Chapter 100: Suck it up.
"... what?"
"You heard me." Dante pulled his foot back and kicked the brat again, getting another reaction out of Werewolf. Ignoring the hero, he went on, "What gives you the right to oppose him? You’re just a worthless little piece of shit who never had to work for anything in his live. Your entire existence is paid for by someone else, and you think you get to choose to not listen when they speak?"
"What’s... What’s it to you..." Derick muttered under his breath. His voice was barely audible, but Dante was able to make out what he said, and that caused veins to bulge on his forehead.
"What did you just-"
For a moment there, anger overcame the fear keeping the subdued and his head shot up, an enraged glare twisting his youthful features.
"What’s it to you!!? This is none of your business! You don’t know anything about me! You don’t know what I have to deal with! What makes you think you can judge me!!?" The boy gritted his teeth, his shoulders rising and falling. As tears began to gather in the corners of his eyes, he looked away and cursed. "Just... leave me alone... I didn’t ask for your advice..."
Silence returned to the square, and the atmosphere grew heavier. Watching from the side, Werewolf looked somewhat troubled. Dante silently stared at the youth with an unreadable expression. He then took a deep breath and crouched down so the two of them were on the same level.
Derick kept his gaze averted for a while, but when he turned to meet his eyes, a palm struck his cheek, and the strike felt more like a whack with a blunt object than a slap.
"You still don’t get it, do you?" Dante said, his expression grim.