2025-10-26 23:29:56
Previous Chapter
Latest Chapter
Chapter Nine: Target on the Heart
The bruises from the street fight hadn’t healed yet. Adrian sat at his desk the next morning, jaw stiff, ribs aching. But what weighed on him more wasn’t pain, it was the silence. Jason hadn’t shown up. The system pulsed faintly.[Threat Level: Elevated. Enemy plotting indirect retaliation]Emma slid into the seat beside him, her voice low. “You’re pushing too far, Adrian. He’s going to do something worse.”Adrian forced a smirk. “He already has. Lies. Fists. What’s left?”Emma’s eyes flickered with unease. “People like him… they always find something.”It happened during lunch. Adrian was halfway through his sandwich when a scream echoed from the courtyard. Students surged toward the windows. Emma. She was surrounded by Jason and two of his lackeys. One yanked her backpack away, spilling her books across the pavement. Jason leaned close, smirking cruelly, one hand gripping her arm. The crowd cheered and jeered, phones already out to record.Adrian’s chair screeched back as he stoo
Chapter Eight: The Expulsion Trap
The whispers didn’t stop after the cafeteria incident. If anything, they grew sharper, carrying venom in Jason’s absence. He hadn’t been seen all morning. Adrian sat in class with Emma two rows behind him, unease coiling in his gut. The system’s warning echoed in his mind:[Quest Alert: Jason Reed is preparing a major retaliation. Anticipate sabotage]When the lunch bell rang, Adrian felt the weight of eyes on him. Students parted as he walked into the hallway.That’s when Principal Hargrove appeared, face stern. “Adrian Cole,” the principal’s voice was like a gavel. “My office. Now.”Gasps followed him. Emma’s worried glance burned into his back. The principal’s office was silent except for the ticking clock. Jason was already there, standing tall with mock innocence plastered on his face.Principal Hargrove’s jaw tightened. “Adrian, do you deny placing this in my mailbox this morning?”He slammed a clear evidence bag onto the desk. Inside was a small plastic pouch filled with whit
Chapter Seven: The Public Trial
Morning sunlight streamed into the classroom, but the atmosphere was heavy. Adrian could feel it the moment he walked in, every pair of eyes was on him. Whispers bounced off the walls like bullets. “Jason’s got something planned today.” “He’s gonna bury the worm for good.”“I heard Adrian jumped him last night.”Adrian clenched his jaw. The system hummed quietly in the back of his mind.[Quest Active: Survive Jason’s retaliation. Stage Two begins]Jason arrived late, swaggering into the classroom with a bandage across his nose. He ignored the teacher’s scolding and walked straight past Adrian’s desk, slamming a folded piece of paper onto it.Adrian unfolded it slowly. “Auditorium. Lunch. Don’t chicken out.”Jason’s smirk said it all: it was a setup.By lunchtime, the auditorium was packed. Students filled the seats, buzzing with anticipation. Rumors had spread like wildfire: Jason was going to expose Adrian.Adrian stepped onto the stage cautiously, every step heavy. Jason stood at
Chapter Six: The Trap
The morning sunlight spilled through the classroom windows, but Adrian’s stomach twisted with unease. Every glance, every whisper felt heavier than usual. Jason hadn’t made a move yet, but Adrian could feel it, like thunder building behind the clouds. The system hummed in his mind.[Quest Active: Survive Jason’s revenge. Progress: 0%]Adrian tapped his pencil against his desk, eyes drifting toward the back of the room where Jason sat, staring at him. Not mocking. Not smirking. Just staring. That was worse.When the bell rang for lunch, Adrian braced himself. He carried his tray into the cafeteria, scanning the room. Jason wasn’t at his usual table. Neither were his lackeys.Emma waved him over from across the room, but Adrian hesitated. His instincts screamed. Something wasn’t right. He set his tray down anyway.Emma leaned closer, her brow furrowed. “You feel it too, don’t you?”Adrian nodded. “He’s planning something.”Emma’s lips pressed thin. “Then don’t eat that.”Adrian blinked
Chapter Five: Whispers of Revenge
The lunch bell rang, and the cafeteria erupted in its usual chaos. Students poured in, laughing, shouting, carrying trays of food that reeked of grease and salt. Adrian sat in the far corner, clutching his tray. His ribs still ached, his knuckles were raw, but beneath the pain was something new, a spark he hadn’t felt before. Victory.For once, he wasn’t invisible. Whispers rippled across the cafeteria as eyes turned toward him. He heard fragments of their murmurs. “Did you see him? He actually made Jason bleed.”“No way. Adrian? The worm?”“Lucky punch, maybe.”“Still… Jason’s nose was busted.”Adrian kept his eyes on his food, pretending not to hear, but inside his chest swelled. The humiliation of yesterday was still fresh, yet now people talked about him. Not as trash. Not as nothing. But as someone who fought back. The system hummed in his mind.[Update: Reputation increased to 50. New threshold unlocked: You are no longer entirely ignored. Peers will begin noticing you]Adria
Chapter Four: First Blood
The crowd tightened around the back of the gym, a circle of eager faces hungry for blood. Phones were already out, recording. Whispers and laughter filled the air, but Adrian barely heard them. His heart thudded in his ears like war drums.Jason cracked his knuckles, his grin sharp and cruel. “I’ve been waiting for this, Worm. Time to show you what happens when trash forgets its place.”Adrian clenched his fists, heat burning through his arms. The system’s voice hummed in his head.[Major Task Active: Defeat Jason Reed in combat. Reward: +3 Strength, +2 Confidence][Penalty for failure: -20 Reputation, public humiliation]His mouth was dry. His knees shook. “I can’t beat him… but I can’t run, either.”Jason stepped forward, towering over him. “Any last words?”Adrian swallowed. His voice trembled, but the words came. “Yeah… try not to cry when this ends.”Gasps erupted from the crowd. Jason’s grin faltered. “You’ve got guts, Worm. Too bad guts won’t save you.”He lunged. The first pu
You may also like
