Chapter 8: Back to School Again Part 2
I walked into the classroom.
Like a ripple across a still pond, every head turned.
The chatter quieted. Eyes locked onto me—some wide, others narrowed in confusion. A few looked away quickly, pretending they weren't staring. But I could feel it.
Every. Single. One.
I made my way to the back, to the same old desk I'd always sat in. The same chair, the same window view of the courtyard. Except now, it all felt... smaller.
I sat down, calmly placing my bag beside me.
> "So this is what it's like… when the world starts to notice."
Class began. The teacher entered. Lessons rolled on like clockwork—math, language, theory. But none of it mattered.
Because I was remembering.
---
Back Then
This school used to be hell.
Not because of the teachers. Not because of the work.
Because of him.
> Zhang Wei.
He wasn't just any delinquent. He had weight behind his fists—literal and political. His family name carried enough pressure to keep the faculty quiet and the students terrified. His father was an A-Rank Hunter. His older brother, B-Rank. And Zhang Wei? He walked like he'd already inherited their titles.
He'd throw my bag out the window.
Force me to kneel just because he felt like it.
He once used a low-grade stun artifact on me in the locker room—for laughs.
I never fought back.
I couldn't.
Because in a world where strength defined your worth… I had none.
---
Now
The final bell rang.
Students bolted for the doors, laughter erupting, conversations igniting.
I moved slower. Not because I was tired. I just… didn't feel the rush anymore.
But as I stepped out the building, the air shifted.
There he was.
Same cocky lean against the gate, same expensive branded jacket, sleeves rolled up to show his Hunter family bracelet. He'd grown taller since the last time—but so had I.
> "Well, well. If it isn't little Luo Shen," Zhang Wei said, lips curling into a smirk. "Thought you vanished or something."
I said nothing.
My eyes met his.
His smirk faltered—just a flicker.
> "Why you lookin' at me like that?" he snapped, folding his arms. "Tch… you think you're tough now? Huh?"
I tilted my head slightly. Just enough to let the light catch the cold gleam in my eyes.
The same kind of look predators gave before striking.
He shifted his feet.
> "Don't forget," he barked, louder now as if trying to convince himself. "My dad's an A-Rank Hunter! My brother? B-Rank! You think you scare me with those eyes?!"
My gaze didn't waver.
Didn't blink.
The words rolled off me like dust.
I could see it. The twitch in his jaw. The way his breathing subtly quickened.
He was expecting the old Luo Shen.
The one who'd flinch. Who'd beg. Who'd shrink away.
But that version of me had been buried in the dungeon, beneath the monster I carved open with a blade that hummed to my pulse.
> "You done talking?" I asked quietly.
Just five words.
But they hit harder than a punch.
Zhang Wei stepped back half a pace—instinctively. His smirk now tight, unsure.
> "Tch. Whatever, freak," he muttered, turning away. "You're lucky I'm not in the mood."
But I knew the truth.
For the first time… he was the one afraid.
And I hadn't even lifted a finger.
---
As I walked away, I didn't look back.
But I could feel his eyes on me.
Confused. Angry. Powerless.
> "This is what it means… to evolve."
Not with words.
Not with vengeance.
But by becoming someone… they can't touch anymore.
Zhang Wei stood stiff near the school gate, jaw tight, fists clenched.
His usual entourage—three boys dressed in the same flashy, half-Hunter-core, half-wannabe street style—stood a few paces behind him, confused and murmuring.
> "Did you see his eyes?" "That was Luo Shen?" "Damn… he didn't even flinch. He used to run just seeing Zhang Wei."
One of them stepped closer. "Boss… you okay?"
Zhang Wei didn't answer at first.
His gaze lingered on the path Luo Shen had taken, vanishing into the far street.
Then, finally—
> "He's changed," Zhang Wei muttered. "Completely."
The word "changed" hung in the air like smoke.
But in his voice, there wasn't awe. There was… challenge.
> "Tch. So what if he stares different? I'll beat it out of him next time."
He cracked his knuckles. "Let's see if he still talks big when he's spitting blood on the pavement."
His followers exchanged uncertain glances, but none dared argue.
---
Evening – Luo Shen's Apartment
The city was bathed in a burnt-orange hue, shadows growing long across the rooftops as Luo Shen returned home. The hum of distant traffic and flickering signs echoed the rhythm of the streets, but his mind was elsewhere.
The interface floated in front of him as he walked through the door.
> [Synchronization: 18%]
[Points: 0]
[Status: Restored]
[Task: Pending Dungeon Registration (C-Rank Request Confirmed)]
He dropped his school bag, changed into darker field gear, tied his dagger to his inner belt holster, and exhaled slowly.
> "Let's see what a C-Rank looks like."
---
C-Rank Dungeon – Outer District 14
The entrance shimmered like warped glass, embedded in the side of a long-abandoned metro tunnel. A temporary Hunter Association barricade marked the zone perimeter, where a team of six Hunters gathered—gear checked, armor shining with enchantments, expressions ranging from bored to focused.
A stocky man waved him over. "You the porter?"
Luo Shen nodded silently.
> "Name's Huang Jie," the man said, tapping his Hunter badge. "We're a private team. Don't fall behind, don't ask questions, and stay out of the fight."
The others barely glanced at Luo Shen. Just another rookie. Another weakling hired to carry supplies and shut up.
Fine.
Let them think that.
---
Inside the Dungeon
The air grew heavy the moment they stepped through.
It was darker than the D-Rank dungeon—more humid, the corridors narrower, the ambient pressure denser. Strange sounds echoed from beyond the walls—hisses, wet scraping, the shuffle of claws.
> [System Notification: C-Rank Dungeon – "Flesh Hollows"]
Difficulty: Mid
Objective: Core Elimination
Warning: Aggressive Mutation Detected in Boss Entity
The group moved efficiently. Traps disabled, minor beasts slain, loot secured. Luo Shen followed in silence, bearing packs and fragments of fallen monsters.
But with every passing minute, he felt it.
The hum again. Stronger than before.
His heartbeat matched it. His steps synced to it. Like something beneath the surface of this world was calling to him—and only him.
---
Boss Room – Deep Chamber
The team paused before a massive sealed door, etched with ancient glyphs and claw marks.
"We take it slow," Huang Jie ordered. "Formation Beta. On my signal."
The door opened.
A rush of air escaped—thick with rot and something… ancient.
Inside, a grotesque hybrid of reptile and fleshbeast towered over the room. Its back bristled with jagged bones, and its mouth split in four directions when it roared.
The team rushed in—magic flared, blades clashed.
Luo Shen stayed back.
> "Porter—stay put!" someone yelled.
He nodded. Then quietly slipped into the shadows near the edge of the chamber.
The fight unfolded fast—spells struck true, the beast bellowed and staggered, smoke filled the air.
But as the final hit was supposedly delivered by one of the team's main DPS—
The creature lurched back to life.
A second heart.
Its core wasn't destroyed.
The others didn't notice.
They were celebrating already—turning, shouting victory.
But Luo Shen saw it.
Felt it.
The Synchronization spiked.
> [Alert: Host in Proximity to Mutated Core Entity]
Engage Y/N?
He didn't hesitate.
> "Yes."
---
The mutated boss turned toward him, sensing the hidden threat.
But Luo Shen was faster.
The dagger gleamed—vibration layer activated.
His body moved on instinct.
Slide—stab—twist—dodge.
Its claws grazed his shoulder, but his counter drove straight into its second core. Black ichor sprayed across the chamber wall. The beast howled—and collapsed for good this time.
> [System Notification: Boss Eliminated – True Kill Confirmed]
Bonus Synchronization Rate Acquired: +10%
Current Sync: 28%
Status: Combat Tier – Peak C-Rank Equivalent Unlocked
Neural Adaptation Evolving…
System Panal:
> [STATUS]
Name: Luo Shen
Attributes:
— Strength: 32
— Agility: 30
— Vitality: 29
— Perception: 26
— Intelligence: 19
— Luck: 13
Luo Shen stood in the stillness.
Breathing hard, blade dripping.
The others were just beginning to realize the beast's strange second death… but no one saw him fight.
No one knew.
---
Later That Night – Back Home
He returned as the city dipped into deep night.
Clothes slightly torn, body sore, but mind sharpened.
He sat on his bed, summoned the interface again.
> [Synchronization Rate: 28%]
[Points Earned: 70]
[Status: Enhanced]
[Hidden Combat Achievement Logged]
He stared at the numbers.
Not just stronger—faster, smarter, more in tune with his instincts than ever.
This time, it wasn't just muscle.
It was control.
> "So this is what it means to evolve through real combat…"
He closed the interface.
Tomorrow, he'd return to school like normal.
But he wasn't normal anymore.
End of Chapter 8