Chapter 8: The Power of Science and a Slightly Unfair Punishment

Leon was the first to react, pulling out his magic bow. "Ryo, don't worry!I got this!"

He fired a glowing arrow straight at one of the gang members—only for it to get swatted away like a mosquito.

BAM!

Leon was sent flying by a massive hammer strike, crashing into a nearby wall.

"Leon!" Ryo winced. "Damn, that looked painful."

"Painful?!" Leon groaned. "My ribs are having an emergency meeting with my spine!"

The leader of the prince gang, still gripping his burning sword, pointed it at Ryo. "Your turn, thief!"

Ryo sighed. "Man, I was really hoping to avoid this…"

He reached for his bag and pressed a hidden button. Instantly, his backpack unfolded, pieces snapping into place as his exoskeleton suit wrapped around him like armor. His arms🦾, legs🦿, and torso became reinforced with sleek black metal, glowing faintly with blue energy.

As the flaming sword came down, a shimmering barrier materialized around Ryo, deflecting the strike effortlessly.

CLANG!✴️

The gang members stumbled back in shock.

"What the hell was that?!" one of them yelled.

"Oh, that?" Ryo dusted off his armored shoulder. "Just a little something I've been working on. I call it the Atomic Air Compression shield " He smirked. "turns out it works. Neat."

The gang members exchanged glances, then activated their own weapons.

The guy with the whip cracked it against the ground, making sparks fly. The hammer-wielding brute—Agent Hammer, apparently—hoisted his weapon, veins bulging. And of course, the guy with the burning sword reignited his blade, the flames now even more intense.

"Okay, Ryo," Leon wheezed, still on the ground🤕. "This would be a really good time to 🏃🏃🏃."

Ryo grinned. "Run? No, no, no."

His suit shifted, morphing his right arm🦾 into a massive, futuristic machine gun.

"This is payback."

He pulled the trigger.

A barrage of enchanted bullets rained down on the gang, explosions💥 shaking the courtyard. They screamed as they were flung backward, their weapons shattered, their clothes singed.

The entire schoolyard fell silent.

Students gawked🥶. Teachers ran in, gasping at the destruction.

And then…

"RYO TO THE PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE! NOW!" One of the teachers exclaimed in anger

---

The Principal's Verdict

Ryo sat in the principal's office, arms crossed, still in his exosuit—because no way was he letting them take it off before he got an explanation.

Across from him, the battered gang members were whining dramatically.

"Sir, he attacked us!"

"He used an illegal weapon on school grounds!"

"How could you steal that weapon from somewhere—there's no way he built it himself!" One of the teachers council said.

Ryo was baffled. "You attacked me first! You literally pointed a burning sword at my face!"

Some of the council members, seated on the side, murmured among themselves. One finally spoke. "Regardless, a weapon like that is dangerous for students to use in combat. The design is far too advanced for a mere student. How do we know he didn't steal it?"

Ryo's eye twitched. "Excuse me?!"

The principal rubbed his temples. "Enough. Since no one here actually knows the full truth, here's my verdict."

Ryo sat up straight.

"The students who drew weapons first—detention."

The gang members groaned.

"Ryo's backpack exosuit will be confiscated."

Ryo's jaw dropped. "WHAT?!"

"And Leon will have to write an apology letter for… getting hit with a hammer?"

Leon shot up. "Wait, WHAT?! How is that my fault?!"

The principal raised a hand. "This is final."

One of the teachers frowned. "Sir, this is too light. This student should are receiving light punishment , don't make Ryo_"

"Ryo's exosuit must be examined," the principal interrupted. "If he truly created it himself, he can make another one, right?"

Ryo clenched his fists. "That's not the point."

The principal sighed. "This is my decision. Dismissed."

As they left the office, Ryo's friend was oddly upbeat.

"Well, at least we got off with light punishment," Leon said.

"But they TOOK MY BACKPACK!" Ryo snapped.

Leon patted his shoulder. "Yeah, but like the principal said, you can just make another one, right?"

Ryo took a deep breath. "You know what? You're right. I'll just build a better one. A stronger one."

Leon grinned. "That's the spirit!"

Then he suddenly stopped, staring at Ryo with a serious expression.

"Wait… actually, hold on a second."

Ryo raised a brow. "What?"

Leon's face twisted in confusion. "WHY HAVE YOU BEEN MISSING FROM CLASS FOR WEEKS?"

Ryo scratched his head. "Oh. Yeah. I kinda… lost all my memories."

Leon's reaction was priceless.

His eyes widened. His mouth dropped open. His entire body went stiff like a frozen statue.

"YOU WHAT?!?"

Ryo winced. "Yeah, sorry. Kinda forgot everything about school, so I had to, uh… relearn afresh ."

Leon's expression was pure shock. "YOU JUST CASUALLY DROPPED THAT INFORMATION LIKE IT'S NOTHING?!"

Ryo sighed. "Well, it's not like I can do anything about it—"

Leon grabbed him by the shoulders. "DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS?"

Ryo blinked. "Uh…"

"It means—"

Leon took a deep breath—

And dramatically fell to his knees.

"IT MEANS YOU PROBABLY FORGOT YOU OWE ME MONEY!"

Ryo groaned🤦. "Oh, for the love of—"

And just like that, his "big reveal" turned into an argument about past debts.