A Grudge From The Past

The enormous sword slipped from Helen's grasp, descending in a slow, treacherous arc. She found herself facing a hulking, four-legged creature that glared at her with menace.

"What the?"

"Is that a human?"

"What is he doing? Does he have a death wish?"

Before the group of 100 students, a hulking muscular ape loomed.

The ape stood at an imposing height, its bulging muscles rippling with raw power. Its ebony fur glistened, giving off an aura of primal ferocity to its already formidable presence. Long, sinewy limbs bristled with coarse black hair, each digit equipped with razor-sharp claws that glinted ominously.

Perched atop the ape's broad back, a young black-haired boy could be seen with a cocky smirk that was annoying.

Staring at the young man mounting the macabre creature with a gleam in his eye, the students collectively swallowed. Some stepped back, moving to the rear, while others slowly tried to slip away but eventually stopped to see what would unfold.

Perhaps with the person mounting the creature being a human, the students managed to convince themselves that the other party didn't necessarily mean harm.

Gabriel stepped forward with leisurely footsteps. He wasn't in a rush, not even a hint of fear could be detected on his serene face.

...And this irked the man mounting the creature to the bone.

Being a student too of this prestigious university, this young man knew exactly who the white-haired boy was. He was the same person who nearly caused his death two years ago.

"What do you want?"

Hearing Gabriel's voice, the young man turned to look at him.

His gaze held a certain level of disdain as he stared down at this prideful so-called president of the student council.

"You…you don't remember me?"

"Why should I know about you? Are you of any importance?"

"Wait, now that I look closely, isn't that Jim Hortin?"

"Yes, it's him?"

Gasps of shock began to escape the lips of the students as they all stared at the man obstructing their view.

Jim smiled at their reactions. As the star player of the basketball team, he was pretty famous among the students. One could say he even had a small, loyal fan base.

However, what made it hard to recognize him was his dark hair from his previous red–dyed color.

Gabriel turned to Fiona.

"Who is he?"

"He was the one you nearly beat to death for raping a student…"

Jim gritted his teeth, his hands shaking violently. He glared at Gabriel, suppressing the primal fury within him.

How could this bastard act like he didn't know him after what he had done? Jim seethed with anger.

After the beating, he had endured sleepless nights, haunted by the humiliation he had experienced. From that moment, he was branded as a rapist, all because of one person—Gabriel Reyes, someone he had already envied.

That day, Jim had pleaded with Gabriel to let the matter slide when he was caught in the act. But the white-haired boy had responded with a kick, sending Jim crashing through a window into a hall filled with almost all the students.

There, Gabriel had beaten him mercilessly. News of the incident had spread, and Jim had gone into hiding. He had even changed his hair color to avoid standing out, something he had desired previously.

Yet, each night, revenge plans swirled in Jim's mind, waiting for the opportune moment to strike. With a wealthy family background, he had engaged numerous seasoned assassins to eliminate Gabriel when night came.

However, they had all vanished without a trace. After several failed attempts, Jim had reluctantly given up. It hurt. It pained him that he couldn't even lay a finger on the cause of his misfortune.

Days passed, and Jim carried the weight of his vengeance in his heart. Revenge seemed like a distant dream, fading into the recesses of his mind.

Today, however, everything changed. While immersed in his usual self-indulgence, a thunderous announcement reached his ears. Whether it was intuition or not, Jim believed that the time had finally come to execute his long-awaited revenge.

As a skilled gamer, accustomed to playing MMORPGs in the past, it didn't take long for Jim to adapt to this new reality and acquire a skill, thanks to his acceptance and swift adaptation.

Armed with the [Monster Shepherd] skill, Jim set out to find his number one nemesis, who happened to be here, leading a group of students.

Continuing to watch Gabriel with a mocking smile, Jim allowed his gaze to roam freely, his eyes filled with an undistinguished, untamed lust that could erupt at any moment. A ravenous glint was almost perceptible in his eyes.

'After dealing with him, I'll have quite a nice time… haha. In this new world, I shall indulge all my nasty fetishes.'

Gabriel finally broke the silence.

"So you were the moron, huh? And it seems like you still haven't changed,"

"Talk… talk. At the end of the day, this moron is going to kick your ass, motherfucker!"

Jim's eyes glowed as he took a brief moment to size up his beast's formidable status.

[Savage Kretus Ape…level 20]

Jim had heard about Gabriel creating a skill, but he had dismissed it, knowing his companion possessed a range of terrifying abilities. Those skills alone could easily dispatch a level 6 human.

Gabriel stared at him for a moment before speaking:

"I'll give you a chance. Surrender, or you'll be dead in three seconds."

"Huh?"

Jim's eyes widened in surprise. From atop the towering creature, he looked down at Gabriel, his mocking smile now frozen.

Those bold and confident words left even the group of students dumbfounded.

"Did he just say three seconds?"

"Look at the size of that thing! Is he really claiming he can defeat it in three seconds? Am I hearing things?"

"Though the president is strong, I highly doubt…"

Jim spat out:

"You… confident words, huh? You think this is the same as before, where you could say anything and get away with it? Enough talk. Let me show you who the new boss is."

The next moment, Jim's eyes lit up as he tightened his grasp on the reins of the Kretus ape. Every fiber of Jim's being seemed attuned to the moment. He'd waited days. Stayed awake for days. Planned for days just for this moment.

And the time has finally arrived. He would make this section as long as he could.

With a cruel smile plastered on his face, the Savage Kretus Ape bounded forward, muscles rippling beneath its taut skin. Jim's figure remained steady, his grip on the creature unyielding.

As the mighty beast drew closer, like a predator zeroing in on its prey, an announcement rang throughout.

[First PvP match initiated. All players would be transported to a random pvp battle arena.]

A blinding light flashed, and when the light dissipated, everyone found themselves in a battle arena. Towering walls now enclosed the previous vast hallway, with intricate drawings depicting heroic feats and ancient legends. At the heart of this arena stood a forest of thick columns, their majestic forms reaching skyward like colossal sentinels.

The columns were spaced evenly throughout the arena, creating a labyrinthine layout. Their imposing presence cast long shadows as sunlight poured through the arched windows, illuminating the battlefield with ethereal beauty.

Peeling his gaze away from the beautiful arena, Gabriel's eyes zeroed in on the charging Kretus ape.

In an instant, the earth convulsed, as though an ancient titan was approaching. The beast's colossal footsteps shook the very ground as cracks raced across the concrete floor. The thick columns on the sides started dislodging one by one as the beast drew closer and closer.

But what sent shivers through the spines of everyone, however, was the building.

At this pace, it would take a miracle for the building to withstand the impending collision. Seeing this, the students began to complain.

"Damn it! Why didn't he just beg! Fuck!"

"Curse you, Gabriel!"

"Please, Jim, have mercy! We're not with him!"

"Everyone, fall back! Twenty steps away!"

Gabriel's authoritative voice boomed through the chaos and as if enchanted, the crowd obeyed, their movements frozen in fear.

Those attempting to escape through the windows of the battle arena were met with a heart-stopping sight—the very floor gave way beneath their feet, plunging them from the fifth floor into the abyss below.

In the midst of the chaos, Gabriel noticed a crazed glimmer swirling in Jim's eyes. Drool and maniacal laughter escaped his mouth as he gleefully observed the unfolding mayhem.

Gabriel clenched his fist, glaring at the approaching gargantuan ape. The beast, with a wave of its hands, cleaved several thick columns, raining chunks of rock on the students.

"Helen, hand me the sword!"

Helen, who was staring in disbelief and horror, snapped out of her daze as she flipped the sword towards the white-haired boy.

Now, with the great sword in his hands, Gabriel made a flip in the air towards a flat chunk of rock plunging towards five students. If that rock smashed into them, they would certainly turn into a paste of smashed flesh.

Luckily for them, Gabriel was here. Brandishing the [Flaming Sword of Annihilation], Gabriel executed precise slashes, unleashing a torrent of emerald flames that surged towards the rock slab with a thunderous roar akin to a cannon's blast.

Upon impact, the flames pulverized the rock into harmless dust just before it could crush the group of defenseless students.

Still wielding the mighty sword, Gabriel replicated the attack pattern, successfully disintegrating more rocks into dust.

A moment later, the abomination clashed with Gabriel, its menacing crimson eyes gleaming with sinister delight as it swung its jagged claws, eager for the kill. But Gabriel sidestepped, twirling his feet to gain his footing. Then, with a spin, he spun around as the tip of his blade pierced right through the beast's neck with deadly accuracy. A moment of confusion, hate, and then regret flashed across the creature's eyes before it crashed to the ground, leaving a massive chasm outlining the ape shape in its wake.

With the monster's defeat, a cascade of messages materialized before Gabriel.

However, he dismissed the messages as he glared at the fleeing Jim. The overconfident man was fleeing.

Gabriel paused, his gaze alternating between Jim and his injured group. Some seconds of contemplation later, Gabriel approached the injured student with a sigh.

Fiona threw a circular device towards Gabriel, and on the screen, it showed 10 seconds.

"You failed."

Seeing the timer, Gabriel tilted his head to the side with a wry smile.

"Was the timing really necessary?"

***

"He completely overwhelmed and so fast?"

As Jim continued to run, sweat streamed down his face as he evaded a cruel slab of rock plunging at him. Finally, he came to a shattered window, and with nimble movements, he leaped through the broken glass, clutching an old, frail rod in his hand. With its help, the young man slid to the ground.

"How? Fuck! Damn it. How am I even supposed to get another beast like that? It's all because of that bastard. Who would have thought that he would be this strong?"

The young man kicked a rock out of frustration as he dropped onto his butt and groaned.

"Damn it! Even the world hates me!"

He was currently trudging in an eerie hallway. Although the defiant groans of the abomination still resounded from time to time, this hallway was safe… at least… maybe.

Navigating the eerie hallway, Jim clutched his chest, a pained expression crossing his face as he spat a glob of thick blood.

"Argh! So this… is the side effect of losing a tame companion, huh?"

Thinking about this, Jim summoned the ruins describing the [Monster Shepherd] skill.

[Skill: Monster Shepherd][1/50]

[Skill Type: Support]

[Skill Level Requirement: Level 5]

[Skill Description: Monster Shepherd enables players to tame weakened or near-death monsters. Taming a companion comes with the risk of devastating side effects. If the creature is lost, it leaves the Shepherd extremely weakened. Mana consumed for each second tamed beast is active: 10mp. Cooldown: 30 minutes.]

[Note: Players can only tame one creature at a time. To expand their roster of monster companions, players are encouraged to increase their skill proficiency to the next level. This will unlock the ability to tame and manage multiple creatures at a time]

Closing the cluster of text, Jim gritted his teeth as his hand scavenged for a weapon. Anything would be useful to defend against these depraved creatures. A while later, he fished out a pole from the rubble.

With the pole in hand, Jim continued to trudge. Using his sleeves, he wiped the blood trailing on his lips as a sinister look appeared in his eyes when he caught sight of something ahead.

Up ahead, a blue-haired girl was engaging in combat with a towering beast. The girl's gaze was fierce and cold, almost empty as she weaved between the cruel jagged claws of the monster, delivering bone-shattering blows. Yelps and groans escaped from the beast, fueling it to become even more frenzied as a mad glint appeared in its eyes.

Jim opened his mouth in utter shock as he attempted to stop his shaking hands.

"She is strong! Stronger than that bastard."

And that beast is?

[Level 30 Chaotic Bloodsucker Fiend]

Seeing the crimson string of text floating above the creature's head, Jim muttered.

"A boss? Jackpot!"

Resisting the urge to jump up in excitement, Jim began to contemplate.

Now… how to distract her and tame this creature?

He calculated. Many thoughts formed in his head, but after careful consideration, they were all dismissed. Sometime later, he eventually thought of something.

"This just might work,"

Jim heart began to pound with anticipation as he spun on his heel and sprinted away, leaving the blue-haired girl to fend off the monstrous beast alone.

After what felt like an eternity of relentless running, Jim finally came to a halt, his gaze fixated on a pair of towering humanoid rodents. They were engrossed in a gruesome feast, tearing into the lifeless body of a human, a young girl.

Steeling himself to appear valiant, Jim bent down, grabbed a small rock, and hurled it towards the creatures.

Kwak!

The sound reverberated through the air, capturing the monsters' attention. With cold, crimson eyes fixed on Jim, they growled menacingly, sending tremors of fear down his spine.

Growl! Growl!

Attracted by the noise, both rodentians lunged at the human.

Jim's heart sank.

"Damn it! What have I gotten myself into?"

[Elder Rodentia... Level 25] and [Elder Rodentia...Level 25].

"Two mini-bosses? Well, fuck my life!"