章 30: Trying to prove that I've grown

Let's change the perspective.

Chump slammed against the wall, causing the bicycle to wreak havoc on half of the car. The pain coursing through his body was excruciating, but he knew he had to press on. He had to. He had to. He had to? Why he had to? He questioned himself, wondering why it was so imperative.

His gaze fell upon the laptop, now shattered, intrusive thoughts began to flood his mind.

"Why are you doing this? Just give up. They wield immense power compared to you, and you've fought merely for scraps. Give up; there's nothing left to fight for. Everyone is gone…" A voice echoed within his thoughts, a feminine voice resembling Sharlindra.

But he was aware it wasn't truly Sharlindra; it was just a recreation within his mind.

"My sister is alive… I must find her."

With four legs, Chump navigated through the wreckage, partially blinded and relying on instinct. He attempted to open the car door, only to discover it was damaged.

"Your sister is safe. Didn't you see the butler? Do you not think she's in good hands? What's the point now? No worries, no objectives, stability…"

Chump struggled to silence that internal voice as he headbutted the door several times before attempting to pry it open.

Unlocked.

He strained to look outside, his senses dulled and unfocused. His only thought was, "Finally, some peace."

Then, Asaga's words started to reach his ears, like background noise, gradually restoring his senses.

More thoughts inundated his mind. "Why does she always talk? Why does she derive pleasure from tormenting others? Why is she doing this?... Why am I doing this?"

Ignoring the external clamor, he focused all his energy on navigating, one step at a time, to avoid stumbling.

"Is doubting a sign of weakness? Some say yes, while others believe it's a reflection of growth, and change... There are so many opinions... Why am I even pondering this? Death is on my back."

He glanced at Ephiron, with Thalia oblivious to the fact that one of his hands was always protecting her head. His vision blurred briefly, and for a moment, the two figures merged. His sister had protected him when he was little.

He shook his head to clear his thoughts and gazed ahead. The voice resembling Sharlindra returned, taunting him, "This cruel world despises you. You're a weakling, and people only pity you. Listen to her, listen to her offer, you fool!"

Chump's internal thoughts responded half-automatically, "If she wanted to harm me physically, she would have done it long ago. She's toying with me…"

Asaga walked alongside Chump, attempting to persuade him as they crossed the bridge. His ears were now clearer, allowing him to hear her more distinctly, and his mind began to take her words into account.

More intrusive thoughts flooded in. "Just give up." More voices chimed in, urging him to quit. More irrational thoughts followed. No more worries, no more stress. Why continue?

"Shut up… Please, just shut up…" Chump mumbled and thought aloud. His mind and body were in sync, and he realized he was slowly stopping.

Thalia's voice entered the mix, and in his distressed state, he initially mistook it for another tormenting voice. He felt anger, frustration, and sadness, a tumultuous sea of emotions that left him feeling numb or anxious. He couldn't quite discern his feelings.

His grip on reality was slipping, and he found himself acting and speaking without conscious thought, his mind overwhelmed by incessant contemplation.

Asaga forced his gaze to Ephiron, highlighting all the pain and exhaustion he had endured in just one day.

More reasoning emerged, all in Sharlindra's voice. The first thought was, "That's the man who took my sister…"

Another thought followed, "No, that's the one looking after my sister. That's the one who can keep her safe from creatures like this witch who's holding me now."

A third one "No, she brought a child, he is torturing her to teach her a lesson!"

Fourth, "Forget about him, Clem is using you like a fool, like the others did!"

Fift—, "Ephiron would have done the same if he captured you."

"What about that Meisho? Or that Ladice", "This woman will do the same", "She will do what you wanted, freeing you of your mind!", "What if they reincarnated you?", "You could take revenge!", "You could free yourself", "Just", "Give", "Up.", "Weak, useless, nerd, idiot, scumbag…"

Asaga yelled back to Ephiron and Thalia. At first, Thalia's cries echoed faintly in Chump's thoughts, just another voice amidst the chaos. But when Asaga pointed out his family, something inside him clicked, and Sharlindra's voice faded while Thalia's cries grew stronger.

Time seemed to slow around him, and though he couldn't explain why, he felt like he was moving at a different pace.

A distant memory resurfaced, a flashback to a time eight years ago when he was just fourteen, barely into puberty. His voice hadn't yet changed, and he had an awkward, pimply face with a round babyish countenance.

He sat in his room, surrounded by papers, photographs, and documents, even scattered across his desktop PC. His sister was by his side, patting his back, while his mother stood in the doorway, concerned and puzzled. She turned to Chump's father, who was listening behind the wall.

"Didn't his group finish the final project a couple of days ago?" she asked.

Chump's father only nodded, lost in thought. Chump's mother turned to his sister, trying to decipher Chump's sobs and outbursts. Chump's sister translated her little brother's cries and breakdowns.

"It seems like his group kicked him out of their research and took all the documents, accusing him of cheating with Wikipedia instead of doing the fieldwork."

She paused briefly to continue translating Chump's emotional turmoil.

"Now he has just two days to complete a whole new project for the upcoming presentation, and he has no idea where to start..."

His father closed his eyes, turned toward the hall, and walked away. His mother placed a hand on his shoulder but couldn't stop him. She urgently looked at Chump's face and then rushed in the opposite direction.

His sister turned his chair around to face her, holding his face gently, wiping his tears away, and comforting him.

"Brother, it's okay. It's not your fault. I know there are times when the pain just keeps growing when you think all your efforts were in vain. But remember one thing: you're awesome, you're smart, you're dedicated. You're the best in our eyes."

Chump's mother returned with a bag of chips and a soda, a wide smile lighting up her face.

"Sometimes you need a break, but you should never give up! I know you can make this work! Forget about those who betrayed you; they're not worth it compared to you!"

His father returned silently, placing a large stack of old books, some covered in dust, on his bed.

"Son, I don't condone cheating or accepting unneeded help, but just this once, I'll make an exception."

His sister made way for their father, who placed a reassuring hand on Chump's shoulder, giving him a confident smile.

"Let's teach them a lesson about loyalty, honesty, and justice. Let's show them what being a family truly means."

The young boy gradually stopped crying, his anxious expression transforming into a hopeful smile. His trembling hands picked up the papers, revealing the new project held in his shaky grasp.

The comforting sessions continued as his family worked together to create a new project, one that would outscore the group that had betrayed him, even if it was just by a single point.

The memory began to fade, reminding him of how his family had rallied together, and how their project had triumphed. He returned to reality, with Asaga bowing to the human, her face in his left ear, her sinister voice combining with the intrusive thoughts of Sharlindra.

Both female voices merged at the same time, urging him, "Just say 'I submit' and it will all be over."

"I... I... s..." Chump half-kneeled down, while Sharlindra's voices continued to harass him. "Yes, that's it, loser. Now—"

"Shut up."

"W-What di—"

"I said shut up!" Chump's voice regained power, increasing like a giant's strength.

"C-Chump, what are you—" The internal demon voice was abruptly silenced.

Back outside, that half-kneel transformed into his leg crouching on the ground.

He knew what he had to do.

His body sensed the impending danger, his emotions gripped his throat, and he reacted. Adrenaline surged through his veins, coursing through his left arm like a torrent of energy.

His veins bulged, muscles tensed, and bones clicked together like a whip hitting the air as he led with his left shoulder. His mind recalled everything he knew about boxing—positions, postures, biology—everything he needed to know.

It opted for the slowest but most powerful option available. He instructed his leg to crouch a bit more before launching himself into a standing position as fast as possible.

The pain in his legs was excruciating as glass shards continued to cut his skin like tiny piranha teeth.

But he didn't care.

His right shoulder strained to stay together with his body, feeling tendons stretch beyond their limits.

But he didn't care.

His swollen left eye struggled to open to see his target, his face pleading for him to stop.

But he didn't care.

He needed every fiber of his being to focus on reaching the top speed possible for the upcoming upward movement, even if it meant breaking himself in the process. And his entire body understood, somehow, fueled by the fury he felt.

Just before his left arm shot upward at incredible speed, he envisioned all the faces of his family, being transformed into lifeless carcasses, then dust, and finally swept away by the wind. He and his sister were left alone in this cruel world he called "reality."

Body, mind, and soul united, connected to deliver the best uppercut anyone there had ever seen.

Asaga watched the punch in fast motion, unable to react to the speed he had achieved. His hand connected with her chin, the culmination of his legs pushing up, his torso rising, and his arms bursting with energy.

His punch hit with such force that the sweat in his hand-sprayed into the air. The energy, strength, and acceleration he had gathered created a tremendous kinetic force that propelled her face backward. In that fleeting moment that felt like an eternity, it was his brain's reward for standing up to her.

The force was enough to push her back—not just once, not twice, but three steps backward, causing her to tumble off the bridge and onto her backside.

"I SAID SHUT UUUUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGFFFHHHHPPPPPP!"