Logan's hand closed around Daniel's throat, lifting him with terrifying ease.
Daniel gagged, his legs kicking uselessly as the grip tightened. His nails dug into Logan's arm, but it was like trying to bend steel.
"Round two," Logan sneered, his grin widening. "Time to remind you where you belong."
He slammed Daniel against the wall.
Thud!
The plaster cracked. Daniel gasped, pain ripping through his back. His lungs wheezed for air.
Students shrieked and scrambled back. Phones came out, shaky hands recording. Some pressed their hands to their mouths. Others whispered in frantic disbelief.
"That's Daniel Park!""Why's he after him?""Didn't Vasco just get destroyed?""Wait… is he seriously picking on another one already?"
The hallway buzzed with fear, but no one dared step in.
Daniel could barely hear them. The roar of blood in his ears drowned everything else. His chest heaved. His ribs burned with every breath. His vision blurred.
He thought of Vasco, bloody on the ground only minutes ago. His best friend, who had stood in front of him without hesitation, declaring Daniel as his friend. Now Vasco lay broken because of him.
He thought of Zoe—her teasing grin that never quite hid the sharpness in her eyes. He thought of Crystal—her cold gaze, sharp enough to cut through him like a knife, always comparing him unfavorably to someone stronger, someone better.
He thought of Yui—kneeling at Seong Min's side, calling him master without hesitation. Choosing her place willingly, proudly.
And then… he thought of his mother. Her tired smile every morning, the way she placed food in front of him without ever complaining, no matter how heavy the burden. No matter how much he'd failed her.
If I can't even stand up now… what am I?
Logan drew his fist back. His grin was cruel, his eyes filled with venom."Say goodbye, fatty."
For once—Daniel didn't stay still.
His arm shot forward, clumsy and desperate. His fist connected with Logan's cheek.
Smack!
The sound echoed like a firecracker.
The crowd gasped. Phones jerked upward to catch it. Students covered their mouths. Some froze completely, as though the punch had broken reality.
Logan froze. Slowly, he turned his head back toward Daniel. A faint red mark burned on his jaw. His grin faded, his eyes narrowing.
Daniel's chest rose and fell, his whole body trembling. His lip split as he forced the words out, ragged and raw:
"…I won't just let you."
The street went silent. Even the clicking of phones stopped.
Logan blinked once. Then, slowly, his grin returned—sharper, more dangerous than before."You actually hit me?" His voice dropped low, dangerous. "Big mistake."
His fist crashed into Daniel's gut.
Wham!
Air exploded from Daniel's lungs as he folded over, gagging. His body seized in agony. He tried to stay upright, but Logan grabbed his hair and yanked him forward, slamming a knee into his face.
Crack!
Blood gushed from Daniel's nose, splattering across the floor. The students flinched, some crying out, some dropping their phones in shock.
Still, somehow, Daniel staggered back to his feet. His arms raised again, shaking but clenched. His body screamed at him to collapse. But his spirit refused.
"I… won't… stay down," he gasped, voice raw.
Logan's grin twisted, ugly and cruel. "Pathetic."
He hammered his fists into Daniel's ribs.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Then his chest. His face.
Wham! Crack! Smack!
Each blow sent shockwaves through him, snapping his head, rattling his bones, making blood spray from his lips. But Daniel refused to curl up.
For the first time, he wasn't covering his head, waiting for it to end. He was trying to fight back.
He swung again, his punch wide and slow. Logan blocked with ease, sneering, then crushed his knuckles into Daniel's jaw, sending him stumbling sideways.
Daniel's thoughts blurred. His teeth ached. His mouth filled with iron.
But one thing burned clear: If I fall here, I'll never stand again.
"Look at him…" someone whispered, their voice trembling."He's still resisting.""Daniel Park? The fatty?"
Some laughed nervously, but it wasn't humor. It was disbelief. Fear.Others shook their heads, muttering that he was insane.
But none could look away.
Even Logan tilted his head slightly, a glimmer of curiosity flickering in his eyes. "You've changed a little," he admitted, almost amused. "But not enough."
His boot smashed into Daniel's chest.
Thud!
Daniel hit the ground hard, rolling across the pavement. His vision spun, blood trickling into his mouth. His body screamed at him to stay down. To give up.
But slowly, painfully, he pushed himself back to his knees.
Logan's grin sharpened. "Still crawling? Fine. Crawl for me."
Daniel spat blood onto the ground. His lip trembled, but he lifted his chin. His voice cracked, small, but it was a refusal.
"No."
The word cut through the hallway louder than any shout.
Logan's eyes narrowed. His grin faded for just a second.
A memory flashed in Daniel's mind—Vasco, standing tall with blood dripping down his face, declaring: "I don't stop. Not when it's for my friends."
Daniel's fists clenched, weak but determined. His voice cracked, but he forced it out again:
"I don't stop either."
He lunged forward.
It was clumsy, telegraphed, hopeless. His fist swung wide.
Logan caught it with one hand. He twisted, and Daniel cried out as pain shot through his arm.
"Wrong answer."
Logan's other fist slammed into Daniel's stomach, lifting him off his feet.
Wham!
Daniel hit the ground again, choking, bile rising in his throat. His vision blurred.
But even there, flat on the pavement, he tried to rise. His elbows shook violently. His arms gave out. He fell again.
Still—he pushed.
The students murmured, eyes wide.
"He's insane.""Why's he still getting up?""Logan's going to kill him."
Logan's grin returned, crueler than ever. He planted his boot on Daniel's chest, pinning him down.
"You're still the same weak loser," he said. He leaned forward, pressing harder, making Daniel choke. "But hey—you've got guts. Let's see how long they last."
Daniel's vision darkened at the edges. His whole body trembled, broken and bloodied. His breath rattled in his chest.
But deep inside, something small flickered.
I can't keep being useless. Not anymore.
Logan released the pressure and stepped back, shaking his head with a laugh. He cracked his neck, then wiped his jaw where Daniel had struck him earlier.
"one of the Strongest at J High you say fell now. Now the Daniel you are trying to fight me. What a joke ,don't me you forgot ."
Daniel coughed blood, his palms pressing against the ground as he tried to rise again. His body screamed, but he wouldn't stop.
His classmates stared, horrified. Some looked away, unable to stomach it. Others couldn't stop watching, transfixed.
Because even in the blood and humiliation, Daniel Park—the boy they'd all dismissed—wasn't giving up.
And that, somehow, was scarier than the beating itself.
✨ End of Chapter 64 ✨