Chapter Fourteen: System Override

"You sound creepy like you have died before." she said.

"Maybe I have."

She wanted to say something but stopped. She just stared at him for a while before speaking. "So you believe your parents are gone, forever?"

"Yes! Our love and hate have ended, forever. No illusions. All I carry is the residual pain of their memories."

Aduke smiled. "Well. Their memories are enough for me to believe their existence has not yet ceased," she said. "If you don't mind, I want to go check on some friends." She stood and walked away, obviously angry.

Coral snickered. "The truth always hurt," he muttered and closed his eyes.

The breeze swept calmly against his cheeks, causing a soft rustling among the withered leaves scattered along its base. He let his body notice every hint of the serene quietness revolving peacefully around him. He was so lost in this world of his that he almost didn't notice the soft cracking footsteps heading towards him.

"Coral, the atmosphere is nice isn't it?" the soft but assertive voice of Alcove echoed.

He blinked open his eyes. "It is," he replied.

Alcove drove his hands into his pockets, kicking a piece of stone. "Have you thought of my proposal?"

Coral exhaled. "This again?"

"It's very simple isn't it?" he spread out his hand. "Join us, it is for your benefit. The school isn't as peaceful as it seems, dangers lurk at every corner, when you need help, who would you turn to? Us, we will be your brethren..."

"Okay. I reject." he didn't let him finish.

"I thought you were going to say this," he said, sending a signal with his index finger. In no time, about six boys surrounded him, joining Alcove.

Before he could blink, two of them already held him to a tree. "Punch him," Alcove ordered one of them.

He obeyed and gave Coral a solid one in the stomach. He felt the air in his lungs gush out and for a second he lost his breath. He coughed and before he could recover another one connected with his cheek in such a way that his teeth sliced his inner cheek open. Blood gushed out. By now a crowd had gathered and Coral could hear their murmurs.

"What did he do to offend them," another punch.

"The harvesters are harvesting again?" and another.

"Beg for mercy, idiot."

/Side Task:

Put your foot down against the Harvesters!

Resolve the argument by following your own opinion.

Reward: Skill Acquisition: Plant Analysis!

10 MP/

None of them wanted to help, they seemed afraid. The more he thought of it, the angrier he got. Another punch came for him, but he swung his face sideways, so that his assailant's hand connected with the tree. The boy squinted his face in surprise, shock and pain. He seemed to be angry that his favorite punching bag dodged his punch. Before they could react, Coral wrestled his hand from one of those that pinned his hand, and swung it at the second one, knocking him down.

He was still relishing his victory when another punch came from nowhere, brushing against his upper cheek and nose. Blood dripped from his nose immediately.

"You fucking useless pig! You really wanna fight?" Alcove spat.

/HP 93/

"Oh yes!" he screamed, swinging his head up suddenly and connecting it with Alcove's jaw. The impact sent a sign of pain across his skull all the way to his toes, but he didn't care. The splutter of blood coming from the blonde boy's mouth was enough to inspire him, he drove his fist into Alcove's face with immediate alacrity. The smooth skin on his face constricted into a mushy squeeze of flesh as the fist connected into his face. His head swung backwards almost cracking his neck, he landed on the ground with a thud.

Coral wasn't finished, he could sense the next attacker coming from behind him, he ducked. The assailant swung at him and missed. Coral caught the aimlessly swinging arm, locked it under his armpit and twisted his body.

*snap!*

A shrill scream followed the sound of bone snapping out of place. He drove his hand into the boy's face. Just as he did this, a metal rod connected with one of his ribs.

/HP: 85

Malfunctions:

Two left ribs.

Jaw.

0.9% loss of blood.

Loss of Stamina/

He gasped as he fell against the tree, using it to steady himself. The people who surrounded them didn't seem a bit eager to help, some even cheered on. He held the tree and wanted to catch his breath, but his assailants didn't think that was a good idea, instead they gave him something better to catch.

A forceful kick from behind sent him sprawling forward, and a rod was swung at him. He stretched out his hand and he caught the rod... with his face. The metal monster drew blood from both his mouth and his nose, plastering itself with a new makeup of sticky crimson red.

His eyeballs went into his brain, his sockets turned pure white. His head swung backwards, almost reaching his legs. For a few seconds, he felt the world went still. He could hear everything in slow motion, his own gasps and breaths. The world was moving in single file pictures. He was in a hellish paradise.

Another metal rod to his back sent everything that was in slow motion to overdrive. Everything went faster than light speed. Pain stretched throughout his body, so much he didn't know where it was coming from. To top it off, Ag sent him some lovely new information.

/Achievement unlocked: Get beat down!

Reward: 2MP. /

He was going down.

/HP: 43

Health point is lower than 43. System is entering a force shutdown.

User will be rendered unconscious/

The heavens tilted over his face, and for a moment he felt he was going to fly. He felt weightless, the ground was fast approaching. Before he could realize, he collided with the hard ground, blood spluttering from his mouth as he gasped for air. He was gonna go unconscious now, at least the beating will stop, the pain will stop. But will it? No. Bullies don't stop. No. No. No.

No.

No.

Never. He wasn't going to accept. No!

/System override.

Force shutdown canceled.

User is now fully awake!/