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2.75% Gargoyle Supremacy / Chapter 2: I Want to Snap Some Necks, a Bully’s Neck

Chapter 2: I Want to Snap Some Necks, a Bully’s Neck

Chapter 2 - I Want to Snap Some Necks, a Bully's Neck

While Carn was still baffled by his current predicament, "Big Mama" continued with the morning announcements. Her deep, commanding voice filled the classroom.

"As y'all know, you're already 10th graders, and you're eligible to take the SAT as long as your GPA is higher than a three. So, y'all kids better study hard and do well on the next exams if you wanna be a damn filthy rich explorer!"

Carn blinked, struggling to process her words. 

'Explorer? What the hell is she talking about?'

Mama didn't seem to notice his confusion as she dove straight into the day's lesson. She picked up a thick history book from her desk and began pointing out key events aloud.

"Now, open your history book, page 63. Let's go over the important events. Since the Y2K incident 19 years ago, dimensional rifts randomly open up in our world, and wild beasts from another dimension slip through the cracks. The government's been doin' a fine job keeping them monsters at bay, but we're losing soldiers faster than we can train them. Then, in 2002, the Pope made a prophecy about a series of future events. Take notes, kids, 'cause his prophecy is always on the final exam!"

Carn snapped out of his daze the moment Mama mentioned 'dimensional rifts'. His head jerked up, and his eyes widened. 

What did she just say? 

Dimensional rifts? 

Monsters? 

Prophecies? 

Was this some kind of joke?

He scratched the back of his head, stunned and confused. This didn't sound like the Earth he knew. Glancing around the room, he caught sight of Malinda. She sat there calmly, focused on her textbook, highlighting key points with a bright pink pen. 

'Is this the norm here?' Carn thought, still trying to wrap his head around what was happening. 

He could see his other classmates listening attentively. Some took notes like this was the most normal thing in the world. There wasn't a single hint of surprise or disbelief on anyone's face. 

'What the hell is going on?!'

After the morning classes, Carn remained seated, focusing on the history textbook from the first period. It felt less like a school subject and more like reading a fantasy novel. He found himself absorbed in this new reality, one that didn't seem to match the Earth he knew.

This wasn't his world. He had been born in 2008, but here, it was 2019, and instead of being in the sixth grade, he was a tenth-grader. 

Alternate reality?

Transmigration? 

The questions swirled in his head. Carn stopped reading and leaned back, crossing his arms, letting out a deep sigh as he tried to make sense of his predicament.

His thoughts drifted back to the vivid dream he had of being a gargoyle, and more importantly, to his memories of the demon lord he had served. 

The image of a seven-foot-tall, elderly man with purple skin and antler-like horns surfaced in his mind. Though the background in his memories was hazy, the demon lord's face was clear as day.

In his recollection, the demon lord himself had sculpted Carn from a stone, shaping him into the fearsome gargoyle he would become. The demon lord had even talked to Carn during his creation. 

[Pebble, do you know that alternate worlds and dimensions exist? I have a confession. I was once human before I was reborn. You could say I died as a man and reincarnated as an imp. That imp trained so hard that he eventually reached the pinnacle of the Grand Tide. I ruled that world for over ten thousand years... but in the end, no one can defeat death. I wonder if I'll reincarnate again with my memories intact. Will I get a third chance? Pebble, what do you think?]

At that time, Carn had been nothing more than a sentient stone, unable to speak or respond. But he remembered every word. Every moment spent with his creator.

A tear rolled down Carn's cheek as he recalled those interactions. To him, the demon lord was more than just his master. He was his creator, his father, and the reason he had become what he was for a thousand years. 

"I understand now, Father," Carn whispered to himself. "Reincarnation, alternate dimensions, different worlds... I get it. That dream wasn't a dream. It was my memory."

More tears fell as Carn closed his eyes, lost in the memory. He still didn't fully understand how he had ended up on Earth again, or how he had once become the demon lord's son in Grand Tide. 

But one thing was clear. The dream was no illusion. It was a piece of his past, a piece of the life he had lived. 

"Thank you, Father, for raising me and taking such good care of me."

Unbeknownst to him, Carn's tears continued to flow, as the memories of his past life and the love he had for the demon lord overwhelmed him. Lost in his emotions, he didn't notice his surroundings.

Malinda, who had been planning to invite Carn to the cafeteria for lunch, noticed the tears running down his face. Without hesitation, she pulled out a pack of wet tissues and gently wiped his cheeks. 

"What's wrong, Carn?! Why are you crying?!" Malinda's voice trembled as she panicked.

Carn snapped back to reality, suddenly aware of the wetness on his face. He quickly rubbed his eyes, trying to come up with an excuse. 

"I just thought of something sad," he mumbled.

Malinda's concern deepened. Her words were rushed, and she stuttered slightly, "You… I-I've seen clips and articles from the internet. People have been getting depressed lately. Have you been taking meds? Seen a doctor? Listen, I'm here for you, okay? I'm on your side! No matter how hard things get, you've still got me. Just don't do anything stupid—to others or yourself!" 

Carn, taken aback by her flustered concern, let out a dry laugh. "Why are you panicking?"

Suddenly, Malinda's own eyes welled up with tears. "You Alzheimer's dumbass! My sister was like you before she jumped off a building last year! My mom almost hung herself last summer right in front of us! Don't you remember?! They both just got so depressed for no reason… like you! So please, don't be like them. Whatever you have in mind, talk to me!"

Her voice cracked, and Carn was stunned. He didn't remember her, but her sincerity hit him hard. The pain in her voice and the desperation in her plea made her family's situation crystal clear. Her worry was genuine, and her past was clearly tragic.

Carn quickly apologized. "Sorry. Don't worry, I'm not planning anything like that. It's more like… I was thinking of a distant deceased relative?"

Malinda sighed, clearly relieved, but didn't let up. "Well, okay… but don't just start crying out of nowhere like that. Are you really a man? Men don't cry, okay?"

"We DO cry sometimes, though," Carn raised an eyebrow.

"Not in public, you dumb-dumb!" Malinda scolded him. She paused for a moment, and her cheeks turned slightly red. Her voice strangely softened, "If you have to cry… come to my house and c-cry on my shoulders, okay? M-My parents work during the daytime and come home late at night. W-We can talk alone."

Unable to catch the hint, Carn gave her a wry smile. Still, he sensed strange tension in the air. "…Okay?" 

Changing his mood, Carn glanced around, hoping to find inspiration to change the conversation topic. 

But then he noticed something.

Several of their classmates were watching them. A few of Malinda's friends were giggling and whispering excitedly, clearly entertained by the interaction. Some of the girls at the back of the classroom, however, rolled their eyes in disdain.

Among the onlookers were a few male students, one of whom stood out from the rest. A tall boy from the back of the class suddenly strode forward, and without warning, kicked Carn's chair.

Both Carn and Malinda turned to face the intruder. Carn, as usual, didn't recognize him.

"Jack! Leave him alone!" Malinda yelled.

Jack, the school's resident bully, smirked. At 16 years old, he already stood 175 cm tall, with the potential to grow even more. As a football player and the top quarterback candidate for the school team, Jack was both popular and feared. He was also known for tormenting weaker students.

Leering at Carn, Jack sneered, "Hey, twink! Acting all spoiled in front of your girlfriend again? Man up and stop crying like a little bitch!"

"HEY!!" Malinda shot up from her seat, raising her voice in anger. 

But before she could stop him, Jack's hand whipped out. With a smug grin stretched across his face, he slapped the back of Carn's head hard. 

PA

The force caused Carn's body to jerk slightly, but he didn't react.

Jack's smirk widened. He leaned in close. His words dripped with arrogance, "Heh! What are you gonna do about it?" 

This wasn't the first time Jack had tried to humiliate Carn. Every time, Carn remained passive and never retaliated, which only fueled Jack's bullying. Today, Jack also expected the same reaction.

The classroom fell into a tense silence. Jack's group gathered behind him, ready to back up their leader if needed. Meanwhile, Malinda's friends rushed out of the room, frantically searching for a teacher. 

The rest of the students hovered nearby, bringing their phones out to capture the scene on video for social media. Everyone was waiting for Carn to break, expecting him to shrink under Jack's taunts like he always did.

But this time, something was different.

Carn straightened his back, slowly raising his head to meet Jack's gaze. There was no fear in his eyes, only a cold, unyielding calm. His stare felt heavy, like the weight of a predator watching its prey. The controlled killing intent in his gaze sent a chill down Jack's spine, though he'd never admit it.

Carn's mind drifted. Jack's arrogance reminded him of the adventurers who once invaded his father's tomb, seeking treasure and power. The ones he had crushed, their necks twisted in his stony grasp. A thousand years of battle instincts surged within him. 

Jack's throat, so soft and fragile, was right there within his reach. Carn could snap it in an instant. The temptation to do so swirled inside him, almost intoxicating.

For a moment, Carn's eyes flickered with murderous intent. He salivated as the hunger to end Jack's arrogance was almost too much to resist. 

But then he let out a long, slow breath, forcing himself to hold back. He couldn't lose control, not here. 

Not yet.

Seeing Carn gulp, Jack mistook it for fear and leaned in even closer. His smirk widened, trying to press his advantage. "What are you lookin' at, loser?"

Malinda, sensing the rising tension, stepped between them and shoved Jack away. "Jack! What's your problem?! Back off, or I'll tell the teachers!"

Jack scoffed, mocking her. "Boohoo! I'm gonna tell the teachers!" 

He shoved her aside. Then, with a sneer, he planted his hand on Carn's head, pushing down, trying to force Carn's face into the desk. "Hiding behind your girlfriend again? Gonna cry like a little bitch?"

But this time, something changed.

Jack pushed, but Carn didn't move. His body remained completely still like a boulder rooted to the ground. Jack's grin faltered as he realized he couldn't budge Carn even an inch.

Carn's eyes fixed on Jack's neck again. The urge to snap it grew stronger with each second. His deep and calm voice finally broke the silence.

"Back off… while you still can... Jackass."


Chapter 3: I Have a Headache

Chapter 3 - I Had a Headache

"Ha!" Jack spun around to face his friends, showing a mocking grin on his face. "You hear that? He just called me 'Jackass'!" 

The boys behind Jack erupted in laughter, feeding off their leader's arrogance. To them, Carn's response was nothing but a joke. Jack chuckled as well, but there was something malicious in his eyes. 

His laughter barely faded when he suddenly pivoted back toward Carn and threw a sucker punch.

Carn's eyes followed Jack's fist as it approached his face. The punch was so slow that Carn almost yawned in boredom. 

For a normal human, strength in a punch comes from weight, muscle, and speed. But for someone who was forged in a world of demons and supernatural beings, an ordinary attack from a fragile human was nothing.

Curious about his own abilities in this world, Carn decided to let the punch land. It was a perfect opportunity to test his current physical limits.

*PAK*

Jack's fist collided with Carn's left cheek, but Carn didn't even flinch. There was no pain or recoil. He barely felt the impact. 

Jack, on the other hand, recoiled instantly. He cursed under his breath as he cradled his hand while his face contorted in pain.

"SHIT!" Jack hissed through clenched teeth. 

His knuckles were already swelling, turning deep red as blood pooled beneath the skin. He stared at his hand, confused and in shock. The sensation of hitting something as hard as a stone lingered.

Everyone's attention shifted to Jack, watching him howl and nurse his hand. No one noticed that Carn's cheek had momentarily turned stony gray upon impact, before instantly fading back to its normal color.

Carn, however, wasn't concerned with Jack's injury. His gaze had drifted back to Jack's neck. 

The temptation to snap Jack's neck intensified with each passing second. Carn's lips curled into a small, amused smile as he slowly stood, pushing his chair back to give himself more space. The desire to put this arrogant child in his place swelled inside him like a rising tide.

But there were too many witnesses. What could he do?

Ah, perhaps a little bone-breaking would suffice. Snapping a few bones might not offer the same satisfaction as the sharp crack of a neck, but the feeling of hard objects inside soft, juicy flesh giving way… the victim's face contorting in shock and pain… Those were quite enjoyable too.

Yes, breaking a few bones would do just fine.

Everything was self-defense. Ah, yes… self-defense.

Carn made up his mind.

But before he could act, a sharp pain of a searing headache shot through the back of his head. His vision blurred momentarily as the agony surged. He clenched his eyes shut, suppressing the urge to scream.

Instinctively, Carn covered his face with his right hand, massaging his temple in a desperate attempt to ease the pain. His body wavered, and he staggered a step as dizziness overwhelmed him.

At that very instant, the homeroom teacher, Big Mama, burst into the room. Her eyes blazed with fury. It seemed that Malinda's friends had clearly reached her in time. 

Upon seeing Carn stumbling and holding his head, Big Mama's face twisted in rage. Her voice boomed through the classroom like a thunderclap.

"Jack! Are y'all back at it, bullying my baby boy again? You better believe I'll go to your coach and have you kicked off that team if this keeps up!"

Jack shot the teacher a defiant look, clearly annoyed by her interference, but he wasn't stupid enough to provoke her. Big Mama had enough influence with the school to cause problems for him. Despite the pain in his hand and the humiliation boiling inside, he gritted his teeth and retreated.

Jack turned toward Carn one last time. His voice was full of venom. "Consider yourself lucky, twink. I'll see you in gym class." 

After dropping a threat like a third-rated villain, Jack spat on the floor before storming out. His entourage of boys looked back and forth between Carn and Jack for a moment. But ultimately, they followed after their ringleader. 

Carn watched them leave in silence. His thoughts lingered on how easy it would have been to end Jack's life at that moment, but he knew better than to act rashly. There were too many eyes on him, too many witnesses.

As the group finally disappeared down the hall, Big Mama approached Carn, her fierce demeanor softening as she shouted at the lingering students. 

"Alright, y'all, break it up! This ain't no circus!" 

The bystanders stopped recording the incident and dispersed as the drama had ended. Some of them inwardly booed Big Mama for spoiling the fun. 

Big Mama turned her full attention to Carn. "Now, baby, let me see your face. Did he hurt you?"

Carn remained still with his expressionless face, but the dangerous glint in his eyes had faded. He let Big Mama fuss over him, gently inspecting his face and checking his body for any signs of injury. Even though he didn't need her concern, there was something almost comforting in her maternal worry.

Big Mama gave him a once-over, clearly relieved when she didn't find any serious damage. However, Carn's pale face concerned her.

At that moment, Malinda quickly reported the situation. "Mama, Jack punched Carn in the face. He might be hurt."

Big Mama's face darkened as she processed the information. 

"I see. We need to get you to the infirmary right away." She glanced at Malinda. "Can you help me support him?"

"Okay!" Malinda agreed without hesitation.

Despite the fact that they hadn't had lunch yet, both Big Mama and Malinda wrapped Carn's arms over their shoulders and started guiding him toward the school infirmary. Carn, still disoriented from the pounding headache, silently cooperated, letting them lead him.

As they walked, Malinda was slightly out of breath. She complained, "Carn, are you getting fatter or something? You're… kinda heavy."

"…"

.

.

The cozy white-walled infirmary of Carn's high school was a peaceful contrast to the tension he felt as he lay on one of the four neatly made beds. The school nurse, Petra, was tending to him with the meticulous care she'd developed over her decades of experience. Her stethoscope hovered over his chest, listening for irregularities, before she moved on to his eyes, prying his eyelids open to shine a small flashlight into them.

Carn winced as the sudden brightness caused his pupils to shrink. Petra noted his reaction, pulled the light away, and calmly checked his temperature next. Her movements were steady and motherly.

Petra, a woman in her retirement age, was as sharp as ever despite the toll the years had taken on her appearance. Her short, curly hair had long since turned white. Her light skin, which had been through a long life and many days under the sun, was dry and rough. 

Despite this, she carried herself with a sense of grace. She was still slim and healthy. Her posture suggested that she was a former beauty queen, and the humble diamond ring on her left hand hinted at a long loyal marriage of 40 years. It was clear she had lived a life rich with experiences and hardships.

"Did you vomit or feel any nausea?" she asked in her no-nonsense tone.

"No," Carn answered simply, though his mind was still buzzing from the lingering headache.

"What about your eyesight? Is it blurry?"

Carn nodded slightly. "It was blurry earlier, but it's normal now."

"I see. How about your ears? Do you hear any ringing noises sometimes?"

"Actually, yeah." Carn thought back to the strange high-pitched sound that had plagued him earlier. "Something like… VEEEEEEE, like radio static."

The nurse made a note on his health card and continued her methodical questioning. "When did you start hearing that noise or experiencing blurry vision?"

"Last night, I think. Right after I woke up."

"And how many times has this happened since then?"

"…Three times." 

"Have you ever fainted or had seizures before?"

"No."

"Sudden exhaustion without any clear reason?"

"No."

Satisfied for the moment, Petra stopped her barrage of questions and went to write more notes in Carn's health file. She prepared a small batch of painkillers and some vitamins, placing them in medical zip-lock bags on the bedside table. Then, with a serious expression, she issued a final warning.

"If you start vomiting or get another severe headache, you need to go straight to the hospital for a CT scan. Just to be safe."

"…Thank you."

Petra flashed him a tight smile. "It's my job."

She stood up, leaving Carn's bedside, and walked over to where Big Mama and Malinda were sitting on a nearby couch. Petra's expression turned serious as she addressed them both. 

"Keep an eye on him. If he starts vomiting, has a seizure, or—heaven forbid—stops making sense when he talks, get him to the hospital ASAP."

Malinda's face tightened with concern. She asked with a trembling voice, "Is it serious?" 

Petra sighed, the weight of her years of experience clear in her voice. 

"He's been bullied, right? If this isn't the first time he's been punched, there's a chance he could have a mild concussion. But it could also just be a migraine or stress."

Petra paused and shifted her gaze to Big Mama. She continued, "Either way, Maria Mama, if you catch those boys bullying him again, you should report it to the disciplinary office. We can't have a student dying of a concussion on our hands, now can we?"

Big Mama let out a huff, clearly frustrated. "Do you really think I haven't tried? I can't turn my back for a single second without those little brats going after him again. And that damn coach? Every time I bring it up, he just brushes me off like it's nothing!" 

Petra pursed her lips and suggested, "Then you should call his parents."

Big Mama's expression darkened. "His father's an explorer."

A knowing silence filled the room. Petra's eyes widened ever so slightly, understanding the implications of having a high-profile parent like that. "Ah."

"Yeah," Big Mama muttered under her breath, clearly frustrated but resigned.

While the adults exchanged weary glances, Malinda moved quietly to Carn's bedside. She perched herself on a tall stool and began inspecting his face. Her untrained eyes could tell that his face looked pale, and his skin was a bit clammy. He had a slight fever too.

Tears welled up in her eyes as she whispered, "Don't die, Carn."

Carn, hearing her ridiculous plea, rolled his eyes. "Idiot, don't jinx it. It's just a headache."

"But… the nurse said you might have a concussion."

Carn remained silent, but within the depths of his mind, he was piecing together the puzzle of his condition. 

The headaches that had plagued him were not merely the result of a concussion, Jack's punches, or the remnants of past traumas. They stemmed from a more profound deficiency—a lack of a vital energy source that had dwindled each time he tapped into his powers.

Aether

He realized he was severely lacking in Aether. Unfortunately, this world seemed devoid of it, as if the very air itself felt thin and suffocating around him. The thought of being cut off from something so essential filled him with a sense of desperation.

'When was the last time I absorbed any Aether?' Carn pondered. 

It felt like ages since he had adequately replenished the energy that sustained his gargoyle abilities. The headaches were now becoming increasingly frequent.

For now, he needed to prioritize finding a new source of Aether. He recalled that the most effective way to collect this elusive energy was through... 

…killing people who bore certain brands.


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