Bully Lord

Part-51

The girl was overweight, and James knew that girls like her often faced body-shaming. He himself had once been guilty of such behavior before he learned to discern right from wrong. Once he realized how deeply hurtful it was to be mocked for one's appearance, he stopped participating in such cruelty.

"Look at those rolls jiggling when she walks," one of the girls snickered, her voice dripping with malice.  Another boy chimed in, his laughter laced with cruelty.  "Yeah, maybe she should lay off the donuts for a while."  The ringleader, a tall, broad-shouldered boy with a cruel glint in his eyes, joined the chorus of taunts.  "Maybe she should just roll away home, wouldn't that be easier, whale?"

The girl, her eyes overflowing with tears, mumbled under her breath, "Leave me alone."

James froze, a familiar knot of apprehension tightening in his stomach.  Memories of his own bullying experiences flooded his mind, the sting of humiliation and fear still fresh.  The urge to retreat, to disappear into the shadows, was strong.  He wasn't a hero, not yet.  He was still healing, his own strength a work in progress.

But then, something shifted within him.  

Taking a deep breath, James stepped out from behind the trees.  His voice, though shaky at first, rang out with a newfound authority.  "Hey! Leave her alone."

The laughter died down abruptly, replaced by a tense silence. The bullies turned to face him, their expressions a mix of surprise and annoyance.  The leader, a tall, broad-shouldered boy with a sneer etched on his face, took a menacing step forward.

"Who are you, pipsqueak?" he snarled, his voice dripping with condescension.

James met his gaze, his chin held high.  "It doesn't matter who I am," he said, his voice gaining strength with each word.  "Just leave her alone."

A shrill laugh ripped through the tense silence. It was the bully girl, her voice dripping with cruel amusement. "Why are you sticking up for her, shrimp? You got a thing for chubby chicks?"

James' face flushed with a surge of anger. He clenched his fists, the urge to lash out a primal reaction. But then, he remembered the martial arts book, its emphasis on control and strategy. He forced himself to take a deep breath, his anger transforming into a steely resolve.

Just as he opened his mouth to respond, a stinging slap jolted him sideways.  One of the male bullies, a wiry kid with a shaved head, had lunged forward, a cruel smirk twisting his features.

A wave of nausea washed over James, a cocktail of anger and humiliation churning in his stomach.

"Yeah, what are you gonna do about it, shrimp?" the bully sneered, puffing out his chest.

One of the girls cackled, a harsh sound that grated on James' nerves. "Looks like he's all talk and no action. Just another lame-o trying to be a hero."

But before James could retort, a new element intruded upon the scene. A translucent blue screen materialized in the air, hovering between James and the bullies, its stark letters cutting through the fading light.

[Mission 10: Beat the crap out of these bullies.]

[Reward: Snake Jab (Finger Jab) - A precise and powerful finger strike targeting pressure points.]

[Penalty: You will get attacked by their seniors.]

James blinked, momentarily stunned by the unexpected notification. Beat them up? The System, ever-manipulative, was dangling a reward – the "Snake Jab" technique he'd briefly glanced over in the martial arts book – in exchange for engaging in violence. But the penalty loomed large: a potential retaliation from their seniors, figures likely far more powerful than the current group.