The mathematics lecture dragged on, a monotonous drone that was less a lesson and more an elaborate form of auditory torture. Up at the board, the calculus of motion—a subject that would soon dominate this world's reality—was being painstakingly reviewed.
For Su Yi, it was painfully slow. His mind, already elevated to Level 3 Intelligence and actively integrating the vast, complex data of the Batman Bruce Template, processed the teacher's every word, every equation, in real-time, instantly judging it as redundant.
The integration process felt like millions of mental synapses firing, building new neural pathways, filling his brain with advanced engineering, forensic science, and tactical knowledge. His consciousness felt like a lightning-fast supercomputer trapped in a high school classroom.
"This is painfully boring," he mentally sighed. The mental workload of fusing a genius's entire life experience was tiring, but the physical reality of sitting still was worse. His body, now capable of lifting ten tons and moving at 100 meters per second, felt utterly restrained.
To distract himself, Su Yi allowed his gaze to wander, a strategic mental break. His eyes fell on the vibrant, expressive face of Mary Jane Watson, seated a few desks ahead. Her fiery red hair seemed to absorb the light, and her restless energy was palpable even while seated.
It was a brief, purely observational moment, but it was enough.
The large shadow lurking directly behind Mary Jane twitched. Flash Thompson, the epitome of a muscle-bound school bully, noticed Su Yi's glance.
Flash—a hulking figure whose shoulders seemed permanently hunched into a protective, aggressive posture—turned slowly. His small eyes narrowed, locking onto Su Yi with immediate hostility. He shot Su Yi a crude, aggressive gesture—a silent threat delivered across the rows of desks.
"Ah, the legendary Flash Thompson," Su Yi mused, a flicker of cold amusement in his mind. "The future Spider-Man fanboy and current tormentor of Peter Parker. A classic bully. Perfect."
In the original timeline, Flash served a purpose: he was the catalyst for Peter's early development, the symbol of injustice. But in Su Yi's timeline, Flash was nothing more than a potential source of Fate Points.
Su Yi was no longer the 'ordinary man' who had to fear the local meathead. His physical attributes surpassed any un-powered human, including the soon-to-be-frozen Captain America. Flash Thompson was, statistically, irrelevant.
The bell shrieked, slicing through the air and signaling the end of the lesson. The classroom erupted into the usual cacophony of scraping chairs and relieved chatter. Su Yi remained seated for a moment, waiting for the inevitable.
Sure enough, a massive shadow fell over his desk.
"Hey! Skinny Monkey! You deaf or just stupid?"
Flash Thompson, his massive arms crossed, loomed over Su Yi, projecting aggressive confidence. Students immediately began to scatter or whisper, sensing the imminent confrontation. This was standard lunchtime entertainment.
Su Yi slowly pushed his chair back and rose to his full height. He wasn't short, but he was lean and refined—a stark contrast to Flash's brutal bulk.
"If I let this pass, I gain nothing. If I intervene and publicly dismantle Flash, I get Fate Points for protecting the environment of the key characters, and I immediately shift the social dynamics. Peter Parker's life just got a little easier, and I become the dominant force. Two birds, one stone."
Su Yi turned, his gaze meeting Flash's. His eyes, usually a flat black, seemed to hold a challenging, almost electric intensity.
"Did you just call me a 'Skinny Monkey'?" Su Yi's voice was low, laced with a chilling calm that was far more intimidating than Flash's usual bluster.
"Yeah, that's right, Eastern monkey," Flash spat, puffing out his chest. His tone was dismissive, steeped in casual prejudice. "Trying to sneak glances at my girl, MJ? You got dirty eyes, little man."
A wave of murmurs swept through the watching students.
"Oh man, Flash is going for the throat."
"Su Yi is new. He has no idea how bad this is going to get."
"He's kind of handsome, though. What a shame."
"They don't stand a chance against Flash."
Peter Parker, who was packing his bag nearby, tensed. His internal monologue was a familiar mix of helplessness and anger. Flash is being a jerk again... but I can't step in. I can never win.
But before Peter could offer a weak protest, a clear, authoritative voice cut through the tension.
"Flash! Stop it right now. That is absolutely enough!"
It was Gwen Stacy. Her expression was a mix of righteous anger and deep disapproval. Her sense of justice, a core element of her doomed character, had compelled her to step forward. She positioned herself slightly between the two men.
Su Yi felt a slight warmth in his chest. Fate Point potential: High. He gave Gwen a quick, genuine smile.
"Thank you, Miss Stacy," Su Yi said smoothly, his voice regaining its cultured tone. He turned his chilling gaze back to Flash. "But our little history lesson is just beginning. Stand aside, please."
He took a slow, deliberate step toward Flash, completely ignoring Gwen's warning glare. The shift in his demeanor was total: the polite student was gone, replaced by someone utterly serious, almost dangerous.
"Perhaps I should clarify my identity for you, Mr. Thompson," Su Yi stated, his voice a low, hard vibration. "My name is Su Yi, and yes, I am from an ancient, proud country in the East. You may refer to me as Su, Yi, Mr. Su, or even 'Your Majesty,' if you like. But you will never refer to me with a racial slur again."
He paused, letting the silence hang heavy.
"Apologize to me. Now. And I will simply forget this happened. Otherwise, I promise you, the consequences will be immediate, and even the Avengers won't be able to save you from them."
Flash Thompson burst into a genuine, rattling roar of laughter, clutching his stomach as if Su Yi had told the best joke of the century.
"Apologize?! To you? You're threatening me? You're just some low-level chump from a country that eats noodles!" Flash sneered, the laughter dying instantly into vicious contempt. "And keep your filthy eyes off Mary Jane! She's practically mine!"
The claim about Mary Jane was Flash's typical, possessive bluster, but it sent a fresh wave of annoyance through Su Yi. It also fueled Peter Parker's quiet rage.
Su Yi shook his head, a look of profound pity washing over his face.
"'Dirty eyes? Spying?'" Su Yi countered, his voice dripping with sophisticated sarcasm. "Flash, your grasp on vocabulary is as weak as your academic record. I admit I looked at Mary Jane. And you know why? Because she is genuinely stunning. Her presence radiates star quality; she should be on a billboard, not in this dreary classroom."
He glanced at Mary Jane, who was looking intrigued and a little flattered, despite her public protestation.
"I also glanced at Gwen. And why not? She glows like a star and has the dignified presence of a Greek goddess. Does anyone here feel 'spied' on or 'offended' by my simple act of admiration?"
Gwen instantly stepped forward, her blonde hair swinging with indignation. "I don't feel offended at all! You're just being a bully, Flash, and trying to cover it with nonsense!"
Mary Jane, unable to resist the genuine, theatrical compliment, shrugged with a slight, flattered smirk. "Honestly, Su Yi? I appreciate the honesty. I've always dreamed of acting, so I definitely don't mind being noticed."
Flash's face turned an ugly, mottled red. His weak pretexts had been expertly dismantled with nothing but logic and well-placed flattery.
Su Yi pressed his advantage, his voice rising, drawing every eye in the hall.
"So, Flash, let me ask you a question. There are several beautiful women in this room. Have you, the great protector, managed to walk through your entire life with your eyes closed? You sit directly behind Mary Jane. Have you never 'admired' her? Or is it that you, in your possessive mind, were the one who was truly 'peeping'—because only a pervert worries that everyone else's glance is as inherently dirty as his own intent?"
The laughter from the crowd was sharp and immediate, mostly directed at Flash. His jaw clenched, humiliation burning in his eyes. He had come to bully, and instead, he had been verbally eviscerated.
"You have a big mouth, Easterner," Flash snarled, abandoning all pretense. The last shred of control snapped. "But words are weak! And you Easterners are weak! You're all filthy and cowardly! You only hide behind pretty girls!"
The casual, ugly racism was the final straw. Su Yi's polite demeanor evaporated. His eyes narrowed, and the latent Level 3 Spirit energy he possessed seemed to condense, making the air around him feel sharp and cold.
"Wrong choice, Flash," Su Yi whispered, his voice dangerously low. "You may insult me. You may threaten me. But you do not get to bring that ignorant, disgusting filth into this conversation."
Gwen, horrified, grabbed Su Yi's arm. "Su Yi, please! He wants you to fight! That's how he wins! He's just a simple-minded brute, you can't beat him physically!"
"She's right, Su," Peter muttered, finally finding his voice, though his fear was obvious. "He'll crush you."
Flash, sensing the turning tide, grinned menacingly. "Listen to your pretty friend, monkey! Go hide behind her skirts! Or come outside and let me teach you what real strength is!"
Su Yi gently shook off Gwen's hand, his eyes burning into Flash's.
"I'm not hiding. And I'm certainly not weak." Su Yi spoke clearly, ensuring the entire hall heard his vow. "You are right that insults come cheap, but I will demonstrate that insulting my heritage, my character, and myself carries an unbearable price."
He gestured toward the door, his posture suddenly radiating the coiled, explosive power that the Destiny Evolution System had granted him.
"I accept your invitation. Tell me, Flash, where do you want to conduct the lesson? Because I promise you, when I am done, not only will your mother not recognize you, but your entire philosophy on respect will be fundamentally broken."
The hall fell into a stunned silence, followed by an excited roar. A new player had just challenged the school's apex predator. This wasn't just a fight; it was a coup.
Su Yi didn't wait for a response. He simply turned and walked toward the exit, Flash Thompson's bewildered, enraged form trailing in his wake.
Gwen stared, her hand still raised where she had held his arm, her mouth slightly open. Her sense of justice warred with her sudden, overwhelming fear for Su Yi.
He's going to get destroyed.
Peter, usually relieved to be out of the spotlight, felt a strange mix of relief and crushing inadequacy. A new guy, an Easterner, was taking the blow for the whole school, and Peter was still frozen in fear.
With a gasp, Gwen snatched her bag. "We have to go! We have to stop him before Flash breaks every bone in his body!"
The crowd, eager for violence and drama, surged toward the exit. Su Yi had just moved his first major chess piece, and the resulting tremors were already shaking the foundation of the local timeline.