The Rematch (Part 1)

The school day went on as usual, except for one thing, and that was the overwhelming number of stares Mako kept getting.

It didn't take long for him to figure out why. Word had spread fast. Nearly everyone, including students and even some teachers, had placed bets on the fight, all against him. Nobody thought he had even the slightest chance of winning.

However, not all the stares directed at Mako were filled with greed and excitement; some were filled with confusion.

Mako had always been scrawny, weak, and shorter than most of his classmates. But today… Something was different.

He wasn't suddenly built like a tank, but those who paid attention, like the students who sat near him every day, noticed the subtle changes. His posture was straighter, his frame just a little broader, his muscles no longer nonexistent. Even his height seemed slightly different.

It wasn't a drastic transformation, but for someone like Mako, even a slight change stood out.

Of course, nobody was going to him to ask about it. So they whispered and watched from a distance, wondering what the hell was going on.

Mako himself also noticed the sudden growth spurt, but unlike others, he knew exactly the reason behind it. It wasn't only because he was working out and completing quests, but he had noticed a change in his body from the moment he had dumped all of his attribute points to upgrade his stats last night. It was clear to him that his rate of progression wasn't normal.

As time passed, everyone became more and more anxious about the upcoming combat class.

The only individuals who didn't wager against Mako were those who either didn't bet at all because they were just like him and felt pity or held too high a status to be concerned with a little duel.

During recess, Mako made his way over to the library to use one of the public computers.

Mako didn't own any technological devices as he had to sell almost everything to feed himself after his grandmother passed and before he found a stable job.

He used the school's public computer quite frequently as it was necessary to complete many projects and assignments.

This time, however, Mako wasn't using it for academic purposes; rather, he used it to log into the internet to see how the bidding was going for his match against Bill.

Mako opened the betting site on an underground network to which he previously had access because this wasn't the first time that Bill had done something like this. He had promoted his network to the school numerous times, where he would live stream various fights both in and out of school.

Although Mako never bet on any of those live streams, he would often tune in just to watch the fight. He was naturally curious and wanted to learn about the different moves and abilities people used in these fights.

Of course, fights like these were illegal because the use of abilities without a license outside of official skirmishes like the training duels was prohibited. However, once again, due to Bill's backing and connections, it wasn't a big surprise that he managed to keep his network under the radar and continue earning profits from every underground fight.

The interface was simple but well-organized. It listed all the wagers students had placed on the upcoming fight alongside a timer that counted down the live stream of the next fight.

His eyes skimmed through the different betting options:

{Mako lasts less than 30 seconds}

{Mako lands a single hit on Bill}

{Mako gets knocked unconscious before the first minute}

{Mako forfeits before the fight even begins}

Seeing the various bets being made, Mako smirked. 'No one believes in me, huh?'

Although all the accounts on the network were anonymous, the numbers suggested that almost all of the students at Emerald High had placed a bet against him.

Hardly anyone thought he would last a full minute. Fewer believed he'd be able to land even a single hit on Bill. And, of course, almost no one had bet on him actually winning.

But that was exactly what Mako needed.

With a grin, he quickly got to work, setting up multiple anonymous accounts using different names. The site's betting system wasn't exactly sophisticated, and Mako had long since figured out how to exploit it, as it didn't actually have any method implemented to verify whether each new account being made was genuine or not.

He created over twenty different betting profiles, carefully spreading his credits across all the bets that involved him succeeding in any way. He placed money on himself lasting longer than 30 seconds, on him landing multiple hits, and even on him dodging at least five of Bill's attacks.

And, of course, he put a portion of his credits on the most lucrative bet: his own victory.

It was a long shot, but that was the beauty of it. The odds were stacked so heavily against him that if he won, he'd be walking away with a massive payout.

'Let them laugh now,' Mako thought as he finalized his bets.

Once everything was set, he logged out, wiped his browsing history, and leaned back in his chair. His plan was set.

Now, all he had to do… was win.

**********************

{Remaining Balance: 1054 Credits}

'That hurt a lot, but it will be worth it in the end.' Mako consoled himself over the wild purchases he had just made.

He didn't want to empty his credits completely because he was also a bit skeptical about whether Bill would actually kill him. In the worst-case scenario, he would get hurt enough to be sent to the hospital, so he kept enough credits for a trip there.

He already had enough credits to survive and was just saving for military school.

The prize pool continued to grow, but before Mako could see how large it got, the school bell rang, indicating that recess was over.

Now, all Mako could do was hope that he had made the right decision.

****************

The gym was packed. Most of the lights had been turned off, leaving only a single spotlight illuminating the ring in the center. 

All other duels had been canceled for the day, and students from every class, along with a few teachers, had gathered in the packed gym to witness the fight. Among the crowd, several students held up holographic screens, recording and broadcasting the match on Bill's underground livestream.

In the locker room, Mako sat alone, pulling on his gym clothes, a simple pair of trousers and a zip-up jumper that concealed most of his body. The nerves finally started to sink in as Mako could feel the vibrations of the crowd chanting in the gym all the way from here.

Just outside the locker room, he could hear the murmur of several students who couldn't believe that Mako even showed up for the fight as most believed that he'd chicken out and disappear before the fight even began, but here he was, proving them wrong.

This was another bet Mako had placed in his favor, as he had no choice but to face Bill. If he didn't show up, the system would punish him with death, so he was glad that he would at least be winning one of the bets that he had made on himself.

Additionally, this particular wager carried extra satisfaction for Mako as Bill himself had personally bet that he would be a no-show. The thought of making Bill lose his money before the fight even started brought a small smirk to Mako's face.

****************

Time was up. Mako calmly adjusted his sleeves, his fingers tightening into fists, as he exited the locker room and slowly began walking toward the center of the gym.

Everyone around him continued to stare at him as he walked toward the ring. The weight of countless eyes bore down on him. No one expected anything different from what had happened before. Mako was about to get humiliated, just now on a much grander scale.

Bill was already inside chatting and laughing with his lackeys, as if he wasn't about to enter a fight but rather warm up for a light workout. His bare chest was on full display, and his muscles were well-defined for a high school student. A few girls in the crowd whispered among themselves in excitement, while some guys exchanged looks of envy.

Mako stepped inside the ring, shaking off the nerves creeping up his spine as he unzipped his jumper and got ready. He was now wearing the same light trousers as Bill, his upper body exposed for the first time in front of everyone. The reaction was immediate. The whispers shifted from mockery to confusion.

No one had ever given Mako's physique a second thought. He was always the kid in oversized hoodies, keeping his head down and avoiding trouble. But now, standing under the gym lights, it was clear that he wasn't the frail, scrawny kid everyone assumed.

He was still a far cry from Bill's imposing build, but there was strength in his frame, something that hadn't been there before.

Mako quickly took his stance. It wasn't something he had practiced with, so he just picked a simple position he had once seen in an old assassin game that Gary had shown him. He wasn't sure how effective it would be, but it was better than standing stiff like a deer in front of headlights, like the last time he faced Bill.

Across from him, Bill cracked his knuckles, a smug grin on his face as the crowd roared in anticipation. Despite his confidence, Mako could notice subtle signs of fatigue in his posture. There were bags under his eyes, and he looked a bit exhausted from the get-go. His body was slick with sweat, and it wasn't just because of the warm gym.

Mako had no clue what Bill had been up to before the fight, but it didn't matter. All that mattered was that Bill looked a little worn out, and Mako was willing to take any advantage he could get, no matter how small.

Mako exhaled slowly, blocking out the noise of the crowd.

'No more running.' Mako said to himself as this time he couldn't just run outside the ring like he usually would.

The instructor, standing between them, glanced at both fighters before raising his hand.

A pause...

"Fighters ready?" The instructor announced.

The crowd leaned in.

"Three… two… one…" he slowly counted down before finally...

The hand dropped.

"Fight!"

********************

Bill immediately used the Earth ability to conjure a barrier of rock all around the boundary of the ring so that Mako could not pull off the same stunt he pulled last time and just flee.

However, to Bill's surprise, Mako didn't move from his place, nor did he flinch from fear. He was determined to fight. Bill stared at Mako for a couple of seconds, hoping to provoke a reaction, but Mako stood strong and returned his glare.

"What are you waiting for? Come on!" Mako shouted as it was finally his time to make a taunt.

The cheering audience became silent. Everyone looked back and forth from Mako to Bill and back. They felt they needed to re-install new ears, as their hearing was wrong.

"D-Did Mako Grey j...ju...just taunt Bill?!" a boy in the crowd exclaimed in shock.

Bill stared at Mako with a dumbfounded look as the person in front of him was not the same person whom he had bullied for the past 4 years straight.

"So, you REALLY have a death wish, huh?!" Bill shouted, his face contorted with rage, veins bulging as the crowd erupted into even louder cheers.

He used the Earth ability to conjure an Earth club from the ground half the size of his body.

Dashing forward, Bill wasted no more time, hoping to take Mako down in one shot but not to kill him. In Bill's twisted head, Mako needs to suffer a lot more, as he couldn't give him a quick death.

As he swung the club, aiming to knock Mako down by hitting his back, Mako suddenly stood straight up, and it looked like every muscle on his body was tensing.

The club came down but hit nothing but air, causing immense shock to run through every observer.

[Phantom Shift has been activated!]

**************************

Author's Note: Hey guys! Universal Power System is one of my favorite projects, and I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I have enjoyed writing it. This is my very first work, so expect some amateur writing and a few slips. However, I always try to learn and correct myself so I can create a more coherent narrative. I hope you guys enjoy it. Don't forget to check out my other works!

Come say hi to me on Discord: https://discord.gg/TvjkrdnbE2