A plan put to action

Kevin's heart raced as he threw the first punch, hoping to catch Jason off guard. His fist flew through the air, but before it could land, he felt a sudden sharp pain in his side. He hadn't even seen Jason move.

Kevin glanced down, clutching his stomach as the ache spread. Jason's lackey had delivered a swift punch while holding him by the collar, and now Kevin was gasping for breath. The hit had knocked the wind out of him.

Before Kevin could fully process the pain, the lackey followed up with a hard slap across Kevin's face. The force of it left a burning sting, his head whipping to the side. His vision blurred as he tasted blood in his mouth, his cheek throbbing. It was the kind of hit that made his whole body vibrate, like getting smacked by his father during his worst childhood punishments—but this time, it was his face taking the brunt of it.

As Kevin staggered, Jason smirked, watching the scene unfold with sadistic glee. The lackey released Kevin's collar, letting him slump to the ground, but the hits kept coming. Jason stepped forward, delivering a brutal kick to Kevin's ribs while he was down, the impact sending a jolt of pain throughout his body. Kevin groaned as he hit the cold floor hard, his muscles screaming in agony.

Another lackey kicked him in the back, making Kevin curl up instinctively, trying to protect himself. Blow after blow landed, each one more painful than the last. Kevin could hear Jason laughing, the sound echoing in his ears, as the students around them did nothing but watch.

No one intervened, no one stepped in to stop the beating. Kevin knew why—no one wanted to be next on Jason's list. And Kevin? He was just another nobody in the background of their lives, the scrawny, quiet kid with no friends and no power.

"Come on, get up," Jason mocked, towering over Kevin. "I thought you had some guts now, huh?"

Kevin, trembling with pain, struggled to push himself off the floor. His vision swam, but something inside him—whether it was pride or the system's influence—refused to let him stay down. He got onto his hands and knees, his bruised face throbbing with every heartbeat.

But just as he tried to stand, Jason grabbed him by the hair, yanking his head back cruelly.

"Still think you can take me?" Jason sneered. His lackeys snickered behind him.

With a swift motion, Jason shoved Kevin back to the ground, sending him crashing down again. This time, Kevin didn't have the strength to get up. His body was battered, and his head was spinning.

Jason stared down at Kevin, the smirk still plastered across his face. "Pathetic," he spat, looking at his friends. "Come on, let's get out of here. He's not worth our time."

As Jason and his crew walked away, Kevin lay on the cold floor, his body aching and bruised. Blood trickled from his lip, and the sting of humiliation

**********

Kevin wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, the taste of iron lingering on his tongue. His body ached, and humiliation settled deep in his gut as he watched Jason and his lackeys walk away, their heads held high as if they hadn't just beaten him senseless.

"Pathetic," Jason muttered, laughing as they left. The other students watched but did nothing, just like always. No one would intervene; no one wanted to be on Jason's bad side. Kevin knew it wasn't a fairy tale where people rushed to save him.

Kevin slowly got to his feet, feeling a mix of pain and anger coursing through him. 'I'll pay you back, all of you,' he vowed silently, clenching his fists. He limped back to class just as recess was ending.

As he walked through the hallway, he saw Linda. For a brief moment, he thought about ordering her to come to him, knowing that she would obey. But the reality hit hard—she didn't even glance at him. She just walked past as if he were invisible.

He sat down in class, his face bruised, with a black eye and swollen lip. No one cared, and Kevin felt the sting of loneliness even more deeply. But he wasn't done yet. He would wait until later to fully explore the system—he needed to understand its power better.

---

That evening, Kevin rushed home, barely acknowledging his stepmother as he walked past her. He didn't bother with dinner; there were more important things on his mind.

Kevin immediately opened the system and began exploring the **Home Tab**.

**[Name: Kevin Elsher]**

**[Race: Human Being]**

**[Grade: Common]**

**[Skills: One]**

**[HP: 9/10]**

**[Strength: 10/10]**

**[Dexterity: 10/10]**

**[Durability: 10/10]**

**[Confidence: 10/10]**

**[Mental Strength: 17/17]**

**[Congratulations on completing the quest assigned to you.]**

**[Confidence +5]**

**[Strength +3]**

Kevin smiled, pleased with what he saw. "Not bad, not bad at all," he muttered to himself. But there was one thing that really caught his attention—the skill.

"Let's see that skill description," Kevin said, eagerly accessing the details.

**[Connection: A skill that makes targets more attracted to the user. It should be noted that this skill relies on the user's confidence and mental strength and works by staring into the eyes of the target.]**

A wicked grin spread across Kevin's face. "Now this… this could be fun."

Kevin thought about the skill and who he could use it on. His mind immediately drifted to his stepmother. He despised her, viewing her as the reason his family was broken. She had married his father after the divorce, and Kevin had never forgiven her for it.

'She'll pay for everything,' Kevin thought darkly. 'I'll defile her and leave her broken for my father to find.'

He stood up, his anger and resentment boiling over. Without hesitation, he headed downstairs, where his stepmother was casually watching TV in the living room.

"It's time to make you my bitch," Kevin whispered as he approached her, his mind clouded by his new power and the system's influence.

He walked toward her, his eyes cold and calculating, ready to test his newfound ability.

---

**Cliffhanger for Chapter 5:**

Just as Kevin is about to use the system's "Connection" skill on his stepmother, a notification flashes in his mind, warning him of unexpected consequences. **[Warning: Using this skill on close family members may lead to irreversible mental damage.]** Kevin is caught between his dark desires and the system's warning, setting up a moral conflict for the next chapter.