27. Baiting-II

...

HAHAHAHAHA!

Pierre is an insufferable simpleton that was too easy to trick! The guy was baited in the center of the map without much effort.

Alfir just needs to play a cat and mouse with him, and when Alfir finally arrived at the center of the map, he went in a 100% effort of stealth mode.

Pierre will meet Deron eventually... hopefully, that is... The center of the map isn't really a big place so their meeting now is just a matter of probability. To increase Deron's training intensity, it is time for Alfir to bait another big fish.

Cain is harder to track because the guy hardly moves. Alfir squinted his eyes, his ‘desire to see’ enforced his sight several folds. Alfir stood on the highest cliff in the center of the map while his mutant ability empowers his eyesight.

A parabola of light arched on the horizon, definitely Cain's. Alfir rushed in that direction acting in fear from an imaginary pursuit. His acting is not too bad. Hopefully, the principal won’t realize his petty tricks.

...

Jimmy watched in fascination as this guy run for his life.

"Principal Armin, look at this guy, he is quite good at running. What is his score?"

"Let's see... Alfir? Quite a runner and dodger, barely surviving Pierre's assaults... Huh?"

"What is it, principal?"

"He got zero points. Ah, I remember now. This kid has been running around in hiding as if running from something— he looks like a very paranoid guy..."

Jimmy and Armin watch in amusement as Alfir runs in Cain's direction. 'Poor guy' they thought.

Escaping the frying pan, and towards the fire, eh?

...

Alfir's abilities aren't so visual as to clue people if he is using an ability or not. This is why Jimmy and Armin are unaware that Alfir is purposely heading in Cain's direction. If the two observers knew that Alfir is using an empowered vision to search for Cain, they’d be confused.

Cain is reeling points like a fisherman casually sending ripples to the forest. His powers are weird and quirky. It is a useless power his clan deemed not worth having, a disgrace.

Cain can change the color of light according to his wishes. Flashy tricks that aren't worth anything. The world is not rainbows and clouds out there, and with a religious clan like the Solomons who specializes in destructive powers, Cain is a sin.

But Cain changed that. He worked very hard to reach the level he is at today. To magnify light to this extent is nothing but phenomenal talent.

"Hahahaha. Die. Die. Die!"

Through the process of getting stronger, he then developed bloodthirst this volatile. People around Cain aren’t sure if the trade-off is really worth it.

Alfir ran straight without any semblance of care to where Cain was staying.

As Cain continues to conduct his meteor-like light shower, he noticed a figure in the distance running in his direction. Cain stood in the middle of the expanse curiously gauging the approaching figure.

Then… the figure stopped, then ran back to where he came from.

???

"What's the dude's problem?"

Cain's eyesight is bad, but through his powers, he can filter images to the point he can render them in a high resolution. The mechanism of Cain's powers works like a lens, an invisible lens that can filter light. Through magnification, he can make it destructive and with some tweaking, he can create something interesting.

Pierre is vengeful, that's why Alfir took great measures to hide his face from him.

Thankfully, Cain is not a vengeful type and more of an aloof guy since it is impossible for Alfir to hide his face from this murderous germaphobe. Alfir just knows it, Cain's itch to destroy is bait to himself already, a self-bait unique to Cain's.

A blur of light came at Alfir, but somehow for whatever reason, Alfir tripped just before the point of impact which saved him from his near demise.

Armin can see 5 seconds in the future, and since he already has a heads up of Cain's abilities, he can handily react better now. And his future-telling ability is saying that Alfir should have dodged that with elegant grace, but instead miserably tripped like a third rate.

"Jimmy, I want you to watch Alfir carefully."

"Hmmm? Nothing so special about him, but his luck must be tremendous..."

"It must be my imagination then."

Cain saw his attack missing by a hair's breadth. He increased the diameter of his beam of light, then unleashed it a second time. It's enough to swallow an adult.

Alfir miserably rolled left, then bolted to a sprint. Cain is slowly starting to get annoyed.

Cain was left with no choice but to run. Averagely, his physique is worse compared to the whole mutant-kind in his grade, but he is still a mutant at heart. His specs are way better than an average human's.

...

"Principal Armin, looks like something very interesting is going on!"

"Yeah, I know!"

From far corners of the forest, three figures are about to collide. Judging from their temperaments, a battle is unavoidable.

Armin has long forgotten Alfir's peculiarity and is expecting now a feast to his eyes.

“Principal, shouldn’t we interfere? I think it will be a bloodbath.”

“It will be fine, aren’t you curious too?”

“What?”

“Che~ Kids these days… Of course, the ultimate question… Who is stronger? When you were an upstart in the academy, weren’t you trying to prove something?”

“Hehehehe… Stop that principal… I would’ve been called the strongest if dear Celine weren’t in the academy.”

“Dear?” The principal dangerously asked. Jimmy almost forgot that Celine was the principal’s granddaughter.

“Ahem… ahem… Let’s focus on the fight. Principal, look, Deron and Pierre are about to fight!!” Jimmy changed the topic in panic.

...

A group battle of immense proportions is about to begin. It started from the scheming of this one guy— Alfir.

"Deron, you have to get stronger, so I’m sending these two to you~" He sat atop the tallest tree, it might not be the best view, but Alfir is fine with anything.

Alfir isn’t brave enough to watch and see it through until the end. He’s just there to make sure whether the three would be able to meet up.

...