Harem Quest: From Trash to King

Ryan sighed and slumped against his desk. The air in the classroom was thick with mockery and stale sweat, but the lunch bell had finally rung, releasing the students in a flurry of chairs scraping and backpacks swinging. He didn't move.

His notebook lay open, half-filled with scribbles and drawings, none of which made any sense. He was trying to stay invisible.

It didn't work.

A shadow loomed beside him—short, nervous, twitchy. A boy with thick glasses, an oversized uniform, and a twitch in his eye like he hadn't slept in days.

He looked like a rabbit who'd wandered into a den of wolves.

"Ryan..." the boy muttered.

Ryan blinked and looked up slowly. "...Yeah?"

"Uh... um..." He kept wringing his fingers. "C-can you come with me? Somewhere. Just... for a second?"

Ryan narrowed his eyes. The kid looked like he was going to shit himself. Pathetic.

But familiar.

He sighed. "Yeah, sure... Where?"

The kid didn't answer. He just turned and walked off, his shoulders hunched like he was carrying a boulder on his back. Ryan hesitated for a second, then stood up and followed.

They exited the building, cutting around the side of the gym, and slipped behind the storage sheds where no teachers ever patrolled.

The place reeked of piss, cheap cigarettes, and hopelessness. Torn posters fluttered on the broken fence. Rusty cans clinked underfoot.

Ryan's gut twisted. 'This isn't good.'

The kid—still nameless—finally turned to face him.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

Ryan blinked. "What?"

"I'm so sorry..." His voice cracked.

And then he dropped to his knees, tears spilling out from behind his foggy lenses. "They told me they'd leave me alone if I brought you here. I swear, Ryan, I didn't wanna do this—but they said they'd break my ribs this time. I—I just want peace. I just want to be left alone."

He started laughing.

But it wasn't joy. It was broken, wet laughter. The kind that stung.

"I sold you for my peace. God, I'm such a piece of shit..."

Ryan stared at him, silent. Emotionless. There wasn't even rage—just a numbness swallowing him whole.

A slow clap echoed from behind the shed.

"Beautiful," a voice called out.

Amit stepped forward from behind a trash bin, clapping slowly, a cigarette in his mouth. Smoke curled around his head like a devil's halo. "That's some Academy Award level betrayal. Damn, I got chills."

"Fuck off, Amit," Ryan muttered.

Amit just smiled and looped an arm around Ryan's shoulders like they were old pals. "Aww, don't be like that, champ. We're just getting started."

Ryan shrugged him off. "Don't touch me, you bastard."

Footsteps crunched gravel.

Josh appeared next, dragging a broken cricket bat behind him. His grin stretched ear to ear.

He leaned in close to Ryan, putting them at eye level—though Josh had to crouch a little to do it. "Look at that. Our fatty's got a backbone now?"

Ryan stepped back.

Josh laughed. "Aww, is the baby gonna cry again? What's wrong, scared without your mommy?"

Behind them, someone lit a lighter. A sharp snap. Then a long exhale.

Sophia.

She leaned against the wall, arms folded, cigarette between her fingers, completely detached from the situation. Her eyes flicked over to Ryan and crinkled in disgust.

"This shit stain again?"

Ryan's breath hitched. Even now... even after all that had happened... some part of him had hoped she might look at him differently. That maybe she'd wonder if he was okay.

But her face was stone. Cold. Sharp as shattered glass.

He turned away. Didn't want to see her face anymore. Didn't want her in his memories. Didn't want any of this.

Josh raised the bat and poked Ryan's gut with it. "You still eating, fatty? That belly's not going anywhere, huh?"

Amit snorted and shoved Ryan forward.

Josh didn't wait—his fist smashed into Ryan's stomach.

Ryan choked, saliva spraying from his mouth as the air was punched out of him. He stumbled, knees wobbling, vision going white around the edges.

He collapsed to the ground, coughing, groaning.

"One hit and you're already down? C'mon, man, it's not even fun anymore."

[DING!]

[Quest Objective Triggered: Survival Instinct Engaged]

[Host, it's your time to shine.]

[Show them your newly obtained power. Use Boxing Jab and prevent further bullying.]

Ryan gasped for breath, clutching his side. His eyes watered—but not from pain.

From fury.

He saw the quest notification blinking in front of him. His reward. His purpose.

'If I let them walk all over me again... then what the hell was the point of everything I've been through?'

He pulled himself up slowly.

Josh blinked in surprise.

"You're still moving?"

Ryan wiped his mouth with his sleeve and forced himself to stand. His body screamed to collapse again, but he didn't care.

He clenched his fist.

[Boxing Jab.]

He could feel it. Like something surging in his bones. A rhythm. A pull. A drive. His weight shifted slightly to his back foot—just like those tutorial videos he'd binged after getting the skill.

Josh smirked and raised the bat. "You seriously wanna try—"

Ryan launched forward.

Fist tight. Elbow in.

He threw the jab.cStraight to Josh's nose.

Crack.

Josh staggered back, hands flying to his face.

"What the—?!"

Blood.

Amit's jaw dropped. Sophia's eyes actually widened for the first time.

Ryan stood there, panting, adrenaline roaring in his veins.

The system dinged again.

[DING! Quest Complete: Fight Back Those Bullies]

[+4 kg fat burned]

[+1 Strength Pill Received]

[Skill Progression: Boxing Jab (20% Mastery)]

A crooked grin spread across Ryan's face.

'One down... many more to go.'