2024-11-20 17:36:41The sound of laughter was always the same, echoing with a condescending gaze that was not always visible in the boy's two eyes. The sound of the devil's laughter was satisfying seeing his prey suffer, even his hands never stopped leaving bruises all over the body.
"What are you looking at, you bastard?" the boy in the high school uniform scolded.
The boy's face was already red, the corners of his lips were bleeding, and even from his nostrils came a red liquid that could not be stopped at all. Not only in the area of the face that had been damaged by the boy's punches and kicks, the figure who still chanted the terrifying laughter that was feared by all senior students of Veritas School, an elite educational institution that was only filled with students from the upper class. However, there was one lucky student who could get in there, unfortunately, the student had to become a toy for the rich kid who had no manners.
Leon Alexander Elard, a 12th-grade student at Veritas School received a scholarship because of his perfect report card grades. Leon himself came from a village far away in the Land of Morphile. The child was always at the top of the rankings as a requirement for his scholarship. He was just a child from a poor farming family who came to the city to achieve his dream of changing his family's fate. Unfortunately, Leon's journey at school for almost three years was not as good as he had hoped.
Becoming a victim of bullying from the children of the rich people who were in power there. Leon had fought back, protesting every action of the students, but it was all in vain. The teachers were also powerless to stop the behaviour of Jono Windrain, the most powerful child in the school because apart from being the child of the school owner, the child was the child of the most respected minister in the country. Anyone who went against Jono, anyone who bothered him, their life would not be peaceful, and often they had to leave school.
"Hey, Jono, he's exhausted. What if the child runs out of blood?" The child's friend reminded him, slightly reprimanding Jono's extreme actions towards Leon just because Leon refused to do Jono's schoolwork.
Jono's sharp gaze was directed at his friend, sharp and deadly, making his friend immediately fall silent.
"I don't care. Besides, this child doesn't mind. Right, Le?" Jono now turned to Leon who was still lying with dirty clothes full of mud and his face messy with lots of blood.
Leon did not answer, only his sharp gaze was directed at Jono. After all, Leon's hatred for Jono was greater than the others.
"What?" Jono's tone was still the same, always high and jolting anyone who dared to look at him.
One punch hit Leon's stomach hard enough to make the person groan in pain. Better to die than to have to face Jono's madness that will never end.
Jono crouched in front of Leon who was struggling under his feet, with both eyes closed to endure the pain all over his body.
"Didn't I tell you, don't look at me with that perverted look, damn it," Jono cursed in annoyance. His face looked so fierce, one hand pulling Leon's black hair that had fallen out.
Complaining was useless, Leon's voice was barely audible, and his breath was even slow as if he was on the verge of death. Leon's face looked up as Jono gripped the man's hair tighter, forcing him to look at him.
"Answer me while I'm talking," Jono said, openly insulting Leon, then laughed as Leon winced in pain.
The laughter could still be heard in the vast school field with green grass as its base, under the bright blue sky that stretched like an umbrella for the Earth. But beneath that, Leon held back his pain, begging in his heart for death to come to him. Even the sun seemed unable to see the suffering that Leon was experiencing, the sun hid behind the clouds.
Not only the sun, but humans also became mere spectators like fools. Around the field, students watched while wincing at poor Leon, they also expressed their sympathy openly. Not only the students, but even the teachers were unable to approach.
"Hey," said Jono while looking back at Leon. "Why are you so quiet, huh?" Then he jerked Leon's head until his forehead touched the green grass that had been stained with Leon's blood.
Jono got up from his crouch, and kicked Leon's body again, this time he seemed to be screaming incoherently, making the audience jump, but Jono just laughed happily. How barbaric, right? How could an 18-year-old turn into a devil just because of one trivial mistake?
With the rest of his strength, Leon looked around the field, no one dared to approach and help him, they only stared with various gazes, worried, satisfied, belittling, low, and various other things that Leon had received since being known as a scholarship student. This time Leon's gaze was fixed on a girl who was always in Jono's group.
"Hey, how dare you stare at my girl?" Jono scolded angrily when he found out Leon's gaze was fixed on Zenata, a rich girl who was always with Jono and was in that group.
Zenata Aurora is an arrogant girl who is always silent when Leon is tortured by his lover. A princess who was always served even for trivial things. Leon hated Zenata who always saw Leon's helplessness without helping at all as if the show was just for entertainment for the arrogant girl.
Leon's hair was once again pulled by Jono, gripped tightly so that Leon's face looked up again.
"I said why are you staring at my lover, huh? Do you want me to rip your eyes out, damn it?" Leon no longer cared about Jono's threats.
However, for some reason, Leon suddenly found the strength to just laugh, responding to Jono's cruel treatment. Leon's laughter was soft but enough to be heard by the group of rich kids, even his teeth that should have been white were now red with blood.
"Why are you laughing, damn it?" Jono tightened his grip but instead made Leon laugh. Of course that ignited Jono's emotions again.
"Just try it," Leon said suddenly in his hoarse voice.
Jono and his friends stared at Leon in disbelief.
"Just try to gouge my eyes out. You can't? Coward," Leon replied as if seeking his death.
"Damn it. What did you say?" Jono was furious at Leon's words.
"I told you you're a coward," Leon repeated as if he was no longer afraid of anything, even his life was at stake. "You can only play around without daring to kill. Only cowards are like that," Leon said with a laugh.
Jono's anger peaked hearing Leon's insults.
Leon screamed when Jono pulled his hair hard, making his face look up to the sky. Instead of being in pain, Leon seemed possessed because after screaming which surprised the audience on the sidelines, the man laughed loudly which made Jono's friends immediately pull the man away from Leon.
"Why?" Leon who was lying on the ground looked back at Jono who was being hugged tightly by his friends. "You coward. If you dare, just kill me!" shouted Leon who couldn't stand the torture.
"Leon!" scolded one of Jono's friends.
"What? You guys are the same. Making a crazy spectacle by torturing someone," said Leon who was trying hard to sit up on the grass. His head felt heavy with a confused face. His sharp gaze was fixed on Jono.
A terrifying smile suddenly appeared on Leon's face, making anyone who saw it shudder in horror because the blood flowing from his temples flooded Leon's mouth area.
"You guys are just cowards. Isn’t a life worthless to you? You think you can do something crazy like this just because you have power?” Leon said with difficulty speaking, ignoring the pain that was hitting him.
Jono was still struggling, not accepting every word that came out of the man’s mouth.
Leon’s gaze shifted to Zenata who was frozen in place.
“You are the same, Princess. You are like a reigning Queen. You enjoy the show that plays with someone’s life. You don’t deserve to be human,” Leon said to Zenata.
“Bastard!” Jono lunged at Leon’s body, making him fall to the ground again.
Tired of all that, where even death was just toying with him, Leon just laughed, who knows, it might be Leon’s last laugh in this cruel and unfair world.
Jono rained down punches on Leon’s face.
“Stop!” Zenata shouted, causing Jono to stop moving. “Enough!”
Instead of wincing in pain, Leon laughed even louder, belittling them.
“That’s enough. Just leave him alone. He’s crazy,” said Zenata, who seemed scared to see Leon laughing at the man who had been battered by Jono’s actions.
Without saying anything else, Zenata turned around and left the place after looking at Leon once more.
“Let’s go,” said Jono’s friend, helping the man get up and leave the place with still heavy breaths.
Leon didn’t care, his heavy breaths hurt in his chest. However, Leon’s gaze continued to follow Zenata’s departure with a gaze full of hatred. Although Leon was sure that Zenata knew him better than anyone, she was no help at all.
"Leon?" Someone approached, calling the boy's name to get his attention.
A sad look with a face crumpled with tears, Leon recognized that face, and then people crowded around him, but Leon couldn't help it and his eyes closed.
"You know, you have a chance."
Before his eyes closed completely, Leon heard an unfamiliar voice, like the sound of technology.
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Leon frowned for a moment before opening his eyes. Bright light greeted him. The boy rubbed his eyes, his head dizzy."Are you awake?" Zenata's voice greeted him with a little bit of gruffness.Leon's gaze shifted to the girl sitting in the other chair. Zenata snorted, looking annoyed."Are you okay?" The voice changed to sound softer this time and Leon's gaze fell on Viona who was watching him.Trying to get up from her lying position, Viona quickly helped Leon sit up. His gaze wandered, his mind guessing what happened to him. Leon then remembered the reason he was unconscious."What about Sean?" Leon asked as he remembered his friend."I'm fine now. I woke up earlier than you," Sean replied, leaning forward so Leon could see him."How long was I unconscious?" Leon asked."Not unconscious. You slept very soundly," Zenata snapped in annoyance.Leon blinked, not understanding at all why Zenata looked angry."Just ignore her. She's upset," Viona said to Leon while giving him a glass of
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Azlan looked at both of them alternately, right after Azlan said that Sean suddenly became weak and coughed making the others focus their attention on Sean. The man was also panting."Sean?" Leon called his name, but after that, Leon also gasped and coughed."Gosh!" Gio exclaimed as Sean vomited something beside him, blood. "Sean?" Gio approached Sean who did not respond other than coughing up blood.The same thing happened to Leon which made Viona no less anxious until Zenata came but the girl was silent for a few steps seeing the blood coming out of Leon's mouth.Azlan was silent and did nothing."Zenata, why are you silent!" Gio shouted waking Zenata. "Treat them!"There was no response from Zenata but her attention was focused on Leon. "Viona, move," said the girl."What do you mean? Can't you see I'm busy?" Viona replied in a disapproving tone."I said, move!" said Zenata firmly, making Viona look at her angrily. But Zenata's expression looked strange. "L-Leon, only I... only I c
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Azlan looked at both of them alternately, right after Azlan said that Sean suddenly became weak and coughed making the others focus their attention on Sean. The man was also panting."Sean?" Leon called his name, but after that, Leon also gasped and coughed."Gosh!" Gio exclaimed as Sean vomited something beside him, blood. "Sean?" Gio approached Sean who did not respond other than coughing up blood.The same thing happened to Leon which made Viona no less anxious until Zenata came but the girl was silent for a few steps seeing the blood coming out of Leon's mouth.Azlan was silent and did nothing."Zenata, why are you silent!" Gio shouted waking Zenata. "Treat them!"There was no response from Zenata but her attention was focused on Leon. "Viona, move," said the girl."What do you mean? Can't you see I'm busy?" Viona replied in a disapproving tone."I said, move!" said Zenata firmly, making Viona look at her angrily. But Zenata's expression looked strange. "L-Leon, only I... only I c
22. Clear Night Sky
“What is that Maya?” Sean asked.Before Maya could answer, another red light moved towards Sean. The man froze for a moment. The light was right in front of him. Hesitating slightly, Sean reached out to grab the light and held it in his hand cruelly as the light disappeared, making Sean’s eyes widen.“What is that?” Sean asked again.“Strength,” Maya answered shortly.Next, their system screens appeared together including Leon’s who was now starting to calm down on Sean’s lap with his eyes slightly open. Leon was conscious but the man was weak.“Congratulations! You successfully defeated the Black Mist Dragon. In return, you get 3000 points and two stars for each. You get a Level Up. In the next level, if the other team doesn’t participate, they will be left behind and you will return to the beginning. Once again congratulations on the level up.” After explaining that the screen dimmed again and disappeared making Leon and Sean look at each other.Leon tried to sit up with Sean’s help
21. Dragon Breath
As they had planned. Sean and Leon quietly left the room. They made their three friends fall asleep and would not wake up until morning greeted them. There was a fragrance that kept them asleep. Sean with his intelligence put the fragrance also on several inn doors whose aroma entered the gap in the door at the bottom. This was done to keep them from waking up.Leon said there was a possibility that they were fighting something they didn't even know. But they were sure that they would fight. So, to prevent other people from getting involved or hurt, Leon minimized the possibility of that."Are you ready?" Leon asked when Sean had finished applying the sleeping pill fragrance to each door."Yes." Sean nodded confidently.They both looked at each other, of course, there was doubt from them because they didn't know what they would face after that."Okay. We'll start now. Stay with me no matter what happens, and take care of yourself," Leon ordered."You too," Sean replied. Leon nodded hi
20. Leon and Sean's Plan
"That, does it have to be quiet every night?" Leon asked, remembering the night when Zenata screamed.Azlan looked back at him. "Only loud noises and commotion will make the faceless come," answered Azlan. “Only those who enter noisy houses will be considered breaking the rules.”"Then, just talking like this won't be a problem?" Leon asked again."As long as you can keep your voice low," answered Azlan again.Leon nodded in understanding now.“Then who are you?” Leon remembered the events of the night when Azlan chased away the faceless black creature.His laughter sounded soft again. “I don't know how many times you've asked who I am. However, you will find out later.”“You know, in my observation, you know a lot of things. About what happened, about what might happen. About what might happen in the future. "My feeling says, you know more than just know," said Leon.This time Azlan was silent, looking at Leon deeply and sharply. "You're like that, Leon," said Azlan."What do you mea
19. Twin Light Paintings Fading
Leon came out of the room, looking to the right and left of the second floor of the quiet inn. Candles lit in several corners of the place helped illuminate the surroundings. Leon walked slowly, not wanting to make a loud noise that might invite discomfort.The second floor was safe, there was only silence. An uncomfortable feeling gripped Leon, even feeling so cold and piercing his skin. Ignoring it, Leon went down to the ground floor, in the lobby which was also quiet. No woman was guarding the registration desk, or anyone guarding there.Leon didn't know why his feet were walking towards the tightly closed main door. In the window not far from the door, there was a gap. The man was silent there, just silent with a straight gaze into the gap peeking at the atmosphere outside.Just like what Leon saw in the room, outside there was only darkness. Usually, there was candlelight outside or something to illuminate but there was none at all. Leon thought, is it because the darkness will d
18. Not What It Seems
“If you want, go ahead. But don’t involve me,” Zenata said. Of course, the girl would refuse. “I don’t want to. Never!” the girl said firmly.“No problem,” Sean replied casually. “Me and Leon will do it. Besides, we didn’t suggest anything to you, like Leon did this morning to divide the tasks,” Sean continued.Zenata stared at Sean sharply, disliking the man.“Right. You don’t have to do it. What you did this afternoon was more than enough. If you don’t want to, that’s okay. Sean and I will investigate,” Leon said.“But Le, what if it can’t be handled? As we know, darkness is hard to handle. We’re just strangers who don’t even have the power to fight a king who is said to be dark and cruel,” Viona chimed in. The girl’s face was restless.“Yes, I know.”“If you knew, you would still do it, right?” Gio already knew that Sean and Leon were two teenagers with high curiosity. They would continue to find out until their curiosity was satisfied.“I think you know that too,” Sean said, still
