I looked back to see a stunning lady. " And you are?" I asked staring at her face " I am Cassandra." She said with her hand extended for a handshake. " Do you know me?" I asked again Thomas walked in on us and smiled " Hello Cassandra. How are you doing?" Thomas hugged her " Your friend here is way sensitive. Tell him to ease up." Cassandra said with a smile looking at me " I am sorry about that. I am just weary of everyone around me. I am Fredrick." I said gently stretching my hand for a handshake " I know who you are." She replied shaking hands with me. " Oh, you do!" I said with surprise " Everyone does now fighter boy. You are way more popular than you know." Cassandra said eyeing me " Can I see you in private?" I looked at Thomas " Why? We can talk right here. Cassandra is family." Thomas replied, looking at me. I made a gesture I would like to talk to him in private. " You can talk now." He said looking at me " I just received a call from Mr Dickson a few minutes ago.
THE SHOWDOWN { ROSETTA'S PAST } The noise coming out of the campus was enough to shake the whole city. I looked around to see many banners of my pictures and Jonas facing each other in the final rounds. Many reporters and well wishes were in the school. Mr Dickson's words played like a stereo continually in my ears. I feel agitated each time some of my fans come to me for an autograph or picture with them. It was too sudden for me. I sat down inside my former dorm and looked at my phone. I tried to access my gaming system but to no avail. I got scared " This is the time I need you." I said, tapping the screen It would have helped me try to train more with the help of the system. Jonas had been Xavier with ease Although I knew he was going to beat him, I still wish Xavier had won. Facing off with Jonas was going to be hard and I knew it. I heard a knock on my door and I ran to open it. Thomas had promised to come and train with me a little more before the finals. I looked at my wr
LEVEL UP! { TIER 4 }I looked at her and cupped her face gently in my hands " I will pay your debt but you need to promise me you would help me fight him. They had ruined many lives and too much blood was on their hands. Aiden is dead." I said with a sad face " I know. He was killed by Jonas and tossed off the school building. Just like Richard was killed." Rosetta said resting gently on the wall. " You knew about Richard's death?" I looked at her and she nodded. " Why didn't you say anything? You might have helped the police with their investigation." I replied Rosetta looked at me " I heard you also saw what happened. Why didn't you say anything?" " I did but then I saw Jonas was a friend of the policemen who came to inspect the scene of the crime" I looked at my wristwatch and we had just two hours to the event. " You see nervous. Do you think you can win this fight?" Rosetta asked looking at my face" I will try. I am not losing you to Jonas." I took my phone and called Thoma
THE FINAL BATTLE I looked at Jonas as I walked into the fighting arena. I was a little nervous but I was confident than usual. The noise died down as the M.C. took his mic again. " The fight we have all been waiting for is here. Jonas the undefeated champion against Fredrick the challenger." I heard some of the crowd chanting Jonas's name. I looked among the crowd and saw how many there were. I tried finding Thomas in his seat but I couldn't I looked at the VIP seat and I saw Mr Dickson and some new faces. " Who the hell are these guys?" I said looking at their faces. I saw Rosetta was equally seated among them. I looked at Jonas and he smirked " I am getting her back to where she belongs. She doesn't belong to you and you know that. I won't only win but I am going to humiliate you." " Do you have a hand in the death of Aiden? And why did you kill his sister? Do you think you can really get was from all of this?" I asked looking at him with anger I noticed the more I was angry
FIONA'S DEATHI opened my eyes and I found myself in the gaming system. I felt a little shocked and wondered what was going on. I looked at the floor and I saw it was the combat arena. I touched my eyes and I noticed the gauze was still there and it got painful but I could see through my injured eye. I heard the noise of the spectators and I heard the referee's count down. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, I stood up before he counted the last number. I heard Thomas's voice "You can do it, Fred." I looked around but couldn't see anyone except I and Jonas in the combat ring. Jonas looked at me and wondered how I got up on my feet. That was his super kick and I managed to stand up back. The hole in my chest blinked and it immediately changed my physical appearance into my gaming avatar. I looked at myself and smiled, " I love this outfit." I said with a smile [ SYSTEM TASK : DEFEAT JONAS AND EARN A BODY SHIELD ][ SYSTEM LEVEL: TIER 4 ][ BODY DAMAGED; ONE EYE ][ FINAL ROUND ]I looked at
CLOSE TO DEATH While holding Fiona, feeling her life slipping away, panic rushed through me. Blood gathered under her, tinting the arena ground red. Chaos broke out as onlookers screamed and hurried to find shelter. A lot of people were unwilling to lend an ear or offer assistance. Every man had to look out for themselves."We need to summon medical help with an ambulance!" I shouted once more, my voice filled with urgency. However, in the chaos, my words appeared to get lost in the noise of fear and confusion. The tension in the air was palpable. Rosetta crouched next to me, her eyes filled with surprise and dread. "Fred, what should we do?" she inquired, her voice shaking.I desperately looked for any indication of assistance, but the group had turned into a chaotic crowd, preventing any chance of help. I felt like time was moving at a snail's pace as I held onto Fiona, hoping she would hang on and keep fighting. I gazed at her facial expression and saw vitality leaving her being.
THE WEIRD HOUSE { FIGHT BETWEEN ZACK AND JONAS }I tried walking out of the room I was and noticed it had been locked. Fear enveloped me with the thought I was going to die without anybody knowing the cause of my death. I looked around me and noticed there was nothing to communicate with the outside world. I remembered that I had revived a gunshot wound. I was bleeding, my memory played back what happened after my combat with Jonas. " Let me out! Where the hell am I?" I shouted banging at the door I heard some footsteps approaching the door and I quickly moved back. I watch as they walk in looking at me. I quickly took a fighting stand and they both looked at me with a funny look. They released a gaseous substance into the air. I tried covering my nose but they came at me. I was overpowered and out to sleep once again. "Wake up! Wake up!!." I heard a voice speak gently into my ears. I slowly lifted my eyelid and everywhere was dark. " Where am I? Am I dead?" I soliloquy to myself.
{ THE BRAWL }Everyone kept silent as the phone kept on ringing. Zack looked at Davina. " Why is Fiona's phone with you? What did you both do to my girlfriend!" He shouted rushing and grabbing her by the neck. I felt the room tense and I kept quiet to understand what was going on. My mind went back to my phone. I needed to complete my task but how? I don't even know who has my phone. The last thing I remember was trying to get to it. " Did Rosetta have it?" I was lost in thought when I heard Jonas's voice " Let her go, Zack or I swear to god I am going to rip out your heart!" Jonas shouted in anger " I bet that was the exact way you did to Fiona, huh! Did you rip her heart out also?" Zack shouted as his hand tightened around Davina's neck. " Did you see her die, Frederick? Did you see the life leave from her body?" I heard Zack's voice laced with anger I nodded even though I wasn't sure. " Some masked men came for her. She was at the point of death, I don't know who they are but I
{ I AM BACK}Zack looked at me and was surprised. Most of the sympathisers were. "You were supposed to be dead?" Zack stammered, looking at me. "Let's just say I refuse to die." I replied with a smile. "Can you help her up?" I looked at Rosetta, who was on the floor with her eyes closed. Cassandra ran towards me and threw herself at me. She dobbed gently as she hugged me. I know I was the only thing she had left to be a brother. Everyone looked at me, and immediately the coffin was opened. The clergy looked at me and said, " This is a sign from heaven. Do you wish to share your death and return to life with everyone?" He said it with a smile on his face. I looked around to see the faces of so many students, all seated and staring at me with disbelief on their faces. I waited for the podium and grabbed the microphone. "I don't know where to start." I said it gently, with teary eyes. "I remembered my first day at the university grounds; I was just a teenager, but now." I looked at m
CONFRONTING TRAGEDY / THE BURIAL Zack, Richard, and Rosetta had a restless night, each consumed by their own thoughts on the events that had occurred. In the morning, the atmosphere in the mansion was filled with tension. The team assembled in the lounge, with a tense quiet atmosphere prevailing. Zack interrupted the silence. "We need a plan," he stated, his voice unwavering despite the inner chaos he experienced. "Jonas will keep going." We must carefully consider this. Judith was the one who replied first. "We must not allow him to escape from consequences. Jonas has hurt alot of people and now he must dance to the music. Fred wouldn't forgive us if Jonas managed to go unpunished." With red eyes from tears, Rosetta nodded. " I agree. However, we must be smart about all of this. We must not allow our actions to be dictated by our emotions."Diana looked around the room, her face showed determination. "We need evidence. If we can gather enough proof of Jonas's involvement in F
{ CONFRONTING TRAGEDY }Zack and Richard thought of a way to break the news to Rosetta. As they drove back to the mansion, they both pushed the responsibility of breaking the news onto her. "You should do it; you know I am just a member of Fred's crew. And besides, you know her more than I do," Richard said, gently trying to persuade Zack. "We both went because Fred trusted us. Now that he is gone, you are pushing the responsibility on me." Zack packed and looked at Richard. "I am sorry, but the news is going to be devastating to not only Rosetta but to everyone." Richard said and sighed. The two of them looked at each other and said nothing. Zack's phone buzzed, cutting the tension. "Who?" Richard asked, looking at Zack. "Rosetta," he said, showing him the phone. Thier heard beat fast as Zack picked up the call. "Tell me he is alright." Rosetta's voice was loud over the phone. "Can we talk when we get home? We are almost at the mansion." Zack quickly cut her shirt before she sa
{THE BRINK OF DARKNESS }"What is it going to be, Fred? Do I need to shoot her before I get you to talk? Tell me what you know about the system. I know you didn't have it destroyed." Jonas barked I looked at Rosetta and back at Jonas. "You need to believe me when I tell you that I had the system destroyed. What do you want from me?" I shouted in anger. "I want absolute power, and I want my face changed. I can do that with the power of the system, and you are going to help me.'" I looked at Zack and back at Richard. "I will do that if you let Rosetta go and have me as a hostage instead." I replied Emily looked at Jonas and nodded. Rosetta was immediately pushed towards Richard and Zack while I walked over to Jonas. "Take care of her." I looked at Zack as they walked out of the warehouse. "Now you are going to tell me what I need to hear, or I am going to kill you, Fred. You have taken a lot from me. You took my father and my sister and also turned my world upside down, and you are
{ JONAS MENACES}My mind raced as I considered the options. Reasoning with Jonas seemed impossible, but a direct confrontation was out of the question. Ineeded a plan that balanced both."Alright, let's gather everyone in the room," I said, looking determined. The crew moved to a hidden part of the classroom where we could discuss our next plan without being overheard."First, we need to find out where Jonas is holding Rosetta," I began. "Diana, can you get close to him and see if you can find any clues? You’re his sister; he might let something slip."Diana nodded, her face grim. "I’ll do my best. But if he’s involved in something big, he might not tell me everything.""That’s where we come in," Richard said, his voice steady. "We’ll need to keep an eye on Jonas without him noticing. We can set up a surveillance network around his usual haunts. Zack, you’re good with tech. Can you handle that?"Zack nodded. "I’ll get my equipment. We can cover the campus and any other places he frequ
{ ROSETTA KIDNAPPED }I slept with a smile on my face after I and Rosetta had made love. It was the first time we actually got intimate. I stared into her eyes all night before she finally fell asleep. The sound of the alarm woke me up, and I looked beside me. "Where is she?" My eyes flashed around the room as I tried to wake up. I rubbed my eyes gently, and I noticed there was a bit of a scuffle on the bed. I couldn't believe I had one good night's rest in a while, and everything was going back to being war for me. "Rosetta! Rose!!" I shouted, getting into my slippers. I walked through the hallway and stairs leading down to the main room. I was surprised to see a lot of broken glasses over my chairs, and the house was a complete mess. I quickly went to my CCTV footage, and I noticed it had been fired. "Was I drugged?" I ran my hands over my hair as I stared at the television right in front of me. I knew I needed to find Rosetta quickly. I couldn't believe I let my guards down, and
{ JONAS BACK }The university semester was coming to an end. A lot of preparation was going on for the graduating students. My joy knew no bounds because I was finally stepping into society. But little did I know a brewing storm was ahead. Many of the students were busy tying loose ends. Many were saying their goodbyes already, while others were focusing more on their studies. I knew I wouldn't have the power of the system again, so I need to focus more on my arithmetic. So far, Emily has been behaving herself, and I noticed that I couldn't find Alex and Jonas inside the school. I was just coming out of my department when I met with Emily. "What about Jonas and Alex? I don't think I have seen them this semester." I raised my eye brows. "I don't know. I promise to tell you everything, but recently, I noticed Jonas had been . distant. Do you want me to help you track them?" Emily looked at me."Track them? I thought you said you knew everything about them. Why are you really here, Emi
{ BETTER DAYS IN THE CAMPUS}The university was becoming stable, with each student minding their own daily activities. I walked through the corridor of the university, and everywhere seemed peaceful. I decided to sit down, and I looked back to when I became a part of the university. I remember being nothing, a loner who had always thought of staying low throughout my days here. I looked up to catch some of the pretty girls staring at me, and I laughed. I was becoming more of an icon by the day, with many of the students looking up to me. I felt a hand over my eyes, and I smiled. "Rosetta," I whispered softly, trying to get up to my feet. The hand moved slowly away from my face, and I saw it was Davina. "I think I told you to stay the hell away from me." I shouted in anger. "But I don't want to, Fred. I realise my mistake, and I would like to make amends. Can't you just give me the chance for old-time sake?" Davina said it with a sorry face. "Do you think I can ever forget what you
{ JONAS'S PLAN } Flora sighed, her eyes narrowing as she weighed Emily's words. "Okay, Emily. I'll talk to Fred. But understand this—if he says no, there's nothing more I can do. Your actions will speak louder than your words."Emily nodded fervently, wiping the last of her tears. "Thank you, Flora. I won't let you down, I promise."They parted ways, and Emily felt a flicker of hope. But she knew she had a long road ahead of her. She returned to Alex and Jonas, who were waiting for her back at the mansion."Did she buy it?" Jonas asked, leaning forward.Emily nodded. "Flora said she'd talk to Fred. But we need to be careful. She's suspicious."Alex smirked. "Suspicion won't matter once we have control of the system. We just need to keep them off balance until then."Emily didn't respond. Her mind was racing with the possibilities and the dangers that lay ahead. She knew she had to tread carefully if she wanted to succeed with the plan. The plan was simple. They need to know if I stil