Morning came again, and the doorbell from Ash's apartment rang. Ash grumbled as he tried to wake himself up, he was feeling weak but still of a sane mind. He looked to his side, seeing Lita asleep still under the blankets, all her clothes thrown to the side. The doorbell went off again, and he rushed to get his shorts on to answer the door.
He swung it open irritably and was greeted by the delivery drones. They dropped off all the orders he placed, including a last-minute one he paid $2,000 for.
Ash gave his thumbprint to complete the order for the drones to leave. He took the boxes inside to open them up to new clothes, a new leather jacket, more throwable knives, a modified Japanese kakuri hatchet for fighting, an ability stone, and a Skill book he spent the fortune on.
He bought a Grade A-level Trajectory Manipulation stone. Not as effective as the telepathy would be but better with him using his knives when throwing them. The other was a Skill book for the Scan Skill so he would finally have one of his own. He held the stone in his hand as it glowed and dissolved into dust. The book he opened, once it glowed all the words floated in the air and went inside his chest.
{New abilities and Skills acquired. A-level Trajectory Manipulation required, advanced Scan Skill required. Congratulations, the user has gained a reward for the first acquisition of new abilities and Skills with system help. Reward: Soul Resonate. The user can transfer the soul of a recently deceased life to another object. Soul cannot be bound unless the object has an affinity to the soul's wavelength.}
Ash enjoyed this, he may not level up anymore but he got rewards to make up for it. He was worried though about the message from yesterday what if he had that episode again, what was it he was hungry for if he couldn't eat normal food anymore?
Ash looked at the time on his old phone. It was 5:30am plenty of time before school would start. He started up the process to activate his new phone and wake Lita up.
"Hey sleepy head, time to wake up." Lita groaned and grabbed the blanket more. "C'mon kiddo time to wake up we don't wanna miss class."
"Hmm, five more minutes please," Lita mumbled trying to sleep a little more. Ash gave her a peck on the cheek and that did it. She opened her eyes and smiled looking up at her friend after the good night she had.
"Hmm, what? Did you want to see how pretty I look now?"
"Getting cocky now huh. We gotta be ready, don't wanna miss two days in a row. You can use the shower first I'm gonna unpack some of these boxes first while I wait." Lita grumbled but complied. She didn't want to lose any days either with how hard she worked on her GPA. Ash was about to hand her a towel when she just decided to get up and go into the shower all natural. Ash turned around to give her some modesty, Lita giggled, she felt better about herself because he thought of her in that way.
They both made it to school on time before the first class started. Most of the students who remembered Ash's old look were stunned to see him look different and in good clothes. Lita walking next to him felt like a celebrity in a way, not one for attention so was a little uncomfortable at first.
"What's your first class for today?" Ash asked Lita.
"I'm doing fashion first afterwards I'm helping with the rescue animals with the animal salvation club." Ash was amazed by how much she loved animals despite her other likes and fashion sense.
"What?" She asked playfully.
"Nothing, never thought you loved animals so much. Maybe I'll come by and see them."
"You'll come by? Mister 'I got training to do after school' wants to see some animals. Who are you and what have you done with my Ash?" Both laughed, Ash made a more nervous chuckle because he was feeling that last comment in a way.
Lita went to try to hold Ash's hand like they were a legitimate couple when someone yelled out a warning for incoming football coming their way.
Ash caught it in time with one hand. The new Trajectory ability came in handy with the save. Ash saw where it came from, it was Casper and his goons again laughing at them.
Ash felt intense anger inside, the feeling he had when he was beaten up in the alleyway was back. He crushed the football in his hand to vent his anger. Lots of the students looked surprised, they knew he wasn't strong before, even Lita was caught off guard.
Casper didn't like that, it wasn't fun for him when Ash fought back or still the show in a way.
Ash wanted payback, he was ready to throw one of the wooden darts he brought to throw at Casper, keeping to the school rules to not bring a real weapon to school. Lita grabbed his wrist to stop him before he got in trouble again. Casper walked up to him, trying to intimidate Ash like he used to. He was confused however, Ash was as tall as him and was different physically.
"Well look at you little Raven. Someone's been juicing. Did you finally buy a stone that made you all big?"
It was taking a strong sense of willpower not rage at him. He wanted to hurt him badly. That feeling he had when he was near Lita at his home came back. That hunger feeling now mixed with rage was aimed at Casper.
'Take it.'
A voice screamed in Ash's head. One that wasn't his or the system's.
'Take it….take it…..take his head.'
Ash was clenching his fist tight to the point his nails dug into his skin. He kept thinking back to what he said the night he had his blowout.
"I want to slaughter them all!"
The words echoed. He wanted to, he wanted to kill Casper. His fury subsided when he felt Lita grabbing his fingers to support him in trying to stay calm. The security team watched the group carefully, Casper and the group pretended to be friendly to avoid suspicion.
"Hey, just cause you got bigger and bought new clothes doesn't mean you're any different than before. Still, the little Raven freak thinking you'll get into the Revhound Corps. Bet you'll be another failure like your dead brother."
Ash gritted his teeth to the point he could have cracked a few crowns with how angry he was.
"Leave him alone. Why do you always mess with him. He's never done anything wrong to you. The Kraegan already kills us off everyday why add to the numbers?" Lita scolded Casper. She couldn't take it either with how he was treating Ash.
Casper chortled at her remark, he didn't know her well either but the fact that she was with Ash was enough for her to be targeted too. Casper walked up slowly to whisper in Ash's ear. "Because you exist is all. And you can't stop me. Brother of the Corpse Collector."
Ash couldn't hold it in anymore he kicked Casper in the stomach sending him flying five feet back. Ash leaped on top of Casper and wailed on him furiously. He wouldn't stop even when Casper tried defending himself with his wind ability. Ash's roars boomed out loud as he was slowly giving in to his rage. The feel of bloodlust taking over, the voice echoing in his head again.
'Take his head. Take his head. Take his head. TAKE HIS HEAD!'
"ASH STOP!" Lita called out. Ash did as he was commanded. He stopped to see Lita scared as he looked at his bruised hands shivering in confusion as to what he just did.