Chapter 16. 8. Ryan Promhart's Anger
"He's seriously crazy, that bastard."
The big guy muttered after hearing Lumin's words.
Originally, someone should have been keeping watch to see if anyone was coming this way, but that wasn't possible.
Not only did he dare to talk back to Boomer, but he even cut off the guy's words.
Has his liver popped out of his stomach?
'Yeah, actually this works out better!'
He was already anxious because Boomer was only showing interest in Teoro, but if Lumin was provoking him like that, there was no need to worry.
That guy would soon be beaten into a pulp. Maybe he'd even have to spend about a month in the infirmary.
However, the situation unfolded slightly differently from what he expected.
"Hey, everyone come over here."
"Huh, uh? You want us to come?"
"Yeah. Come and take out that bastard. He's annoying."
"But... then we can't keep watch..."
"Ah, you know people barely come by here anyway! Don't make me say it twice, just come. I don't want to waste my energy on some weird bastard."
Boomer said in an angry voice.
Of course, that Lumin bastard was offensive.
Seeing a guy who couldn't even make eye contact until last year talking back so clearly made him want to smash his mouth in right now.
But.
'It would look beneath me to personally step forward against someone like that.'
You don't use a bull-killing knife to catch a chicken.
Boomer Simpson turned his gaze toward Teoro as he watched the big guys approach Lumin.
It was the moment he tried to put on a threatening expression, thinking he wouldn't be interrupted anymore.
"You're not answering my question?"
"...Ha, that bastard."
Boomer Simpson shook his head as he looked at Lumin, who was picking a fight with him again.
Now he was even more angry at the big guys than at Lumin.
Why on earth were they just standing there watching that cocky bastard?
If they had surrounded him, shouldn't they be doing the next thing too?
"Fuck, what are you guys really doing! If you don't want to die by my hand after this is over, shut that bastard up!"
"Ugh, uuuugh!"
"Uwaaaaah!"
Having heard Boomer's threat, they couldn't just stand around awkwardly anymore.
The three boys, including Freckles, rushed forward screaming. The metal knuckles attached to their flying fists gleamed in the moonlight. Boomer finally smiled with satisfaction.
However, there was something he didn't know.
The reason the big guy had asked him to deal with Lumin wasn't just because Teoro was scary. It was that Lumin had already punished the big guys once before.
And the Lumin from back then and the Lumin now had completely different attitudes toward fighting.
THWACK!
THWACK!
THWACK!
"Huh, uh?"
"What the!"
"Uuuugh!"
The three boys who had thrown punches at Lumin wore surprised expressions. They had no choice but to clutch their stinging hands and step back.
They had definitely hit him. Lumin didn't even seem interested in their attacks, and the three boys including Freckles had just struck his face, solar plexus, and back with all their might.
But Lumin was fine. On the contrary, it was their fists that hurt.
At this incredible scene, the boys were terrified.
The big guy, who had been watching them with anxious eyes, stepped forward himself.
"Damn it, move!"
The big guy wasn't without fear either. Though he made various excuses internally, he already knew the fact that Lumin was stronger than him.
But Boomer was still scarier. He threw a hook with all his might toward Lumin's defenseless jaw. If he didn't block it, he intended to shatter his jawbone.
CRAAAACK-!
"KRAAAAAAAAH!"
But this time was the same.
Lumin was fine, and the big guy was injured. The injury was much more severe than the other boys.
That was because the recoil was much stronger from pouring all his strength into one punch.
But how on earth was there such recoil?
Teoro Shutgarn's eyes widened in shock.
He spoke to Lumin with a trembling voice.
"L-Lumin. Are you okay?"
"I am not okay."
Lumin answered immediately.
He wasn't talking about his physical condition.
His body had no reason to hurt at all. Lumin's bones and flesh, strengthened through aura, were much harder than the big guys' fists. Guys at the Aura Beginner level could never harm him.
But his chest hurt. His heart hurt.
The memories of decades he had to live as a eunuch knight against his will combined with Boomer Simpson's words and became thorns piercing his chest.
A tear flowed from Lumin's eyes.
It ran down his cheek, pooled at his chin, and then fell toward the ground. Sizzle, he felt the illusion that the ground was burning.
Because his tears contained sorrow and pain, burning hot like lava.
Lumin glared at Boomer Simpson and spoke.
"You... said something you should never have said."
"What, what? That I'd shut your mouth? Or that I said you probably don't have one down there?"
"Yes. I see you know. I'll carve the fact that words have consequences into your precious place starting now."
"Crazy bastard. What are you saying. Heh heh."
Boomer Simpson responded with a feigned calm face. He even let out a slight laugh.
But Teoro could tell. Right now, the guy was thoroughly tense from the aura Lumin was emitting.
After all, even he, who wasn't the target, had sweaty palms, so how much more tense must that guy be?
Teoro swallowed dry saliva as he watched Lumin approach Boomer.
'Of course it was harsh, but is it really something to get this angry about?'
No, before that, was Lumin really this strong?
There wasn't just one or two things confusing him.
If it weren't for Lumin's angry yet sorrowful expression, he would have wanted to temporarily stop the fight and ask his questions.
"On behalf of all the impotent people who are still living in pain, I will punish you."
"No, this bastard is really..."
But that wasn't the atmosphere at all.
Teoro quietly stepped back to avoid provoking Lumin.
Boomer was the opposite. He could no longer withstand Lumin's anger from unknown reasons.
He pulled up his aura with full power and stomped his foot strongly, shooting forward.
BOOM!
The force was like a flying boulder.
It was Boomer Simpson's specialty. His trained body, boasted as the strongest in the grade, was further strengthened through aura. The lower body strength from that made him like a catapult's rock.
WHIIIIING-!
That wasn't the end. Boomer Simpson's roughly swung right fist gleamed as if oiled.
It was the same technique Lumin had shown earlier. It was a high-level technique that raised the body's surface hardness through aura, something Aura Beginners could never imitate.
Among the second-years at Tarajan Academy, only five could do this.
"DIE!"
Confidence bloomed on Boomer's face.
Lumin Kallad was spreading his palm to block his fist. Seeing that, the moment he saw that, he believed without doubt that he would be the winner of this fight.
'Excluding Kal Krone, there's no one who can take my strengthened punch head-on!'
Even that Teoro Shutgarn bastard standing there like a sack of barley! He can't block this punch either!
Having finished his thoughts, he swung his fist with the intent to pierce through Lumin's palm.
However, the result was completely different from what he thought.
THUUUUD!
"...!"
It went beyond different, it vastly exceeded the predictable range.
Lumin had caught his fist without moving a muscle.
He didn't 'block' it, didn't 'deflect' it either. He just caught it.
Like catching a lightly flying ball.
At that unbelievable sight, Boomer Simpson wore a blank expression, even forgetting the pain flowing through his fist.
"Caught it."
"..."
"I told you. Words have consequences, and I'll carve that directly into your precious place."
"What, what...!"
Boomer Simpson looked at Lumin with trembling eyes.
But Lumin was no longer looking at his eyes.
Where Lumin was looking was much lower, the area where his precious appendage was located.
Boomer felt a chill run down his spine as if cold water had been poured over him.
"N-no!"
"What?"
"That thing you're thinking... no! I was wrong! I won't say that again!"
"What won't you do? Say it clearly so I can hear it well."
"I'm really sorry for saying you were so scrawny that you probably didn't have one down there. I won't do that again. Really!"
"You shouldn't just apologize to me. You should apologize to all the impotent people on the continent too."
'Crazy bastard! Why on earth is he acting like this!'
He couldn't guess the reason at all, but for now he had to do as told.
If he didn't, the guy's fist would drive into his groin. It wasn't a bluff. Looking at the guy's eyes, he thought he would definitely do it.
He recited his apology in a slow, clear pronunciation.
"To all... the impotent people on the continent... I am sorry. I will not say such things again..."
A virtual declaration of surrender.
Teoro, Freckles, and the big guy who had regained consciousness late and was watching their fight all clearly heard Boomer Simpson's words.
And they were surprised.
That timid, cowardly outcast Lumin Kallad had overwhelmingly defeated Boomer Simpson, who competed for second place in the grade!
But this wasn't all. Something even more surprising was waiting.
Lumin smirked and nodded as he spoke.
"Yes. Good job."
"S-so now let go of my hand..."
But spilled water can't be gathered back."
"Huh?"
"Goodbye."
WHIIIIING-!
A gleam circulated around Lumin's fist. Seeing that, everyone covered their mouths with both hands as if expecting something terrible.
Boomer Simpson moved his left hand with a shocked expression. It was a desperate struggle to protect his precious parts, but when Lumin kicked it away with a thud, his defense line instantly crumbled.
Boomer screamed.
"No!"
"Yes."
Lumin with a cold face threw his fist.
KWAAAAANG!
"Ugh!"
"Uuu!"
"No!"
"...!"
The surrounding boys groaned in low voices.
Even though they hadn't been hit themselves, they couldn't help it. With one heart and mind, they wore solemn expressions and checked Boomer's groin area, and Lumin's fist.
And then, ah, they let out bright exclamations.
It was because they confirmed that Lumin's fist had struck the ground between Boomer Simpson's legs, not his groin.
At that moment, a low voice flowed from Lumin's mouth.
"Don't mock others."
"..."
"Don't torment the weak, and don't make fun of others' weaknesses. Always keep in your heart that there are people who suffer their whole lives because they don't have what you take for granted."
"Y-yes."
Boomer nodded frantically.
He had barely survived after falling into a crisis of losing his manhood. In that situation, defying Lumin's words was impossible.
"The same goes for you guys."
The big guy family also quickly nodded their heads.
If they didn't, they felt like their own equipment would explode right away.
"Yes, we will!"
"From now on, absolutely, absolutely nothing like this will happen!"
"We're sorry for everything until now! We won't do it again!"
Lumin's face brightened a bit after hearing the children's answers.
He walked steadily. It was the direction where Tarajan Academy was located.
Teoro Shutgarn followed behind him with a flustered expression.
After a while. Lumin, who suddenly stopped walking, turned around and added one more thing.
"For your information, my thing is perfectly fine."
"..."
"It's sturdy too. And quite large."
"..."
With those words, Lumin and Teoro disappeared.
Quite a while later, Boomer Simpson muttered with a spaced-out face.
"Let's never mock impotent people again..."
And let's live always being grateful that mine is safely attached.
It was a valuable conclusion gained after a rough fight.