Another mundane day.
The most annoying part is that the classroom air conditioner is still broken, making it uncomfortable to even sleep.
The results of the morning exams were announced during the last class in the afternoon.
Except for Peter, who looked at Leo Bright in surprise, everyone else had no unusual reactions.
To them, Leo was a symbol of genius. Scoring full marks was expected, especially since the test paper was quite simple.
He wasn't the only one with a perfect score in the class. Besides Leo, Peter, Mary Jane, and a few others also aced it.
As the bell rang, students began to leave the classroom one by one.
Flash Thompson gave Leo a cold look, laughed inexplicably, and was the first to exit the classroom.
Conflict at school? He wasn't stupid; this was Midtown High School.
"Leo, during class, I overheard Thompson plotting to confront you. Let's slip out the back!" Peter Parker hurried over and whispered.
"Afraid? Not at all."
The two exchanged words as they headed to their lockers.
"That guy's a clumsy gorilla. No worries, I can take him on ten times over," Leo said, taking out his key and opening the locker door.
"Crash..."
A large stack of delicate and lovely envelopes fell out.
Those were love letters slipped through the locker gap.
Peter blushed and glanced at the signatures on the envelopes. When he realized none were from the girl he liked, he quietly sighed in relief.
At the same time, he was envious. After all, he didn't talk much and didn't have many friends in class, let alone girls who liked him.
There weren't many girls who fancied nerds during this time.
While pulling out his skateboard, Leo locked the locker door. As for the love letters, he tossed them into the trash. Let the cleaning staff handle that.
"Hi Leo, Peter, what a coincidence!"
Two girls approached from around the corner, greeting them.
Mary Jane, the red-haired girl next door, had a few freckles on her face, adding a touch of cuteness.
The other was Gwen Stacy, a beautiful blonde. With her father as the police chief, not many dared to pursue her at school.
"Haha, looks like you received a lot of love letters today..." Gwen covered her mouth with a smile.
Leo seemed to be quite popular among the girls. Despite being new, he had quickly become acquainted with the female students at school.
This was something Peter Parker admired about him.
"Don't mention it. Maybe it's the downside of being handsome. Also, my name is Leo Bright. Say it with me... Leo... Bright!"
"Okay, Leo. The Osborn Group is hosting an academic seminar on Saturday. I still have a few extra invitations. Would you like to join me?" Gwen playfully winked.
"Academic seminar? Sorry, I'm not interested in academic stuff. Maybe you can ask Peter," Leo said with a bored shrug.
"That doesn't sound like something a scholar would say." Gwen chuckled. Though a bit disappointed, she didn't show it and turned to Peter.
"Peter... care to join? Jane will be there too."
"Okay!" Peter blurted out, then realizing his excitement, lowered his voice, "Uh... I mean... okay."
"Great, see you at the Osborn Building on Saturday morning."
Gwen and Mary Jane left.
"Tell me, which one do you like?" Leo raised an eyebrow and asked.
"Ah... no, it's not..." Peter stammered.
"Hey, buddy, don't be so secretive with me. Even a child could see through that," Leo teased mercilessly.
"Is it that obvious?" Peter Parker scratched his head, feeling embarrassed.
The two chatted as they walked out of the school.
"Actually... I'm not sure... I like them both... but if I had to choose, I'd say Jane," Peter admitted shyly.
"Man, it's normal to have a crush on attractive people. Nothing to be shy about. If I had to choose, I'd go for Gwen. Honestly, I'm not into girls with freckles. They might look cute now, but in their 40s, it's a different story."
As they discussed, a group of people approached from all sides.
Leo's eyes narrowed, and he stopped in his tracks.
"No wonder I smelled something from afar. It's you stinkers polluting the air, Thompson."
"Shut up, Leo! You're dead today."
Leo was taken aback, then looked at Peter in disbelief.
"Wow! Parker, did you hear that? He got my name right!"
"Oh, God, he actually called me by my name!"
Leo was genuinely moved, blurting out expressions exclusive to his culture.
In this fast-paced world, the ones who truly know you, besides friends, are your adversaries!
"I think we should have a drink to celebrate this great day together. You know, Thompson, you're the third person here to call me by my name. You're a genius!"
"Shut it!" Thompson barked, feeling humiliated. Then he gestured, and his companions, armed with baseball bats, charged forward.
Leo's playful demeanor vanished, replaced by a serious gaze.
There were five opponents. If it were just him, he could easily escape, but with Parker beside him, fleeing wasn't an option.
So! He took action!
The best defense is offense! Turning passive into active, Leo dashed toward the nearest opponent.
Although his physical fitness was just slightly better than average, his body control and balance, honed by hobbies like square dancing and parkour, were exceptional.
Without any frills, with a dodge and a straight punch, Leo narrowly avoided a baseball bat swing and landed a solid hit on an opponent's face.
Nosebleeds erupted, and the guy collapsed, crying.
The skirmish was chaotic. Another shadow swung a bat at the back of Leo's head. Peter Parker, about to warn him, watched in awe as Leo dodged effortlessly, as if he had eyes at the back of his head, skillfully avoiding attacks from all directions.
In less than ten seconds, five people lay on the ground, groaning.
Leo, a bit winded, hadn't been touched by any of them.
The secret? Beast Instinct!
Peter Parker's eyes widened. "That was incredible! Kung... Kung Fu? Asian Kung Fu??"
Thompson, nursing a bruised face, looked at Leo in disbelief. He couldn't fathom how this seemingly average guy could fight so well.
But the pain in his face told him.
Today, he messed with the wrong person.