In the past few days, Alex hadn't been going to school. Clark had been worried since Alex had been staying with him after Clark saved him from the bullies weeks ago. They had moved in together, and Clark felt a strong sense of responsibility to protect his friend.
That day, Clark came home early from his training and entered the house. Alex was sitting in the living room, looking dejected and anxious. Clark could sense the heavy atmosphere around him. "Alex, what's wrong? Why haven't you been going to school?" Clark asked with concern. He felt it was time to get involved. Alex sighed heavily, staring at the floor. "I'm scared, Clark. The bullies... they keep finding ways to make my life miserable. I don't know what to do." Clark felt a deep sympathy for his friend. Although he had tried to protect Alex, the threat seemed far from over. Clark decided that he needed to help Alex. In recent weeks, Clark had also been studying a new power he gained after rescuing Elena. This power allowed Clark to teleport quickly within a 10-meter range with a cooldown of 1 minute. The ability was incredibly useful for Clark, especially in situations where he needed to act fast. "So, are you going to stay home forever?" Clark asked after a moment of contemplation. Alex sighed again, weighed down by his worries. "It's safer at home than going to school and getting bullied there." Clark genuinely felt for Alex. "I have an idea. What if I enroll in the same school as you? That way, I can look out for you." Alex looked at Clark as if he were a guardian angel. "Are you serious, Clark?" Clark nodded with determination. "I'm serious. Besides, I'm bored with nothing to do." Hearing Clark's words, Alex's face lit up with enthusiasm. "You're the best, Clark. I'm really lucky to have met you." Clark just smiled. He wasn't sure whether he or Alex was more fortunate. The truth was, Clark had another reason for wanting to attend Alex's school—he was still curious about Elena, and this was his only chance to get closer to her. Alex then got up and grabbed his phone. "I'll take care of everything for you, Clark. The uniform and all." Seeing Alex's eagerness, Clark could only smile and let his friend handle the arrangements. The rest was up to Clark—to be Alex’s protector. *** The following days were filled with preparations for Clark's transfer to the new school. Alex helped Clark with the registration process, and everything went smoothly thanks to the assistance of Alex's relatives who worked at the school. After a few days, the much-anticipated first day at Clark's new school arrived. Clark felt nervous but also excited about the chance to get closer to Elena and make use of his new ability. Clark tried to calm himself and was ready to face the new challenges. With his new power to quickly teleport, he felt a bit more confident, although he had not fully mastered its use. In class, Clark introduced himself. "My name is Clark Dawson, and I'm a distant cousin of Alex," he said with a friendly smile. Some students seemed interested, and the atmosphere in the class felt more welcoming than he had imagined. The first day went quite smoothly, and Clark kept a careful watch over his surroundings. His main goal was to ensure Alex's safety, which was one of the reasons he had enrolled in this school. When lunchtime arrived, Alex invited Clark to the cafeteria. They got their food and found a seat in a corner. Clark felt at ease, but his mind was still on Elena. As they were in the cafeteria, Clark saw Elena sitting at a table near the window. She looked graceful in her school uniform, and Clark’s heart raced seeing her. "Isn't that Elena, the girl from before?" Clark murmured, unable to take his eyes off her. Alex glanced over and saw Elena. "Yes, but don’t even think about approaching her." Clark frowned. "Why can’t I approach her?" Alex began eating his meal. "She’s the most popular girl here. Besides, the guy close to her is the king of the school. He won’t let any guy interfere with Elena." Alex's explanation made Clark feel a twinge of jealousy. As Clark was watching Elena, a handsome guy in a baseball jacket suddenly approached Elena and her group, sitting down and wrapping an arm around her. "Hey, sweetheart. How are you?" Clark froze. With his enhanced hearing, he could clearly hear the guy’s voice. What? Sweetheart? Clark couldn’t hide his jealousy. He wanted to get up and pull the guy's arm off Elena, but he held back. First, he needed to find out who this guy was. Then, he would take action to win Elena’s heart. ***The evening sky began to fade as the school bell rang, signaling the end of the school day. The noisy chatter of students hurrying home echoed down the school halls, but for Alex, these were the most terrifying moments. On his way home, he tried to avoid people's gazes, hiding his pale and anxious face under the hood of his jacket. However, as usual, bad luck always found him. "Hey, look who we have here!" the rough voice broke the silence, making Alex tremble. Five large figures emerged from the shadows, with sinister smiles plastered on their faces. They were the bullies who had relentlessly made Alex's life a living hell. "Looks like he's trying to avoid us," one of them, a tall teenager with messy blonde hair, grabbed Alex's shoulder firmly, causing him to flinch. Alex swallowed hard, trying to stay calm, but his trembling body betrayed him. "Clark? Are you just going to stand there?" Alex knew he was a coward, but he hoped this time Clark would come to his aid again. "So, th
A loud thud echoed in the dark room filled with the stench of cigarette smoke and alcohol. The gang members who had lost the fight against Clark now knelt on the floor, their bodies trembling with fear. Standing before them, the gang leader, a large teenager with a gaze filled with rage, stood with clenched fists. His face was flushed with anger, and he didn't hesitate to rain down punches and kicks on his subordinates. "You're all cowards!" he shouted, his voice echoing throughout the room. "Five against one, and you still lost? Do you have any idea how humiliating this is?!" Each word that left his mouth was accompanied by a kick to one of them, who could only groan in pain, too afraid to fight back. The shame and anger he felt were unbearable. All this time, he had been the ruler of the school, bullying whoever he wanted without anyone daring to oppose him. But a scrawny kid like Clark, whom he never even considered a threat, had made him look like a fool in front of everyone. It
After school, Clark and Alex made their way to the basketball court with steady steps. There, they were greeted by an unusual sight—a crowd of people already waiting. Their numbers were so overwhelming that Alex and Clark found it difficult to count how many had gathered. Alex felt nervous, fearful of what might happen. "Clark, what should we do? This isn't like usual," Alex whispered, his voice trembling. Clark turned to him, his face calm. "Don't worry, Alex. I'm here. No one will touch you. If they try anything, I'll handle it." In the middle of the crowd, a tall man with prominent muscles under his basketball uniform stepped forward. His eyes were sharp, filled with determination. The man was Vincent Hayes, the school basketball team captain and leader of the Black Vipers gang. "So, this is our new hero," Vincent said sarcastically, his gaze locking onto Clark. "Do you think just because you took down some of my guys, you can take on all of us?" Clark didn't flinch. He stared
In a skyscraper, a 40-year-old man stands behind a large glass window. His gaze is directed downward, but he is not enjoying the city view; instead, he is focused on the system interface he has been observing for years. As he lights a cigarette with a flame created by his fingers, memories of his first murder resurface. The memory is vivid and disturbing. He recalls the cold sweat on his palms and the rapid heartbeat as he prepared for his first kill. The target was a man living alone in a small apartment. The task seemed simple but felt like stepping into an unknown darkness. He felt waves of anxiety, his hands trembling as he approached the man’s residence. The apartment door creaked ominously as he opened it, revealing a completely unsuspecting target. The fear was palpable, yet there was also a strange, indescribable thrill. Each step closer brought a rush of adrenaline, heightening his senses and pushing aside his fear. When the job was done and he saw the life fading from his
The next morning, Alex decided not to go to school. His fear of facing the zombie-like people was too great. Clark followed Alex's decision and stayed home to rest. They sat in the living room, watching the news on television with confused expressions. "Clark, look at this news," Alex said, pointing to the TV screen. "It’s similar to what we faced yesterday. What exactly is happening with those people?" Clark frowned. "I don’t know either, Alex. They seem to be experiencing something that makes them not feel pain or injury. It’s very suspicious." The news showed CCTV footage of several young people doing crazy things—some throwing themselves into traffic, others jumping off buildings. Strangely, they got up and ran as if nothing had happened. Several witnesses corroborated the reports, adding details about how the people did not show any signs of pain. Alex looked at Clark with worried eyes. "Is there some kind of zombie outbreak hitting our city?" Clark squinted. "Do you believe
In his grand office building, Julian Drake sat in his workspace with a troubled expression. The news about a body found at the bottom of a pool and the failed mission to eliminate Clark Walker only added to his confusion. Julian felt frustrated because he had not yet completed the quest that required him to eliminate Clark Walker. Julian summoned one of his executives, Cole. The man appeared respectfully, bowing before Julian. Julian immediately asked if Cole had truly killed Clark Walker as ordered. Cole answered with full confidence, “Sir, I assure you that Clark Walker has been eliminated. I completed my task as instructed.” However, Julian felt increasingly bewildered. If Cole had killed Clark Walker, then who else needed to be eliminated? And if Clark Walker was already dead, why was the quest still showing up on his system screen? Julian kept wondering who Clark Walker really was and where the man could be. *** Meanwhile, at Alex’s house, Clark began a deep investigation in
The next morning, Elena woke up with mixed feelings. Her mind kept replaying the conversation from last night, where she uncovered more clues leading to the bitter and terrifying truth about what happened to her father. With a resolute determination, she knew she couldn't do this alone. She needed help from someone she could trust, someone with the ability to fight the enemy they were facing. Her thoughts immediately turned to Clark.Clark Walker was not an ordinary person. Although it had only been a short time since Elena started knowing him, she knew that Clark had something different, something no one else possessed.That morning, Elena decided to contact Clark. After taking a deep breath, she reached for her phone and dialed Clark's number. Shortly after, Clark's deep voice echoed on the other side."Hello?""Clark, it's Elena," she replied, her voice slightly trembling. "Can we meet today? There's something I need to talk to you about."Clark was silent for a moment before answe
The next day, Clark accompanied Elena to meet someone who claimed to know the truth behind her father's case. Elena appeared anxious as they walked towards the promised location, an old, long-abandoned building on the outskirts of the city. Clark, also feeling cautious, maintained his calm demeanor to reassure Elena. He knew that this meeting could be the key to unraveling the mystery surrounding Elena's father's accident and possibly the tragedy that had befallen her family.As they arrived in front of the old building, the atmosphere felt eerily quiet and ominous. The structure looked decrepit, with peeling paint and cracked windows. Although sensing something was amiss, Elena pressed forward with hope, while Clark followed behind her, carefully observing every corner. When they entered the building, their footsteps echoed in the dark and dusty corridor.After a few minutes of waiting in the designated room, Elena's unease grew. "Where is that person?" she whispered, looking around