Chapter 42: 42:Trouble?
A voice came from the back of the crowd, a little shaky but full of curiosity. "Miss, if a two-star is already that strong, then how strong is a nine-star?"
Amanda paused and looked at the eager faces around her. She sighed softly before answering. "Sorry, I don't really know. Nine-star is far beyond me. Even in the Galactic Federation, the strongest human record has only reached seven-star."
Her words dampened the mood, and the cadets fell into silence, their excitement cooling.
Amanda's expression grew firm again as she raised her hand. "Don't get carried away by what you just saw. What I destroyed was only a standard material wall."
" If this wall had been built from metals found in other galaxies, even a one-star would barely leave a dent. Starships, for example, are designed to endure attacks at the level of five-star without being destroyed." She let her eyes sweep across the group, her voice sharp.
"And don't forget about gravity layers. A one-star may feel strong here, but in certain places their body might be too heavy to even stand. So never grow arrogant."
The rest of the lesson was lighter. Amanda talked about the basics and the importance of martial arts. She explained that one could not rely on super power alone. Energy made you strong, but skill determined how far you could go. "Remember," she said, "there have been figures who dominated battlefields using martial arts alone. Strength without discipline is wasted."
When the class ended, Hex pressed his hand against his head. "Haah… this is too confusing." His temples throbbed as he tried to keep everything straight.
Dein, who had been lying back, stretched and sat up lazily. "Confused? Things haven't even started yet."
Hex looked at him with sudden interest. "I was thinking. Awakening a power helps to form a gene crystal, right? That crystal is what allows you to use cosmic energy. So if someone doesn't awaken with a power, how can they use cosmic energy at all?"
Dein clicked his tongue and leaned back with a bored look. "That's what you're stuck on? Listen. You can still awaken without a power and form a gene crystal, but the chances for a person born from ordinary parents are very slim."
"Now, if both parents are awakeners, or if you're born into a bloodline full of awakeners, then you've got a ninety percent chance. You might not get a flashy ability, but you will be born with a physique.
Hex's eyes froze for a moment as a thought formed in his mind. Is that the reason for my body being this strong? He felt a sudden certainty that his parents must have been awakeners.
But then another question struck him. If that was true, why had they left him in an orphanage? Was it because of enemies, like in the stories, or had one of them belonged to a higher plane?
He shook his head and let the thought go.
"No need to act like those movie protagonists who scream about avenging their parents and talk about returning pain tenfold. I have no ties to them.By chance even if they return with their tragic stories,I will just apologize.
"Sorry,but your shit is just yours to handle."
Hex calmed himself and opened his notes again. From the next class onward, they would finally start learning real martial arts. Not tricks picked up from old movies or copied from ancient videos, but proper techniques passed down through time. His chest felt heavy, but beneath it all, there was a spark of excitement.
After spending the whole morning in class, Hex felt like his brain was about to melt. The lessons were all theory. Endless words, strange formulas, and complicated concepts that refused to stick no matter how hard he tried.
By the time lunch was over, he felt drained. He had forced himself to absorb as much as possible, but at some point, his mind simply shut down.
"Aah… it's so difficult," he muttered under his breath as he walked out into the open grounds.
The first week had gone by quietly. There hadn't been anything too dangerous or overwhelming yet, just long classes and strict routines. Compared to the chaos of the past, life here was almost calm.
Hex found an empty bench near the trees and sat down. He leaned back, stretching his legs, and let the cool breeze brush over him. The campus air felt clean, fresh, and free of the heavy pollutants he was used to in Sector 10.
Closing his eyes, he let his body relax.
That was when he noticed three figures walking toward him. Their steps were casual, but the strange smiles on their faces made him tense.
One of them called out. "Hey, pooper."
Hex blinked. "Pooper? What?" He turned his head slightly, wondering if they were talking to someone else.
But the boy's voice grew sharper. "I'm calling you. Where are you looking, idiot?"
The three surrounded the bench. Hex studied them closely. Their faces felt familiar, like he had seen them in one of the orientation halls, but he couldn't place them.
"Excuse me," Hex said with a frown. "What do you want from me?"
The boy in the middle sneered. "We don't want much. Just that you can be our servant. You see, we lack someone to run around and do our bidding. I think you're perfect for the job. With that look of yours, you fit the role."
Hex stared at them silently, blinking as if he was staring at a group of idiots who had lost their minds. After a short pause, he shook his head.
"Who sent you to deal with me?" he asked calmly.
The boys' smiles faltered. The leader stuttered, "D… Deal? Why would anyone deal with you? We don't even know you."
Hex tilted his head. "You don't even know me, yet you want me to serve you. Do you know my background?"
The boy's face twisted. "Shut up. We know you're just a poor lower kid from the slums of Sector 10."
Hex let out a small sigh and stood up from the bench. He didn't want trouble. It was better to leave than waste energy on fools. He marked their faces in his mind, making a note to stay away from them in the future.
But as he stepped forward, one of the boys lashed out with a sudden kick aiming to make him stumble.
The blow struck his leg, making him stumble. Hex's instincts took over. His right leg snapped out in response, striking the attacker's shin with a harsh thud.
CRACK!
The unexpected angle of attack and coupled with the fact that Hex failed to control his strength causes a cracking sound.
"AHHH!"
There was a sickening crack. Both Hex and the boy hit the ground, but while Hex steadied himself quickly, the other screamed in agony.
"Ahaa… my leg… He broke my leg!" the boy cried, clutching it as his face turned pale.