"I-It's too delicious!" Hector slowly chewed a slice of meat in happiness, then he kept picking up another piece with his chopsticks and bringing it to his mouth.
"Maybe… No… It's the first time I've eaten anything this tasty." His tears began to spill from his eyes as he continued chewing.
"My god... I want to save this moment forever…"
Bam!
Suddenly, the food tray on Hector's desk was hit by something, causing his meal to be ruined.
His portion immediately flew off the tray and dropped onto the dirty ground beside the eating table.
Because of that, it was unable to be eaten anymore.
It had touched the dirt.
And now, the only thing left on the tray was a shabby, grimy shoe.
Hector lightly wiped the viscous oil from the meat that had splashed onto his face, but it was too hard for him due to its stickiness, so he glanced around in anger.
Then, a mocking voice drifted, drawing everyone's attention in the dining room.
"Sorryyyy! My mistake! I meant to throw it into a trash bin nearby…"
Hector turned his eyes toward the source of the voice.
A young man with blonde hair sat cross-legged on a wooden chair. He slowly leaned his head toward Hector with a smirk. A few people at the table also chuckled at their companion's behavior.
It was clear that Hector was the "trash bin" the young man had mentioned, as nothing else fit that description.
He was being mocked, but there were a few things Hector still couldn't grasp.
"Huh? I remember not having any problems with them." Yet, a few seconds later, he understood the reason as he looked at someone sitting nearby.
"Haley? I knew this would happen eventually, but I didn't expect it so soon. Yet, I couldn't do anything about it. If I act like them, I'd be no better than they are… I don't have to be a child. Moreover, I couldn't fight back because of the Academy's rules — and neither could they."
"However…"
Hector slowly and slightly rose from his chair and walked toward the table where Haley was sitting, while the others began focusing on his movements.
''I have to retaliate. If I don't, my life at the academy will stay like this forever. I don't want to be constantly irritated by things like this.''
He understood this well. He had been in a similar situation before. If he gave in, they would only push further.
He would become the lion, and they would feel the pain.
Although he knew he couldn't beat them in a fair fight, he wasn't ready for that yet. But he had a secret weapon:
Pressure points he had just discovered.
This was his golden opportunity.
With this unexpected technique, he could stun them all and force them to be cautious around him.
Hector knew one thing: people always fear what they don't understand.
Maybe… but Haley knew all about him, so he hoped the number of bullies would drop significantly.
''So… you want to attack me? ''The muscular young man stood up too, glaring at Hector with mocking eyes. Then, he turned to the rest of the dining hall and shouted loudly:
"Hey! Everyone! He's going to hit me! So… I have the right to defend myself, don't I?"
No one replied, but everyone understood what those words really meant.
The academy's rules forbade any fights that weren't officially sanctioned. However, if someone was attacked first, they were permitted to defend themselves without facing punishment.
Of course, Hector knew that well, but he intended to act differently and avoid any consequences altogether.
Countless glowing white dots slowly emerged across the muscular young man's body as Hector channeled mana into his eyes. Simultaneously, energy coursed through his veins, sharpening his senses.
If I strike a precise pressure point, he'll black out instantly. They'll have no choice but to accept it. And it wouldn't even be considered a fight…
Hector smirked as he observed his opponent. But in the very next second, his face contorted in alarm, and his body began to shake uncontrollably.
The abrupt shift in his demeanor caused everyone nearby to knit their brows in confusion.
"I-Instructor?! W-Why are you here?" Hector stuttered.
Instinctively, everyone turned to look in the direction Hector had spoken, eyes wary and uncertain.
An instructor? Now?
They scanned the surroundings cautiously.
A few seconds passed in tense silence.
"I don't see anyone…" a girl said in bewilderment.
"Same here!"
"Could it be…?"
Before anyone could piece things together, the muscular young man grimaced, suspicion flickering across his features. Then, he turned back instantly.
"You bastard! You dare lie to me?!" he roared.
But by the time Hector was no longer there.
"FUCKKKK!"
With a furious roar, he kicked over a dining table, sending trays and dishes crashing to the floor.
The entire hall erupted with hushed murmurs and muffled laughter. At that moment, Haley's group looked like nothing more than a troupe of fools.
Normally, no one dared to mock him, let alone trick him in front of a crowd. Yet Hector's timing and expression were far too convincing—unnaturally so, for someone like him. But by now, it didn't matter.
Because it had all been a bluff, and that was the only way it could have played out.
BAM!
Another loud crash rang out. This time, it was Haley. His clenched fist smashed through his own food tray, eyes burning with fury.
"Fuck! AGAIN! That dumb humiliated me…!"
Meanwhile, Hector raced through the hallway, sweat pouring down his skin. His heart pulsed in his chest like a drum.
He clenched his fists, jaw tight as guilt twisted inside him.
"Damn it! I didn't think I was this much of a coward…"
His plan had been to strike when the enemy dropped his guard. But instead of attacking—
He had panicked.
And run.
Like a pathetic, lowly coward.
"Fuuuckkkk! My life here is completely ruined!"
Hector kept sprinting through the long hallway of the castle, managing to find a private corner to hide until the afternoon practice structure began.