Chapter 16
A week had passed since Elijah's fight and his rescue of Mai.
In that time, not much had changed, aside from him joining multiple fighting clubs across the city on Kai's recommendation and signing up for a gym.
These additions to his routine had already begun to show results.
His body was becoming noticeably more toned, and his once-boyish face was taking on a sharper, more mature appearance.
Every time he glanced in the mirror, he couldn't help but be surprised by how much he had changed in just a month.
What shocked him even more was how smoothly things were going.
He was making enough money that his mother no longer had to worry about food or his personal expenses.
For the first time in a long while, there was stability in his home.
At the moment, he was sitting in the school courtyard during lunchtime, across from Kai, who looked utterly exhausted, his head resting on the table as if he hadn't slept in days.
"Are you okay, my guy?" Elijah asked, concern evident in his voice.
Kai barely lifted his head and shook it weakly before mumbling, "I'm fine. Just tired."
Elijah frowned. "Why won't you let me come to the fighting club at the base?"
Kai exhaled deeply, his voice sluggish as he replied,
"Because I wanted you to get more real combat experience before fighting those old men who don't know what they're doing."
Elijah nodded in understanding before asking, "So, what now? I've been fighting this whole week. Should I keep going?"
"Yeah, keep doing that. I'll be joining you the day after tomorrow," Kai said, rubbing his tired eyes.
"We also need to start recruiting more members. I've already got my eye on three people. If you have anyone in mind, we'll talk to them too."
Elijah leaned back slightly. "Alright. What about Mai? How's she doing?"
Kai suddenly smirked, sitting up a little as he gave Elijah a knowing look.
"You keep asking about her, man. Are you sure you don't have a little crush?"
"It's not like that!" Elijah's face flushed red as he quickly shook his head.
"I was just worried about her, especially after everything that happened. And with her father's death... I wanted to make sure she was okay."
Kai chuckled but nodded. "Don't worry. She's doing fine. She's already helping out with the gang. Speaking of which, we need to come up with a name for our crew."
Elijah forced a smile, but his thoughts drifted elsewhere.
'I wish I was like you, Kai. You have a goal and a purpose. Meanwhile, I'm just going along with all of this without knowing what I really want. Why am I even doing this?'
"What do you think?" Kai asked suddenly, snapping Elijah out of his daze.
"Huh? Did you say something?" Elijah asked, blinking in confusion.
Kai groaned in frustration and punched Elijah's shoulder. "Bro, I just came up with the best names ever, and you weren't even listening!"
"Argh! You should've told me it was something important!" Elijah complained, rubbing his arm.
Kai's expression turned serious as he stared straight into Elijah's eyes.
"Elijah, we're not playing around here. Mai has already stopped going to school. Lucas too. Even I'm dropping out this week. We're putting everything into this gang business until we succeed. As our leader, you need to start taking this seriously."
Elijah fell silent, feeling the weight of Kai's words settle on him.
Kai stood up and stretched, yawning. "Anyway, I'm dead tired, so I'm going to crash in the Food Club room. Maybe I'll meet my girl there."
Elijah watched Kai leave, heading toward one of the school buildings.
He sighed, leaning back in his seat and staring up at the sky.
Even in school, the presence of gangs was everywhere.
Different groups of kids belonged to different crews, and fights would break out constantly.
The only thing keeping things in check was the school's discipline committee—especially their top fighter, a student so skilled that most gang members were afraid to cross him.
Elijah had seen him fight in one of the underground clubs, and the guy was incredible.
Deep down, Elijah didn't want to get caught up in this life.
He feared that if he did, it would bring danger to his mother and sister.
Just as these thoughts consumed him, the familiar sensation of emptiness overtook him, and he suddenly found himself in that strange, blank space again.
Alter Elijah stood before him, his expression stern. "What are you talking about?"
"If I keep going down this path, I'll only put Mom and Amy in danger," Elijah muttered, more to himself than to his other self.
Alter Elijah's eyes narrowed. "Stop being an idiot. Don't you remember what that guy said?"
A painful memory resurfaced in Elijah's mind. Leo's words echoed in his head: 'You're lucky she's protected, or she might have been taken advantage of.'
Elijah clenched his fists as his face darkened.
Alter Elijah's voice grew louder. "Have you forgotten the night Mom came home bruised, crying her eyes out?"
Elijah's breath hitched. He shook his head. "No. But Leo will protect them."
"And who told you that?
Do you even know how far Leo would go for our family?
What if the people who killed our father come back? What if Leo backs down?" Alter Elijah's voice rose with anger.
"Why are you so against protecting your family yourself?
You're leaving everything to Leo while you waste time fighting weak opponents.
Meanwhile, Kai is working himself to death! What kind of leader just sits back and chills?"
Elijah snapped.
He shot to his feet, his voice trembling with rage. "Because I'm afraid, okay?!" His breathing grew heavy.
"How would you feel being pushed into a position where you're suddenly responsible for people's lives?
I know what gangs do to each other.
I don't want to lose my friends.
I don't want to lose my mother.
I don't want to lose my sister.
I don't want to lose the future members of this gang. I don't want their blood on my hands!"
Tears started rolling down Elijah's face.
He barely registered when the blank space disappeared, returning him to reality.
He was still sitting in the same spot, staring up at the sky, his vision blurred by tears.
Alter Elijah's voice echoed one last time in his mind. "But you know there's no other way."
Elijah's hands trembled. 'I just wanted to live a normal life... to play sports for a little while, to have a girlfriend, to be scolded by teachers for stupid reasons.
I wanted to play games and talk about The Core with friends without worrying about survival. I wanted to be normal.'
Alter Elijah's voice softened. "You can still have those things.
They'll just be fewer and farther between.
But the changes that will come will be worth it.
Take the leap of faith.
Stop worrying about the future.
That's Future Us's problem.
Not ours."
Elijah wiped his tears and took a deep breath.
He couldn't turn back now.
Chapter 17
Elijah left the school grounds with a beaming smile plastered on his face.
As he stood by the gate, waiting for Kai, he couldn't help but glance down at the system interface flashing before him.
The mission list was waiting for his attention.
[Missions]
Before any missions become available, you must choose a path.
[A Cruel King]
"The Tyrant's Might"
A King who shows no mercy, ruthlessly eliminating anyone who threatens his authority.
Enemies have a higher chance of surrendering or fleeing.
Reduces ally morale but boosts efficiency through the skill gained: [Intimidation].
[A Kind King]
"The Benevolent Ruler"
A King whose strength lies in his people, always putting their well-being first.
Gains the skill [Healing Aura], which helps in restoring health to allies.
[A Tyranny King]
"The Absolute Dictator"
A King whose cruelty is matched only by his absolute control over his subordinates, enforcing unwavering obedience.
Gains the skills [Mind Control], [Fear], and [Law].
[A Lustful King]
"The Enchanter's Embrace"
A King who cannot control his desires, always in need of the company of women, lest he suffer unbearable pain.
Gains the skills [Charisma] and [Seduction].
[A Pure King]
"The Righteous Monarch"
A King who refuses to kill, holding firm to a code of morality.
Gains the skills [Leadership] and [Justice].
[A True King]
"The Sovereign's Ascension"
The true embodiment of a King, not just a title, but the very essence of kingship itself.
A leader whose actions cannot be judged, for he transcends all the virtues and vices of others.
Only the path of a True King remains before him.
Gains the skills [The Monarch], [Zenith], [One], and [King's Aura].
Elijah's eyes lingered on the last option, "The True King," which seemed overwhelmingly powerful.
However, he hesitated.
While every other path had certain limitations, the "True King" path appeared to have none, which left him wondering about its potential consequences.
As he deliberated, he heard a voice behind him.
"Elijah, what are you doing here?"
Elijah looked up and saw Kai approaching, and his smile grew even wider. "Kai, I've got something big to tell you."
A few hours earlier, Elijah sat alone in the courtyard, wiping away the last of his tears before anyone could notice.
He wasn't sure how long he had been lost in thought, but the emptiness in his chest still lingered.
No matter how much he tried to bury his fears, they always resurfaced.
As the courtyard began to empty, with most students heading back to class, Elijah remained rooted to the spot.
He knew he should follow, but his body refused to move.
Instead, he let out a long, exhausted sigh and leaned forward, resting his arms on his knees.
"Skipping class?"
Elijah turned his head slightly to see Lisa standing beside him.
Her wavy brown hair cascaded down her back, and her deep green eyes held an inquisitive glint.
Without waiting for an invitation, she plopped down beside him with a sigh of her own.
"What's wrong?" she asked, studying him carefully.
Elijah hesitated.
He didn't know Lisa all that well, but for some reason, he couldn't find the strength to push her away.
Instead, he shook his head. "Nothing."
Lisa scoffed, clearly unconvinced. "Liar. You look like you just had an existential crisis."
Elijah let out a dry chuckle. "Maybe I did."
She tilted her head, waiting for him to elaborate.
When he didn't, she leaned back against the bench and closed her eyes. "You don't have to tell me, but if you ever want to talk… I'm a pretty good listener."
Elijah glanced at her.
For some reason, Lisa had always been easy to be around.
She never pushed too hard, never demanded anything from him.
She simply existed, in a way that made it hard to be anything but comfortable.
For a fleeting moment, he considered opening up to her, but the words never came.
Instead, they sat together in a quiet, companionable silence, watching the clouds drift lazily across the sky.
Time seemed to stretch endlessly as the sound of the school bell rang in the distance, signaling the start of the next period.
Neither of them moved.
Lisa suddenly stretched her arms above her head and smirked. "Well, looks like we're officially skipping class now."
Elijah snorted. "You're the one who sat down first."
"Details," she replied with a grin, before standing up and extending her hand to him. "Come on, I know a place."
Elijah hesitated for a moment, but ultimately, he took her hand.
She led him through the empty hallways, skillfully avoiding the few wandering teachers with a practiced ease.
Eventually, they arrived at a small storage room at the back of the school.
Lisa flicked on the light, revealing shelves stacked with old books, forgotten chairs, and various unused supplies.
"Not bad, huh?" she said, her voice laced with amusement. "It's quiet, and no one ever comes here."
Elijah raised an eyebrow. "You do this often?"
"Only when I need a break," she replied with a shrug, leaning casually against one of the shelves.
Her eyes never left him. "So, what's the real reason you look so miserable?"
Elijah sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "It's complicated."
Lisa hummed thoughtfully. "Complicated is just another way of saying 'I don't want to talk about it.'"
He chuckled. "Maybe."
She stepped closer, her voice softening. "You don't always have to carry everything on your own, you know."
The air between them seemed to shift, and suddenly, Lisa leaned in closer, her voice now playful.
"You know, if you wanted to be alone with me, you could've just said so."
Elijah let out a short laugh. "Yeah, because I totally planned this."
Lisa smirked. "Maybe you did, subconsciously."
Elijah rolled his eyes. "I don't think my subconscious is that smooth."
She shrugged nonchalantly. "You never know. Maybe deep down, you just wanted an excuse to be around me."
Elijah scoffed but couldn't suppress the smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "I think you're giving me too much credit."
Lisa leaned in even closer, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Or maybe you don't give yourself enough."
Something in her words hit him harder than he expected.
Whether it was the way she said it or the sincerity behind her gaze, Elijah found himself letting go, if only for a moment.
Before he could overthink it, he closed the distance between them.
Lisa didn't pull away—instead, she met him halfway, her fingers trailing up his arm as their lips finally met.
It started slow, hesitant, but the tension between them quickly dissolved into something far more intense.
The weight of his worries—the gang, his mother, his future—seemed to vanish, at least for now.
In that moment, nothing else mattered.
Back in the present, Elijah finished telling Kai the whole story, and Kai erupted into laughter.
"Respect to Lisa."
"Wait, no respect for me?" Elijah raised an eyebrow.
"Why not, Elijah?" Kai chuckled, shaking his head. "She came up with the plan, and she won. If she could see the dumb smile on your face right now, I bet she'd regret it."
"I can't help it," Elijah said, trying to stifle his smile. "My mouth just keeps moving up on its own."
Kai laughed again. "Enjoy your girlfriend, but don't fall too deeply, okay?"
Elijah raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
Kai shrugged nonchalantly. "If you're here, then let's help the others."