A new power (3)
Erik took off his sweaty shirt, went to the mirror, and looked at his body. The stats he pumped into strength the last time he leveled up, plus all the training he was doing, certainly had an effect.
He didn't become huge, but he definitely gained mass. Erik had never been particularly large. He didn't eat well, and working on the field made him sickly lean. Maybe it was thanks to that and his slim skin that he was already seeing his muscles ripping.
"I'm going to need some bigger clothes soon," he said. With a radiant smile, Erik went to the bathroom to shower, and after he was done, he quickly dressed.
One last thing to do was to try to make new neural links. He spent two hours on the task, then went to bed since he had to go to school the following day.
…
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…
The next morning, Erik rose early. He faced a crucial decision: whether to reveal his new power.
<On the one hand, I will surely attract much attention to myself, but on other, probably stop bullying.>
At least he hoped so. Regardless, the situation was so insufferable as to cloud every other alternative. He wanted this to end and to end soon.
<But this is not going to be all bad, right? Many Awakeners ended up filthy rich just because of being awakeners. Shouldn't at least possible for me?>
A chance was all he was asking.
<Maybe I should only show that can fight with my current power?>
Erik pondered his options. Simply growing trees wouldn't be perceived as a combat-ready power. He needed to show its fighting potential, but his lack of control posed a serious problem. Using it in a confrontation could cause fatal consequences for his opponent.
After much thinking, Erik decided that the best thing to do would be to simply show the new power. In his mind, making the others think he couldn't fight with his original power was an advantage already. With that, he had the means to attack from a distance, and if the enemy focused on the fact he could now fight melee, he would gain an advantage.
Though Erik failed to realize there was no enemy to fight. Who was he exactly preparing to fight for? Logan? As much as a bastard he was, he was not exactly an enemy. He didn't beat him, intending to kill.
Yet Erik wanted to be ready, and to get to the point he would be, he needed to prepare. With that decided, the young man checked his daily quests, and after having accepted them, he completed the first by making breakfast.
After that, he changed and headed out to school.
<Now, I guess could do that today…>
This was his chance to leave a lasting impression on the others and put Logan and his friends in their place. This was his chance to warn the bullies that there would be consequences if they kept harassing him.
"What are you smiling about, you trash?"
A girl beside him saw the smile on the young man's face. Everyone knew who he was, after all.
Though not everyone actively bullied him, Erik had become a collective punching bag for the school. Many saw him as inferior, using him as a target to mask their own insecurities.
They were not that better than him. Other people, too, had weak brain crystal powers. Not everyone was suited for fighting, and that was a shameful fact for him as much as for them.
"Mind your damn business, bitch!" He wasn't going to let them use him like that anymore.
The girl grimaced. How dare the Plant Hugger say this to her? The others were as shocked as the girl was. This was out of Erik's usual behavior.
"Yo, guys. Plant Hugger got mad!"
A collective, scornful laugh echoed around.
"Shut up, motherfuckers!"
That made them just laugh louder.
A crowd quickly formed, and word spread to the students inside the building that the school's trash was talking back to a large group of people.
At that moment, Anderson Worthington, the school's best student, stepped in to intervene.
"Hey, everyone. Talking trash about others isn't allowed here."
No one dared confront Anderson—not because of his family's influence. He was a nobody from that point of view, but due to his brain crystal power.
He had a power he called Atomic Annie, a bomb name. His power was rated B on the Ferebitz scale since Anderson had a lot of mana; as for Jorm, the power was rated B, meaning it was a really powerful ability.
Essentially, he could generate explosions from his body that were devastatingly powerful and didn't harm him.
This, combined with his remarkable talent, enabled him to form seven neural links, placing him at the π1 rank on the Idor scale.
Moreover, he ranked among the school's top 20 students and received private martial arts training from the teachers alongside his elite peers, the other 19 students. This group was on an entirely different level compared to the average student.
"You have to respect the school rules," Anderson said.
"But... But..."
Anderson gave the girl a stare before turning toward the rest of the crowd.
"If someone talks more shit, I will make them pay, and believe me, it will hurt like hell. Now leave this guy alone."
The students got silent, and the crowd dispersed, leaving behind a single person: Erik.
<Mother fuckers…>
Erik gave a look at Anderson, who was already leaving the area.
He sighed and then left for the main building. Many of those that were in the crowd gave him death stares.
<These fuckers have no idea...>
At lunch break, Erik was going to show them.
For years, Logan had beaten him; for years, he'd gone home injured; for years, Logan and the others had mocked and humiliated him in front of everyone. All those bottled-up emotions now swirled inside him, and as he let them escape, he felt exhilarated—liberated from a colossal weight.
Logan and his friends passed by the young man, noticing his unusually good mood.
"What is this fucker laughing at?" Orson asked.
"I don't know, but I heard a weird rumor while entering the main building."
"Yeah? What kind of rumor?"
"Apparently, the little shit grew some balls overnight. He dared talk back to some people outside."
"Are you sure that happened?" Logan asked.
"I don't know. That's what people said. Should we pay him a visit?"
"No, we already messed up with the fire story," Logan said.
"You mean, you messed up." Conal gave him a grim look.
"I told you already! It wasn't me who shared the video!"
"Then why has everyone received it from your device?" Orson had a point.
"I don't know!"
"Right..."