The school courtyard had never felt this tense before.
Students gathered in a wide circle with their phones raised as whispers spread like wildfire through dry grass.
Most of them still believed that West wasn’t even awakened.
West Einstein stood calmly at the center with his bag hanging loosely from one shoulder. His expression was relaxed as if he wasn’t surrounded by danger.
Caleb stood directly in front of him, already transformed.
His body had grown grotesquely large, over seven feet tall with muscles bulging unnaturally beneath his skin.
Veins pulsed like thick cables across his neck and arms as his eyes glowed red with feral intensity. Glowing lines extended from one eye to the other and then straight down to his jawline as scales appeared on his arms and legs.
Behind him stood the other three.
Icarus...
Bront...
Vyre...
All clad in dark purple jackets, representing their gang.
The murmurs from the crowd grew louder.
"Isn’t West unawakened?"
"Why are four awakened attacking him?"
"That’s insane..."
"That’s overkill..."
Icarus tilted his head slightly as his glowing blue chains dangled lazily from his fingers.
"...He isn’t awakened?"
His voice carried quiet disbelief.
He looked at Caleb, then at West before clicking his tongue.
"Tch."
He stepped back.
Bront and Vyre glanced at him.
Icarus waved his hand dismissively.
"This is pathetic."
He turned slightly, walking a few steps away.
"I refuse to gang up on an unawakened. That’s shameful."
Bront smirked and followed his lead, crossing his arms.
Vyre sighed and rested his glowing sword over his shoulder.
They weren’t worried... instead their faces had gone from excited to bored in a second. They thought Caleb had brought them here to deal with some super strong awakened but finding that West being a regular person was a let down.
Icarus spoke again with a condescending tone.
"Caleb."
"Handle it."
"And do it quickly."
Bront added with a chuckle,
"Seriously... why did you even need help for this?"
Vyre scoffed.
"Don’t waste our time."
Caleb’s face contorted.
Their words cut deeper than any blade.
This was supposed to be his moment of redemption.
His moment to reclaim his dignity.
And instead, they were treating him like a joke. He recalled how West had gotten the jump on him in their first confrontation but after thinking about it for a while, he realized that there was no way West could possibly defeat him... not while he had successfully activated his branch.
West didn’t say a word... he simply moved, vanishing from his standing position and appeared directly in front of Caleb.
Before anyone could react—
BOOM.
His fist crashed into Caleb’s face.
The sound was sickening.
Caleb’s massive body lifted off the ground and flew, spinning across the air uncontrollably.
He crashed violently across the courtyard floor before rolling several meters.
The entire crowd froze and the surroundings immediately turned silent.
Even Icarus’ lazy expression cracked.
"...What?"
Caleb lay there for a moment, stunned as his vision blurred.
His skull rang violently as he tasted blood.
’Did his punch get even stronger? How??? That... how could an ordinary person send me flying with a single punch?!! How?! How?!’
Humiliation flooded his mind like poison.
Icarus’ voice snapped him out of it.
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!"
His voice thundered across the courtyard.
"DO NOT EMBARRASS OUR GANG!"
Caleb’s teeth clenched as his hands slammed into the ground.
He jumped to his feet with rage burning in his eyes.
He roared and charged forward sending a massive fist toward West’s head.
Fwwhwooopp~
West leaned slightly towards the left and the punch missed.
West’s counter came instantly, sending another fist flying forward but Caleb was prepared this time.
Their fists collided.
BOOM.
A small wind wave of breeze burst outward but Caleb was the one who slid back.
One foot...
Then another...
Soon his feet was grinding across the ground.
His eyes widened....
’Impossible. Even in my transformed state?’
He attacked again.
Faster...
Harder...
Sending out punch after punch after punch but West was faster.
He weaved through the blows effortlessly and each time their fists met—
Caleb slid back.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Despite being over seven feet tall.
Despite his transformation.
Despite his awakened strength.
He was losing the physical exchange.
Icarus frowned.
Bront straightened slightly.
Vyre narrowed his eyes.
This wasn’t normal.
Caleb roared in frustration and slammed his palms together.
BOOM!
A violent shockwave erupted outward and West was sent flying backward.
He hit the ground and rolled.
Caleb grinned because this was one of the abilities his transformation carried. He just waited till the right time to use it, letting West think all he had was physical strength.
However, to his surprise West stood to his feet barely ruffled up.
’Oh? Looks like the chalice is starting to take effect... I bet that would have done way more damage if I haven’t drank from the chalice three times already...’
Caleb attacked again.
Clap—
BOOM.
A shockwave swept across the surroundings again but this time, West had already moved out of its Area of Effect.
Although, the attack didn’t do much damage, he wasn’t about to keep letting himself get hit or he’d eventually lose the fight.
He leapt towards the side, twisted mid-air and landed smoothly.
Caleb charged forward and clapped his hands again.
BOOM.
Another shockwave ruptured outwards but West wasn’t there.
Caleb’s eyes widened as West appeared behind him.
A fist drove into Caleb’s spine.
CRACK.
Caleb’s massive body was launched forward violently.
He hadn’t even recovered when West appeared again, swinging his leg forward.
A kick slammed into Caleb’s face, sending him hurling across the air again.
BOOM.
Caleb crashed directly into Bront and both of them stumbled.
The crowd erupted into gasps.
Icarus’ expression darkened as he stood to his feet from where he was seated initially.
He stepped forward with his blue glowing chains rattling violently.
He grabbed Caleb by the collar and shoved him aside.
"You useless idiot."
His eyes burned with anger as he turned his head slightly.
"Vyre."
"Show this fool how it’s done."