Chapter 17 Awakened Dragon
Boros and Jace fanned out, forming a loose semi-circle around Rick.
"Oh, three versus one. This is something to see," Rick retorted, his voice dripping with sarcasm. But his heart is beating fast in anxiety. He knew that he would lose if he could not dodge or get hit only once. So he has to think fast and play it cool.
"And I don't need anyone to back me up. Unlike you, who can't even fight his own battles without his little lackeys."
Moran lunged, a wild swing aimed at Rick's face. Rick, surprisingly agile, ducked under the blow, the exercises his future self prescribed paying off. He felt a surge of adrenaline. This was it. A real fight. His instincts, long dormant, roared to life.
He landed a quick jab to Moran's midsection, then danced back before Boros could grab him. Jace moved in, attempting to trip him, but Rick sidestepped, his movements fluid. He was rusty, but the muscle memory from his high school taekwondo and boxing days was slowly returning.
"Is that all you got, big boy?" Rick taunted, a grin spreading across his face. He knew he shouldn't be enjoying this, but a part of him, the part that had been scrawny and sickly for so long, revelled in the physical exertion, in the feeling of strength.
Moran roared, charging again. This time, Rick met him head-on, a series of quick, precise punches landing on Moran's arms and shoulders. He could hear Moran grunt in pain. Boros and Jace, less skilled in direct combat, were struggling to corner him. Rick used his speed, darting in and out, landing blows, and avoiding their clumsy attempts to grab him.
However, he was not spared the pain too. Boros was able to punch his shoulder after he failed to dodge and could only block, while Jace was able to kick his thigh.
The fight continued for several minutes, a whirlwind of fists and grunts. Rick felt a cut open above his eye, and his knuckles ached, but a fierce determination fueled him. He wasn't going to let them win. He wasn't going to be the scrawny, weak kid anymore.
Finally, with a well-aimed kick to Moran's shin, Rick sent him sprawling. Boros and Jace, seeing their leader down, hesitated. Rick took the opportunity, delivering a swift punch to Boros's jaw, sending him stumbling backward. Jace, seeing his two companions incapacitated, frowned. He suddenly picks up a rock and throws it at Rick.
Rick was caught off guard and was hit directly on his forehead. He suddenly found his world spinning. He suddenly waved his hand and felt the back of his fist connecting with something bony.
Aw!
Jace fell to the ground groaning while holding his nose.
Rick stood panting, his chest heaving, a triumphant smirk on his bloodied face. Moran was groaning on the ground, clutching his shin, while Boros was spitting on the grass, his jaw aching.
"Next time," Rick gasped, wiping a trickle of blood from his eye, "think twice before you try to jump someone." He turned and ran away, leaving the three bullies defeated in the park. He knew the fight wasn't over, not really. But he'd made his point. And for the first time in a long time, Rick felt a surge of genuine pride.
…
A month passed. The initial confrontation with Moran had solidified Rick's reputation, not as a bully, but as someone who wouldn't back down. Moran, still smarting from the public humiliation and the park beating, largely avoided him, though the occasional glare from across the campus reminded Rick that the animosity still simmered.
Of course, Rick did not escape the nagging of Jenny for his brutish behaviour.
During this month, the 17-year-old Rick had undergone a remarkable transformation. Following his future self's relentless notes and dietary instructions, he'd gained noticeable muscle mass. He was no longer scrawny; his frame filled out, his shoulders broadened, and there was a newfound spring in his step. He even started carrying himself with more confidence, a subtle but significant change.
His friendship with Mac had blossomed. Mac, still a little timid but infinitely more confident than before, was a brilliant mind, and Rick found their conversations about algorithms and coding endlessly fascinating. He also frequently saw Jenny Kane, his girlfriend. Jenny, a fellow business student, sometimes joined them for study sessions, and Rick found himself drawn to her infectious enthusiasm. She was talking about wanting to start a bakery with her sister, Joana, a dream Rick knew she would not achieve.
…
It was a bright, breezy Saturday morning, the kind that promised a good day. Rick, Jenny, and their senior Leo Cane were on their way to City Gee. Rick had proposed the trip after he introduced Leo to Jenny yesterday. He told Jenny that he had business with Leo in Gee City, and if she wanted to go with them. In reality, it was the next phase of his grand plan.
They sat in a bus, the landscape whizzing by outside the window. Leo was engrossed in the scenery outside, occasionally muttering to himself. Rick, on the other hand, was feeling queasy. He forgot that his past self would always feel uneasy while riding a bus. Jenny, however, was beaming.
"I can't believe we're finally doing this!" Jenny exclaimed, turning to Rick. "This is awesome, I haven't been on a trip outside of City Bee before."
Rick chuckled. "Well, there is always a first for everything." He said while trying to hold himself from feeling sick.
"So, Rick," Leo chimed in, turning to the side, "What's our agenda today?"
Rick smiled awkwardly. These two people are not helping at all. "Guys… I think… I think I'm not feeling well." Rick suddenly said as he lowered his head.
Jenny noticed that something was wrong, so she worriedly asked. "Are you okay? Umm… Where's the plastic bag?" Her hand waved in panic.
Leo quickly handed her a blue plastic bag. Rick saw this and showed a thankful smile. He slowly closes his eyes and tries to focus his mind.
"We will talk about it when we get off the bus," Rick replied. He dared not open his eyes.
After a few minutes of silence, Jenny seemed to be unable to hold her excitement once again.
"Rick, I told my sister about those things that you've said… about thinking ahead, the land, and so on. She said that it was a good plan for the future. But for now, she wanted to focus more on her bread."
Rick smiled but did not open his eyes.
"I know… So when do you want to start the business?" he suddenly asked.
"Maybe next year. We are waiting for my aunt's support." Jenny said with a hopeful smile.
Rick knew about it, but it would cause Jenny and her sister to be discouraged. This is because, instead of supporting them in their business venture, their aunt shifted her support to their female cousin's study abroad. Because of this, Joana decided to stop studying in college and go to another city.
Suddenly, Rick stopped as a memory came to him. He forcefully opened his eyes and looked at the date. His expression dropped as he recalled a sad past in Jenny's life.
A year from now, he remembered Jenny came crying when he saw her on the campus. He learned that her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. The family was strapped for cash and did not have any extra. Jenny's father has no work and has been an alcoholic. Her mother is the only one supporting the family through her small business in the market. Luckily, her father is unlike any alcoholic who abuses his wife and kids. But because of the condition, their family began to break up.
The first one to leave was their eldest brother, followed by Joana. They decided to stop schooling and start working to support Jenny and their youngest brother. A year after that, their mother passed away, as the medicine in the country at this time was not yet advanced.
Rick looked at his beautiful girlfriend and couldn't help but show a faint smile. He has the urge to go higher in this betting, this time to solve most of his problems at once. He once again closed his eyes and began weighing his options.
"Should I bet on 6-digit or get the normal lottery grand prize?" his mind is abuzz as to what would happen if he did this.
However, when he looks at Leo, he cannot help but feel a sense of responsibility. If he gets the normal lottery grand prize, Leo's life might be in danger.
"Either I get a new person or just bet on a 6-digit. Well, winning two hundred thousand Poh in a 6-digit is already sufficient for now," he muttered as he made up his mind.
"Rick? Are you still feeling sick?" Jenny suddenly asked as she found Rick a bit weird, muttering to himself.
"Guys, get ready. We are already here." Leo suddenly informed the two beside him.
Rick felt the bus tilt to the side, and he saw the bus's grand terminal in Gee City. He could not help but clench his fist.
"Well, this is it. Let's play a big one today," he muttered.