As the time to go to lunch approached, Erik started being anxious. His plan wasn't complicated; he simply planned to provoke Logan and make an example out of him while showing his power.
He was more confident than before since he boosted his strength to eight points, but he didn't have a reference, so he didn't know how strong other people were, and for sure, he didn't know how strong Logan was.
The prick was a DSIGMA3D, with the power of making poisonous darts, the substance they injected increased in lethality the more Logan injected mana into them, so if Logan willed it, he could kill him.
Not that Erik couldn't do so with his new power, but he clearly didn't have the intention. The bell signaling lunch break rang at thirteen, and everyone went downstairs to get their share of the meal.
Unlike usual, Erik went downstairs too, walking in the sea of people rushing out from their classrooms in a disorderly manner.
But after five minutes, Erik walked into the cafeteria and noticed many people staring at him. It was the first time Erik came down; he basically never saw the place.
It was one of the biggest rooms he had ever seen—a great hall filled with tables covered by white cloths where students sat eating. People were streaming in without order or any particular direction: some going straight ahead towards the cashier's desk, others coming back from the counter to take away food.
A lot of people seemed very happy about something, laughing and talking loudly. "Hey! Hey!" someone shouted behind Erik as soon as he entered, "What are you doing here?"
Erik turned around quickly and looked at the speaker, who stood beside a table close to the wall. Three guys were standing there, all of them tall and lean. One was blond-haired, another black, and the third had curly red hair. They all wore the school's uniform.
"I'm just going to get lunch," Erik said.
The blonde laughed derisively and pointed at him with his finger. "You don't have the right to do so; go away before I make you do so."
"And how are you supposed to do so?" Erik asked. As more as he looked at the blond man, his anger increased.
"Are you tired of living? Trash!" the student said.
Erik didn't bother replying; he went to the counter, took a tray, and filled some plates with food. It was the first time he had eaten there, and he was eager to try the food.
People kept staring at him, whispering and asking themselves what the hell happened to Erik to be so bold. It was then that Logan, Orson, and Conal entered the cafeteria; Erik noticed them and grinned.
"You screwed up, Erik," The blond student said before sitting on his chair.
pA n,dan(-)0ve1.c0m Logan walked as if he owned the place, heading toward the same table where Erik was seated.
"Logan, the trash is in the cafeteria!" Orson said.
"I can see that."
"We must put him in place!" Conal added.
This time Logan agreed. Erik was overstepping his boundaries. Though Logan couldn't blatantly beat Erik in front of the cafeteria's staff, he stopped in front of the table and ceased smiling, then he sat.
Orson and Conal joined Logan and Erik at the table, each taking seats opposite Erik.
"Strange rumors are spreading about you," Logan said while looking Erik in the eyes.
"Yeah, I heard them."
"If I were you, I wouldn't be so bold. Did you forget how we beat your ass for three years?"
"How could I?" Erik replied.
"Good, now, if you know what's better for you, then get out of here, trash," Logan said.
Though, Erik did nothing and calmly stood on his chair.
"Did you hear him?" Orson repeated angrily.
"Yes," Erik answered calmly, "But I don't think I will," he replied. He smiled internally since he had to do nothing to make Logan and his friends angry.
"What did you just say?" Orson asked.
"I said fuck off."
Silence enveloped the room.
Orson got up and approached Erik menacingly. "Get lost, or else—"
Before anyone could react, Erik stood up and pushed the table against the three pricks, throwing the food everywhere.
This was the ideal place to show his new power, as many people were there watching. As faster as the rumor spread and faster, his bullying days would end.
Orson, Conal, and Logan ran toward Erik. They could act now because everyone saw Erik starting the fight, and they could play the self-defense card.
Orson was the first to approach Erik; he threw a punch toward him but missed. Then Conal came closer, hitting Erik with two punches, but the young man was used to pain and shrugged it off as if nothing had happened. Logan was the last to arrive in front of the young man but the first to be hit.
With his renewed strength, Erik charged at Logan; he was strong enough to lift him in the air, something that surprised everyone inside the room.
Erik launched the young man over a table, and he fell over some bystander who was watching the fight in awe.
Conal and Orson followed Erik and started punching him. The young man protected his head by raising his arms up, but then, as the right moment came, he gave a single punch to Orso.
Since his strength improved a lot, that punch alone was able to knock Orson out, who fell on the floor unconscious.
Everyone stared at Erik as if he was an alien, but he wasn't done yet. He turned towards Conal and rushed at him.
Erik punched the little prick with all the strength he could muster, but the young man was tougher than Orson, and he didn't fall down immediately.
Logan's friend defended himself, but Erik's punches were heavy. At the same time, Logan stood up and charged at Erik, knocking him down on the ground. He pinned him down on the floor while Conal started kicking him on the flank.
Erik had no intention of letting himself be beaten down by the two morons, though. He mustered all his strength and lifted Logan in the air again.
He rolled to the ground, avoiding Conal's last kick, and with a quick move, he stood up. Conal and Erik charged at each other, but it was clear that Erik was stronger than him.
Erik's shoulder hit Conal's abdomen, Logan's friend lost all air inside his lungs, and once he fell to the floor, he hit the head, losing consciousness.
Now, only Logan was left standing; he immediately understood that he couldn't beat Erik with great surprise and started channeling mana.
"LOGAN, STOP!" a person from the crowd shouted, but it was too late; the young man had already materialized a dart in his hands.
Erik knew that was the right moment to show his power, so he grabbed a tray and imbued mana into it. People couldn't understand what he was doing; they thought he was trying to defend himself with the tray.
Contrary to their expectations, Erik slashed at Logan, and a gash appeared on his chest. Blood trickled down the young man's body, staining his school's uniform red.
Logan didn't expect Erik's move; he left the dart falling to the ground, which vanished into thin air. Logan brought his hands on his chest and felt the blood trickling down, then looked at Erik, astonished.