Chapter 4; The boy everyone forgot

The towering iron gates of Westbridge University came into view.

Students streamed through the entrance in lively groups, their laughter echoing across the spacious campus.

Some discussed the upcoming Halloween Prom, while others admired the latest Saint Hunter rankings displayed on a giant digital screen near the administration building.

To everyone else...

It was another ordinary morning.

To Lucas...

It was another day he had to survive.

He adjusted his glasses before quietly blending into the crowd.

"...There's the weird one."

"I heard he talks to himself."

"Doesn't he always carry medicine?"

The whispers drifted through the air like invisible knives.

Lucas kept walking.

He had heard those words so many times that pretending not to care had become second nature.

The long hallway leading toward the academic building was nearly empty.

His footsteps echoed softly across the polished floor.

He stopped before Locker No. 214.

Taking a small silver key from his pocket, he inserted it into the lock.

Click.

The locker door swung open.

WHOOSH!

A bucket overturned above his head.

Thick crimson paint poured over him.

Cold liquid soaked his hair, his uniform, and his backpack.

At the same time, torn papers, rotten food scraps, and handfuls of dirt rained down onto his shoulders.

For several long seconds...

Lucas simply stood there.

Motionless.

The hallway fell silent.

Then...

Laughter exploded from around the corner.

"Hahaha!"

"It actually worked!"

"I told you he'd never see it coming!"

Lucas slowly closed his eyes.

A quiet sigh escaped his lips.

"...Again."

He removed his glasses and carefully wiped away the red paint before looking down at the ruined school uniform his mother had washed the night before.

Without saying a single word...

He knelt and began picking the soaked papers from the floor.

Just then—

ROOOAARR!!

A towering horned demon suddenly leapt out from behind the lockers.

Lucas reacted on instinct.

His fist shot forward with incredible speed.

It stopped barely an inch from the monster's face.

Silence.

Then—

"Hahaha!"

The terrifying demon burst into laughter.

He removed the oversized monster mask, revealing messy brown hair and an annoyingly cheerful grin.

"Dude!"

"You almost punched me!"

Lucas lowered his fist.

"...Derek."

Derek grinned proudly while holding up the demon mask.

"What do you think?"

"I'm wearing this to the Halloween Prom."

He struck a dramatic pose.

"Pretty awesome, right?"

Lucas couldn't help shaking his head.

"Only you would spend money trying to scare people before eight in the morning."

Derek laughed.

Then his smile disappeared.

His eyes finally noticed Lucas's ruined uniform.

"...Lucas."

"What happened?"

Lucas glanced toward the puddle of red paint.

"The usual."

"For the second time this month."

Derek's expression hardened.

"...Those idiots."

His fists slowly clenched.

"I swear..."

"One day I'm going to beat every single one of them."

Lucas gently grabbed Derek's wrist.

"Don't."

"They're waiting for an excuse."

Derek clicked his tongue.

"...You're too nice."

Before Lucas could answer...

A deep voice echoed through the hallway.

"Move."

The noisy corridor instantly fell silent.

Students hurried to both sides.

Even teachers avoided looking directly ahead.

Lucas slowly raised his head.

A tall young man with neatly styled black hair walked confidently down the hallway.

His broad shoulders and calm expression radiated absolute confidence.

Four upperclassmen followed closely behind him.

Every student instinctively stepped aside.

Jackson Newman.

Westbridge University's strongest awakened student.

Unlike ordinary teenagers...

Jackson had already awakened as a Saint.

More importantly...

His father is one of the highest-ranking officials within the Saint Hunter Society.

Power.

Influence.

Talent.

Jackson possessed all three.

One of the boys behind him glanced at Lucas and smirked.

"Looks like garbage boy got another shower."

The others laughed.

Another deliberately slammed his shoulder into Lucas as they passed.

Lucas stumbled backward.

He said nothing.

Derek immediately stepped forward.

"...Say that again."

Lucas grabbed his arm.

"Forget it."

Jackson never even looked at Lucas.

To him...

Lucas wasn't worth acknowledging.

As they disappeared down the hallway—

THUD!

Books scattered across the floor.

A skinny boy wearing oversized glasses had been shoved aside.

He hurriedly crawled after his notebooks while students laughed.

"...Pathetic."

One of Jackson's followers sneered before walking away.

Lucas watched silently.

He recognized the boy.

Billy.

Known throughout the university for exaggerating stories no one believed.

Still...

Watching someone humiliated never sat right with him.

Before he could help—

Billy quickly gathered his belongings, forced a smile, and hurried away as though nothing had happened.

Derek sighed.

"Sometimes I really hate this place."

Lucas gave a faint smile.

"...Me too."

The morning bell rang.

DING... DONG...

Students immediately rushed toward their classrooms.

Lucas adjusted his glasses one last time.

"Come on," Derek said.

"If we're late again, Professor Helen will make us clean the laboratory."

Lucas laughed quietly.

"I'd rather clean the lab than stand in this hallway."

The two friends disappeared into Classroom 3-B.

Neither of them noticed...

That somewhere beyond the classroom windows...

The colossal crimson portal hanging above Sacramento pulsed once.

Almost...

As if something beyond it had begun watching Lucas.

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