RBR Chapter 22 White Hot Assault

"Junior, are you challenging me?"

That single question had led to the current circumstance where he was moving towards the arena. No one dared to come near as they feared the electric snakes slithering around his entire body as they could paralyse or fry anyone, whether friend or foe. Elec had been shocked upon trying to touch him, with his hair standing on end and now, no one wanted to repeat that same mistake.

Eric had tried everything but failed to turn off the ability. He had had no choice but make his way towards the arena. All the students in the lunch hall had opted to follow, some having devoured their food like there was no tomorrow, in order to not miss the coming spectacle.

He bitterly sighed at the fact that his food had been left behind. His cells had also lamented that fact, but they still didn't turn off the ability. 

The girl, whom he now knew as Elena Mpologoma was walking at the front, her back straight and proud. She never once took a look back at him as if she was very sure that he would never stop following, the arrogance!

"That woman, I hate her." Leah commented while walking alongside him. Though, she was at least 50cm away. It seemed that even she, wouldn't take the risk of being near.

"Then, why did you accept her challenge?" Eric asked. Elec was in the back with the other two, keeping their distance as if they feared that any relation might drag them into the fray.

He waited for the answer. His reason was mostly related to his ability going haywire, so he thought that a battle might settle it down. It was honestly uncomfortable. His cells, along the skin were vibrating and rubbing against each other, giving him the feeling as if the visible electric snakes were also coursing through his veins. It wasn't painful, just unfamiliar and it made him nervous.

"I want to put her in her place." She said with a glint in her eyes. Eric read that that wasn't the only reason, but didn't pry further.

The arena appeared in the distance, a cube shaped transparent construction with the seats inside arranged in the form of an amphitheatre. He marveled at its height that rivaled that of the school building. It was his first time really gazing at the construct even though he had been attending school for the past few weeks.

"Most of the kids who attend this school are untrained weaklings whose only thought at an endgame is to enter society and mingle. Honestly, they don't understand the allure of the wilderness..." Elena spoke, Eric feeling that the words were being directed towards him and Leah.

"Have you ever been outside of this city?" He asked curiously.

"My father is a person cut from a very different mold from the others, so he does things like taking his family out to picnic in the wilderness."

Her answer caused some shock to Eric while Leah's eyes visibly widened.

"Sometimes he would even allow me to face off against some of the weaker trash."

"Trash!?" Leah's voice choked.

"Yes, trash. They were simply mindless things, the collective even finding it beneath to manifest its will within them." Eric had the feeling there was a wide grin plastered onto the girl's face, one of derision.

"Heh...then I bet you have never met a true rampager." Leah scoffed with clear anger on her face, and small fraction of disdain.

"I have met one. Those are the true monsters...the ones I would love to meet more frequently. Too bad, they are rare." He caught the disappointment in the way her head shook.

"How did it go?" Some curiosity had now crept into Leah's voice. 

Rampagers...the word wasn't unfamiliar to him as Leah had continuously hinted that he was one, something he couldn't deny as even he himself didn't know what he was. Apparently, the monstrosities were those whose brains had been destroyed by their own cells. They could be differentiated from the normal, brain possessing counterparts easily, since they had a cold spine chilling and calculating gaze...he had never seen one but, there were descriptions online...anyway, they also had horrifying control over their bodies, capable of manifesting abilities far surpassing those of the original beast, with some even activating genetic abilities not thought tohave been possessed by the first beast.

Since he hadn't yet met one, he didn't know of their true terror, so he couldn't quite connect with Leah beside him.

"Sadly, I can barely keep my life. Though, the experience of having your life hanging on a single thread is quite exciting. I long for the day I can kill one." The girl had this energy about her, as if everything could be accomplished. Frankly, Eric was becoming more interested in her the more he spent with her.

"Have you ever dueled, or fought?"

The question caused him to shake his head, also leading him to the realisation that he essentially had absolutely zero knowledge about combat.

"I thought so. Your expression when those electric arcs appeared around your body already gave you away."

Her words made him immensely embarrassed, but he didn't let that show. 

'Couldn't you have turned off the ability and activated it at home?' He scolded within his mind.

(Circumstances won't always be so convenient.)

'Tch!'

A few minutes later, three stood in the middle of the arena, him included. Leah was at his side, having changed out of the uniform into some sort of black scaly body hugging suit, with Elena also donning the same.

The whistles that fell into his ears, mostly from the males caused a faint blush upon Leah's cheeks. Before he could tease her though, jealousy filled death stares stabbed into his body, inducing a chill down his spine.

He chosen to change his attire as he had developed a fear that the electrical snakes swimming around his body might destroy the new clothes. It was already miraculous that his uniform was still attached to his skin.

Elena stood ten meters away from them, with the stage itself being just 100sqm.

"Are you ready? Once I attack, there will be no breaks to time outs unless injured." She said while cracking her knuckles. Her entire being was radiating a feral excitement.

Eric nodded and took in a deep breath. He lowered his posture, getting himself ready for any development, something subconscious.

(I will move your body, remember the movements.)

After that, she flickered, her form blurring for a split second. Before he could even react, his left hand punched to the side, the eyes already capable of following her. He caught the tiny sliver of surprise before the arm that had been clawing towards his face shiftes towards a more defensive position.

The fist connected, but the sense felt off, as if all that force had been dissolved or dispersed.

Emerald burst into his eyes, Leah's hair swaying as she appeared directly in front, just underneath him, her blow viciously heading towards Elena's chest. It failed to connect as the girl jumped back in retreat, except that Leah didn't stop there, following with more attacks in a split second, their movements fast enough to be blurry to the normal eye but he could follow them very easily.

'It looks like the electricity didn't work.'

He marveled for a moment before shifting his feet and taking a step, the air thickening around his body, trying to impede his movement, but he pushed through, appearing where he wanted to be, at Elena's back, sandwiching her between himself and Leah, his back to her.

He didn't pause, kicking backwards with such force that he felt some resistance before it gave way...

An explosion happened within the air, his kick failing to connect. His body spun around on the spot, and he saw why it had, Elena was crouching low, her knees bent, like she was about to leap, only for her body to backflip, both feet heading towards his head. Since his body still had the momentum for the spin, he had no choice but to defend...

(I would have dodged, but it would have attracted suspicion...)

A voice lamented even as Eric slid backwards from the force of the blow, a numbness spreading within his arms, though he still caught sight of a Leah who had also leaped into the air, her claws glinting in the light heading for Elena's face.

It was surprising to him that she was using her abilities from the get go, and even showing intent to take a life.

Elena slapped away her hands before one of her feet blurred while still midair, leading to Leah being blasted away like a canon ball.

He grimaced at the possible pain the girl was feeling in her gut. It had been a heavy hit, probably Elena had lost control due to the pressure or threat to her life.

"Sorry sorry...I got a bit serious there." Elena apologised even as Eric kept his focus on her. She was still sandwiched between them, even as Leah wiped a drop of blood from her lips, she was still standing.

"You two are very good. Boy, you shook your head about having any experience, but now I think you were lying." 

Despite a shortness of breath, Eric could see that she was still spritely. This wasn't enough to get to her.

His body had warmed up, the blood having sped up within his veins. The vibrations of his cells got even more intense, the electric arcs becoming even wider, transitioning to the level of electric cables.

'This electricity is caused by the vibration of my cells. Can that be transmitted to my muscles, to trigger something close to a reflex action?' He wondered. This was an idea he had just come up with and was trying to feel the vibrations, to control them.