"What did you just say to me?!" Gail asked, her red eyes widening. At the same time, a black and red aura erupted from her, and the temperature dropped instantly.
Seeing this, Mahika took a half step back but shook his head the next moment. "I said don't you dare interfere, b*tch!" he repeated, though after saying those words, he couldn't help but swallow hard.
He knew Gail—most of them did. They were both inner-circle martial students, but their strength was worlds apart. Furthermore, he knew things that only nobles were privy to.
Gail was a killer, personally trained by Nathan Kleinford. It was unknown how many people she had killed—she was ruthless, like a dog ready to attack on command.
She was also one of the candidates to become a Senior Sister, which made everyone fear and respect her.
This made Mahika curious about the relationship between the kid and the killer. Nevertheless, he trusted his cousin, Senior Sister Lily.
"You're dead!" With killing intent radiating from her, Gail took a step forward, ready to dash forward and teach the foul-mouthed noble a lesson. But just as she moved, a hand landed on her shoulder.
It was small, and she immediately recognized the owner. Glancing to her side, she saw the beggar tiptoeing, his hand on her shoulder.
"Let me handle this. This guy only wants me," Apollo said, his eyes cold as he stared at the young master and his goons. "He has the guts to say those words to you, but I'm his target."
Hearing this, Gail hesitated. The killing intent around her began to fade. She glanced at the beggar, and seeing his determination, she sighed before glaring at Mahika.
Mahika, on the other hand, smiled when he saw Gail stepping back. His main goal was to kill the kid, and no matter the relationship between her and the beggar-looking kid, it wouldn't matter once he achieved his objective.
"You really like to talk big," Mahika sneered. "Where do you even get your confidence from?"
"From your mother—she taught me how to be confident in bed," Apollo replied with a shrug, his eyes mocking the young master.
Gail and the others were silent for a moment before their eyes widened in realization.
"You!" Mahika pointed a finger at the beggar. "How dare you bring my mother into this!"
"It's her fault for raising a fool like you. Don't blame me," Apollo smirked.
Mahika's face turned crimson with rage. With a wave of his hand, his goons surrounded the beggar.
"Kill him!" he ordered, his voice dripping with killing intent.
Gail took a few more steps back, curious about the beggar's strength. She was certain he was a Wanderer. Moreover, his status, having entered the Fourth Floor of the library, was equal to or higher than the Seniors'.
The beggar watched as the goons closed in on him. He just wanted to get back to his beggar spot and cultivate in peace, but Mahika and his men were giving him a headache. Couldn't Mahika just swallow his pride?
Shaking his head, Apollo decided to end this nonsense quickly.
Wind Blasts appeared in front of each of the goons, their eyes widening as the air suddenly churned. Before they could react, the air exploded!
"Ahhh!" they screamed as they were sent flying. Some landed on the sandy beach, while others made a splash in the ocean.
Mahika's smile remained, but his eyes twitched. What just happened?! It was so sudden that he was left speechless.
He glanced at his men. They were groaning in pain, their bodies battered, with flesh exposed and blood painting the sand red. Those who had fallen into the ocean were struggling to swim ashore.
"It's your turn next," the kid said, drawing Mahika's attention back to him.
"You… What is your cultivation stage?!" Mahika asked, narrowing his eyes at the kid.
"Does it even matter?" Apollo raised an eyebrow, walking toward the noble.
"You're right," Mahika nodded, lowering his body into a fighting stance. He didn't lose confidence—in fact, he was actually excited. Fighting against Gail, he wouldn't be able to win, but this kid only had a simple trick. "It seems you have the strength to back up your words, but I can defeat them just like you did. I'll have to take you seriously then."
"Yeah, yeah," Apollo said. Young Master Syndrome—they had confidence that could reach the sky. Even with the truth right in front of them, if their ego and pride were being trampled on, they would never see themselves as losing. They'd always find excuses. Such people made the beggar want to beat them up. "Why don't you just shut your mouth and come at me!"
"Then die!" With killing intent radiating from Mahika, he used his movement technique, instantly appearing in front of the beggar!
But what met his eyes was a fist covered in fire!
Mahika felt time slow down. Memories from his childhood all the way to this moment played in his mind. He relived his life over and over. Countless emotions overwhelmed him, though they were shattered as intense fire consumed him.
"Argh!!" Mahika crashed into the sand, creating a long ravine. He screamed in pain, clutching his burning face as the smell of burnt flesh filled the air.
Apollo blew on his right fist, the fire disappearing in the wind. "That's what you get for being arrogant."
It was a variation he'd created from the Fire Blast Technique. By covering his fist with the technique instead of making the fire appear in the air, its explosive properties activated upon contact. Though it wasn't as strong as the original, it still dealt significant damage.
Mahika continued to writhe in pain, his screams echoing across the south beach.
"That was awesome," Gail praised, standing beside Yoma, watching Mahika's suffering with amazement.
"Haha, I know," Apollo said sheepishly, rubbing his nose.
"The technique you used was simple but very effective," Gail smiled. "As expected from Mr. Yoma—you're really strong."
"Nah, I just got lucky," Apollo said, turning to the portal. "Should we go back?"
"Sure," Gail nodded, her eyes lingering on Mahika as they walked toward the exit. "He should use the Water Healing Technique. It will help him fight the pain and prevent further damage from the fire."
"Does everyone know that technique?" Apollo asked.
"Yes, it's mandatory to learn all the basic techniques," Gail answered.
"I see," Apollo chuckled, standing in front of the portal. "People like him, when they're in pain, can't think straight. I bet he'll jump into the ocean."
"That's going to sting like hell," Gail smiled.
"Definitely," Apollo laughed. As their bodies entered the portal, the sound of splashing water echoed, followed by a pig-like scream.