Brutal Clifford

Clifford and Benson exited the administrative building and headed to the academy's gate, Clifford was probably heading home since he was done registering for the tournament. Benson's destination remained unknown, he doesn't even seemed to have one, he just kept following Clifford while running his mouth without ever stopping.

"You've got to be powerful to survive in this academy, this is no place for the weak. The strong bullies the weak and the academy doesn't seem to care about it for whatsoever reason." Benson said while he shook his head dejectedly. Although he was born into one of the most powerful families in Sun City, he hated the way the way the poor and weak was being treated by the rich and powerful but there was nothing he could do about it.

"Hmm!" Clifford nodded in agreement to Benson. He experienced being bullied when he was weak so he wasn't surprised when he learnt that it was being practiced here too. He hated it and he was going to do everything in his power to prevent the weak students of the academy from being bullied. He knew he was powerful enough to prevent himself from being bullied, he was going to be a nemesis for the bullies.

Benson and Clifford continued to chat while they approached the academy's gate. Clifford was starting to enjoy the company of Benson, sooner or later he would have friends here too, he just had to be careful of the people he's friends with. He appreciated Benson's help in helping him get the registration process done quickly but he didn't trust him, any negative action from Benson and he would cut him off.

They decided to stop by the academy's cafeteria to get something to eat. They entered and went straight to the serving counter.

"I want some roasted beef and a bottle of soda." Benson ordered. "Order something, bills on me." He told Clifford. Clifford just nodded with a faint smile.

"A plate of mashed potatoes and a bottle of soda will do." Clifford told the lady serving food at the counter. The lady served Benson first, he collected his food and sat at a table. Clifford got served too but when he turned to move to the table Benson was sitting, someone bumped into him, his mashed potatoes all got smashed on the ground.

"What the hell? Are you fucking blind?" A young man in white expensive clothes yelled at Clifford. The young man was well dressed, he should be about two years older than Clifford. Benson sighted the young man and he recognized him right away. His name was Casper Harrington, he was one of the most popular person in the academy even though he just got enrolled. He was the son of the Vice Chancellor of Sun City Norman Harrington, and was widely known for flaunting his father's wealth, spending lavishly at clubs and oppressing and bullying the weak and poor.

"Oh...No! Not him of all people." Benson signed frustratingly. He stood up and ran straight to defend Clifford. "Hey man, what's up? Don't mind my clumsy friend, he's just naive." He said to Casper while he patted his shoulder. The people in the restaurant noticed the small commotion and gathered around Clifford and Casper. In their minds, Clifford was already being unfortunate to have pissed Casper off and he should be begging for his life.

"Get your filthy hands off of me." He pushed Benson away. He walked closer to Clifford and grabbed him by the collar of the shirt, pushed him but Clifford wouldn't budge. He was surprised at this because he was at the second stage of the basic rank while Clifford was just emitting the aura of a weak first rank basic mage. He was supposed to be stronger than him in all aspects, but now he couldn't push Clifford and inch.

Even the crowd was confused, Casper was supposed to be stronger even in physical power but it seemed Clifford was certainly not a pushover. This infuriated Casper the more, he felt bitter he couldn't embarrass Clifford, the crowd already looking him with mocking eyes. He quickly resorted to casting an ice spell. When the crowd in the restaurant saw that Casper resorted to his ice element, they felt pity for Clifford straightaway. Casper was widely known for his powerful inborn talent of the ice element, he can cast ice spells two times more powerful than that of people of the same ranks which gave him a very good advantage in fights and duels. Infact, he has never lost a fight.

"Ice balls!" Casper yelled. A very cold energy started to condense in Casper's hands which then formed into sturdy ice balls with spikes which made it more deadlier, two ice balls in each hands. Casper stood mightily with a menacing smile, even the crowd were shocked at how stronger he had become. Benson made pleas to help Clifford but Casper shot an ice ball at him, he took it straight to his chest which resulted in him vomiting a mouthful of blood.

"F*cking bastard." Benson groaned painfully, he was feeling a very stinging pain in his chest, he was no match for Casper.

"Are you ready to beg for your life now? Be my lackey and I will consider sparing you." Casper grinned wickedly. The crowd turned towards Clifford wanting to hear his response, they were surprised to see him standing there with his hands clasped behind his back, and a faint smile on his confident face. "Didn't he know who he is in trouble with? This was the thought of the crowd, they consider Clifford's action as foolish.

"Are you f*cking deaf?" Casper bellowed outrageously. He was very infuriated by Clifford's unfazed expression. "Did he not have me in his eyes at all?" He thought. He was very used to intimidating weak people, he enjoyed them trembling at his feet begging for their lives but it seemed Clifford was just a weak fool and this made him more angry.

"Do you wish to die?" Everywhere fell completely silent as these words came out of Clifford's mouth. Even Benson almost went crazy. "What the hell was he thinking," was the thought in everyone's mind.

Casper was shocked, nobody has ever said that to him. He yelled furiously and shot the three ice balls at Clifford at the same time. Some people hid their face or either closed their eyes not wanting to witness the unfortunate Clifford being blasted mercilessly by the deadly ice balls.

When the ice balls were about to hit Clifford, he released his Mana shield. The ice balls hit Clifford's Mana shield and broke in to tiny pieces, Clifford's Mana shield didn't even suffer any damage despite the strong power and momentum of the ice balls. The crowd gasped at the sight, it seemed like Casper has offended someone more powerful than him.

Casper was stunned, his deadly mighty ice balls that was being feared was stopped just like that by this unknown young man. An uneasy feeling started to swell inside of him, he knew straightaway that the person standing before him was stronger but he was confused because Clifford had a lower rank than him. He didn't know Clifford has suppressed his rank.

"Weak." Clifford growled. Even though he suppressed his ranks, Casper still couldn't defeat him. "You dare threaten me with that pathetic powers of yours?" Clifford said to Casper while he walked towards him. The latter desperately casted another round of ice balls and shot them at Clifford but the results were the same, Clifford's Mana shield effortlessly blocked them.

Clifford conjured a small fire ball in his right hand. Casper looked at him fearfully, he knew he was no match for Clifford. "You won't dare touch me, my father is the Vice Chancellor of this City. He would ask for your head if you touch a hair on my....."

"Paaaaahhhh!" A loud thunder like sound reverberated through the silent cafeteria followed by the crashing sound cutting short the words of the trembling Casper. It was the sound of a slap, a very strong one. Clifford just slapped Casper with the fireball and the latter crashed violently in to the vending machine about four metres away from him. The crowd was shocked, Clifford really dared to hit the son of the Vice Chancellor, how brazen of him to do so.

"Oh my God!" Benson gasped and looked at Clifford as if he was a monster. Not only was he shocked at how Clifford was, he was also shocked at Clifford's audacity to hit Casper. "Did he have a powerful person backing him up?" He thought.

Clifford walked up to the miserable Casper who was writhing in pain on the floor, his left cheek was burnt by the fireball completely disfiguring his handsome face. Clifford grabbed him by the shoulders and pushed his back against the vending machine, he gave him another hot slap and another, he just kept slapping him until he was stopped by a gentle but firm voice.

"I believe he has suffered enough for his stupidity."

Clifford turned to look at the speaker, it was Dora Patterson. He faced Casper again and gave him another hot slap before he slammed him to the ground. He then faced Dora again with a sweet smile.

"He should be thankful you saved his ass." Clifford said while he walked up to Dora. Dora watched the unconscious and miserable Casper on the ground, she signalled that he should be carried to the academy's clinic for treatment. Casper was then quickly carried away.

"That was brutal of you, you should have punished him slightly for offending you. His father will be very mad at you for doing that to his son." Dora said gently.

"Oh really?" Clifford said indifferently. "I've got my ways of settling things."

"Hmm!" Dora nodded gently. "I'll cover you this time, don't cause any trouble anymore. Understand?" Dora said to Clifford. Clifford just replied with a shrug while he took a sip from his bottle of soda.

The crowd were amazed that Clifford was a friend of the Silver queen of Sun City. "No wonder he dared to beat up the son of the Vice Chancellor." They thought while they dispersed quietly.

Benson walked up to Clifford and Dora. "You didn't tell me you're friends with her." He whispered to Clifford.

"Haha!" Clifford just chuckled quietly.

"Do you care for a short ride around the City?" Dora said.

"Yes of course." Benson answered.

Dora rolled her eyes at Benson. "I wasn't talking to you."

"Ohhh!" Benson scratched the back of his head. "I guess we will meet later then." He winked at Clifford before he left the cafeteria.

"Do you care?" She asked Clifford again. The latter just nodded positively. They both walked out of the restaurant into Dora's car which was parked outside the cafeteria.