Leveling Up With My Dragon System

"What's with that smug look?" Kai mumbled to himself as he saw the blue-level boy saunter down the school corridor, a malicious grin on his face. It was the same grin he'd worn countless times before, when he'd pick on the weaker students at the academy. Kai felt his fists clench as he stepped out of the library, the scent of dusty tomes and the faint whisper of pages turning still lingering in the air. He'd been there all afternoon, his nose buried in a book that had done nothing but fuel his anger.

The blue-level boy spotted the black-level boy, a timid looking boy named Eli, hunched over his locker, fumbling with his books. It was an all-too-familiar sight at the academy, where power levels dictated the social hierarchy. Without missing a beat, the blue-level boy strutted over, grabbed an armful of Eli's books, and tossed them onto the floor. "Hurry up, maggot," he sneered. "I've got better things to do than watch you struggle."

Kai's temper, already simmering, boiled over. He marched up to the blue-level boy and slammed a hand against the locker next to him, the metal echoing through the hallway. "Leave him alone," he growled. The blue-level boy looked up, his smile twisting into a sneer. "What's it to you, slave boy?"

Eli's eyes widened in surprise, glancing between the two of them. He knew Kai by reputation; the quiet kid who studied all the time and never got involved in the academy's power plays. But something in Kai's stance today was different. There was an intensity in his gaze, a coiled energy that seemed to crackle around him. The blue-level boy, however, only laughed. "Why don't you go back to your books, before you get hurt?"

Kai stepped closer, his hand curling into a fist. The anger from the book he'd read pulsed through him, and he felt his power stirring, something he hadn't felt before. "You don't know what you're messing with," he said, his voice low and even. The blue-level boy's eyes narrowed, his hand moving to the ground as he began to manipulate the earth beneath them.

Suddenly, the floor trembled, and a pillar of earth shot up, slamming into Kai's side. He stumbled but didn't fall, gritting his teeth against the pain. Eli took the opportunity to scurry away, his eyes wide with fear. The blue-level boy chuckled, raising his hand to call forth another attack. But before he could, Kai's hand shot out, releasing a burst of fire that engulfed his fist. He swung it at the pillar, and it shattered into a cloud of dirt and pebbles.

"What the—?" the blue-level boy stuttered, stumbling back. "But you're a... you're a grey-level?"

Kai didn't bother correcting him. His heart raced as the newfound power surged through his veins. He'd read about dragon-based powers in nano-monitor, but never imagined they were real, let alone that he could possess them. "Pick on someone your own level," he spat, his eyes ablaze with fiery determination.

The blue-level boy's smirk faltered as he stared at Kai's fist, the flames dancing menacingly around his knuckles. He took a cautious step back, the earth beneath him trembling slightly as he tried to regain control. "You're gonna regret this, Kai," he warned, his voice wavering.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

But Kai wasn't listening. He was too busy marveling at the sensation of power coursing through his body. He clenched his fist tighter, and the flames grew brighter, the heat intense but not unbearable. "You think you can push people around just because you're stronger?" he shouted, the anger from the book mixing with his newfound courage. "Well, let's see how you like it when the tables are turned!"

With a roar, Kai lunged forward, his fist blazing like a comet. The blue-level boy barely had time to react before the fiery punch connected with his jaw, sending him sprawling across the corridor. The force was so great that the lockers on the opposite side of the hallway rattled and groaned. Dust fell from the ceiling in a fine mist, and the smell of scorched earth filled the air. The blue-level boy's smug grin was gone, replaced with a look of utter shock and pain.

Kai's eyes widened as he watched the blue-level boy struggle to get up. He hadn't meant to hit him that hard. The power was new and untested, and he hadn't realized the extent of his new abilities. The blue-level boy managed to push himself onto his elbows, his eyes glazed over, but still aware enough to spit out a mouthful of blood and dirt. "You... you're gonna pay for this," he slurred, his body convulsing as he tried to stand.

With a sigh, Kai helped him to his feet, his heart pounding in his chest. "I didn't mean to... I just wanted to scare you," he said, his voice shaking. He didn't want to be a bully, just to be someone who stood up against them. The blue-level boy's eyes narrowed, and he took a swing at Kai, but it was slow and clumsy, fueled by rage rather than skill.

Kai dodged easily, his mind racing. He didn't want to hurt him anymore, but he also didn't want to be the one who'd lose this fight. He knew the blue-level boy wouldn't let this go. He'd have to be careful, or this could go very wrong. "You should leave," Kai warned, his voice firm. "Before I do something we'll both regret."

The blue-level boy snarled and lunged again, but Kai was ready this time. He sidestepped and slammed his fire-covered fist into the boy's stomach, sending him reeling back. The blue-level boy's eyes rolled back in his head, and he collapsed to the floor with a sickening thud. The earth around him trembled once more, but no pillar rose to his aid. He was out cold, his HP now at 3/10, just as the system had indicated.

Kai's heart raced as he stared down at the unconscious form of his former tormentor. He hadn't meant to go that far, but the rage from the book and his newfound power had taken over. He knew he had to act fast before someone found them. With a grunt of effort, he hoisted the heavier boy over his shoulder and began to make his way to the school clinic, the smell of burnt fabric and singed hair following him.