Chapter 112- Protagonist Things (Part 6)

Chapter 112: Chapter 112- Protagonist Things (Part 6)

Chapter 112- Protagonist Things (Part 6)

Reaching the convenience store, Rize walked inside. There weren’t any people inside, but there were traces of fights that had occurred there. Reaching over for one of the bags, he put all the badges inside it, then closed it and turned around to leave.

Outside, he saw people running everywhere as they spread across the massive open space. Rize knew that as time passed, people would occupy every good position within this dome, so he had to quickly take as many badges as he needed before finding a good place to lay low and wait for the time to end.

’There is no point in exerting myself and fighting for the entire time of the test.’ He thought to himself as he walked out of the store and looked around him. There were many good targets he could focus on.

’I’ve already lost Venera, which isn’t ideal. But I’m sure she will be fine. There aren’t that many people who could cause her actual trouble here.’

"What’s that in that bag, huh?!" A boy saw Rize and tried to ambush him from his blind spot. However, Rize was well aware of his presence as he slammed his fist back, hitting him in the jaw as he fell to the ground. Then, Rize grabbed his badge and started running with the bag on his back.

As he ran, he targeted every person he found in his way. Nobody could really hold a candle to Rize. He was so much stronger and smarter that they were all simply powerless before him. Most of the time, he didn’t even need to knock them out or hurt them to take the badge. After all, there was really no need to beat up a bunch of random people if he didn’t have to.

10 minutes had passed since the test started, during which Rize collected 50 badges. He harvested them as if it was nothing, and by the time he made it back to the main area, he had a bag filled with badges.

He looked around him. There were many people still within the area, but the numbers had definitely reduced considerably after the start of the test.

"Where is Venera?" He frowned. "Tsk, I should’ve not have lost her like that."

Looking around him, Rize decided to take another route to check the rest of the area. He chose a small alley that led him to the other side behind the building he was in. Just as he was running, Rize heard the sound of a struggle nearby.

"You won’t... win!!!"

"Shut up!"

*BANG*

"Hm?"

As he emerged from the corridor, he looked to the side and saw two people fighting, a common sight in this place. However, for some reason, those particular two stood out to him. One of them was on top of the other, punching them while trying to grab their badge, while the one being punched held onto the badge for dear life while protecting his face from the punches.

Rize was about to walk to them and take both badges; however, as he got closer, he suddenly noticed something very... very peculiar.

He stopped, his eyes wide as he stared at one of the two. One of them immediately stood out to him. One of them made him freeze in place, and his eyes widened slightly. The distinct brown hair, the innocent-looking face twisting with pain, and most importantly... The scar on his left cheek that looked like a distorted star.

There was no doubt about it. There was no way he could mistake that person, even among a thousand people. The boy he had been looking for. The progenitor of the world and the Magus who will turn this entire continent upside down and change the balance of power completely.

The boy who will make the strongest and most brilliant women of the world fall head over heels for him.

Kaizer, the protagonist of the story... was a few feet away from him.

Rize could’ve never have imagined he would see him now, and in this place. He thought finding him amongst this many people would be impossible. He hadn’t even prepared himself for such a meeting.

"Goddammit, give me the damn badge!!" The other boy yelled as he punched him in the face again.

The boy was struggling and losing badly.

’This bastard... I forgot how weak he was at the start of the story. But isn’t this bad? He looks like he’s really about to lose the badge.’ Rize frowned.

Immediately, he was met with a dilemma. Should he help him?

Going purely on feeling, Rize didn’t particularly like Kaizer in any way, even before coming here. He was a very annoying protagonist and someone who antagonized and used Rize for his own benefit. He was an evil person, even if he was portrayed in a good light by the story.

He could easily rob him of his badge and make sure he doesn’t become a student in the story, and that would be the last nail in the coffin of this story. But the question arose in Rize’s mind. Which outcome would be more advantageous to him?

Should he get rid of Kaizer right here and now? Or should he let him develop into a strong character?

That naturally relies on one particular variable.

’Would he see me as an enemy or as an ally?’ Rize’s eyes turned colder. ’The story has changed, and so did the characters in it. However, should I really risk it? I mean, he is indeed the center of this world and this story... But is he still that center after the entire plot shifted?

Rize’s eyes turned slowly colder and colder as he finally exhaled. ’I’ve lived through hell and experienced all kinds of pain in my life... Then, this story ruined my day by killing my favorite character. I took an oath upon myself to take things into my own hands and do what I see fit.’

Rize knew that he wasn’t some sort of plot guardian that needed to retain the story and keep it going as it is. Perhaps he had that notion at first as a mechanism to protect himself, but he realized with time that it was pointless to do that. In the end, each person will have to pave their own path, and this was his path.

"Let go, bastard!!!" Kaizer yelled as he tried to punch back and kick the boy off of him. There were bruises all over his face from the hits, and he didn’t know how to get out of this situation. If he lost his badge, it was over for him.

’I’ve saved all my money to come here! I would never ever let this be the end!! Ever!!’ He thought to himself as he steeled his will and tried to push the boy off with all his power. However, his attempt failed, and another punch was launched toward his face.

However, before it could land, a silhouette suddenly appeared behind the boy and, with a swift move, kicked him to the ground as he rolled a few times. Kaizer looked up, and all he saw for a second was a black shadow that sent chills down his spine.