Chapter 3: The Echoes of Retribution
The academy courtyard buzzed with the usual chatter of students, their laughter and shouts echoing off the polished stone walls. Leo walked through the crowd, his head held higher than it had been in years. The confidence from his dungeon run still coursed through him, though he kept his power tightly reined in. He wasn't here to show off. He was here to prove something—to himself, if no one else.
But fate, it seemed, had other plans.
"Well, well, look who's back," a familiar voice sneered.
Leo turned to see Kael, Mira, and Jax approaching, their usual smirks plastered across their faces. Kael's fists crackled with ember-like energy, Mira's form flickered like a mirage, and Jax's skin had already begun to harden into jagged granite.
"Thought you'd quit after that last beating," Kael said, his voice dripping with mockery. "Guess you're a glutton for punishment."
Leo didn't flinch. "I'm not here to fight," he said calmly.
"Too bad," Mira said, her voice sing-song. "Because we are."
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The Fight Begins
Kael struck first, his fiery fist lashing out like a whip. Leo sidestepped, the heat grazing his cheek as he countered with a sharp clap of his hands. The soundwave struck Kael square in the chest, sending him stumbling back.
Mira flickered into view behind Leo, her light-bending ability making her nearly invisible. She aimed a kick at his ribs, but Leo had already anticipated her move. He stomped his foot, sending a low-frequency vibration through the ground. The shockwave disrupted Mira's balance, forcing her to materialize fully as she fell to one knee.
Jax charged next, his granite fists raised. Leo met him head-on, slamming his palms together to create a concentrated burst of sound. The vibrations struck Jax's hardened skin, not to break it, but to resonate within it. The granite cracked, and Jax roared in pain as the vibrations traveled up his arms.
The fight was far from one-sided. Kael's flames lashed out in wild arcs, forcing Leo to stay on the move. Mira's light-bending made her a constant threat, her attacks coming from unpredictable angles. And Jax, despite the cracks in his granite skin, was still a powerhouse, his blows shaking the ground with every miss.
But Leo held his ground. He used his soundwaves not just to attack, but to disrupt. A sharp snap of his fingers sent a high-frequency pulse into Kael's ears, disorienting him. A stomp of his foot created a shockwave that forced Mira to retreat. And a well-timed clap sent Jax reeling, his granite skin fracturing further.
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The Turning Point
The fight reached its climax when Kael, frustrated and furious, unleashed a massive wave of fire. The flames roared toward Leo, their heat searing the air.
Leo didn't panic. He raised his hands and began to hum, layering soundwaves upon soundwaves. The vibrations compressed the air in front of him, creating a barrier of pressurized sound. The flames struck the barrier and dispersed, scattering harmlessly to the sides.
Kael's eyes widened in shock. "What the—?"
Leo didn't give him time to react. He clapped his hands together, releasing a concentrated burst of sound that struck Kael like a battering ram. The bully was thrown backward, slamming into a wall and slumping to the ground, unconscious.
Mira and Jax hesitated, their confidence wavering. Leo turned to them, his expression calm but determined.
"Stay down," he said.
Mira flickered out of sight, but Leo wasn't fooled. He stomped his foot, sending a shockwave through the ground that forced her to materialize. A quick snap of his fingers sent a high-frequency pulse into her ears, and she collapsed, clutching her head in pain.
Jax roared, charging at Leo with everything he had. Leo met him head-on, slamming his palms together to create a devastating burst of sound. The vibrations struck Jax's granite skin, resonating within it until the cracks spread like spiderwebs. With a final, ear-splitting crack, Jax's granite armor shattered, and he fell to his knees, defeated.
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The Aftermath
The courtyard fell silent, the other students staring in shock. Leo stood amidst the fallen bullies, his chest heaving, his body bruised but unbroken.
But the victory was short-lived.
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The A-Rank Hunter
The next morning, Leo was called to the principal's office. He entered to find a man waiting for him—a tall, imposing figure with eyes like smoldering coals. This was Kael's father, an A-Rank hunter and one of the most powerful Espers in the city.
"You injured my son," the man said, his voice low and dangerous.
Leo didn't back down. "He started it."
The man's eyes narrowed. "And now you'll learn your place."
Before Leo could react, the man moved. His fist struck like a hammer, sending Leo crashing into the wall. Pain exploded through his body as the man continued his assault, each blow more brutal than the last.
"You think you're strong?" the man snarled. "You're nothing but a weakling playing at being a hero."
Leo tried to fight back, but the man's power was overwhelming. He raised his hand for a final, crippling blow—
And a barrier appeared, blocking the strike.
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The Old Man's Return
The A-Rank hunter froze, his eyes widening in shock. The barrier was small, no larger than a playing card, but it was impossibly dense, its surface shimmering with compressed energy.
"That's enough," a familiar voice said.
The old man from the plaza stepped out of thin air, his milky eyes fixed on the A-Rank hunter.
"Who the hell are you?" the man demanded.
The old man smiled faintly. "Someone who knows a thing or two about barriers."
The A-Rank hunter laughed. "Step aside, old man, unless you want to get hurt."
The old man's smile didn't waver. He raised a hand, and a barrier formed around the hunter's head, compressing until it was a thin, black cube.
"Move," the old man said, "and your head bursts."
The hunter froze, his face pale.
The principal, who had been silent until now, suddenly stood. "I know you," he said, his voice trembling. "You're… you're him. The first S-Rank hunter of South Korea. The Barrier King."
The old man nodded. "And this boy," he said, gesturing to Leo, "is with me."