Chapter 14: A Destiny That Cannot Be Changed

(Shit, shit, shit. I knew this day would come, but this is too soon).

Alexander, who could not fall asleep anymore, shudders at the thought of having to face Marcus in a one-on-one fight.

(I've got a week, but that's not enough, I could barely defeat those stupid minions and now I have to face him).

Young Alexander tossed and turned in his bed as he thought about what he should do to take his victory in such a fight.

(Let's see, I have several items and two upgrade chips, I think it's time to upgrade a skill).

Thinking about a future death, Alexander decides to take out his phone and see what skill he can upgrade with his upgrade chip.

[You have chosen the upgrade chip.]

[You can choose from the various skills you have to upgrade one, at the moment of upgrading a skill, the upgrade chip used will be lost].

(More than a chip, I would call it a key), Alexander picked up the upgrade chip that suddenly appeared and decided to check it.

It looked more like a gold-colored car key, its texture was quite rigid, it was noticeable that it was not fake gold.

-(I have to think about which skill to level up, if I choose wrong, it would be a problem for my next confrontation).

Alexander was thinking very carefully about his next move, if he did something wrong, it would be a total defeat for him.

(First I have to discard all non-combat skills, they are very good like "Fast Recovery", but the next goal is to defeat someone, not to heal myself).

Alexander, with a clear idea of what he should do, decides to look at his three combat skills and ask himself which one he should spend his two upgrade chips on.

(Let's see… I think in order to be useful in the fight with Marcus, I should upgrade "Strike" to "Critical", it's a skill that gives me a chance to beat the strongest, and since the critical damage depends on the amount of health I have, it's better).

[You have used the item: Upgrade Chip] [You have used the item: Upgrade Chip]

[You have upgraded the combat skill: Critical Hit]

[Combat Skill: Critical Hit]-[This skill only works in combat against an enemy, if the enemy is stronger than you, there is a 30% chance to critically hit him, if the enemy leaves you at 50% of your maximum health, the critical % will increase depending on the amount of health you have, the less health you have, the higher the critical % will be. If the enemy leaves you at 10% of your maximum health, each critical hit will stun the enemy] - [Skill level: 2, Mana required: 3 per critical hit, Skill area: Apprentice].

(Wow, they increased my % chance by accepting one, and even added the chance to stun the enemy, which will be very beneficial in a one-on-one fight).

Alexander, who was excited, decided to think about strategies to make better use of his improved skill, and thought about which skill he should improve at the moment.

(I still have one upgrade chip left…, let's see between "knockout points" and "Counter Strike", without a doubt the best is knockout points…. but)

Alexander lies down on his bed and thinks about his next choice.

[You have used the item: Upgrade Chip.]

[You have upgraded the combat skill: Counter Strike.]

[Combat Skill: Counter Strike]-[A punch is better when it contains some emotion. When your opponent lands a punch, you can launch a perfect counterattack with 15% more power than your opponent's original punch, and if you take damage from your opponent's punch, the damage of your counterattack will increase to 25%. Each time you hit your opponent with this skill, their defense will decrease by 10%. This move can only be used on opponents slower than you] - [Skill level: 2, Mana cost: 4 per hit, Skill mastery: Apprentice].

(If I think about it, this is the best, Marcus is too strong for the "knockout points" of this to be visible. It's best to think about winning with counterpunches).

Alexander's logic made sense, if you think about it, Marcus was as strong as the boss of the Black Fox headquarters, so Alexander decided to act, thinking that the skill would not work on Marcus.

(Good, I've already upgraded my skills, what I'll do is wait all week so I can increase my stat points and win the fight against Marcus later).

Alexander, confident that he will be able to stop Marcus next week, decides to go to sleep once and for all and turns off his phone.

***

-Good morning guys, what are you talking about?

Alexander arrives in the classroom and decides to talk to his two friends, who seem to be concentrating on their science project, which looks pretty good.

-Good morning, Alexander, we are just finishing the last preparations for the work, there is not much left to do, we will probably finish it today.

Richard, as always, gives Alexander a smile as he shows him his project, -Yes, it was very difficult to transmit electricity, but yesterday, while you were playing, we solved it.

Young Eduardo seems quite happy that his science project is coming to fruition, and he was just explaining things to Alexander that he didn't understand.

-Richard, when did you start wearing glasses? -Alexander asked his friend as he was very surprised to see Richard wearing glasses that he did not normally wear, in fact it was the first time Alexander had ever seen Richard wear glasses.

-Relax, they are just glasses without magnification. My mom gave them to me because she wanted me to look like a real scientist for the science fair. Do they fit? The color is kind of apathetic.

Richard asked nervously as he showed Alexander the glasses. They were very good quality brown glasses, they were quite comfortable to wear and looked expensive at the same time.

(Richard's mother must have spent a lot of money on them, I'm sure his family doesn't have much money, but I know he finally bought them…)

-You look fantastic, brother, don't worry, they're just like your costume, I'm sure you can win the competition looking like this. -Alexander decides to encourage his friend.

-Speaking of costumes, a guy in a lion costume saved me from the bullies yesterday.

-Lion costume? -Eduardo dropped his rescuer's topic of conversation on the table, and Richard just looked curious.

-Yes, yesterday Marcus' henchmen tried to beat me up but he showed up with a hood and a mask and fought them both, I'm not sure if he beat them or not but he looked very strong, he called himself a hero of justice.

Eduardo said these words while Richard he was very curious about what he was hearing. -Good morning. -But to extinguish the flame of the story, the teacher entered the classroom.

-I'm going to my classroom, I'll be back at recess to work. I will take the project with me, because I have to put in the piece I brought.

After saying these words, Eduardo leaves the classroom with the project to go to his own classroom.

-Hey, where is Marcus' group? -Alexander asks his friend as he concentrates on the lesson.

-Marcus' group?… I have no idea, the boss came and sat at the teacher's table, he seemed to be angry with everyone because they lost the game yesterday.

(That… It was my fault). -Alexander smiled mischievously because that was the cause of Marcus' anger.

-Well… but where are they?

-Are you…? I told you I don't know, they just left after the other two got hurt.

(They seem to be looking for me, but unfortunately they can't know it's me in the suit).

Pretty sure they wouldn't find him, Alexander and Richard took their classes until the break.

-That was easy, wasn't it, Alex?

-Yes… very easy… -Alexander couldn't keep up with his know-it-all friend, so he replied tiredly.

-Hey. It's strange that Eduardo isn't here, isn't it? -Richard leaves the question open and he was right, Eduardo was very punctual.

-I'm sure he went to lunch first or to the toilet, where is he…" Alexander answers his friend without the slightest hint of concern, while he searches for something.

-I seem to have left your sports band in the gym, let me look for it. -Alexander is sincere with Richard since he accidentally left his sports band behind.

-I will go to Eduardo's classroom and wait for him. -Richard goes his own way while Alexander looks for the borrowed item.

-Hmmm, where is it?

5 minutes later Alexander checks his locker for Richard's rubber band, which he still hasn't seen.

-Hahaha, great game. -While Alexander was looking, through the door some sweaty guys came in, who seemed to have just finished a game.

-It would have been a pity if Marcus had played today, wouldn't it? -One of the boys was quite happy not to have to compete with Marcus, and he showed it fearlessly while drinking water.

(I'd like to live that dream, too.) -With a pained face, Alexander ached all over just thinking about his fight with Marcus.

-Ah all this, where is he, it's quite rare to miss a training session. -asked the boy who was drinking the water, puzzled by Marcus' behavior.

-Haven't you heard? Marcus was angry because of his defeat yesterday, and to satisfy his anger and calm him down, Samuel and Miguel found him a target.

(Hahaha, those fools are still looking for me, it's more than obvious) -Alexander couldn't help but smile in front of the locker, he had given those two a beating and they don't know it's him.

(There you are, fuck the black color didn't help in his search) -Alexander, after so much searching, grabs the band and was about to organize everything.

-Ah, I see that happened, poor guy if they find him. -He who was drinking water expressed his sincere sorrow for the culprit, not knowing it was Alexander.

-Well, I wouldn't say that. ….

(What? I've been found out) Alexander with a nervous face decides to listen to the conversation.

-What do you mean? Did they catch him?

-Well, actually, apparently they didn't catch him… then they'll let him come out.

(What does that mean? It gives me a very bad feeling.) -Alexander decides to finish listening to the whole story, while his worried face was obvious.

-It turns out that Samuel and Miguel told Marcus that he was going to leave and beat up the guy from yesterday, the person they are looking for, was going to get out.

-Oh, is that so? So…

Interrupting the boy's words, a young Alexander had run out of the place at full speed, because he moved on impulse, this one had left without organizing anything.

(Shit, shit, shit. I didn't think this would happen, damn it Eduardo, history is repeating itself, but this time Marcus is involved).

Alexander ran down the hallway at top speed, and in the distance he could see Eduardo's classroom, which was full of people.

What the hell happened?

Alexander quickened his pace to get there faster, but upon arrival he encountered a scene that he will never be able to erase from his mind.

-What...? What the hell..., what the fuck happened?

In the classroom, he stood in the middle, an angry Marcus with bloody fists. Meanwhile, there were three people lying on the ground, Eduardo, coach Marques and Alexander's best friend...

(Ric..Richard?)

There was a Richard who looked the most beaten of all.