The sound of the final bell rang through the school, signaling the end of the last class for the day. Almost instantly, a wave of excitement swept through the classroom as students hurriedly gathered their belongings, eager to head out for their preferred activities. The air buzzed with chatter and laughter, desks scraped against the floor as chairs were pushed back, and footsteps echoed down the hallways as the students rushed to their destinations.
For most, this was the best part of the day.
Sports time.
Some would head to the football field, others to the basketball court, while a few preferred indoor activities like chess or table tennis. However, Liam and Dickson had never been the type to engage in anything physically demanding. Instead, their usual routine consisted of finding a quiet corner somewhere on campus and immersing themselves in books—not for the sake of studying, but simply because they had nothing better to do.
As the students poured out of the classroom in a frantic rush, eager to engage in their favorite sports, an abrupt and piercing shriek suddenly cut through the chaotic noise.
"KYAAAAH!!!"
The high-pitched scream was sharp enough to freeze the movement of several students nearby, heads turning in curiosity or mild concern. And then, immediately following the shriek, a voice rang out, loud enough to echo down the hallway.
"WHO GRABBED MY BUTT?!"
The question, filled with absolute outrage and disbelief, sent an awkward wave through the crowd. A few students exchanged confused glances, while others, clearly uninterested, continued pushing their way forward, completely ignoring the girl's anger.
Liam, who had been standing not too far from the commotion, felt his entire body suddenly stiffen as a familiar ding resounded in his ears.
A transparent screen flickered into existence before him, filled with bright glowing text.
[Mission: Grab a Butt – Completed]
[Reward: Strength +4, Charm +2]
His brows furrowed in confusion as he stared at the message. Wait... what?
So there was a reward for it?.
Just as he was beginning to question the situation, the screen shifted again, now displaying a new section labeled [Stats] in bold letters. His eyes widened slightly as the information expanded before him, revealing a detailed breakdown of his physical and mental attributes.
[Liam Carter – Stats]
Strength: 6 (+4) → 10/1000
Agility: 7/1000
Endurance: 5/1000
Charm: 3 (+2) → 5/1000
Intelligence: 5/1000
Liam's face darkened almost immediately.
"What the fuck is this?" he mumbled under his breath, his eyes narrowing at the numbers before him.
His strength and charm had increased—which was good, he supposed—but the thing that really caught his attention was his intelligence stat. His eyes dropped to the glaring number sitting at the bottom of the list, his expression twisting in disbelief.
Intelligence: 5/1000.
Five... out of a thousand?
Liam almost let out a loud curse right then and there. Was this system shitting on him?
It was one thing to be physically weak, but this was straight-up insulting. Did this mean he had the intelligence of a fucking goldfish? Was he supposed to be a complete idiot? No wonder his life had been a mess until now—he had 5 intelligence points.
"This is fucking ridiculous," he muttered under his breath, still processing the absurdity of the situation.
Suddenly, a familiar voice interrupted his thoughts.
"Yo, Liam, what's up with you?"
Liam turned his head slightly, just in time to see Dickson appear beside him, arms crossed as he studied Liam's expression with mild suspicion.
"You've been looking distracted as hell ever since you got back," Dickson said, raising an eyebrow. "You good?"
Liam blinked a few times, quickly shaking off his thoughts before forcing a small, casual smile.
"Nothing," he replied smoothly. "Just got my mind preoccupied with some stuff."
Dickson snorted, rolling his eyes. "Tch. Whatever, man. If you don't wanna tell me, just say so. No need to act all mysterious about it."
Liam let out a light chuckle, relieved that Dickson wasn't pressing the issue any further.
A comfortable silence settled between them for a moment before Dickson clapped his hands together, shifting the conversation.
"Anyway, what are we reading today?" he asked, already expecting the usual response.
Liam glanced at him before tilting his head slightly. "Don't you ever get tired of reading all the time?"
Dickson gave him a deadpan look. "It's not like we can do anything else."
A smirk tugged at the corner of Liam's lips. "How about we go watch football instead?"
The reaction was instant.
Dickson's jaw nearly dropped.
"What?" he blurted out, his voice slightly louder than intended. He stared at Liam, eyes widened in shock, almost as if he had just heard something completely impossible.
Did he just hear that correctly?
Did **Liam—**the guy who had actively avoided the football field for **years—**just suggest going there voluntarily?
Of all the places in this school, that was the one place Liam had always been terrified of. The reason?
Because that was where his greatest tormentors were.
Sam, Daryl, Kyle, and Jack.
Those four ruled the football field. They were athletic, strong, and popular—everything Liam wasn't. They had bullied him relentlessly, turning his life into a constant cycle of humiliation and fear.
And yet...
Here Liam was, casually suggesting that they go watch football.
Dickson stared at his friend, feeling something stir in his chest—excitement, confusion, maybe even a little bit of admiration.
This wasn't the same Liam from before.
This was someone else.
And whatever had changed him... Dickson wanted to see where it would lead.
"Alright," he finally said, shaking his head with a smirk. "Let's see what the hell is going on with you."