Time to Fight Back.

Ryan sat in his seat, still soaked in sweat, eyes locked onto the glowing blue panel floating in front of him.

[New Skill Acquired: Boxing Jab – E Rank (Upgradable)]

[Type: Combat Skill]

[Description: A precise, momentum-driven punch. Gains strength with user conditioning.

Upgradable through mastery.]

"Boxing Jab," he muttered under his breath.

'So... it's a fight-type skill?'

His lips curled into a half-smile. 'I can use this the next time they try to mess with me. Hell, maybe I'll be the one doing the bullying.'

But the smile didn't last.

'No. If I rush into this, I'll just get beat down again. I need to master it first. Learn the timing. The weight transfer. The form.'

The classroom door creaked open.

Ryan's eyes flicked up. Josh and Amit strolled in like they owned the room.

Same shit-eating grins. Same confident swagger. But today, when they saw Ryan, their expressions sharpened.

Josh raised an eyebrow and made a throat-slitting motion with his thumb, mouthing, "You're dead."

Amit snickered and nudged one of the desks with his foot. "Look who's sitting like nothing happened."

A low murmur spread through the class.

"Damn, Ryan's gonna get his ass handed to him again."

"He's seriously not skipping today? Bold. Or stupid."

"You think he's gonna cry again? I've got a hundred bucks he will."

Even some of the girls were whispering and giggling. Not one of them looked like they cared what he'd been through the day before.

Ryan's throat closed up. His pulse thumped like a war drum.

'They're going to jump me again. And no one's gonna stop them.'

He looked down at his trembling hands. Clenched fists that still didn't feel like they belonged to someone who could fight back.

He could already feel it—the dread crawling up his spine. His body tensed. Muscles locked up.

[DING!]

[New Quest Generated: Fight Back Those Bullies]

[Objective: Land a hit using Boxing Jab]

[Rewards:]

[-4 kg fat burned]

[+1 Strength Pill]

His head jerked up.

A strength pill?

He blinked at the notification, trying to process. 'Like the ones in those fantasy books? Where the guy screams in pain, veins bulging, bones cracking—and then walks out jacked like a beast?'

[Correct, Host. That exact kind. The pain will be excruciating. The benefits, substantial. But don't get excited. You won't be getting these often. This one's charity.]

[Frankly? I pity you. That's why I'm throwing you this bone. Don't expect kindness again. Power isn't given. It's earned.]

Ryan swallowed hard. He peeked up and caught Josh looking right at him.

The smug bastard stuck out his tongue and ran his thumb over his knuckles, mocking a boxer warming up.

Amit gave Ryan a sarcastic wink and cracked his knuckles so loud it made a few students flinch.

One of the guys at the back leaned toward his friend and whispered, "They're definitely gonna beat him in front of everyone again. Dude should just transfer."

Ryan hunched lower in his seat.

His leg wouldn't stop bouncing. His palms were so wet he wiped them twice on his pants, but it didn't help. His entire body was screaming for him to get up and run.

'I should just run. Maybe I can say I forgot something in the washroom. Maybe—'

[Host.]

He froze.

[You can run if you want. You've done it your whole life. Run, cry, beg, hide. That's your brand, isn't it?]

Ryan clenched his jaw.

[But if you're even a little tired of being that guy—the joke, the target, the trash they kick when they're bored—then stand up. Throw one punch. Just one.]

His heart pounded. Palms were slick with fear, but something inside him stirred. Something raw. Ugly. Hungry.

'What if I lose? What if I swing and miss? They'll mock me worse than ever...'

[True. But the first time you punch back, you stop being prey. Even if you lose.]

Ryan stared at the glowing quest floating in front of him.

He could feel every eye in class. Some laughing at him. Some just waiting for a show.

No one was on his side. Not even the teachers—who, more often than not, ignored the bullying.

He was truly alone.

But then...

'Maybe that's not a bad thing. I have nothing left to lose.'

The images came flooding in. The confession gone wrong. The laughter. The kicks to his stomach. His face being shoved into the mud. The blood. The tears.

He closed his eyes.

And exhaled slowly.

When he opened them again, they held something different. Not courage. Not fury.

Conviction.

He rose from his seat slowly.

The whispers in the classroom went quiet.

Even Josh and Amit paused their mockery to look.

'Interesting,' Ryan thought, flexing his fingers. 'Let's see how it feels when I'm the one throwing the punch.'