From Zero To Stardom: My Superstar System

Chapter Ten: Punching Bag

"Every lie, every manipulation, every pain, every humiliation, and every suffering—you'll answer for it all," Marcus declared, his voice resonating with a cold determination that sent shivers down Rachel's spine.

Marcus stepped one closer to Rachel, and Rachel could not help but step back, and her grip on Marcus lessened.

Marcus looked like he could kill someone at any given moment by the aura he was giving.

Rachel never saw Marcus this angry before. It felt like Marcus was unleashing years of suppressed rage and resentment.

Without warning, he grabbed Rachel's wrist, prying her fingers away from his throat.

Rachel was taken aback by Marcus's sudden strength and stumbled back.

“You—”

“I didn't come back from the dead to watch you ruin my life again. Days, months, and years, it will not matter how long it will take me to destroy your lives.” Marcus said, and his gaze was even more deadly as he stepped another step closer to Rachel. “Send a message to Eric for me since you are like a leech that loves to stick to him.”

Rachel reddened with rage. She was shaking with fury.

“Leech?! You fucking—”

“Say that Marcus is coming to get the mansion and the money he stole from me. I will come and get every penny.”

With those words, Marcus departed, leaving Rachel seething with unresolved anger.

"That bastard! He might have won this time, but I won't let him ruin everything! I just got Eric to let me have a role in this film, and that loser dares to ruin everything for me? No! I won't let him!" Rachel yelled to herself, clenching her fists in frustration.

“And what does he fucking mean he came back from the dead? Has he finally lost his mind?!”

****

As Marcus went out, the translucent screen appeared on again.

[Main Mission Triggered! ]

[Mission: Take What is Rightfully Yours.]

[Objective: Get the mansion and Your Inheritance]

[Reward: ???]

[Time limit: 1 Month]

[Warning:]

[Failure to complete the mission will result in \[Penalty: Death\].

[Attention:]

Please note that declining the mission is not advisable and will also result in \[Penalty: Death\].

\[Accept\] \[Decline\]

"I accept," Marcus mumbled to himself with determination.

Even withouth the mission, he alreadyset his mind in getting the mansion and the inheritance that his supposed to be family took from him. No matter what, he will claim what is his.

The heaven gave him a chance to redo everything and he won't just waste it.

****

MARCUS had finally made his way out of the building.

Outside, he noticed his fellow auditionees, some frustrated and others on their phones, likely dealing with their agencies.

They were seething with anger, but there was nothing they could do but leave and move on.

If he failed on his mission, he would have the same fate as them.

Marcus' destination was a run-down, cheap hotel. It wasn't his first choice, by any means.

The place reeked of strange odors, and the ceaseless noise from neighboring rooms was far from peaceful.

But Marcus didn't have many options. It was the only place he could afford at the moment.

The hotel was just a few meters away now, and he chose to walk instead.

Marcus was determined to save every dollar. He had just enough left in his wallet for food tomorrow and a few biscuits for tonight's dinner.

"If only the system would give me money."

Just as he said that, a thought struck him as he remembered the events that occurred on the audition.

"Wait, didn't the system reward me with something?" Marcus pondered.

After completing a mission, he remembered that the system had given him a reward.

'It was Hand-to-Hand Combat! Even though I was preoccupied with the audition, I couldn't simply forget about it,' Marcus thought, excitement building within him.

The ability to practice martial arts was a dream come true for any man!

'But, Hand-to-Hand Combat? How did I gain something like that? Is it also one of the system specialities? I wonder what else it could do?'

Marcus glanced around at the bustling street. He disregarded his plan to check the system, realizing that now might not be the best time to check.

"I should do that when I'm in my room," he decided.

As he walked, he pondered what to do next.

The audition had gone well, but he had no plans beyond that moment.

"Should I celebrate? B-But I don't even have money. The system didn't really reward me with anything useful. I thought it could also help me get rich or something like those novels that I have read," he mused, disappointment seeping into his voice.

To afford the journey here, he had to sell a necklace he had intended to give Rachel for their anniversary.

Of course, that was before they broke up, so he no longer had a need for it.

The only thing that saddened him was that he bought it for $400, but the money he received was far less than what he had paid, and the journey here had cost him a lot.

Marcus suddenly stopped walking. He felt something, an unsettling feeling crawled up his spine.

With a subtle glance over his shoulder, he confirmed his suspicions.

There were three figures in the distance, doing a poor job of blending into the crowd.

Their bulky frames and the eerie aura they exuded made them stand out like sore thumbs in the bustling street.

A small and a sly grin tugged at the corners of Marcus's lips.

He had a strong suspicion of who these shadowy pursuers might be.

****

Marcus spotted a dark, narrow alley up ahead, a gloomy passage that seemed to swallow the feeble glow of the streetlights.

Without hesitating, he turned into the alley.

As he entered, a large rat squeaked a greeting but darted away as it sensed Marcus's presence.

His nose wrinkled at the stench of various odors from the trash that assailed his nose, causing him to cover it involuntarily but it didn't help that much.

"Come out. I know you're there," Marcus called out, his voice carrying an air of confidence despite the adrenaline coursing through his veins.

Soon after, footsteps approached clearly indicating that he wasn't dealing with a lone pursuer.

And even though the alley was dark with only the flickering lamp shade as its light, Marcus could see the three imposing figures, and their bulging muscles covered in tattoos.

A sense of recognition washed over Marcus.

He had seen them in his past lives.

It was impossible to forget them, the tormentors who had made his life a living hell.

The ones who had left him crippled and broken!

Anger, rage, and fear. He felt all of this emotion. Yet, above all, anger surged through him, overpowering his other emotions like a tidal wave.

His body trembled uncontrollably, his limbs shaking with the anger he couldn't suppress.

He clenched his fist until his knuckles turned white with tension.

"Did Eric send you?" Marcus asks with gritted teeth.

Their appearance was earlier than what Marcus had anticipated, but they are finally here, and Marcus can finally test out his new skill.

They were the perfect punching bag.