Chapter 2

Darius woke up with sweat pouring down his face, his heart pounding in his chest. He groaned as he struggled to sit up, feeling a dull ache in his arms. "What the hell kind of dream was that?" he muttered to himself, his voice filled with disbelief. He swung his legs over the edge of the bed, his heart still racing from the intensity of the dream.

As he stood up, Darius suddenly slipped on something wet, losing his balance. He reached out and managed to catch himself on the edge of the dresser, narrowly avoiding a painful fall. He glanced down at the liquid on the floor and his eyes widened in horror. It was blood. His mind spun with fear and confusion as he tried to process what he was seeing.

Darius quickly knelt down and peered under the bed, his stomach churning at the sight that greeted him. There, hidden in the shadows, were the lifeless bodies of the two men from his dream. Panic surged through his veins, his breath coming in short, shallow gasps.

A familiar voice echoed in his mind, sending shivers down his spine. "You can thank me for that," it said, dripping with cockiness. Darius's blood ran cold as he realized it was Tom Lee, the enigmatic figure from his dream, speaking to him from behind.

"Mr. Dangler man, you did this?" Darius stammered, his fingers trembling with anxiety. The gravity of the situation hit him like a ton of bricks. "Of course I did," Tom Lee replied, his tone filled with a mix of arrogance and amusement. "I can't have anyone see my vessel's Dangler, you know? Besides, you should be grateful."

Darius's mind reeled, unable to comprehend the chaos unfolding before him. "Thank me?" he exclaimed, his voice laced with disbelief and fear. He glanced around the room, his eyes darting from the bodies to Tom Lee. "You've made me a murderer!"

Tom Lee's voice softened, a hint of offense creeping in. "Don't worry, they're not dead," he reassured, his tone strangely calm. Darius felt a wave of relief wash over him, followed by a surge of confusion. "Not dead?" he repeated, his voice barely above a whisper.

Just then, a nurse walked into the room, breaking the tense silence. "Your parents are here to pick you up," she announced, her voice filled with warmth and oblivious to the horror that lay beneath the bed. Darius forced a nervous smile and nodded, his mind racing with thoughts of how to keep this nightmare hidden.

After what felt like an eternity, Darius walked out of his room, his smile still plastered on his face, but his nerves on edge. "So, you're sure nobody will find out?" he asked Tom, his voice tinged with anxiety. Tom chuckled, a hint of offense in his tone. "Yes, yes, I feel like you don't trust me," he replied, his words dripping with amusement.

"I don't!" Darius shouted, unable to contain his frustration any longer. He climbed into his parents' car, the weight of the secret weighing heavily on his shoulders.

The car ride to school was filled with an uncomfortable silence, the tension between Darius and his parents palpable. As they finally arrived, Darius stepped out of the car and made his way into the school, his mind preoccupied with the events of the morning.

Out of nowhere, Sarah, a girl from his class, launched herself at him with a flying kick. "Surprise kick!" she yelled, her voice filled with mischief. Darius doubled over in pain, clutching his stomach. But as Sarah's hand brushed against his abdomen, her eyes widened in shock.

"Oh hey, Sarah!" Darius greeted her with a smile, seemingly unfazed by the kick. Confusion filled her expression as she raised his shirt, revealing a stomach that was now unexpectedly toned. "Wait, where did all that come from?" she exclaimed, her voice filled with disbelief.

Darius chuckled, the tension temporarily forgotten. "Hey, that tickles," he laughed, but she still examined his body and poked him. "Keep still!" Sarah continued to poke and prod at Darius' newly toned body, her curiosity piqued. "Seriously, Darius, what's going on? How did you get all ripped overnight?" she asked, her eyes scanning his physique in awe.

Darius shrugged, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. "I guess I've just been hitting the gym," he replied, his voice filled with playful sarcasm. He flexed his biceps, enjoying the newfound attention. "The last time you picked up a weight it was 2 pounds and you threw out your spine." Sarah added with a confused expression. "I told you not to bring that up!" Darius said angrily and shook Sarah.

The two walked to their next class, unfortunately for Darius it was gym class, which was a battlefield. "Duck." Sarah said casually and pulled Darius's head down, as a kid was sent flying towards them. Sarah breathed in and out. "Ahh gym class, how much do I love you?" Darius on the other hand clutched his heart and breathed heavily. "Dammit, I hate gym class! At least I have you Sar- OH COME ON!" He looked over and noticed she was already fighting.

He crouched down and made his way towards the bleachers, where a group of kids, often labeled as nerdy and weak, sat together. Taking a seat, he glanced at Mera, a strikingly attractive girl with a fair complexion, tall and slender figure, glasses perched on her nose, and a messy bun that had become her signature look, said sympathetically as she plopped down beside him.

Darius sighed and nodded, his frustration evident on his face. "Yeah, she's off doing her ninja moves or something," he muttered, feeling a twinge of jealousy. Mera chuckled softly, her glasses slipping down her nose slightly.

"Well, at least you have a front-row seat to the chaos," she said, gesturing towards the ongoing gym class mayhem. Darius glanced over and couldn't help but crack a smile. "Yeah, it's like watching a live-action video game," he remarked, his spirits lifting slightly. Mera nodded in agreement, her eyes sparkling with amusement behind her glasses.

"Exactly! And hey, you never know, maybe one day you'll join in on the action too," she said, nudging him playfully. Darius chuckled and shook his head. "I think I'll stick to being the spectator for now," he replied, his tone filled with self-awareness. Mera grinned and bumped her shoulder against his.

As the chaos continued, a coach came in, his demeanor was scary but had a handsome face. He had muscles on his muscles that bulge through his tight-fitting coach's uniform. He had a shaved head, a chiseled jawline, and a stern expression that demanded respect. His name was Coach Drake Kim, and he was known throughout the school for his no-nonsense approach to discipline and his relentless drive for success. "Quiet down you animals!" He yelled and caused everyone to scurry to the bleachers sitting next to their clubs. "Alright, since this school sucks in every way the principal decided I make sure you kids are in shape because what else are you gonna do, LEARN LIKE REGULAR STUDENTS!?"

Coach Drake's booming voice echoed through the gymnasium, causing a hushed silence to fall over the students. Darius shifted uncomfortably in his seat, feeling the weight of the coach's gaze on him. He was well aware of his lack of athletic abilities, and the thought of being forced to participate in intense physical activities sent a shiver down his spine. "Jeez he's scary!" Tom Lee muttered jokingly.

Coach Drake's eyes narrowed as he scanned the room, his gaze stopping on Darius for a moment longer than the others. "You!" he barked, pointing directly at Darius. "Get your sorry self down here and show me what you're made of!" Darius walked down the gym ignoring all the laughs and whispers.

Darius took a deep breath, summoning all the courage he could muster. He stood in front of Coach Drake, his heart pounding in his chest. The coach's intense gaze bore into him, as if challenging him to prove himself. Coach Drake looked up at the bleachers again and called out. "Ethan!" As he yelled that, the wing chun leader stood up. "What is it?" [Ethan Park: Wing chun leader], stood up from the bleachers as Coach Drake called out his name. Dressed in a black wing chun uniform, he exuded an air of discipline and martial arts expertise. His dark hair was neatly styled, and his piercing eyes held a determined spark and he was playing on his switch not paying attention.

Coach sighed and rubbed his temples. "Send Zack and Jeom-bae." Ethan nodded and signaled to two of his fellow wing chun members, Zack and Jeom-bae. Both boys were known for their impressive strength and agility, and their presence commanded respect. Darius couldn't help but feel a mix of awe and intimidation as they walked towards him.

Zack, a tall and muscular guy with a shaved head and a permanent scowl, cracked his knuckles and smirked. Jeom-bae, on the other hand, was shorter but had a lean and wiry build, his eyes glinting with mischief.

Coach Drake wasted no time in explaining the challenge. "Darius, you're going to spar with these two. Show me what you're made of," he declared, his voice filled with authority. Darius's eyes widened, his mind racing to come up with a plan. In a moment of desperation, he turned to Tom. "This would be the perfect time for you to take over," Darius suggested with a nervous chuckle. However, Tom replied cockily, "Sorry, no can do." Frustrated, Darius whispered, "Why not?!" Tom reassured him, "Don't worry, ever since I took over your body, you have my strength now... I think."

As Darius was about to reply a fist was thrown at him which hit his face. "I'll make this quick coach." As Jeom-bae said, blood dripped down to the floor and everyone looked shocked. "Heh, guess everyone is surprised at the sheer strength from the wing chun club." As he pulled his fist back, he was shocked to see Darius's face wasn't bloody, but in fact when he looked at his fist the skin was torn apart.

Jeom-bae's eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at his damaged fist. The skin on his knuckles had been torn apart, revealing a layer of ripped muscles underneath. Darius looked equally astonished, unsure of how his body had suddenly become so resilient.

Coach Drake's stern expression turned into a smirk as he observed the unexpected turn of events. "Well, well, Darius. It seems you have some hidden talents," he said, his voice laced with amusement. The coach's attention shifted to Zack, who cracked his knuckles, clearly eager to test Darius's newfound strength.

As Zack lunged forward, Darius instinctively blocked the punch with his forearm, causing a loud crack to echo through the gymnasium. Zack winced in pain, shaking his hand as if trying to numb the sudden ache. "Hey, you okay man?" Darius asked in a confused and worried tone. Zack held his hand in pain. "Don't try to patronize me you bastard!" He yelled and ran at Darius with multiple chain punches. "Whoa!" Darius said and grabbed Jeom-bae and used his face as a human body shield. "Sorry about this." He said as Zack was punching Jeom-bae repeatedly. "COACH THAT'S A FOUL CALL SOMETHING ON THAT!" Ethan yelled angrily. "Settle down!" Coach replied as he was invested into the fight.

Darius dropped Jeom-bae on the floor as he was knocked out from Zack's chain punch. "See you're a natural!" Tom Lee said, chuckling. Zack raised his fist and walked up to Darius. "Don't you know who I am? I am the second in command of the wing chun club, and since the muay thai club didn't come, that makes us the strongest club here." He explained and threw a punch with all his might. "IRON FIST!" He yelled as he executed it. "Sorry about this." Darius raised his leg a bit and hit Zack with a flurry of kicks that were damn near invisible causing Zack to fall to the ground knocked unconscious.

Cheers filled the gym as Darius breathed heavily and fell to his knees, it seemed his body couldn't take Tom Lee's fighting style. As Darius fell the wing chun club stood up and walked to the floor. "I don't like to hit a guy while he's down but, guess it doesn't matter." Ethan said as his club was about to beat Darius while he was on the ground. "Wow, no wonder people say the wing chun club is the weakest." [Sarah Kim: Leader of the taekwondo club] said as her club stood in front of Darius's body, facing The wing chun club. "Well don't count us out." [Jerry Seong: Kyokushin leader] said in a chuckle as he and his club joined in.