Chapter 85 Ben's Decision
As the whole day passed.
Someone posted the video of the duel on the forum. Soon many people watched it.
Many people started commenting there.
-They are so strong...
-Upstairs, they are students of S-class and among the top 10. So it\'s obvious that they are strong.
- According to details,
That blue haired boy is Ken, a C ranker.
And that Red haired boy is Ben, a D ranker.
-Upstairs don\'t discriminate by hair colour.
COLOR DOES NOT MATTER!!
-But aren\'t they too strong? Like both of them can use sword art.
- Especially that Ken, he is a C ranker and also uses sword aura. Perhaps he can also beat some second-year students.
-Hmph. Don\'t compare him to use second year students. Even I can beat him easily.
-Upstairs, I have checked your profile. It\'s showing that you are D ranker. Can you enlighten us how can you beat him?
-Bruh moment
-F in the chat
....
....
There were numerous comments similar to that.
The following morning, the students departed from their rooms and proceeded to their classroom as per usual.
In S-class, all the students were present for the lectures, including combat practice, magic theory, and history.
After the classes were finished, Ken approached Ben and asked politely, "Shall we go?"
Ben nodded and then turned to his henchmen, instructing them, "You guys can leave now. It will take us some time to return."
Thus, Ben dismissed his group effortlessly.
Soon, Ben and Ken found themselves in a secluded corner of the cafe.
"So, what can I do for you?" Ben asked, getting straight to the point.
Ken replied calmly, "I just want one thing."
Ben\'s patience was wearing thin as he asked, "And what would that be?"
Before answering, Ken proceeded to recount how he had encountered some bullies on his way back to his room and how he had managed to defeat them. He also mentioned his conversation with Issac and Kevin.
"And how is that relevant?" Ben inquired, his expression unchanged.
Ken was taken aback. He had not expected Ben to know about the incident.
"It\'s not a big deal. The people you defeated had already informed me about it earlier. As for bullying, I have made it clear to everyone that the weak shall be crushed wherever they go. It\'s not a new thing," Ben explained calmly.
"I said it\'s not necessary to exploit those who are weaker than you. Why do you feel the need to do so? It won\'t bring you any benefit," Ken said, trying to reason with Ben.
Ben interrupted him, "I understand, okay? You don\'t have to lecture me like an old man. Get to the point."
Ken sighed but continued, "I want you to reduce your involvement in the club activities."
Ben scoffed, "Is that it? I can easily do that. It\'s not like I\'m the leader of a major club. I only have a few followers, and the rest are just bunch of nobodies. There are also other students from different years. They won\'t stop."
Ken nodded, "I understand. But I have a solution that will help. You just need to do things as per I say."
Ben agreed, "Fine. But don\'t expect everything to change overnight. You have offended many people, and they won\'t take kindly to my change of heart. This is just a beginning."
Ken asked, "Who are these people?"
Ben hesitated for a moment before replying, "I can\'t reveal their names, but I can give you a hint - Blood Supremacy club."
Ken\'s expression hardened at the mention of that name. "Thank you for the warning. I\'ll be careful," he said, extending his hand.
Ben shook it, "Sure thing. But remember, this won\'t be easy. Changing the status quo never is never easy."
"I know. But it\'s worth it," Ken said before turning and walking away.
As Ken was leaving, Ben just chuckled.
"Like he said. You are really a piece of work." Ben mumbled.
Like that Ben started to recall yesterday\'s events...
__________________________________________
"You don\'t need to be friends to give advice. People often listen to the advice of others they don\'t know,"
When Ben heard this, he was astounded. He was unable to reply.
"Oh, it appears that I can now freely offer you some wise advice." Rain chuckled.
"Listen carefully to what I am saying. You lost the duel today. So, what are you going to do next?" Rain asked.
"I don\'t know," Ben replied in a low tone.
"Ben, I understand that losing a fight can be difficult, but it\'s important to remember that defeat is a natural part of the learning process. Even the best fighters in the world have lost battles before. What\'s important is that you learn from this experience," Rain advised.
"I still lost the fight," Ben tried to say something, but Rain interrupted him.
"Don\'t sound pathetic. You and I both know why Ken challenged you. Calm your mind and think about it," Rain said in a cold tone
After thinking for some time Ben answered.
"Is it because of that bullying incident?"
"Yes, It is." Rain responsed, "He might have told you something when you were fighting with him."
When Rain said this, Ben started remembering what he and Ken talked about during the fight.
"From your silence, I think you may be remembered it. So as you know, you\'re in deep trouble now. After all, you lost the duel." Rain remarked.
"It\'s because I am weak." Ben\'s voice was low, but Rain still heard it.
"Nope, it\'s because you\'re a fool." Rain said sternly.
Ben was taken aback by hearing this.
"First, you joined that gutter group and started bullying people without any care of consequences. Can\'t you even think about it?" Rain said in cold tone.
"Gutter group?" Ben mumbled.
"Oh, you people might call it Blood Supremacy club. However it\'s just gutter or sewage where rats of the area gather."
"Am I a rat then?" Ben was in doubt about his life\'s choices.
Rain responded, "Yes, it\'s true that some people claim superiority based on their bloodline, but how is it superior? It\'s not as if your blood is a different color or can be used as a material for an elixir."
After a brief pause, Rain continued, "And even if you believe that your bloodline is powerful, how do you know for sure? Before the changes, your family members could have been beggars or from a low-class family."
Ben attempted to refute Rain\'s words, but Rain continued, "What? Your weakness comes from your mindset. You complain like a child. There is no such thing as absolute strength. You may be weak compared to Ken and others, but you\'re also strong compared to others. There is a world beyond your narrow perspective."
"Still, I am weaker than Ken and others," Ben admitted.
Rain asked, "Do you want to become strong?"
"Yes," Ben replied.
"Why do you want to become strong?" Rain asked.
"I don\'t want to be crushed by others. I don\'t want to be belittled or lonely," Ben explained.
"You will only be crushed if you have enemies, and to get rid of enemies, there are only two options: kill them or resolve the hostility. If you continue to act the way you have been, you will only increase the hostility around you," Rain cautioned.
Ben asked, "So, what should I do?"
"Reduce your club activities, however you can trouble Ken all you care. He won\'t do anything until you cross the line with him. And don\'t harm those around him because he will retaliate strongly. Didn\'t you learn from what happened this time?" Rain advised.
Ben remained silent, still recovering from the beating he had received.
"To become stronger, it\'s important to seek help from others, such as professors, friends, and family. Ken may also be able to assist you if you behave properly around him. I am also here to offer my support, but..."
Rain\'s warm tone suddenly turned cold.
"Whatever you do, never succumb to the dark side. It will only lead to a negative outcome."
Ben replied weakly, his back was covered in cold sweat.
"You can call me anytime you want . I appreciate it. And please keep this conversation between us."
Rain spoke with enthusiasm, as if he hadn\'t made the previous warning.. warning.
"Okay, but what about Ken\'s request? And what about the Blood Supremacy club? Should I leave it?" Ben asked Rain.
Rain replied, "You should consider Ken\'s request and the Blood Supremacy club carefully. However, it\'s entirely up to you whether you want to leave the club or not. I would suggest being cautious and keeping your involvement to a minimum, though. We both know how questionable that club is, and they won\'t hesitate to turn their backs on you." Rain warned.
"Okay, thank you," Ben said, although he was taken aback by Rain\'s last statement.
"No problem," Rain replied. "You can always rely on me if you need help, but don\'t go too far with Ken. Venting your anger is fine, but make sure you don\'t cross any lines." Rain advised.
"Now, if you\'ll excuse me, I have to start my live stream. Goodbye."
"Goodbye," Ben said before Rain ended the call.
Talking to Rain made Ben feel better, and he had a smile on his face as he ended the conversation.
While on Rain\'s side...
Rain breathed a sigh of relief and leaned back in his chair, gazing out of the window at the tranquil ocean waves.
"It\'s peaceful now, but it won\'t be long before the waves turn violent," he murmured to himself, his expression blank.
"I may have given good advice to Ben, but it\'s always harder to implement it in my own life," he mused, a hint of melancholy in his voice.