North must have noticed me pause mid-conversation because she tilted her head and asked.
"What happened? Do you know him?"
I turned back to her, picking up a piece of food from my plate.
"No, I don't. Just met him in the forest once."
She raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying it.
"And that was enough for him to look like he wanted to set you on fire?"
I shrugged.
"Guess I left a strong impression."
Sara, who had been quiet for the past few minutes, finally chimed in.
"That boy is from Holt family. What exactly did you do to him?"
I thought about it for a second, then smirked.
"Nothing much."
We finished our food, the conversation winding down as plates emptied. I stood up, stretching slightly before waving at North and Sara.
"I'm heading to the library," I said.
North nodded. "Alright, see you later."
As I turned to leave, I gave North a small grin. "Try not to miss me too much."
She blinked, then scoffed. "In your dreams."
But the slight hitch in her voice didn't go unnoticed.
I chuckled.
"I'll take that as a yes."
And sprinted off.
Once I was a safe distance from the cafeteria, I came to a stop.
Glancing around, I spotted a sturdy tree by the sidewalk and climbed up with ease. I settled onto a thick branch, positioning myself where I had a clear view of the cafeteria.
Taking a steady breath, I activated my talent.
The Generator stirred to life, quietly drawing energy from the surroundings, refining it, and converting it into Essence. The energy within me pulsed steadily as I crouched on the branch, my gaze fixed on the cafeteria doors. The cool night breeze ruffled my hair, but I barely noticed, I was waiting.
Ten minutes passed before I saw North and Sara step out.
Another twenty minutes later, King Holt emerged, flanked by his usual entourage.
Michael Hightower walked on his right, wearing that ever-present arrogant smirk. Ash Holt, his younger cousin, trailed behind. Three others I didn't recognize followed closely, forming a loose formation around King like he was royalty.
I grinned.
Slipping down from the tree, I landed silently on the pavement. Then, deliberately, I took a step forward. And another. My pace was lazy, casual, but I was heading straight for them.
Michael was the first to notice. His smirk faltered for a second before he leaned toward King and muttered something. King stopped walking. The others followed suit.
King turned his head slightly, his gaze locking onto mine. His lips pressed into a thin line.
"Are you following us?"
I tilted my head, pretending to think.
"Huh. Would you look at that? It does seem like we're walking in the same direction."
Michael scoffed.
"You're not funny."
I grinned wider.
"Disagree."
King exhaled.
"Billion, get lost."
'Wow such arrogance.'
I placed a hand over my chest in mock offense.
"That's hurtful, King. Really. Here I was, just looking for some friendly company."
Ash crossed his arms, his jaw tight.
"What do you want?"
I chuckled.
"Oh, I do not know. Maybe a little fun?"
King's fingers twitched, barely restraining himself. I could see it, the frustration bubbling beneath the surface. The urge to shut me up. To prove something.
I decided to give him what he wanted.
Before he could react, I moved.
One step.
One punch.
Fast.
His body barely had time to register what happened before my fist slammed into his stomach. A sharp exhale left his lips as he staggered backward, his eyes going wide with shock.
I made sure to keep my strength in check; otherwise, I feared I might rupture their bodies from the inside out.
The others barely had time to process before I was on them.
Michael lunged first, I grabbed his wrist, twisted, and threw him over my shoulder. He hit the ground with a heavy thud, groaning.
Ash managed to draw his weapon. Too bad for him, I was faster. A quick, brutal kick to his ribs sent him flying, his sword clattering to the side.
The rest tried to fight back. I weaved through them, dodging, countering, striking with precision. A sweep of my leg took one down. A palm strike to the chest sent another crashing against the pavement.
Within seconds, all six of them were groaning on the ground.
I stood in the center of the mess, stretching my shoulders.
"Well. That was easy."
King coughed, forcing himself onto his hands and knees. His breathing was uneven, but he still glared up at me.
"Why… are you doing this?"
King groaned, trying to push himself up, but I wasn't done.
I grabbed a fistful of his hair and yanked him up. He let out a strangled gasp, hands clawing at my wrist, but his strength was meaningless. Before he could even process what was happening, I kicked off the ground.
The world blurred as I shot toward the tree I had been sitting on just moments ago. And then—
Boom!
I slammed his head against the trunk, the bark splintering from the impact. His body twitched, arms dangling uselessly at his sides. His legs barely held him up as I kept him pinned there.
I leaned in slightly, my voice almost a whisper in his ears.
"This is what arrogance gets you, King. You act like you're above everyone, but in the end, you're just weak."
King let out a ragged breath, his fists trembling as they pressed against the tree for support.
I tilted my head, my eyes sharp.
"I wonder what your parents were thinking when they named you King. Even a gutter rat has more strength than a pathetic waste like you."
His teeth clenched, fury and shame warring in his eyes, but he couldn't deny it.
I scoffed, releasing my grip and letting him slump forward.
"Pathetic."
With that, I turned and walked away, leaving them sprawled across the pavement.
As I walked away, I couldn't help but praise myself for the performance.
'I think I did good. Maybe I should do this every day… Wait, why do I sound like a villain?'
I shrugged it off.
Everyone had their villain arcs, maybe this was just one of mine.
I turned toward the Elemental Chambers and headed straight there. My plan was simple: experiment for a few more hours, absorb energy, and boost my stats. No harm in getting stronger without leveling up.
I stepped into the Elemental Chambers. Without sparing a glance at the other sections, I headed straight for the fire chamber.
As soon as I entered, a wave of heat rolled over me.
The chamber was vast and enclosed, its walls reinforced with glowing runes to withstand extreme temperatures. At the entrance embedded in the wall was a reinforced lever, just as described in the member guide.
Beside it, numbers were etched into the wall, each one marking a different level of intensity.
Level one was suited for those at level ten or below, level two for level twenty, and so on.
By the time it reached level seven, the guide warned that only those above level seventy should attempt it. Level eight was for those nearing level ninety, and level ten was strictly meant for those above one hundred.
I cracked my neck, stepping toward the lever.
A quick assessment ran through my mind, how much fire could I actually tolerate?
The lava bath had gone well enough, but that was a natural occurrence. The fire here was different, artificially created and controlled based on strict levels. Compared to this, the volcano and its lava were nothing more than a joke.
Settling on level five for now, I grabbed the lever and pulled it down.
I stepped forward, the heat in the chamber already pressing against my skin.
The heavy door sealed shut behind me, and a deep hum reverberated through the walls as the lever locked into place. With measured steps, I walked to the center of the room and sat cross-legged, exhaling slowly.
At first, the change was subtle.
The air thickened, not in a way I could see, but in a way I could sense through my Psynapse.
Fire particles, invisible to the naked eye, began to gather. More and more of them filled the space, and with their increasing numbers, the temperature started to climb.
A bead of sweat rolled down my forehead.
I narrowed my eyes, focusing. The fire particles swirled around me, responding to the chamber's settings. The higher the level, the denser the concentration.
I activated Generator.
The core within me stirred, humming with life. Instantly, the nearby fire particles were drawn toward me, sucked in like water into a whirlpool. My body processed them, refining their energy, converting it into Essence.
More heat. More fire.
Even as I absorbed, the density continued to rise, as if the chamber was challenging me to keep up.