SSS Cultivation: I Can Conquer Earth's Rank System
Chapter 70: "I’m not mad."

Chapter 70: "I’m not mad."

Leo sat on the edge of soft bed of the hospital wing, silent.

The pain in his shoulder had dulled, numbed by the academy’s standard-issue healing patch. A fresh shirt hung loose around him, covering the scrapes and burns left behind. But nothing touched the raw ache inside his chest. That sharp, unfinished sound in his skull still echoed faintly, like a bell that had rung once and never again.

He stared at the floor, unmoving. The ward was quiet now. Rosa had helped him limp back hours ago. She had lingered, trying to get him to say something. He hadn’t. Not really. Just vague nods, short replies, eyes unfocused. Eventually, she left.

He was grateful for that. He needed silence.

He needed time to mourn the moment that never came.

But Miss Charlotte was not giving him that silence. She was busy chattering away with someone, possibly with some injured student or one of the staffs. Miss Charlotte chats with anybody regardless of age or status.

He had hoped he’d meet Jose here at the hospital wing, but he’s not around.

His inner ache travelled back.

A quirk awakening should’ve been monumental. Blinding. Explosive. But his hadn’t come. Not fully. Not really. That noise in his head? It wasn’t enough. It didn’t manifest into anything. And now, it might never come again.

Leo leaned forward, hands braced on his knees, breathing slowly. The fall... the fire... the rage... All of it had built up to something massive. A perfect storm. And right when lightning was about to strike, someone pulled him back.

Rosa.

Jade.

Why did they have to interfere?

He clenched his fists. Not at them, not really. At himself. At his body, his useless, silent bloodline.

The door clicked.

Leo didn’t turn. Footsteps padded into the room, familiar, careful ones. Rosa again.

"I knocked," she said quietly. "You didn’t answer."

"I heard," Leo muttered.

She stepped closer. "I brought food. It’s not great, but..."

He didn’t look up.

"You should eat something. You lost a lot of blood earlier."

"Miss Charlotte healed me already."

"And she filled your belly too?"

Silence.

Rosa exhaled. "Okay. I’ll just leave it here." She set the tray down on his desk, right beside his bed. "Leo, I know you’re upset. I just... we didn’t know how bad it had gotten. Amanda wasn’t stopping."

"I was handling it," Leo said stiffly.

Rosa stared at him. "You were falling."

"I wanted to fall."

She froze. "You wanted to die?"

"No," he said, finally turning to face her. His eyes were cold. "I wanted to see it through."

"See what through? What was it exactly?" Rosa looked down, unsure. "I thought I was helping."

"You were. That’s the problem."

She bit her lip. "So I should’ve just let you get crushed?"

Leo didn’t answer.

"I’m sorry," she said. "But I wouldn’t do it differently. I’m not going to let you throw yourself into death just for what exactly? Is there anything you’re not letting on? Why are you regretting the help? We saw that you can’t handle the lizard anymore and we did what every normal person who has a guilty mind will do. At least, we were the one who pushed you into this fight against Amanda."

"I don’t need a lecture."

She took a step back, hurt flashing across her face. "Fine."

"Rosa..." he started, softening. "It’s not you. I’m just—"

"I get it," she cut in. "I’ll go."

Before she reached the door, he added, "Thanks. For helping me."

She hesitated, then nodded and left.

The door closed gently.

Leo rubbed his face with both hands, feeling the rough scrape of dried sweat and ash. He wasn’t angry at her. Not really. He was angry that she had to save him. That someone always had to.

Was that how the world saw him? As someone constantly needing rescue?

There was a knock. Not Rosa again. The rhythm was sharper. Louder.

Leo opened the door slowly, expecting Amanda or worse, Miss Charlotte. Instead, Jade stood in the hallway, arms crossed, posture rigid.

"I didn’t come to argue," Jade said immediately.

"Good. You never argue. You just burn."

Jade didn’t take the bant to heart. He was more concerned about something else.

"You said something earlier," Jade continued. "About needing to fall. About needing that moment. What did you mean?" Jade asked. Even when his question appeared concerning, his face argued with his words. He is such a hard guy that every sign of affection on his part is not welcome.

Leo didn’t respond.

"I’ve been there," Jade said.

That made Leo glance up.

"Years ago. I was getting my ass kicked by someone way stronger. That was before I travelled to Luxus with the others. This lad was born with an ice quirk which he inherited from his father. His father and mine had a meeting and we were left to play around till they’re done. But instead, he decided to show just how powerful he was.

"I couldn’t keep up. I thought I was done for." Jade’s voice stayed even, as if he was reciting someone else’s story. "Then after a while, it happened. Everything lit up at once."

"You awakened," Leo said bitterly.

"I did. But not the normal quirk awakening. I couldn’t take the beating any longer. No one was close enough to rescue me because I did not shout from pain. I never. so I grabbed the boy by his hair when he wasn’t looking, then dug my knee into his belly.

"Unlike me, he screamed and their family’s butler came running to his aid. Mind you, I was without a quirk back then. I call that incident my first awakening. I was able to make a Quirker yell without possessing a quirk myself. If that’s not an awakening, I don’t know what you’ll call it. And how was it born? I was angry beyond control. That’s one thing you need first, that anger."

Leo blinked. Was Jade insinuating that Leo wasn’t awakened yet? Did he know he’s quirkless? Or was he just saying something else entirely?

"You’re angry now," Jade continued. "That’s a start. But don’t waste it sulking."

Leo frowned. "I’m not sulking."

"You are. But that’s okay, for today. Tomorrow, you train harder."

Jade turned and walked away without waiting for a reply.

Leo watched him disappear down the corridor. He didn’t like Jade, never had, but something about his words stuck.

Tear yourself open

The door creaked again.

This time it was Amanda.

She didn’t say anything. Just stood in the doorway, looking smaller than usual, hands behind her back, hair still frayed from the transformation earlier.

"I shouldn’t have lost control," she said.

"I know."

"I couldn’t control the beast... I was totally out of its mind. I—"

"I know," Leo finished.

Amanda nodded.

"I get it," he said quietly.

Amanda blinked. "Do you?"

"I do, really."

"So... what now?"

Leo looked at the food Rosa had left. He wasn’t hungry, but he knew he had to eat. His body still ached.

"Now," he said slowly, "I wait. I train. And next time... I finish what I started."

Amanda’s eyes softened. "You’re not mad at me?"

Leo thought about it. "Not anymore."

She looked relieved.

She moved closer to where Leo sat with a worried look. Her gaze was locked on Leo’s eyes as she approached.

Leo realized how blue her eyes were and how stupendously white her skin was. Of course, she might have modified her features again to look like this since she never kept a form for long, but Leo was content with what he was seeing now. He felt like he was drowning in her ocean eyes. An old song came to his mind.

A shy smile appeared on her face as she bent down to Leo’s level and gave him a little hug. Little it might be, but it lasted a little longer than was necessary, and more tight than she was permitted to considering how they met only today.

She smelled like books, mint, mango and ashes combined. It was intoxicating.

Leo didn’t hug her back but something else accepted the hug in him. He felt his heart start a drum roll in his chest. It was beating very fast.

Amanda must have felt it too. She pulled back, gave a quick smile again and made to leave.

"Okay. Then... goodnight."

"Night."

She closed the door behind her, leaving Leo alone again.

"She looked like AURORA!" Leo said to nobody. Her short white hair, her white skin, everything reminded him of a soul musician called AURORA with a ringing voice on Earth 78 years ago.

"And will you stop beating, you fool?" Leo addressed his heart.

He finally reached for the food and took a bite, chewing slowly. His mind didn’t focus on the taste. It was elsewhere. In the noise. The fire. The moment that slipped through his fingers.

He would get it back.

He had to.

Just as he placed the empty plate on the tray, his watch buzzed.

He frowned, picking it up.

A message.

Unknown Sender

Subject: 00:00

> Location: B2 Sector, Abandoned Wing. Friday

Come alone. Wear something quiet. The commander will be there.

Leo stared at the screen, unmoving. Hunter Man. Of course.

"Does he have to keep buzzing me every day? What the hell did I get myself into?"

He hadn’t forgotten the midnight meeting, but the timing couldn’t have been more cruel.

But also... curious.

Whatever secrets this place had, they were buried deep. And if anyone could unearth them, it was Hunter Man. Leo had agreed to this meeting. Now it was time.

Friday, he must be there. Or else... Of course Hunter Man had threatened to reveal his pen device secret to the other staffs.