“I heard, Brother Sheffil, that you’re on good terms with those two prodigies—Jianle and Dorothy.”
“I have some matters I’d like to seek their guidance on. If I win, would you be willing to introduce me?”
Shaya stated the wager with a calm air.
“Of course, if you win, I swear on the honor of the Antiborne family that I will grant you one wish to the best of my ability.”
With that, Shaya turned his head slightly.
“So, what do you say?”
It was an incredibly tempting offer.
To receive a promise from the Antiborne family—the very one associated with the title of Prime Minister—was something no sane person could refuse.
And for good reason.
Ever since the first War God of the Antiborne line aided the Primordial King in founding the Ober Empire, their family’s wealth and glory had remained unmatched, standing atop the empire’s elite.
Countless people throughout history had looked up to them, only able to glimpse the tip of the iceberg of their true power.
With a mere crook of the finger, they could make the proudest of warriors kneel, just for a sliver of the fortune that leaked through their clenched fists.
Naturally, as the future heir of the most powerful family in existence, the highborn Shaya had full confidence he would win.
And once he did, having Sheffil—someone whom Jianle and Dorothy treated unusually well—personally take him to meet Dorothy would plant a memorable first impression.
That would make his future plans far easier to execute.
As for Sheffil—someone who hadn’t even ranked in the advancement exams—Shaya didn’t see a shred of value in him.
“A wish from the Antiborne family… Young Master, are you sure you’re not just asking me to go kidnap the two of them?”
Even Sheffil, despite all he’d seen, couldn’t help but suck in a breath of cold air after hearing that.
He didn’t know much about the nobility of the capital, but if you were a citizen of the Ober Empire, there was no way you didn’t know that name—or the terrifying power that came with it.
If Sheffil asked for a semi-liquid magic heart core of a Dominator Beast from the Hollow Moon Forest, a cleanly butchered corpse would be airdropped into Jadecrest Academy before the night was over.
“Heh, Brother Sheffil, I’m a civilized man. Why would I ask you to do something so crude? If you’re unwilling, you can simply decline. After all, this is just a little flourish added to the match—nothing more than a game to pass the time.”
Watching Sheffil’s startled expression, Shaya raised his chin in satisfaction.
“So, Brother Sheffil, will you accept the wager?”
“Hmm—”
Sheffil thought for a moment.
Then he lowered his head and locked eyes with Shaya’s smug gaze before replying.
“Forget it. Not interested.”
“Let’s just hurry up and get started.”
With that, Sheffil kicked over a nearby weapon rack, sending a dozen neatly arranged swords clattering to the ground, their blades gleaming coldly.
“Ah?”
Shaya froze.
He hadn’t expected anyone to resist such a juicy offer—especially someone who clearly understood what the Antiborne family’s name was worth.
Or… was this guy just a coward?
Did he already know he couldn’t win and back down in fear?
“What’s wrong, Shaya? Why are you spacing out? Aren’t we starting?”
Taking advantage of Shaya’s dazed state, Sheffil had already grabbed a standard longsword off the ground and assumed a combat stance.
“Ah? Um. Brother Sheffil, are you really not going to accept the wager?”
As he spoke, Shaya hurriedly drew his own sword from his waist, still unwilling to let go of the idea.
“Are you worried I might hurt them?”
“Nope.”
Resting the sword casually on his shoulder, Sheffil shrugged.
“Jianle and I had a falling out recently. She punches me every time she sees me now. Even if you did beat me, I doubt I could get you anywhere near her.”
“Ah… eh? Huh? S-So that’s how it is? Haha, well, any time works, really… I’m pretty free lately…”
“But I also don’t know when Jianle’s mood will improve.”
Sheffil shook his head.
Even after a year of knowing her, he understood very little about Jianle.
Most of their time together had consisted of him acting as her punching bag or silently standing behind her and Dorothy like some kind of living backdrop.
In truth, it wasn’t so much that Sheffil didn’t know how to interact with her normally—he suspected Jianle didn’t have any intention of interacting with anyone normally.
And besides—
“Shaya, I don’t think I’m especially strong, but the way you act like you’ve already won has been rubbing me the wrong way for a while now.”
Sheffil narrowed his eyes coldly.
A violent surge of magic flared from his body.
It didn’t just increase—it exploded.
Shaya watched in stunned disbelief as Sheffil’s magic climbed tier after tier: first, second, near-third, third intermediate, third advanced—
Fourth tier!?
A vapor-like torrent of dark purple magic erupted from Sheffil’s body, swirling tightly around the blade in his hand.
The sudden spike in magic density made even breathing difficult.
No doubt about it—this was fourth-tier magic, powerful enough to dull the surrounding mana particles.
The man standing before Shaya truly wielded fourth-tier power.
Impossible.
Anyone with fourth-tier strength could have skipped regular coursework and gone straight to the advanced division.
Yet this man hadn’t even ranked in the previous exams.
Sheffil Byrne… were you hiding your strength all this time?
At that moment, Shaya suddenly remembered Reinhardt’s bitter voice from that morning.
Those two girls just got lucky.
Eliminated before even meeting him.
Reinhardt’s irrational grudge toward this Sheffil guy now made perfect sense.
“So it was you…”
Shaya’s eyes narrowed as he connected all the pieces.
Feeling completely deceived, he glared at Sheffil with venomous rage.
And yet, for some reason…
Even though Sheffil stood right in front of him…
Even though the blackish-purple magic haze wasn’t thick enough to obscure his form…
Shaya still couldn’t quite see the man’s face.
It was as if the presence before him—so massive, so overwhelming—blurred at the edges of reality itself.
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