After the bell rang, the school's hallway started filling with whispers, jokes, and laughs from all kinds of children. Some were alone, some were talking with their friends thrillingly, some were asking teachers dozens of questions they had been wondering.

It was a classic school scene that is mixed with the joy of youthfulness.

But contrary to others, in a random corridor of this school, a child was sitting on a chair while holding his bleeding nose with a cloth to stop its bleeding. Judging by his look, the child was around 6-7 years old. If someone had been walking down that corridor, they could have seen some ripped parts of his school uniform along with scrape marks on the child's skin, like he just came out of a fight.

Through the door right next to the child that is written "headmistress", the sound of a man and a woman's conversation could be heard. While the woman mostly speaks, the man listens to her.

"Mr. Gray, this is Leon's fourth fight in a month. Truth be told, he hasn't been attending his classes actively anymore, either. I know he has been going through hard times, but if he continues to act in this way, we will have no choice but to give him worse punishments," the woman said.

"I'm so sorry, Ms. Ashley. I don't really know what to do anymore. Since his mother's death, he has become more introverted. Counting his anger against me, let alone listening to me, he doesn't even get out of his room," the man said helplessly.

"I understand the situation you are in. Unfortunately, people react differently when they lose someone they love. Some react with sadness, some react in anger, and for a child at Leon's age, it is even harder to accept," the woman told the man.

"However, this is all I have to inform you. I hope Leon will return to his old self with the help of time and you," the woman said while extending her hand for a handshake.

"Thanks again for everything, Ms. Ashley," the man said while shaking her hand.

After finishing their chat, the man started walking towards the door to exit from the room.

But before the man reached the door, "Hold on a second!" the woman said to stop him.

"Yes?" the man wondered.

Getting up from her seat, "I forgot to give you this," the woman said while handing a card.

"May I ask what is this?" the man wondered.

"Ah, this is a card of a friend of mine. She is a good psychologist and is very good at communicating with children. And I think she can help Leon overcome these hardships. I suggest you think about it," the woman said.

"Oh, I will. Then, I better take my leave," the man said after putting the card in his pocket.

Closing the door behind him, the man turns his head to look at the child.

Seeing the bruise marks on his eyes, "*Sigh* I will look at your wounds at home. Come on, let's go son," the man said while examining the kid's face.

Not giving an answer, the kid follows the man to the exit, and later to a red car in the parking area.

*Vroom*

After getting in the car, the man turned the ignition and made the car's engine roar before leaving the park area.

Driving at a decent speed with complete silence in the car, neither the kid nor the man were talking to each other. The kid was just leaning his head against the window and watching other people's lives on the other side of the window with pensive eyes.

And the man was driving calmly and carefully, but once in a while he would look in the rear-view mirror to see what the kid was doing. By looking at his behavior, the man was like trying to start a conversation with the kid. But all he could, sometimes opening his mouth and closing it without saying anything.

In the end, "So, what was the reason this time, Leon?" the man asked, can't stand anymore, to break this strangely disturbing silence.

Looking for a second to the man, "..." the kid responded with silence.

"Is this it? Are you not going to talk to even your own father? I know you are mad at me, but I did it for your own good. And you know I apol-" the man said before his word got interrupted.

"You lied to me, said mom was going to be okay!!! You are a liar! I hate you!" the kid shouted angrily.

Turning his head to look at the back seat where the kid sits, "Leon, we talked about this! And you can't talk to me like that. I am still your father!" the man argued.

"I wish, instead of mom, you died!"

The man's pupils dilate in surprise after hearing these words.

For saying something, he opens his mouth, "Le-" but before he completes his sentence, a loud sound comes into his ears.

*Honk!!!*

Looking forward, as soon as the man sees another car that is coming towards them, he reflexively turns the steering wheel.

But unfortunately, at such a short distance, the crash of two cars was inevitable.

*Crash!*

...

...

...

As the darkness got pierced by the light to get him back from the death's hands, Leon's heart started beating again.

*Thump!*

...

*Thump!!*

...

While his consciousness was getting stronger with each beat, Leon's heart was working with full power as his soul pulled back from the eternal darkness to his body again.

...

*Thump!!!*

With the last loud heartbeat, from the nightmare he was having, Leon opened his eyes to the infinite whiteness of the hub .

[TRIAL-72 HAS BEEN COMPLETED]

[YOU'VE GAINED 5000 EXP] [LEVEL: 20 (3320>8320/30000)]

- 700 GOLD

- +3 Skill Points | +4 Attribute Points

- +2 Health Potions - Rank 1

-CHAPTER 29 END-