Seeing their teacher was no longer around, some of the students started to leave the class.
Reith stood up to leave the class. He wanted to go back to the privacy of his room, or at least get to know about this Golden Archive. It was best if he found something now so he could build a goal around it.
"To begin a journey, you need a destination," Reith muttered to himself as he stretched his body.
Then, before he could form another thought, something slammed into him.
"Reith, watch out!" Reith heard Isho's voice right before he stumbled to the other side.
A loud smack followed by a loud crash resounded in his ears before he got his footing.
Reith turned around swiftly, and his eyes met Isho on the floor, with chairs scattered around him. He had crashed into a desk.
"Isho!" He rushed to Isho's side instantly and raised his face. There was a large bruise above his eyes, and Reith frowned.
"Reith. It's fine." Isho held Reith's hand, preventing him from moving.
Reith looked down, and on the floor beside them was a large textbook with a heavy cover.
"Someone threw that, Isho. You can't tell me not to do anything," Reith answered, and he pulled Isho's grip from him.
Isho shook his head. "I'm fine, absolutely," he muttered, rising from his feet. "So, it's not really worth it," he said, remembering what had happened in their city.
It was because Reith saved him that Bandar had almost killed him. Isho wasn't going to watch that happen again, especially now that Reith didn't even have a good cultivation path.
"I can withstand the pain," Isho said, hoping his friend would listen.
However, Reith's head was as thick as the textbook's cover, and he turned his gaze away.
Just as he was about to say something, he saw something shiny from the corner of his eyes, but this time he caught the second book.
Raising his gaze, Reith saw them. A group of boys walked toward him with a confident aura.
At their center was someone different.
He was tall, broad-shouldered, and dressed in the pristine academy uniform like it was tailored specially for him.
His hair was jet-black and perfectly combed, but what stood out most were his eyes.
His eyes glowed faintly gold, catching the sunlight in a way that made them seem alive.
"Oh, the loser can catch a book now. I'm guessing your garbage path isn't trashy enough." From the looks of his adornment, he was from a wealthy family.
Reith narrowed his gaze. This center-guy reeked with strength.
"I didn't think there would be bullies even among the Regional Insignia's selected prodigies. Isn't this act bringing shame to his name," Reith said in response, and he stood in front of Isho.
"Such a low-class behaviour coming from someone of your stature," Reith continued.
The boys behind Golden Eyes frowned, and Golden Eyes' response was even worse.
He instantly went in for a strike, a punch heading for Reith's face.
Reith frowned. He hadn't expected that this guy would instantly fight him.
Wanting to dodge it, Reith moved and his thoughts raced.
"I don't think Ms. Susan would take well to us fighting in her classroom," Reith said and raised his arms to block the incoming attack.
Suddenly, it felt like the dreaded fist vanished, and a blow was directed into Reith's guts, making him curl in pain, and air was instantly knocked out of him.
Reith gasped and clutched his stomach as the pain made him dizzy.
'Focus, Reith. Defend yourself,' Reith tried to collect his thoughts, and Isho's voice floated into his ears.
"Leave him alone! We did nothing to any–"
"Get lost." Golden Eyes shoved Isho aside and beckoned to his boys. "Grab the loser while I teach him to know his place, and hold the grey-haired one down."
Reith tried to move, but his body felt like it didn't belong to him. It didn't listen.
He was lifted up, and he stared at Golden Eyes.
"What's the point of this?" Reith asked, but he was answered with a blow to his nose, and his head cracked to the side, blood spilling down his face.
Reith raised his face, taking a look around. There were other students in the place but they all held their phones up, not bothering to help.
Was Golden Eyes this terrifying? Or did they all seek comfort in watching the torment of others? This was the same thing they did back in his city. Every one of them watched.
Pain radiated all around his face and Reith tasted blood on his lips. It seemed like Golden Eyes' punch had torn his lips too.
The other students were filming. He could see some of their shock but they still stood by. Where was humanity heading to?
Golden Eyes smirked. "Look at me," he said, and punched the boy's face again.
Meanwhile, Isho struggled.
Urek was still asleep and with his current strength, there was no way he could single-handedly summon the bird.
Golden Eyes pulled Reith's face forward. "I was afraid when I heard your talent grade and after hearing your worthless path grade. I couldn't believe it. I even thought you were lying," he said, tightening his hold on Reith's chin.
"You know, I thought you were going to be a problem. Turns out you are not so strong." Golden Eyes laughed. "This is actually fun." He raised his hand, wanting to go for another hit.
Reith mentally braced himself and closed his eyes, resigning to his fate.
The hit never came.
Someone had walked into the classroom.
Reith opened his eyes and realized something had changed. Golden Eyes and his goons had stopped moving.
Then he raised his gaze. There was a young man looking at him, and the man gave him a simple nod.
Isho also noticed it, and then he saw that he was able to move freely. He instantly went to assist Reith.
Holding his friend, they both followed the strange person out of the classroom.
When they were a good distance away, the noise returned back to the classroom.
"Thank you," Isho muttered to the person and Reith simply nodded his head. His entire body was trembling with pain.
How did Golden Eyes pack so much force in a single punch?
The young man looked at them, and he bowed his head, shocking them both. "Please forgive my brother, Derek! He is still a child. I am the elder brother of the person that was just beating you both. Please forgive him."
Reith's frown deepened and Isho hardened his gaze. That golden-eyes boy wouldn't look like a child to any normal person.
"We did nothing to deserve what your brother did to us," Isho answered.
The young man bowed again. "I sincerely apologize. Derek was sent back from the TRUE APEX Academy because of his bad behavior. He forcefully crippled two of his colleagues." The man's head was still down.
"I was told to check on him by our family. I can't believe he is doing this again. I will punish him," he declared, and a heavy pressure came down. Both of them could feel his raw anger.
Reith's path had merely neutralized the force.
Reith suddenly understood why Derek had flared up. His words must have made him remember his past mistake.
"We…" Meanwhile, Isho stammered, trying to find his footing in such a pressure.
Realizing his mistake, the man withdrew his pressure. "Once again, I'm very sorry. Derek would pay for what he did, I assure you that. Please accept this healing pill from me. I am very sorry but I'd have to leave you soon and report back to my superior," the young man said, and with the last bow, he walked away.
Isho took the pill and handed it to Reith.
"We should share it. You are wounded too," Reith said with a groan, but Isho refused.
He placed the pill in Reith's hand and turned his face away.
Left with no choice, Reith took half of the pill, and it was enough for his body to be back to normal. His wounds healed instantly.
"You can have the other. I'm okay now," Reith answered.
Without hesitation, Isho swallowed the pill and exhaled in relief.
"It must have cost a lot."
Reith turned to his friend. "What?"
"The pill. My family makes healing pills too and not one has been as fully effective as this," Isho explained as they found a bench.
Reith smiled. "Think Golden Eyes… I mean, Derek would face trouble for it."
"Definitely," Isho answered, and they both laughed.
After talking together for a while, the two friends went their different paths, and soon enough, Reith arrived at his hostel room.
"Hey Ruach. Why didn't you help me out there?" Reith said as he laid on his bed.
Ruach materialized in front of him, wearing his child-like appearance.
"You didn't call me, Reith. Did you forget I was with you?" Ruach answered with a sigh.
Reith kept his gaze on the ceiling. It was never easy to rely on others after being always being on your own.
"Yes, that's true. I forgot," he answered, and Ruach walked closer.
"Also, if I kept helping you do everything, open every door, fix every problem, answer every question, you'd never learn to read your books, work hard on your strength, nor grow your given abilities," Ruach said, and Reith simply hummed.
Ruach's eyes softened at the boy. "I want you to call to me, but I also want you to grow. Do you understand this?"
Reith nodded. "I should be cautious with my actions too, and try to think twice. Maybe I should have asked you before responding that way."
"Yes. However, if you responded well, he'd still have beaten you up. Strength isn't avoiding pain, Reith. It's learning through it, and with me, you don't have to go through it alone." Ruach said and Reith slightly chuckled.
Ruach was right. Derek simply wanted to beat him up.
If he was stronger, maybe it would have been a different case.
"I know you are very strong, Ruach. Stronger than I can imagine, and probably much more. Do you think I have the ability to become strong too?"
It was a question deep from his soul. Receiving those punches from Derek had driven him to that dark alleyway.
The memory he had tried to forget.
He had made a mistake, played with things he should have left. He had become curious, and he was caught. He had been beaten up in that alley, but Reisa had come to save him.
She had fought them back, even though she was partly beaten.
That day, he remembered seeing blood dripping down her hand.
She still looked at him with a smile and told him everything would be fine.
Two days later, Reisa said she had to leave the city. Deep down, Reith knew it was because of his mistake.
He clenched his fists, waiting for a reply.
"Yes Reith. You have the potential, and you can be stronger than you ever imagined. You have the will but you also need to work. Work harder than you can ever imagine, leaving no room for laziness and indiscipline." Ruach answered, and Reith's smile widened.
Yes. He would work harder.
Reith jumped down from his bed, and he was going to work harder from now on.
"Tonight, a hundred push-ups. Even if I die. What do you think Ruach?"
"Just don't die," Ruach answered, and Reith chuckled before he set his body into motion.