Jason came to Alex’s house the next morning.

‘I ran a full check on Hikaru. Hikaru Yoshida, age 17, scho-’

‘I know all of that.’

‘How did that boy come into contact with Jira?’

‘I don’t know, but that would explain a lot of things if we put Hikaru into the big picture.’

‘What do you want to do with him?’

‘Save him, obviously.’

‘That might be your objective, my mission is to gather information on Jira. I will take him into custody and make him talk.’

‘Have a heart, Jason’

‘Such a person does not need to be saved because he, himself, doesn’t want to be saved.’

Jason was cold to Alex’s suggestion of saving Hikaru from Jira. Hikaru was being manipulated by Jira, and even he, himself, knew this but turned a blind eye towards it.

Jason took that into account and decided such a man needs not to be saved. But Alex was not about to let go.

‘Jira might take public action if you tried something like that and pull the curtain on WS secret war with Jira’

‘They will not do such a foolish thing. They did not do it in your case, and nor they will not do it in Hikaru’s case.’

Jason had his mind made up about capturing Hikaru.

‘You will only get the bare minimum information out of Hikaru, and do you think they will tell him anything important and true even if they did?’

Jason realized Alex had a point.

‘Then do you have a plan?’

‘As a matter of fact, I do. Instead of going to Jira’s base and getting our asses kicked, we will make them come to us.’

‘I am listening.’

‘Even though Hikaru is being manipulated and has given himself up to illegal experiments to be performed on his body, there is still some good in him that resisted all of this. I am going to crush that goodness, completely destroying him.’

Jason was confused by what Alex said.

‘What do you mean?’

Alex grinned.

‘Final Exams are right around the corner.’

The final exams were coming in a month. Both Alex and Hikaru started preparing for the Exam.

Hikaru prepared for them intensively. He stopped taking the transformation serum because of the after-effects.

In school, Hikaru’s behavior also improved, but he was still hostile to Alex, which at that point was normal for him.

‘How’s the preparation for the exams?’

‘Good, Extremely good. Nothing is going to stop me from coming first, not even you.’

‘Good luck, Hikaru’

Hikaru studied day and night for the exams. From cram school to brain boosters, he was going all out. This was his last chance.

Alex also trained to prepare himself. He started training his body to get stronger. From doing reps with 100 kg dumbbells to running 10 km in under 10 minutes.

The days of the exam were getting nearer and nearer and finally, it arrived.

March, the month of exams, had arrived, and the cold had started to thaw, indicating the beginning of spring. Some trees had already blossomed, and some were about to.

Students were rushing as the time for the exam drew near. Hikaru took a deep breath to calm himself and entered the classroom.

‘Are you fully prepared for the Exam Hikaru?’

‘Are you, Alex?’

’Of course, just so you know, you WILL lose.’

‘You took the words right out of my mouth.’

‘Now everyone, take your seats. The exam is about to start.’

The three days of exams slowly and steadily got by. All that awaited was the result.

The result was pinned on the board. Hikaru went early to see the result.

Both Hikaru and Alex got a perfect score in all the subjects except for 1. Hikaru got 99 out of 100 in English,u and Alex aced that one too.

Hikaru was devastated as he dreadfully saw Alex’s name on top of his.

‘It’s about time you come to acknowledge reality.’

Hikaru didn’t notice that Alex was behind him.

Hikaru got on his knees due to the shock, and Alex lowered himself.

‘I have always been better than you at everything. You were always weaker than me, and now the fact has been proved that I’m smarter than you.’

Hikaru was on the verge of tears as Alex was rubbing it in

‘You can never be better than me, not in intelligence, not in strength, and you will never be.’

Like a demon sucking the soul out of his prey. Alex crushed Hikaru’s soul.

Alex saw the principal around the corner and went to meet him.

‘Congratulations again for getting a perfect score again. I must say, Alex, they don’t people like you often. You’re a one in a million. You deserve a reward tell me what do you wish for.’

‘Thank you, sir. As for the reward, I would like a party to be arranged, or am I asking too much.’

‘Not at all. It would take some time to get things ready. When do you want it to be?’

‘If possible, I want it to be celebrated at night on the day after tomorrow.’

‘It will be done.’

‘Thank you again, sir.’

Alex went home victorious and completely destroying Hikaru. Jason was already there waiting for him.

‘I feel kind of bad doing this Hikaru’

‘It was your plan.’

‘I know.’

‘But still, are you really going to do this?’

‘I can’t stop now after making you do that.’

Hikaru didn’t actually lose a single point in any of the subjects. Alex knew he probably wouldn’t miss a point, so he asked Jason to switch Hikaru’s English paper making him lose a point.

He needed Jason to do it to make sure Hikaru loses. All of this to drive him crazy.