Hearing the laughter around him, Apollo couldn't help but let out a sigh. You asked for my identity, and when I tell the truth, you laugh at me? Typical young master. However, the more they underestimated him, the more humiliation they would face once they learned the truth, and the beggar couldn't wait for that moment.
"Hahaha! Personal disciple?! Really?" Mahika clutched his stomach as if he had never laughed before. "Did you hit your head somewhere? You're dreaming big, kid."
"If you're not going to believe me, then tell your dogs to get out of my f*cking way," Apollo said coldly.
Hearing this, Mahika narrowed his eyes at the kid. This kid clearly doesn't respect me, he thought, irritated by the repeated slights. Although he was curious how someone so filthy had managed to enter the Great Serpent Cultivation School, at least he'd found someone to bully and satisfy his desire to boost his ego.
"Kneel before me, beg for your life, and I might consider sparing you," Mahika Callum said, ignoring the kid's words.
"Tell your dogs to move out of my way," Apollo repeated, his tone even colder.
The goons behind Mahika shouted in anger, hearing themselves called dogs for the second time.
"Kneel before the great Mahika Callum, or do you want us to force you? Let me remind you, we'll break your bones if you resist!"
"Then do it," Apollo challenged, glancing back at the goons.
"Young Master Mahika!" They turned to their master, awaiting orders like loyal hounds.
"Do it. Let him taste what real pain feels like—just don't kill him," Mahika commanded with a nod, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. They were inside the Great Serpent Library, but he wasn't afraid to cause trouble. At worst, he would be punished by staying in his courtyard. With the backing of a great family, there was no way the school would punish him severely.
"Hahaha! I've been craving to break some bones lately!" one of the goons said, cracking his neck from side to side.
"You're in for some bad luck, kid!" another said, while the last one only smiled coldly.
Apollo glanced at the noble before turning to the braindead goons behind him.
As they closed in, a cunning smile appeared on his face. He took a deep breath, filling his lungs, and with a shout, his voice reverberated through the library!
"Ahhh! Help! I'm just a kid!"
The small voice was so loud that it echoed through every corner, reaching everyone's ears in no time.
Those peacefully cultivating and minding their own business had no choice but to open their eyes and stare in the direction of the sound.
Each of them saw yet another commotion happening on the stairs.
Meanwhile, Apollo dropped to the floor, scrambling backward on his hands and feet. He looked back and forth between the goons and the noble with fear in his eyes.
"Help! Help!" Apollo shouted again, causing the four individuals to look at each other in shock.
Mahika appeared surprised for a moment before chuckling mockingly. Seeing the kid shaking in fear as he tried to scramble away, a wave of pleasure washed over him. Stepping on insects and watching them beg for their lives... that was the best feeling in the world. "Too late, kid! I already gave you a chance, but you didn't take it!
This is on you. You should be grateful that I'm letting you live!"
With that, he motioned for his goons to make a move.
Apollo's body was 'shaking with fear,' and as they neared him, he turned to the approaching students. "Help! These guys are trying to take advantage of me! I already told them I'm not into guys!"
Deep inside, he chuckled. I should be an actor. This wasn't the first time he'd pulled a stunt , but he couldn't get enough of it.
Because of the commotion, a group of martial students had gathered. Some of them recognized Apollo, and when they heard his shout, they turned to the four bullies with strange looks—some showing utter disgust. Those who recognized the noble kept their mouths shut, but their eyes couldn't hide what they were feeling.
"W-what?! We're not doing anything to him!" one of the goons blurted out defensively.
"Not yet! But you clearly have the intention!" Apollo shot back, glaring at the goons before locking eyes with Mahika, whose mouth was slightly open. "And this guy even said... even said he wouldn't stop, even if I begged for mercy! He admitted that he would like it if I begged for mercy!"
The beggar's words snapped the noble out of his shock. The sudden turn of events had caught him off guard.
Feeling the gazes of the martial students now on him, Mahika's face turned red with rage and embarrassment. He glared at the kid, teeth gritted. "You! You're lying! I would never think of doing anything with the same gender, let alone a kid!"
"You're the one who's lying!" Apollo shot back, standing up from the floor and pointing at the young master. "Who would admit such evil, huh?! You even ordered your men to gang up on me so I couldn't resist!"
"We're not those kind of people!"
"Yeah! We were just going to punish you for being rude to Young Master Mahika!"
"My men are right!" Mahika turned to the students around him, desperate to clear up the misunderstanding. If word of this commotion reached the family head... just thinking about it sent a shiver down his spine. "I, Mahika from the great Callum Family, would never do such vile things!"
The martial students' expressions changed, seemingly believing his words. Seeing their reaction, Mahika let out a sigh of relief. Then he turned to stare coldly at the kid—wait, was he smiling?
"Defend yourself all you want!" Apollo shouted, looking at the martial students pleadingly. "There are four of them, and I'm just one! How could I resist them? What power do I have if they try to frame me and claim I'm the guilty one? I was just looking around, and suddenly they wanted a piece of my handsome face and body!"
The crowd shifted uneasily at Apollo's words. Those who knew Mahika and his bad deeds at school started to believe that the four really were capable of such vile acts.
It was unclear who voiced agreement with the kid first, but soon, others followed. The four bullies could feel the weight of the martial students' disapproving stares as fingers were pointed and whispers filled the air.
But they still managed to catch bits of the conversation.
"Really?... To a kid?"