abducted, he struggled away from Hugh''s clutched as hard as he could.


    The man kicked, punched, and did everything he could to try and get away from Hugh. However, Hugh''s grip was far too strong for someone like him. He never stood a chance.


    Serena took this chance to spray the magical contents of the cologne onto the trapped hooded man. She made sure to spray a lot so that the effect would take on quickly.


    Sure enough, as soon as the hooded man got a sniff of the cologne, his body stopped struggling. His eyes were blank, as if there was no soul on his body.


    "Tell us what you are doing," Serena asked.


    The hooded man stared into the sky, seemingly inept to understand Serena. However, a few seconds after the question, the hooded man answered.


    "I am doing my part by using my stamina to keep the barrier going," the hooded man answered.


    "From what faction are you?" Serena asked.


    "We are mercenaries for hire, hired by the Shark Loan company."


    Serena looked over to Hugh and nodded towards him. This proved the fact that Hugh''s guessed were correct. It was indeed the Shark Loan company who was behind the attack.


    "Why is the Shark Loan company attacking the Cheroque army?" Hugh asked.


    However, the man did not answer. He only kept looking at the sky as if he was entranced by it, enamored by it that he could not keep his eyes off it.


    "Why is the Shark Loan company attacking the Cheroque army?" Serena reiterated Hugh''s question. Now this time, the hooded man answered the question.


    "I don''t know," the hooded man answered.


    It looked like the cologne would only work for the person that sprayed it. In this case, the hooded man would only answer the questions that Serena posed on it.


    Although they did get an answer, it was unsatisfactory to the both of them. It looked like the hooded man was far too low on the hierarchy of the Shark Loan company to know something high-class.


    It looked like the only way to find out was to infiltrate the tents and see for it himslef. So, Hugh raised his hand and punched the back of the neck of the hooded man.


    This incapacitated him and made him fall unconscious. This way, Hugh could take his place inside the tent and make sure that he would not be found out.


    Hugh opened his mouth about to say something to Serena, but she already answered his question for him.


    "Don''t worry. I''ll make sure that this guy doesn''t wake up," Serena said with a smile on her face.


    Hugh nodded towards her. It was such a refreshing feeling having someone by his side and assisting him with things that he absolutely needed. Right now, Serena was fulfilling that role.


    "Okay, Beru. Can you copy that guy?" Hugh asked.


    ''Ruff! Ruff!'' Hugh heart Beru bark on his mind. This meant that Beru could do the things that he requested.


    Soon enough, Hugh face changed into something that was very similar to that of the hooded man. His body also changed to fit the man''s descriptions, but it did not end there.


    Beru also copied the man''s hood so that Hugh did not have to borrow the original one. This way, he was indistinguishable to the real thing.


    Once Hugh got the disguise, he coughed once and tested his own voice. From what he remembered, this was very similar to the hooded guy''s voice.


    With everything in place, Hugh walked out and headed for the large tent. He made sure to make his steps light and tipsy so that the others would think that he was tired.

 Chapter 209: Board

    As soon as Hugh parted the worn-down tents, he saw an assortment of men and women all huddling towards a large circular table enough to fit a big party.


    Some of them pointed towards the center where there was a miniature map of the whole situation. He could see the Cheroque army enclosed into a barrier where the rest of the opposing army fought them.


    Some of them were arguing with each other whether one was right or wrong. They seemed to have different opinions on how to go about fighting the large Cheroque army.


    There were all converging together as a one kind in order to defeat a bigger evil. The Cheroque army led by the commander was an invincible force when confronted straight away.


    That was why years, months, blood, sweat, and tears were put together just to procure a large enough barrier to enclose the army and prevent them from attacking their relatively small army.


    Hugh was interested to see their plans to defeat the Cheroque army. From what he could see, their plans were laid out in large board written in a chalk with plenty of erasures.


    Hugh was too far to make out the fine details of the plan, but he could see that it was well thought out and executed. They all waited for ten exact right moment to destroy the commander.


    Hugh saw the fire inside their eyes. They were all passionate in trying to defeat the Cheroque army and the commander himslef.


    Many have tried and many have been defeated. This was a plan that had many human sacrifices in the making. Hugh could see that most of them¡ªif not all, were not suited to be a soldier.


    Many of them were skinny, with just their skin and bones without any shred of muscles. Some of them even wore straw hats¡ªmore evidence to their jobs as farmers.


    Hugh wondered how the Shark Loan company persuaded these farmers to risk their lives and fight against the Cheroque army.


    It must have been the years and years of suffering the farmers have suffered under the commander''s rule. The Shark Loan company must have used their hatred to recruit them.


    However, Hugh knew the truth. The Shark Loan company was not a generous nor a brave company. They were not he kind of charity that fought the largest army without any ulterior motive.


    They must have promised the farmers new rules and new lands, but Hugh knew that the Shark Loan company would not give it to them after the war.


    If Hugh did not know any better, he would have also fallen for their marketing. The Cheroque army was such an evil-perceived army that anyone would antagonize them.


    "Hey you!" a voice called out to Hugh.


    Hugh lingered for too long looking at the situation. It looked like he was a fish out of water. He was not natural, and it was noticed by someone.


    "What?" Hugh asked in an annoyed voice.


    If he acted shy, then he would have been seen as a weird person. He was supposed to have just come out of a long shift recharging the barrier, so he should be tired and cranky.


    "What are you doing here? Shouldn''t you be resting?" A bald large-bodied man approached Hugh and confronted him. He blocked Hugh''s vision and he could not see the backboard full of plans anymore.


    "I''m not that tired," Hugh said. He looked at the man dead in the eye and made sure that his face was visible to the light.


    Hugh did this so that the man would not feel suspicious of Hugh. Someone in this tent was bound to recognize the face, and it would validate Hugh''s identity.


    The man looked at Hugh within suspicious. He looked at Hugh up and down from head to toe. Then, he looked towards some of the hooded men that had just come out of their shift.


    Most of them¡ªif not all, were too tired to even open their eyes. They all slept in the floor with barely usable comforters while they all tried to recover their energy.


    In comparison to that, Hugh''s voice still had energy to his voice. He still had the vitality and energy like that of a lion as if his energy was not exhausted after hours of work.


    Hugh gulped on the inside. Even though he had an irritated face on the outside, he was actually worried. He did not want to fail in this mission this early in the plan.


    He still wanted to take a look at their plans and figure out what the Shake Loan company was trying to do. They must have planned something nefarious once they have completed in defeating the Cheroque army.


    "Hey! We need help over here!" Another voice interrupted the staring session between Hugh and the man.


    Everyone looked towards the man who had just issued an emergency. They all looked towards the center of the round table where the accurate map depicted the real-time reality of the situation.


    "The army is trying to dig into the barrier!" the man shouted as he pointed towards the hordes of army soldiers digging their way towards the outside.


    The rest of the men inside the tent were in disarray once they saw this happen. Although this was an expected problem, they expected the Cheroque army to figure out the solution only after a few more hours.


    The Cheroque army was getting to the outside too fast. This meant that the hooded men were in big trouble once the army broke out.


    This was the one thing that they were assigned, and they were failing at it. The Shark Loan company''s plans would be ruined if they could not hold their ground.


    "We need men to hold off their attack!" the man shouted.


    Everyone listened to his words and they all hurried off towards a cabinet where the weapons were stored. Even the tired men on the floor stood up and forced themselves awake to defend against the attack.


    "You! Suit up!" the man shouted as he pointed at Hugh, who was the only person who was standing still in the middle of chaos.


    Hugh nodded and pretended to scramble to the weapons. However, he still looked towards the board where their plans were hidden.


    This was the perfect chance for Hugh to take a look at their plans. He was only a few feet away from it, and it was the perfect timing too.


    While everyone was in disarray trying o scramble outside, Hugh was trying to crawl further inside the tents. He waited until the very last person was outside until he started to move.


    "What are you doing?" a voice asked.


    Hugh turned around and saw the same bald person who had confronted him the last time. This time, Hugh was caught in the act.


    He was the only person inside, which made him more suspicious in the eyes of anybody who saw him in this moment.


    The bald man walked inside the tent and hovered his hand on the hilt of his sword. Hugh also got ready for a confrontation.


    It looked like a fight would be inevitable at this point. He did not want to shed blood, but it looked like he had to just so that he could stay in stealth.


    As the man was only a few meters away from Hugh, the man unsheathed his sword. The sword shined under the dim light and targeted Hugh''s eyes.


    Hugh balled up his fist. As soon as the man charged towards him, he would attack back. His armor crawled through his skin and provided him the the potential for tremendous strength.


    "You dare try to sleep at this time?!" the man shouted.


    Hugh was taken aback. He thought that the man figured out that Hugh was a spy. However, it looked like it was just a misunderstanding.


    However, this misunderstanding was in Hugh''s advantage. Hugh did not sense any bloodlust and killing intent from the man.


    "I knew something was weird with you! There was no way you did not feel tired after your shift!" the man shouted and reprimanded Hugh.


    Hugh went with the flow and looked down with a guilty scent. He also gave a yawn so that the man would truly think that Hugh was just trying to sleep.


    "I''m sorry! I can''t fight at this rate. I need to sleep!" Hugh said.


    Hugh purposefully tripped in place and kneeled down. He made it look like his body had given up on him.


    The bald man sighed and sheathed his sword back. He looked at Hugh with pity. He could see that Hugh''s face still had the youth and inexperience that he once had.


    Back then, he was also tired. However, he did not have the time to rest. His superiors would always work him to the bones.


    Now, it felt like he was the one doing it to Hugh. He could not bear to do that to Hugh since he, himself, did not want to experience it.

 Chapter 210: Package

    "I never saw you;" the bald man said as he turned around and pretended that he never saw Hugh in the first place. He gave Hugh this time to relax.


    Hugh displayed a thankful expression as he looked at the bald man. Just as the bald man disappeared from his sight, Hugh heaved a breath of sigh of relief.


    "That was close," Hugh uttered. If not for his quick thinking, Hugh would have been caught by the bald man. Thankfully, he was able to think up of an excuse just in the right time.


    Now that Hugh was all alone in the tent, he had the time to look at the plans in the board. Back then, he was not able to look at it with a good look, but now, he was alone.


    Hugh approached the board and read its contents. The plan seemed simple enough.


    The first part of their plan was to enclose the Cheroque army into one place where they could not escape. It was also important that the Cheroque army could not attack them.


    While the Cheroque army was enclosed, they took this time to kill some of their men and soldiers to even out the fight.


    The Cheroque army had thousands of men in their reserve. It was a big army that could not be handled by a mere company.


    If the Shark Loan company was to attack the Cheroque army head on, they they would be decimated. Not only was their army enormous, the commanders tactics as their leader was something that should be feared in and of itself.


    After they had finished chipping off the army''s soldiers,then they would go into their next phase. They knew that the barrier would not last long, so they prepared for this contingency.


    They had prepared some traps outside the barrier so that the army would get caught into them once the barrier was torn down.


    This would help them chip off some of Cheroque army numbers further. However, the Cheroque army was escaping far too early.


    The Cheroque army was supposed to destroy the barrier after a few more hours. However, they did not expect that the Cheroque army would find a loop hole.


    This was all Hugh''s fault. He was the one who had discovered that they could dig under the barrier and escape there.


    If they knew that Hugh had infiltrated them and stole their plans, they would be beyond furious.


    Once the Cheroque army was mere hundreds strong, then the Shark Loan company would go in for the kill. They had enrolled several mercenary companies to help them on this plan.


    It would be a hard battle, but it was not impossible. It was a valid plan against one of the most prolific commanders of all time.


    However, if all things become for the worse, the Shark Loan company had a fail-safe plan. They had something in their sleeves that could bring the commander to his knees.


    However, Hugh did not know what it was. There was no indication of what kind of item the Shark Loan company had.


    The only title it had was ''the package''. Hugh wondered what it was. It must be some kind of nuclear weapon that they could unleash upon the army and decimate them in seconds.


    Hugh wanted to know what this was, but he did not know where it was stored. He had to find some kind of clue inside this tent.


    Then, he started to dig around the place for something that he could use. However, the only thing he could see was comforters in the floor, stacked-up plastic chairs, and half-eaten dry rations.


    It looked like he would not be able to see the thing he needed to see here in this tent. He had to find a tent where the real stuff was hidden.


    Hugh perked outside the tent and saw an array of people all struggling to run towards something. He saw that the people the Shark Loan company hired quickly prepare the traps for the Cheroque army.


    Hugh also saw some Cheroque army soldiers break through underground and reach the outside. A battle ensued at the very end of the barrier.


    The Shark Loan company was winning at the moment since they had surrounded the Cheroque army soldiers. However, this would not last long.


    Once the Cheroque army created more tunnels underground, the more soldiers could get out and fight against the Shark Loan company.


    Once that happened, the tides of the battle would turn for the Cheroque army''s favor. The only way for the Shark Loan company to win back the tide was to create more booby traps.


    This was still the beginning of the fight. Many unexpected things could happen that nobody could ever calculate in their heads.


    "Hurry! They are breaking through!" a voice shouted.


    Hugh turned around and looked towards the barrier. He was surprised to see that the barrier was breaking. Hugh did not expect this.


    It looked like not even the Shark Loan company expected this. Then, Hugh heard some distant explosion and muffled explosions from the inside of the barrier.


    Then, more and more cracks appeared in the barrier. Hugh saw that more and more Shark Loan company soldiers were flustered at this situation.


    Most of the people that the Shark Loan company hired to maintain the barrier were ordinary people. They were the ones who could not hold their ground in a real war.


    Some of them vomited right on the spot as they saw the blood spurt out of a human''s stomach. Some even held their own intestinal tubes as they died on the grass.


    Due to this chaos, most of them could not handle the pressure and decided to escape their posts. It looked like they would die if they stayed still, but they valued their own lives so they escaped.


    Due to the dwindling people maintaining the barrier, more and more cracks appeared. It was at that point where small holes in the barrier allowed some soldiers to pass through.


    It was only a matter of time until the soldiers of the Cheroque army broke through. However, the Shark Loan company was not yet ready to deal with them.


    There were barely any traps set up yet to defend against the surge of soldiers. There was a pandemonium of mercenaries trying to fight the soldiers, but the soldiers had better armor.


    Hugh then saw a majestic horse broke through the barrier and settled the whole integrity of the barrier. The commander''s exuding presence force all the mercenaries.


    This was the mythical commander that everyone has heard of. They had heard stories of his conquest and his cruelty, but it seemed to have been undersold.


    The amount of pressure he was exerting was something that a human should never exude. He looked more like a primordial beast that was tyrannical in nature.


    With one hand in the air, the commander ordered his men to charge through. They all screamed in unison with the commander''s charisma pushing them forward.


    Hugh could only wonder as he saw the unfolding events in real time. He was not sure if he could defeat the commander by himself.


    Hugh had no reason to help the Shark Loan company, so he let the Cheroque army defeat the Shark Loan company.


    Soon enough the large numbers of well-funded soldiers overwhelmed the inferior mercenaries of the Shark Loan company.


    Even the Shark Loan company''s best soldiers were not enough to deal with the commander''s main army.


    There were ten chosen people under the Shark Loan company. They were their last hope against the Cheroque army.


    Then, everyone saw the commander raise his hand in the air. He signaled everyone to stop in their tracks. Everyone obliged, albeit a bit surprised.


    "All of you. Come to me," the commander said as he pointed towards the ten chosen people of the Shark Loan company.


    The chosen people''s pride were challenged. As privileged citizens of this world, they all built themselves up to the peak predator of this world.


    Now, a mere single commander was taunting all of them to fight against him all together. It would shattered their pride if they were to let this impudence go easily.


    "You are dead!"


    "You overestimate yourself!"


    "Let''s all charge together!"


    The ten chosen people charged towards the commander with their powers in their hands. The four events were displayed, and other unique powers for the chosen people.


    However, faced with these multitudes of power coming towards him, the commander did not have a single crease in his forehead.


    "I''ll end this once and for all," the commander said as he pulled out a giant sword out of nowhere.


    This sword was rusted and did not seem to be sharp at all. The passage of time had give this sword some experience and curses after blood had been spilt after all these times.


    Hugh recognized this to be the commander''s power. That sword wielded unlimited power that was only limited to its user.