Mark walks around the school, then runs into Wayne.
Mark: Hey! Chris is nowhere to be found.
Wayne: What? Where did he go?!
Mark: I don't know. I checked everywhere.
Wayne: That's strange—wait… don't tell me he went there.
Mark: There?!
---
Old Temple
Rocks and grass covered the ground. The air felt heavy.
Chris stood facing Bob, Andrew, and Coner.
Bob: You must have hit your head hard! We don't have anything to do with you anymore.
Chris: But I do. So people like you can never look down on others again.
Bob's face twisted in anger.
Bob: Fine. If that's what you want—Andrew, Coner, hold him down. I'll teach him a lesson.
Andrew and Coner rushed toward Chris, but Chris struck their faces before they could reach him.
They barely managed to block.
Coner: What the—?!
Andrew: He's way stronger than last time!
Bob: What the hell are you two doing?!
Andrew attacked Chris. Chris countered with a straight punch.
Coner kicked from behind. Chris spun and slammed his elbow toward Coner's head—but Coner blocked it, though he was clearly struggling.
Bob stood still, thoughts racing.
He's gotten better. Someone could even say he's on my level now.
But he's outnumbered. He can't win like this.
Bob clenched his fist and charged while Chris was dealing with Andrew and Coner.
Bob's punch smashed into Chris's jaw, sending him flying back.
Chris didn't fall. He wiped his mouth.
Chris: Attacking me while I'm distracted… how cheap.
Bob (smirking): That's not cheap. That's called teamwork.
Chris realized the truth. Fighting all three at once meant defeat.
But today, he wasn't here to lose.
Bob is the problem. He's a C‑rank like me. I can handle Andrew and Coner—but Bob on top of them? That won't be easy.
And still… none of them could beat Henry one‑on‑one.
I hate to admit it, but he might even overpower them as a group.
Desperation surged through Chris. He let go of himself.
Bob, Andrew, and Coner stared in confusion.
Bob: What's wrong with him? Why is he just standing there?
Andrew: Is he sleeping?
Chris slowly lifted his head.
His eyes had changed.
The beast was back.
Bob: What the hell? Why is he looking at us like that?
Chris vanished in a blur.
His hand slashed across Coner's left arm.
Coner screamed and clutched it.
Coner: I—I couldn't even react…
Andrew turned in shock—
—but his right arm was cut before he could move.
Andrew: AHHH! What the hell?!
Both of them staggered back, gripping their arms as if they had been sliced by blades.
Bob: You bastard! How did you get this strong all of a sudden?!
Chris was already in front of him.
Only inches away.
Chris: You will all die.
Slash. Slash. Slash.
Cuts tore across Bob's arms, chest, and back.
Bob: W‑What the hell…? Who are you?!
He screamed, tears streaming down his face.
Chris stood over his fallen body.
Chris: I am your death.
He raised his fingers again—
ready to strike his head.
To be continued…