Chapter 20: A Small Crack

"Oh… oh my god, I don't think… I can stand."

The birds have already long stopped their songs, and yet it was only now that Lina was finally able to calm her heavy breaths. If it wasn't for the a/c in Rhys's room, then she would have definitely been drowned in her own sweat by now.

"I think… I will need to visit my doctor later. I… I don't think what we did was healthy."

The sun outside was already harshly seeping through the cracks on the newspaper covering Rhys's windows as he lay on his soiled mattress… which he now definitely needed to replace.

"I'm… tired, but I also feel refreshed for some reason."

"..." Rhys turned to look at the woman who was resting on his chest, only to see her face completely red; the short strands of her hair, sticking onto her flushed cheeks.

"..." Lina also turned to look at him, before just leaning closer and casually placing her lips on his, "I… need to go, Rhys… my phone's been vibrating like crazy since 2 hours ago."

"Of course," Rhys nodded as he watched as Lina stood up; her bare and thick figure, now illuminated by the sun. Rhys's eyes, however, were looking at the hearts above Lina's head.

"I'm going to shower first, alright?" Lina sucked in a breath as she covered her breasts/

4 Red Hearts. They have done all that, and yet he still hasn't fully filled Lina's hearts—he also couldn't read her desires anymore. Could it be possible that she didn't have any more desires right now?

Just what does he need to do to fill all of them up? It was much simpler with Arachne, he just needed to—

"..." Rhys then sat up from bed. He just slept with someone for the first time, and yet the only thing he could think of was using her to gain an ability?

This… is wrong—Rhys thought as he shook his head. He didn't even know what sort of abilities she had, or if they would be useful to him—No, he was focusing on the wrong things again.

He has to care for her, he needs to care. If not… then what difference did he have with all the monsters and predators prowling around the world?

"...Your mirror is broken, what's up with that? And can I borrow a towel?"

"..." Rhys quickly turned to look at Lina as she leaned out of the bathroom; steam, veiling her silhouette like a bride being revealed from the other side of the door,

"Lina… you're really beautiful," Rhys then breathed out as he stood up from the bed and very slowly walked toward Lina.

"R…Rhys, stop that," Lina could really only giggle as she heard Rhys's words, "A towel, please… I'm already late as it—W… what are you doing!?"

And before Lina could finish her words, Rhys suddenly wrapped his arms around him.

"I… I just took a shower!"

"I haven't yet, Lina," Rhys whispered into her ear, "Since you're already dirty again, why don't we take a shower together?"

"Y—" Lina was about to say something, but she suddenly felt something hard hitting her from below, "I…

…I guess so?"

***

"Lina!? Where have you been!? We're already done here!"

"I'm sorry, I'm really sorry. I… fell asleep!"

"..." Another hour later, Rhys and Lina finally escaped the prison they made for themselves as they left the dorm building. Fortunately for the two of them, no one really noticed them in the hallways, as most were already outside, curiously watching as the Explorer team and the Cleanup unit did their final check of the area.

Rhys watched as Lina got grilled by her teammates, not knowing whether he should laugh or feel pity for her. A few seconds after, however, he noticed Lina looking at him—smiling and sticking her tongue out as she subtly gestured something to him, something Rhys had absolutely no idea what it meant.

Lina wanted to exchange numbers, but as Rhys's phone was currently… shattered, she just said that she'll visit him again soon. Was… that what it meant?

"Damn, I heard someone in our class died."

"What, who?"

"Lex. He was with another guy, but they're refusing to reveal who it is."

"Lex!? The fuck, how can he die from a Level 1 Hole? Isn't he a Strength-type? What was he even doing near the Hole?"

"No idea, the guy was probably high. What you should ask is why is there a Hole inside the campus in the first place."

"Fuck that, who cares. Let's just get out of here, I heard they're already continuing the class tomorrow."

"...Already!? What are we wasting our time here for, then!?"

"..." Rhys could really only watch as the crowd that was curiously watching the Explorers slowly disperse and disappear, thinking of how weird it was that no one knew that the other guy that fell into the Hole was him.

Did… the HIU hide his identity? But they seemed adamant in trying to pin something on him last night.

And before Rhys could lose himself in his own thoughts again, he saw three people making their way into the dorms. And judging by the way they stopped walking, they also clearly saw him.

It was Rob and the others—their mangled faces, now completely healed as if nothing happened to them in the first place.

"..." Rhys quickly tightened his fist, trying to prevent the sudden urge to just lash out at them as soon as he saw their faces. The three, however, weren't looking at him as they just continued to walk—their eyes, clearly avoiding Rhys as they passed by him and entered the dormitory.

…Was that it?---Rhys thought as he blinked his eyes several times. Will they actually stop bothering him now? Was it that easy?

Just because they were bruised and beaten, they are giving up on hurting him? No… It shouldn't be that easy, they should gang up on him and beat him more. If not…

…then how else would Rhys have another excuse to beat them almost to their deaths again?

Rhys's fists started to shake as he once again remembered the feeling of his bones being broken as he smashed them straight into their faces. It was… liberating.

"Rhys, Rhys!"

"Hm?" Rhys then suddenly woke up from his mild stupor, only to see Lina standing in front of her.

"I've been calling you a thousand times!" Lina squinted her eyes as she pouted.

"Sorry, I was… daydreaming."

"I noticed," Lina's expression quickly changed as she giggled, "You do that a lot, huh?"

"...I do?"

"Hmn," Lina nodded, "Anyway, I kinda hoped we could spend the rest of the day together too, but… duty calls."

"But you haven't slept yet," Rhys breathed out.

"I'm used to not sleeping 3 days straight," Lina sighed as she bumped her forehead on Rhys's chest, "This is the problem when you're contracted with the government."

"..." Rhys didn't really know what to do as Lina suddenly stuck to him in public. Her teammates were looking, and none of them really seemed happy.

"Anyway, you can have this," Lina then suddenly put something in Rhys's hand as she pulled away, "You broke your phone, right? I have some spare since I also always break my phone whenever I stream down there, my number's already saved there. Call me, I'm sure I'm free this weekend!"

"Wait, I—" And before Rhys could even refuse his new phone, Lina already ran away. And judging by the way his teammates were reprimanding her, they probably didn't like that she was spending time with a Lowborn.

"..." The only thing Rhys could really do was grunt as he looked at the phone Lina gave her—it seemed brand new. Was this… really a spare phone?

And as Rhys was contemplating, the HIU, Explorers, and Cleanup unit swiftly disappeared from the campus. And with everyone gone, Rhys took this chance to approach the Hole, or at least where it was before they covered it—there was absolutely no sign that there was once a large gaping pit just hours ago on where he was standing.

It's almost as if nothing happened at all. But something did happen, and it happened to him.

Rhys then turned his head up, looking at the roof where he decided to commit a murder-suicide. He didn't even hesitate as he pushed himself and Lex over the edge of the roof.

He wanted to die… but the gods decided to step in and open a way for him, quite literally—Rhys thought as he looked down. Was it perhaps Fate?

Or just an impossible coincidence that a Hole opened up right to where he and Lex were falling?

Whatever it is, it didn't matter. What matters is it gave him a chance to fight back, to finally seek the justice that he kept hearing over and over again. And he will exact vengeance on his own…

…even if he has to break every bone in his body to do it.

Sylas West must suffer, it wasn't enough that he dies for the crime of killing his mother. It won't be enough.

And unbeknownst to Rhys, a smile was slowly crawling on his face as he thought of a million ways to make everyone that hurt him pay.

And then once again, as he walked away, unbeknownst to him...

…a small crack was starting to form on the ground he was previously standing on.