"Ha! Ha!"
I started sprinting at full speed outside of the school building, I could feel my lungs burning the more I ran
time was running out and I needed to confirm whether my theories were right and wrong
'Nothing is happening with the Pitch Black Lines!'
they were not reacting whatsoever
I was still safe
The plan was simple, lure out the humanoid monsters by going out in the courtyard where they presumably were In order to avoid the school building for some reason.
The reason I thought why I could lure them out by going to the courtyard wasn't because I had a special lure on me that I could use specifically to fish them out of their hiding spot, I simply did it because of the scene I witnessed yesterday where corpses were littering the entire ground.
The humanoid monster was likely hostile to the other Sludges and while I wasn't a sludge monster, The black lines swirling and surrounding that one humanoid monster were reason enough to know it didn't like me.
'I also have an Idea why they might be avoiding the School Building'
I simply had to confirm whether they were at the Courtyard or at the mass of trees In the distance that was extremely far away from Gardenia High School and Its Courtyard. It was still within walking distance but It was still far away.
'They had all this land and couldn't afford to make the School building a little bigger!' I was angrily thinking this but it was actually better If the School building was smaller since it would be easier to remember the classrooms In comparison to if it was bigger.
When I confirm the presence of where exactly the humanoid monsters are at with the reaction that I'd get from Black Lines I'll immediately try to avoid them and run the other direction.
'I'm only confirming where they might be to find out if what I realized is actually their weakness after all'
nothing more, nothing less
I kept running, my breath turned ragged quickly.
'I am doing more cardio when I get back'
My eyes burned as sweat got Into them, I wiped the sweat of my forehead with my arm.
I could feel the cold Wind lashing out and hitting my body, I felt refreshed for a few moments.
All the black lines that only I could see and feel were motionless and unresponsive,
"Ha Ha Ha"
This theory of mine was flawed from the very beginning, no matter how much I ran, no matter how much my lungs burned and no matter how much I made my legs move even though they hurt.
I couldn't cover every single corner In Gardenia.
The school building wasn't particularly huge, it was about the same size as an ordinary School but the Courtyard?
The place was bigger, wider and longer than at least two football fields, this was only including the courtyard. The forest was probably close to or bigger than the Courtyard.
'Damn it...I only have 10 seconds, I guess I'll try the next hour'
If I couldn't find any of the Humanoid monster, I would just try next time. There was no need to get worked up because I couldn't find them Immediately. It would only be a waste of time If I got worked up
'I'll repeat what I'm doing until the next day, If I still can't find them... then that just means that my theory was wrong'
If I was wrong, then there was nothing I could do. I would just have to accept the cold hard truth that these things don't have a weakness I can take advantage of.
I'd also stay neutral and do nothing but stay quiet while at Gardenia
"Ha..Ha..Ha"
I slowed down, I was gasping for air, my lungs expanded with every Inhale, I felt a sharp throb In my head as I started to slow down even more and my body came to a complete halt as I gave up trying to find the humanoid monster In the courtyard and decided that I will try to find It when my next class ended
7 seconds left till the bell rings.
'I heard that the teacher who is teaching English Is always late so am I the only one In class?'
It was a bit of a habit that I developed since primary school, I had always tried to get In class first before anyone else gets In the class every time the bell, so chances were that I was In the classroom alone by now. This habit originated from the a deep rooted desire that I always wanted to be the first thing my classmates and teachers saw when they opened the door.
'It just kind of stuck to me ever since'
3 seconds left
"...?"
The moment 3 seconds passed I felt a pulse. As I was sitting and waiting for the bell to hit I felt a faint pulse, I didn't pay any attention to it since the bell was going to ring.
Step
this time, a soft step echoed In the air tickling my ears, my expression froze this time as the being that stood before me, was the one that I was so desperately chasing In order to confirm it's weakness.
In an Instant, a black mass started violently swirling around the Humanoid monster whose skin was like armor forged for the sole purpose of mobility, upon a closer look. The black mass was formed by a storm of countless pitch black lines making It's Intensity known.
a smile crept on my face.
'I guess I got the confirmation I so needed huh'
I mentally patted myself on the back after the premonition that I felt turned out to be true.
'good thing that I waited 30 seconds more or else I would have been scared shitless'
I felt sweat streaming down my cheek as I anxiously waited what action the Humanoid monster would take In the 2 seconds that awaited.
but, it did nothing, it just stared at...me
'it knows it's futile?'
It was more Intelligent than I gave it credit for If that were to be the case
I couldn't see it's body well because of the black mass surrounding it, however I could make out that It held something In its arm as it raised slightly more than the other hand, as If telling to look at it.
'Did it kill one of the sludges?'
I concluded that It was warning me and telling me that I was next.
The black mass cleared slightly, it still obscured my vision but I could now vividly see with my own eyes what It was holding in its hand.
"...?"
I saw a familiar cloth, however the instant I looked at it I started hearing my heart beat so loudly that I could hear it clearly In my head, It was bent In unnatural ways but It had a familiar cloth that I recognized instantly.
I look down to my right and see it, a void, something that should have been there but wasn't, The ground was instantly painted In a awe magnificent red that was gushing out of what once was my shoulder
'I-it took my entire arm...?'
I couldn't feel anything from my right side where my arm was supposed to be, not even pain. No my brain couldn't even register what it had even done
1 second left
Swoosh!
this however I felt, a cold foreign object entered my stomach and out of my back where my spine was.
I look down and see It's hand lodged In my body.
Thud!
It retracted its fist which it lodged Inside my body and I fell limply to the ground
this time I truly could not feel anything, the moment it retracted its fist my body had become paralyzed and Incapable of any simple movement.
there was a gaping hole, blood started gushing out even more, painting the once gray cobblestone to a bright beautiful red.
I rolled my eyes upward and saw the humanoid monster. A smile, a smile so wide that it reached its ears and looked to be the very embodiment of insanity.
It raised it's foot ready to crush my head like a watermelon.
Crash!
but it didn't, instead it crushed my left arm
"AHHHHHHH!"
I could feel it vividly this time, the pain of my bones being crushed like they were turned Into fine powder
It felt as if it was mocking me telling me 'see? you can feel that can't you?' I couldn't move a single thing, the only thing I could do was stare at the beautifully painted red cobblestone and scream under the sheer excruciating pain I felt waiting for that single second to pass.
Ding~
Ding~
Ding~
The bell finally rang after what felt like an eternity, my vision turned blurry, my conciseness started slipping and I eventually couldn't keep my eyes any longer and closed them, still writhing and screaming as a gentle darkness started consuming everything, even my voice, sight and touch were consumed.
I roll my eyes upward to see the Humanoid monster looking displeased and raised it's leg again, It wasn't joking around this time, It really was going to crush my head like a watermelon
As its leg descended like a hammer, my eyes had been blurred completely and I could barely keep them open.
Swoosh~
My vision cleared for a moment and I saw it, a foot Inches away my face wanting to kill me.
***
"Ah! Fuck! Shit!"
I jumped from my seat which was In a empty classroom
"o-oh I'm back"
I took deep breaths to calm myself down, but I couldn't, there was no way I could keep myself calm
"h-hooo"
I laid down on the floor, I couldn't move my legs, they were completely numb and they were trembling like a leaf
'that thing, was playing with me'
I finally made a rational thought after minutes of trying to calm myself.
That humanoid monster was obviously playing with it's food, It could've simply destroyed my head and be done with it...'But it didn't, It took my arm without me even noticing and then it put a hole In my body'
I probably wasn't even its prey, It was torturing me for the fun of it, mocking me In the process
"..."
After another few minutes, I had somehow finally managed to calm myself
'They're strong...'
that's the only thing I could comment on, there wasn't any other word That could encapsulate them as whole.
"I found their weakness though..."
but I couldn't make use of it because of the Insane physical difference between me and them
"they are too fast"
I would die before I could even try to make use of it.
"I gained and lost something at the same time"
I sat down on my desk and put my backpack on my desk, I then opened the backpack taking a water bottle out of it.
I gulped it all down, the refreshing cold water hit my tongue and taste buds. I felt calm but my body didn't, the hand that was grasping the water trembled uncontrollably, after drinking the water though, while It still trembled It didn't tremble as much as before.
"hooooo"
I exhaled and Inhaled air, trying to desperately calm my body and make It stop trembling so much.
A few more minutes passed just like that.
"Where are they? they don't take this much time"
'Was I In the wrong classroom?'
I thought that was the case, but I quickly dismissed It as my doppelganger wouldn't even be here In the first place.
'That doppelganger only had one job to do...If it got even that wrong...'
As I was thinking such thoughts, the door suddenly opened.
"..?"
"huh, what are you doing here?"
Two figures stepped In, Raven Stone and Gravel Stone
'The twins?'
"where is the rest of the class?"
"outside?"
"...?"
now I was the one confused, Gravel Ignored us and took his seat, seemingly getting ready to sleep
"The teacher couldn't come and there wasn't any teacher that could substitute us this hour, so they just let us go outside in the courtyard"
"ah...got it"
I quickly went and got my stuff and went outside, I look back and see Raven about to close the door
"wait"
"what, you forgot something?"
"If everyone is outside, then why did you two come here?"
Raven was gently playing with her long grey silver hair that cascaded her shoulders as she looked at me with her Silver eyes that were reminiscent of Ash.
"Hmm. Well there isn't really a reason, I just didn't want to stay outside where there was basically no shade, I mean...today is really hot." she fanned her face with her other hand that was free
Currently it was September and while summer did pass, It was still scorching hot.
"As for Gravel, my brother. He just wanted a place to sleep in and what better place for that than our Classroom"
Both me and Raven stare at Gravel that was plopped down over his desk sleeping soundly.
"I see... well see you later"
"yeah, see ya~"
I turned around and started heading outside. Raven looked at me while she was gently still fiddling with her hair
'Cale Dice was his name I think?'
She recalled his name, not out of any special reason, she simply just wanted to know and remember it.
"I'll make sure to remember it~" She then closed the door, still playing and fiddling with her hair gently
Cale felt a slight chill, not because of Raven but because he had felt that he missed something.
"You. Are you Cale Dice?"
A teacher called out to him, he didn't know the teacher but assumed he needed something from him
"Yes?"
"Please come with me"
"???"
I was confused. 'Did I do something?'
It felt like I did.
'What did my doppelganger do?'
That bastard had one job! I screamed Internally as I followed him In his office.
It wasn't the principal's office, but the vice principal's
I look at the nameplate
[Vice Principal. Bringam Vileon]
"..."
I wasn't even surprised at this point
There was already a student at the office.
"Cale Dice, do you know why you're here?"
"no" I shrugged
"I see...Well the student next to you is telling me an interesting story"
"..?"
'what kind of bi-'
"He is telling me that you pushed him of the stairs, Is this true?"
"????"
I became even more confused than before.
"Cale Dice, I will take your silence as-"
"Sir, I'm sorry but I don't know what you are talking about but I for one never pushed anyone off the stairs"
"What?! you're denying it!"
"Stop talking"
He told the student to stop talking, only then did he stop barking.
"What makes you think I'll believe you? this person has witnesses that claim you pushed him off"
"Well first thing that I have to clear up Is that I've never met, spoken nor ever seen this person here, he's also not even my classmate....I do not know who this person Is at all"
This was true, I have genuinely never met this guy ever. this was why I was so confused.
'What the hell did that doppelganger do? That thing only had one job too...'
I knew instantly that this drama was caused by that doppelganger, which was going to make explaining this even harder.
'that thing only had one job and screwed even that up huh'
I kept cursing the Doppelganger for a little while longer
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Note from Author: Hello! I hope you've been enjoying the series so far
The reason I'm making this note Is simply to tell you that from now on I will try to make the chapters 1600+ words and above since It doesn't get In the way of my schedule, hope you enjoyed this chapter :)