My Tribrid System: More than a Monster

Chapter 115

Clack. Clack. Clack.

Kai’s footsteps echoed rhythmically through the hall as he descended the stairs.

Even though the pitch-black bandana remained firmly over his eyes, he walked with unerring precision.

He didn’t trip, didn’t stumble, and didn’t even wobble.

He navigated the steps like someone whose vision wasn’t restricted in the slightest.

The indifferent way he passed by every single person, as if they didn’t even exist, made the atmosphere more chilling—and significantly more annoying for those he ignored.

He walked past even Berg and, instead of heading directly toward Ray, he went straight to Van.

Helping the boy to his feet, he turned to face the entire group of Aspirants gathered there.

Felix, on the other hand, just quietly tucked his hands into his pockets as his eyes darted around the room, taking in the shifting dynamics.

’Wheew. For a second there, I was actually thinking of a way to interfere and help brother. But it seems that he has someone remarkably strong looking over him already.’

”Berg, how dare you lay your hands on my friends?!” Kai asked in a dangerously calm tone.

His voice contained no trace of obvious anger or hate, and for that very reason, it made him feel ten times more lethal.

”And what gives you the right to question me, Larson?” Berg hollered in fury, his pride stinging.

”You touched what belonged to me,” Kai growled silently, his presence expanding.

”In this world, whatever surrounds these walls belongs to the Big Four—including your lives. So what you claim to be yours isn’t actually yours,” Berg countered with a snarl.

”... Besides, I was merely teaching some brats basic manners. They need to learn how to respect those who are clearly stronger than them.”

”Strong?” Ray lifted an eyebrow in confusion as he narrowed his gaze at the legacy.

All eyes turned toward him in an instant.

”You keep yapping about strength and all that nonsense. I repeat; you are just a dirty coward.

A snotty brat who doesn’t have the courage to take out his frustration on those stronger than him, hence he resorts to bullying those that are weaker.”

He paused, taking a few deliberate steps forward.

”... You were granted strength by the universe to protect humanity against the threat that plagues us. Instead of doing that, you resort to being a bully?”

”And is it my fault that your trashy existence refused to grant you power?!” Berg screamed, flames erupting around his hands with renewed intensity.

”You weaklings exist solely to please the strong, and we wish to do whatever we want with your lives! Why? Because we are the only ones who matter. We are the only ones who can actually do something against the Aberrants!”

”....”

”Is that so?” Ray suddenly let out a soft chuckle which quickly turned into loud, boisterous laughter as he held his abdomen in pain.

”You are the only one who can do something against the Aberrants? Yet when an Aberrant actually appeared when we were in the gate, you were the first to flee.

You ran away with your tail tucked between your legs. Yet you claim to be the one who matters?!”

A collective gasp of shock rippled through the hall at the boy’s stinging words.

”The one whom you were beating up for being weak actually stayed back.

He didn’t flee like your cowardly ass. He actually used his own type of strength to help in the battle. If it wasn’t for his brain, the rest of us whom you abandoned wouldn’t even be here right now.”

Van shuffled a bit, gripping Kai’s shoulder to steady his trembling frame.

The sound of flames crackling became more violent around Berg’s hands as Ray continued to tear into him.

”... You act like you are so powerful, yet you couldn’t even help when it actually mattered. And that’s precisely why I call you all cowards! Weaklings in disguise.

You all aspire to join the Vanguard Order so you can help humanity, while some of you want to join the Iron Corps to protect the citizens within the walls. But you couldn’t even start from here? Those you aspire to be like... is this how they act?”

Ray turned his head to glare directly at Berg.

”Is this how the Big Four are? If they were snotty brats like you are, they wouldn’t be where they are today.

They wouldn’t be respected for what they managed to achieve by helping humanity. They worked together to push the Aberrants back during the First War.

They fucking worked together. Yet, you all here are so divided that if an Aberrant were to attack right now, everyone would flee like the chickens they actually are. A bunch of useless hypocrites.”

Nobody could look Ray in the eye.

Those who had been ready to attack him suddenly calmed down as a heavy shroud of shame instantly surrounded them all.

They were guilty, and they knew it; the majority of those present had been there during the gate incident.

They had initially wanted to stay and fight, but seeing the hopelessness of the situation—and the way Berg immediately bolted—had triggered their survival instincts.

In the ensuing chaos of their retreat, dozens of their fellow Aspirants had lost their lives.

”Hahahaha~!” Berg exploded into laughter, and the flames licking his hands died down immediately.

An amused, mocking expression rested on his face. ”Wow! So you want to be humanity’s savior? Well, why don’t you start by actually being strong enough to hold that ti—”

”Wrong. I do not aspire to be humanity’s savior. I never will.”

****

”What?!”

”Did I stutter?” Ray tilted his head, glaring at Berg with eyes that were fiercely determined.

”... I do not aspire to be humanity’s savior because this world doesn’t deserve saving. None of you deserve saving.

But that doesn’t mean I will remain weak. I will grow stronger, and I will surely stand atop the world someday for the sake of those I care about.”

He took a step closer, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper.

”Because I want to be able to stop bastards like you from taking my family or my dear ones. And I will also make the Aberrants pay for taking my parents from me. That’s why I fight. That’s why I strive for power.”

The hallway fell into a profound silence as they watched Ray clench his fists.

With eyes still brimming with lingering pain, he wiped the blood from his mouth and began walking away.

”... Work together if you want to. Fight amongst yourselves if you want to; I don’t give a fuck. But don’t you dare touch my friend ever again. Otherwise,” Ray paused, stopping directly beside Berg and glaring into his soul.

”I will become your worst nightmare, and I promise you, you won’t be able to sleep a wink afterward, you puny-brained human.”