CHAPTER 5: I found an interesting kid
The school bell rang, signaling the end of the day. Liam bid farewell to his friends, gathered his belongings, and stepped out of the school gates. As he walked away, a voice echoed through the air.
"Hey, stop right there! I'm talking to you, Liam!"
Liam halted, turned around, and faced John, surrounded by a group of boys. This time, John wasn't alone; he had brought eight students from other classes, all known for their bullying tactics. John's influence in school was evident, and his brother, a senior, had assigned one of his loyal followers to keep an eye on Liam.
"Hey Liam, how do you like this?" John sneered, cracking his knuckles. "I'll beat you to a pulp until you don't even recognize yourself."
Oliver, the senior that John's brother assigned to him, raised an eyebrow. "Wait, John, you mean you brought us all out here just to fight this little boy? Are you kidding me?"
John's face reddened. "N-no... I mean, you should watch how I beat the hell out of him."
The group of boys cheered, and John charged toward Liam. Liam stood still, unfazed, as John's fist flew toward him. With lightning-fast reflexes, Liam dodged the attack, and John's fist hit nothing but air.
Undeterred, John launched another punch, but Liam dodged it again. John's frustration grew, and he threw a series of punches, each one missing Liam by a hair's breadth.
Finally, John swung his right fist with all his might. Liam didn't dodge this time. Instead, he raised his left arm, and with a swift motion, waved John's fist away. Then, with his right hand, he spread out his fingers and delivered a precise strike to John's chest.
John's eyes widened as he felt an intense pain radiate through his body. He stumbled backward, coughing out blood, and crashed into the wall behind him. The group of boys fell silent, shocked by John's sudden defeat.
Oliver stepped forward, a mixture of surprise and curiosity on his face. "What is this? You're not feeling well, John? And you said you wanted to fight? Don't make me laugh."
One of the boys, Logan, rushed to John's side. "Don't worry, I'll take care of him," he said, but before he could even reach Liam, he was struck down with the same precision as John.
The group of boys gasped in unison. "What? You also aren't feeling well?" one of them asked, stunned.
Oliver's expression changed from amusement to concern. "No, they are both alright. He's the one who did that to them."
The boys looked at each other in awe. "But don't worry, he didn't do that fairly. He used an artifact," Oliver added.
The group murmured among themselves. "An artifact? Then his parents must be pretty wealthy."
Oliver's voice rose above the chatter. "As long as he's using an artifact, each one of you doesn't stand a chance against him. I know some of you are stronger than John, but with that kid using an artifact, you don't stand a chance. So, let's attack him together. Six of you, attack him now!"
The six boys charged toward Liam, their fists flying. But Liam was ready. With incredible speed and agility, he evaded each attack and countered with precise strikes, taking down each boy with ease. The fight was over in eight seconds, and the boys lay unconscious on the ground.
Oliver watched the scene unfold, a mixture of surprise and admiration on his face. "Hmm, it seems you are really strong. You sure know how to use your artifact very well. You used the artifact to boost the power of your fist, and you took them all out without even moving from where you are. Interesting."
With a smile, Oliver turned around and sprinted away from Liam. "I won't look like a kid. So, what I'll have to do now is... Ruuuuuuuun!"
As Oliver ran, he muttered to himself, "I can't fight someone who uses an artifact. Although it's shameful for me to run, it's a wise retreat. Only our leader, John's brother, uses an artifact in this school that the teachers don't know about. And now a kid has it? I won't fight someone like that."
Liam watched Oliver flee, a hint of curiosity on his face. "He ran away. I thought he was going to fight since he was analyzing me so closely. But he left his comrades... Well, it doesn't matter either way. I should get going; I'm running late."
As Liam took a step forward, he felt a strong presence watching him. He stood still, prepared for anything, but the presence vanished instantly.
"It's gone," Liam thought to himself. "But he didn't conceal his presence; he left in a second. I was too focused on these guys and didn't know that there was someone watching me,who could it be, the organization? either way I should get going
Liam said to himself as he ran away with an incredible speed.
Liam walked through the front door, still processing the events at school. He found his uncle Dreck waiting for him in the living room.
"Uncle Dreck, you won't believe what happened at school today," Liam said, recounting the fight with John and his friends.
Dreck listened attentively, his expression serious.
"Do you think it's related to an organization, Uncle Dreck?" Liam asked, concern etched on his face.
Dreck's expression turned thoughtful. "I'm not sure, Liam. There are many groups out there, and it's hard to say without more information."
Liam nodded, understanding the complexity of the situation. "The thing is, Uncle Dreck, I've now got a problem on my hands. How are we going to face the parents of those kids I beat up?"
Dreck chuckled. "Well, that's a good question. But first, let's focus on your training and getting you ready for whatever comes next."
Liam smiled sheepishly. "Haha, I'm sorry, Uncle Dreck. I got carried away."
Dreck's expression softened. "It's okay, kiddo. You've grown a lot since we started training. I'm proud of you."
"Thanks, Uncle Dreck," Liam said, feeling a sense of gratitude.
"Now, don't forget to keep up with your daily routine exercises," Dreck added. "You know, 100 push-ups e. t. c.
Liam nodded, already thinking about his routine.
- Morning run: 20-30 minutes
- Squats: 3 sets of 15 reps
- Lunges: 3 sets of 15 reps (per leg)
- Push-ups: 100 reps
- Pull-ups or dumbbell rows: 3 sets of 10 reps
- Planks: 3 sets of 30-second hold
- Burpees: 3 sets of 10 reps
- Jumping rope: 3 sets of 3-minute intervals
- Yoga/stretching: 10-15 minutes
With a sense of determination, Liam headed off to start his training, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.
Lucas stepped into the dark, mysterious room, the air thick with anticipation. His master sat on a throne-like chair, flanked by warriors clad in black capes with hoodies shrouding their faces. Lucas bowed deeply, his eyes fixed on the floor.
"Welcome back, Lucas," his master said, voice low and commanding. "What news do you bring this time?"
"I've gathered information on The Syndicate, master," Lucas replied, his voice steady.
The master's interest piqued, he leaned forward. "Tell me more."
Lucas hesitated, then added, "There's something else, master. I've found someone interesting."
The master's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean? Did you bring them?"
"No, master," Lucas said, "I want to observe them further. I think they're no ordinary individual."
The master's expression turned thoughtful. "Very well, Lucas. You may continue to watch them. But be cautious. You've been away from home for a while. Don't take unnecessary risks."
"Yes, master," Lucas replied, bowing his head. "I'll be careful. May I take my leave now?"
The master nodded, and Lucas backed away, disappearing into the shadows.
The next day, Liam arrived at school, greeted by his friends' curious stares. Mason approached him, grinning. "Man, I heard you gave John and his group a beatdown! They said you used some kind of artifact. Is that true?"
Liam shook his head, chuckling. "No, I didn't do anything special. I just..."
Before he could finish, the classroom door swung open, and a new teacher walked in. The class stood up in unison, greeting their new instructor.
"Good morning, class. How are you all doing?" the teacher asked, smiling.
"Fine, thank you," the students chorused, before taking their seats.
The new teacher began to introduce himself. "As you can see, I'm your new teacher. You might be wondering what happened to Mr. William."
A female student raised her hand. "What happened to Mr. William?"
"Nothing happened," the teacher replied. "He was transferred to another class, and I requested to be in this class. Let's get to know each other. My name is Lucas... Lucas Benjamin. I'm in your care."
Lucas's attempt to sound cheerful was met with a mixture of curiosity and skepticism. He continued, "Why don't we start with introductions? You, please," he said, pointing to Liam.
Liam stood up, feeling a bit self-conscious. "My name is Liam Samuel."
As Liam sat down, the next student introduced himself. Just as the introductions were about to continue, Mrs. Evelyn, the school administrator, appeared at the door.
"Excuse me, Mr. Lucas. Liam Samuel has been summoned. Can you excuse us?"
Lucas's eyes narrowed slightly "Must be what happened yesterday?" he thought to himself. "Of course, you can have him."
With a nod, Mrs. Evelyn led Liam out of the classroom.
The principal said now that you're here, you'll have to wait for your uncle. He'll be here any moment from now. Liam nodded and took a seat, his eyes fixed on the principal's desk. The door creaked open, and a tall, imposing figure walked in. "I'm here," Dreck said, his deep voice commanding attention. "Welcome," the principal replied.
"Now that we're all here, I hope you know why you're summoned," the principal said, his tone firm but controlled. Dreck nodded thoughtfully. "I think so," he replied. "Good. Like I heard, Liam here beats up his classmates and some of his upperclassmen, although he was only defending himself. But that led to a serious problem."
The principal's expression turned stern. "The parents of the kids are demanding to lock Liam up in jail. But as the principal of this school, I pleaded with them, so they agreed that you'll take responsibility for the hospital bills because, as we speak, they are hospitalized." Dreck's eyes narrowed slightly as he listened.
"And one other thing," the principal continued. "No one is allowed to bring an artifact to this school, no matter how rich that family is, because of the artifact you've dealt a damage to their chest." The principal's words hung in the air, heavy with implication.
"Because it was eight students, they reduced the amount, and said you'll be paying half of the bills for each student," the principal explained, his voice steady. "How much is the bill?" Dreck asked, his tone even. "The doctor said it's 8 thousand dollars for each student," the principal replied.
Dreck's expression didn't change, but his eyes flickered with calculation. "That's quite a lot," he said finally. "But the lots started it first." The principal nodded, his expression softening slightly. "I understand," Dreck said. "About the artifact, you'll have to take it away from him."
The principal nodded, and the other teachers nodded in agreement. "But, principal, he didn't use...," Dreck began, his tone measured. "I understand," he said finally. "I'll take it from him." The principal looked at Liam, his expression searching. "It seems you aren't even afraid for what you did," he said.
Liam remained silent, his face impassive. The principal sighed and nodded. "You can go now, Liam." Liam stood up and walked outside without saying a word. One of the teachers watched him go, a thoughtful expression on his face.
"What a strange kid," the teacher said. "He didn't even deny or oppose it." Another teacher nodded in agreement. "That's just how it is. He talks less to outsiders since he lost his parents, so he wouldn't care."
As Liam walked out, he seemed lost in thought, his eyes fix
ed on some point in the distance. The scene inside the office was quiet, the only sound the soft rustle of papers and the muted hum of the air conditioning.