Hundredfold!

Suye lifted the hem of his robe with his left hand, wiping the bloodstains from his right as he stared into Lawrence's eyes. A brilliant smile spread across his face. "The IOU."

"You have no idea what you're doing." Firelight flickered rapidly in Lawrence's eyes.

Suye flung aside his robe and raised his right hand before his face, examining it. He clenched and unclenched it, turned it over twice, then lifted his head again and walked step by step toward Lawrence.

Suye looked up at Lawrence, who stood a head taller than him, drew out his Magic Book from his belt, and slowly opened it.

Plato Academy's animated magic became the brightest sight of the night.

Many people craned their necks and widened their eyes, their gazes filled with envy.

The light in their eyes shone brighter than gold coins.

"After you left, Master Plato's assistant, that esteemed Fairy Mage, arrived at my home on a Rainbow Horse and personally delivered the new semester's admission notice." Once Suye finished speaking, the notice floated into mid-air.

Waves of astonished exclamations rose from the surrounding crowd, their voices full of undisguised envy.

Lawrence remained composed, but the people behind him stared at the Magic Book with terror in their eyes.

Those who had visited Suye's home had all seen this Magic Book, yet no one dared touch it, just as no one had dared touch the three statues of the gods.

They did not know what a Rainbow Horse was, nor did they understand what a Fairy Mage was, but Master Plato's assistant was surely someone more powerful than an ordinary noble.

Suye put away the Magic Book and returned it to his waist. Looking up at Lawrence, he said gently, "You were not wrong before. I am merely a poor student. If I died without a sound, the teachers of Plato Academy would not care. But now, Your Excellency the dean's assistant will certainly remember me. I have already sent Magic Letters about everything that has happened these past few days to every one of my classmates. I do not expect every single one of them to help me, but just one, only one! After I die, as long as one person speaks of this, it will be enough to ignite the wrath of every Mage in Athens City."

"The noble Mages would not care about the death of an ordinary poor student. They might even be powerless against a Bandit Group. But a student dying on the eve of enrollment, dying in Athens City, dying beside Plato Academy—do you know what that means?"

Suye paused for several seconds, then suddenly shouted sternly, "You are challenging the dignity of every Mage in Athens City! It is not that I do not know what I am doing. You are the one who has no idea what you are doing!"

After saying that, Suye pointed toward Plato Academy.

"Master Plato's eyes are watching you."

Suye's voice carried across the entire scene.

Lawrence's face twitched violently, as though the "Centipede" would crawl out at any moment.

The people behind Lawrence trembled in fear. This was what they feared most, yet Suye had exposed it before everyone.

"Even if he was not watching just now, his gaze has surely reached this place by now." Suye's tone became calm again.

Yet those words were even more terrifying.

Everyone stiffened, as though they truly felt Master Plato's gaze upon them.

Master Plato had once, outside Lion Harbor and before hundreds of thousands of witnesses, slain three Legendary Sea Magic Beasts single-handedly.

The atmosphere at the scene abruptly grew tense.

Suye pressed his right index finger against his heart, stared into Lawrence's eyes, and said slowly, "I have lost my family, lost my Parents, lost my wealth, and may even soon lose my qualification as a student of Plato Academy. I have only one life left."

Suye turned his right hand and pressed his index finger against Lawrence's chest, pushing hard.

"You want wealth, power, authority, a life where no one humiliates you, and a chance to rise above your identity as a poor man. Then you trained bitterly to become a Bronze Warrior, became the Leader whom your Subordinates trusted and feared, and ruled the Poor District with a wave of your hand. In the end, was it all so you could perish together with a sixteen-year-old child like me? You are a desperado. You do not fear death. But if we die together, then I have gotten my worth. Now ask yourself: is it worth it?"

Suye's eyes held unconcealed contempt as his index finger heavily tapped Lawrence's chest twice.

Lawrence knew that look well. It was the same look he wore when he looked at fools.

Lawrence clenched both fists and gritted his teeth, his heart seeming to turn into a volcano crater ready to erupt at any time.

He had never expected that, after threatening Suye with his strength that afternoon, this boy would now return the humiliation tenfold.

No, a hundredfold! If he lowered his head today, then Lawrence the Centipede would become the laughingstock of the entire Poor District!

Even his Subordinates would spit out a mouthful of thick sputum and go serve someone else.

Lawrence's eyes grew somewhat unfocused. He had licked nobles' shoes, been stepped on by nobles as they mounted horses, knelt and begged for mercy before stronger warriors, and suffered humiliation countless times.

But he had never been humiliated by someone weaker than himself.

And this was a boy he could kill with one hand.

Lawrence felt wave after wave of scorching gazes falling upon his face. Their owners were all the lowest of the poor, people who usually did not even dare look him in the eye and who, in his view, were worse than wild dogs.

He clenched his fists tightly as divine power slowly surged through his body like a rushing river.

But if he did not lower his head...

In the end, Lawrence did not move.

Hark's right hand gripped his sword.

The two soldiers' right hands gripped their swords.

Suye stepped back two paces and held out his hand.

"The IOU." Suye's voice became calm once more.

"You have no idea who your enemy is." Lawrence seemed to have regained his composure, but the "Centipede" on his face kept twitching.

"The IOU." Suye looked at Lawrence calmly.

Lawrence took a deep breath, pulled out the IOU, and flung it away.

Everyone watched this scene in disbelief.

The tyrant of the Poor District had yielded to a boy.

The paper fluttered wildly before falling to the ground.

Suye bent down, picked it up, rolled it neatly, and tucked it into his belt.

Suye gripped the front of his robe with both hands and gave it a shake before releasing it, as though he had shaken all the dust from his body.

Everyone stared at Suye and found that even this gesture was filled with authority.

"I hope we do not meet again." Suye smiled and nodded once before turning to leave.

The crowd parted naturally to either side, like long hair brushed aside by fingertips.

They watched Suye, watched the boy who had suppressed Lawrence.

He is either a noble or a powerful Mage... The same thought arose in everyone's minds.

Hark followed behind him.

Behind Hark, the two soldiers each dragged one of Koro's feet, hauling him along like a dead pig.

A long trail of bloodstains remained behind them.

After leaving the Poor District and bidding farewell to the two soldiers, Suye and Hark returned safely to Suye's doorstep through the night.

Hark handed over the money pouch.

"Thank you, Mr. Hark," Suye said.

Hark nodded and was about to leave when Suye hesitated for a moment and said, "You should trust Lawrence's judgment and my mind."

Hark's face suddenly twisted. It was impossible to tell whether he was smiling or if it was simply a natural change in expression.

"Think more about how you will get through tonight." With that, Hark strode away.