The laughter spread like wildfire. At first, it was just a few chuckles, muffled behind hands. Then the restraint broke, and the entire hall shook with waves of unrestrained amusement.
Students doubled over, slapping their knees, clutching their stomachs. Some fell against their desks, tears forming at the corners of their eyes as they howled.
"Pfft—hahaha!"
"Oh gods, it's true!"
"The fart king himself! Legendary indeed!"
Each word, each mocking echo, felt like a dagger stabbing into Alex's chest. His face turned crimson, his hands trembling at his sides.
He wanted to scream, to deny, to shout that it wasn't true, but the noise of the crowd drowned him out completely. Their voices merged into a storm of ridicule, and all he could do was stand frozen in the center of it.
His body screamed to run, but his legs refused to move. His mind begged for escape, but no path appeared before him. The laughter wrapped around him like chains, dragging him deeper into humiliation.