Picking Up Girls With My Pickup System-Chapter 20: The First Blow.

The fist came like a meteor.

Derek’s knuckles blurred, white-hot with momentum, cutting the air between them. Students screamed, trays toppled, phones zoomed in to catch the explosion of violence about to happen.

Kent’s body braced, every instinct screaming to shut his eyes, duck, do anything—

And then the world froze.

The cafeteria dissolved into muted sound, every laugh, every shout slowed to a crawling echo. Even Derek’s fist hovered in mid-air, trembling but motionless, just an inch from Kent’s face.

The System’s voice rang in his skull, cold and absolute:

[Emergency Protocol Unlocked]

Fatal Threat Detected.

Defensive Options:

• Dodge: Evade blow. Risk: stumble, appear cowardly.

• Block: Absorb impact. Risk: injury.

• Counter: Redirect force. Risk: escalation.

Choose NOW.

Kent’s breath rattled in his lungs. His pulse thundered against his ribs. He wanted to scream at the System for dropping a life-or-death pop quiz in the middle of a fight, but there wasn’t time.

His eyes flicked across the glowing menu. Dodge would save his skin—but if he looked like a coward in front of the entire cafeteria, Derek’s dominance would rise tenfold. Block? His arms would snap under that kind of force. Counter...

Kent’s lips curled, adrenaline sharpening into something fierce.

Counter.

He didn’t just want to survive—he wanted Derek to feel it.

The System chimed:

[Choice Confirmed: Counter]

Reflex Boost Activated.

Reaction Speed: +200% (temporary).

The world snapped back into motion. Derek’s fist surged forward with unstoppable fury—

And Kent’s hand shot up like lightning, catching Derek’s wrist mid-swing.

Gasps ripped through the cafeteria. The sound was deafening.

Phones zoomed in, students leapt from their chairs, voices overlapping in shock:

"Did you see that?!"

"He caught it—he caught his punch!"

Derek’s eyes widened, just for a second, as his fist halted inches from Kent’s face. His muscles bunched, straining to force the blow through, but Kent’s grip held fast, unshakable.

Kent rose slowly from his chair, his expression calm, almost casual, like he hadn’t just stopped a freight train with one hand. His voice carried, sharp and cutting:

"Is that it?"

The cafeteria exploded.

Derek’s face twisted, disbelief flashing into rage. His wrist trembled under Kent’s grip, veins standing out as he pushed harder.

"Let... go!" Derek roared, his voice cracking through the cafeteria like thunder.

But Kent didn’t. His fingers clamped like iron, and the more Derek tried to force his fist forward, the less it moved. Students surged closer to the tables, phones raised high, desperate to capture every second.

"Holy crap, is Gilbert... winning?"

"No way—Derek’s a monster, nobody beats him!"

"Look at his face, he’s—he’s actually struggling!"

The humiliation burned across Derek’s skin. He yanked back hard, freeing his arm, then swung with his other fist in a wide, desperate arc aimed at Kent’s jaw.

The System chimed again, almost lazily this time:

[Incoming Attack Detected]

Suggested Action: Sidestep.

Kent’s body moved before he even processed the words. He leaned slightly, Derek’s punch whooshing past his cheek so close he felt the wind of it. The swing carried Derek forward, off balance, and Kent raised his foot—driving it into Derek’s shin with a sharp, calculated kick.

Derek staggered. Gasps erupted. A girl at the front table shrieked, covering her mouth, while Jake whispered hoarsely, "Bro, you’re about to get expelled and crowned a legend at the same time."

Derek steadied himself, teeth clenched, cheeks flushed red from humiliation. His fury boiled over, muscles flexing as if he were about to tear Kent apart piece by piece.

"You little—"

Kent smirked, his voice slicing clean through the cafeteria noise. "Careful, Derek. The more you swing, the dumber you look."

The cafeteria erupted in laughter. Students banged on tables, hooted, clapped—every sound feeding Derek’s spiraling rage.

He lunged again, this time trying to tackle Kent outright, his massive body a blur of motion.

The System flared bright:

[New Trigger: Improvised Grapple]

Counteroption Available: Redirect momentum.

Probability of success: 73%.

Kent sidestepped again, slipping behind Derek in the same motion, and shoved between his shoulder blades. The momentum sent Derek stumbling forward, crashing into a tray stand with a deafening clang. Plates rattled to the floor, juice splattering across his shirt.

The cafeteria howled with laughter. Phones caught every angle. Derek pushed himself up, dripping, his breath ragged. His reputation—the predator of the school—was fracturing before everyone’s eyes.

And Kent stood tall, unshaken, his smirk carved across his face.

The System purred in his vision:

[Reputation Path Advanced]

Trait Unlocked: Aura of Defiance

Passive: Confidence radiates, lowering rival morale in confrontations.

Kent didn’t need the System to tell him what he already saw: Derek wasn’t just angry. He was scared.

Derek’s chest heaved, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles looked bone-white. The cafeteria was no longer laughing with him—it was laughing at him. The predator had become the prey, and the whole school was watching.

Kent stood calm, a faint smirk resting on his lips. He wasn’t trembling anymore. He wasn’t shrinking back. Every second that passed, Derek’s power diminished while his own presence swelled.

The System chimed, words bright and clear:

[Trait Activated: Aura of Defiance]

Effect: Enemies within 5 meters experience reduced morale and increased hesitation.

Secondary Effect: Nearby bystanders perceive user as bold, confident, and untouchable.

Kent exhaled slowly, and for the first time since this nightmare cafeteria confrontation began, he felt it—an invisible weight pressing outwards from him, rolling like unseen thunder. Students in the crowd leaned forward instinctively, drawn in by the shift. Derek’s glare faltered just a fraction, his next breath unsteady.

Jake muttered, almost reverent, "Dude... you’re glowing. Not literally, but... it’s like you’re main character-ing the hell out of this."

Kent barely heard him. His eyes were locked on Derek.

The bigger boy roared suddenly, a sound more primal than human, and charged again. His shoulder lowered like a battering ram, his entire body weight aimed straight at Kent’s ribs.

The System pulsed:

[Critical Threat Detected]

Counteraction available: Momentum Redirect.

Risk of injury: 28%.

Reward: High.

Kent braced. He didn’t retreat. He didn’t cower. As Derek thundered forward, Kent sidestepped just slightly, his hands shooting out to catch Derek’s arm and back. With a sharp twist, he redirected the brute’s momentum—and Derek went sprawling.

The sound was deafening.

Derek crashed onto the floor, his tray stand collapsing under him with a metallic shriek. Juice, trays, food—everything splattered across his shirt, his arms, even his face. The cafeteria gasped, then exploded into laughter so loud it rattled the air.

"Holy shit!"

"He dropped him like a sack of bricks!"

"Derek just—he just got flipped! No way!"

Phones recorded every angle of Derek lying sprawled on the ground, his pride shattered into pieces.

Kent stepped back, breathing steady, his heart hammering but his face composed. The System purred like a cat after a feast:

[Rival Demoralized]

Reputation Boost: +200 (School-Wide)

Influence Tier: Rising Contender.

Derek groaned, shoving himself up on trembling arms. His face was beet red, his eyes bloodshot with humiliation. He opened his mouth, probably to curse Kent into the ground—

"WHAT is going on here?!"

The booming voice cut through everything.

The cafeteria doors slammed open.

A teacher had arrived.

The cafeteria’s chaos screeched to a halt the instant the voice thundered through the room.

Every phone dropped a few inches lower, every student froze in place, laughter choking off into nervous silence. Even Derek, halfway to lunging at Kent again, stopped cold, his red face twisting with panic.

Mr. Hawthorne, the gym teacher, stormed through the doors like a furious linebacker. His whistle dangled from his neck, bouncing against the broad expanse of his chest as he cut through the crowd with long, furious strides.

"What the hell do you two think you’re doing?!" he barked, his glare darting between Kent and Derek.

Derek immediately pointed at Kent, his voice rising in desperation. "He started it! He—he—"

"Quiet!" Hawthorne’s roar rattled the cafeteria windows. Derek’s mouth snapped shut.

The teacher turned his gaze to Kent. "Gilbert! Explain. Now."

The cafeteria held its collective breath. Dozens of phones were still recording, though more carefully now, tucked lower but angled enough to capture every word.

Kent’s throat tightened. His instinct screamed to stay silent, but the System pulsed in his vision, words hovering like a stern parent:

[Crisis Response Required]

Opportunity: Shift blame or demonstrate leadership.

Risk: Detention, suspension.

Reward: Reputation influence with staff and peers.

Kent inhaled, forcing himself to stand straight. "Sir," he said, keeping his voice calm but firm, "I didn’t start anything. Derek came to my table, slammed his tray, and tried to pick a fight. I only defended myself."

Murmurs rippled through the students. A few even nodded subtly, confirming Kent’s version of the story. The video evidence on their phones would make it hard to deny anyway.

Hawthorne’s eyes narrowed. He turned sharply to Derek. "Is that true?"

Derek’s mouth worked soundlessly for a moment. His pride begged him to deny it, but the stares of the cafeteria—and the dozens of cameras pointed his way—held him back. He clenched his jaw, saying nothing.

That silence was all the answer Hawthorne needed.

"Unbelievable," the teacher muttered, rubbing his forehead. Then he jabbed a finger toward the exit. "Lorn. Office. Now."

Derek’s nostrils flared. He looked like he wanted to argue, but one look at Hawthorne’s stormy face killed the thought. With a furious snarl, Derek shoved past the crowd, his reputation bleeding out of him with every step.

The moment he was gone, Hawthorne turned back to Kent. "And you. Office. You’ll explain this properly to the principal."

Kent’s stomach twisted. The System chimed again, adding salt to the wound:

[Mandatory Event: Disciplinary Hearing]

Consequences will shape long-term reputation.

Prepare accordingly.

Jake whispered from behind Kent, "Bro... you just survived Derek, but the principal? That’s a whole new raid boss."

A nervous laugh rippled through the cafeteria, but Kent didn’t smile. His fate was already sealed.

Hawthorne pointed to the door again. "Move it, Gilbert."

The cafeteria exhaled the moment Kent stepped toward the exit. The storm had passed, but its aftermath lingered in the buzzing whispers, the frantic tapping of fingers uploading clips online, and the occasional muttered, "Did you see his face when Kent roasted him?"

Jake hurried to catch up, leaning close as they walked side by side. His voice was low, but the awe bleeding through was impossible to hide.

"Dude... you clowned him. I mean, seriously. I’ve never seen Derek look like that. He was ready to pop a blood vessel."

Kent’s chest was still tight, his pulse refusing to slow. He muttered, "I almost got my face smashed in. That’s what happened."

Jake grinned. "Yeah, but you didn’t. That’s the point. You made him look like a total idiot in front of the entire school. Trust me, by the end of the day, everyone’s gonna know Gilbert didn’t back down."

The System chimed softly, almost smugly:

[Event Completed: Social Showdown]

Reputation Increase: Moderate.

New Title Earned: The Smart Mouth.

Influence Gained: Peers admire confidence under pressure.

Warning: Rival Derek Lorn remains hostile. Anticipate retaliation.

Kent’s eyes flicked to the glowing text. His lips twisted in a humorless smile. Great. A smart mouth. That’ll look wonderful on a résumé.

They exited into the hallway, the cafeteria doors swinging shut behind them. The sounds of chatter and laughter faded, replaced by the echo of their footsteps. The further they walked, the heavier Kent’s chest grew, as though the walls themselves were preparing to squeeze him.

Jake elbowed him lightly. "Don’t stress too much, man. You’re not the bad guy here. Everyone saw what happened. Derek walked right into it."

"Yeah, well, the principal won’t care about likes and retweets." Kent’s tone was sharper than he intended, but his nerves were frayed.

Jake didn’t argue. He just sighed. "Fair enough. Still, I’m telling you—this is a win. The system thing—whatever it’s doing—it’s working."

Kent gave him a sidelong glance. "You think getting dragged to the office is working?"

Jake smirked. "Compared to getting stomped in front of the entire cafeteria? Absolutely."

The System hummed again, as if agreeing:

[Update: Path of Reputation]

Progression unlocked.

Track reputation across multiple factions: Students, Faculty, Rivals.

Current Standing:

• Students — Rising

• Faculty — Neutral

• Rivals — Hostile

Kent rubbed his temple. His life was starting to feel less like school and more like a strategy game he couldn’t quit.

As they reached the corner leading to the office, Jake slowed, letting his voice drop. "Hey. Whatever happens in there, don’t let them rattle you. You already survived Derek. The principal’s just another obstacle."

Kent gave a small nod, though his gut twisted. The truth was, he’d rather face Derek again than the stony-eyed principal waiting on the other side of those office doors.

The System’s final line flickered across his vision before he reached for the handle:

[Upcoming Event: Disciplinary Hearing]

Reputation on the line.

Prepare for choices that may affect long-term influence.

Kent closed his eyes for half a heartbeat, inhaled deeply, and pushed the door open.