Hidden Potential [Stories of Kawali Series 3]

Holding the unconscious girl with his left hand and with Nadine and Steve standing beside him, he opened the metal armory door. Just as the soldiers opened fire, Nadine created a plasma shield in front of them, before pushing it forward, knocking the soldiers backwards.

"So, where do we go first?" Keith asked.

"Get to the clinic. There'll be students you need to support." the girl said, projecting her voice into his head.

"Alright. This way."

They ran through the corridor into the large lobby. The pillars holding up the tall ceiling were half-destroyed, and soldiers were pouring out from the front and back entrances of the school. The trio ran towards a set of stairs at the far end, where the classrooms were, and rushed upstairs, taking 2 steps at a time.

At the second floor, they ran straight for the clinic, but it was blocked by a ton of soldiers looking to get in. "Hold her for me, will you?" Keith said to Nadine as Steve turned himself into a sword. She caught the girl in her hands as Keith let go, taking Steve and swinging him around, leaving blood wherever the blade went. They got into the clinic, and Keith shut the door as he tossed Steve into the sink, the running water washing off the blood.

The clinic was white all around with multiple hospital beds next to the walls. Multiple students were there, some with minor bruises all over, very few of them unconscious from the damage caused by GOWA. As Nadine laid the girl down on the last empty bed, Keith walked over to the sink to find that Steve had washed himself all over. He took the latter, along with a nearby towel, and asked, "Can you turn yourself into a metal bat?"

"Won't the water leave marks on it?" he asked.

"No. Trust me."

Steve then turned into a metal bat, and Keith wiped all the water off with the towel. Once he was done, he put him on the floor, and he reverted back to his normal form.

"Didn't know you'd care for me even though we shit on you in the past." Steve said, surprised about Keith's hospitality.

"The past is the past. Plus, you're risking your lives for me. Shouldn't I help out a little?"

He walked around, healing those nearby him, until he heard a loud pounding on the door. Everyone who was still awake looked at the wooden door, as if it were about to burst open, and before anyone could react, the girl opened her eyes. Nadine noticed, but she was too focused on tensing herself up for when the door would burst open. The girl looked around, seeing everyone nearby, and got up from the bed.

"But you haven't fully recovered yet-"

The girl made an 'okay' gesture with her fingers, cutting off the nurse's words. She walked to the door, and put her hand on the knob, focusing on something for a while. Few seconds later, she opened it, and a boy came in. Keith knew him at once, and pointed his finger at him, healing him completely.

"Might wanna rest for a while." Keith said, seeing Gummy healed thanks to him. The latter walked in, and the girl closed the door.

"I was desperate for healing, I pounded instead of knocking. Sorry if it bothered you all."

"No problem. Although, at least you let us notice someone was coming."

Gummy sat down next to Keith, who was taking a short rest next to one of the beds. "I don't think I've seen that girl before. Who is she?" the former said, pointing at the girl, who was trying to talk with Nadine using sign language.

"A certain someone we saved."

"Nice cover-up." the girl's voice said in his head.

"Ah, sounds good to hear. Hey, just asking, does your ability cost you your energy?" Gummy asked.

"Somehow, not at all." Keith replied.

"What the hell? That's a ridiculously overpowered ability to have!"

"I'd say that too if I were you, but-"

Keith immediately stopped talking and tensed up. He focused, as Gummy asked, "What's going on?"

"10 executors, 3 privates and 1 commander. They've known our position."

Everyone looked at him, except for the girl, who ran to the door. As she waved her hand, gesturing for him to move to her position, her voice echoed, "Come on. They won't wait for the door to open."

Keith walked towards her, and twisted the doorknob. He then pushed open the door, and in an instant, he disappeared.

As the fighters from GOWA searched the entire place, everyone was teleported to the library. Having turned invisible himself, Keith waited patiently at the door as all the fighters walked in, then got in himself. He first knocked 3 executors unconscious with a single swipe of his hand, and one of the privates shouted, "Target nearby!"

The fighters used the Detection ability, and Keith made himself visible again, saying, "There's no use in hiding now, right?"

Just as the two sides were about to cast their attacks, the girl suddenly appeared beside him and swiped her hand sideways, leaving wounds on the fighters. Keith then swiped his right hand in the opposite direction, and with a single swoosh of wind, every enemy in front of them was knocked down.

The girl gave him a thumbs up before running outside, and Keith looked as she ran down the stairs. He then looked at the fighters, only to see the commander get up. He walked over, and asked, "Where's the one in charge of this operation?"

The commander didn't respond, but instead put his palm forward, charging an attack. Keith pointed his finger, and multiple beams were charged behind him. The commander released his attack the instant he saw the powerful beams, taking back his hand, and said, "Just in front of the school."

Keith also released his attack once he confirmed those words with Detection, and said, "I'll let you live, but make sure to get out of here before I'm done with your leader." He turned and walked out of the clinic, saying to himself, "Damn, what a mess." He then teleported to the assault leader's position.

At the site of the battle, multiple students and soldiers were heavily wounded as they engaged each other in battle. The assault leader shouted, "Where the fuck is that Neutral? I want him here, now!"

"You're not touching my most treasured student without my permission."

The leader, in an army uniform as his Outfit, guns circling him, looked at the one who spoke. A man in a black shirt stood behind his students, healing them to the maximum.

"We meet again, Jang Jin-Suk. Remember that deal we made 3 years ago?"

"It's been engraved in my memory ever since that day, Johannes Berkal."

The two men faced each other, but right before Johannes attacked, Jin-Suk looked around, saying, "My daughter isn't in the armory... I wonder what happened there. Either way, I cannot have you causing harm to all my students. Kids, get back."

"Soldiers, fall back."

The two gave their orders, and their troops retreated. As Johannes took two of his guns circling him, Jin-Suk armed himself with a metal glove on his right hand. Right at that moment, Keith and the young girl blocked a sneak attack made on the principal.

"Such loyal kids you got there, huh? Too bad I'll be killing one of them."

The soldiers who attempted the attack walked towards Johannes' sides, as the two kids took their place beside Jin-Suk. He patted the girl on the head, saying, "You've gotten better at fighting, Jang Ka-Yeong."

"Done with introductions?" Johannes asked, handing his guns to his soldiers before aiming the rest at the trio as they charged up attacks. The two competitors then said at the same time,

"Let the battle begin."