4 New Mission

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[New mission has been generated!]

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Revenge #1

Kill Amber without getting caught.

Reward(s): + 2 Strength, + 1 Vitality, +15 exp

Expiration: 72 hours

Punishment: Go to [Punishment Realm] for 2 hours

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Rhys looked at the new mission in front of him. His face turned from fear to excitement, to fear again as his eyes went further down the screen.

'Punishment?!'

This was absurd. Who's power punishes them?

More so, he had to kill Amber without getting caught. Popular girl, Amber. He could barely move in her presence, and yet the System wanted him to kill her? If he got caught, he would be more than smoked. Not only his school life, but his home life would become more than hell.

No, he'd no longer even have a home to live in. He'd no longer have a school to attend.

And not to point out the obvious, but killing is bad! Why did the System give him such an absurd mission?!

'System, why did you give me a mission like this?! Kill her? That's crazy!'

'[It is for your own good. Pluck the roots out, else, the weeds will grow back].'

Again, like every other time, the System responded cold and logically. Sometimes, Rhys wished it had even, just even a semblance of emotion. It was like talking to an insect. Simple, and utterly indifferent.

He was conflicted.

But deep down, he questioned to himself, "Does it matter to me?"

After all, it was societal norms that dictated whether something was morally good or bad.

'And...[Punishment Realm]?'

What was it? The name was self-explanatory, but what awaited him in there?

'Wait...can I obtain Archetypes in there too? Am I just overthinking it?'

It was A 'Realm', after all.

The system did not respond.

'Perhaps I should just test the waters?'

But with no confirmation from the system, he decided against it.

He shuffled through the masses of students. Constantly, he was pushed back and forward. Some of the more bold kids would push through themselves. But, he was more focused on the system and his train of thought than the crowds of students.

He glanced up and saw Amber. Kids did not dare to shove her around, or any of the popular kids for that matter, so she was able to move more comfortably amongst the crowd. Her bright-colored hair made her stand out. While it added to her beauty, to Rhys, who knew her ugly side, it was like a warning sign of a plant or animal.

It reminded him of those petite frogs who could send someone to the hospital upon being touched. Cute on the outside, but also deadly if you got too close.

By the time he entered class, almost all his classmates were there, all chatting lively. The teacher hadn't arrived yet, so they took this opportunity to have a short moment of fun with their friends.

The chatter soon stopped when the teacher walked in. His name was Mr. Choi, a foreigner from the East. He, like many of the other staff, mistreated Rhys. Though in his case, it was much more subtle.

He was considered a scary teacher, both by students and faculty. Because he taught both power-related and academic courses, he was quite experienced in dealing with kids.

He had greying hair and deep brown eyes. If one were to look close enough, they would be able to see the hardened veteran hidden inside them. He was not just an old man, but he was a strong old man.

Like many of the older teachers, he lived through the war against the virus- the same virus which brought both the monsters and the Powered into existence.

Perhaps it was through such experience in life that he learned the ways of society, that the Powered ruled over the Powerless.

But it was not the teacher he had to worry about in this class. It was the students.

Rhys sat at his desk, contemplating the new mission he had received from the system, distracted from the usual lectures and lessons. A deep-seated feeling of foreboding stirred within him, both because he felt like he wasn't being responsible, and because he had no confidence in himself at all.

"Rhys!" Mr.Choi suddenly called out, immediately snapping Rhys back into focus mode.

"Sorry, Mr.Choi," Rhys responded timidly.

That's right. He must pay attention. He was a kid- a student after all.

But the thought still lingered, and the emotions still lingered. He couldn't help but just be a little out of line today.

He only had 72 hours- 3 days left to complete the mission. But,

What was more important, school or getting stronger?

He chose the latter. He got good grades anyway, and he'd make his parents proud if he got strong. He'll no longer be the failure that his parents thought he was.

He had to repay the debt of life, of his birth, with anything and everything. He owed his very being to his parents, so he must compensate for it.

It was the bud that was planted into his mind since his childhood, and it bloomed fervently.

His parents nurtured him to be the ideal son, and so he complied.

Because he never knew anything else that meant more than them.

Because he never was taught anything else that meant more than them.

Little did he know, he was slowly chipping away at the flower planted in his heart.

'System, what will happen if I entered the Realm?'

'[Your physical body will enter into a state of REM sleep].'

'How much time will pass when I'm in the Realm?'

'[The ratio of time passed when entering the [Realm] is 2:1. That is, 2 hours in the [Realm] to 1 hour in real life.]'

'[However, the [Punishment Realm's] time ratio is dependent on the realm itself].'

Rhys thought about the System's responses, then finally decided.

Killing was bad, but he knew his parents would not bat an eye. They'd care more that he was strong.

So it was okay...

As long as he kept it a secret.

Unbeknownst to him, a lust for strength unlike another other he had experienced ignited in his heart. It was almost the same, yet also so different. It was small, but selfish in nature.

It was not for anyone else but himself.

"Mr.Choi, may I go to the nurse's office?" Rhys suddenly blurted out in the middle of his teacher's lecture.

Mr.Choi looked at the dark-brown-haired boy. He was mildly annoyed at him for being so interruptive today. After all, Rhys had always been a well-behaved, studious boy. It was strange of him to suddenly be so distracted.

"Sure."

'He did seem a little sick today, and he was being a hindrance, too,' Mr.Choi reasoned in his mind.

In reality, he was really just letting him go for the latter reason.

The children of 50 years ago had their own shell to break through.

After excusing himself, Rhys walked out into the hallway, then entered the nurse's office just a few classes down from where Mr.Choi's was.

It was time to begin his Revenge #1.