Chapter 52: Alex‘s mental condition
Ethan leaned forward slightly.
Winced. But kept going.
Whispered something to Rex.
Low. Quiet.
Rex’s eyes widened.
Then narrowed.
A slow smile spread.
"That... that could work."
Ethan nodded.
Whispered more.
Rex leaned in. Listening.
Then straightened up.
Smile wider now.
"Yeah. Yeah, I like that."
He crossed his arms.
"Alex thinks he’s so smart."
"So untouchable."
Pause.
"This time, he won’t see it coming."
Ethan’s face twisted into a grin.
Despite the pain.
"No way to escape!"
Rex nodded.
"And when we get him..."
He cracked his knuckles.
"We’re gonna take our time."
"Make him regret everything."
"Every. Single. Thing."
His smile turned vicious.
"He wanted to play rough?"
"Fine."
"We’ll show him what rough REALLY means."
Ethan’s grin widened.
"I can’t wait."
...
On the otherside.
Bob sat on a bench.
Phone screen glowing.
Messages. One after another.
Photos. Introductions.
All women.
Mature. Beautiful.
Every type.
Bob scrolled.
One. Two. Three.
Counted.
Almost ten now.
And every single one...
Curves. Revealing clothes.
He shook his head.
Smiled.
Alex’s face...
Really attracts women.
So many in such short time.
Top tier, every one.
Just don’t know if they used photoshop...
"He’s over here!"
A voice. Bright. Cheerful.
Bob’s head snapped up.
Eyes wide.
Next second.
Rolled off the bench.
THUD.
Hit the ground.
Grabbed his black jacket.
Threw it over himself.
Curled up under the bench.
"Can’t see me... can’t see me..."
Footsteps approached.
Luna and Raven.
Luna’s mouth twitched.
Looked down.
Black lump under the bench.
She grabbed the jacket. Pulled.
Bob squinted up at her.
"It’s US!" Luna said.
"What are you hiding from?"
Bob’s face went red.
Eyes locked on the floor.
"N-nothing!"
"I thought... thought you were..."
"My enemies! Coming for revenge!"
Luna tilted her head.
"What enemies?"
"I... last week..."
He scratched his cheek.
"Went to the convenience store."
"Accidentally bumped the owner..."
"Into a drainage ditch."
"...?"
Luna burst out laughing.
"HA! You WHAT?!"
Raven’s mouth twitched.
"Bob."
He looked up.
"Yeah?"
"Do you know where Alex is?"
Pause.
"I need to find him."
Bob stood up. Dusted himself off.
"Uh... not sure actually."
"We split up earlier."
"Why don’t you just text him?"
Raven turned her head away.
"That guy..."
"Sends weird stuff."
"I don’t want to open that chat."
Bob blinked.
"What? Let me see!"
"I’ll text him for you!"
Raven hesitated.
Then pulled out her phone.
Opened the chat.
Handed it to Bob.
Bob looked at the screen.
Started scrolling.
Then stopped.
Read.
[Raven: Alex, what do you like to do after school?]
[I love school! Oh man!]
[I mean after school? Do you have some hobbies..?]
[Ofc! I love watching hot girls dancing! Running! Swimming!]
[...Anything else?]
[Oh and like spending money!]
[Oh! Me too, do you want to go shopping together sometimes?]
[Where is shopping? Is that a place? Can’t find it on google map?]
[....]
Bob’s eye twitched.
Kept scrolling.
[So... what kind of food do you like?]
[Food that goes in my mouth!]
[...I mean what type of cuisine?]
[The eating type!]
[.....uhh]
[Actually, I am pretty good at cooking, do you want to try some dishes I made?]
[Sure!! I want to drink your milk! You smells soo good! I wonder if you also taste good!]
[...]
[Alex.]
[Yeah cupcake?]
[F**k you!]
[Yoyo, why swearing cupcake? But welcome to f me any time!]
Bob looked up.
At Raven.
She was looking away.
Face slightly red.
"I see the problem."
Luna leaned over. Read the chat.
Burst out laughing again.
"OH MY GOD!"
"He’s IMPOSSIBLE!"
Raven crossed her arms.
"See?"
"Now you understand."
Bob grined.
"Yeah... that’s Alex alright."
Pause.
"However, I do know the way to ask him!"
Raven blinked.
"What?"
Bob held up her phone.
Started typing.
Fast.
Luna leaned over. Watched.
Eyes getting wider.
[Bob (as Raven): Hey Alex, I got two tickets to Royal Strip Show tonight. Close interaction with dancers. You free?]
He hit send.
Three seconds.
DING.
[Alex: WAIT FOR ME AFTER SCHOOL CUPCAKE! MEET AT CULTIVATION ROOM ENTRANCE! I LOVE YOU!]
Bob looked up.
Smiled slightly.
Luna’s jaw dropped.
Mouth hanging open.
"He... he replied that fast?!"
Raven stood there.
Face blank.
Processing.
"He said... he loves me?"
Voice trembled.
Bob handed the phone back.
"Easy."
...
Cultivation room.
Alex sat there.
Eyes closed. Breathing steady.
Energy flowing through him.
Wave after wave.
His spiritual power swelled.
Fuller. Denser.
Getting close.
So close.
Then—
CRACK.
The barrier.
Level 10. Complete perfection.
He’d done it.
But he didn’t stop.
Kept pushing.
Toward Level 9.
The energy surged.
Hit the next barrier.
THUD.
Bounced back.
Alex frowned.
Pushed again.
Harder.
THUD.
Nothing.
Like hitting a wall.
Solid. Immovable.
What the—
He focused. Controlled his spiritual power.
Shaped it.
Into a battering ram.
SLAM!
Against the barrier.
No effect.
Changed shape.
Giant teeth. Gnawing.
CHOMP CHOMP CHOMP!
Nothing.
Blades. Spears. Slashing.
SLASH! STAB!
Still nothing.
A tongue. Licking.
LICK LICK LICK!
Barrier unmoved.
Then... an ass. Farting.
PFFFT! BRAAAAP!
...Still nothing.
Alex collapsed back.
Gasping. Exhausted.
"WHY?!"
Yelled into the empty room.
"Why are you limiting me?!"
"Heaven! Tell me WHY!"
Silence.
Then—
A presence.
In his mind.
His sea of consciousness.
A figure appeared.
Back turned. Red robes flowing.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
Slow applause.
"Very impressive."
Voice smooth. Calm.
"Fastest in history."
"From awakening to Level 10 perfection."
"Even faster than I was."
Alex scoffed.
"Course I am."
"I’m the protagonist."
"What’d you expect?"
Pause.
The figure stopped clapping.
Shoulders shook.
Laughing.
Then a long sigh.
"I once thought I was the protagonist too..."
Voice tinged with something.
Sadness? Regret?
Alex’s eyes narrowed.
"Who the hell are you?"
"Why are you in my sea of consciousness?"
The figure turned slightly.
Red robes swirled.
Then—
CRACK!
Thunder.
Blood-red lightning split the void.
Tearing through Alex’s consciousness.
BOOM!
The entire sea trembled.
Waves crashing. Reality rippling.
The lightning struck down.
Illuminating everything.
For just a moment.
The figure’s face.
Covered in mist. Thick. Swirling.
Thunder rolled again.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Each strike closer.
More intense.
The red robes billowed.
The space around the figure bent.
Warped.
Like reality itself couldn’t contain him.
"Me?"
The voice came.
From everywhere.
The void. The lightning. The thunder.
"I am God."