Harem Quest: From Trash to King

Josh was still clutching his face, stumbling backward in shock, when Ryan turned to Amit.

The smug bastard's eyes were wide.

"Y-you..." Amit stammered, taking a step back. "What the hell was that?"

Ryan didn't wait.

He stepped forward, planted his heel, and launched a clean, swift jab straight to Amit's jaw.

'Just like the system said—straight, no wasted movement.'

Crack.

Amit's head snapped back violently. His eyes rolled up as he dropped like a sack of potatoes, his body slumping to the dirty concrete with a soft thud.

Unconscious.

The silence that followed was deafening.

Even Sophia, who had been casually watching with a smirk on her face, took a step back. Her cigarette slipped from her fingers.

Josh growled. "You think this is over, you little shit?"

Ryan turned just in time to see Josh lunging at him, his knee rising fast.

'Shit—'

BAM!

The knee struck Ryan right in the ribs.

Pain exploded in his side as he crashed to the ground, wheezing and coughing. The air left his lungs like a balloon popped with a needle. Gravel scraped his palms. His vision spun.

But something was different.

The pain was there—raw, biting—but not as overwhelming as before.

He didn't feel like dead weight anymore.

He felt... Lighter. Stronger.

[DING! Host has met physical threshold for strength pill consumption.]

[Use Strength Pill? Y/N]

'Now or never.'

"Yes," he hissed.

[DING! Strength Pill consumed. Processing...]

[Searing pain incoming. Hold on, Host.]

Suddenly, it hit him like fire in his veins.

His body screamed. His muscles clenched and spasmed. It felt like every bone was being torn apart and rebuilt at once.

He bit down on his tongue to avoid screaming. A metallic taste filled his mouth.

[Congratulations. Strength increased to: D+ Rank]

[+4 kg fat burned | Current weight: 82 kg]

[Hidden Stat Bonus: +5% Endurance]

Josh didn't notice what had just happened. He was already swinging again.

Ryan rolled.

The punch missed by an inch, crashing into the ground beside him.

He sprang up.

His footwork felt faster. His arms felt lighter. His vision sharper.

Josh turned, surprised.

Ryan ducked the next punch, pivoted to the side, and launched a jab—then another—then a hook to the ribs.

Josh groaned, doubling over.

Ryan didn't stop.

He gritted his teeth, raised his fist, and slammed it right into Josh's face with all the force his new strength could muster.

Josh flew backward, landing hard on his back.

Blood spurted from his nose. His eyes fluttered. Then closed.

The silence that followed was shattered by a chorus of screams.

"OH MY GOD!"

"WHAT THE FUCK?!"

"HE KILLED HIM!"

Sophia screamed, stumbling away from the wall. A group of girls who'd been watching from a distance sprinted back toward the main building, shrieking like they'd seen a ghost.

Ryan stood there, panting, body covered in bruises and dirt. Blood trickled from his mouth. His knuckles were torn open.

But he was still standing. For the first time.

'I did it... I really fought back. I fucking did it.'

[DING! Bonus Reward: Willpower +1]

[Skill: Boxing Jab – Mastery Increased: 40%]

Ryan didn't wait around.

He limped away—past the unconscious bodies, past the dropped cigarette, past the spot where he used to be the one lying on the ground.

This time, he left the scene walking. And he didn't look back.

The door to his home creaked open and he collapsed inside.

His mom wasn't home. His room was empty and quiet—only the soft hum of the fan overhead.

He dropped to the floor and lay flat on the cold tiles, arms spread out.

He stared at the ceiling.

'So this is what winning feels like… God, it hurts.'

His ribs ached. His arms throbbed. His legs were jelly. But the pain didn't matter.

Not when compared to the memory of Amit's shocked face. Or Josh's broken nose.

Then—ding-dong.

The doorbell?

Ryan dragged himself up and limped to the door.

A man in a formal black suit handed him a letter. "Ryan West?"

"Yeah?"

He handed over the envelope and walked away without another word.

Ryan tore it open.

He scanned the letter. Then froze.

TRANSFER NOTICE

"Effective immediately, student Ryan West is hereby reassigned to Ironvale Secondary due to a disciplinary review concerning a violent incident involving other students."

His mouth hung open.

'What the fuck…?'

[DING!]

[Host, the students you hospitalized have wealthy parents. Consider yourself lucky it ended with just a school transfer.]

[If your name wasn't backed by System Protection Protocol, you'd be in juvie.]

Ryan exhaled slowly, sliding down the wall with the letter in hand.

"Of course they're rich," he muttered.

He tossed the letter aside and stared at the ceiling again, arms crossed behind his head.

He smirked.

'Fuck it. I won. I got the skill. The rewards. I lost more weight. I'm stronger than ever. They're scared now.'

'Let them transfer me. I'll make the next school mine too.'

He closed his eyes.

For the first time in a long time... sleep came easily.