Chapter 8: Invisible Risks
The campus alley was a shadowed canyon, its brick walls streaked with faded graffiti—a crude drawing of a supe in a cape, half-erased by rain. The air was damp with evening dew, carrying the faint scent of wet asphalt and distant cigarette smoke.
Landon stood alone, his breath visible in the chill, his hands trembling with a mix of fear and anticipation. His meta-knowledge painted Mia, the invisible supe, as a loner, her E-rank invisibility a fleeting gift she used to hide from the world. His plan was cruel but calculated: startle her, provoke an attack, die for her power. The alley's darkness was a perfect stage, its silence broken only by the distant hum of campus lights.
Landon's sneakers scuffed against the pavement, the sound sharp in the quiet. He spotted a faint ripple in the air, a distortion like heat rising from hot pavement. Mia was there, invisible but present, her presence a subtle shift in the alley's stillness. He palmed a small rock, its surface cold and rough, and tossed it lightly, aiming for the ripple. The rock struck something solid, followed by a soft gasp, a sound so faint it was almost swallowed by the night.
From Mia's perspective, the evening was a sanctuary, her invisibility a cloak that let her move unseen. The rock hit her shoulder, a sharp sting that shattered her calm. Who's there? she thought, her heart racing, her power flaring instinctively. Her invisibility flickered, and she lashed out, an invisible fist swinging with panicked force. The air cracked with the impact, a sickening thud as her strike connected. She froze, her breath catching, the guilt a cold weight in her chest. What did I do?
Landon's head snapped back, the invisible force crushing his skull with a wet crunch. His vision flashed white, his eyes watering as pain consumed him. The alley spun, the graffiti blurring into a smear of color before darkness claimed him. His last thought was a grim satisfaction: "Got it."
Revival hit like a freight train, yanking Landon back to consciousness in a storage shed, the air thick with the acrid scent of paint and sawdust. His eyes burned, watering as if staring into a spotlight, a lingering debuff from Mia's attack. He blinked rapidly, the shed's dim light a harsh contrast to the phantom glare in his mind. His fingers brushed the wooden floor, the grain rough under his touch, grounding him as he fought the nausea rolling through his gut. Invisibility (E-rank) pulsed in his veins, a fleeting power that lasted mere minutes but was perfect for his pranks.
[Ding! Invisibility (E-rank). Blink and you're gone—briefly.]
The System's sarcasm was a sharp jab, but Landon's lips twitched in a wry grin. "Briefly's enough," he thought, his ambition flaring. "Time to have some fun." He pushed the shed's door open, the hinges creaking, and stepped into the cool night air, his eyes still stinging but his resolve unbroken.
Mia, meanwhile, was a wreck. She stood in the alley, her invisibility flickering, her hands trembling as she stared at the spot where Landon had fallen. I killed him, she thought, the guilt a suffocating weight. She hadn't meant to, hadn't wanted to, but the rock had startled her, and her power had reacted before she could stop it. She fled, her footsteps silent, the alley's graffiti a silent witness to her shame.
The campus cafe was a warm haven, its air rich with the scent of roasted coffee and fresh pastries, the tables crowded with students laughing and studying. Landon sat across from Emma, his eyes still watering, the light sensitivity a nagging reminder of his death. Emma's blonde hair caught the lamplight, her eyes bright with a playful glow that warmed the space between them. From her perspective, Landon was a chaotic spark, a boy who made her laugh and feel alive. She leaned forward, her coffee mug warm in her hands, a teasing smile on her lips.
"Landon? What's with the disappearing act?" she said, her voice light, her eyes dancing with mischief. "Are you allergic to me now?"
"Nah," Landon replied, settling into his chair, the wood creaking under his weight. "I just wanted to make a grand entrance. You know, give you a little show."
His quip was flirtatious, a genuine expression of the warmth he felt for her. Emma's smile widened, her fingers brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "You're ridiculous," she said, her voice soft, a warmth that felt like an embrace.
"Is that a yes for a date?" Landon asked, a hopeful grin breaking through his sarcasm, his heart pounding with a nervous thrill.
Emma didn't answer, but her eyes held a silent, glowing promise, a spark of something real. The cafe's hum, the clink of mugs, the scent of coffee—it was a Quiet Moment, a pause in the chaos where they were just a boy and a girl, not supes or schemers. "She sees me," Landon thought, his lip-biting tic easing. "Not the system, not the deaths—just me."
[Flirt success: Emma's smitten. Date night soon?]
The System's voice was a playful nudge, but Landon ignored it, his focus on Emma's smile, the way it lit up the room. The cafe's scratched tables, the faint hum of conversation—it was a sanctuary, a moment he wanted to hold onto forever.
The campus quad was alive with the soft glow of streetlights, their hum a steady backdrop to the night's calm. The grass was damp with dew, the air cool and sharp with the scent of earth. Landon joined Andre and Golden Boy—Luke—on a bench, their laughter a warm contrast to the night's chill. From their perspectives, Landon was no longer just a reckless freshman; he was a friend, his humor a glue that bound them together. Andre's pen spun in his fingers, a rhythmic click-click-click, while Luke's hands were still, the fire in his veins dormant but present.
"So, what'd you get this time, Landon?" Andre asked, his voice low, a smirk playing on his lips.
"Invisibility," Landon said, leaning back, the bench's wood cool against his back. "It's a real game-changer. I'm thinking about using it to steal all of Professor Brink's coffee."
Luke's laugh was a loud, booming sound, filling the night. "You're insane, man," he said, his Southern drawl warm with amusement.
Andre's grin widened, his pen spinning faster. "Brink's gonna lose it. You're gonna start a war, you know that?"
"Maybe," Landon said, his voice light, his sarcasm a playful shield. "But a war over coffee? That's a cause worth fighting for."
Their laughter mingled, a shared joy that cemented their bond. "This is it," Landon thought, his heart lighter than it had been in weeks. "This is why I'm here." The quad's lights hummed, the grass cool under their feet, a moment of camaraderie that felt like home.
[Group vibe: Solid. Keep the laughs coming.]
The System's approval was a rare gift, but Landon didn't need it. He leaned back, staring at the stars, the dew soaking into his jeans. The memory of a high school bonfire flickered in his mind—friends laughing, the crackle of flames, a simpler time. It was a Quiet Moment, grounding him in the chaos, a reminder that he was more than his deaths, more than his system.
MORE POWER STONES == MORE CHAPTERS
To supporting Me in Pateron .
Love [ Gen V Please Kill Me ]? Unlock More Chapters and Support the Story!
Dive deeper into the world of [ Gen V Please Kill Me ] with exclusive access to 35+ chapters on my Patreon, plus new fanfic every week! Your support starting at just $5/month helps me keep crafting the stories you love across epic universes like [ Game Of Throne ,MCU and Arrowverse, Breaking Bad , The Walking dead ,The Hobbit,Wednesday].
By joining, you're not just getting more chapters—you're helping me bring new worlds, twists, and adventures to life. Every pledge makes a huge difference!
👉 Join now at patreon.com/TheFinex5 and start reading today!