That morning, Rio's body ached as if every joint had just been rained on by punches. Memories of the previous night surfaced only as painful flashes, vague and incomplete.
Something had changed, though he didn't know what yet. While his thoughts were still foggy, a voice from outside the room broke the silence.
Rani walked straight into Rio's room without knocking, her face showing a rare look of surprise. Normally, Rio always woke up late. But today, he was already sitting upright on the edge of the bed.
She was already in her school uniform and looked rushed, as if time itself were pulling her away.
"So you can wake up early now,"
she said briefly before turning to leave.
"Breakfast is ready. Get up and eat."
Within a few steps, she was already heading out the door, leaving behind the small warmth that kept Rio going day after day.
Moving carefully, Rio walked into the living room and started eating while watching TV. On the screen, an international boxing match was playing. For some reason, his vision sharpened.
The commentator's voice, the fighters' movements, the rhythm of their breathing—everything felt like clear data, easy to read.
There was a calm focus he had never felt before.
"What is this? Is this because of last night?"
he thought.
He finished breakfast, took a shower, and prepared to go to school, his body still carrying questions with no answers.
As soon as he arrived at school, the pressure returned. The image of bullying always waited beyond the gate, making his steps feel heavy.
But like always, he walked forward anyway. He had no other choice.
Near the entrance, a student approached him.
It was David, one of the guys who bullied him yesterday along with Rivaldo.
"Hey Rio! Lend me some money. You've got some, right?!"
David demanded it in an intimidating tone. He was taller, his gaze sharp, his presence always felt like a threat ready to explode.
"No… I don't have any money."
Rio refused, but that answer only made things worse.
David grabbed the collar of his uniform, lifted Rio slightly, then slammed him back down.
Fear crept in on its own. Rio shut his eyes for a moment as David leaned closer.
"Get up! You coward!"
The command hit like a whip. He had no choice but to obey.
David raised his right hand, ready to throw a punch at Rio's face. But before it landed, Rio's eyes caught the movement—the small details he would normally miss.
His body reacted without thought. He ducked and fell aside, avoiding the punch completely. A small change, but a clear one.
"What was that? You dodged it?"
David looked even angrier now. He walked forward slowly, like a large animal about to pounce. Rio's body trembled, but his eyes weren't empty anymore.
David stepped closer and kicked his leg.
"Get up! Hit me!"
David shouted.
As Rio raised his hand, the movement came naturally. A fast jab shot forward, landing cleanly on David's face. The short, straight punch snapped his head back and sent him stumbling.
Rio stared at his own hand in disbelief.
"Since when could I do that?"
The question echoed through the emptiness in his mind.
David charged again, swinging a heavy punch toward Rio's face. But once more, Rio's body moved on its own.
He sidestepped, then followed with a second jab that slammed into David's jaw. Blood appeared on David's lips, and he could no longer stand properly.
Rio felt no disgust. No fear. Instead, a strange calm flowed through him, as if his body were reading a larger pattern.
"You trained to fight, you bastard!!"
But the sentence cut off when David finally collapsed and passed out.
Normally, David would tell Rio to hit him, knowing how weak he was. But this time, it was different.
Without wasting time, Rio hurried into the school building. In the classroom, he sat in his seat in the middle, lowered his head, and pressed his forehead against the desk. His breathing still hadn't settled.
"What did I just do…? Why did I hit him? And what will happen if they come back?"
Rio looked at his hands.
"And also… what's happening to my body?"
Worry and a strange excitement collided inside his head. Part of him wanted to strike back at Rivaldo, but he knew his new ability was still too raw to face the main bully of the class.
The door suddenly slammed open. The sound made his back tense.
Rivaldo had arrived.
Rio chose to keep his head down, pretending not to see him, even as his heart pounded hard. He knew today wouldn't be easy.
He could only hope that the punches wouldn't be as many as usual.