2025-03-22 23:30:47Laughter rippled through the hallway of Frontale University, bouncing off the pristine marble floors and the grand pillars that lined the corridors.
I could hear it all around me—the mocking whispers, the amused smirks, and the quiet murmurs of pity and disdain. I clenched my fists, my breath ragged as I pushed myself up from the cold floor. My knees stung from the fall, my hands scraped against the unforgiving tiles. My backpack had spilled open, my few battered notebooks lying scattered like fallen leaves. Paul’s voice was the first to cut through the noise, sharp and laced with cruelty. "And down goes the pauper prince again!" he mocked, nudging his polished shoe against my shoulder, shoving me back down with ease. A fresh round of laughter erupted into the thin air. I looked around and I could see their faces, basking in my pain. But I didn't care, all I wanted was to get a shot, a chance to sit for my exam. Frank, Paul, and the rest of their minions stood over me, basking in my humiliation. I forced myself to my feet, ignoring the throbbing pain in my ribs. I didn't have time for this. I know was at stake. I turned away, pretending they didn’t exist, but before I could take another step, an angry voice roared through the hallway. "You little bastard! You think you can cheat me out of my money?" I froze. My heart plummeted. The cab driver. I spun around, just in time to see the burly man stomping toward me, face flushed with rage. His greasy jacket barely fit over his stomach, and his meaty hands clenched into fists. I could see the anger in his eyes as he got closer to me and gosh! The amount of air he released, his breath was all over me. The laughter died down as students turned to watch the unfolding spectacle. Curious eyes. Whispering lips. Excited smirks. "You owe me ten dollars, you street rat!" the cab driver bellowed, jabbing a finger at my chest. "You think you can run off without paying?!" I swallowed hard, my stomach churning with embarrassment. Not here. Not like this. "I—I’ll pay you back," I stammered. "Just give me some time. I don't have—" A sharp slap against the back of my head. "No money? Then why the hell are you at a university like this?" The driver shoved me hard, and I stumbled. More laughter. More whispers. "Maybe you should beg Frank here," Paul jeered. "He’s feeling generous today." Frank chuckled, arms crossed over his chest. "Pay up, Ethan. Be a man." My blood ran cold. My fingers curled into fists. "I—I’ll pay you after the exam," I said, my voice raw. "Oh?" The driver smirked, loud enough for the entire hallway to hear. "You think you’re still taking that exam?" My heart stopped. "What?" I breathed. "Oh dear, you haven’t heard?" A familiar, venomous voice spoke up behind me. I turned to look at who it was and it happened to be Selena. She strutted toward us, her platinum blonde hair bouncing with every step, her designer coat hugging her perfect frame. Once, she had clung to my arm like a lifeline. Now, she looked at me like I was filth. "Ethan," she said sweetly, placing a mocking hand on my shoulder. "If you don’t sit for this exam, you’re done. Your scholarship? Gone. And once that happens... you’ll be kicked out." I stiffened. Selena leaned in, lips brushing against my ear. "Poor thing," she whispered, voice dripping with cruel amusement. "Back to the slums where you belong." Something inside me snapped. I shoved her hand off my shoulder and pushed past her, running toward the exam hall like my life depended on it. Because it did. I burst through the exam hall doors, panting. The lecturer, Mr. Grover, stood at the front of the room, his expression twisting in displeasure as he lowered his glasses. "Ethan Summerville," he said, voice heavy with authority. "You're thirty minutes late. We are done with the exams." "Please," I gasped. "Please let me take the exam." "Rules are rules." "Please!" I begged, stepping forward. "I—I can’t lose my scholarship. I’ll fail the year, and I—I don’t have anywhere else to go. This is my only chance." The room was dead silent. Mr. Grover studied me for a long moment. Then, he sighed. "Sit down." Relief washed over me like a tidal wave. My legs nearly gave out as I stumbled toward an empty seat. But just as I pulled out my chair— A hand grabbed my collar and yanked me backward. Pain exploded in my back as I crashed onto the floor. The students gasped. I coughed violently, struggling to get up. My eyes met Frank’s, towering over me like a goddamn king. "Did you really think I'd let you off easy, Cross?" Frank sneered. Paul and the others cackled. "Don’t touch me," I growled, shoving his hand away. "Or what?" My blood boiled. For months, I had endured this. The beatings. The humiliation. The whispers. But not today. I stood up, chest heaving. "Try that again, and I’ll break your goddamn nose." A sharp silence. Frank's smirk vanished. Then—he laughed. A low, menacing chuckle. "Really?" he said. "Then take this." And before I could react— A baseball bat swung toward my ribs. A sharp CRACK. A pain like I’d never known ripped through my body. I collapsed onto the cold floor, gasping for breath. I could barely move. My fingers twitched against the tile, my vision blurring. I felt my blood pooling beneath me. And then— It happened. My wrist burned. The tattoo—the one I had ignored, dismissed as nothing— It began to glow. A deep, searing red. And as my blood touched the floor, something inside me erupted. A voice boomed inside my skull. [ HELLISH SYSTEM ACTIVATED. ] I tried to stand up to my feet, I looked around to hear the muffled sound of the students all talking at once. " Get the medic!" Mr Grover shouted before I fell to the ground and finally passed out.
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THE HELLISH SYSTEM Chapter six
I stood in front of the receptionist’s desk at the hospital, my fingers tightening around the sleek black card that had mysteriously appeared in my wallet. The Hellish System had given me fifty thousand dollars, and now, it was time to use it."How much is my hospital bill?" I asked, my voice steady but cold.The nurse behind the counter barely spared me a glance. "You were here overnight. The total comes to $3,200, including the emergency treatment and tests."I exhaled slowly. That was a lot of money for a single night, but with my current balance, it was nothing.I slid the card across the desk. The nurse's fingers hesitated over the card before swiping it through the machine. She glanced at the screen, her brows furrowing. "It… it went through?"I smirked. "Of course it did."Her eyes flicked to my hospital gown, then to the worn-out sneakers I’d managed to retrieve from the storage locker. I could see the disbelief on her face."Do you need a receipt?" she asked hesitantly.I sh
THE HELLISH SYSTEM chapter seven
I pulled out my phone and tapped on the banking app, my thumb hovering over the "Transfer" button. The silence around me was deafening. Every student in the courtyard was frozen in place, their eyes locked onto my screen, waiting.Frank scoffed, crossing his arms. "Yeah, right. No way you're actually doing it."Selena chuckled beside him, flipping her blonde hair over her shoulder. "This is just for show. He’s stalling."I didn’t respond. Instead, I tapped the transfer option and entered the university’s account number.$20,000.My finger hovered over the "Confirm" button."Alright," I said, loud enough for everyone to hear. "Let’s see if I’m bluffing."I pressed the button.A moment later, my screen flashed: Transaction Successful.Then, almost immediately, a chime echoed from the administrative building. The Dean's phone.The crowd turned toward the building in slow motion, like a wave of disbelief washing over them.Seconds later, the Dean himself stepped outside, adjusting his gla
THE HELLISH SYSTEM Chapter eight
Frank stormed through the crowd, shoving students aside as he made his way toward me. His face was twisted in rage, his hands balled into fists. I barely blinked. I could see the disbelief in his eyes, the rage and the unsettling anger, all rising to the surface. But I was not fazed, not when I am on top of my game. "You think just because you’ve got money now, you’re better than me?" he spat, stopping a few inches away from my face. "You’re still the same pathetic loser you were yesterday, Ethan. And I’m about to remind you of that." I tilted my head. "Go ahead, Frank. Try." I said with a smirk on my face. My eyes darted around and I knew this was just the best way and place to have Frank humiliated. Only if he was dumb enough to fall for it. The crowd hushed. The tension in the air was thick, almost suffocating. Frank sneered and pulled back his fist, ready to punch me. But before he could even swing, something strange happened. A burning sensation shot through my ar
THE HELLISH SYSTEM chapter nine
Everyone at Frontale University thought I was done for. After the brutal beating I suffered at the hands of Frank, Ethan Gray, and Aiden Reeves, the rumors spread like wildfire. Students whispered in hushed tones, convinced I wouldn’t make it to the prom, let alone set foot on campus again. I tried to push myself up but I could feel some bones cracked within me. I remembered the doctors warning. My body was not fit for another round of beating. I can't take it anymore. Tears flooded my eyes hoping the system would take over, hoping they my tattoo would glow and do something miraculous. probably heal me but nothing happened. Tracy Stewart, my so-called "fake girlfriend," was livid when she heard the news. She stormed through the halls, her sharp heels clicking against the marble floors as she made a beeline toward Frank. Frank, standing confidently with Selena draped over his arm, smirked as she approached. Tracy didn’t waste time. She shoved him hard in the chest, he
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Frontale University bubbling with the news of how I had beaten the most ruthless tugs inside the university ground. The fame was new to me. I haven't had so many people give me so much attention after what Selena did to me. " Is that him?" " The kid who single handedly beat up Aiden and Ethan Gray." " Do you think he was lucky?" " Lucky? Why don't you try and see how lucky you can get when you are up close against someone like Ethan and Aiden." The university was in a frenzy mode. While some talked about me being a good fighter, others who were friends with Frank Carter said I was just lucky. If I was lucky then I don't want my luck to run out. Some said I was a freak. They even had the audacity to say it to my face. " Do you think that is normal?" " Don't you see the way he charges at Ethan and Aiden? Does that look normal to you?" " Well, if you ask me then I would say he is done freak. He should be kicked out of the school premises." I walked past
THE HELLISH SYSTEM Chapter eleven
My hands grasped my phone gently. My gaze was fixed on the screen. I could barely believe it. I was twelve million dollars richer. A money that was not befitting of a small boy like me. You know that moment you saw the zero at the back of the actual number. You lose focus. That was exactly what happened to me. My head swells, and my palms become sweaty. I looked around the school, and I noticed some of the students were beginning to know my weird behaviour. I have a lot of bills to settle. I need to buy books and also invest. The school were filled with different calibres of students whose parents got their money from gambling, investment, fraud and many other atrocities. But most of them like to deny the fact that their parents were a bunch of criminals. Rather, they prefer to flaunt their parents wealth and oppress the poor, like me. But not anymore. I looked at the message I was seeing right in front of me. I have been upgraded. That was also a good thing, right?
THE HELLISH SYSTEM Chapter twelve
Felix smirked and leaned back in his chair, tapping a finger against his chin like he was calculating a formula in his head. He looked me over, his sharp eyes sizing me up — not just my money, but my ambition. "Two million”, he said. "Money is not the issue right now, Felix, but I need you to keep a secret. None of this must reach the ears of any students on this campus." I said, staring at him. Felix looked around and smiled, "Well, that depends on how much you are willing to pay for my service and how much you are going to be paying to have me keep my mouth shut. I can do both if the pay is high enough." I didn’t blink. I reached into my bag, brought out a slim envelope, and placed it gently on the table. He raised a brow. “You came prepared.” “I always do.”He picked up the envelope, peeled it open slightly, then nodded. “You want your name everywhere, right? Campus fame? Digital presence? Social media dominance? All of that?” “And more,” I said. “I want them to know
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Chapter eighteen
Trust me, when you have money, there is a lot you can do. You can either be a kingpin or even become a money demon yourself. I was going to become the demon that Frank needed to be scared of. I was not going to steal his spot in the university grounds, but I was going to break his backbone. I knew what I needed to do. I was going to attack this source of wealth. His father. That was the only way I was going to be sending a clear message to him, or should I say a warning. "It is going to be a pleasure working with you, Ethan." Felix said after I transfer a sum of ten million dollars into his account. At first, Felix looked at me and couldn't believe his eyes. It was when he saw the six zeros that he was damn sure I meant business. "Is there any other thing I have to know?" Felix looked at me. "Like?" I looked at him. "You tell me, boss. You are the one after Frank. I need to know who is in on this, and does that include taking down Selena as well?" "Frank's friends are my ene
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I read the message, and I immediately rushed down to the location he had sent to me. I met him seated all alone by himself, and when I got to his side, he yanked me toward the chair opposite him. I barely had time to adjust myself before falling to the floor. "What the hell was that for?" I said with anger. "Are you seriously asking me that, Ethan?" Felix snapped at me. " You tell me why you have been snooping around the death of Thomas Rabbit." I looked around, and my gaze landed back on some of the people staring at both of us. Not that Felix cared anyway. "Keep your voice down, will you?" I said, adjusting myself on the chair. I know one thing: I needed Felix if I was going to get to Frank and his minions. He was the one holding the keys to all their secrets, and with just the right amount, maybe I can get him to work for me. "Can I have some juice?" I said, motioning to the bar attendants. A young lady in her late twenties walked towards me. She was wea
Chapter sixteen
[ HELLISH SYSTEM MESSAGE : UNRAVEL THE DEATH OF THOMAS RABBIT ] [ SYSTEM REWARD; $5,000,000 ] My face went pale. I looked around trying to see if I was being monitored or followed. But everywhere was so quiet. The gentle breeze clashed against my face, and the background music was playing melodiously. "Are you alright, Ethan?" Mr Rabbit asked, staring at my face. I let out a slight cough and nodded. "Do you want to tell me what happened to your son? He is dead right?" I asked, staring at both of them. "That is a long story, Ethan. One which we are ready to share with you when you become a part of the family. Me and my wife just wanted to look you up and then decide if we want an adopted child." Deacon said, staring at his wife before he finally looked at me. "So what do you think?" I asked, staring back at them. I know I don't need a family, but this family was special, and I knew they had a connection to Frank. Something in my gut tells me, and I could feel it. "Well, my h
Chapter fifteen
Tracy was about to walk away when I drew her back. "What are you trying to do?" She asked immediately, staring back at me. "I know we got off on the wrong foot. I am not supposed to kiss you, and I am sorry for that, but why don't we make a new set of rules?" I said with smiles. "What are you talking about?" Tracy said, looking at me. "Your rules are not fair. It keeps protecting you while leaving me on the losing end. I know you also want to take revenge on Frank Carter. Why don't we just agree we both need each other?" I said finally releasing my hands off her waist. Tracy chuckled and folded her two arms while looking at me. "I think I like the new version of you, Summerville." She said, smoothing my rumpled clothes. "You said you were going to propose a kind of solution to boycott my rules. I am all ears." Tracy said with a smile. "I don't know why I am doing this, but I believe it is going to be a win-win for the both of us. We make the students believe we are an it
Chose fourteen
Fiona Carey had the camera fixed and immediately positioned it to my face. The hallway was silent, with some of the students whispering if I was going to take revenge on her for what she had done. But I was not a woman beater. I chuckled and looked at her. "Well, it looks like you still have a lot to learn. Do you feel less than you already have? Look around you, Mighty Selena Ray. Do you think I was going to get back with you simply because you said please'? I snapped. "I thought I could manage someone like you, but it is obvious that you are way beneath me. Do you think because you have some ill-gotten money now, you can do whatever you feel like?" Selena, akimbo, looking at me. I laughed again, staring at her face. "Then if it is not money, then what is it?" I walked round her like a predator circling its prey. "You left me for that bully, didn't you? And if my guess is right, you are coming back to me because you honestly think that I have more money than Frank ever
Chapter thirteen
[ DING! ] [ DING! ] [ DING! ] All the students phones buzzed as I walked past the student hall. "I told you; I said he was rich." "Who are his parents?" "Don't you think it is a little fishy where he got his wealth from? No, parents. No uncles and boom!" "Who cares about how he got his wealth? I heard your father just sold some illegal drugs into the system. Don't you think that is really bad?" One of the students taunted Philip Jayden that his father was a notorious drug baron in the city. Philip charged at the student, and a huge fight erupted in the hallway. I laughed slowly, feeling myself. Yes! Let them fight over me. I had to show them I was not on Jeremiah's level. I need to prove to those low scum that I won't be bullied. Not anymore. "Hey! Rich kid." I heard a familiar voice right behind me. I turned slowly to meet Selena's gaze. She was putting on a hat, and she was flanked by her friends who were drooling over me. I felt the tattoo under my skin burn hot, and
Chapter twelve
Felix smirked and leaned back in his chair, tapping a finger against his chin like he was calculating a formula in his head. He looked me over, his sharp eyes sizing me up — not just my money, but my ambition. "Two million”, he said. "Money is not the issue right now, Felix, but I need you to keep a secret. None of this must reach the ears of any students on this campus." I said, staring at him. Felix looked around and smiled, "Well, that depends on how much you are willing to pay for my service and how much you are going to be paying to have me keep my mouth shut. I can do both if the pay is high enough." I didn’t blink. I reached into my bag, brought out a slim envelope, and placed it gently on the table. He raised a brow. “You came prepared.” “I always do.”He picked up the envelope, peeled it open slightly, then nodded. “You want your name everywhere, right? Campus fame? Digital presence? Social media dominance? All of that?” “And more,” I said. “I want them to know
Chapter eleven
My hands grasped my phone gently. My gaze was fixed on the screen. I could barely believe it. I was twelve million dollars richer. A money that was not befitting of a small boy like me. You know that moment you saw the zero at the back of the actual number. You lose focus. That was exactly what happened to me. My head swells, and my palms become sweaty. I looked around the school, and I noticed some of the students were beginning to know my weird behaviour. I have a lot of bills to settle. I need to buy books and also invest. The school were filled with different calibres of students whose parents got their money from gambling, investment, fraud and many other atrocities. But most of them like to deny the fact that their parents were a bunch of criminals. Rather, they prefer to flaunt their parents wealth and oppress the poor, like me. But not anymore. I looked at the message I was seeing right in front of me. I have been upgraded. That was also a good thing, right?
Chapter ten
Frontale University bubbling with the news of how I had beaten the most ruthless tugs inside the university ground. The fame was new to me. I haven't had so many people give me so much attention after what Selena did to me. " Is that him?" " The kid who single handedly beat up Aiden and Ethan Gray." " Do you think he was lucky?" " Lucky? Why don't you try and see how lucky you can get when you are up close against someone like Ethan and Aiden." The university was in a frenzy mode. While some talked about me being a good fighter, others who were friends with Frank Carter said I was just lucky. If I was lucky then I don't want my luck to run out. Some said I was a freak. They even had the audacity to say it to my face. " Do you think that is normal?" " Don't you see the way he charges at Ethan and Aiden? Does that look normal to you?" " Well, if you ask me then I would say he is done freak. He should be kicked out of the school premises." I walked past
