Asphalt whistled. "Whew! Master Ronaldo, you’re loaded! What do you do besides teaching?"
Ronaldo crossed his arms. "I take missions. Stop prying."
Zane pulled out a small diary and began scribbling calculations.
After a moment, he looked up.
"All together, that’s equivalent to... 130 trillion Artemis Dollars."
"No wonder you managed to dupe your colleagues and senior brothers. Who would’ve thought you were this wealthy?"
Dar squinted at Ronaldo. "Judging by your look, I’d never believe it."
"What about my look?" Ronaldo snapped, offended. "I earned this wealth through sheer effort. I haven’t spent more than two One-Star stones in a year. Frugality, kids. Frugality."
Zane smiled. "And for that 130 trillion, you’ll get a 2.5% share in the People’s Bank. If you don’t believe me, check the math."
He handed the diary over.
Ronaldo examined it line by line like a tax auditor, then finally nodded.
"Hmm. Precise. Very precise. Alright then... I’ll take the deal."
He grinned. "Your bank’s going to be sensational. Just hand me the transaction slip."
Zane turned to Asphalt.
Asphalt, all too pleased, reached into his backpack and retrieved a thick, leather-bound ledger. He began writing the transaction slip with care.
Ronaldo took out a small stamp marked with the Academy’s insignia and pressed it on top of the document.
Zane and his teammates signed it. Then they passed the official challan to Ronaldo.
Ronaldo held it proudly, raised it into the air to show the floating camera drones, and carefully tucked it into his silk pouch.
He was grinning ear to ear.
"This was the best investment of my life. With you monsters running the show, my wealth’s going to explode this year."
He turned toward the gate, preparing to enter.
But once again—Asphalt stepped in his path.
"What now?" Ronaldo asked, puzzled.
"You still need to pay the donation," Asphalt said, arms crossed.
"What? I bought shares. Doesn’t that make me part of the team?"
"You got it all wrong," Asphalt replied with a snort. "You’re part of the People’s Bank, not our team. And you’re a teacher. Forming a team with a student would be against the rules."
The twins nodded in agreement.
Ronaldo looked like he’d been slapped by a spirit. "This is highway robbery," he muttered.
Before anyone could respond, a voice suddenly cut through the air like a blade.
"There you are. I’ve finally found you."
A figure flickered into existence just a few meters away—a five-foot-tall boy wearing a hoodie and black track pants. His eyes burned with a strange, almost unstable intensity.
It was none other than Henry Bloodgale.
His voice was sharp, almost feline, as it echoed eerily across the field.
"Want to make friends with me, Zane Carter?"
His tone was so unsettling, so unnatural, that everyone—including Teacher Ronaldo—turned to stare.
Asphalt’s expression shifted. He recognized Henry. But instead of acting, he chose to stay silent, almost too still.
The twins, however, were not so reserved.
"Who the hell are you, weirdo?" Har snapped, puffing out his chest. "Pay up, or you’re not passing through the gate."
His taunt sounded playful—but Henry responded with a delighted glint in his eye.
"Oh really? Can you even catch me? If you do, I’ll pay you with whatever you want."
His laughter rang out—strange, ghostly, like a cat toying with its prey.
Har, thoroughly irritated, lunged forward.
His hand grabbed hold of something—
But it passed right through.
"Here I am!" Henry called from behind. "Gah-gah-gah! Fatty, you’re too fat! Can you even run?"
He wasn’t trying to insult. He was just... saying whatever came to mind. His words were delivered without malice—but that somehow made them even creepier.
Dar joined her brother. Together, they summoned their spirit beasts and took off after Henry.
The strange boy flickered again—this time already inside the Ruin, standing just beyond the threshold, smiling playfully.
The twins kept chasing, but Henry was too fast.
Meanwhile, Zane turned—just in time to catch Ronaldo trying to sneak past the gate.
"Whoa, whoa, hold up," Asphalt said, blocking his way. "You still haven’t paid the donation."
Ronaldo pointed to the mana core pile. "That’s all I’ve got. Come on, Zane, help me out here."
Zane raised an eyebrow. "Fine—but I have a condition. Do you agree?"
"Depends. What is it?"
"I want you to catch that boy for me."
Ronaldo blinked. "What? That’s against the rules."
"Not really. You’re not hurting him. I just want to ask him some questions. I saw another senior bring a fresher along earlier. It’s allowed."
Ronaldo sighed. "Alright. But keep your word. If I get in trouble, I’ll be court-martialed."
Asphalt chuckled. "And don’t forget—you still need to pay."
Zane grinned, picked up a One-Star core stone, and tossed it to Asphalt.
Asphalt caught it, looked at it, and then tossed it right back. "Just kidding. You’re covered."
Zane began pouring the rest of Ronaldo’s mana stones into his silver pouch.
Not far from them, Henry zipped across the field like a phantom—dodging the twins and their beasts effortlessly.
Zane noticed Asphalt’s expression had grown tense again.
"What?" Zane asked. "You know that kid?" Read complete version only at N0velFire.ɴet
Asphalt gave a slow nod. "Others might not. But I know him very well."
"Zane, we need to be very careful around that boy."
Zane looked toward the Ruin, where Henry’s phantom-like silhouette was still flickering between the trees.
"He doesn’t seem dangerous," Zane said. "Just a kid with a One-Star mana rating... a weird voice maybe. But this is only the second time I’ve seen him. He just wants to be friends."
He paused and glanced at Asphalt, noticing the growing tension in his friend’s eyes.
"Anything peculiar about him?"
Asphalt’s jaw tightened. He stared at Henry with a gaze that was far from casual.
"Peculiar?" he echoed. "Everything about that kid is obscured and peculiar. Ever heard the story of the fallen Super-family... the Bloodgales?"