chapter 22:the devil
Chapter(22):the devil
From Afar, Outside Emma's School
Marcus was watching the school from a distance, observing its entrance while sitting in his police car.
---
Flashback
"Emma is going to the forest with… a friend? Wait, since when?" Mr. Blackwood asked.
"About three days ago," replied Mrs. Blackwood.
"Alright, I don't see the problem," he said.
"That's the problem… I don't know who he is," she responded.
"What? You don't know anything about him?" Mr. Blackwood asked in shock.
"All I know is that he's a boy. They meet after school, and she comes home just before midnight," Mrs. Blackwood explained.
"Wait, why are you letting our daughter be alone with a stranger, especially with the recent rise in crime rates?" Mr. Blackwood questioned.
"Because he's the first person Emma has befriended since the incident. She was so happy when she met him. I haven't seen her smile or mention a friend since… that day."
"Then can you tell me where she goes?"
"Andrew told me that she goes to…"
---
Present Time
"Out of all the places she could choose, she picked this one."
"This forest isn't under any jurisdiction. It has a strange electromagnetic field that disrupts nearly all phones, prevents construction, and has one unwritten rule:
'Never go into the Forest of Faces, or it will take yours.'
"I even tried convincing my superiors to investigate, but they flat-out refused. They didn't just deny it—they forbade me from opening any investigations regarding that place. What's stranger is that they haven't stopped people from going there or put up a fence to keep them away."
"There's so much weird stuff happening there. And my daughter, of all people, is going there? Something isn't right."
"And seriously, who builds a school near that forest? Whoever it was must be a fool."
"But that's not the point right now. Emma, let's see who your 'friend' really is," Mr. Blackwood thought.
As he reflected, he noticed something happening outside the school.
"Hmm… what the hell!!!?"
---
"Hmm, I have some homework to finish. I'll do it at Smiley's house."
"And I guess I should ask… hmm?"
Suddenly, Emma noticed Jessica and Sarah standing in front of her, waiting with mischievous grins.
"Jessica and Sarah… were they waiting for me?" Emma thought, staring at them.
"Well, Emma, tell me— is now a good time for this?" Jessica asked mockingly.
"Yeah, it's the perfect time for you to act dumb and lose focus again," Emma retorted.
"Pfft! Haha! Do you think I care about that nonsense?" Jessica scoffed while Sarah laughed beside her.
"Popularity is the real education in school, genius. The more social you are, the brighter your future here. Studying is just a side gig," Sarah said sarcastically.
"Right. Remind me again, who had to spend the entire break in school?" Emma shot back.
"You're still the same chatty cat, but you're still stupid… and weak!" Jessica yelled as she charged at Emma.
Emma moved quickly, blocking the attack with her arm and punching Jessica in the face.
Hit!
"Ugh! My face!" Jessica screamed in pain.
"You brat!" Sarah shouted as she kicked Emma.
"Ugh!" Emma groaned as she resisted Sarah's kick.
Emma retaliated by kicking Sarah away, but Jessica lunged at her again.
Jessica struck Emma, causing her to stumble back a couple of steps, then Sarah landed another hit.
Frustrated, Emma kicked Sarah again, forcing her to back off, but Jessica attacked once more.
Both of them continued charging at Emma, throwing punches and kicks while she struggled to defend herself.
Emma felt a profound sense of injustice. This wasn't the first time it had happened. It was all tied to the karma from the incident, but deep inside, a mixture of anger, sadness, and despair grew stronger.
"I know why they're angry. I know why they keep bullying me. It's because of Jessica's uncle's death, which I was responsible for. I know that… but why do they keep doing this to me? Haven't they had enough? Was I wrong? should I have just died instead?
In that moment,Emma recalled smiley word's
Flashback
---
"So, Emma, if you encounter another Scorpion Man, will you fight him?" Smiley asked.
"Absolutely not," Emma replied.
"Why not?" Smiley asked again.
"Because I hate getting hurt," Emma responded.
"Really? That's strange because when I first met you, you were already injured," Smiley noted.
"Oh, that... It was because of two annoying girls," Emma said.
"Oh... Emma, are you being bullied?" Smiley asked with some concern.
"Yes," Emma admitted, looking down.
"Why are they bullying you?" Smiley asked innocently.
"Because I caused the death of one of their relatives," Emma revealed.
"Oh! Is this related to the story you told me?" Smiley inquired.
"Mostly, yes," Emma confirmed.
"I see. Then why are you crucifying yourself over it?" Smiley asked.
"What? I'm not crucifying myself," Emma replied, flustered.
"Then why do you keep letting them do whatever they want to you? By your nature, you could've found a way to stop them, but you didn't. Because, deep down, you're doing this as a form of atonement," Smiley observed.
"That's because... that person was the one I caused to die because of my cowardice," Emma admitted sadly.
"Let me get this straight: Are you saying they bully you and fight you solely for personal revenge?" Smiley asked.
"Yes," Emma replied.
Emma was slightly anxious about what Smiley's reaction would be. Would he be angry, confused, or pity her? She considered all the possibilities, but...
Smiley's laughter shattered all her expectations.
"Pfft... Hahaha! Oh, my goodness!" Smiley laughed, slapping his knee.
"What? What's so funny?!" Emma asked, both angry and confused.
"Ohhh... haha... I've never laughed this hard in my life. This is the best joke I've ever heard," Smiley exclaimed joyfully.
"A joke? You think my painful past and daily suffering are just a joke to you?!" Emma yelled angrily.
"Yes, absolutely. And the best one," Smiley continued laughing.
"You... I can't believe this."
Emma felt a painful stab in her heart—not physically, but emotionally—because she had trusted Smiley.
And it turned out that the person she trusted saw her as nothing more than a circus clown. She was furious but held back her anger as best as she could while trying to process it.
"I'm laughing because you still don't know the truth," Smiley said as he finally calmed down.
"You... Wait, what?" Emma responded, confused.
"Oh, are you pretending to be clueless, or do you really not understand what's happening to you at school?" Smiley asked.
"I don't understand what you're talking about," Emma replied, confused.
"Then tell me, why do you think they're bullying you?" Smiley asked, tilting his head.
"I already told you, they're bullying me because—"
"And do you think that's really their reason?" Smiley interrupted, his smile growing.
"What? What do you mean?" Emma asked nervously.
"Let me explain what's really happening to you," Smiley replied, his tone turning sharp.
"Emma Blackwood, the reincarnation of Sherlock Holmes, is a genius girl her family takes pride in. She is considered the school's prodigy, with a big dream."
She draws the attention of those around her solely through her intelligence, creating a shadow so large that many have come to dislike or even hate her. Among the small percentage of those who resent her, two girls decided to go as far as plotting her murder.
"Smiley! You're exaggerating! And why would they do something like that?" Emma shouted angrily.
"Oh, please, Emma. I bet they've bullied you before, even if it wasn't obvious. Am I wrong?" Smiley asked, narrowing his eyes.
"That's... true... they have bullied me before. But it was just some harmless teasing—not like now!" Emma spoke with frustration.
"Let me continue the story now."
The two girls wanted to kill or destroy her, but they couldn't because of her popularity and the negative impact it would have on their own reputation.
"But then... BOOM! The Black Day happened. A dreadful tragedy—an accident at a supermarket where the girl they hated lost a relative."
"But the girls thought of something else. What if their relative's death became their excuse? What if it became a reason to bully her even more?"
"What? Smiley, what kind of madness are you talking about? That's crossing the line!" Emma shouted in anger.
"Oh, Emma, then tell me—have they mentioned him at school?
*No...."
Have you ever heard them talk about him while they were bothering you, or even say his name once?" Smiley asked.
"No... but..."
"But! Totototo. Let me tell you this, the brightest girl they despise suddenly encounters a tragedy, and their relative dies. They'll use it as an excuse to torment you further, to break you from the inside."
"Emma Blackwood is a smart girl, but she's so compassionate that she lets them bully and beat her up like a punching bag!" Smiley said.
"How did you know?" Emma asked in shock.
"Oh, please, Emma. You have a survival instinct. You know when to withdraw, or you wouldn't have survived this long." Smiley said, staring at her sharply.
"Yes... I allowed them to do it, but only because I wanted them to know I was truly sorry and regretful about everything." Emma replied sadly.
"Haha, that's the point, my little rabbit. They don't see that." Smiley replied with a faint smile.
"What?" Emma asked in confusion.
"The problem with bullies is that they never see it. They never stop. You see, a bully does this for one simple reason—it's enjoyable." Smiley said, standing up.
"What do you mean?" Emma asked.
"It's fun for them to see someone better than them suffer. It's fun to destroy someone smarter than them. It's fun to drag that person into their abyss. Even if that person has a brighter future, even if it means breaking them from the inside."
"In short, the bully does it because it's fun for them, without needing any other reason." Smiley said with a pained smile.
"If what you're saying is true, then how do I stop them?" Emma asked, saddened.
"The answer is simple. Don't be what they want you to be. Be what they fear the most." Smiley said.
"What does that mean?" Emma asked.
Smiley smiled, a hidden meaning in his grin, as he slowly approached her.
"It's simple," Smiley said.
.....
Present Time
"I see it now..." Emma muttered, her face covered in blood as she leaned against a car wheel, barely holding herself together. Jessica and Sarah stood nearby, both bearing bruises of their own.
"Haah... So, have you finally figured it out, you wretch?"
Suddenly, Emma lunged forward like an arrow and delivered a powerful kick to Jessica, sending her sprawling.
"Jessica! You little—"
Without hesitation, Emma grabbed Sarah by the hair and smashed her head against the car window behind them.
"Ahhhhhh!"
Sarah let out a piercing scream as she collapsed to the ground. Emma, unrelenting, kicked Sarah's face with brutal force.
"Urgh!"
Sarah writhed in pain but couldn't defend herself. Emma kept striking, her blows merciless until Sarah's body gave out, folding like a helpless child.
When Emma saw the broken state of Sarah, she turned her cold gaze toward Jessica, walking toward her and grabbing her head.
"You wretch, once this is over, I'll make sure—"
Hit!
Emma punched Jessica hard in the face.
"Ughhh!" Jessica cried out in pain.
Hit!
"You vile piece of—"
"Shut up..."
"You monster! Are you going to kill me like you killed my uncle?!" Jessica screamed.
"Stop spewing nonsense, you pathetic animal," Emma snarled.
"Yeah, keep hitting me! Kill me! Prove to everyone that you're a criminal!" Jessica taunted.
"And that's exactly what I'm doing now," Emma replied coldly.
"What...?" Jessica asked in confusion.
Hit!
"Ahghhhh! Wait! What about your big dream? Isn't that your goal in school?!"
"Not anymore," Emma replied icily.
Hit!
"Ahhh! Please stop! Stop!" Jessica begged.
"Be the thing they fear most."
Hit!
Hit!
"Please, just stop!" Jessica cried, tears streaming down her bruised face.
"Stop? Did you ever stop making my life a living hell?!" Emma shouted with unbridled fury.
Hit!
"Be the predator, and show no mercy to anyone who dares undermine you."
"Did you stop when you tried to destroy me in every way possible?!"
Hit!
Hit!
"No, you never stopped! You and that pathetic friend of yours!"
"Become a monster! Crush them and everything they believe about you!"
Hit!
Hit!
"But I've had enough of all this! Enough of taking the blame and being your scapegoat for your stupid anger!"
"Become the beast they fear every moment of their lives!"
Hit!
Hit!
"If you want me to be your villain, then congratulations! You've won!"
"I'll be your damn villain. I'll be..."
"The devil who haunts them every second of their miserable lives."
"Your devil!" Emma screamed, her face bloodied, her eyes glowing with a terrifying, beastly light.
Hit!
Hit!
"I'm sorry..." Jessica whispered, tears and blood mingling on her battered face.
"I'll say this just once, so listen closely, you pitiful animal," Emma growled.
"If this happens again, I'll kill you, just like I killed your uncle you claim to remember." Emma's voice was filled with rage as blood dripped from her face, her terrifying eyes piercing through Jessica.
"Do you understand?!" Emma shouted.
"Yes! Yes!" Jessica cried out in pain.
"Good."
Emma let go of Jessica and looked around, noticing the crowd of students. None of them stepped in to help; instead, they recorded the fight with concerned looks on their faces.
"Hah... What a bunch of..."
"Hey, you!"
Emma was suddenly shoved from behind.
"Urgh! Who the—"
Before she could react, someone punched her.
"Does bullying feel good, you freak?!" Jack shouted as he kicked her to the ground.
"Ugh!"
"I'm going to make you pay for—"
Jack's arm froze mid-swing as someone grabbed it.
"Huh? Who the hell is grabbing me—"
Jack turned and froze in shock.
It was Frank, but he looked almost unrecognizable. His body was heavily bandaged, one arm in a cast, and his torso wrapped like a mummy.
"Frank?! What happened to you? Did you turn into a mummy or something?!" Jack exclaimed, struggling to free his arm.
Frank's cold, piercing gaze silenced Jack's taunts.
"What's wrong? Cat got your tongue? Or did your fight with Lancerville scramble your brain?" Jack sneered.
Frank tightened his grip on Jack's arm, making him wince in pain.
"Ahhh! Let go, you bastard!" Jack shouted, trying to hit Frank, but to no effect.
"You know, today has been really annoying for me," Frank said calmly. "Especially after what happened yesterday. I thought they had my back, but they were against me all along. I told myself,That's life,But watching the school turn a blind eye to things like this happening right in front of them... that enraged me. But do you know what angers me the most?"
Frank's grip tightened even further.
"Ahhh! Stop! My arm, you psycho!" Jack screamed.
"It's when some scumbag bullies a girl and tries to hit her... It's just disgusting."
With a swift motion, Frank flipped Jack over and slammed him to the ground.
"Ughhhh!" Jack groaned in pain.
But Frank didn't stop. He grabbed Jack's head and slammed it against the car wheel repeatedly.
Bang!
Bang!
"Stop!"
Bang!
When Frank finally let go, Jack's body slumped lifelessly to the ground. His face was swollen, bleeding, and missing a few teeth. The crowd averted their gazes, unable to stomach the sight.
"Anyone else want to join him?" Frank asked, scanning the crowd.
The students quickly scattered, terrified. Frank had solidified his reputation as "The Crusher."
As Frank walked away, he shot a cold glance at Andrew, who stood nearby, glaring at him.
"Why did you do that to him?!" Andrew demanded angrily, clenching his fists.
"Shouldn't you be asking him why he did that to your sister first?" Frank replied without turning around.
"She—" Andrew stammered.
"Right. She's not even your sister... What a disappointment," Frank said, walking away.
"Hey! Don't ignore me!" Andrew shouted.
Frank stopped briefly and turned to face him. His piercing yellow eyes glowed menacingly, making Andrew take a few steps back in fear.
"Coward..." Frank muttered before continuing on his way.
Andrew looked down, a sinking feeling consuming him. He hated it—this feeling of being insignificant.
But he swore to himself that things would change soon.