The Jack.

Michael scribbled words.

He always did. And because there was a system to focus on didn't mean he was ready to stop writing now. It remained where passion called him, his muse.

"I have so many questions." Lucian said beside him.

"I'll answer only one."

"Oh..." Lucian's voice saddened. "Why did you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Why did you fight king when you knew it wasn't going to be fine?" Lucian asked.

"I guess I thought it was going to be." Michael sighed.

"You could've died Michael... Why are you even doing all these? Did you fight Reyy just because you hated him or because of some other reason?"

At Lucian's words, the imagery of Lena popped up in his mind, though he wasn't sure why. His root intention had been to become the king of Wisteria and curb bullying.

But it was even too late for that, he was more focused on revenge now. And if there was any other way the students of this school were gonna listen to him, it was through tension and coercion.

And to gain that, he had to climb through the hierarchical rankings.

"I said only one Lucian." Michael craned his head towards the window, the sun pouring in through his face, beaming the glow in his sapphire red eyes.

From the distance, he could spot Elvis and a bunch of other girls on the soccer field. The Jack was famously known to move around with entourages of girls. To everyone of them, he was the hottest student in Wisteria High.

And although that wasn't supposed to bother him, Michael still felt cringe about it. Somehow, he had been able to reciprocate Elvis's hatred for him.

However...

"Lucian..." He started. "I need you to activate your talents."

"Wait, what?" There was great panic in Lucian's tone.

"I'm not asking you to use them okay? I just want to check something."

"I'm... I'm not sure. I haven't really used them in a long them." Lucian replied.

"So are you gonna activate them or not?"

"...Alright fine, but only for a few seconds."

A blue glow sorrounded Lucian, and it seemed to multiply quickly, levitating light-weighted objects within his reach.

So his telekinesis is this strong? He doesn't even raises his hands before it works.

[AURA DETECTED: 1]

[MANIPULATION IS POSSIBLE]

[PROCEED/DECLINE?]

"Proceed."

Lucian's talent over-multiplied, definitely because he hadn't used it in a long time. The telekinesis blew across the room, letting pieces of paper float to the air. It deactivated as soon as the outburst happened.

"I'm sorry Michael, I can't withhold it for long."

[AURA MANIPULATION IS COMPLETE]

[AURA: TELEKINESIS. RANK:SSS]

Michael smiled evilly, staring into the system. "It's fine, I got what I want."

* * *

"Alright girls." Elvis assumed a defense posture at the goal. "Give me your best shot."

One of the girls stepped foward, a determined look on her face as she swept the ball off the ground. The ball was kicked off, but it flew towards a different angle that wasn't even any close to the goal.

"Yes, another one for Elvis!" The girl screamed happily, clapping.

"No Erica, you're supposed to score here." Elvis explained, pointing his fingers into the net.

"But...what if the ball hits you?" Erica's face turned gloomy.

"That's the point, I'm supposed to be keeping it."

Her eyes teared. "But... But I don't wanna hurt you."

Exhausted, Elvis sighed. "I should have ask for more money when I offered to take up coach's trainings for him." He whispered.

"Alright girls, let's do it this way—" He moved towards the them, picking up another ball from the cart before placing it on the ground. "I need a volunteer to be the keeper while I—"

Elvis's eyes moved quickly, fast enough to see a soccer ball striding towards him with hyper-energy. Adrenaline washed through him, and his hands caught the ball before it could smash into his face.

The aftermath was a purge of friction as the ball screeched against his palm.

"What was that?" A girl asked, panic lacing her voice.

The real question was, who threw that ball? Whatever force it was, it definitely accompanied the use of talents.

Elvis peered into the direction which the ball had come from. Approaching from the distance was a student. His face was hidden behind a face mask and a cap, and he held a soccer ball in tight grip.

At close distance, he issued another mighty throw at the Jack. Elvis caught it briskly, but it was at the cost of a wrist sprain.

"Girls, leave us." Elvis commanded, flexing his wrist and staring with a pale face at the masked student.

"Are you sure?" Erica tugged on Elvis shirt while the others just scampered off to save themselves. "I want to help you."

"Go, Erica." Elvis's voice was now more firm, sending chills into the girl's soul. She slowly backed away until she was desperately trying to catch up with her friends.

"That mana." Elvis glowered at the student. "It's you, isn't it? Michael Alastair."

The student didn't answer. He shot his hand up, his fingers glowing with intense crimson energy, and the Jack slowly rose above the floor level.

He moved his hand to the side, and off went Elvis, slamming into the iron bars of the goal. His head went a bit blank for a moment, and before he could regain his consciousness, he caught a glimpse of the student searing past him.

Elvis must've seen this attack once, because he quickly looked down, his side exploding with pain. He had been cut, cleanly at that, and his blood sprouted out like a warm water fountain.

The wound wasn't that deep to cause a critical consequence, but his blood rushed out in just enough amount to make a vibrant garden look dead.

But Elvis's unconcerned stare was unchanging, he may have winced a little from the pain, but he still stood all so confidently, determination etched in his mannerism.

It seemed as though he had been waiting for this one moment all his life.

"Finally, someone who catches my interest." His mana increased as he spoke. "I feel honored."

Light seized immediately from where Elvis stood, and around him, threads of black mist sorrounded wildly, completely sealing his appearance.

There was an immediate outburst, and the entire school became covered in black fog, making it hard to sight anything around.

Even more, the Jack had dissappeared.

* * *

NAME: ELVIS L. MATHERS

TALENT: SHADOW MANIPULATION

RANK: A

STRENGTH: 214 SPEED: 170 STAMINA: 190 SKILL: 302

___________

[NAME: MICHAEL ALASTAIR]

[TALENT: AURA MANIPULATION (Telekinesis)]

[RANK: SSS]

[STRENGTH: 210 (+302) SPEED: 209 (+200) STAMINA: 261 (+590) SKILL: 250 (+790)]